Montessori for Schools
Montessori education is a method developed by Dr Maria Montessori who first formulated the method for children with learning and developmental disabilities but later on she applied her method for children with normal cognition and developments. According to her, Montessori Method creates a well-planned and structured environment where children can pursue areas of study of their interest. As a result Montessori schools are different from regular schools and Montessori school day is uniquely different as well.
- Children in Montessori schools learn at their own pace and do not have to follow the same routine for all led by the teacher which makes participation in the same activity compulsory for all students.
- In Montessori schools children are allowed to choose their own activity and there are several nooks and corners where children can learn and play.
- The teacher is never the focus of a Montessori classroom but it’s the prepared environment which is the focal point
- Outdoor environments are important in Montessori schools, and offer opportunities to engage with the natural world.
- Montessori classrooms have prepared environments with emphasis on responsibility and self-discipline
It is really amazing to see that after so many years Montessori Method is still considered to be one of the best forms of education to be imparted to children of varying abilities. It is the recognition of the fact that each child learns in its own unique way and the prepared environment boosts the learning of the children in a remarkable manner. Dr Maria Montessori began with children who were mentally deficient and unable to learn, within two years of Montessori’s instruction, the children were able to successfully complete Italy's standardized public school exams (International Montessori Index, 2006).
Montessori Education looks at multi-aged grouping, based on Periods of Development. Children are grouped in three or six-year spans and learn with the same teacher during this time span. The first group is called the "Nido" where children are in daycare and whose parents are working. This is age 0-1, or "until walking". The second group is known as the "Infant Community" and is from around one year to 2-3 years. The third group is the "casa dei bambini" and is from 2.5-6 years or 3-6 years, depending on the training of the teacher.
(Stage 1) introduction to a concept by means of a lecture, lesson, something read in a book, etc.
(Stage 2) processing the information, developing an understanding of the concept through work, experimentation, creation.
(Stage 3) "knowing", to possessing an understanding of, demonstrated by the ability to pass a test with confidence, to teach another, or to express with ease.
- Montessori Education is a type of schooling that puts emphasis on personal development rather than traditional methods of teaching and learning.
- Montessori classrooms have shown to produce results that were found to be academically and socially efficacious than traditional programs.
- Montessori students scored higher than their peers in public and private schools on standardized math and reading tests after completing kindergarten.
- Montessori education proves efficacious for children who have difficulty in attention gathering and generally cannot pay attention to details and have careless mistakes.
- In Montessori approach, children are given an opportunity to search, try, make mistake and correct their own mistake on their own; also, Montessori materials are designed to help children find these mistakes (Temel, 1994-2005).
- Upon completion of elementary school the Montessori students were able to write essays with more imagination and depth than their peers in public and private school (cited in Bower, 2006, p. 212).