What Is Montessori? An Approach To Education For A Changing World

In the traditional sense, the concept of school brings to mind images of four-walled classrooms, with the teacher in front and the children lined up or firmly seated in straight rows. All work is centred on books and paperwork, and playtimes are allowed within a specific time frame only. This teaching setup often puts an emphasis on unquestionable authority, obedience, discipline and conformity.

The Montessori method of teaching, on the other hand, looks unstructured and freewheeling to the untrained eye. If you're a parent looking for the right school environment for your children and want to find answer to the question "What is Montessori," you can start by observing a Montessori class. The teacher isn't the centre of attention inside a classroom. Students may be busy with activities different from the activities of their classmates; some are working as a group, others are doing things individually. A lot of them are working with their hands with various toys, materials and learning tools.

While you may get the impression that everything is just free play, the fact is everything that happens inside a Montessori classroom is based on a specific design and a careful and scientific structure. The principles of this approach to education were designed by a doctor who for years closely studied the ways and processes of how children learn, develop and improve as individuals. Such doctor discovered and proved that children learn by doing. They achieve development through the joy of discovery. They improve as individuals because of the confidence and love of learning that they have acquired, and not because of adult intrusion and doing what they are told to do.

Montessori schooling is inspired by the concept of the "absorbent mind," the term used to describe the intense mental activity and the incredible capacity for learning that children exhibit from birth to six years old. During these early years, children will absorb everything there is to learn about their immediate environment - it is an easy, natural and inevitable process; it is their way of survival. This environment can be carefully prepared and designed in order to further encourage children to design their own learning. Preparation of the environment includes the use of manipulative materials and the encouragement of hands-on activities, social interaction and activities that lead to insights and lessons. This environment - an environment enriched with discovery, learning and intelligent observations-is what the Montessori classroom seeks to offer.

For someone new to the concept, it is just natural for many questions to crop up as you get to learn more about the Montessori approach to education. A Montessori teacher will be happy to discuss important points with you. So go ahead and ask your questions. In a changing world, a person who wonders is a person who discovers.

Understand the concept of the Montessori approach to education that's been designed by Dr. Maria Montessori, and find out how it greatly provides your child a wonderful learning environment for his or her better development as a person.