What is Montessori?
Montessori encompasses a philosophy by which children are allowed to develop naturally and fully, each at his or her own pace. Under the guidance of a certified Montessori Directress, in a specially prepared environment and using carefully formulated materials, children are given the opportunity to learn in the best ways – by choice and by discovery. The dual qualities of independence and a love of learning, natural tendencies for the children are nurtured in such a way that both competence and confidence result. These competent and self-confident young people have the necessary tools for successful future learning and living. It is not affiliated with any religious institution.
Montessori (pronounced MON-tuh-SORE-ee) is a method of education that was founded in the early 1900’s by Dr. Maria Montessori, the first woman in Italy to become a physician. She based her educational methods on scientific observation of children’s learning processes. Guided by her discovery that children teach themselves, Dr. Montessori designed a “prepared environment” in which children could freely choose from a number of developmentally appropriate activities. Now, nearly a century later, Montessori education is found all over the world, spanning ages from birth to adolescence.
Maria Montessori was an Italian philosopher and educator, as well as Italy’s first woman physician. In her research, Dr. Montessori noted specific characteristics associated with a child’s interests & abilities at each level of development. Rather than fight the laws of nature in order to educate a child, Montessori suggested that we “follow the child”, allowing him to show us how best to foster the development of his human potential. As quoted from “The Whole School Montessori Handbook”, ” …Montessori is about life – about development and human evolution…the essence of Montessori is a vision of the child in society – an understanding of human development that demands a new view of education.
