Why is a Montessori classroom called a Childrens House?
Dr. Montessoris focus on the whole child led her to develop a very different sort of school from the traditional teacher-centered classroom. To emphasize this difference, she named her first school the Casa de Bambini or the Childrens House. The Montessori classroom is not the domain of the adult in charge; it is, instead, a carefully prepared environment designed to facilitate the development of the childrens independence and sense of personal empowerment. This is a childrens community. They move freely within it, selecting work that captures their interest. In a very real sense, even very small children are responsible for the care of their own child-sized environment. For generations, parents have been amazed to see small children in Montessori classrooms cut raw fruits and vegetables, carry pitchers of water, and pour liquids with barely a drop spilled. The children normally go about their work so calmly and purposely that it is clear to even the casual observer that they are the m
