Montessori Education

“We cannot create observers by saying 'observe', but by giving them the power and
the means for this observation and these means are procured through education of
the senses.”
Maria Montessori

The Montessori Method was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in the early
1900s. It’s a specific child-centered method of education that involves child-led
activities, classrooms with children of varying ages and teachers who encourage
independence among their pupils.
Dr. Montessori felt that “the child should love everything he learns, for his mental
and emotional growths are linked”. For this to occur, she suggested that students
be allowed to direct the activities they wish to complete at any given time.
Although autonomy is supported, a sense of personal and social responsibility for
learning is also instilled in children in a Montessori classroom. In this way,
Montessori curriculum overlaps with socioconstructivism in emphasizing social
support in multiage classrooms. These classes are frequently referred to houses
and, as evident in family-style meals and peer learning, function as an
interdependent learning community.
Developed by Italian educator and doctor Maria Montessori after extensive
research with special needs children in the early years of the twentieth century, the
method contains five basic principles. Firstly, Respect for the Child is the major
principle underlying the entire Montessori method. Montessori believed children
should be respected. Respect is shown for children by not interrupting their
concentration. Respect is also shown by giving pupils the freedom to make
choices. Secondly, Montessori education is based on the principle that, simply by
living, children are constantly learning from the world around them. Through their
senses children constantly absorb information from their world. Apart from this,
Montessori pedagogy believes there are certain periods during which children are
more ready to learn certain skills. These are known as sensitive periods, and last
only as long as is necessary for the child to acquire the skills. The order in which
sensitive periods occur as well as the timing of the period varies for each child.
Through observation, Montessori teachers must identify sensitive periods in their
students and provide the resources for children to flourish during this time. Next
principal is that the Montessori method suggests that children learn best in an
environment that has been prepared to enable them to do things for themselves.
Always child-centred, the learning environment should promote freedom for
children to explore materials of their choice. Teachers should prepare the learning
environment by making materials and experiences available to children in an
orderly and independent way. Finally, auto education, or self-education, is the
concept that children are capable of educating themselves. This is one of the most
important beliefs in the Montessori method. Montessori teachers provide the
environment, the inspiration, the guidance and the encouragement for children to
educate themselves.
To sum up the above mentioned, it is believed that Montessori education has
never been more relevant than it is nowadays. The new generation is not only
creating itself, but it is also refashioning humanity. It is our responsibility to
give children that possibility to create a new world, to create new perspectives
and build our and their own future as well. Montessori method is about
education for life, it's about each moment in a child's life, moreover it’s a very
crucial part of their development. Everything that is done in these environments
is to help children to be able to interact in life in all levels whether it be social,
emotional, intellectual one. Inviolately, with inherent within each child there is
a potential to change the world. Personally, I believe that the new generation of
children, everywhere around the world, will be confronted in a few years from
now with a totally unpredictable world with no precedence and more than ever
the world will need a generation of people who will have to be prepared to deal
with the unpredictable and find out what is the imaginative and creative
solution for it and to do it in a manner that will be socially responsible with
value, in the capacity to relate to others.