MODULE 1 ASSIGNMENT

INTRODUCTION TO
MONTESSORI

Sadaf Naz
DK-2620
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Question # 1 : Discuss life and work of Dr. Maria Montessori and why
is she referred to as a lady much ahead of her time?

Dr. Maria Montessori was an Italian physician and

educator best known for introducing the Montessori
Method and also the early childhood education. Her
educational reforms become the integral
components of 21st century’s education core.

Family Background

Dr. Montessori was born on 31st August 1870 to an

educated middle class family in Ancona, Italy. Her
father was a conservative military man and her
mother was liberal lady who always encouraged her
daughter to pursuit her education. Maria
Montessori, as only child, was a vibrant, strong-willed, confident and strong lady of her time.

Education

Maria Montessori’s quest for knowledge lasted lifelong. Her father’s frequently transfer gave
her a chance to have education in big cities throughout Italy. In those days whole of Europeans
was very conservative in its attitude for women.

With her mother’s support, Montessori attended male technical secondary school instead of
traditional one and her favorite subject there was mathematics. Initially she wanted to obtain a
degree in engineering but later she pursued a degree in Medicine and graduated with highest
honors from medical school of the University of Rome and became the first lady doctor in the
history of Italy in 1896 despite facing the reluctance from opposite gender.
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Maria Montessori as a Pediatrician:

She specialized in pediatrics and the new field of psychiatry. She taught at the medical school of
Rome and was often get came across with poor and labor kids. After a short time of four years
in 1900, she was selected as the director of The Orthophrenic School of Rome where children
were kept in prisons with no hope of recovery.

Wave of change:
Maria and her fellow workers began the new change in the institution and found that her young
patients needed meaningful and purposeful activities to add a feeling of pride and achievement
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in them. Montessori took the idea of a scientific approach to education, based on observation
and experimentation and successfully achieved her goals.

Inspiration from Itard and Seguin:

Montessori looked through medical libraries of Western Europe for almost one year in order to
find out successful work done with the education of special children. She got inspired by the
work of two French doctors of 18th and 19th centuries named ITARD (1775-1838) and SEGUIN
(1812-1880).

 Jean-Marc-Gaspard Itard started the study of a boy “Wild Boy of Averyon” which led
him to maintain the presence of developmental periods in normal human growth. He
implied that in sensitive periods of a child, proper environment is needed in order to
enhance his development and the advancement of disable children is possible
 Edouard Seguin was a psychologist and the student of Itard and further worked on his
research. He carried out Itard’s ideas of daily education of handicapped children. Teens
and Tens boards, were organized by Seguin which are widely used in Montessori
Education.

On the work of these doctors Maria took the real idea and studied handicapped patients with
real eagerness. After the hard work of two years, those students were able to pass the
standardized exams.

Maria’s work gave strength to her ideas and she actively supported different social changing
movements. She was frequently invited as a guest speaker in all the Europe on the behalf of
children’s rights.

Montessori House of Children (Casa dei Bambini):

Montessori started her first school with normal

children named Casa dei Bambini (the house of
children) which was inaugurated in 1907. At the
beginning of the school, there were only fifty
students who were fully ignored by their parents
and one untrained teacher.

Montessori presented hand on materials to her

students and the journey began. She introduced
practical activities of daily life e.g. cleaning,
dressing etc. Children showed great progress and
became more independent and efficient. She
believed that the urges of the children are
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universal and that is in the nature of the child to perform such activities.

Maria spent night after night in discovering new materials which can help children in every
subject. The children of the school of Casa dei Bambini had showed outstanding progress in
their academic and practical work. They learnt a lot of activities related to writing and reading
etc.

Her school became famous and the model for Montessori schools worldwide for centuries to
come, critically acclaimed and recognized by many political leaders and educationists alike. This
is also where the Montessori Method came into being for the academic world to follow.

Prime time of Montessori:

From 1907-1930 is considered as the prime time for Maria as she studied about children and
developed a widely expanded techniques and method of learning. She also despaired her
medical career and devoted herself to her goal of REPRODUCING MANKIND.

Highest appreciation and awards to Montessori:

Her picture was printed on Italian 200 lire coin and 1000 lire
bill and she was nominated for Nobel Peace Prize thrice.

Montessori’s Death:
Maria Montessori left the world in the Netherlands in 1952
but she would always remain unforgettable and lasting through her methods of education
which remain aid children of all times to being a good human being in every respect.

Lady ahead of Time:

Dr. Maria Montessori can be regarded as the pioneer of the modern education system and
pedagogical wisdom based purely in science. She is immortal through her methods which are
still being practiced now and will in future also. Her unconventional methods and life have
rightly earned her praise for being a woman much ahead of her time.
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Question # 2: Which are the main requirements to be considered to

start a House of Children? How do you implement them?
The natural urges during childhood are universal and every child experiences them. However
the behavioral experiences children undergo during sensitive periods may vary from child to
child.

Homes are designed according to adults’ needs which can hinder children maximum
development. Children cannot access anything freely and comfortably as they are being
restricted and forbidden by elders to do things which meet their natural urges.

Requirements

A Montessori is a place where children can thrive as individuals physically, emotionally and
academically, which can only happen if their needs are met and interests are regarded in an
environment of learning. Therefore, one has to be very particular and consider numerous things
when start the house of children. These can be categorized into the following requirements:

1. The environment should be family and home-oriented instead of following a strictly

standardized setup of a conventional classroom.

2. Number of students in the classroom should not be

exceeding more than 30, to allow ample individual attention
and avoid overcrowding.

3. Size of the classroom should allow minimum of 20 square

feet per student at the early level, 30 squares for the
elementary level and 40 squares would be for secondary
level.

4. Everything should be child-sized in Montessori house where

he could enjoy his age. A child-sized kitchen, science lab, an
art studio, bath rooms, hobby workshop, everything should
be according to the size of a child. They lead him to fulfill his
desires and enjoy his own world.

5. Easy access to outdoors should be the part of the classroom. In Montessori class,
windows should be of large size till floor to have ample sunlight and ventilation for the
mental and physical well-being of students.
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6. Garden for Students is a must have, where children can grow

vegetables and fruits of their choice and can observe birds, insects
or plants. It leads them close to their natural environment.

7. Class room design is the most important as it is the place where

children have to stay. Montessori educational apparatus, tables
and shelving, and related activities equipment should be
appropriate and several in number so that children could approach
them.

 Do not hang animated or cartoon or colorful educational

posters on walls.
 Hang original artwork by famous artists or student’s own
work is recommended.
 The use of blackboard or white board should be avoided.
 Use soft lightening effect in the class.
 There should be a harmony and balance between
carpeted and tiled flooring.

8. Mix age group is an essential feature of Montessori circle. The

younger children can benefit from their older peers by learning
academically from them as well as in terms of engaging socially in
a hierarchical environment, i.e. with mentors/teachers and fellow
students/peers. The older kids, on the other hand, can develop
their leadership skills in their role as mentors for their younger
counterparts while simultaneously reinforcing their own learning
as they help the younger kids gain skills.

9. No prohibition of doing something which the student is not allowed doing at his home.
“Prohibition is either sweet or bitter, prohibition is prohibition.” Children are usually
not allowed to do by themselves what they want at their home so Montessori room
should provide them this opportunity.

These are some factors which should consider while starting any house of children.
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Implementation

To fulfill the requirements, we have to follow or adopt some measures to implement them
successfully.

 Teacher’s role:
The role of the teacher must be that of a guide and helper, and
not that of a distant lecturer. They should design activities for
the students that can contribute to their learning process and be
there to assist and support them as and when needed during
the course of these exercises.

 The Prepared Environment:

Prepared environment is very important. When children have prepared environment, they
are able to do what they want. The material is available for the child which they can easily
access and do whatever according to their interest. In this way a child can learn easily and
with joy.

 Focus on Individual Child:

Every child is different from one another. Teacher should focus
on individual child as his learning progress, growth and
understanding is different from other children. A teacher should
let child to select an activity individually which can promote
sense of achievement and freedom in him and this can fulfills
his inner needs for development.

 Polite Behavior:
Polite behavior is the key to success for the development of child’s learning. A teacher is the
role model for the student, so her behavior should be humble and polite with children to
develop a friendly environment.

 Mutual Respect:
Children must be taught to have mutual respect for their peers. This can be achieved by
encouraging them to collaborate and cooperate with one another rather than being pit
against each other as competitors.

 Parent involvement:
Parents should be actively involved in the progress of their children by way of regular
meetings with their teachers so that they may accordingly groom their child outside of the
classroom environment as well and not hinder their inner development.
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 Community Awareness Programs:

Schools should organize community awareness programs for Parents to educate them
about Montessori system.

Conclusion:

To sum up, the house of the children is the place where children can meet their needs and
interests. So, these requirements and there implementations should keep in mind when
starting the school.

Question # 3: What are the discoveries made by Dr. Maria Montessori

by observing the child?

Dr. Maria Montessori's observation of children was based on scientific methods of primary
research, the results of which she used to analyze and subsequently develop her acclaimed
teachings methods. Along the way she discovered several aspects about the child and
childhood.

Purposeful Work:

She observed that when children were engaged in activities they enjoyed, regardless of their
apparent complexity, any attempts to distract them were futile as their concentration was
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unaffected, even as they repeated the same task over and over without showing signs of
boredom.

Inner urge:

Children preferred academic work over play during school hours, as long as they had the
freedom to choose what they wanted to learn. This meant that no outside motivation or
promise of reward was necessary, as their sense of satisfaction derives from their inner urge
became their source of motivation.

Concentration:

Children could work with concentration when they found the right activities and conditions
according to their inner needs, and this concentration is the beginning of educational process.

“The child who concentrates is immensely happy”

Dr. Maria Montessori

Normality:

Fulfillment of inner needs leads to state of normality where a child does not disturb others, get
aggressive or engage in damaging environment. Sometimes they deviate from this state when
they do not find the appropriate conditions for their development. It can only be rectify by give
them exposure to the required activity individually.

Deviation:

Children are often seen to behave in a destructive, disorderly, stubborn and disobedient
manner because of the missing of suitable conditions for their inner needs. Dr. Montessori
referred to this condition as deviation.

Order of Things:

Child in their early ages needs order in everything in his environment. Any inconsistency in
surroundings from things to values to actions can create disturbance and wrap in his
development. The child wants to learn about the truth by see it being practiced. Montessori
students in early age, built up their personalities, they needed consistency in all aspects of
environment.

Exercises of Practical Life:

She also discovered that for the children to grow into well-balanced adults, it was important to
engage them into a dynamic range of activities that covered all aspects of the personality and
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academics, including sensory concepts, physical activities, language, math, art, and culture, etc
as these activities can bring the intelligence, will and voluntary movements of the personality to
the child.

Rightful Conditions:

The children can assimilate even the complex knowledge if it’s presented in rightful conditions.

Discipline:

Dr. Montessori discovered that real obedience comes through freedom after observing children
striving to manage things in a disciplined way. This suggested that discipline must come from
within and should not be enforced.

Obedience:

When obedience leads to inner satisfaction, it becomes real obedience which is based on love,
faith and respect and hence it leads to real development.

Independence:

She discovered that children love to do their household work. They believe in a statement that
“Help me Do it myself” but parents don’t pay any heed towards this. So, she believed all the
help we offer should lead the child to independence in his personal and social life.

“Never help a child with a task which he feels he can succeed.”

Dr. Maria Montessori

Child-Sized Material:

Dr. Montessori was first to discovered the frustration a child goes through in an adult-sized
world. The classroom environment in terms of layout and design was also seen to play a huge
role in the well-being of students. Child-friendly and comfortable furniture, floor matting,
spacious layout, accessible shelving, and low windows were seen to be important for the
comfort and safety of students. Eventually she designed the whole school around the size of
her students.

All these observations of Dr. Montessori and their resulting analysis are what Montessori
Method are based on to make child a healthy human being in every walk of life and help him to
learn in a better way.
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Question # 4: What does “PILES” stand for when we talk of human

development? Discuss the physical, lingual, and intellectual
development taking place during 3-6 years of age.

In terms of human growth and development, PILES is an anagram that stands for

P - Physical
I - Intellectual
L - Lingual
E - Emotional
S - Social

The age from 3 to 6 is the first phase of a child development. In this phase, the child needs
proper environment and freedom to practice his activities which he learns, observes and
watches in early years. The child brings his unconscious knowledge to the conscious level. His
hands become the tool of his mind, and he wants to explore environment and enriches his
experience.

“What the hand does, the mind remembers.”

Dr. Maria Montessori

At this stage, it is important to give the child freedom to do this on their own terms, as any
interference can be a roadblock to their learning and development of their personality.

The strong urges in a child leads to development while experiencing or doing activity related to
it

Development

Activity/
Experience

Strong urge
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Physical Development:

Physical development is very important and rapid in the phase. A child is very active,
imaginative and energetic. He wants to conquer the world in this phase of age. Their muscles
get strengthen first then gradually develop coordination. In this age, the physical activity
involves many energetic activities. The physical development progresses with the age.

3 – 4 years 4 – 5 years 5 – 6 years

Start balancing on one foot for Now balance on either foot
Balances on one foot for longer.
a moment. easily for about 10 seconds.
Very agile on outdoor
Can use Ladders. Dances
equipment

Can walk on tiptoes. Runs on tiptoes. Softly runs on tiptoes.

Adapted at running round Expert at all outdoor activities

Steers and runs around
obstructions and corners with like swinging, climbing and
obstructions with ease
agility. sliding.
Uses the pedals on a trike, and
Very good on a trike. Able to walk on a thin line.
steers well.
Will throw balls above head.
Better with ball games. Can Can now play all sorts of ball
Catches clumsily with arms or
throw, catch, kick well. games competently.
hands.
More Energetic and lively in
Forcefully kicks ball. Can bounce a ball.
general.
Walks in adult fashion upstairs, Runs upstairs with total
Balance improves considerably.
even holding a big toy. efficiency.
Puts both feet on each step
Can climb up trees. Can do skips.
when coming downstairs.
Likes to jump off the last step
Hops around. Hops for longer.
of stairs.
Bends down to pick up toys with
Moves large toys easily. Touches toes with straight legs.
straight legs.
Sits on bottom with ankles Has a strong grip with both
Able to sits cross-legged.
crossed. hands.

Good spatial awareness.

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Intellectual Development:

Intellectual development means the growth of a child's ability to think and reason. It's about
how they organize their minds, ideas and thoughts to make sense of the world they live in. The
child’s intellect also improves with the passage of time. In different phases, the child
strengthens his intellectual power at different levels.

3 – 4 years 4 – 5 years 5 – 6 years

May name all colors but
sometimes mixes up blue and
green.
Able to thread big beads.
Can build 9-block high towers
and small bridges with bricks.
Likes to paint but unable to
produce recognizable pictures
Holds a pencil properly.
Can draw a head of a person
and sometimes other features
too.
Can copy a circle, V, T, H and a
cross.
Knows more colors, can match
Knows primary colors.
well and skilled at coloring in.
Can draw a more detailed
Can draw a house. house including windows,
chimney, door and roof.
Can build 10-brick high tower, Usually copy a 10-brick step
bridges, and copy 6-bricks step. model.
More detailed drawings and
May decide what drawing/
paintings including
painting is before it’s done.
surroundings.
Excellent handling of pens and
Skillful at holding pencil.
pencils.
Draws people with head, body,
Can draw figures with all
legs, and hands mostly with
features.
fingers too.
Can copy a square, a triangle,
Copies X,T,H,V and O.
L,H,V,Y,X,T,O,U,C and A.

Can use children’s scissors Great at Jigsaws.

Can count fingers.

Can relate to the time of day

according to everyday activities
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Language Development:

Language starts developing when a child is born. But in this age Linguistic ability also rapidly
develops, and it is not uncommon for children to pick up on multiple languages easily during
these years. This happens in progressive stages; phrases, simple sentences and subsequently,
complex sentences. Exposure to media alongside social interaction with parents, peers and
teachers etc form the basis for their vocabulary.

3 – 4 years 4 – 5 years 5 – 6 years

More inquisitive questioning
Can recite name, age and
gender.
Sentences are understandable
but sound childlike.
Still asks the meaning of
Very inquisitive questioning.
intangible words.
Now tell own name, age,
Knows own name, age and
address and sometimes
address.
birthday too.
Takes pleasure in humorous
Loves to have a joke.
stories and witticisms.

Able to have simple Will recall latest happenings in

Is increasingly fluent
conversations with others. conversations with others

Will talk to self while playing Occasionally mistakes reality

Use stories in pretend play.
especially during pretend play. with imaginations.

Wants to read favorite stories Like long stories and can tell
Still loves to listen to stories.
again and again stories too.

Recites more rhymes and can Can sing several songs or Knows more songs and rhymes
sing some songs. rhymes. and loves to sing them
Still confuses letters in speech,
Understands pronouns and Only confuses the letter S with
such as K with T, R with W, or TH
plurals TH, or F with TH now.
with F.
Grammar not yet totally
Grammar is now accurate.
accurate.

Can recite numbers upto 10 Can count 4-5 objects and recite
but count only 3 objects. upto 20.
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Emotional Development:
Emotional development means how children start to understand who they are, what they are
feeling and what to expect when interacting with others. It is the development of being able to
experience, manage and express emotions and how to engage with the environment.

3 – 4 years 4 – 5 years 5 – 6 years

Sympathetic towards siblings Will defend for babies and
Affectionate to baby sibling.
and friends when hurt or upset. toddlers.

More able to last whole night Reassures friends when they

Very determined.
without wetting are upset.
Has definite best friend with
Loves helping with housework Complex play on the carpet with
whom he is usually friendly and
and other chores toys.
obliging.
Pretend play is more dramatic
Loves vivid pretend play and In pretend play, carry on the
includes imaginary objects and
dress-up. story to the next day.
people
Behavior may be
Use humor more in play and Sense of humor greatly
demonstrative, warm and
conversations increasing.
trusting.
Normal conduct is more
Wait for needs/wants to be
More self-sufficient. restrained, reasonable and self-
fulfilled
sufficient.
Show a little understanding of Understands about past, present
past and present. and future.

Social Development:
Social development refers to the process by which a child learns to interact with others around
them. As they develop and perceive their own individuality within their community, they also
gain skills to communicate with other people and process their actions.
3 – 4 years
Tidies up well
Plays well with others during
pretend play.
Uses a spoon and a fork to eat.
Share things.
Play by self or with others
using toys.
Can wash hands but can’t dry
them properly
Can manage to going to toilet
by self
Still requires help with
buttons, laces, zips etc.
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4 – 5 years
Doesn’t like tidying up.
Cheeky with adults and friends when
cross.
Expertly uses spoon and fork while
eating.
Takes turns and shares
Has best friend, sometimes hostile
and sometimes friendly
Can brush teeth, wash and dry
hands.
Argues more constructively.
Can get dressed and undressed by
self but not yet able to manage some
kind of buttons and laces
5 – 6 years
Will tidy up but usually
need prompting.
Lots of complex play, using
more and more
imagination.
Is capable of using a knife
and a fork.
Shares very well
Very skilled at construction
toys.
Can wash own face, hands
and dry them too.
Doesn’t argue much
Can get dressed and
undressed all by self.
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Question # 5: Write a comprehensive note on the role of teacher in a

Montessori classroom.
“The education is not something which the teacher does, but it is a natural process which
develops spontaneously in a human being.”
Dr. Maria Montessori

The Montessori teacher is less like the traditional idea of an instructor and
more like a gentle guide. .. Dr. Montessori used the title of Directress instead
of teacher. Their focus is on children’s learning rather on teacher’s teaching.
They do not consider it their job to give information to a child. They rather
lead children in the general direction and give them the tools they need to
find the information themselves.

 Preparation of Environment:

Montessori teacher prepares a classroom environment that is

developmentally appropriate, is inviting to children, and supports them on
their journey to work independently. This environment is constantly
changing in tiny ways as the teacher notices new and evolving needs of
the students.

 Appropriate Material:
A Montessori directress should provide appropriate material which meets
the needs of the Montessori students to develop their interest in different
fields of education and practical life.

 Independence and freedom:

A Montessori teacher works hard to create structures that allow children

to be independent and to trust themselves as learners. She gives space to
students and let them work according to their own interest. She presents
interesting and relevant lesson and then free them to work according to
their interest and generate new ideas and meet their needs.

 Act as a bridge:
Montessori is based on the idea of ‘freedom within limits’. It’s the Montessori teacher’s job
to carefully craft those limits. Children rely on having a certain amount of structure in
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place. This gives them comfort and a safe place in which they can take risks and try new
things.

Montessori teachers set some boundaries and then carefully help students navigate within
them.

Montessori teachers are careful observers and act as a bridge between children and
prepared environment to meet child’s needs.

 Giving lessons:
Montessori teacher’s lesson should be brief and interesting therefore
their attention should not be diverting elsewhere. She should provide
simple and necessary information to the child individually to do the work
on their own pace.

 Vivid lessons:
Teachers present clear, interesting and relevant lessons to the children.
They attempt to engage the child’s interest and focus on the lessons and
activities in the environment.

 Observing the Child:

A directress should observe all children individually. She should deal with them according to
their interest and provide materials or activities but there must be a dynamic link between
children and the prepared environment. She should observe her students very keenly in
order to interpret their needs.

 Individual progress of children:

Teachers spot and assess individual progress of each child as individuality

is the key factor of a Montessori house.

 Evaluation of Students:

Montessori teachers don’t rely on standardized tests; they rely on the power of
observation. They have notebooks brimming with evidence of what their students have
mastered, need more support with, and are curious about. They are constantly recording
what they notice children working on, how that work is being executed, and ideas they
might have in anticipation of a child’s next steps. Montessori teachers literally sit beside a
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child and determine exactly what they know about a wide range of
content areas.

 Helping hand:
Montessori teachers know that when to be helping hand to aid at
certain points of learning and when to step back to give more space to
child for his development.

 Main rules for using materials:

The teacher tells children ground rules that how to use activity
materials so that the better learning can takes place.

 Interpret patterns of growth:

They diagnose patterns of development and growth in children and
communicate it with their parents for the better understanding of personality of a child.
They make suitable suggestions to parents for the betterment of the child.

 Communication Facilitator:
They facilitate communication among the children and teach them how to pass their views
and thoughts to adults.

 Moral Sense Developer:

The role of Montessori guider is to develop moral sense in children. She should develop the
sense of courtesy, calm, grace and respect for every child.

 Peace Educators:

The Montessori directress works as peace educator, to teach courteous behaviors and
conflict resolution as according to Dr. Maria Montessori establishing peace is the work of
education.
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MAIN GOAL OF THE MONTESSORI TEACHER:

Montessori teachers are trained to foster human prospects in a child so the child can ask
questions, discover and learn. They are not a source of knowledge instead, they are facilitators.

To conclude we can say that in order to be a true Montessori teacher we should think like a real
COOPERATIVE ARTIST keeping in the view that it is the activity of the learner’s mind which is
the reason of the development and learning and not the activity of the teacher.