Montessori Education Method
MARIA MONTESSORI
Maria Montessori was an Italian physician, educator, and innovator, acclaimed for her educational method that builds on the way children naturally learn.
She opened the first Montessori school – the Casa dei Bambini, or Children’s House – in Rome on 6 January 1907. Subsequently, she traveled the world and wrote extensively about her approach to education, attracting many devotees. There are now more than 22,000 Montessori schools in at least 110 countries worldwide.
Maria Montessori was born on 31 August 1870, in the provincial town of Chiaravalle, Italy. Her father was a financial manager for a state-run industry. Her mother was raised in a family that prized education. She was well-schooled and an avid reader – unusual for Italian women of that time. The same thirst for knowledge took root in young Maria, and she immersed herself in many fields of study before creating the educational method that bears her name.
WHY MONTESSORI ?
WHAT MAKES MONTESSORI UNIQUE: AIMS AND METHOD
Aims
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To aid the child’s development into a complete adult human being, comfortable with himself, with his society and with humanity as a whole.
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To foster the fullest possible development of the whole child, ultimately preparing him for life’s many rich experiences.
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To develop in their own natural rhythm, children who are physically and mentally independent, self confident and self controlled, able to manage the requirements of daily life with grace, ease and effectiveness.
The Whole Child Approach
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It is a child-centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children from birth to adulthood.
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It is a view of the child as one who is naturally eager for knowledge and capable of initiating learning in a supportive, thoughtfully prepared learning environment. It is an approach that values the human spirit and the development of the whole child.
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The primary goal of a Montessori program is to help each child reach their full potential in all areas of life. Activities promote the development of social skills, emotional growth and physical coordination as well as cognitive preparation for future intellectual academic endeavors. The holistic curriculum, under the direction of a trained teacher, allows the child to experience the joy of learning, the time to enjoy the process and ensures the development of self-esteem. It provides the experiences from which children create their knowledge.