Principles of Montessori Education
With her pedagogy, which focuses on children's own activity and self-directed learning, Maria Montessori has brought an influential international movement into being. Over the last 100 years, schools and learning communities for children aged 0-18 years and training centres for teachers have been established on all continents.
In 1896 Maria Montessori received her Doctorate in Medicine, making her one of the first female doctors in Italy. Her additional studies of Anthropology, Pedagogy, Psychology and Philosophy, but above all her meticulous observation of children, form the basis of her revolutionary and universal educational concept. The Montessori pedagogy enables the child to fully develop his or her personality and to learn in a way that is adapted to his or her development.
These are some of the most important keywords and elements of the Montessori pedagogy:
Independence
... and their active development through self-activity is the goal of all Montessori's educational efforts. It demands space and time for the child to develop freely, because only from the feeling of one's own independence human dignity and true freedom emerges.
The Prepared Environment
...allows the child freedom of movement, autonomy and independence. It is clearly structured and full of learning opportunities that encourage the child to do something meaningful. The prepared environment is completely tailored to the needs of the children and varies in the offer according to the age group (0-3 years, 3-6 years, 6-12 years, 12-18 years).
The Montessori Material
... is an integral part of the prepared environment. It includes the areas of Practical Life Exercises, Sensory Training, Mathematics, Language and Cosmic Education. It is designed in such a way that the children can acquire knowledge and skills independently after an introduction by the teacher. Through its inner order and isolation of difficulties, the material brings mind order. It enables this concentrated collecting, which Montessori called the "polarisation of attention".
The Polarization of Attention
...is a state of deep concentration caused by the Montessori material. If a child is completely absorbed in his or her actions, this has positive effects on the entire development of his or her personality. He becomes content and balanced, feels comfortable in the group and is open to acquire new knowledge.
The Sensitive Periods
... are periods of special receptivity and inner readiness to take a certain learning or developmental step. This phenomenon, which Neurobiology today calls "Window", was discovered by Maria Montessori at the beginning of the last century. The knowledge of the sensitive periods holds a great opportunity: the right offer at the right time guarantees joyful, easy, fast and profound learning.
The Freedom of Choice
...is the practical pedagogical consequence of Montessori's basic ideas. The children themselves decide what and where they want to work, with whom and how long they want to work. They practice the correct assessment of their own abilities, stamina and self-discipline, the setting of their own goals, decision-making power and the ability to cooperate. They take responsibility for their own learning.
The «New Educator»
...has the role of a "helper" who paves the way for the child to become independent, according to the motto "Help me to do it myself". The process of learning and cognition happens within the child. The adult must learn to lead the child towards learning, then to withdraw and finally, to accompany the child's process of cognition as a passive observer.