The Very Cool Montessori Method ( self-developmen...

When we think of a typical classroom, usually we imagine rows of desks filled with children, their eyes fixed on a teacher giving a lesson at the blackboard.

But a Montessori classroom looks much different. There you’ll find students of varying ages all engaged in different activities simultaneously, with the teacher observing, sometimes aiding a child in his or her endeavour.

 Watch our video about what Montessori Education is all about and how Maria Montessori developed her system

It’s enough to make anyone wonder…what is a Montessori School?

In its most basic sense, Montessori education focuses on child-led learning. Students are encouraged to be the directors of their own study, identifying and pursuing projects that interest them, with the teacher serving as a guide to their learning.

Much of the Montessori experience is hands-on. In any Montessori classroom, you may find a group of children working on a puzzle, while another group undertakes a days-long art project, while another child reads quietly by themselves. Children are encouraged to go at their own pace, work collaboratively and individually, and spend time working on projects they enjoy.

---

Visit our amazing website for free ESL games and speaking activities for your classes. No matter what age you teach, our site has something for you. Scan the QR code and be patient while the games to load up.

---

According to the American Montessori Society, the Montessori approach considers the development of the whole child — physical, social, emotional, cognitive.

What makes a good Montessori school?

Child development expert Jesse McCarthy

Child development expert Jesse McCarthy, owner of Montessori Education, which is dedicated to helping parents and teachers aid children’s development, has a warning: “The name Montessori is not trademarked, so anyone can actually open any kind of school and call it ‘Montessori’.” However, here’s what to look for, he says:

1. Mixed-ages.

“Real Montessori schools have children of different ages in the same classroom,” McCarthy says, though students tend to all be within three years of age from each other. “The idea here is that children learn at different paces in different areas: Where one child might learn to read at 4 years old, another might explode into reading at late 5. Why push one or hold another back based on some average at which children are ‘supposed to’ read? Children also tend to learn a lot from more mature peers, which is not possible in single-age classrooms.”

2. Long, uninterrupted periods in which children choose their work (also called “freedom within limits”).

“Real Montessori schools will have a significant chunk of time in the day dedicated to children working on materials of their own choosing,” McCarthy says. This is the “freedom” part of the equation, but it’s considered “within limits” because the activities are chosen from structured options that the teacher purposefully selects beforehand.

“For toddlers,” McCarthy says, “this ‘work period’ is usually two hours. For 3-6 year-olds, it’s usually about three hours. This can seem unbelievable to teachers and parents who haven’t been in a Montessori environment, as in ‘No way my child would focus for that long!’ But the reality is that if children are given work to do that is meaningful and engaging, from washing a table at 3 years old to doing multiplication at 5 years old — and if they are allowed to choose to do that work of their own volition — then they have impressive sustained focus.”

History of Montessori Education

Maria Montessori 

Montessori education began just over 100 years ago in Rome, Italy. Maria Montessori — and Italian physician and educator — opened the first Montessori school on January 6, 1907, calling it the Casa dei Bambini, or Children’s House.

Early in her medical career, Maria studied psychiatry. She came to specialize in educational theory, and soon, special education. In 1900, she became co-director of a training institute for special education teachers. There, she experimented with teaching methods and developed the Montessori approach, which was proclaimed a success.

In 1907, Maria opened a child care center in a poor inner-city area — this was the first Casa dei Bambini, or Montessori school. By 1910, Montessori schools gained acclaim and popularity.

Montessori Pros and Cons

Montessori is a lifestyle, not only a method of education. Thus, before committing to Montessori, decide whether you will fully embrace the lifestyle and are willing to make changes to your environment and possibly your parenting approach in order to help your child develop his whole self.

The Montessori Pros

There are many positive aspects of Montessori education and Montessori preschools are indeed a unique and beautiful thing.

• Firstly, children become self-motivated lifelong learners. Children work either individually or in small groups at their level. They gain confidence and a love for learning that stems from the freedom to choose.

• Montessori teachers evaluate each child and his or her individual needs. Each child is seen as a singular entity. He or she has the ability to work at his or her own pace. You will not find standardized testing in Montessori classrooms. 

• Children are presented with a broader range of knowledge about the world around them. They explore topics in geography, history, and science holistically.

• Children learn grace and courtesy skills. Through role-play, children learn how to handle real-life situations, such as accepting or declining invitations.

• They are able to participate in community service projects and going-out opportunities as they get older. These opportunities allow them to understand the larger community.

• Montessori teachers follow the child. There is no “teaching to the test.” They are able to explore many different topics and find specific subjects that spark their curiosity.

• The multi-age learning environment is unique and a key aspect to Montessori. Older children have opportunities to develop social, emotional, communication, and leadership skills by working with younger children. Younger children benefit from the approach, too.

The Montessori Cons

It is important to be critical, too. Here are a few ideas to ponder:

• Some students may have difficulty in learning math facts. Children learn concrete concepts from their time in the primary classroom. For example, they learn operations using the decimal system, understanding the reason why, for example, 1231 + 5295 equals 6526.

• Students in a Montessori environment are in a small community and oftentimes spend years with the same peers. Therefore, this can translate to children developing amazing friendships or it can be a constant learning environment for the development of social skills.

• Students may find it difficult to adapt to other schools should they leave before the end of the three-year environment. Because there is a continuum of learning, transitioning at a time when the child has not developed the skills he or she needs to be successful in the other classroom can be difficult.

Source: https://www./blog/what-is-a-montessori-school/

Are you following us? Press and hold the QR code to get every TEFL Lemon post