Montessori Education: An Exploration of the Approach to Education By: Molly McDermott

Transcription

1 Montessori Education: An Exploration of the Approach to Education By: Molly McDermott

2 The following paper explores what a Montessori school is and Dr. Maria Montessori s beliefs that shaped the Montessori education system. In this paper I outline the unique characteristics of a Montessori school that make in an enriching learning environment, highlight the distinctions that set Montessori apart from traditional education models and the structure that allows students to mature and develop at their own pace. In addition, I provide a brief critique of Maria Montessori and the movement that has spread from her teachings. Ever since the United States moved from a one-room school house model and into a system where students annually transition from one grade to the next, certain expectations are in place to certify that students move up only when they are capable of achieving the next set of standards in a years time. While we recognize that students learn at different paces, we still choose to set age-based standards for academic cognition. Maria Montessori, an Italian pedagogue, designed a practice of education that aims to eliminate age-based standards and give children the freedom and independence to learn at their own pace. Although Montessori schools spread quickly from Italy to the United States in 1911, many people were taken back by her progressive views on childhood autonomy; these ideas were better received after the 1950 s and the movement saw a second and more successful wave in the United States. The Montessori practice is now globally recognized and there are over 4,000 certified Montessori schools in the United States alone. 2

3 The initial wave of Montessori craze began with Dr. Montessori s Casa dei Bambini (House of the Children) in San Lorenzo, Italy. Although her techniques were originally designed for mentally retarded children, Maria soon discovered that the method was effective for all children. The Casa dei Bambini was a school supporting underprivileged children growing up in the slums. The beauty of the Montessori method is that it emphasizes learning with a purpose. Each learning tool serves to teach a particular skill that can be applied in the children s daily lives. Many of the learning tools Maria used are found in the ordinary home. The benefits, she discovered, were particularly great for the low-income children because they were growing up with fewer opportunities and life experiences; her school provided the enriching environment these children lacked at home and above all, it encouraged childhood independence. What exactly makes a Montessori school so enriching? The simple answer would probably be: a combination of student centered schools and developmentally appropriate learning devices. Peering into a Montessori classroom, it is clear that the space created is attentive to children s needs and prioritizes the child above all else. Maria called these preschool schools, Children s Homes. As she described them in her Handbook, The Children s Home is the environment which is offered to the child that he may be given the opportunity of developing his activities The special characteristic of the equipment of these houses is that it is adapted for children and not adults (qtd. Hainstock, 84). Furniture, for example is all childsized in a Montessori classroom, promoting an attitude of respect for children and their journey of growth. Maria discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being. It is not acquired by listening to words, but in virtue of experiences in which the child acts on his environment ( 3

4 qtd. Hainstock, 65). The teacher s job, therefore, is to provide the environment and support the learning, but not to lead the instruction. The Montessori child is in control of their learning process. The unique structure of the classroom allows children to problem solve independently of adults and thus become masters of their environment. With the goal of autonomy in mind, Maria structured a school where students could be working and learning independently of the teacher. Maria s intentionally designed learning tools are hallmarks of the Montessori method. In a Montessori preschool or Kindergarten, essential learning tools would be flashcards, counting beads, letter stencils, practical life exercises such as setting tables, sweeping, dusting, folding, pouring water/rice, sorting and twisting, and a variety of other tools that encourage the development of the child s senses such as fabrics, bells and scented bottles. Maria believed young children are tactile learners and it is therefore essential that children experience learning through their hands. Each of her learning tools are self-correcting meaning that the student discovers his or her error on their own rather than relying on a teacher to correct them. The structure of the day in a traditional Montessori classroom allows students three hours of independent work time in which they select any of the materials in the classroom to work with for a desired length of time. Maria believed deep concentration essential to cognitive growth and therefore students need time to engross themselves in their work, free from interruption. The learning tools are strategically placed around the classroom so that students can learn the layout of the classroom and always find what they are looking for. Apart from the structure, a second important feature of the Montessori design is the way the students are grouped in the classroom. It is through these groupings that the lines between grade levels become more flexible. In the early years, students ages three to six share a 4

5 classroom together. In the primary and middle school years, children in 1 st through 3 rd grades, 4 th through 6 th grades and 7 th through 8 th (or 9 th depending on the school) grades are grouped together. The idea, is that younger students learn from the example of their older peers and the older students are responsible for setting an example for their younger classmates. Additionally, students are in a classroom that supports a broader scope of educational gains. A first grader may read at a third grade level and have average math capabilities, but his classroom has the available resources to support his strengths and improve his weaknesses. Differentiated instruction becomes easier because children can self-select the material that is most interesting and appropriate to their ability. Grade levels are blurred and the emphasis is instead on the achievement of new levels of understanding. This is not to say that teachers are removed from a student s education. Emelia Carroll, a Montessori student through 8 th grade, explains the teacher would set a schedule and meet with different grades throughout the day to teach math, for example, but than set goals for the class, like you need to be practicing your multiplication facts for 15 minutes every day, but it was our responsibility to make time for that. Meanwhile, a teacher is observing and assessing a student s progress and finding ways to shepherd the students along. In her Handbook Maria writes, It is necessary for the teacher to guide the child without letting him feel her presence too much, so that she may be always ready to supply the desired help, but may never be the obstacle between the child and his experience (quoted in Hainstock, 90). Maria actually refers to teachers as directors or directresses to emphasize the fact that they were guiding and not teaching. These instructions to the teacher support her strong belief that children are intrinsically curious and motivated to learn on their own; teach them how to learn and they will chose what to learn themselves. 5

6 Encouraging intrinsic motivation, structuring the school day and acquiring the appropriate school materials were all clearly outlined in Maria s many books, however, some aspects of Montessori education may be unreliable translations of what Maria envisioned. Part of this is due to the fact that she wrote in Italian and had her work translated into English. On top of the problematic nature of translations, critiques call her writing flowery and difficult to interpret- her ideas get lots in the language. Additionally, Maria spent more of her later career passionately asserting herself as the leader of the Montessori movement rather than expanding her research on children s education. She spent considerable less time, for example, writing in respect to elementary and especially middle school education, so there is discrepancy in what these years of schooling should look like. Although schools may claim to be following the Dr. Montessori s methods, the quality of education varies. There are two schools of thought concerning Montessori schools; interpreting Maria s works word for word as literally as possible as is the Association of Montessori Internationale s (AMI) stance or adapting her methods to fit the context of the world we live in now as is American Montessori Association s (AMS) position. Since coming to the United States, the Montessori method has been Americanized to various degrees simply to make it more relevant to America culture. Still, many certified Montessori schools uphold the integrity of the original Montessori values because they believe it is what Maria envisioned and the most accurate form of Montessori education. Others argue that certain aspects of the original Montessori method don t support the type of technology driven culture we live in and that we would be allowing children to incur a handicap not incorporating technology into the classroom. AMI and AMS continue to butt heads, but at the core of each of their beliefs is respect for the 6

7 child and their developmental process- that common thread is a timeless component of Montessori education. When she first stood out on the education stage in 1909, Maria Montessori was seen as a revolutionary, but she didn t appear before a willing and whole-heartedly receptive audience. The Montessori philosophy, especially in the United States, needed to soak in before the movement could progress. When Montessori Children s Homes were introduced over a century ago in the United States, school implied a room, a desk and a teacher. Our approach to education has changed dramatically since then, yet Maria s practices of student-centered education have remained relevant. What Montessori qualities could we adopt to improve US schools? Elizabeth Hainstock answers this question in her book, The Essential Montessori : The world today has become so fast paced and competitive that it is more important than ever for our children to emerge as self-reliant, intelligent, motivated, individuals who will develop their potential. It s vital now to teach children how to learn, since we know that by nature they want to learn. (48). The full Montessori method may not be a panacea for the problems in the United States education system, but its philosophy and perspective on the developing child provides insight into how we could be better preparing our students for the 21 st Century. Works Cited Carroll, Emelia. Personal Interview. 10. May Hainstock, Elizabeth G. Essential Montessori: An Introduction to the Woman, the Writings, the Method and the Movement. New York: Mentor, Print. 7

8 8