What is Montessori?
Dr. Maria Montessori was an Italian physician who founded the Montessori method, which emphasises independence, hands-on learning, and respect for a child’s natural development. Born in 1870, she was a devout Catholic and one of the first women to graduate from medical school in Italy. Based on her scientific observations, Dr. Montessori developed her innovative approach that revolutionised early childhood education through the creation of prepared environments that nurture curiosity and self-directed learning.
Today, her legacy continues to inspire educators and parents globally.
The key elements of her Montessori method are outlined below:
1. Respect for the child
Much of the Montessori philosophy stems from a deep respect for children. This involves respecting the uniqueness of every child, their freedom to choose, to move, to correct their own mistakes, and to work at their own pace. Montessori educators work and interact with children from a place of genuine respect.
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"Children are human beings to whom respect is due, superior to us by reason of their innocence and of the greater possibilities of their future."
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- Maria Montessori
2. The Absorbent Mind
Dr Montessori discovered that the first six years of life are the most crucial in a child’s development. In the first six years of life, the child possesses the superpower of an ‘Absorbent Mind’, a sponge-like capacity to absorb and learn new things from their environment at a super pace.
During this period, children develop construct the foundations of their intelligence and personality. The Montessori method takes advantage of the child's Absorbent Mind from 0 to 6 years to develop strong foundations that will set the child up for the rest of their lives.
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3. Sensitive Periods
Dr. Montessori observed that children pass through specific periods in their development when they are most capable of learning specific knowledge areas and skills, known as "sensitive periods." These are periods characterised by intense focus, repetition, commitment to a task, and greatly extended periods of concentration. Children from 0-6 years old undergo the sensitive periods of movement, language, order, and the refinement of the senses. The Montessori environment support children through these sensitive periods and capitalises on them as windows of opportunity for enhanced learning.
4. Development of the whole child
Montessori is focused on developing the whole child by providing holistic learning experiences that support their holistic intellectual, physical, emotional and social development.
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All aspects of children’s development are viewed as equally important and intertwined in the Children's House, supporting multi-disciplinary learning and multi-perspectival thinking. In addition to language and mathematics, the Montessori also focuses on developing the children in the areas of practical life, sensorial refinement, and appreciation of culture, arts and music.
5. Freedom
Dr. Montessori observed that children will learn best when they are free - free to move, free to exercise a choice to select their own work, free to follow their interests, free to work at their own pace, and free to interact socially.
In a Montessori environment, children are free to move around the prepared environment, work on what they will learn best, and discover learning outcomes through their personal hands-on experience. Montessori learning is largely active, individually paced, often self-correcting, tailored to the needs and interests of each individual child.
6. The Prepared Environment
Montessori is focused on developing each child to the fullest potential by providing learning experiences that support their intellectual, physical, emotional and social development.
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All aspects of children’s development and learning are viewed as equally important and intertwined in the CHildren's House, supporting multi-disciplinary learning and multi-perspectival thinking. In addition to language and mathematics, the Montessori Curriculum likewise covers practical life, sensorial, and culture.
7. Independence
Dr. Montessori observed that children learn best when they are free to move, free to choose their own work, and follow their interests. In a Montessori classroom, children are free to move around the prepared environment, work where they feel they will learn best, and discover learning outcomes through hands-on experience. Montessori learning is largely active, individually paced, often self-correcting, and tailored to the needs and interests of each individual child.
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"Never help a child will a task he feels he can succeed."
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- Maria Montessori
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8. Intrinsic Motivation
The Montessori approach takes the view that learning is its own reward. In the Montessori environment we do not use external rewards for children’s learning. Instead, children learn to do things for themselves, and that helps drive their independence and intrinsic motivation. We want children to derive a sense of accomplishment from completing an activity and learning to do it for themselves.
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"The goal of early childhood education is to activate the child's own natural desire to learn."
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- Maria Montessori
9. Concentration
Montessori believes the ability to concentrate is closely linked to cognitive development. In the Montessori environment, concentration exercises stimulate the brain’s areas responsible for attention, memory, and problem-solving. As children immerse themselves in hands-on, interest-driven activities, they build stronger neural connections, enhancing cognitive abilities and critical thinking skills.
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Practical life activities also play a huge role in developing concentration. Activities like pouring, sorting, and arranging flowers require focus and coordination, support the child's development of memory, attention to detail, and ability to follow steps in logical sequence.
10. Auto-education
The Montessori materials in the environment were thus developed to meet this need and empower children with the ability to direct their own education.
Montessori's goal for all children is to become self-directed and self-motivated individuals. The guides in the environment simply provide guidance and encouragement for children to embark on their own educational journey.
