What is Montessori???
Montessori is an educational teaching style that focuses on
the individual child and their specific needs. Dr. Maria Montessori opened her first school in 1907, leading the way for this progressive teaching style we simply call "Montessori" today. There are four basic areas of learning
in a Montessori 3-6 classroom:
Practical Life (Care of themselves and Care of the Environment)
In this section of work, the child finds materials and every day life lessons such as pouring water from a jug to a glass, or learning
how to tie their shoes. These activities help the child to properly take
care of themselves so that they may feel independent. Children are also instructed how to care for the environment around them. This may include taking care of the plants in the classroom, to feeding and caring for the class pet.
Sensorial
Activities in this section allow the children to refine each of their
senses. They will become children who can appreciate differences in sounds, sight, hearing, texture and taste. This helps the learner better organize thoughts and objects in the environment around them.
Language
The child is taught language through a specific progression of lessons. All Montessori language lessons are phonetically based. Language lessons (as well as all Montessori lessons) are taught with a multi-sensory approach.
Mathematics
The child first learns to count from 0-10. Children next learn
the concept that those numbers represent a specific amount, a quantity. Through
each material, the child will learn addition and subtraction as well as classification, skip counting and place value. Through this method of teaching, Montessori offers
the child a strong and solid foundation in the understanding of
mathematics.
Overall,
what makes this method of learning so different compared to the
conventional form of education we have today, is that the teacher does
not stand in front of the class and teach each child the same lesson
all at once. Each child is allowed to learn at their own rhythm .
Montessori called this way of teaching “preparing the child for
success”. The teacher is there to guide the child through small lessons in which the child will succeed. Through time, the lessons
rise in difficulty, but because the progression is so well thought out,
the child never feels
as though learning is a struggle.
