“To stimulate life, leaving it then free to develop, to unfold, herein lies the first task of the educator”.
Dr Maria Montessori
The Montessori Method of education, developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, is a child-centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children from birth to adulthood. Dr. Montessori’s Method has been time tested, with over 100 years of success in diverse cultures throughout the world. It is a view of the child as one who is naturally eager for knowledge and capable of initiating learning in a supportive, thoughtfully prepared learning environment. It is an approach that values the human spirit and the development of the whole child—physical, social, emotional, cognitive. A visionary of her time and Italy’s first female physician, Dr. Maria Montessori started the first Montessori classroom 1907. Through her profound interest in child development and her acute scientific observation of children from various backgrounds and cultures, she developed a unique and time-tested method of education.
Montessori education develops the “whole child”. The curriculum encourages independence, the development of problem solving skills and social development, through a combination of self-directed education and a multi-sensory approach to learning. One of the Montessori “essentials” for stimulating and supporting each child’s learning is the prepared environment. Working within a classroom equipped with a wide range of carefully designed, hands-on materials, children are encouraged to explore, question and experience the joy of discovering the world around them.The Montessori Education is naturally engaging and stimulating approach to learning. The children absorb knowledge from their surroundings.
The goal of Montessori education is to foster a child’s natural inclination to learn. The children are free to follow their own interests within this planned environment, rather than being forced to learn something that is inappropriate to their developmental stage. The result is that children develop in a natural way and are highly motivated. They develop good discipline and master basic skills, and in many cases earlier than in a more traditional system of education. To bring about these results the teacher is trained in specific skills, the curriculum is carefully planned to reflect the children’s own educational needs, the support materials for the curriculum are specifically Montessori and the outcomes for the children are unique. The Montessori education is comprehensive, therefore, children are often exceptionally knowledgeable in a number of other areas as well.