Maria Montessori

Who was Maria Montessori?

Maria Montessori was an Italian born in 1870. She studied medicine and became the first female medical practitioner in Italy.  Maria worked mainly with children that were “different” or apparently unable to learn, and weren’t included within the standard education system. She created a different way for them to get educated through movement. This gained some great results, from this she was asked to run a childcare project which was a children’s house where she cared for children and used this same method of movement. This is where her passion for children’s development, and her well known ‘Montessori Approach’ was born. (Montessori in Education, 2013) (Accessed on 11/04/13)

What is the Montessori approach?

By Definition:

“A method of educating young children that stresses development of a child's own initiative and natural abilities, especially through practical play … In which children are provided with generous facilities … and allowed to develop at their own pace”. (TheFreeDictionary, 2013) (Accessed on 11/04/2013)

The Montessori approach is a method where importance of the child being able to express themselves in their own individualistic way through play and at their own pace. Where the freedom to choose and discover for themselves is paramount to their development. The role of the practitioner is very different than standard nursery settings. In Montessori Nursery settings the practitioner main role is not to direct, but to observe, and support if needed. This develops children’s independence and confidence that proves to be increasingly vital as they grow up.

Maria Montessori believed that there are 3 stages of development; Birth to six, six to twelve and twelve to eighteen, each being six year periods, and 3 of the most important stages in a child’s development. She believed that the first stage (Birth to six) is most important as it lays the base to a child’s future socially, emotionally and physically, where the child will take in so many new experiences and grow rapidly. The second stage (six to twelve) is where the child will form strong social skills and relationships. They should be eager to learn and acquire new knowledge; the child will be extremely inquisitive. The last stage (twelve to eighteen), the child will go through puberty, a big change to the body. This will again be teamed up with a need to be a part of a social group, and need to discover his or her true identity. (Isaac B, 2012).

The Montessori approach maximises the chance for children to be creative within education. Creativity is a vital aspect in learning which can be ignored and not appreciated within the general education system of today. The main factor of Montessori is that it’s a method that enables children to learn the way they find easiest and prefer; as children love to learn but don’t like being taught.

Reference list:

• Isaac B (2012), Understanding the Montessori Approach, London: Routledge

• Montessori In Education (2013), (Accessed on 11/04/13), (Accessed on website: http://www.montessorieducationuk.org/?q=who-was-maria-montessori/who-was-maria-montessori)

• TheFreeDictionary (2013), (Accessed on 11/04/2013), (Accessed on website: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Montessori+method)