Montessori Philosophy Explained: Understanding the Words of Maria Montessori

The Montessori Philosophy Explained Understanding the Words of Maria Montessori By the faculty of The Summit Country Day School Montessori

Introduction

Phyllis Schueler, Montessori Director During an evening educational program for our parents, Summit teachers presented this practical analysis of Montessori Philosophy. Each segment of the program began with a quote from Dr. Maria Montessori, and then the teacher explained the quote. Here at The Summit, we find the deep understanding that Dr. Montessori had about early childhood education is as true today as it was more than 100 years ago when Dr. Montessori made these statements, or as it was in 1963 years ago when The Summit pioneered this Montessori program. We find that these best practices initiated by Dr. Montessori are aligned with what current brain research tells us about cognitive development in young children.

A Brief Timeline of Montessori • Maria was the first woman in Italy to receive her doctorate of Medicine in 1896.

• 1901 She shifted her focus from the “body” to the “mind” and studied Psychiatry.

• In 1907, Montessori opened her first school, Casa dei Bambini (Children’s House).

• In 1909, She published her first book, The Montessori Method.

• In 1911, The first Montessori school opened in the United States.

• Maria Montessori was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1949, 1950, and 1951.

Philosophy “The child can develop fully by means of experience in his environment. We call such experience work.”

– Maria Montessori

Philosophy Dr. Montessori said a child’s work is to create the person he/she will become. In this selfconstruction – movement is purposeful; it is exploration, and discovery of their environment – both the things and people within it.

Montessori materials are called work. The classroom is structured so that children are given freedom to develop physically, intellectually and spiritually. Materials are designed to instill concentration and independence.

Work starts from the concrete presentation – in preparation for the abstract. Work has control of error – showing the child there is only one way to complete the work. Children carry a work tray to a table or a rug and then return it to its place.

– Brooke Byam, Lead Teacher

The Absorbent Mind “A child in his earliest years, when he is only two or a little more, is capable of tremendous achievements simply through his unconscious power of absorption though he is himself still immobile. After the age of three he is able to acquire a great number of concepts through his own efforts in exploring his surroundings. In this period he lays hold of things through his own activity and assimilates them into his mind.”

– Maria Montessori

The Absorbent Mind

Dr. Montessori said that the child learns by unconsciously taking in everything around him and actually constructs himself. Using his senses, he incarnates, or creates himself by absorbing his environment through his very act of living. He/she does this easily and naturally, without thought or choice.

Dr. Montessori saw the absorbent mind in two phases. • From birth to age 3, the young child unconsciously acquires his/her basic abilities. The child's work during this period is to become independent from the adult for his/her basic human functions. The child learns to speak, to walk, to gain control of his/her hands and to master bodily functions.

By about age 3, the child moves into the next phase, which Dr. Montessori called the period of conscious work or the conscious absorbent mind. During this period, the child's mathematical mind compels him/her to perfect in that which is now there.

The child’s fundamental task during this phase is freedom; freedom to move purposefully, freedom to choose and freedom to concentrate. His/her mantra is "Let Me Do It Myself!"

Children are able to learn information and concepts even though they are not directly involved with the lesson. – Lauren Guip, Lead Teacher

Sensitive Periods “It can be said that the period of childhood is an age of 'inner life' which leads to the developing, maturing, and perfecting of all the faculties.”

– Maria Montessori

Sensitive Periods

Dr. Maria Montessori was first and foremost a physician and scientist and as such she was trained to observe scientifically. When she was with children in her schools, she observed the behaviors and activities of the children. Through this observation, she first observed profound concentration and seemingly endless repetition as the children worked in the classroom. She began to realize that children were working to enhance their own development, not just to complete the work which they were doing. They “knew how” to do the work but they were “driven” to repeat it as if to complete something within themselves.

When she saw the same materials attracting children of the same age on several continents, she concluded that there were universal laws of development that drove the children. There were periods of special sensibility to areas of the environment that came and went with varying duration. She termed these sensibilities “sensitive periods.”

Since Dr. Montessori’s time, other educators also observed that children go through certain predictable windows of opportunities when specific concepts are more readily learned.

During these “sensitive periods” children have the energy to explore specific areas of the environment and to master certain skills. There is a specific kind of internal compulsion, motivating young children to seek objects and relationships in their environment with which to fulfill their special and unique inner potentials. Montessori explains: “It is this sensibility which enables a child to come into contact with the external world in a particularly intense manner. At such a time everything is easy; all is life and enthusiasm. Every effort marks an increase in power.”

Child development experts throughout the years have confirmed what Maria Montessori described over 100 years ago.

It is important to note that the sensitive periods are a transitory state and once realized; the sensitive period disappears. Sensitive periods are never regained, once they have passed.

Consequently, it is very difficult for a child to gain the skill once that time has passed. For example, once the sensitive period for concentration has passed, it will be difficult for a child to develop fully the skill of concentration.

Montessori described 11 different sensitive periods occurring from birth through age six. (See the next slide and description of the skill.) There are other sensitive periods as the child ages however, these do not occur during the early childhood years and therefore, are not part of this discussion. – Kathy Scott, Lead Teacher

Sensitive Periods of Childhood Birth-1 Birth- age 6 Age 1-4 Age 2-4 Age 2-6 Age 2-6 Age 2-6 Age 3-4 Age 3-5 Age 4-6 Age 4-6

Random Movement Language Small Objects Order Music Grace & Courtesy Refinement of the Senses Writing Reading Spatial Relationships Mathematics

The Environment "The environment must be rich with motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences." – Maria Montessori

The Environment

A properly prepared environment guarantees exposure to materials and experiences which develop intelligence as well as physical, social, and emotional abilities. It is designed to be centered, aesthetically pleasing and enticing. A properly prepared environment is an ordered environment, appealing to the child’s sensitive period for order as well as promoting a calm and peaceful atmosphere.

It has its own built in limits, in which the child can continually test himself/herself, encouraging the development of self-discipline. It allows freedom of movement where the child is free to choose work that interests him/her. The teacher prepares the environment to anticipate the children and their needs, providing structure and guidance within that environment. The teacher knows when the guidance will help and when it will interfere. As a keen observer, the teacher will know who each child truly is and can prepare the environment anew, so that each child's needs are met. The teacher continually changes it and refreshes it as each child reaches new stages of development, thus his/her need of new tasks. – Barbie Powers, Teacher

Control of Error “The didactic materials control every error. It is precisely in these errors that the educational importance of the material lies.� – Maria Montessori

Control of Error

Through the didactic materials, the child learns auto-education by the control of error built into them. This feedback points out to the child that a mistake has been made.

Auto-education encourages repetition, concentration, and awareness.

• This process leads to concept formation and intelligence.

• It frees the child from the teacher and makes observation and liberty possible.

– Barbie Powers, Teacher

Teacher’s Role “The secret of good teaching is to regard the child’s intelligence as a fertile field in which seeds may be sown, to grow under the heat of flaming imagination.”

– Maria Montessori

Teacher’s Role

As teachers, we are guides, mentors, and role models. Children have a natural interest in learning and our primary goal is to grab the child’s interest when it is hot; helping develop a lifetime love of learning. We want to fan the inner flame of the child – which is that inner drive to learn and develop. We help them take ownership of their learning. Dr. Montessori said, “Our care of the child should be governed, not by the desire to make him learn things, but by the endeavor always to keep burning within him that light which is called intelligence.”

We are “observers” whose ultimate goal is to intervene less and less as the child develops. We are responsible for creating an atmosphere of calm, order and joy; always there to help and encourage the children in all of their efforts. Knowing how to observe constructively and when to intervene is one of the most important talents of the Montessori Teacher. It takes great faith to “Follow the Child.”

We prepare appropriate learning materials to meet the needs of each child in the class. The goal of the lessons is to intrigue the children so that they will come back on their own for further work with the materials. These presentations enable the children to investigate and work independently.

We are the link between the children and the classroom environment. We want to nurture and inspire the children, lead them to ask questions, think for themselves, explore, investigate, and discover. We will often step back while the children are working, allowing them to learn from their own discoveries and draw their own conclusions. Instead of giving the children answers, we ask them how they would solve the problem, which engages the children in the learning process; enhancing their critical-thinking skills.

Our goal is to help them become independent learners who retain the curiosity, creativity, and intelligence with which they are born. We try to plant seeds in that fertile ground. – Linda Moeggenberg, Lead Teacher

Teacher’s Role “Our care of the child should be governed, not by the desire to make him learn things, but by the endeavor always to keep burning within him that light which is called intelligence” – Maria Montessori

Teacher’s Role

The “light of intelligence” is what I like to think of as internal motivation. As teachers we are aiming for children to develop motivation in themselves apart from us. It is important to delineate between internal motivation and external rewards. When we praise children for their products, not their process, they easily become addicted to our praise. They cease doing things for themselves, and do work not from internal motives, but to seek approval.

An op-ed piece in the New York Times entitled “Losing is good for you” examines the negative effects of too much praise. Research cited in the article asserts that when children receive too much praise, they collapse at the first signs of failure or defeat. This is a clear sign that they’re performing for us, not because they believe in themselves.

So in returning to the quote it is our job as teachers to guide children to the light, curiosity, and passion within, not to mold them into people pleasers – Lauren Guip, Lead Teacher

The Child’s Role “The child becomes a person through work.”

– Maria Montessori

The Child’s Role

During the earliest stages of a child’s natural development, he/she is capable of many independent achievements. His/her unconscious mind is like a sponge, just waiting to absorb a plethora of knowledge, to hone a number of skills. He/she is naturally inclined to busy, disciplined work and play. By age three, the child has the ability to learn so much, to take in so much information, simply by navigating his surroundings and taking charge of his own activities.

For this reason, Dr. Montessori was a firm believer in allowing the independent nature of the child to shine. Unlike other forms of education, the Montessori method asserts that the teacher must guide learning, not dictate it. Rather, the child must able to motivate himself/herself, to initiate his/her own learning through experience, repetition, and exploration. Thus, the necessity of an age-appropriate prepared environment. The child hones his/her strengths, asserts weaknesses and discovers new interests. The child develops his/her sense of self, confidence and personality. The child grows and matures without anyone telling him/her how.

Our ultimate goal as Montessori teachers is to reach the point at which all of our students become “normalized.” This term is used to describe a child who has adjusted to the order of the prepared environment and can engage in his/her own learning, become his/her own person through work. When normalization finally occurs, the child’s true nature can be expressed. He/she becomes calm, confident, grounded and enthusiastic, and positive to others.

– Meredith A. Schiff ’02, Lead Teacher

Practical Life Meg Sanders

“The exercises of practical life are formative activities, a work of adaptation to the environment. Such adaptation to the environment and efficient functioning therein is the very essence of a useful education.”

– Maria Montessori

Practical Life

Practical life is one of the first areas of exploration for your child at school, especially for a three-year-old. This is the area where they pour, scoop, sort, use tongs, fold, button, sweep and polish, to name a few skills.

Dr. Montessori’s aims in designing this area of the environment were to support a child’s independence, order, control and concentration. What does this mean for your child?

They are building and strengthening their fine motor skills through small movements using their pincer grasp and hand-eye coordination. Later, they will find these skills transferrable to handwriting. They are learning to build a work cycle and what it feels like to make a choice, complete a work and put it back for the next person. Through this cycle, their endurance increases and they earn a sense of mastery through repeated turns with an activity.

Your child is also learning skills that they will use not only in the classroom, but in the “real world” as well. In our practical life areas, you will see that we use glass, silverware, wood and real materials that your child will experience in their lives beyond school. They are trusted with these materials at a young age and the belief that they are capable is communicated.

Also, your child is learning to care for the environment. This means the space they are using as well as the space their peers are using. We learn to care for our materials and the environment in which they live. We keep it organized, tidy and clean. Do spills happen? Of course. We learn to clean them up using the appropriate tools, just as they will in the future.

– Meg Sanders, Lead Teacher

Language “What the child achieves between three and six does not depend upon doctrine but on a divine directive which guides his spirit to construction.”

– Maria Montessori

Language

In Language, we are guiding the spirit through internal motivation and allowing the child to progress at his/her own pace. In order for this to occur in the language area, an environment is needed to encourage expressions and the use of words. The child needs to have time to experience these needs through a language building environment. Components of language are: 1. Oral / Auditory A. Verbal language-Speech Development B. Communication • Self-expression • Conversation • Listening • Inner speech and inner listening  Story.  Finger plays  Songs

2. Mechanical Level A. Patterns B. Semantics C. Sequencing D. Classification Mastering skills to begin both reading and writing • Metal insets • Sandpaper letters • Movable alphabet 3.Word Reading Level A. Phonetic Analysis B. Verbal Analysis C. Word Analysis

4. Sentence reading A. Decoding • Word • Phrase • Sentence  Definition  Small books  Early grammar  Journals – Michele Kaegi, Lead Teacher

Sensorial “The child must possess within himself, from birth, a capacity – only a potential at first – of abstracting or taking off from particular things their essential qualities. If you watch carefully any small child, of one to two years old, you will see that he is not only interested in objects as a whole, but also in their qualities, such as roughness, smoothness, hardness, softness, color, taste, texture, weight, pliability, and so on.”

– Maria Montessori

Sensorial

One of the most beautiful aspects of Montessori Education is that it brings abstract concepts to life so that children can truly understand what the concepts mean. From the concrete Sensorial Materials the children can move to understand abstract qualities. From the moment the child first works with the Red Rods they are beginning the sensorial journey to the understanding of the abstract concept of 'length'. The Sensorial Materials are precise, exact and mathematical. The materials call for precision so that the child can come in contact with the isolated concepts and through repetition, take from the essence of each and have a clear, welldefined abstraction.

The Sensorial Materials help the children refine their senses and understand the many impressions they receive through their senses. Each of the Sensorial Materials isolates a specific sense and allows the child to explore the materials one sense at a time. This leads to a greater ability to discriminate between sensations and to appreciate a greater variety of sensations. The materials emphasize size, shape, color, weight, texture, sound, smell, etc.

“The Sensorial exercises train the children to observe, make comparisons between objects, to form judgments, to reason and to decide.”(Maria Montessori, Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook) “We may conclude with a general rule for the direction of the education of the senses. The order of procedure (for the Sensorial Materials) should be: • Recognition of identities (the pairing of similar objects and the insertion of solid forms into places which fit them).

• Recognition of contrasts (the presentation of the extremes of a series of objects).

Discrimination between objects very similar to one another.” (Maria Montessori, Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook, p. 110.)

If your child tells you that they are working on the Pink Tower, Brown Stair, Red Rods, Cylinder Blocks, Knobless and Knobbed Cylinders, Color Tablets, Sound Cylinders and Thermic Tablets they are working on the Sensorial Materials.

Aristotle said: “The senses are gateways to the intelligence. There is nothing in the intelligence that was not first in the senses.”

– Mary Humpert, Lead Teacher

Math “This system in which a child is constantly moving objects with his hands and actively exercising his senses, also takes into account a child’s special aptitude for mathematics.

When they leave the material, the children very easily reach the point where they wish to write out the operation. They thus carry out an abstract mental operation and acquire a kind of natural and spontaneous inclination for mental calculations.”

– Maria Montessori

Math

The beginning Math materials in the Montessori Classroom are “concrete” meaning they have weight, mass, size, dimension, etc. – all corresponding to the basic concept of the numeration of Math. For example, “ten bar” does not weigh as much as a “thousand cube” because 10 is not as much as 1,000. The child first experiences Math concepts “concretely” by being able to “feel” the difference between 10 and 1,000. Each piece of the material has a color that is consistent from work to work.

Each new concept of Mathematics is introduced in isolation so as to highlight the new information. Children work with many varieties of concrete Math materials for a long time until they “master” what they mean. Once “concrete” concepts are “mastered” and “internalized,” the child is introduced to abstract Math concepts slowly, then progressively more rapidly as the child grasps the “abstract” concept. (i.e. a “ten bar” = the number “10” symbol.) As the child gains experience with abstract concepts, he/she subconsciously recalls the “concrete” experience and mathematical functions are better understood.

Children must be ready for the language of mathematics which usually occurs around age four.

They need to have had much experience with and have accomplished certain skills in order to be successful in the area. These skills are: • Established internal order • Developed precise movement • Established the work habit • Able to follow and complete a work cycle • Ability to concentrate • Learned to follow a process • Understand Symbols – Kathy Scott, Lead Teacher

Science “It is self-evident that the possession of and contact with real things brings, above all, a real quantity of knowledge.”

– Maria Montessori

Science

Maria Montessori herself was not only a doctor, but a scientist as well. In our program, the children are presented with a Science curriculum covering Earth Sciences, Life Sciences, Botany, Zoology, Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy and more. Children are given lessons to demonstrate many materials and concepts, as well as free and open discovery. They are meant to encourage a sense of wonder and of the grandeur of the universe, the simple beauty of the Physical Laws and the miracle of life.

Science is all around us and the children are natural observers and testers. Children interact with the world everywhere they go, testing what happens and learning how things work as they interact with it. Interest and love for scientific things begins early as they prepare for a lifetime of learning and discovery. Examples of classroom work: Skeletal system, internal organs (anatomy: eyes, ears, tongue & mouth models), magnetic/non-magnetic, sink/float, rocks, fossils & dinosaurs, miscible/immiscible, land, air & water becomes/ liquid, solid & gas, viscosity, density, static electricity, open and closed circuits, are only a few. – Amy Berger, Lead Teacher

Geography “If the idea of the universe is presented to the child the right way, it will do more for him than just arouse his interest, for it will create in him admiration and wonder, a feeling loftier than any interest and more satisfying.”

– Maria Montessori

Geography

In geography, we must speak to the advances in our world as if Maria Montessori were alive today. Our neighbors are now global. With technology and instant information accessible to us we are closer than ever to all continents. Preparing the child to live in our world of today, we are bringing alive both physical and political geography through: • Cultures • Our study of World languages • Live presentations The Geography activities, as well as other cultural subjects, are designed to sharpen children’s impression of the world around them. These activities work within the child’s sensitive period of imagination. This area brings home to children the fundamental similarities of people all over the Earth, rather than bogging the children down with the differences.

The Geography area is a place where the children and teacher and community can grow and learn about their world together. Parents have become invaluable resources for this area. We have been blessed to have wonderful presentations by parents native to the countries that we study, as well as parents who have traveled to other areas of the world. – Karen Koch & Linda Moeggenberg, Lead Teachers

Art “The hands are the instruments of man’s intelligence.”

– Maria Montessori

Art

Within the Montessori materials there is a direct aim and indirect aim. The indirect aim of art is: • Preparing the hand by developing control.

• Gaining use of new tools, skills, techniques.

• Creative problem solving.

• Understanding a rich heritage through styles, themes, artists, periods (art history).

• Forming evaluations on aesthetics – what is beautiful in value, form, color.

However the direct aim is self expression.

Within a Montessori environment, children use their hands spontaneously and without intervention to satisfy the inner drive for self-expression. Through the hand the child’s ideas and feelings can take shape. As Maria Montessori said: “The hand is an organ of the mind, the means which the human intelligence uses to express itself.”

Art allows this to happen!!

– Karen Koch, Lead Teacher

Social “Little children from the moment they are weaned are making their way toward independence.”

– Maria Montessori

Social

Your child’s social life and their independence are interrelated to their experiences at school.

Independence is not only necessary to function, but to thrive both in school and their world outside of school. We support your child’s social experiences by helping them to grow their independence simultaneously.

Your child’s day is full of social interactions in their classroom, in the hallway and out on the playground. We encourage them to independently navigate the many social situations that arise throughout their day, promoting communication and problem solving. The goal is for them to feel empowered to share their feelings with one another and to work through conflicts peacefully and appropriately.

Grace and courtesy, two of the pinnacles of Montessori education, are concepts we discuss constantly throughout the school year. We talk about ways to be gracious and courteous, both verbally and non-verbally, as well as what grace and courtesy might sound like, feel like and look like.

We also spend time talking about our classroom and school as a community. We share space, materials, teachers and each other. While this may not always be easy, it is necessary to do so respectfully and with manners. Again, this provides us with endless opportunities to think about what being an appropriate member of a community looks like, sounds like and feels like.

The mixed age setting allows for older children to model expected behavior, give classroom lessons and help their younger classmates. The social interactions across the ages promotes respect, friendship and of course, a sense of community.

Finally, and certainly not least, we promote The Summit’s character education through Dr. Montessori’s ideas of independence and social interactions. In the Montessori School, we are focused on kindness and how we can best model kindness throughout our day toward ourselves and one another. – Meg Sanders, Lead Teacher

Physical “Growth comes from activity, not from intellectual understanding.”

– Maria Montessori

Physical

Dr. Montessori recognized the importance of child’s exposure to relationship with environment and movement as the stimulus for brain development. Movement is everywhere.

A child carries the Red Rods – at first focusing on carrying, next learning the gradation of small to large, later moving to the Red/Blue rods, understanding mathematically units of 10 and the 4 rod and the 2 rod are equal to the 6 rod.

Brain cells are present at birth but are immature at best. The brain will grow in density as new extension of nerve cells and synaptic connects are made.

Practice begins in early months. The infant lying on his/her back reaching for a toy or mobile is allowing the brain to grow in density, creating new dendrites (extensions of nerve cells) and synaptic connections.

In “The Science behind the Genius,� Montessorian Dr. Angeline Lillard highlights the study of actors who memorized their lines while walking across the stage. They remembered their lines five months after the play while those who stood still did not.

This study illustrates what we know about movement and cognition being in close alignment.

Developmental educational systems that incorporate movement understand this idea.

In 1970, a neuroscientist recognized that children are active participants in their own brain development. This shows the striking parallels between what Dr. Montessori observed 100 years ago and what neuroscientists confirm today. – Mary Schwietering, Lead Teacher

Peace “Averting war is the work of politicians; establishing peace is the work of education.”

– Maria Montessori

Peace

An essential part of the Montessori curriculum is peace education. Peace in the classroom is explained through ground rules and lessons. Rules are established in the classroom to keep the children safe and secure. The rules let the children know what is expected of them, how to function in their classroom and to work and play cooperatively in their school community.

The children are given an understanding of the Golden Rule. They learn that it is necessary to treat others as they want to be treated and to grow their ability to distinguish right from wrong.

Lessons are given on universal human values such as love, kindness, empathy, compassion, justice and honesty. These values are explained in group lessons, through literature, role playing, role modeling and peer education. Emphasis is placed on internalizing these values and on practicing them in the classroom, at home and in their world. The children’s precious hands, that they use to educate themselves with, are shown to be instruments of peace. “Hands are for helping� and they are used to reach out to, share and care for others. The children are encouraged to think beyond themselves and look to the greater good.

Inner peace is peace within ourselves and outer peace is peace in our city, country and globally. The children learn to take their peace beyond themselves and move to an awareness of their world. Disturbances in the world touch little ones only in small ways when they catch a glimpse of violence on television or overhear adults discussing it, but even at their age they can take from that the need to live peacefully. They are learning right from wrong and they certainly understand pain from all their boo-boos. They have an appreciation for flowers, trees, animals, bugs and the weather and can move that appreciation to a concern for the wellbeing of their planet Earth. Re-cycling and composting makes sense even to a three year old.

We hope to educate them to search to find peace in their home, school, community and their world. It is our goal for our children to carry the values they learned with them throughout their lives to guide them as leaders and peacemakers. “What we need is a world full of miracles, like the miracle of seeing the young child seeking work and independence, and manifesting a wealth of enthusiasm and love.� (Maria Montessori, Peace and Education, p. 5.) – Mary Humpert, Lead Teacher

Thanks Since 1963, The Summit has practiced and perfected the principles Maria Montessori first taught the world. We express our thanks to the marvelous Summit teachers who freely share their extensive knowledge of the Montessori Method. They are themselves well educated; very experienced in teaching preschool children; dedicated to knowing, understanding, and loving each child; and highly trained in the Montessori Way. Prospective families who may be interested in enrolling their children at The Summit Montessori are encouraged to call Elaine Pearl at 871-4700 ext. 209 to make arrangements for a tour and interview. Š The Summit Country Day School