The Montessori method of Schooling
The Montessori method is a child-centered, alternative educational method based on the child development theories originated by Italian educator Maria Montessori (1870–1952) in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Primarily applied in preschool and elementary school settings (and occasionally in middle- and high school), its method of education is characterised by emphasising self-directed activity, on the part of the child, and clinical observation, on the part of the teacher (often called a director, directress, guide) — to stress the importance of adapting the child’s learning environment to his or her development level, and the role of physical activity in the child’s absorbing abstract concepts and learning practical skills. The use of auto-didactic (self-correcting) equipment for introducing and learning concepts, and reading taught reading via phonics and whole language, the comparative benefits of which are presently being recognised.
| Maria Montessori | |
 | |
| Born | Chiaravalle (Ancona), Italy |
|---|---|
| Died | May 6, 1952 (aged 81) Noordwijk, Netherlands |
| Resting place | Noordwijk, Netherlands |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Education | University of Rome La Sapienza Medical School |
| Occupation | Physician and educator |
| Known for | Founder of the Montessori method of education |
| Religious beliefs | Catholic |
| Children | Mario Montessori Sr. |
The Montessori name is famous, but not a trademark, and it is associated with more than one organization. There are schools “influenced by Montessori” bearing little resemblance, and which have received substantive criticism from schools with a closer lineage to Montessori’s work. This article is about Dr. Maria Montessori’s work, that of her colleagues and successors.
History
Dr. Maria Montessori developed what came to be called the Montessori Method as an outgrowth of her post-graduate research into the intellectual development of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Building on the work of French physicians Jean Itard and Edouard Seguin, she developed an environment for the scientific study of children with physical and mental disabilities. After succeeding in treating these children, she began to study the application of her techniques to the education of children without intellectual or developmental disabilities.
By 1906, Montessori was well-known enough that she was asked to head a day-care center in Rome’s poor San Lorenzo district. She used the opportunity to observe the children's interactions with sensorial materials (developed to appeal to the senses), refining them, and developing new materials with which the children could work. This self-directed, interactive, materials-centered approach, where the teacher mainly observes while the children select objects specifically designed to impart conceptual frameworks and skills, is a hallmark of Montessori method education.
Her initial work focused upon children of pre-school age. After observing developmental changes in children commencing elementary school, and recognizing that children’s cognitive (thought) processes are inherently different from those of adults, Montessori and her son, Mario, began a new course of research to adapt her approach to elementary-school children.
