Maria Montessori’s Philosophy and Practical Life Term Paper

Maria Montessori: Biography

Maria Montessori was an Italian doctor who was famous for her ‘Montessori Method’ in education sciences. Montessori was, in fact, the first female doctor in Italy (Mooney, 2013). Her first researches were focused on physically challenged children, and she proposed various educational theories on this matter. Later, in the school Casa dei Bambini (Children’s House), she was able to implement her methods to non-disabled children. She established teacher training courses in 1919 in London; in 1925, almost one thousand schools that worked under the Montessori Method were functioning in the USA (Mooney, 2013). After the beginning of World War II, she moved to India and continued to work with children, using her method and developing a program called ‘Education for Peace’ (Mooney, 2013). Maria Montessori was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in the years 1949, 1950, and 1951 (Mooney, 2013). Montessori died in 1952 in a seaside town Noordwijk aan Zee in the Netherlands.

The Montessori Philosophy

The philosophy of the Montessori Method is based on a relationship triangle between the child, the environment, and the teacher (the directress). According to the Montessori Method, the teaching should be child-centered. The work in a Montessori classroom should last for three hours, but the child is allowed to choose freely any activities or tasks that he or she prefers (Prato, 2011). As Prato (2011) notices, “children should be free to choose when they wish to use the restroom, eat snacks, work, take a nap, sing songs, or go outdoors” (p. 8). Mixed-age groups are also common for the Montessori Method. The teacher is seen as a guide, not as an authority, and the teachers are not the center of a teaching session. The teacher usually prepares the environment for the children and observes their actions or helps them if they have any questions or need advice. The prepared environment should be clear and natural, arranged for the needs and interests of the children, constructed accordingly to their height and weight, and encourage children for activities (Prato, 2011). Such philosophy influences the child’s learning potential.

Curriculum Areas of the Classroom

The classroom is divided into five areas: Sensorial, Practical Life, Language Arts, Mathematics, and Cultural Studies. The sensorial area is responsible for raising awareness of the senses among children and teaching them to recognize small differences and patterns (Isaacs, 2014). The Practical Life area focuses on the tasks that the child will face in adulthood too. The Language Area aims to improve language skills (Isaacs, 2014). The Math Area teaches children to recognize numbers and quantities, while the Culture Area includes various lessons on geography, biology, music, arts, etc.

The areas of the Practical Life include Preliminary Applications (carrying, running), Applied Applications (sweeping the yard), Grace and Courtesy (saying ‘thank you’, greeting), and Control of the Movement (walking the line with an object in hands) (Isaacs, 2014). The direct aim of the area is to teach children to control their movements, develop coordination, while indirect aim focuses on developing social skills and independent opinions of children.

Spiritual Embryo and the Absorbent Mind

Montessori believed that the child’s spiritual development is similar to the development of an embryo but more in a psychological sense. The child is driven by force called ‘home’ that helps the child understand physical and mental construction (Montessori, 2016). The mneme is an ‘unconscious memory’ that preserves the memories of a child; these memories are the part of the personality (Montessori, 2016). The absorbent mind of a child assimilates everything: noises, language, movements, any impressions that he or she encounters: “Impressions do not merely enter his mind; they form it. They incarnate themselves in him” (Montessori, 2016). Insensitive periods, the child is attracted (unconsciously) to certain stimuli, e.g. language, motor skills, social skills, and others (Montessori, 2016). During such periods, it is almost impossible to interest the child with other aspects of his life.

The Process of Normalization

The process of normalization, as understood by the Montessori, is different from what we might call normal. Montessori argued that the children became ‘normalized’ when they were allowed to freely choose activities and interact with the prepared environment (Montessori, 2016). To achieve ‘normalization’, the materials presented in the classroom should be familiar to the children; moreover, the teacher should guide the children to certain activities, not order them; when a child asks a question, the teacher should approach him or her and talk to the child; any prohibition should be explained, etc. (Helfrich, 2011). If children had often encountered obstacles during their development, their behavior became ‘deviant’. Montessori divided the deviants into two groups: deviants of strong children (aggression, screaming) and weak children (lies, crying) (Helfrich, 2011). So deviant behavior is not the fault of the child, but rather of the environment and circumstances, the child had to live in. It is possible to overcome deviants, but they are often so engraved in the personality that they influence the person’s idea of him/herself. However, such deviants are so common that they do not surprise us anymore. This is a sign that deviants are accepted as a part of the human personality, which is not true, according to Montessori.

Movement, Order, Repetition in the Practical Life Exercises

Children in their ‘normalized’ state show the need for movement and active exercises. A child will have the urge to explore and take action, so it is impossible to restrain him or her from it. To encourage the need for movement, such Practical Life exercises can be used: washing a chalkboard, outdoor sweeping, carrying or washing tables. Love of order is often noticed by the adults when observing children: they like to sort things according to their shape or color (Helfrich, 2011). Such activities as folding clothes, washing hands, setting a table, or polishing shoes can encourage the child to keep order in the classroom. To master a skill the child should repeat it, but this will only be possible if the child understands the meaning behind the exercise (Helfrich, 2011). It does not mean that the child needs to repeat the same task over and over. If a child knows how to polish his or her shoes, the child can be taught how to polish glass or wood. If a child knows how to set a table, he/she can prepare the table when children learn to cook. The repetition can be included in other exercises so that the child will not get bored of the task.

Discipline and Self-Discipline

The difference between discipline and self-discipline is that the former needs to be taught and engaged in the teaching process, while the latter occurs spontaneously after the rules are familiar to the child. Self-discipline is only possible if both the parents and the directress train the child to follow the rules (Montessori, 2013). Practical Life materials allow the child to become more concentrated, focus on order (clean the tables, put back the used materials), improve self-care (unroll the mat, open a door, sort grains, etc.). Eventually, if these exercises are performed often enough (at home too), the child will soon perform these actions by his or her own will. Self-discipline is directly linked to the development of the will. The will is not something the child shows immediately, but it develops throughout the lessons, together with teachers and parents.

When the development of the will is successful in a child, he or she can choose something (activities, actions) and be aware of his/her intentions (Prato, 2011). The self-discipline is the part of the three levels of obedience. In the first level, the child can either obey or disobey without any conscious understanding. In the second level, the child obeys if the child is directed by him/herself or someone else (Prato, 2011). The third and the last level is achieved when the child is excited to obey, and he/she finds happiness in such obedience (Prato, 2011). The ground rules are another important encouragement of self-discipline. The ground rules include respect for other children and the materials in the class, usage of mats or tables during the lessons, slow pace, no interference with the work of the others, and the opportunity to work alone or in a group (Prato, 2011). Such rules, if followed correctly, will become the child’s habit and encourage him/her to gain self-discipline. Moreover, the child will be able to help the others if they disregard the rules.

The Control of Error

The control of error is one of the key features of the Montessori Method. It allows the child to be engaged in a process with self-correcting materials, so if a child makes a mistake, he/she can recognize it, find a way to correct it and try the activity again. Such method improves the child’s self-esteem and allows him/her to handle the difficulties in the new tasks independently (Montessori, 2013). The advantage of such method is that the child is not afraid to make mistakes because nobody punishes or criticizes the child: the teacher can help with a task, but she will not fully control the activity. Thus, the child’s independence and self-esteem grow during the error control.

Practical Life and Other Areas/the Role of Directress

The Practical Life area is the basis of other areas. For example, carrying and removing the objects will help the child take part in various sensorial activities (build the stairs, match the fabrics); the materials used in the Practical Life area (mats, clothes, tables, trays, books) will be described (orally and in writing) in the Language Area. Various materials, needed for Mathematics, will be brought, carried, sorted, and removed by the child. In the Cultural Studies area (e.g. music lessons), the children can sing, dance, or move along to the song, using the motor skills that developed during the Practical Life exercises.

To “follow the child”, the famous rule of Maria Montessori, is what distinguishes the directress’ role from other early childhood settings. The directress believes in the child’s ability to work independently, so Montessori teachers often do not interfere with the work of the children even if they are making mistakes (Isaacs, 2014). The lesson plans are not as important as in other schools. However, the key role of any teacher is to develop self-discipline in children, be their guide, and allow them to learn from their mistakes.

References

Helfrich, M. S. (2011). Montessori learning in the 21st century: A guide for parents & teachers. Troutdale, OR: NewSage Press.

Isaacs, B. (2014). Bringing the Montessori approach to your early years practice. London, England: Routledge.

Montessori, M. (2013). The Montessori method. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers.

Montessori, M. (2016). The absorbent mind. Paris, France: Stellar Editions.

Mooney, C. G. (2013). Theories of childhood: An introduction to Dewey, Montessori, Erikson, Piaget & Vygotsky. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

Prato, M. (2011). Montessori for you and your child: Frequently asked questions of parents and grandparents considering AMI primary Montessori education for three to six year olds. Indianapolis, IN: Dog Ear Publishing.