Introduction
A critical discussion of early education methods is of great importance to the pedagogical community. There are a large number of different techniques that demonstrate very different approaches and teaching methodologies. Finding evidence of the effectiveness and reliability of their practical application is the cornerstone of pedagogical research aimed primarily at substantially improving the quality of early education. One such approach that has academic recognition and widespread public acceptance is the Montessori method of education. The central core of this educational technique lies in recognizing the child’s ability to independently learn new knowledge and skills in an environment that has been didactically prepared in advance. This research paper aims at a detailed discussion of Montessori educational methodology in the context of early learning.
Brief Background
The etymology of this method is inextricably linked to its author, namely Italian educator Maria Montessori. Maria’s professional activities were not focused initially on pedagogy: Montessori is considered one of the first public women health educators of the nineteenth century (Montessori et al., 2017). Consequently, Maria’s observation and meaningful experience with children allowed her to create a holistic educational system focused on justice and caring. She began to develop a program for children that would help patients with general mental and physical developmental delays better socialize and learn new skills. Once this development demonstrated success in achieving academic goals, the adapted Montessori technique became public. Today it is a natural vector of the educational system that has been disseminated in public and private educational centers worldwide.
Fundamental Principles of the Technique
The central core of the Montessori method of education is to encourage the independence and autonomy of the growing child. However, this statement should not be seen to assume complete permissiveness and little interest in the student’s educational outcomes. On the contrary, Montessori suggests that the parent, caregiver, or educator is responsible for shaping a didactic environment in which the child’s development meets the criteria of constructiveness, autonomy, and efficiency. As can be seen, this idea is directly related to the involvement of the adult in the educational process, which is known to be a highly effective solution for pedagogical practices (NHSA, n.d.; Workman & Ullrich, 2017). Thus, the adult must have an excellent understanding of the student’s interests and provide her or him with the appropriate environment to develop that interest.
The elaboration of the Montessori idea is based on eight fundamental principles that define the system discussed as coherent and framed. One of the basic beliefs is that the child should have complete freedom to choose the activities he or she will engage in. This is realized by encouraging freedom of feeling, thinking, action, and emotion, which means that intrusive principles of competitiveness and obligation to the teacher are not considered. Second, school groups are built on a multi-age principle, with younger and older students in the same class. This strategy allows for the fostering of teamwork skills, effective leadership, and caring for one another. Third, the formation of a didactic environment is fundamental: in more detail, the educational space should be divided into separate zones, whether language, math, sensory, or science. Fourth, the role of the adult in education is seen as a helper and assistant rather than a mentor or leader. This is also realized through communication since, according to Montessori, the task of the adult is not to impart experience but to form an interest.
It is essential to emphasize that prohibitions, scolding, and criticism concerning the student are inadmissible because this immediately puts the adult in a dominant position. The child should have the right to make a mistake independently: gaining experience is primarily based on one’s exploration of personal mistakes. Sixthly, the continuity of work with patients with delays can be traced to Montessori’s general strategy: the methodology aims to develop fine motor skills and perception channels. The emphasis on such aspects has proven effectiveness in forming a child’s high intellect. The seventh important principle of the educational technique is a limitation, leading to independence. In other words, books and toys are often presented in a single instance to build cooperation and agreement skills among children. Finally, the technique regulates the use of specific rules that guide and control classroom activities. This may include the need to return inventory to its place and maintain general cleanliness.
The Role of Positive Attitudes
From what has been said, it is clear that a supportive attitude on the part of the adult toward the child is an essential criterion for the effectiveness of Montessori work. In detail, such support is carried out through several channels at once. On the one hand, the adult is responsible for forming a constructive environment, including technical equipment, non-interference in observing community behavior, and gentle control over the observance of rules. On the other hand, the adult’s positive attitude toward the child allows the student to develop personal creative potential fully and explore those areas of heightened interest. This attitude is realized through encouragement, general support, and discreet direction. Consequently, the students’ moral health is found to be expected, as negative emotions and acts are forbidden, and the child feels confident.
At the same time, the Montessori educational system does not encourage competition and competition between children in achieving academic results. According to Montessori, the pointless race for teacher approval, marks or rewards, does not allow for effective relationships in the classroom and causes internal conflicts and negative bonds. The absence of such competition is a serious advantage of the system under discussion. It makes it possible to create an environment in which the child does not feel external pressure but can invest his or her energy and time in the most exciting areas.
Meeting Academic Standards
Consequently, the Montessori system has the serious advantage of raising independent and full-fledged units of society and thus meets the needs of intentional learning. However, its practical implementation often conflicts with academic standards. If a child has been brought up using this methodology at an early age, he or she may have difficulty adapting to the classical education system when he or she arrives at school. For example, the traditional image of the teacher as a mentor is complex for Montessori educators to perceive because it contradicts the previously studied adult model.
At the same time, assessment is not an end in itself in this strategy, and therefore the need for summative and formative assessment causes difficulties for the teacher. A child who has been brought up in such a system may not understand in the future why his or her knowledge and skills are being assessed and why he or she should strive to perform at the highest level. At the same time, it is fair to note the system’s general ability to adapt. Often Montessori practice is methodologically combined with other educational techniques in order to achieve its goals. In addition, the Montessori methodology does not exclude the profound use of technology in some regions of the classroom in such a way as to help the child develop digital intelligence.
The Role of the Adult
In addition to what has already been said about the assisting rather than mentoring function of the adult in the Montessori system, some additional points should be emphasized. For example, an authoritarian style of parenting in which parents choose a child’s future in advance is unlikely to find common interests with the practice of free learning. Consequently, an essential criterion of parenthood is that the adult must be internally ready to give the child freedom of thought and freedom of action: without recognition of this necessity, the Montessori system will not show productivity. At the same time, the possibility of using this pedagogical ideology in the home is not excluded, especially when combined with the realization of Montessori values in educational centers. Thus, parents and teachers can form a holistic system of relationships in which the actions of one party do not hurt the other. To put it another way, for best effectiveness, parents should continue Montessori practices at home to feel safe and confident in different environments.
Proven Effectiveness
As noted earlier, the scientific validity of a pedagogical strategy is a crucial criterion for recognizing an educational technique as valid and effective. Much of the independent academic community has reported on the positive results of the Montessori system at various times. For example, Yıldız et al. (2020) have proven the long-term beneficial effects of a practice in which a child develops specific mathematical and linguistic problem-solving skills. Faryadi (2017) also showed that following Montessori ideology positively affects a child’s more confident mastery of mathematics in early childhood. Also noteworthy is a study by Drigas and Gkeka (2017), who confirmed that Montessori practices for children with disabilities could be applied. Another result of their study was the successful modification of the system with new technological solutions to optimize the educational process. Consequently, the Montessori educational methodology has high scientific recognition and universally shows good academic results for children of different levels.
References
Drigas, A., & Gkeka, E. G. (2017). ICTs and Montessori for learning disabilities. International Journal of Recent Contributions from Engineering, Science & IT (iJES), 5(3), 77-84.
Faryadi, Q. (2017). The application of Montessori method in learning mathematics: An experimental research. Online Submission, 4, 1-14.
Montessori, M., Hunt, J. M., & Valsiner, J. (2017). The Montessori method. Routledge.
NHSA. (n.d.). The head start model. NHSA. Web.
Workman, S. & Ullrich, R. (2017). Quality 101: Identifying the core components of a high-quality early childhood program. CAP. Web.
Yıldız, F. Ü., Cagdas, A., & Kayili, G. (2020). The effectiveness of the Montessori training programme for mothers: A2-year follow-up. Contemporary Educational Researches Journal, 10(4), 144-156.