The Montessori Method

The Montessori Method

Language art rationale

Language is a system of words, gestures, and symbols with a universal agreed meaning that is used and shared within a group of individual. Communication, among other significant advantages, is the most important benefit we derive from a language. Additionally, language plays a crucial role in human life and therefore, can provide a vital insight on a Child’s development. Maria Montessori clearly understood this concept and developed the Montessori Method of Education that is a child-centered educational approach based on the scientific observation of children behaviour. According to Montessori, a child is one who is eager to acquire knowledge and capable of active learning in supportive and thoughtful prepared learning environments. His education model attempted to develop children emotionally, physically, cognitively and socially

The Montessori Method: Auto-Education

Auto-education is the process of educating oneself. A prepared classroom which is a crucial point in Montessori methods is a central feature of a child’s self-education. Montessori believed that the materials and furnishings with which a class is outfitted should be designed in a way that creates a nurturing environment that encourages learning. The learning materials in the school should be self-explanatory and able to teach a practical and problem-solving skill.

Additionally, the materials provided in the classroom should have an in-built control error, that should be evident to the kid while exploring the contents. For examples, encouraging kids to play a game where you have a long cylinder block with ten holes built into each and each cylinder hole differ in diameter or height. The control variable in the game is the ten cylinders with different diameters. If the child makes a mistake and puts one cylinder in the wrong hole, automatically by the time the child gets to get to the eighth or ninth his going to realise that they have missed something that one cylinder what fit into the other holes probing them to redo the arrangement until they get it right.

The Montessori Method: Sensitive period

A sensitive period refers to developmental windows of opportunity during which a child can learn specific concepts more easily and naturally than any other time in their lives. During a child’s sensitive period they develop quickly develop strong interest towards certain activities. Once these activities have been acquired, the strong desire disappears. Some of these sensitive periods include; Writing (three-four years), Writing (three-four years), Reading (three-five years), Mathematics (four-six years), interest in small objects, order, vocabulary, emotional control, sensation, and letter shapes and sounds.  To address this sensitive period requires a critical role of both parents and teachers to be more observant to enable them to detect changes and abrupt child interests and supply the settings need for the child’s fulfilment. The concepts of sensitive periods are illustrated by examples such as language development, infant-parent attachment relationship and repeated performance of a song action for no apparent reason.

The Montessori Method: Absorbent mind

Absorbent mind refers to a child’s capacity of acquiring knowledge unconsciously from his surrounding environment. There are two stages of absorbent mind known as the unconscious absorbent mind and conscious absorbent mind. The unconscious absorbent mind is experienced from a child’s birth until the third year while the conscious absorbent mind is developed as from the third year up to the sixth year. Montessori believed that learning is a natural part of a child’s development. To address this period, Montessori suggests that teachers and parents should encourage natural inclination by providing stimulating environments and experiences. The concepts of sensitive periods are illustrated by example such as a child responding to sounds of music by either bubbling their legs or stretching their hands.

The Montessori Method: Spontaneous Repetition

Spontaneous repetition refers to any random form of exercise that provides the child with an opportunity to practice skill or knowledge area. Repetition does not mean the child should engage in the same activity over and over again. It instead, anything that provides the child with an opportunity to practice of a previously learned skill such as gaming, watching, and extensions are considered repetition in the language of art material. For example, repetition can come in the form of a child observing other children doing a particular work and later gives lessons mostly to their younger ones.

The Montessori Method: Development of a Will

Development of the will is the child’s ability to choose to do things with conscious intent and make good decisions. Montessori supports the development of the will by creating an environment that offers many opportunities for the child to choose from. Self-control or willpower is developed from many little life choices children make daily. For example, involving children in constructive home chores such as keeping a room tidy, caring for a pet or gardening allows children to develop willpower and self-discipline.

The Montessori Method: Exercise of the Will

When Montessori talked about the exercise of the will, she was describing the child’s ability to gain independence and adapt to the social norms. Montessori supports the practice of the will by creating an environment where children are allowed to do activities of daily life that can help them adapt and orientate themselves in society.

The Montessori Method: Normalization

According to Montessori, Normalization refers to the independence, focus, and concentration of children by their own will. The language of art material facilitates the process of normalization by creating conducive learning through minimized work disruption, three-hour work cycles, and offering engaging hands-on materials. For example, children working with practical life materials such as moulding soil fully engage their interest and they appear to be refreshed and contended.

The Montessori Method: Control of Error

Control error is an automatic process of improving a child’s independence through techniques designed to detect, control, and correct errors created by children to complete work successfully.  For example, the designs of furniture materials that are made light enough to be easily moved by children without the help of an adult.

 
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