Who was Maria Montessori?
Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori, was an Italian physician and educator who developed her innovative ideas on teaching young children in the early part of the 20th century. This philosophy emphasizes the individual child's initiative and independence, allowing him or her to progress through an orderly series of structured learning activities at his own pace. Special materials that emphasize the use of all the senses in learning are employed.
Maria Montessori's philosophy derives from the notion of the child as an individual who is on a journey of self-discovery, creating the adult she is to
become. An integral part of the child's journey is the desire to learn about her environment. The child has what Montessori termed "an absorbent mind." The child is capable of effortlessly acquiring knowledge of her surroundings. The child's acquisition of language is a good example: she is not taught her native tongue through the conscious effort of an adult. Given this "absorbent mind," it is easy to see why a stimulating environment can have such an impact on the child. The child is naturally interested in her environment and has an intrinsic desire not only to learn about it but also to achieve competence in it.
Living Montessori: The Parent Perspective
General Information
The Montessori Approach
The Montessori approach to education originated in the early 1900s by Maria Montessori, the first woman doctor in Italy. Her educational ideas grew out of her experiences, first as a physician with mentally handicapped children, and later as an innovative organizer of daycare centers and schools for children of normal intelligence. The Montessori Method guides children through the “voyage of discovery.” A vast array of specially designed educational equipment is introduced to the child by Montessori-certified teachers (facilitators) in an atmosphere that promotes personal responsibility, freedom of choice, problem-solving skills, self-esteem, love, and respect. Here at Woodland Montessori, we proudly uphold these principles and theories.
Dr. Montessori’s ideas were forerunners of contemporary ideas we know as “individualized learning” and the “open- classroom structure.” Among Montessori’s original contributions are:
-
The identification of early childhood as a distinct period of life, with certain specific needs and characteristics of its own.
-
The idea of “sensitive periods” of development during which a child is highly receptive to certain learning.
-
The emphasis is on concrete materials for the teaching of concepts.
-
Recognition of the importance of repetitive behavior associated with emerging mental abilities.
-
The basic design for an educational environment that fosters the development of autonomy in the individual and recognizes the interdependence of freedom and discipline.
Montessori schools have long been established in many other countries, including Italy, Holland, and India. A new wave of American interest began in 1958, when Nancy McCormick Rambusch opened the Whitby School in Greenwich, Connecticut. The number of Montessori schools in the United States has since grown to more than 2,000.