You probably have heard of the Montessori method of education already, but what is it? The Montessori teaching method is gaining recognition very fast compared to other traditional teaching methods.
So what is the method of Montessori teaching? The Montessori Method has its roots in the late 19th century when Maria Montessori observed children in their natural surroundings. This insight inspired her to create an appropriate alternative educational environment to meet the needs of these children.
The method of Montessori teaching is based on observation and experience. It is a good innovation with modern technologies like ipads and so on.
The Principles of the Montessori Teaching
Freedom of Action and Movement
The child chooses what he wants to do at any moment, whether playing or studying a lesson or working with one material or another (exploring).
The teacher observes what the child is doing and helps them when necessary but never interferes with their activity or prevents them from doing what they want.
The teacher allows them to act freely within certain limits that define themselves following their age and development.
Learning Should Be Presented Through Concrete Objects
This can be grasped by the senses rather than abstractions such as numbers or letters, or words; abstractions are presented only after concrete concepts have been mastered thoroughly using repeated sensory experiences with real objects, which evoke them naturally in memory and association of ideas without having been specifically taught for this purpose.
Sensitive Periods
As you know, the sensitive periods are the periods in which the child is most receptive to learning.
The sensitive period is not necessarily the same for all children, but rather a general timeline that should be considered when making decisions about disciplining your child.
In short: It’s up to your discretion as an adult whether or not any given method works best for raising healthy young adults who grow up into productive members of society.
Independence.
The child is encouraged to do everything alone and independently: undress, get dressed, eat, clean up after himself, etc. The teacher does not do anything for him and does not help him with anything.
The Difference Between the Method of Montessori Teaching and Traditional Teaching
In traditional teaching, the teacher is in charge, but in Montessori teaching, it’s up to the child to decide what they want to learn, when they want to learn it, and how they want to learn it.
The child learns at their own pace. If they’re interested in a subject, they will learn it quickly. If they are not interested, they won’t learn it until later on down the road.
Reading in the Traditional Method
The traditional way would be for the teacher to teach students how to read from a textbook by having them memorize spelling words and definitions that are written down in black and white on paper.
This doesn’t keep their interest very long because nothing is exciting about having someone tell you something already written down for you on paper.
Reading in Montessori Method
In Montessori schools, however, children are taught how to read through stories told orally by teachers or other students who have already mastered this skill beforehand thereby making it easier for them.
Children develop an interest in reading because they want to know what happens next in their story.
Practical learning
Montessori also emphasizes practical learning, which makes it different from traditional teaching. This can be seen in how Montessori students are encouraged to cook for themselves as early as 18 months.
Teachers use various materials relevant to the child’s interests, such as musical instruments, blocks, or cooking tools. The teacher will allow the student to explore these materials while they encourage them to learn new things through self-guided exploration.
Training Offered to Montessori teachers
Training in the First and Second year
Montessori teachers are trained in a three-year program designed to prepare them for the rigors of working with children.
The first two years of the program are spent learning how the Montessori method works in classrooms. During this time, students will practice teaching, both in classrooms and in one-on-one situations with other students.
At the end of their second year, students will begin teaching full-time in an elementary school setting. They will be supervised by experienced teachers who can help them refine their skills and improve their ability to work with different types of students.
Training in the Third Year
In their third year, students will continue to teach full time, but they will also spend more time learning about special needs children and how to work with them effectively.
This includes training on how to identify children with learning disabilities or behavioral problems and how best to work with them and training on how to use special equipment such as computers or sensory tables appropriately in lessons.
Limitations of the Montessori Method
It does not raise Children’s Intelligence
There is no evidence that the method of Montessori teaching is effective in raising children’s IQs. The method may be effective at helping children develop social skills, but it has not been shown to raise intelligence.
A lot of Time and Effort is Required
A child must receive instruction at home as well as at school in order to benefit from this educational approach. This means that parents must spend at least one hour per day with their child giving lessons, and teachers must spend significantly more time than this amount on each child.
It Does not Work Well for all Children
Some children are simply not capable of learning about abstract concepts such as geometry or algebra using visual aids like blocks or beads. Children with sensory processing disorders may have difficulty learning because they cannot focus on objects for long periods.
This is due to their inability to process what they see with their eyes or hear with their ears accurately enough for them to remember what they see or hear later on when they need it again during a test or quiz period after they
Summary
It is important to note that this method of Montessori was not developed to have it used as a school curriculum. The Montessori Method is still good and has proven to be effective among most designs of education today.
The insight of a Montessori school inspired Maria in the 19th century to create an alternative educational environment to cater for different needs of the children.
FAQS
How can Montessori teachers maintain track of all the students with diverse age groups ? Teachers evaluate children’s self-reliance, self-discipline, and concentration. Additionally, they notice both the mood of the class as a whole and the mood of individual students.
How are Montessori children’s growth evaluated? No “grades” are assigned in Montessori classrooms. Portfolios, as well as the teacher’s observation and documentation, are used for evaluation.