Last Updated on March 13, 2023 by Mike Robinson

The Montessori method is an educational approach centered on the student, based on scientific observations that collect data from birth to adulthood.

According to this methodology, it is considered that the child has the innate ability to spontaneously start learning if the environment where he or she is is carefully prepared.

This system values not only logical-mathematical and rational competences, but also socio-emotional and cognitive-physical development, which relate to the social skills that children need today to fully develop a person’s potential.

History of the Montessori Method

This type of teaching is so complete that it was created thanks to a woman who had knowledge in various subjects; her name was Maria Montessori, whose name gives the method its name. Mara, originally from Italy, was born in the summer of 1870.

This woman is credited with a large number of trades: educator, pedagogue, scientist, doctor, psychiatrist, philosopher, psychologist? The truth is that his knowledge was extensive, so that way it was easier to create a method that gathered knowledge from various branches.

The birth of the method is attributed to the year 1900, since that is when Maria began to work with children who, at that time, according to the medical canon, were considered mentally disturbed. Maria realized that these children really possessed potential and that if they developed properly, they could have a more optimal life.

This happens when Maria observes several children interned in an institution who manipulate the food instead of ingesting it. Upon witnessing this act, she discovers that, to these children, what they needed was to touch, activate, and be in contact with the concrete and the real, and in this way to develop their own intelligence and potential.

It is then during that period that Maria Montessori decides to dedicate her life to children.

In this story, several other people are also important, since Maria, in developing her pedagogical career, discovered the work of other professionals who had a vision of teaching and development similar to her own, so it is worth mentioning:

• Jean Itard, who establishes the importance of observation in children and understands that they can not be imposed on to learn.
• Eduardo Séquin, who creates exercises and materials so that the child can develop their own faculties naturally and at their own pace according to their stage.
• Johann Heinrich, who emphasized the teacher’s preparation, so that he understood that in order to achieve a change in others, the person must first experience his own change, as well as have love for his work and the children he works with.

What is the difference between Montessori method and traditional education?

The main differences are:

• The method emphasizes learning through all the senses of the body and not just listening or seeing, as in traditional teaching.
• The child learns at his own pace and with his own choice of activities.
• The classes are divided by age ranges of three years, such as 3–6 years, 6–9 years, 9–12 years, etc. It’s set up this way because older kids tend to share what they know with younger ones on their own.
• The teaching is intended to incite the child’s innate hunger for knowledge, making the child love learning by making it a personal process.
• The teacher serves as a guide and an accompanist and does not impose what students should learn in the classroom.
• There are no notes or grades .

Principles of the Montessori method

The basic principles that govern the method are

1. The primordial respect for the child

This principle is the pillar on which rest the remaining 4 principles.

Montessori was very aware that adults do not respect children in terms of the decisions they make. We try to force them to do what we think is best for them without often taking into account the needs that these children have.

As adults, from a teaching based on discipline and authoritarianism, we expect these children to react with us in a submissive manner and with a behavior that we believe is appropriate for adults because it is the one that suits us best.

According to Montessori, it is best to treat them with delicacy and respect so that their development can reach its full potential, as well as being optimal and safe. Therefore, we must respect the decisions of the child in their learning environment and trust them, as they are able to learn thanks to their decisions about the options that are presented, thus developing their own skills and abilities.

In addition, the fact that we let them decide and learn with support reinforces their self-esteem and self-confidence. If an adult trusts me, because I would not trust myself

2: Children have an absorbing mind

People learn from interacting with their environment. Experiential learning is easier to remember, easier to process, and easier to store in long-term memory.

Children have a quality that allows them to learn naturally; we are talking about the ability to acquire knowledge by spontaneously absorbing it. With the verb absorb, I mean that the little ones learn unconsciously, gradually bringing that learning towards consciousness.

Surely you have ever heard that children are like sponges, so let me tell you that it is a wrong comparison, since sponges have a limited absorption capacity and children do not.

It is important to keep in mind that, by their very nature, children learn from their environment. This you must remember as to what they will learn from what exists in their context, whether the environment contains pleasant or unpleasant stimuli, or whether there are positive behaviors or hostile behaviors.

3: Take into account sensitive periods

 It refers to those periods in which children are more likely to acquire a skill much more easily than in other stages. These stages use norms and biology, and the progression follows how things change over time.

It is important to know that although all children experience the same sensitive periods, the sequence and timing vary for each child. This ability allows children to acquire a certain quality that allows them to learn about other aspects of their environment and context.

According to Montessori, the sensitive period determines a transitory disposition limited to the acquisition of a particular trait. Once they learn a skill, the special sensitivity goes away and a new one takes its place.

The adult must be an observer to detect these periods.

4. Have a prepared environment.

Montessori believed that children learn better in an environment prepared for that purpose. It also considers it relevant that in this environment children can do things for themselves.

The context focuses on active learning, where freedom is an essential characteristic.

Freedom is important because they feel more confident when exploring and make their own decisions regarding the choice of material to learn.

5- Montessori Method and Self-education

Maria Montessori said that children educate themselves.

Actively involving children in their learning context and allowing them to freely choose how to develop skills and enjoy self-education.

Regarding the adult, Montessori stressed that this should guide the child without the child feeling too much; the adult should always be available to provide the child with the help they need but never be an obstacle between the child and their own experience.

How to practice the Montessori method at home

Below, I will give you some guidelines so you can offer the children of the house another way to learn.

1. Create an orderly and accessible environment.

Having a place for each thing is favorable for the children, since they will know how to find what they need and where they should leave it once they finish using it. This fosters autonomy and independence. Having an environment where everything has its place encourages less distraction, making the child focus on the task he or she will perform.

For example, you can adapt the spaces for him by putting shelves where he can reach or placing food from the refrigerator in a low area accessible to him. The idea is that the child can easily get to the things he or she needs to grow and learn.

2: Teach real-life skills.

In Montessori schools, students learn to take care of themselves and their surroundings, which helps them develop a positive self-concept based on their autonomy and usefulness to others.

These children wash the tables, and those furniture pieces serve to organize their materials. They prepare their food, and the biggest ones help the little ones. This makes them acquire skills that will be useful in real life, as well as feel valuable to the community.

So, you can have your son collaborate at home. It’s important to think about how old the child is and have patience when teaching them how to do something.

3: Promote concentration

To learn, you have to take part in the task and pay attention to what is going on. As adults, we should look at what stimuli awaken the child’s interest and motivation to relate them to learning materials.

Keep in mind that each child is different and that they may prefer different parts of the house to perform certain tasks. Listen to your choice and adapt the space you choose to the task you are going to perform and your age. It is important to adjust the environment for the child so that he can focus on what he is doing.

4: Nourish internal motivation

Any person, child or adult, will be more involved in a task if they feel there is intrinsic value in the work they do. That is, if it makes personal sense to perform the task for oneself. If you use external rewards with children, the pleasure they derive from completing the task will be lower, and the motivation will be less lasting and meaningful for the child.

Try not to encourage your child to learn through rewards such as toys, money, or other external stimuli. The right thing to do when using this method is to encourage the meaning of the task for each child. You can praise the effort that the child makes to get it, encourage him to follow, and support him in his decision.

5. Let the child move freely.

Movement and cognition are very similar, which means that the child needs to move to learn. Do not limit it to a space or an area; remember that the child must have experiences and stimulation from the context to learn.

Also read: Factitious Disorder: Symptoms, Causes, and Diagnosis

6: Meaningful learning is deeper

When a child learns something useful in real life, their knowledge is deeper and more complete than when they learn something abstractly on paper.