We can hear something about Montessori education from everywhere. There are already many Montessori nurseries or primary schools that work with the Montessori method, and they continue to open. What is the Montessori environment? Why is it so important to follow its principles and educate the child there?
Maria Montessori is the inventor of the method of educating children that is now applied in many educational centers, toy creation, and even furniture manufacturing. She was an outstanding scientist, philosopher, psychiatrist, and educator. She developed manuals and games to help children learn better and faster. But not only games are important. Here we can see the important principles of Montessori education:
- Child in the spotlight
Maria Montessori was sure that the most important thing in the education system was the child and their needs. It is hard to believe, but children know what they need better than their parents, teachers, and adults in general. Following the Montessori system, the child can spend hours playing with something and no one is going to forbid it.
2. The environment changes with the child
Children grow up and that means that they become interested in other things. We need to adjust the ambiance to the child so that they can develop according to their age.
3. The children can do whatever they want
The Montessori environment is made in such a way that the child entering the room can find anything interesting to him individually. The rule is simple - find first, play first. Children can spend time together but only if they want to.
4. Only children can evaluate their work
In the Maria Montessori system, children develop independently and do not need adults to help them do so. In this way, the older ones assist in creating the ambiance, but all other work, including evaluation, is done by the children.
5. No one forces children to do anything
The most important thing for the child is determination and willingness to take responsibility, so no one pushes them to do things that are not interesting or are too difficult for their absorbing mind.
In conclusion, children attending Montessori preschool acquire a strong internal motivation to learn, concentration on work they are interested in, a lot of independence, and self-reliance. They have good social communication skills and internal discipline, allowing them to easily get into a variety of schools!