Chapter 8:

Montessori
Education
 MONTESSORI
By Jacqui and Melissa

“Education should no longer be

mostly imparting of knowledge, but
must take a new path, seeking the
release of human potentialities.”

Maria Montessori
 MARIA MONTESSORI
• Born In Rome Italy August 30 1870

• 1896 became first female doctor in Italy, after

medical school she specialized in psychiatry

• Began working with disabled children noticed some

significant developmental periods where children
learn different things most easily

• Opened a Casa dei Bambini or Children’s House in

the slums of Rome.

• She died May 6th 1952 but her legacy lives on in

schools all over the world.
Maria Montessori 1870-1952
(Italian)
(Preplanned Experiences)

• To assist Children sensory,

muscular and intellectual
development in a prepared
development.
 Principles of Learning and
instruction
• The school as a special prepared
environment” emphasize teaching
methods and materials as well as learning,
exercise derived from Montessori
observations of children.
• Children, she found are capable of
sustained concentration and work. They
enjoy order and prefer work to play. They
also enjoy repeating actions until they
have mastered a given activity.
 Educational and School
• Montessori curriculum included three major types of
activity and experience:
1. Practical
2. sensory
3. formal skills and studies
It was designed to introduce the child to such practical
activities
• Setting table
• serving a meal
• Washing dishes
• Tying and buttoning clothing
• practicing basic manners, and
• Social etiquette
 Influence on Educational
practices today;
• Montessori education has experienced two
periods of interests in the united states. The first
round of enthusiasm occurred just before world
war I. Montessori visited the united states in
1913 and lectured on her method. However the
criticisms of william kilpatrick and other
progressive educators weakened the movement
and it declined after an initial burst of popularity.
The progressive critics charged that the
Montessori method was overly structured and
provided insufficiently for Children socialization.
• Kilpatrick. A progressive disciple of
dewey’s experimentalist philosophy,
believed that children learned and
developed social skills as they worked
together on group projects.
• According to kilpatrick, the Montessori
method concentrated too much on doing
things correctly and in isolation and
thereby restricted the opportunities for
creative and experimental problem
solving.
 Goals of a Montessori
School
The main purpose of a Montessori school is to provide a carefully
planned, stimulating environment which will help the child
develop an excellent foundation for creative learning.

• Developing a positive attitude toward school

and learning

• Helping each child develop self confidence

• Assist each child in building a habit of

concentration
• Fostering an abiding curiosity
• Developing habits of initiative and persistence
• Fostering inner security and sense of order in
the child
“If education is always to be
conceived along the same
antiquated lines of a mere
transmission of knowledge,
there is little to be hoped
from it in the bettering of
man's future.” Maria
Montessori
 SENSITIVE PERIODS 0-6
• Birth to 3 years: Absorbent Mind – Sensory Learning
• 1 ½ to 3 years: Language Explosion
• 1 ½ to 4 years: Development of large and fine motor skills
• 2 to 4 years: Greater coordination, increased language skills
• 2 ½ to 6 years: All 5 senses involved in learning and adapting
• 3 to 6 years: Want to copy (mimic) adult world
• 4 to 5 years: Tactile senses acute
• 4 ½ to 6 years: Reading and maths readiness

“And so we discovered that education is not

something which the teacher does, but that it
is a natural process which develops
spontaneously in the human being.” Maria
Montessori
 MONTESSORI TEACHERS
• are originally referred to as
directress, as they direct the
children’s learning

• the child chooses their work

independently

• the directress ensures they do

a wide range of activities in a
day
• stress self sufficiency and
respect
The greatest sign of success
for a teacher... is to be
able to say, "The children
are now working as if I did
not exist."”
 Goals of the Montessori
Classroom
• Order
• Concentration
• Coordination
• Independence
 Goal of the Montessori Classroom
Order Concentration
• The classroom • Working individually
environment provides the at tasks that interest
sense of order critical for
her, the child is
young children.
allowed to develop
• The responsibility for
getting & returning work concentration and
from the shelves work habits
reinforces this sense of necessary for later
order. learning.
• The works themselves
provide order in learning
concrete concepts.
 Goal of the Montessori Classroom
Coordination
• Materials used in
the classroom
develop the muscle
coordination
needed for later
learning.
What I saw
(and heard)….
-Children
engaged.
>. Reading
>. Building
>. Sorting
>. Writing
>. Exploring
>. Soothing
>. music
 What I saw…
independence
Independence
• “I can do it myself!”
• Activities and
expectations in the
classroom
environment foster
independence.
What I saw…..
mastery.
What I
saw……….
>. Children
have a
choice to
learn and
enjoy
learning.
What I saw….children
reading.
 Learning areas
• Practical Life is an area
where many varied life
skills are introduced.

Sensorial deals with

exploring the five senses -
taste, touch, hearing, sight
and smell.
Mathematics contains a
varied range of equipment
and exercises

Language and Literacy

helps the child to expand
his/her language
• Cultural introduces the child to the concepts of science,
geography, biology and history, giving them a greater
understanding of the world.
 MATERIALS
• A Montessori classroom is a prepared
environment, containing lots of concrete
learning materials, for children to explore
and learn

• Manipulatives are to be beautiful, made

of natural materials and explore one
concept at a time.

• Materials are self correcting (if possible)

so that the child can see where the error
is

• Children are also taught responsibility

with these materials, to handle with
care, to put them away after using them
THANK
YOU 

Prepared by:
Mia Saraba
Mica Shiela Sanico
Marlon Regalario