About Montessori

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MARIA MONTESSORI

Maria Montessori bequeathed to us a school chithus given stems from a spiritual attitude towards mankind, and mankind begins with childhood centuries to a form of pre-school education, founded in Italy in the 19th century, which gives 21st century children an excellent start in life. MARIA MONTESSORI was born in Italy and was Italy's first female doctor. Her training in psychology, physiology and neurology was extensive. Her first job was at the psychiatric clinic of the University of Rome. She had a very special affinity for and a great appreciation of the potential of children and decided to make the transition from medicine to education. In 1899 Dr Montessori attracted the attention of the Minister of Education, who commissioned Maria to give a series of lectures to teachers. In 1901 she returned to university to study experimental psychology and philosophy. In 1906 Montessori initiated her educational methods amongst the normal children. She was nominated three times for a Nobel Peace Prize. In 1950 she became the Italian delegate to UNESCO. Montessori insightfully described children as: "the forgotten citizens' who had never been accorded their rights. For, within the child there is the possibility of the true nature of man being realised, the perfect union of body and soul, the compound that is there to be attained in the right soil. International recognition came quickly the Montessori movement spread all over the world. The first Montessori training course was given in 1909. Montessori travelled extensively lecturing in many countries worldwide. Montessori stressed the need for a prepared environment, which maximizes the special creative periods of a young person's development. The child loves to use his own will, and this is strengthened by his freedom to choose an activity at his own level, from the prepared environment. The immediate use of maximum effort at the instigation of a person's own will brings new self-mastery coupled with a serene and joyous disposition.

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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MONTESSORI & TRADITIONAL TEACHING

Imagine if schools actually helped their kids identify your child's strengths by exploring their talents from a young age and growing their skills over 12 years, instead of letting them follow the same routine like sheep and leaving them confused in life after graduation. Tallie Dar.

The goal of both Montessori and Traditional schooling is the same: To provide learning experiences for the child. The biggest differences lie in the kind of learning experiences each school provides and the methods they use to accomplish this goal. Montessori educators believe both differences are important because they help shape what a child learns, his work habits, and his future attitudes toward himself and the world around him.

Montessori

  • Emphasis on Cognitive and Social Development
  • Teachers has Guide has guiding role
  • Environment and method encourage self-discipline
  • Mainly individual instruction
  • Mixed age groups (0-3 Years) (3-6 Years)
  • Grouping encourages children to teach and collaborate
  • Child chooses own work
  • Child discovers own concepts from self-teaching materials
  • Child is allocated time to work on and complete lesson
  • Child sets own learning pace
  • Child spots own errors from feedback of material
  • Child reinforces own learning by repetition of work and internal feelings of success
  • Child can work where he/she chooses, move about and talk at will (yet not disturb work of others), group work voluntary
  • Multi-sensory materials for physical exploration organizes program for learning care of self and environment.

Traditional

  • Emphasis on Rote Learning and Social Behaviour Teacher controls
  • Classroom
  • Teacher acts as primary enforcer of discipline
  • Mainly group instruction
  • Same age groups
  • Teaching is done by teacher, collaboration is discouraged
  • Curriculum structured for child
  • Child is guided to concepts by teacher
  • Child generally allotted specific time for work
  • Instruction pace set by group
  • Errors in child's work highlighted by teacher
  • Learning is reinforced externally by repetition. rewards and punishment
  • Child usually assigned seat; required to participate during group lessons
  • No organised program for self-care instruction- left primarily up to parents