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.
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."”
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
FAMOUS MONTESSORIANS
• Larry Page, Co-Founder of Google
• Sergey Brin, Co-Founder of Google
• Jeff Bezos, financial analyst, founder, AMAZON.COM
• Katherine Graham (deceased), owner/editor of the Washington
Post
• Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (deceased), editor, former
first lady (John F. Kennedy)
• Prince William and Prince Harry, English royal family
• Anne Frank, famous diarist from world war II
• Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Nobel Prize winner for Literature
• Melissa and Sarah Gilbert, actors