You have probably heard the term “Montessori education”, especially when it comes to which kindergarten or school to enrol your little one into. As you’ll see in this article, the Montessori teaching method is as intuitive as it is effective. Below you can find more about the Montessori method, including its origins, its characteristics, and of course, whether it’s the best way for kids to learn. So, where does the Montessori teaching style come from?
What is Montessori education?
Montessori is a method of educating children that is personalised to each child’s learning style, their stage of development, and their unique interests. Unlike traditional school systems where a prescribed schedule is dictated to learners, Montessori lets a child’s curiosity and excitement to learn take the lead. Montessori classrooms are designed to fit the needs of the child, giving them a variety of different activities all designed to teach them different things. The idea is that as a child engages with something, the educator encourages them to further investigate and learn through that activity.
How does Montessori education work?
In a classroom, the educators will watch the children closely to see what peaks the children’s interests. The educators are then able to modify lessons and materials to encourage a child to keep learning through whatever they are engaging with. The educator’s goal is to try and anticipate what the child will need next to keep the learning process progressing. In this way, the child will be drawn to engage with something, and they engage more and more through enjoyment, so they learn more and more.
Where did it come from?
The teaching style was created by Dr Maria Montessori, a physician who developed the teaching method over fifty years. Maria was the first woman physician to graduate from the University of Rome, and began treating children after graduation. After creating a home for poor families in the San Lorenzo slums of Rome, she learned that ‘young children learn best in a homelike setting, filled with developmentally appropriate materials that provide experiences contributing to the growth of self-motivated, independent learners.’ Through hours of subsequent observation of children from different ethnic, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, and Maria’s deep understanding of child development, the unique method was born. Today, Montessori is available across 360 schools in Australia, helping to educate more than 26,000 children.
What are the benefits?
Here are just a few of the key benefits of the Montessori education approach:
- A love of learning
The method inspires children towards a love of learning, by following their interests and natural developmental path. The approach allows children to grow into confident, independent learners, who are taught to trust their own intuition and abilities.
- Actively educating
Unlike traditional education that takes on a passive approach, Montessori is active in helping children learn. Montessori lessons are hands-on and designed for children to learn new things for themselves.
- Taking their time
In a Montessori style classroom, lessons are dictated by the children, not the educators. This allows children the time to really dig into an activity and take as much from it as they possibly can.
Is Montessori the best teaching method?
This is a conversation that has gone on for years. But recent studies show the many benefits to the Montessori style of learning. In fact, among many other statistics, the studies found that Montessori-taught students:
- Use higher levels of reasoning
- Are significantly more involved in positive shared peer play
- Are less likely to engage in rough play
- Show slightly higher proficiency from 3rd grade
- Outperform their peers in English Language Arts, Maths, and Science at a later stage
Letting our little ones lead the way
There are many benefits to this intriguing and life-changing educational style. With its focus on children and developing a lifelong love for learning within them, the style gives parents both confidence in a Montessori school and in their child’s ability to learn and grow at their own pace.
Child’s Play is a proud Montessori school, with years of experience in letting little ones lead the way when it comes to their growth. Our classrooms and curriculums are designed to inspire learning and encourage investigation and exploration. If this exciting approach to teaching is something you’d like to speak about further, get in touch with a member of our team today.
