Maria Montessori was a doctor, in the early nineteenth century. She was born on August 31, 1870 in Italy, and started going to medical school, as one of the first five women from Italy.
She had a great interest on early child development, and a special fascination for disabled children.
Throughout her life, she kept studying, developing materials, and teaching how to teach disabled children. She grounded a Children’s home, for the disabled and poor children, and during her work in this institution she developed the Montessori-Method. This got included in the Italian school system in 1924, but as she didn’t want to accept the changes offered from the fascist government, ( like school uniforms) Montessori education was banned in Italy, in 1934, for this reason she decided to leave her country.
She spent about 10 years in India, and came back to Europe around 1947, where she lived in Nederland, she was the director of the Association Montessori Internationale headquarters, which remains under the direction of her son Mario Montessori after her passing away in 1952.
Around the world, Montessori education got known, in North America in the 1960‘, through Nancy McCormick Rambush, in Germany through Clara Grunwald in the 1029‘, and Helene Helming in 1945.
The Montessori education is a philosophy, that puts the child as an individual in the center, this method encourages children to learn on their on behalf, without punishment or rewards; as children have a natural desire to take part in the life of grownups, and this desire motivates them to learn. Montessori pedagogy concentrates on each child’s talents, and the teachers of this method, believe that each child is able to learn best, on its own way and rhythm. Those children which are able to learn based on their talents and on their own rhythm, are later self conscious, self-employed, believe in themselves, and can use all they’ve learned before.
The Montessori education is divided; from 0 to 6 years, 6 to 9, and 9 to 12. Multiple age groups are combined in a classroom, so the younger children learn naturally from the older ones; the older children have the chance to learn and practice essential leadership skills, as they mentor the younger children in the class; and the young naturally look up at the older ones.
Many of us don’t have the chance to send our children to a Montessori school, but we don’t have to, ( I mean we, can, could and, probably would if there was one at our location) You can implement Montessori education at home, by setting up an environment that encourages the child’s natural curiosity. As a parent, you have to realize that even the littlest children are capable of way more than you think, and once you’ve acknowledged this, you can start making some changes around your home. Don’t have to think major changes, small but significant changes will help you and your child to do Montessori at home with success.
In this blog, I will be sharing with you recommendations, and tips, on how to create a Montessori friendly environment for ages 0-3.
Beside the environment, I will write about many Montessori education key areas.
Like practical life skills, Montessori materials, the respect, you should give to your child, about sensitive periods in a child’s life, their absorbent mind, about child development, sleep training, potty training.....
P.S. I’m not a Montessori teacher, just a mom, trying her best to raise a child in this crazy world.
What I’m sharing, is mostly my personal opinion, the way I chose, to do Montessori, and how that turned out for us. I’m not here to tell you, how to raise your children, but to provide useful information that can make this a lot easier, and probably with a better outcome!
Happy to have you as a reader!
