Montessori

Maria Montessori was the first woman to graduate from the University of Rome medical school and become interested in education through her work as a doctor. Maria had a particular interest in treating children who we now know to have special needs. Maria went on to establish schools for children that she saw at a disadvantage. Maria first approached the learning environment as a scientist, observing the children and thinking of ways in which they would be able to achieve their full potential. Dr. Montessori went on to develop a highly effective method of teaching to enable the success of every child regardless of the stage of educational development that they were at. Montessori went on to then travel all over the world establishing schools and sharing her discoveries with others and writing articles. It was found that a child will learn better by doing, and a happy motivated child would be more likely to achieve success than a child who feels unable to do activities within education. 

Montessori's approach to education is holistic and aims to develop the whole child. Birth to six years of age also proved to be a period when a child has the greatest capacity to learn. 

"Montessori teachers are trained facilitators in the classroom, always ready to assist and direct. Their purpose is to stimulate the child's enthusiasm for learning and to guide it, without interfering with the child's natural desire to teach himself and become independent. Each child works through his individual cycle of activities, and learns to truly understand according to his own unique needs and capabilities" (Montessoritraining.net, 2015). 

When being taught in a certain way it was found that children are able to concentrate for a longer period of time, enjoy repetition and order, enjoy purposeful activities, able to self motivate and display a behavior that does not require a punishment or reward and spontaneously self discipline. 

Montessori school children are taught in many areas such as practical life/ daily living, refinement of senses, communication, language, literacy, cultural aspects and understanding of the world, mathematics and creativity.  

The following vidio explains a typical morning at a Montessori school, children learn by doing and being part of basic activities that will enable them to develop life skills that will stay with them for life