As a new parent, I wanted to find out what the Montessori philosophy entailed in a condensed format. So to save you some time, I want to share these 5 key principles of the Montessori method with you and trust it will help you understand what Montessori is all about.

What are the basic principles of the Montessori Method?

1. Children should be treated with respect.
2. Children learn best in an environment that has been prepared with their needs and abilities in mind.
3. Children are naturally curious and eager to learn about the world around them.
4. Children progress through sensitive periods where they are especially geared towards learning and mastering a specific skill.
5. Children are capable of self-education

These principles are the cornerstones of the Montessori method. They can be applied across all ages and will serve to ultimately help you raise a confident, independent child who loves to learn. Let’s dive into each one and discover how you can benefit from applying these principles in your home today.

The 5 Key Principles Of Montessori

#1 Children should be treated with respect

There are no shortcuts to receiving respect. You have to earn it. And you earn respect by treating others with respect. In short – you are responsible for modeling the kind of behavior you would like to see from your child.

‘As a rule, however, we do not respect children. We try to force them to follow us without regard to their special needs. We are overbearing with them, and above all, rude; and then we expect them to be submissive and well-behaved, knowing all the time how strong is their instinct of imitation and how touching their faith in and admiration of us. They will imitate us in any case. Let us treat them, therefore, with all the kindness which we would wish to help to develop in them’ (Montessori, 1965).

Here’s a couple of ways you can show your child respect:

• Don’t interrupt them when they are engaged in an activity.
• Try to speak with a kind and gentle voice using language that does not pass judgment. When in doubt ask yourself Would I say this to my colleague/partner/best friend?
• Let your child choose the activity they engage in. When children have choices and the right environment they are capable of developing the skills and abilities necessary for effective learning autonomy and positive self-esteem.

#2 Children have absorbent minds

If you have ever spent any time observing a young child you will know that they can find wonder in even the most mundane. This is the absorbent mind at work. Young children are constantly absorbing information from their world around them to try and make sense of it. They learn simply by living.

“It may be said that we acquire knowledge by using our minds, but the child absorbs knowledge directly into his psychic life. Simply by continuing to live, the child learns to speak his native tongue” (Montessori, 1966)

Take this into consideration when you go about your daily routine with your child. Remind yourself that they are busy learning through everything they are doing. They don’t need to be pressured into learning. All you need to do is to be a patient leader and model respectful behavior.

#3 Sensitive periods should be observed

Sensitive periods refer to particular time frames during development when a child experiences a heightened capacity or interest to learn a specific skill like reading. Maria Montessori identified 11 different sensitive periods ranging from birth to 6 years old.

These periods are indicated at different ages and for different skills:

1. Sensitive Period for Movement – Birth to 5
2. Sensitive Period for Order – 1 to 5
3. Sensitive Period for Reading – 3 to 6
4. Sensitive Period for Writing – 3 to 5
5. Sensitive Period for Maths – 4 to 6
6. Sensitive Period for Toilet Learning – 1 to 3
7. Sensitive Period for Grace and Courtesy – 2 to 6
8. Sensitive Period for Small Objects – 1 to 3
9. Sensitive Period for Language – Birth to 6
10. Sensitive Period for Senses – Birth to 5
11. Sensitive Period for Music – 2 to 6

The sequence and time needed will vary for every child but every child goes through the same sensitive periods. It is up to the parent to observe and take notice of what the child seems interested in and provide adequate materials and opportunities. Children learn better when they are truly interested and when they initiate the process.

#4 The Environment should be ‘prepared’

“The teacher’s first duty is to watch over the environment, and this takes precedence over all the rest. Its influence is indirect, but unless it is well done there will be no effective and permanent results of any kind, physical, intellectual or spiritual.” – Maria Montessori.

A Montessori classroom is designed and set up to encourage freedom of movement and choice by displaying activities in an organized and accessible way. Children can then clearly see what is on offer and select which activity they would like to engage with. Everything is placed within their reach and each activity includes everything the child will need to complete the activity independently.

Here are some guidelines that Montessori teachers follow when preparing their classroom environment.

• Walls are painted in neutral shades
• Minimal objects and artworks  
• The classroom is quiet, calm and uncluttered to avoid overstimulation and distraction
• The artwork is carefully chosen and displayed at children’s eye level
• The teacher selects resources that appeal to all five senses (sight, touch, smell, taste and hearing).
• The classroom is separated into different learning areas
•  A place for everything and everything in its place
• Use of natural and real-life materials and activities instead of fantasy
• Living plants are part of the environment

Children benefit greatly from environments that have been set up for them to do things for themselves. It is so empowering for a child to feel independent and this ultimately strengthens their self-esteem.

Your home can provide the same nurturing environment by applying the same principles. Think about each room in your home and how your child might need to use the space. Look at the space from your child’s perspective and consider how you can make it more user friendly.

#5 Children are capable of Auto Education

The fifth principle is the culmination of the previous four principles and simply means that given the right nurturing environment and the support and guidance of a teacher or parent, children will educate themselves. Children are able to teach themselves through active exploration as well as freedom of choice.

The role of the teacher or parent is to encourage children by providing them with the learning materials in a carefully prepared environment.

How is Montessori different from a traditional school?

 

Montessori and traditional or mainstream schools are worlds apart. Maria Montessori developed the Montessori method after spending decades observing young children and seeing first hand what they require to learn and thrive. The Montessori method’s main purpose is to assist children in becoming independent and self-confident people who will become valuable members of society.

1. The Montessori children are encouraged to move around instead of just sitting at desks.
2. Instead of a bell ringing every half an hour and interrupting your flow – children in a Montessori school enjoy uninterrupted work cycles of 3 hours. There is also no time limit on completing activities.
3. Montessori children are encouraged to make their own decisions about what they want to do in the classroom. There are general ground rules so this is called freedom within limits.
4. Montessori classrooms consist of children of different ages so the younger children can learn from the older kids.
5. Practical life skills are taught from a young age in Montessori schools. This includes caring for oneself as well as the environment.
6. A child’s sense of accomplishment in a Montessori setup is gained intrinsically through mastering skills as opposed to extrinsically through grades and merit as is done in a mainstream school.
7. The teacher’s role in a Montessori classroom is to assist each child individually instead of leading the entire class at the same time
8. Montessori toddlers learn to write before they learn to read at around 4 years old.
9. Montessori follows the child’s interests and time frame for learning a specific skill instead of following a curriculum.
10. Montessori aims to educate the whole child focusing equally on the mind, body and spirit. Not just mind like in traditional school.