When I started researching the Montessori Method I regularly came across the term ‘Control of Error’. Once I learned what this important principle was all about, I was even more convinced of the value Montessori philosophies had to offer my child.
Control of Error in the Montessori philosophy refers to the Montessori material’s inherent function to alert the child to a misstep. This enables a child to perceive, discover, and correct the error independently. The material inhibits the completion of the task if not done correctly by offering a single solution to the problem.
Even though it sounds very technical and complicated it is quite simple to apply – the technical genius has already been taken care of and all that is required of you is not to interfere. Would you like to learn more about the life long benefits this powerful concept can offer your child?
Why Is Control Of Error Crucial In The Montessori Learning Environment?
Montessori is truly the sum of all its parts. You can’t just highlight one aspect without mentioning all the other principles that help form the complete picture. The same goes for the concept of Control of Error. It is built into the very fiber of Montessori but it still requires us to understand the purpose so we can provide the correct setting to reap the benefits.
Let’s discuss what makes up the perfect learning environment and how it relates to ‘Control of Error’.
The Prepared Environment as foundation
The ideal environment in Montessori is called the Prepared Environment. The elements of the Prepared Environment are:
- A calm uncluttered space
- Adequate learning materials
- Freedom within boundaries
- A space set up for a child to use independently
- Treating a child with kindness and respect
All of these elements ensure that we have a child that is supported in their learning. It is almost like eating healthy when you go to the gym. If you are eating fried chicken before you go to the gym you are probably not going to enjoy your workout.
When you give a child Montessori materials but you have failed to provide them with a calm environment and allowed them to choose their activity you have essentially negated most of the benefits of using materials with control of error. It all works together!
What is so special about Montessori Materials?
Montessori materials were designed by Maria Montessori to help children learn better. She did this by spending years observing children and experimenting with different methods to see what works best. Each material is designed to help the child build a specific skill. This could be anything from hand-eye coordination, language, or auditory development.
What makes these materials so special are the hidden lessons and multi-layered approach to teaching skills that are not always apparent from the onset. The materials are also designed to complement each other.
Control of Error is one of these (sometimes) hidden lessons. The material is designed to build the skill by giving the child instant feedback which means that the material itself will inform the child that something is not right. This allows the child to re-evaluate their process and to find a solution to the problem. And this all happens without the need for assistance.
Control of Error is very prominent and obvious in the materials designed for the 3 to 6 year age group. These materials will include everything from sensorial materials like the knobbed cylinders to math materials like the red rods. Each one has it’s own built-in Control of Error.
What does ‘Control of Error’ in Montessori look like?
To understand the control of error built into each Montessori material, we have to first acknowledge what the material is trying to teach.
- Practical Life Activity – Pouring water
In all the Practical life lessons the goal is for the child to build the skills necessary to complete everyday tasks independently like pouring water from a jug into a glass to drink. The control of error in this activity is that the water has to go into the glass. If it does not – it spills on the table and there is no water to drink in the glass. To rectify this we have to wipe up the water and try again. The message to the child is that accidents happen – we clean it up and try again.
- Hand-Eye Coordination: Puzzles
All puzzles have a control of error built-in. The purpose of a puzzle is to fit all the pieces together to form an image or to fit all the pieces into their corresponding place holders. The puzzle is only complete once we have used all the pieces. It is very obvious when we have made a mistake.
- Sensorial Material: Knobbed cylinders
Each knobbed cylinder has only one corresponding cavity that it can fit into. You can fit a smaller or shorter cylinder into a larger cavity but then you will have a cylinder left over that will not fit in the cavity left open. Once this happens the child will know that something went wrong and they will have to find which one went into the wrong hole.
- Math lesson with counters
When the numbers are placed on the table there are precisely enough counters to resemble each number given. If you have counters leftover – you know you’ve made a mistake somewhere and you will have to go back and check your work. Similarly when you don’t have enough counters left to complete the task.
Once children have learned how to read, write, and think more abstract – the control of error in their materials becomes less obvious but they are still there.
What are the benefits of Control of Error?
Confidence
Being corrected or criticized by others has a damaging effect on our self-esteem. It creates embarrassment and this feeling does not inspire confidence. Being told that you are wrong is very discouraging when you are trying to learn and will dissuade you from trying to learn something new in the future.
Being allowed to find both the problem and solution on your means you are avoiding any outside judgment. When the child has solved the problem they know they did it on their own. This gives a child a sense of achievement and confidence.
No fear of failure
When you have made a mistake and you have had the chance to go back and fix your mistake you become less concerned with the fact that you made a mistake in the first place and more interested in finding the solution. This is what the control of error helps achieve.
Because the child realizes their own mistake they have a chance to try again without being called out repeatedly. How many times will you try and fail and try again if your failures were being pointed out by someone else?
‘It is well to cultivate a friendly feeling towards error, to treat it as a companion inseparable from our lives, as something having a purpose, which it truly has.” – Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind
Critical thinking
Control of error allows the child to conceive of the fact that there has been a misstep – then they have the opportunity to find the fault and correct it. This is where critical thinking is needed. No one is pointing out the mistake so it is not always obvious to the child what exactly the mistake was – only that a mistake was made. Finding a mistake requires critical thinking.
Perseverance
When we learn that there is nothing wrong with making mistakes and we learn to love the process we also learn perseverance. You are eventually rewarded with completing the task and can feel proud of yourself knowing that you worked hard and you did it on your own. This will give a child the little push they will need to complete the next challenge.
A love for learning
When the process of learning is pleasurable and without judgment, you are bound to love the journey of exploration and discovery. Especially when you know how good it feels to succeed at a challenge. This is how children become intrinsically motivated to learn.
Independence
Knowing that you have completed the task on your own builds your confidence and lets you know that you can achieve success on your own. You don’t need to rely on outside help.
Mastery
“The goal is that the child will develop a sense of satisfaction from the work itself, not be dependent on the approval of a teacher.” – The Montessori Controversy
What is auto education in the Montessori method?
Self-learning or auto education is one of the 5 key principles of the Montessori method.
Maria Montessori believed that if we provide our children with a supportive environment that is specially set up for them to use independently and we allow them to explore and choose their activities – a child will teach themselves more effectively than by being taught.
