Maria Montessori The Montessori Method By Margaret Novacek
Maria Montessori The Montessori Method By: Margaret Novacek and Favier Hu
“the preparations of life are indire (Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work)
About Maria Montessori ● ● ● Born on August 31, 1870 Chiaravalle - in the province of Ancona Father: Alessandro Montessori Mother: Renilde Stoppani Always interested in helping the less fortunate, or the “underdog” Peacemaker
Early Life ● Attended the usual state day school ● Teachers questioned scholastic ambitions “I could not understand this, ” said Montessori, “because -- as I told her -- one room seemed to me just as good as another!”
University Years ● ● ● Moved to Rome Choosing a career: interested in mathematics Wanted anything but to be a teacher Attended classes at a technical school for boys Biology Became the first female medical student in Italy “I know I shall become a Doctor of Medicine. ” -Maria Montessori
Difficulties of Medical School ● Many obstacles of being a woman in Medical School ● Observed a child content by playing with a piece of colored scrap paper “I cannot explain it. It just happened like that. You will probably think it a very silly story: and if you told it to others they would probably just laugh at it. ” - Maria Montessori
Dr. Maria Montessori ● Earned the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1896 ● Assistant doctor at the Psychiatric Clinic at the University of Rome ○ Her experience with “defective children” “I became convinced that similar methods applied to normal children would develop and set free their personality in a marvellous and surprising way. ” - Maria Montessori
Sensitive Periods: a time or stage in a person's development when they are more responsive to certain stimuli and quicker to learn particular skills. *the intense activity that a child is directed towards during a sensitive period does not cause fatigue; it is not exhausting*
Sensitive Period for Language ● The period in which a child has a special tendency towards language ● 0 -6 years
Sensitive Period for Order ● Period in which the child is particularly interested in the order of things in both space and time ● 2 -4 years
Sensitive Period for Details ● Period in which the child is extremely observant to small details ● 1 -3 years
Sensitive Period for the Use of Hands ● Period in which the child develops fine motor skills by using their hands to touch and grasp things ● 1 -3 years
Sensitive Period for Walking ● Period in which child discovers and practices their walking ability to perfection. ● 1 -2 years of age.
The Montessori Classroom ● Teacher is “Guide on the Side” ● Independent mastery ● Normalization
The Montessori Classroom
Key Terms Indirect preparation: the process by which children engage in satisfying, developmentally appropriate work that also provides the experiential foundation for future learning. Sensitive Periods: genetically programmed blocks of time during which the child is especially eager and able to master certain tasks. Normalization: the process through which children achieve joy and rest through intense work according to their sensitive period Free Choice: The ability or discretion to choose
Nature or Nurture? Nurture Nature Montessori defined school as a “prepared environment in which the child, set free from undue adult intervention, can live its life according to the laws of its development. ”
Schools Involved in Research We surveyed. . . ● A public elementary school in Texas ○ 42 students from 4 th and 5 th grade ● A private Montessori school in California ○ 12 students ages 5 -10
Guiding Question Are there any Montessori methods prevalent in traditional public schools?
Assumptions ● We will find some aspects of Montessori education in public schools, however, most of the survey answers from the public school participants will reflect no relation to Montessori tendencies ● Almost all of the survey answers from the Montessori school participants will reflect a relation to Montessori tendencies
1. Usually, my school allows me to choose what I work on.
2. ) I don’t feel rushed by my teachers.
3. ) Learning new things are exciting at school.
4. ) I feel active and free to move in the classroom.
5. ) Most of my school work activities are hands on and active.
6. ) I work at my own speed.
7. ) My teacher is supportive and works with me one-on-one.
8. ) My teacher gives me challenging work.
9. ) I am graded on my work.
10. ) I am taught how to lead and also to work in a team.
11. ) I usually can tell whether my school work is correct or incorrect even without my teacher telling me.
12. ) I feel that I can talk with my classmates about what I am working on in the classroom.
13. ) When I talk to my classmates during work time, I only discuss the material we are working on in the classroom.
14. ) My teacher gives me many tests.
BAR GRAPH- percentage of montessori tendencies found in each school
We found that 6/14 questions indicated over 50% Montessori tendencies in the public school.
Limitations ● ● ● We had 42 students from public school but only 12 from Montessori school We didn’t distribute the surveys, so we didn’t know what exactly went on during this time Many students from public school are ESL students and had to be taught some of the terminology while taking the survey Self-reported results - students may have answered what they thought they were supposed to answer Formatting of the survey can be confusing Help from teachers in the Montessori school
Conclusion ● We were surprised to see the amount of Montessori tendencies that were prevalent in the public school
- Slides: 40