Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori was a highly intuitive woman whose observations of child behaviour and child development continue to hold truths that bear relevance today. Born in Ancona, Italy in 1870 she was very much ahead of her time. In 1896 she became the first woman to graduate as a doctor from the University of Rome. She subsequently went on to delve into paediatrics, psychiatry, psychology and then continued her postgraduate studies specialising in the intellectual and cognitive development of children.

Her research took her into the field of education, and it was in 1907 when she was appointed as the medical officer for the Casa dei Bambini ( Children’s House ) that she made some revealing discoveries and significant observations. These led her to mapping out what has now become widely known as the Montessori philosophy.

The Montessori Philosophy
The Montessori philosophy was, and still is, noteworthy for two reasons. Firstly, it was an educational philosophy born out of years of observations that were legitimized by scientific knowledge of child development. And secondly, the children at the Casa dei Bambini responded with such resounding success in terms of their learning outcomes, that Montessori had concrete evidence that her philosophy held validity when applied.

The Montessori philosophy at its essence is simple. Montessori believed in both sides of the nature versus nurture debate. She believed that children are born with a personality (an intrinsic nature) that would gradually unfold. However the key in helping a child’s personality and intellect reach its full potential was through provision of an enriched nurturing environment.  

Montessori having witnessed children in the enriched surroundings that she had created, concluded that all children had within them and innate teacher that would lead them to the acquisition of knowledge and understanding. Montessori labelled this innate ability to learn ‘the absorbent mind’ indicating that children were like sponges, they learned unconsciously and with minimum effort. All that was required was to provide them with the right surroundings in which learning and development would naturally unfold.

A teacher’s role was therefore that of a facilitator, or as Montessori termed a ‘director’. A teacher could direct the child in their own learning pathway by preparing the environment and showing the children how to use the learning materials. However, Montessori was adamant that a teacher was not to impose the pace or dictate learning onto a child. To do so was to interfere with a child’s natural delectation and appreciation of their surroundings and thereby interfere with a child’s sub conscious rhythm of learning.

Accompanying the absorption of knowledge is what Montessori termed ‘the sensitive periods.’ The sensitive periods are essential to the formation of the mind as they form the drive behind learning and development. During a sensitive period a child is absorbed and has an unconscious will to participate in certain actions and activities mostly to the exclusion of all others. This is represented by an ‘intense interest for repeating certain actions at length for no obvious reason, until – because of this repetition – a fresh function suddenly appears with explosive force.’

Montessori identified five sensitive periods in which a child’s concentration is absorbed by order, an exploration of the environment, movement, an intense interest in tiny objects, and the social aspects of life. 

Montessori emphasised the need for educators to pay particular attention to the sensitive periods through equipping a classroom environment appropriately. In doing so the right materials will be at hand in order that a child may find what they are looking for in order to fulfil their individual sensitivities at any given time. Montessori believed this requirement was a necessity for the development of personality and the intellect.

© Albany Montessori School 2010/11