What is Montessori?
Dr. Maria Montessori, the first woman physician in Italy, developed a revolutionary method over a hundred years ago, which changed childhood development paradigms. Montessori did not regard children as ‘a feeble and helpless creatures whose only need is to be protected and helped’. (Montessori Jt, 1976, p.10). Instead, she upholds to encourage children to develop their own personalities, let them make mistakes and learn from them (Montessori Jr, 1976).
The Montessori method is, at its simplest, based on active learning, which is the opposite of the expectation to sit and listen to lessons without interacting (Lillard, 2013).
What is NOT Montessori?
When you type ‘Montessori education’ on Google, you will see that this method is mostly confused with the term ‘free play’. Therefore, the differences between them should be well-understood in order to educate children through play.
While free play refers to the play’s children engage in without close adult oversight or control, the Montessori method offers guided play. Guided play gives children a prepared environment they can express their natural abilities to learn (Weisberg et al., 2016). Through play, a supervising adult should observe the child closely and ask questions while respecting the child’s pacing and own interests. For instance, at schools based on Montessori education, teachers are supposed to neither leave the children totally free nor give teacher-centered didactic instruction. Instead of sitting and listening, children should be active in the learning process, such as working on projects. They should interact to gain knowledge, and what children do should support different development areas.
How to Become a Montessori Parent?
In the first place, there is no prescription for Montessori parenting. But we have Montessori’s own books, practices, and – most importantly- philosophy and approach. So, we can develop some main principles to become a Montessori parent based on to.
- Respect Your Child and Prepare the Right Environment
First of all, Montessori points out that every child has their own unique personality and learning pace. They also have autonomous thoughts and ideas that should be taken seriously. Listen carefully to their needs, wants and wishes, and try to understand them.
You can ask questions, offer options, and encourage expressing feelings and emotions. Alongside daily dialogues, this process will be easier by playing games and using tools. Here are some Montessori product examples and how you can use them;
- Mirror
- Tally
- Writing Board
- Combine Education and Play
Montessori aims that let children reveal their full potential, and therefore, she gives weight to education. Education is not only about learning things but also is a process of developing specific skills. Therefore, education is fundamental to revealing children’s full potential and building their personalities.
Accordingly, parents should encourage active exploration, choice, and independent learning through the prepared environment. A prepared environment is a way of learning rather than a place that should be designed to support the child’s intellectual, physical, emotional, and social development. So, the prepared environment is composed of safe and suitable tools and materials designed according to this method. Some Montessori products show how and why to prepare an environment for children and combine education and learning;
Toybox Series
Handle
Play Shelf
- Cause and Effect Relations to Teach Their Mistakes
Children are not seen as beings to be directed and told what to do in the view of Montessori. They need to explore the world and, in this process, make mistakes. First, do not try to optimize every waken moment of the child; this is not Montessori. Give them space to develop skills, overcome challenges, think independently, play without interruption, etc.
However, giving them a free space without being controlled to develop their skill means you may see their mistakes. Just as punishment, long conversations about their actions are not suitable for leading children to correct mistakes. However, as an active parent, you can ask questions about their mistakes and help them to build cause-and-effect relationships. Keep in mind that, instead of didactic learning, self-directed learning goes hand in hand with the Montessori method. Check some Montessori toys that your child may make mistakes and let’s try to find the right questions to ask them together;
Pikler series
Memory
Tally
- Let them encounter ‘real-life’ objects.
In the Montessori method, the environment must provide children with self-confidence. They should have the necessary surroundings to make them ready for life. In this regard, using objects and tools adults use in real life helps children. Of course, you cannot give them a knife or expect them to fulfill the responsibilities parents are supposed to do for them. However, they should start to understand what these objects look like, how to use them, and which responsibilities they have now and may have in the future. Following the Montessori method, they can practice with safe tools designed for children.
Here are some Montessori products you can use for children;
Mirror
Toybox
Handles
- Unique Bonds Between Your Child
One last word, the reliable and unique bond between you and your child is the most important. Every parent does want to provide the best equipment for their precious child. But no tool in the world is more valuable than time spent together, the special communication you established and showing love and mutual respect.
Lillard, A. S. (2013). Playful learning and Montessori education. Namta Journal, 38(2), 137-174.
Montessori Jr, M. M. (1976). Education for Human Development: Understanding Montessori.
Weisberg, D. S., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., Kittredge, A. K., & Klahr, D. (2016). Guided play: Principles and practices. Current directions in psychological science, 25(3), 177-182.
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