Not Just a NurseryCHILDMINDING

 The Montessori Method is a way of about thinking about who children are.  It is a philosophy that respects the unique individility of each individual child.  Dr Montessori believed in worthiness, value and importance of children.  Her methods do not compare to norms or standards that are measured by traditional educational systems.  It is founded on the belief that children should be free to succeed and learn without restriction or critism.

It is an approach to education that takes the child's needs, gifts, talents and individuality ahead of all else.  It is a process that gives  children the freedom to learn in their own way, at their own pace.  There is also a carefully prepared enviroment which guarantees exposure to materials and experiences.  The main concept is to promote the joy of learning, the joy of learning develops a well adjusted person who has purpose and direction in his or her life.  Children who experience this are happy, confident and fulfilled.

Children have a deep love and need for purposeful work.  They work not like an adult who completes the job but the experice of the activity itself.  It is the activity that enables them to achieve the most importance goal, the developement of their individual selves - their mental, physical and psychological 

Another important skill that teaches the children is self reliances and independence.  This is taught through life skills which is called pratical life for example dressing themselves, putting things away and looking after things and people in their every day life.

Montessori works in a methodical way.  Each step, in the process leads to the next level of learning.  When a child plays, he or she is learning concepts for abstruct learning.  Repetition of activities is an integral part of this learning process.

For young children Montessori is a hands on approach to learing.  It encourges children to develop their observation skills by doing many different types of activities.  These activities include use of the five sences and, kinetic movements spacial awareness, small and large motor skills, co ordination and concrete knowledge that leads to later abstruction.

For older Children Montessori encourges a child to proceed at their own pace onto abstruct thinking, writing, science, mathematics and most importantly to absorb his or her culture and enviroement.  Culture includes interaction with nature, art, music, religion, and society.

 

A Montessori teacher or directress observes each child like a scientist, providing each child with an individual program for learning .  Most of all Montessori wanted to help free a child's mind to be unfetted to learn without any negative input.  Its sucess oriented in that almost everything is self teaching and self correcting with the control of error in place.  Children learn by doing and experimenting.

 

The main goal of Montessori is to provide a stimulating, child orientated enviroment that children can explore, touch and learn without fear.  An understanding parent or teacher is a large part of the child's world.  The end result is to encourge life long learning, the joy of learning, and happiness about ones's path and purpose in life.