The Montessori pedagogy goes back, among others, to the pedagogue and doctor Maria Montessori. She was born in Italy in 1870 and came from a middle-class family. Raised as a Christian and widely traveled, she was particularly committed to women's rights and personal rights.
“Help me do it myself”, the Montessori concept
She worked in a hospital with mentally handicapped children and discovered that they were willing and receptive to learning, but that the right concept was lacking. Maria Montessori developed sensory material especially for these children, which she used to help them develop. The Montessori method of education was developed over the years on this basis. The basic idea of the entire method of education is the well-known guiding principle: Help me to do it myself!
What is behind Montessori pedagogy?
Montessori education places the child at the centre of education, the child is the builder of his own making and motivation in the form of rewards and punishments is not necessary at all. According to Montessori followers, children enjoy learning on their own and are internally motivated because the idea of fitting into the adult world is the determining factor. Based on these assumptions, there is a lot of free work and open teaching in Montessori schools.
The lessons give the child space to experiment and gain experience. The child and his or her talents are the focus; they determine their own learning pace and develop at their own pace. Rather, they are only instructed to imitate things. In Montessori kindergartens, for example, children are motivated to set the table by watching it over and over again and eventually wanting to help themselves.
Learning with all senses – the perceived 1000 at Montessori
Montessori education divides child development into three stages: the first childhood stage (0-6 years), the second childhood stage (8-12 years) and adolescence (12-18 years). In all three stages, the senses play an important role, because children have a natural urge to taste, touch and smell everything.
Understanding in the literal sense is a basic idea in Montessori schools and kindergartens. Learning is best done through the senses and not abstractly, and that way what is learned is better retained, say Montessori supporters. This emphasis on the senses led to the development of special learning materials.
In mathematics, for example, pearl necklaces are used to make numbers understandable, i.e. tangible. Pearl blocks with 1000 pieces symbolize higher numbers and allow the child to better imagine sizes - not just in their head, but also by touch.
Montessori schools and kindergartens in Germany
In Germany, around several hundred day care centers operate according to Maria Montessori's concept. The schools are mostly privately run and focus on the development of the child. Critics usually see the transition from a Montessori primary school to a regular secondary school as problematic. However, it has been shown in the past that children have no problems with this at all.
The content of the curriculum does not differ from that of a regular school, but the way in which the child learns this content is crucial. Independent work, choosing a partner, group work, open lessons with plenty of opportunity for movement, and the ability to organize one's own time are just some of the aspects that come into play in Montessori schools. Ultimately, the child benefits from these measures because they learn to work independently.
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