What is the Montessori Philosophy of Education?

With the kids who studied in Montessori preschool, I have found much to admire about the Montessori philosophy of education and the Montessori approach to education. The curriculum is carefully constructed to introduce children to various aspects of the world they live in. Montessori criticism has been debunked. You should look at the Montessori method before making any mindset.

Montessori philosophy

The Subjects of Montessori Education

The main subjects taught in Montessori education at the Primary level (ages 3-6 years) are:

Practical life

Prepares children for life and has lessons like putting on shoes and coats independently or cleaning a work surface after artwork. The aim is to foster independence and self-confidence as they learn to perform simple tasks in their environment.

Sensorial

This contains exercises in the form of activities that can be felt, handled, and manipulated. These practices improve children’s environmental awareness and better attune them to perceive and interact with their surroundings.

Language

According to Maria Montessori, the founder of Montessori, the most sensitive period for language acquisition is from birth to six years old. The Language curriculum includes activities such as reading stories, discussions at circle time, and object classification.

Math

Montessori materials teach math concepts using concrete materials like these. Many math activities are referred to as “games” and played in groups, making them fun and paving the way for socialization. Math lessons start with concrete materials and gradually lead to the abstract.

The curriculum also includes geography and cultural studies, a foreign or second language, and music and movement to develop coordination, balance, and enjoyment of rhythm and music.

 

The Features of Montessori philosophy

To me, the most admirable features of Montessori philosophy are quite separate from the actual curriculum. Here are the aspects that I have grown to love as a parent over the years:

Self-directed learning

Montessori focuses on bringing out the best in each child through self-discovery, i.e., the child is primarily self-taught at his/her own pace. She can repeat a lesson as many times as she likes. Allowing a child to choose the lesson he wants to learn puts him in charge and ensures he’s completely interested in learning.

Value the process over the result

This is such a key life lesson—my child learns it every day in the classroom. It is all about building one’s knowledge in an orderly, step-by-step process, growing it in a natural progression.

Mixed-age classrooms

A primary-level class involves kids between the ages of 3 and 6 in a collaborative learning experience. It is a great practice in a real-life work environment! Older kids practice leadership skills, helping younger ones with the lessons they learned a year or two ago and strengthening their own learning in the process.

A Child-sized classroom

The classroom is truly a world scaled down to your child – all furniture is child-sized, and all learning materials are placed at the eye level of the child. There is an absence of clutter – less is truly more here, and there is a conscious effort not to overwhelm or overstimulate the children.

Nature-oriented learning

Most Montessori materials, furniture, tools, and utensils are made of natural materials, and there is an emphasis on reusing and recycling. Their curriculum includes lessons on respect, peace, gardening, cooking, and experimentation—all ingredients for a harmonious and joyful life.

Even if my children don’t end up on the list of famous Montessori alumni (For example, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Julia Child, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez), I’m confident they have built a strong foundation to grow into joyful and lifelong learners!

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