
The Montessori Method was founded by Maria Montessori
- An Italian educator in the late 1800s/early 1900s
- She was the first female Italian doctor
- Advocated for women’s rights and child labor laws
- Studied child development and learning before opening her own school
- She researched educational approaches and philosophies throughout the ages and studied children in-person to create her approach
- Pulled heavily from the work of Jean-Marc Itard and Edouard Séguin
Main Focuses of a Montessori education
- Very hands-on and sensory focused
- The Montessori schoolroom engages all the senses
- Activities are referred to as “works”
- These works will engage multiple senses at a time
- The environment itself is kept low-sensory and very tidy- everything has a place and is always put back in that place. Only one work out per child at a time. Known as a “prepared environment”
- Lessons are incredibly tactile with things like sandpaper letters, counting beads, building blocks, and lots of manipulatives
- Play is work- and children should not be interrupted while working or playing. A big focus is on letting them do things at their own pace with full concentration
- Everything is adapted to be child-size and child-friendly
- Works will be put out on low shelves, kid-size tools are made readily available and presented to the child from a young age, kid-size chairs, tables, etc.
- In the kitchen, kids will have their own set of kid-size cooking items and a special stool to be able to stand up at the counter
- Kids are given real glasses instead of plastic and “real” tools that are simply child size
- Taught to work with careful consideration and attention to detail
- Big focus on Life Skills
- Taught from a very early age and children are encouraged to be independent from toddlerhood
- Excellence in completion and attention to detail is a bit part of learning Life Skills
- Self-care, cleaning, cooking, sewing, and other basic Life Skills are taught beginning in toddlerhood
- Gardening and farm work are often a part of the daily school tasks
- Natural materials
- Plastic is almost never found in a Montessori setting
- Wood, fabric, and glass are the primary materials found
- The main core educational subjects are taught along with a big focus on art, citizenship, independence, nature, and engaging in the community
Other tidbits
- In a school, children are grouped with a wide age range- usually 2-4 grades all together
- Self-directed learning lets children progress at their own pace
- Still guided by an adult with each work very carefully introduced in a methodical way
- Children then can work through things at their own pace and based on their own interests
- There’s not usually a strict schedule of X subject at X time
- Instead, children will know what they are expected to accomplish in a day and be given the freedom to complete their tasks in the order they desire
- No screens until at least 4th grade
- Age 0-6 is a key age for introducing concepts, life skills, and development
- Some similar components to Waldorf and Charlotte Mason but starts academic instruction at a much younger age and is much more methodical
Stay tuned for our next post where we will talk about integrating the Montessori Method into your Fun-Schooling!




