Dr. Maria Montessori’s Philosophy in the Classroom or Montessori Method

The philosophical works and observations of Dr. Maria Montessori, which have been proven successful historically and cross-culturally, are the foundation and guide for learning at Del Mar Academy.  Dr. Montessori strongly believed that the most important time in one's life is the period from birth to six years of age, when the child absorbs everything he/she is exposed to, whether it is positive or negative. She noted that, "He observes everything in sight and experience shows that he absorbs it all equally... these impressions become an integral part of his personality."   The child’s experiences begin to create who he/she will become.

The Montessori Casa classroom incorporates three elements of this philosophy essential for maximum learning.  The classroom environment, well prepared and in a progressing manner, stimulates the child to question and every action furthers his/her enthusiasm to learn in the following integrated areas:  practical life, sensorial, math, music, art, language and culture.  All materials and classroom activities guide the student toward success in any interest.  Students learn naturally when they are interested and want to learn.  Our highly structured Casa program allows him/her the freedom to learn via all five senses and at the same time to develop his/her self-interest.  Success becomes an avenue for high self-esteem and student mastery.  Once a student has mastered a given task, that task becomes an area of accomplishment and encourages the student to move on to another interest.

As our teachers observe and evaluate the progress of each student’s activity, preparation and planning begins for the child’s next challenge, while maintaining the standards of classroom etiquette.  

With this solid foundation, the child is then ready to move on to the next plane of development, six to twelve years of age.  Elementary-aged children have the ability to reason, which is unsurpassed at any age.  The combined power of their reasoning intellect and boundless imagination are so potent that virtually any concept or system no matter how abstract can be presented in such a way that they can begin integrating knowledge of the universe from all directions through all disciplines.

Why Montessori? How does it compare to conventional schooling?

The Montessori hands-on approach to learning encourages children to develop their observation skills through activities that use the five senses, kinetic movement, spatial refinement, small and gross motor skill coordination, and concrete knowledge that leads to later abstraction. Montessori’s unique materials are attractive, tactile and concrete.

Dr. Maria Montessori created a system that addresses the development of the whole child and is rooted in the belief that all children possess an intellectual and creative potential, a drive to learn and the ability to be self-directed. In a carefully prepared classroom environment, children are grouped together in age spans of three years,  consistent with developmental milestones (pre/K, 1st-3rd grades, 4th-6th grades). This environment fosters a community of enthusiastic learners who nurture and support each other as they learn to respect each other’s individual strengths.

Children choose and progress through the lessons at their own pace, allowing each child to work at his appropriate level in each subject—while striving to reach his own potential. Since children choose their own lessons, they are responsible for their own education thereby fostering individual self-discipline. 

Teachers assist this development with age-appropriate methods including lesson planning and gentle suggestions and guidance. The multi-age classrooms and individualized learning decrease academic competition. Student cooperation is encouraged and supported in Montessori classrooms.

Montessori lessons weave together subjects like math, science, history, and literature to give the child the “whole” learning concept and the ability to see how the parts of the whole are interconnected.

A highly organized, yet individually flexible curriculum allows for the accommodation of varying academic capabilities. The Montessori classroom prepares its students for each successive developmental plane. The seeds planted in the lower levels come to full fruition in the upper levels. Most importantly, the Montessori environment prompts children, under the careful guidance of their teacher, to take initiative in their own education by making choices, developing self-respect and learning accountability to others. Because they have been encouraged to make decisions from an early age, these children become problem-solvers who can make appropriate choices and manage time well. Research has shown that the best predictor of future success is a positive sense of self-esteem.

The American Montessori Society has developed the following "position paper" in a point-by-point comparison of Montessori versus a traditional education:

Montessori	Traditional
1. Emphasis on cognitive structures and social development	1. Emphasis on rote knowledge and social development
2. Teacher's role is unobtrusive; child actively participates in learning	2. Teacher's role is dominant and active; child is a passive participant
3. Environment and method encourage internal self-discipline	3. Teacher is primary enforcer of external discipline
4. Individual and group instruction adapts to each student's learning style	4. Individual and group instruction conforms to the adult's teaching style
5. Mixed age grouping	5. Same age grouping
6. Children encouraged to teach , collaborate and help each other	6. Most teaching is done by teacher and collaboration is discouraged
7. Child chooses own work from interests, abilities	7. Curriculum structured with little regard for child's interests
8. Child formulates concepts from self-teaching materials	8. Child is guided to concepts by teacher
9. Child works for as long as he or she wants to on a chosen project	9. Child usually given specific time for work
10. Child sets own learning pace to internalize information	10. Instruction pace set by group norm or teacher
11. Child spots own errors through feedback from material	11. Errors corrected by teacher
12. Learning is reinforced internally through child's own repetition of activity, internal feelings of success repetition	12. Learning is reinforced externally by rewards, discouragements
13. Multi-sensory materials for physical exploration development	13. Few materials for sensory, concrete manipulation
14. Organized program for learning care of self and self-care environment (shoe polishing, sink washing, etc)	14. Little emphasis on instruction or classroom maintenance
15. Child can work where he or she is comfortable, moves and talks at will (but doesn't disturb others); group work is voluntary and negotiable	15. Child assigned seat; encouraged to sit still and listen during group sessions
16. Organized program for parents to understand the Montessori philosophy and participate in the learning process	16. Voluntary parent involvement, often only as fundraisers, not participants in understanding the learning process