Montessori Method: its 8 educational principles

A review of one of the most famous methods in the world of early childhood education through play.

The Montessori educational method, which was developed in the early twentieth century for use with children and pre-adolescents, has become very popular and widespread since its emergence.

In this article we will describe the 8 fundamental principles of the Montessori methodamong which we can highlight the prepared environment and self-education.

What does the Montessori method consist of?

Maria Montessori (1870-1952) was an Italian physician and educator whose work, mainly focused on the philosophy of education and pedagogy, is a forerunner of constructivism and continues to have a strong influence today.

The educational method proposed by Montessori emphasizes the need to favor the natural development of students' aptitudes through self-direction, exploration, discovery, practice, collaboration, play, deep concentration, imagination or communication.

This pedagogical philosophy is a clear departure from traditional educational methods as it is based on spontaneous is based on spontaneity and student choice rather than on rigid systems based on the fulfillment of certain criteria. based on the fulfillment of certain academic evaluation criteria. For Montessori, respect and promotion of the child's independence is key.

In turn, Montessori's proposal is considered a theoretical model of human development. In this sense, the principles of the following section must be framed in the core postulates of her theory: people psychologically construct ourselves through interaction with the environment.and we have an innate tendency to personal development.

Fundamental educational principles

Although the Montessori method has been applied in different ways because of its popularity, it is possible to find at least 8 fundamental principles of this pedagogical style based on Montessori's own work and the most popular subsequent developments.

1. Learning by discovery

Montessori's educational philosophy has a markedly constructivist character. It is understood that people in general learn better through direct contact, practice and discovery than through direct instruction. than through direct instruction. However, certain subjects, especially from the age of 6 onwards, require occasional master classes.

2. Preparing the educational environment

In the Montessori method, a "prepared environment" is used; this means that it should be adapted to the needs of the students according to their age. It should also be conducive to movement and activity, clean and orderly, aesthetically appealing, and have natural elements such as plants inside and outside the classroom. natural elements such as plants inside and outside the classroom..

3. Use of specific materials

One of the most important components of the Montessorian prepared environment is the inclusion of certain materials that were developed by Montessori herself and her collaborators. It is preferable to use natural materials, such as wood, rather than more artificial ones.

4. Personal choice of the student

Although the prepared environment has limitations on the range of activities students can access, it is still wider than in traditional education and during most of the class time freedom is given to choose any material, game or educational content from those available on the from those available in the classroom.

Montessori spoke of "self-education" to refer to the active participation of students in their own learning. In this sense the role of teachers is more related to preparation, supervision and assistance, as we will see below.

5. Classrooms for age groups

A very relevant aspect of the Montessori method is the fact that it is recommended that classrooms contain a large number of students of different ages, although they are divided by age groups at different ages. are divided by age groups because of the specificities of development in each period. in each period. Generally the separation is done in groups of 3 years (for example from 6 to 9).

This is because Montessori defended that there are sensitive periods in which children have a greater facility to acquire one or other types of skills and knowledge. Thus, in early childhood it is important to develop language or the senses, while abstract thinking is encouraged especially from the age of 6.

6. Collaborative learning and play

Since students are free to choose how they educate themselves, they will often decide to collaborate with their peers. This allows for peer tutoringThis is especially relevant in relation to play (which has important functions in sociocultural development) and should be encouraged by teachers.

7. Classes without interruptions

Another of the most characteristic features of the Montessori method is the presence of 3-hour uninterrupted classes. Since they are mainly based on self-direction by the students, they should be much less bored than in traditional teaching; what is sought is to favor the achievement of a state of concentration that enhances learning.

8. Teacher as guide and supervisor

In the Montessori method the teacher guides the students' learning, avoiding hindering their self-education process.. Thus, their roles are related to the preparation of the academic environment, the observation of children to promote individualized learning, the introduction of new educational materials or the provision of information.