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An introduction to The Montessori Method Stephen M Seaward
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The Montessori Method - An Introduction

Jul 17, 2015

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Steve Seaward
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Page 1: The Montessori Method - An Introduction

An introduction to

The Montessori Method

Stephen M Seaward

Page 2: The Montessori Method - An Introduction

Objective & Overview

❖ Objective: Participants will understand

the history and key principles of the

Montessori Method, and be able to

apply its key principles to their

teaching practice.

❖ Overview:

❖ Introduction

❖ Maria Montessori

❖ History of the Montessori Method

❖ Key principles

❖ Discussion

❖ Independent practice: Application

Page 3: The Montessori Method - An Introduction

Introduction to

The Montessori Method

The Montessori Method is a

constructivist, developmental pedagogy

that prioritizes self-directed learning, self-

discovery, and intellectual development

through concrete exploration of the world.

The Montessori Method is typically used

with children age 0 to 12 or 14.

Page 4: The Montessori Method - An Introduction

Maria Montessori

❖ Born in Italy in 1870.

❖ First female graduate of a

medical school in Italy.

❖ While practicing medicine, she

became interested in and

started observing how children

learn.

❖ Became convinced that children

learn automatically by

interacting with their

environments.

Page 5: The Montessori Method - An Introduction

Maria Montessori (continued)

❖ In 1901, Montessori went

back to university to

pursue this interest in child

development, studying

psychology and

philosophy.

❖ This pursuit led to her

appointment as Professor

of Anthropology at the

University of Rome.

Site of University of Rome during Montessori’s time there.

Page 6: The Montessori Method - An Introduction

Casa dei Bambini

❖ Montessori gave up her university post to start a

school for students who were considered unteachable.

❖ Her Casa dei Bambini, or Children’s House, served

children of poor and working class parents.

❖ She implemented her ideas about child development

and saw success teaching these children.

Page 7: The Montessori Method - An Introduction

Renown

❖ Montessori went on to travel the

world spreading her ideas.

❖ She started institutes and schools

at the behest of governments.

❖ Montessori provided teacher

training in her methods.

❖ Alexander Graham Bell and his

wife started the Montessori

Education Association. Thomas

Edison and Helen Keller became

prominent supporters.

Page 8: The Montessori Method - An Introduction

Montessori Today

❖ Maria Montessori died in 1952.

❖ The Montessori Method was popular in Europe at

the time of her death, but did not gain widespread

acceptance in the U.S. until the 1960s.

❖ Use of the Montessori Method grew over the

1970s and 1980s.

❖ Today, there are more than 4,000 private and 200

public Montessori schools. It is also popular

among homeschoolers.

❖ Accreditation bodies such as the Association

Montessori Internationale and American

Montessori Society, among others, help ensure

authentic transmission of the method.

❖ Montessori teachers must undergo rigorous,

specialized training.

Page 9: The Montessori Method - An Introduction

Principles of

The Montessori Method

Page 10: The Montessori Method - An Introduction

Key principles of the Montessori Method

❖ Multi-age, developmental grouping

❖ Alignment with human tendencies

❖ Prepared environment

❖ Centers

❖ Pedagogical method

❖ Interdisciplinary instruction

❖ Assessment

❖ Differentiation based on learning styles

❖ Character education

Page 11: The Montessori Method - An Introduction

Key Principles

Multi-age, developmental grouping

❖ Classes have 3 year age spans, same

teacher for 3 years.

❖ Students work in groups based on their

developmental level, not their age.

Alignment with human tendencies

❖ Teachers leverage innate human tendencies

of curiosity, exploration, movement, and

creativity.

❖ Students are free to become absorbed in

their work, and don’t need to change tasks to

fit arbitrary schedules.

❖ Students choose what they want to work on.

Page 12: The Montessori Method - An Introduction

Key Principles

Prepared environment

❖ The classroom is set up so that students have

access to hands-on learning experiences,

provided through specialized materials.

❖ Students are free to explore the classroom and

play with the things that interest them.

Centers

❖ Each traditional subject has a center in the

classroom.

❖ Each center has materials the student can

explore.

❖ Students begin projects at centers. Throughout

the day, they can go from one center to another

as they wish, taking a break from or resuming

projects.

Page 13: The Montessori Method - An Introduction

Key Principles

Pedagogical method

❖ The Montessori Method uses a 3 step model:

❖ Introduction to a concept - lecture, discussion, text

❖ Processing - working with the concept learned

❖ Knowing - understanding the concept, evidenced by

assessment or teaching.

❖ Direct instruction is minimal; students pursue what

interests them and learn from peers and the environment.

Interdisciplinary instruction

❖ Students learn all subjects via the topics they choose to

explore.

Assessment

❖ The primary method of assessment is teacher

observation and data collection.

❖ No tests or grades.

Page 14: The Montessori Method - An Introduction

Key Principles

Differentiation based on learning styles

❖ Montessori educators teach to all

learning styles identified by Gardner:

Musical, bodily kinesthetic, spatial,

interpersonal, intuitive, linguistic, and

logico-mathematical.

Character education

❖ Character education takes

precedence over academics.

Montessori education emphasizes

caring for oneself, others, and the

environment.

Page 15: The Montessori Method - An Introduction

–Maria Montessori

“The greatest sign of success for a teacher… is to

be able to say, the children are now working as if I

didn’t exist. ”