Maria Montessori's Educational Theory example essay topic

Maria Montessori was born in Chiara valle, Ancona, Italy in 1870. Montessori became the first female physician in Italy at the age of 26. Montessori's medical observations led her to want to discover how children learn. She found that children build themselves from what is in their environment. In 1901, Montessori returned to school, studied psychology and philosophy and became a professor of anthropology at the University of Rome in 1904. In 1906, she gave up her medical practice and her chair at the University of Rome to work to open the Children's House.

At the Children's House, she worked with sixty children from working class parents. This is where Montessori's educational theory first began. The children of the Children's House seemed to absorb knowledge in an almost effortless manner, working by themselves, without the assistance of adults. Montessori visited the United States for the first time in 1913. That same year Alexander Graham Bell and his wife Mabel founded the Montessori Educational Association in their home. Margaret Wilson, Thomas Edison, and Helen Keller were very strong supporters of Maria Montessori and her educational theories.

On Montessori's second visit to the United States, she conducted teaching sessions and addressed the annual conventions of the National Education Association and the International Kindergarten Union. In 1917, she opened a research institute in Spain. In 1919, she started teacher training courses in London. Montessori was appointed government inspector of schools in Italy in 1922.

Montessori left Italy in 1934 to travel to Barcelona, Spain. Maria also traveled to the Netherlands and opened a Montessori Training Center and founded a series of teacher training courses in India. She opened the Montessori Center in London in 1947. In 1949, 1950, and 1951, Montessori was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize but did not win. Maria Montessori passed away in 1952. The Montessori Education Theory is an overall approach to education that takes into account development from infancy to adulthood.

Montessori believed that learning takes place in a prepared environment of multiage groups of 0-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, and 12-14. The prepared environment consists of manipulative materials designed for each age group that engage the children in activities of their own choice. The children learn by making discoveries with the materials. Montessori believed that the personality of children should be of the highest importance and that much can be learned from studying the personality of a child. Montessori said, .".. the study of a child, not in his physical but in his psychological aspect, may have infinitely wider influence, extending to all human questions. In the mind of a child we may perhaps find the key to progress, and, who knows, the beginning of new civilization".

Three fundamental points were developed in schools called Casa dei Bambini which means children's homes. These points are, one, the importance of environment, two, the passive role of the teacher, and three, the child's personality. Montessori believed the environment an adult lives in is not the environment a child needs. An adult environment is an environment that exists with many obstacles a child must go through in order to develop into an adult. A passive teacher stands back and does not aspire to be the authority figure in the classroom. The teacher allows the child to express him or herself in a creative, mind-expanding fashion.

The child's personality cannot grow in an environment where the teacher hinders the child's thinking and learning. The Montessori school system is not just for preschool age children but also for children ages' birth to fourteen. Montessori uses methods that can be used for all types of learners, not just gifted students or learning disabled students because the learning environment is designed for the success of all types of learners. Montessori schools are not specifically religious; however, there is a religious orientation. There are about 200 public Montessori schools and approximately 3,000 private schools.

Montessori's educational theories are based on the idea of free choice for the students. The choice lies within a scope of meaningful and purposeful activities that are carefully outlined by the teacher and the theories. The Montessori's educational theory stresses that children develop at their own pace. The Montessori believed that children actually learn faster when allowed to discover at a pace that works best for them. The Montessori theory modifies itself to remain relevant. The "prepared environment" is Maria Montessori's concept that the environment can be designed to facilitate maximum independent learning and exploration by the child.

The prepared environment is a situation where there are many activities a child can work on at the same time. The child has the choice of what to work on. There is also a great deal of movement involved in a prepared environment. In Montessori classrooms, several children may be working on different things at the same time.

This concept is similar to work stations. The Montessori classrooms are a calm, relaxed, and ordered environment where the child can enjoy freedom and learn self-discipline in a classroom that is specifically designed to meet their developmental needs. The learning materials in a Montessori classroom are very importance. All of the learning materials are displayed on low, open shelves for the children to choose from depending on what they want to work on at that time. When the children are done with the learning materials they are expected to return them to the shelves. The learning materials promote higher order thinking, build problem-solving skills, and gives satisfaction of accomplishment.

The learning materials also interrelate and build upon each other as the child's skills progress. Instead of the usual traditional classroom materials, the Montessori classroom utilizes materials that enhance the prepared environment. Maria Montessori endeavored to understand the method children used to learn. She developed an educational method that has lasted for almost a century. She is also known for her discovery that there is more to children than people thought possible. Montessori believed that by allowing children to have the freedom to learn form a variety of activities, they are then able to fully develop.

From this discovery, Montessori developed her numerous and extraordinary educational theories. Montessori is an extraordinary woman, theorist, and teacher. While researching Montessori I found myself wanting to find out more and more about her and her theories. I believe in many of her methods and I absolutely love the way she kept classroom focus on the children.

Montessori is truly a theorist.