Montessori's methodology is ... The Montessori system: a description, materials, feedback from parents and educators

The development of children parents spend much more time than a hundred years ago. To do this, there are various pedagogical methods that help kids at a very early age not only to grow, but also to learn. The Montessori method is what kind of teaching, what it is especially and how to apply it correctly - this will be discussed later.

Terminology

Initially, you need to understand the terminology that will be actively used in the article provided. So, Montessori is not just a name for the technique of early development. This is the name of the woman who was her founder. It was the Italian Maria Montessori who prescribed all the principles of her pedagogical teaching, telling how she helps the children more qualitatively and easily to know the world around them. In the distant 1907, she opened her first school, where she helped to develop qualitatively mentally retarded children, sometimes even surpassing peers in her development. At the same time, Maria Montessori did not cease to be surprised: what should you do with normal children, so that they did not develop something, but even degrade to some extent? It should be noted that to date, this method has been successfully applied by various institutions of teaching children in 80 countries around the world.

The main thing in the Montessori method

To better understand what is so unique in this pedagogical teaching, you need to understand the motto of the Montessori methodology. This is quite a simple phrase: "Help me do it myself!". At this stage, it is already becoming clear what the key will be in developing this doctrine. That is, the main task of the teacher in this case is to help the child, and not to do his work for him. Here you need to understand to yourself that in this technique there is an inextricable link between its three main "whales": the child, the educator and the existing environment. The principle is this: in the very center is the child. With all his desires, emotions and dreams. The teacher here is not a teacher as such. He is not a tutor, but only helps the kid to know the world around him, in which he is currently. The goal of an adult is not to show how it should be (the child may have his own views), but to help if the baby needs help. At the same time, it is absolutely priceless regarding this or that moment. The main thing in this technique is not to interfere with the creative energy that crumbs possess at an early age. It is she who is the immense motive power of his development and knowledge of the world. As a small conclusion, I want to note that the main goal of this pedagogical teaching is not to make a little clever child out of the child. It is necessary to raise a crumb such person that it was interesting to him to learn something new, to learn the surrounding world more and more.

About the development of the baby

Realizing that Montessori is a special system for the early development of crumbs, it is also important to indicate in which directions this knowledge will work:

• Sensory development. That is, the kid learns the surrounding world with the help of his senses: hearing, sight, smell, tactile component. Depending on this, he forms the concept of the form, color and pr.sosobennostyu surrounding objects.
• Great attention is paid to the development of speech, the activation of speech centers in the brain. For this purpose, a special emphasis is placed on improving fine motor skills.
• It is very important in the Montessori method to acquire practical skills.
• It is very important in this teaching the development of mathematical abilities.
• And, of course, the child is developing in the field of the most necessary knowledge - about the world and the environment. The kid is given an idea of what height, length, weight, etc. are.

About the periods of development

The Montessori system is such that it has its own recommendations for each age period. Briefly, the child's development can be divided into three major phases:

1. From birth to 6 years is the first phase. It is here that the child's personality is formed, at this age his basic abilities manifest. This period is unique in that at this time the child absorbs everything like a sponge. At this time it is important to give the right material for mastering his baby.
2. The second phase is from 6 to 12 years. In this period, the main thing is sensory development. The baby becomes very sensitive and sensitive. The phase is also characterized by increased concentration of attention. The child can already for a long time concentrate on what he really is interested in, not being sprayed into other activities.
3. Adolescence, or time from 12 to 18 years. At this hour, the first and most important thing is getting personal experience. This is the time of experiments and, of course, mistakes.

What are Sensitive Periods

But in addition to the three large phases, the Montessori system also has an idea of the sensitive periods. This is the time of special perception of children for this or that activity. These time intervals in this technique are very important, since they help to acquire a certain knowledge more easily and qualitatively.

• Training in speech skills. This time from the birth of a crumb. Active phase - up to 6 years of age. If to speak in general, then it lasts throughout life.
• The period of sensory development begins with birth and ends at about 6 years of age. But only its active phase.
• From birth to up to three years, the baby is given a sense of order. Not only cleanliness in the house, even more - certain rules of life. For example, in the morning you have to get up and wash.
• From 1 year and up to 4 years, the baby develops motor activity. It is also a period of acquiring an independent experience.
• And with 2.5 and up to 6 years of development of a variety of social skills. It should be noted that in this period, the child is laid down standards of rough and polite behavior, which he will use throughout his life.

In fact, Montessori's development methodology has much more data periods. They are more precise and specific. So, for example, the ideal time for learning a letter is from 3.5 to 4.5 years, and reading - from 4.5 to 5.5.

Principles of the Montessori Methodology

The fact that Montessori - the method of early development, has become quite clear. I would like to tell you about the principles on which this pedagogical teaching is based. It must be said that all the most basic things are already said in the motto of the methodology. Proceeding from this, the principles of the teaching are as follows:

• Self-education, self-development and self-education - that's the main thing in methodology.
• The educator should respect the child's personality, its characteristics and unique abilities. In no way can they be transformed or, moreover, destroyed.
• The child makes himself. And only because of its activities is formed as a person.
• The most important period of development of crumbs - from birth to six years of age.
• Children have a unique sensual and mental ability to absorb everything from the environment all.

Maria Montessori says that you should not accelerate the development of the baby. But immediately it is very important and not to miss the moment when the crumb should be helped to form certain knowledge. A lot of information does not happen. But from it the kid will take exactly what he needs at the moment.

Materials for child development

What else is important to tell when studying the Montessori technique? Materials that will be needed for the development of the baby. What will have to be reserved for parents who want to develop a child in accordance with this pedagogical knowledge? It should be noted that there will be no random toys in this case. All didactic materials are well thought out, prepared, made of quality wood or fabric. They are pleasant to the touch and externally attractive for the baby. So, there are a lot of toys. For example:

• Frames-lacing. They can be very different. Called to teach a child to use objects of everyday life, for example, clothes. Frames can be on laces, on locks, on rivets and buttons.
• Stairs-steps, turrets. They teach the baby to understand what is bigger and smaller, thicker and thinner.
• Sticks. They teach such concepts as long and short, longer and shorter.
• Colored plaques. Called to teach the baby colors and shades. There are different sets, for the little ones and for the older ones.
• Sets of geometric shapes. Learn the basics of geometry.
• Cylinders, which are very like the smallest children. They have different variations. In one case, the cylinders can be arranged in colors and sizes, in the other - inserted into the molds in size.
• What else is Montessori's technique rich in? Materials that are important for the development of children are tablets with rough letters. So, the child takes the first step in teaching reading and writing.

Also there are wooden sticks, beads, puzzles. And many more interesting and useful things that will interest and enthrall crumbs.

What does the Montessori Garden look like?

Naturally, if there is a teaching, then there are educational centers working on this method. What does Montessori (garden) look like? First of all, this institution will adhere to the principles of the International Association of Montessori:

• The room is in order. Purity reigns everywhere. No scattered things.
• All the furniture is suitable for the growth of children who are in the group. All the necessary items are in their reach.
• In such gardens children of different ages. Groups are mixed.
• An important point: all didactic materials are provided in one version. This is often violated. But the technique assumes a sequence in the teaching of children.
• In a room where there are children, quietly, calmly, nobody curses and does not cry.
• Older children help their smaller companions.
• The item, which the child takes from the shelf, immediately returns to the place after the game.
• What else is unique about Montessori (garden)? The educator (in this technique he is called a "mentor") does not tell the children what to do and how. He watches the kids from afar. Or, it does group presentations. For example, how to carry a high chair or unbutton a zipper on a jacket.

If the classes are held on schedule, the children are told what to do, the kids are noisy or bored - this is not a garden or even a group that is trained according to the Montessori method.

What are the principles of Montessori schools?

Having understood how the Montessori garden should be organized, I also want to tell a little about how the same schools work. How do they differ from other educational institutions? First of all, it should be noted that the Montessori school is unique in that there are no school desks, no schedule of lessons. Instead, there are tables and chairs, floor mats. All this is easily transferred and transported to organize the space of the kids. In these classes, the teacher is not the main teacher. He just helps the kids. The teacher's task in this case is to help organize the student's activity, which he himself chose for himself. The Montessori School involves the allocation of several zones in one class:

• Sensory, where the work includes hearing, vision, smell and tactile feature.
• A zone of practical life, where the child learns something that is useful to him in life.
• The zone of mathematics.
• The zone of the native language.
• Space area. This is the term of the founder of this doctrine, Maria Montessori. It means a zone of natural science education.

So, the student chooses for himself the training zone and that specific material with which he wants to work. It is also important to note that Montessori (pedagogy) involves classes that last no longer than 15 minutes. And in the classes there are children of different ages. But grouping goes like this: kids from 0 to 3 years, from 3 to 6, etc.

We use the Montessori method at home

The Montessori technique is a technique for early development. It can be used successfully at home. And for this you do not need anything special or supernatural. Just buy those toys that help your child to develop properly and know the world around him. What, then, must be remembered in applying Montessori's method:

• The child is an independent person from the earliest years. Therefore, you need to buy the baby that clothes, which he can wear on his own and without problems.
• The kid needs furniture for his growth: small chairs, tables, wardrobes for toys and clothes. He has to put everything in order.
• Montessori (center) is always clean, bright and cozy. The same should be the room of the baby.
• The environment in which the child lives must be safe. No items that can break or otherwise scare a small child. Everything should make him want to touch.
• All items used by the kid, in the kitchen, in the bathroom, should be in the zone of his reach.
• The child must have his own tools. His broom, a rag to wipe the dust. Any help should be encouraged.

Montessori pedagogy presupposes the presence of certain toys. They are also worth buying. Which ones are described somewhat higher.

Disadvantages of this method

It should also be noted that any method of education has its supporters and critics. This case is no exception. A certain circle of specialists believes that the Montessori classes do not develop their creative potential at all. And all because there are no role-playing games, there is no place for the flight of fantasy and improvisation. The truth may be there. However, we must also take into account that this method has been more than 100 years old.

The second discrepancy, which emphasizes the attention of critics. Montessori (center) is always distinguished by strict discipline. But the mentor should not interfere with the learning process. However, it should be noted that there are many ways to influence the child. Everything depends on the particular person and his pedagogical abilities.