Montessori Vocabulary**

Montessori Vocabulary**

**  Please note that the author of this is unknown to me.  I have valued this piece for describing basic information to a new parent who might ask me, "Can you tell me what Montessori is?"   Let me know if you recognize it please so I can give proper credit.  thanks, Gail

When Dr. Maria Montessori developed her theory and method of education, she included a ‘vocabulary’ to define her concepts. This vocabulary describes her understanding of children and their educational needs. The following explanations will be of help to you as you read her books and as you become more involved in her philosophy.

The Vocabulary for the Child

Unique individual:  Each child is his or her own person, intrinsically valuable in his/her own right.

Respect : Each child deserves respect and acknowledgment as a valuable person at each phase of his life.  As the child learns that he has the respect and trust of others, the child will learn how to give respect others.

Individual Rate of Progress: The Child’s right to learn according to their individual development and inner compass guided by the knowledge or skill being presented.

Sensitive Periods:  The time in the child’s development when

The child is especially ready to learn a specific skill.

Absorbent Mind:  The ability of the child to absorb knowledge (to learn consciously or unconsciously) from her environment; incidental learning.  

The Vocabulary for the Classroom 

Prepared Environment – A learning space established for children with special attention paid to beauty of arrangement, order of learning materials (left-right, simple-complex, concrete-abstract), and an atmosphere conducive to security, calmness and independent learning.

Ground Rules – The cornerstone of the classroom from which children gain an understanding of order, peace and calm, and mutual respect. In various forms, but always set in positive terms, they read:

1.)  We respect ourselves and each other.

2.)  We respect the materials and the classroom.

3.)  We will do what we can to help each other.

Liberty within Limits -- Once the child has learned to respect the people, the ground rules and the materials in her environment, she is free to move about the classroom and to work as independently as she sees fit. She has the security of knowing what is expected of her and what she can expect from others. This liberty

adds to the child’s positive self-image and confidence as a valued and respected person.

Didactic Materials – The specially-designed and prepared materials and learning activities to best teach the child the lessons he is ready to learn.

Learning Areas – The classroom is divided into 5 major areas of learning:

Sensorial – Development of sense awareness

Practical Life – Development of the skills needed for   

(Daily Living) – child to care for himself and his environment.

Math – Development of the skills and understanding

of number concepts and operations.

Language – Development of the skills and understanding

needed for reading, writing and other communication skills.

Cultural - Development of an awareness and appreciation for art,              music, geography, history and science

The Vocabulary for Lessons

Each Montessori material and learning activity has certain characteristics inherent in it to insure the child’s success in completing a lesson.

         Control of Error – The material or activity is constructed so that any mistake a child may make is readily apparent to her. Once she discovers her mistake, she may correct it with ease. The success and ability to master a task leads to the development of self-confidence.

Cycle of Activity – Each exercise involves the process of:

1.)Choosing the activity,

2.)Doing the work,

3.)Returning the material to its proper place in the classroom. 

This process leads to the child’s sense of order and security.

        

Points of interest – The ‘built-in’ aspects of an activity or piece of material which capture the child’s interest and imagination and encourages him to work with the exercise until he learns the intended lesson.

Direct Aim—Each material, exercise, activity and lesson has specific and intended skills for the child to learn.

Indirect Aim – Along with the intended and obvious skills presented to the child, there are some indirect lessons available to the child:

1.)  Concentration,

2.)  Eye-Hand Coordination,

3.)  Independence,

4.)  Order,

5.)  Awareness of self and the environment and how the two interact.

“The freedom that is given to the child is not liberation from parents and teachers; it is not freedom from the laws of Nature or of the state or of society, but the utmost freedom for self-development and self-realization compatible with service to society. “

                                                        

                                                         Maria Montessori, 1948