Get a REALLY brief history of the Montessori method of educating children including the three most important principles and a quick look at the practical, sensory environments that help kids grow.

1. WELCOME
An introduction to a Montessori Primary
Classroom
“F the child's potential, and you will transform him into the
ree
world” --M
ontessori

2. Montessori: a re a lly brief history
Dr. Maria Montessori
(1870-1952), Italy’s first
female physician, started
her work with children
when she took a position
at the psychiatric clinic of
the University of Rome
where she worked with
and observed special
needs children. She then
began to develop a
pedagogy to educate
these children and later
refined it for broader
application.

3. Montessori: a re a lly brief history
Dr. Montessori founded the first
Children’s House founded in
1907 in San Lorenzo (Rome,
Italy). Through critical
observations, Dr. Montessori was
able to create a unique
pedagogy
“The wo rd e d uc a tio n m us t no t
be und e rs to o d in the s e ns e
o f te a c hing but o f a s s is ting
the p s y c ho lo g ic a l
d e ve lo p m e nt o f the c hild . ”
(Dr. Montessori)

4. 100 years later…
Montessori schools can
be found around the
world, following those
same principles used
in that first classroom.

5. Three important principles:

Repetition


Movement


The child can repeat an activity, which aids concentration and
leads to mastery.
The child can walk around the room of his or her own will.
Movement is also essential in many of the activities as it aids
learning.
Choice

The child may choose which activity he or she would like to do.

6. So then…
What are the limits?

7. The Prepared Environment
“Eve ry thing s ho uld be in
p ro p o rtio n to the s iz e o f
the c hild … The c le a r,
lig hte d ro o m s , with little
lo w wind o ws , wre a the d in
flo we rs , with s m a ll p ie c e s
o f furniture o f e v e ry
s ha p e jus t like the
furniture o f a nic e ly
furnis he d ho m e . ”
– Montessori, The Secret of
Childhood

8. How it works



Control of movement (the child needs to
move carefully around the classroom)
Limitations on number of activities (there is
only one set of each activity—with a few
exceptions.)
Concentration does wonderful things. When a
child concentrates he or she is calm and quiet
and able to learn.

9. What does my child do all day?
In a Montessori primary room there are basically
four distinct areas:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Practical Life
Sensorial
Language
Math

10. Practical Life
Practical life is known as the ‘gateway’ to the
Children’s House. These activities create an
important foundation. The works are designed to aid
concentration, independence and development of
the will.

11. Sensorial
Montessori believed it was
through the senses that
the child takes in all the
information around him or
her. These materials are
designed to appeal to
specific senses and teach
the child about the
properties of the world.

12. Language
The language materials
are designed to make
learning to read and
write spontaneous
occurrences of great
joy for the child

13. Language Materials
Begins with spoken language
 The child will start to write before
he or she reads
 Reading begins with phonetics
and then quickly moves on to
“total reading”


14. The moveable alphabet

15. Stages of Writing

16. Math Materials
Math materials begin with
learning numbers 1-10,
then the decimal system
and linear counting and
lastly, the materials help
to move to child to further
abstraction so the child
begins to perform basic
operations in his or her
head.