What is Montessori Method ?

It is called an indirect teaching method because it neither imposes on a child nor does it abandon him in total free play, rather it provides a carefully planned and structured environment in which the child can grow and learn in a natural way with the best possible opportunities for reaching his or her maximum potential.

The six basic components of this prepared environment are:

1. Freedom The child moves freely around a Montessori classroom, talking to other children, working with any equipment he chooses, or asking the teacher to introduce new material. He is not free to disturb other children who are working , or abuse the equipment which is so important to them all.

2. Reality And Nature The child should grow up close to nature and experience of the natural environment helps the child achieve harmony as well as contribute to the child's spiritual growth

3. Social Awareness Through freedom of movement and through the Montessori exercise for the care of the environment , also care of self and development of social skills the child is helped towards social awareness.

4. Order The environment should be structured and ordered so that it is easier for the child to make sense of the external world.

5. Beauty The environment should be aesthetically pleasing and simple.

6. Montessori Didactic Materials These are an important element of the educational environment;

Sense Training develops the child's growth awareness and helps build sound concepts with appropriate language.

Cultural Materials help the child develop an awareness of the world in which he lives. Dr Montessori stressed the importance of including the fundamentals of nature study, geography, history, science, art and music in the curriculum. The general aim being the child's whole development.

Mathematical Apparatus gives the child an understanding of the basic rules. Through a sense of carefully structured didactic materials the child learns concepts through concrete activities and then he is gradually helped towards abstraction. The activities are individual as each child progresses at a different rate.

Language Materials help the child develop the language skills which are listening, speaking, reading and writing. First through the sandpaper letters the child learns both the sounds and shapes of the letters, then listens for the sounds in words and begins to build them using the Montessori movable alphabet.

The phonic approach is used in the Montessori method and the child is taught to read after careful preparation and then when he shows he is ready, he succeeds and finds reading an enjoyable activity.

Furthermore, in the Montessori method, while the child is absorbing his own language he is exposed to games and activities which introduce him to the correct use of grammar and this approach helps lay sound foundations for the future.