Very young children do not know that school is supposed to be boring -- and at Montessori they never learn that negative lesson. I am glad my own children take delight in going to school and look forward eagerly to writing and reading as they look forward to engaging in more conventionally 'fun' pastimes. Every time I see my children embark upon a special project for school, or take books out of the library on a new subject, just for the sheer joy of it, I know that they are reaping the benefits of growing up in a Montessori classroom.
A also like the fact that children are not segmented into age groups in the Montessori classroom, which encourages sharing of knowledge and experience, and breaks down artificial barriers of grade levels. Older children teach younger children. Children have realistic mentors this way, not just in the persona of adults, and older children gain a sense of mastery. The combined age groups are an ideal way to create communities of learners and teachers, for to teach is to learn.
The Montessori education has helped my child to become more independent because of this combining of age groups. They willingly take part in all family activities and decisions, even chores, because they know it is their responsibility to set an example for others. I do not have to shout at them to do their homework, and I worry less about the negative impact of peer pressure than some parents, because I have seen my children each develop a unique personality that is strong and resilient.
For many years I have personally observed the Montessori holistic approach work its magic as an assistant and acted as an aide to the fostering of such independence, love of learning, and personal growth. I have delighted in a classroom to...
My responsibilities include the care and maintenance of the materials. I love finding the best materials possible for the children to embark upon their learning. Having the right books, art supplies, specimens, and supplies is critical to creating an environment that fosters learning. And I have grown and learned with my own children, and the students I have worked with.
Independence and interdependence are the cornerstones of Montessori. Children become independent learners, and do no need to be compelled to learn by a taskmaster, because they love to learn. They learn what methods best suit their learning style, they learn at their own pace, and they learn from observing and teaching others that they are unique, and not everyone learns in the same way. Yet because they are teachers of younger pupils, they learn that we are all interdependent as a society. We must crawl before we can walk. The children see their own mistakes replicated in the younger pupils, and guide them -- and adapt the learning method that worked for them to the younger children's needs.
I am gratified in my own children to see how the education of character at Montessori has made them proud, moral young people. I appreciate the delicate and difficult task of shaping a child's education without being directive required by Montessori teachers, and that is why I seek to further my own education in the method. From my own children I have learned the joy of forever acquiring knowledge, and constantly delighting in new intellectual challenges. As a fully qualified Montessori teacher, I hope to impart this lesson to others, after once again becoming a student of the method.
