Montessori Maria Montessori: Theories, Methods,

Montessori

Maria Montessori: Theories, Methods, and Ongoing Influence

Maria Montessori and her Montessori method of education have been incredibly influential in the development of educational theory and practice during the twentieth century. This paper presents a brief biographical sketch of the educator and theorist, linking her life to her life's work of education and providing a timeline of key events that impacted and influenced the development of the Montessori method and theory. A general overview of this theory and its explicit mandates for effective educational practice is then given, with attention to the degree to which these mandates can be observed as similar or different to standard educational practice in modern institutions and systems, followed by a description of the key text describing the educational theory, The Montessori Method. First published in English in 1912, this text continues to provide insights into the practice of education generally as well as the specific philosophies and practices of Maria Montessori. Finally, implications of the Montessori Methods and its practice on the current profession of education are detailed, and the impact of the theory and the life history of Maria Montessori on the perspectives of the author are also discussed.

Background

Biographical Sketch:

Maria Montessori was a pioneer from a very early age, and both the fact that her pioneering behavior was encouraged and impact that this pioneering had on her outlook and perspectives were of tremendous influence in the shaping of her educational philosophy and methods (Kramer 1988). Attending an all-boys school at the age of thirteen and adamant about not going into a traditionally female profession -- such as teaching -- Montessori was to become one of the first female doctors in Italy, developing a special interest for psychiatry and shortly thereafter for educating the disabled through a more holistic understanding of how the mind worked (Kramer 1988; IMI 2011). This began a life-long exploration by Montessori of educational techniques and theories that could benefit all learners, and especially children, as the successes that Montessori had with disabled students seemed to clearly suggest to her that her experimental methods could bring "normal" children to even higher levels of achievement (Kramer 1988; IMI 2011). This truth, apparent to Maria Montessori from the beginning, has been proven true time and time again for the past century; beginning with a school in Rome, then the Italian publication of her theories, and finally with publication in English and other languages as well as with the general exporting of her ideas, the Montessori philosophy of education and approach to teaching is now in schools worldwide (Montessori 1912; Kramer 1988; IMI 2011).

Timeline in History:

Many major historical events took place during Maria Montessori's lifetime, however it is not immediately clear that they had a significant impact on the development of her educational theory, especially in its early years. The increasing globalization of the twentieth century certainly impacted the spread of her philosophies and teaching methods, however, both through visitors from abroad to Montessori's Casa de Bambini in Rome and through visits and lectures such as a four-month-long practical demonstration of Montessori's teaching during the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco in 1915 (IMI 2011). The world was soon beset by war, however, and a decade later by the Great Depression and more resultant social upheaval and eventual violence; during the Second World War Montessori was essentially exiled from her native Italy, and in her new home of India she continued to develop her education techniques wit specific attention towards peace and poverty, both of which had become of increasingly obvious importance to her during these historical events (Kramer 2008; IMI 2011). Despite Montessori's death in 1952, major events on more subtle social trends continue to influence the development of hear teaching methods and philosophies, keeping them current and still highly relevant to this day (IMI 2011).

Overview of Ideas on Education

The specifics of Montessori application and practice today can vary greatly, as there is no officially body controlling the use of the name "Montessori" or the development of the overall theory and set of practices, however there are some general tenets of the theory and educational approach that can be described from a reading of Maria Montessori's own writing and the theories put forth by respected and well-known coalitions of Montessori educators and institutions (IMI 2011). Dr. Montessori, in the development of her own theories, was in many ways reacting specifically to the standard educational theories and practices of the nineteenth century, which focused heavily on control, discipline, rote learning and memorization, and other features that specifically and explicitly limited freedom and exploration encouraging instead conformity, obedience, and the acceptance of authoritative knowledge (Kramer 1988; IMI 2011; AMS 2011). Though "traditional" education in most countries is no longer as strict or authoritative as it was a hundred years ago, in large part thanks to Maria Montessori's contributions, her methods still tend to be even less restrictive and more encouraging of exploration and self-directed learning then most mainstream education institutes and systems (AMS 2011; IMI 2011, Montessori 2004). This freedom and the self-directed nature of learning was and is one of the distinctive hallmarks of the Montessori method and overall philosophy of learning.

Montessori classrooms are composed of a mix of students from different age groups and skill levels for several reasons. The fact that students can select their own learning area/lesson plan from certain prescribes options means that the classroom can more easily facilitate different areas and levels of learning at the same time, and older students or those with more skill/experience in a certain area can assist -- whether consciously or otherwise -- in other's learning in these areas while reinforcing and expanding upon their own knowledge and skill sets (Montessori 1912; Montessori 2004). The elf-directed nature of learning is facilitated by a hands-on approach to tasks rather than through direct instruction, and while Montessori educators are an integral part of the classroom and the learning process they are not the authoritative directors of the day that are found in most traditional classrooms (AMS 2011). In comparison with the public educational system in place in most regions of the United States, the Montessori method is far less controlled, less curriculum-focused, and more concerned with the learning methods, capabilities, and desires of each student rather than ensuring that the entire class meets a set of age-based learning standards (IMI 2011; AMS 2011).

The Montessori Method: The Quintessential Montessori Text

There is a fair amount in this book, first published in English in 1912, that is no longer applicable to today's educational methods, social proclivities, or scientific knowledge. Comments on diet and certain other issues in the home are no longer relevant, and a great deal of Monetssori's linguistic theory has been substantially updated by later scholars (Montessori 1912; Kramer 2008; AMS 2011). Still, this volume lays out a very clear groundwork of the overall approach to education and philosophy towards children and indeed towards life that was advocated by Dr. Montessori. A detailed framework of facilitated and constructive learning rather than controlled instruction is provided along with the scientific and philosophical rationales behind this framework, and the book is still in print today as it continues to be not only relevant but revolutionary in terms of educational theory and practice (Montessori 1912; IMI 2011).

Professional Reflective Synthesis

There are many direct and indirect implications of the Montessori method as well as the story of Maria Montessori's progress as a learner and an educator on the modern profession of education. Not only do her theories and philosophies represent a wholly different perspective than what is typically taught as effective educational practice even if these typical teachings and theories have been tempered by Montessori's impact over the past century, but they also present direct and practical methods that can be attempted to encourage learning and educational enjoyment even in more traditional classroom settings. Similarly, Maria Montessori's life provides key lessons for educators and for other individuals confronted with large systems that they can see to be clearly broken. Montessori managed to overcome the general gender discrimination typical of her time, and more than that she managed to challenge and the preconceived and largely entrenched patriarchal notions of education as an exercise in control, replacing them with her own theories based solely on the fact that they worked so indisputably well (a fact that has failed to bring many theories and projects to light). In this manner, she is a direct inspiration to educators and others working to fix a flawed system, or at least to mitigate its damage.