Montessori Schools The Child as an Active Learner Theoretical Underpinnings Foundations of the Montessori Learning Approach Maria Montessori was a native of Chiaravalle Italy, born in 1870 during the time when Italy was declaring its independence (Kramer, 1988). Montessori did not originally wish to go into teaching, but your life path lead her to become the founder of the Montessori schools and philosophy. Montessori refused to assume traditional women's roles. Her independent spirit is

That is why the child's psychic manifestations are at once impulses of enthusiasm and efforts of meticulous, constant patience" (1963, p. 223). Empirical observations suggest that children want and need guidelines and rules to help them understand what is expected of them in terms of behavior, but they desperately want to be able to learn on their own and achieve a sense of accomplishment through their own endeavors - this

Another keynote of the Montessori method is the de-centering of the teacher (Smith). The teacher's role was more of an observer and monitor than an instructor. Therefore, the Montessori is a quintessentially student-centric pedagogical method. The child determines what and how to learn, and the teacher observes, monitors, and facilitates. Having gained respect among the medical community and having spoken at more than one women's conference, Montessori's methods drew considerable international

Montessori is an educational approach that was created by the doctor and pedagogue, Maria Montessori. The basic pillars of a Montessori education revolve around the ideas of the necessity of independence, freedom within certain limits, and an overall respect for a child's organic development, in regards to all that is both psychological and physical, but also verbal, intellectual and even social. Some scholars argue that no two Montessori schools are

Abstract The education approach plays a fundamental role in the cognitive development of a child. The Montessori theory of Education introduced in 1903 by Maria Montessori has been identified to significantly contribute to effective cognitive development. The Montessori curriculum has emerged popular across the globe with the Montessori principles being adopted across private and public school setting. The Montessori education philosophy demands a redefining of school and redesigning of the classroom

Maturationist, Constructivist, and Environmentalist Educational Theories Numerous educational and childhood development theories have impacted school readiness discussions. Among the most notable theories that hold an effect on readiness practices are maturationists', constructivists', and environmentalists' development theories. Maturationists observe that there can be achievement of school readiness practices when all healthy children hold the potential to carry out activities such as counting and alphabet recitation. Encompassment of these activities is in learning