Maria Montessori

On August 31st 1870, Maria Montessori was born in Chiaravalle in the province of Alcona, Italy to father Alessandro Montessori and mother Renilde Stoppani Montessori. Her father, being a soldier, had old-fashioned ideas, conservative manners and apparent military habits. Her mother, Renilde Stoppani, was a bright well-educated woman. Being a well-read person, she also encouraged Maria to do the same. For Renilde it was important for girls to have a good education. With Renilde’s influence, Maria started to enjoy her studies and showed interest in mathematics.Renilde was always a friend and confidante who understood her daughter’s passion for education. She always supported her decisions and ambition. Between them was a special relationship, until her death in 1912. By the time Maria was twelve, her family moved to Rome for better education than what was offered in Ancona. Soon, she would be graduating from primary school and she was thinking more and more about her futu re. For most girls in Italy in the 1800’s primary school was as far as their education went, but Maria wanted to continue her studies.She entered a technical school for boys with the intention of becoming an engineer. This was unusual at the time as most girls who pursued secondary education studied the classics rather than going to technical school. Maria’s plans were always rejected by her father, being a conservative man who followed the norms of the society at that time. After a while, Maria had some change of heart regarding her studies and finally decided to become a doctor instead. She believed that her calling was medicine.Alessandro was appalled and confused by his daughter’s decision. He wanted Maria to be a teacher just like the other young women. At that time, a woman doctor was shocking and unheard of in society. Strong-willed as she was, she opposed the decision of her parents and joined the University of Rome. Once again, Renilde sided with Maria. Although Alessandro did not forbid Maria to study medicine, he never approved of it. Maria defied her father and the conservative Italian society and studied science. She knew she would be facing the biggest challenge of her life.Being the only woman in school, earning the respect of the other students was difficult but she was not about to let these men get in her way. One winter, she braved the snowstorm to attend a lecture only to find out that she was the only student there. The professor, impressed by her determination, gave the lecture anyway. Once, another student behind her kept on kicking the back of her chair, Maria gave him an angry look and said, â€Å"I must be immortal or a look like that would have killed me. † Maria was motivated most of the time but there were times when she felt discouraged by the taunting and teasing, among other things.She faced many obstacles that sometimes she wondered if it was worth it. Maria’s ordeal of dissecting human bodies made it worse for her when she had to do it alone at night. It was improper back then for a woman to study a body and it’s organs in the company of men. In 1896, after six years at the university, Maria was nearing the end of her studies. Like all medical students, Maria delivered her lecture and at the end was applauded by the entire senior class. This was the day Maria would not forget as she saw her father who stood in the audience, clapping with them.At the age of 25, Maria earned her medical degree and the title of ‘dottoressa ‘ at the University of Rome. She was the first female doctor in Italy. Dr. Maria Montessori's first appointment was as an assistant doctor in the psychiatric clinic of the University of Rome, where she worked with mentally challenged children. Dr. Montessori, with her kind heart and pity for these children, became very much involved with them. During one visit to the asylums, Maria saw that children would crawl around the floor looking for crumbs of food that had fallen there.She observed the bare walls and carefully watched the children. She came up with the thought that the children are not really looking food because they were still hungry but because they wanted something to touch or look at. Her observation and regular contact with the unfortunate children convinced her that the problem of handling these so-called defectives was as much one of instructional method as of medical treatment. She was convinced that the children in the asylum could be helped. They were educable despite of their condition.Dr. Montessori ended up educating herself to the works of two Frenchmen, Jean Itard and Edouard Seguin who believed that even the mentally challenged people could be educated. In 1898, she was appointed director of the State Orthophrenic School in Rome. Throughout this year, she continued to give lectures and wrote articles on idiocy. She continued her research and studies to help deficient children and her work paid off. The children made tremendous progress, and even passed state examinations to the surprise of all. While hese children enjoyed great success, Maria was concerned at the lack of progress of many normal children. She thought that if children with these problems had attained such a level, she felt that many normal children should be reaching higher levels. This drove her to a deeper research into the matter and she went back the University of Rome pursuing her study on psychology and philosophy. In 1904, she was appointed as professor of anthropology at the university. She was eager to try out her teaching methods on children of normal intelligence, and in 1906 she got the chance. The Italian government put Dr.Montessori in charge of a slum school in the San Lorenzo quarter of Rome which had children aged three to six from poverty-stricken families. The children were scribbling on walls in corridors and causing mischief while their parents were at work and their older siblings were at school. They needed someone to keep the children occupied and out of mischief. Maria readily gave up her job at the university and established a school on the 6th of January, 1907 and named it ‘Casa dei Bambini' meaning Children's house. She put many different activities and other materials into the children’s environment.To be able to do her other duties, Dr. Montessori hired someone to take charge of the classroom. She had carpenters build child sized school chairs and desks to make them comfortable for learning. In the room, everything was adapted to the children’s size and perspectives. She had low sinks put in so they could wash themselves. She replaced the locked cupboards with open shelves low enough for the children to reach. Dr. Montessori observed that if children have an orderly place to work and learn they take great pride in it and care well for the learning tools.They are able to sit quietly and learn for long periods of time- far longer th an in normal everyday settings. Children in a Casa dei Bambini made extraordinary progress and soon five year olds were writing and reading. Dr. Montessori’s new approach drew the whole world’s attention to Casa Dei Bambini and visitors arrived to see for themselves how she was achieving such results. The result of her work was being heard of and written in papers, first in Italy then in other countries. One of them was in the McClures Magazine in the Unites States.The millionaire, McClure even offered to put up an institution solely for Dr. Montessori’s use, but was only declined by the latter. She did not want to compromise what she had started in Italy and be tied down to other international undertakings. A conflict between Dr. Montessori and Eduardo Talamo (the director/engineer of the housing project) resulted to the former leaving the tenement which Talamo managed. Dr. Montessori got her own apartment and built two rooms for the children. She established M ontessori classrooms in her own residence. By 1909, there were five Casa dei Bambini operating.In the same year, Dr. Montessori gave her first training courses. Her notes from this period developed into The Montessori Method. In 1912, after the death Renilde, Dr. Montessori was reunited with her fifteen year-old son, Mario, who was born out of wedlock and had to be sent away at a young age. Being an unmarried mother at that time was an scandalous thing and would have ruined Dr. Montessori’s public image and career forever. From that day on, Mario went with her on most of her travels. There was a period where Dr. Montessori was occupied with travelling, public speaking and giving lectures.At this point in time, she was rubbing elbows with quite influential people in the society. In the United States she delivered twelve speeches, one of which was at Carnegie Hall. In 1915, the year of the San Francisco World Exhibition was an opportunity for Dr. Montessori to present her metho d and be well-known. A Montessori class was conducted in a room called ‘glass room’ which was specially constructed for people who wanted to view how Dr. Montessori worked with the children. Her training course for teachers in California was well attended. She was not alone.A small group of women of uncommon devotion lived with Dr. Montessori. Among them, Anna Maccheroni and Adelia Pyle were instrumental in spreading and implementing Dr. Montessori’s ideas. On the same year, the first Montessori school in Spain was established. Following the success of her first international training course, she travelled the world lecturing and training more teachers. Mario was always there to accompany her even after he married and had children. In 1929, the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) was founded to oversee the training of teachers. Dr.Montessori and Mario embarked for India in 1939 to give a training course. They were not to return for seven years. India beca me their home until after the war ended in 1946. With the outbreak of war, as Italian citizens, Mario was detained as a prisoner and Maria was held on house arrest. Dr. Montessori’s stay in India gave birth to the idea of ‘cosmic education’ – an approach to children in the second plane of development. On her 70th birthday she requested to the Indian government that her son Mario be released and to rejoin her. This wish was granted and they were given permission to travel around India.Together they trained more teachers in India before they returned to Holland and to the grandchildren (Mario, Jr. , Renilde and Marlena) who had spent the years in the care of Ada Pierson. Ada was a special person in Mario’s life whom he had met in London in 1936. Even in her later years, Dr. Montessori continued travelling around the world writing and teaching her method with the same enthusiasm and energy, with Mario as her constant companion. What followed was a succ ession of international accomplishments: 1946 – gave courses in London and Scotland -â€Å"Education for a New World† was published 947 – Operation Montessori was established in Italy – 40th Anniversary of Casa dei Bambini was celebrated – Montessori Center was established in London – She returns to India 1948 – Publication of â€Å"Discovery of the Child†, â€Å"To Educate Human Potential† and â€Å"What You Should Know About Your Child† 1949- Dr. Montessori receives Cross of Legion of Honor in France -International Congress was held in San Remo -â€Å"Absorbent Mind† was published 1950- Dr. Montessori was nominated for Nobel Peace Prize -â€Å"Formation of Man† was published 1951- International Montessori Congress held in LondonShe died in Noordwijk-on-Sea in Holland on May 6th 1952 at the age of eighty-one. Even after her death, Mario continued what Dr. Montessori had begun. He continued conductin g the training courses. And today, schools everywhere have been influenced in some way by Dr. Maria Montessori's work. Her legacy lives on. Bibliography: †¢AMI Training Handouts †¢AMI Training Lecture 2010, MTTC of NC †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Education: Return of Montessori,† Time Magazine, 3 February 1930, 2 October 2010 http://www. time. com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,738569-2,00. html. †¢Standing, E. M.. Maria Montessori, Her Life and Work. New York: Penguin Group, 1998. Maria Montessori I choose Maria Montessori’s theories on education because I believe that her ideas make the most sense when it involves children learning in the classroom and at home. Her theories of observation and hands on learning were given much recognition in the twentieth century. She was recognized as one of the pioneers of early childhood education. (Kramer, Rita Marie. 1988. Maria Montessori: A Biography. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley). Most schools today are still using several of Montessori’s theories and ideas on their younger students; especially kindergarteners.I want to be able to use many of Maria Montessori’s ideas in my kindergarten class because I believe they work. I believe it is a key element to observe small children during their play time, learning time, and when they are being interactive. Observing children gives a teacher a chance to see the child’s strong learning abilities and their weak ones. This also goes for the hands-on theory, most childre n learn much quicker when they are allowed to touch and play with objects and interact with toys and tools used in class rooms for learning.I also will be the type of teacher that does not discriminate between race, origin, religion, or disabilities, just like Maria Montessori. She did a lot of special work with the disabled children in her teachings and I plan to do the same. As did Montessori I will also make sure that the parents of my students are as involved with their child’s education as they possibly can be. Reference: 1). Kramer,Rita Marie. 1988 Maria Montessori:A Biography. Reading,MA:Addison-Wesley. Maria Montessori The Montessori method of teaching aims for the fullest possible development of the whole child, ultimately preparing him for life's many rich experiences. Complemented by her training in medicine, psychology and anthropology, Dr. Maria Montessori (1870 – 1952) developed her philosophy of education based upon actual observations of children. Children pass through sensitive periods of development early in life. Dr. Montessori described the child's mind between the time of birth and six years of age as the â€Å"absorbent mind†. It is during this stage that a child has a tremendous ability to learn and assimilate from the world around him, without conscious effort. During this time, children are particularly receptive to certain external stimuli. A Montessori teacher recognizes and takes advantage of these highly perceptive stages through the introduction of materials and activities which are specially designed to stimulate the intellect. Encouraged to focus her attention on one particular quality, the child works at her own optimum level – in an environment where beauty and orderliness are emphasized and appreciated. A spontaneous love of â€Å"work† is revealed as the child is given the freedom (within boundaries) to make her own choices. Montessori teachers are trained facilitators in the classroom, always ready to assist and direct. Their purpose is to stimulate the child's enthusiasm for learning and to guide it, without interfering with the child's natural desire to teach himself and become independent. Each child works through his individual cycle of activities, and learns to truly understand according to his own unique needs and capabilities. Everything in a Montessori classroom has a specific use or purpose. There is nothing in the prepared environment that the child cannot see or touch. All of the furniture and equipment is scaled down to the child's size and is within easy reach. A quality Montessori classroom has a busy, productive atmosphere where joy and respect abound. Within such an enriched environment, freedom, responsibility, and social and intellectual development spontaneously flourish! Interested in becoming a Montessori teacher? Find out how you can earn your Montessori diploma now without missing a minute of work. Request an Information Package Today! Maria Montessori Born Maria Montessori Chiaraville, Italy on May thirty-first eighteen seventy. She came into a very well educated Catholic family. Her mother was also very educated along with her father who was once a in the military but found his calling as a financial advisor in the tobacco company. Maria's father was to be seen as a very traditional but firm peremptory man, while her mother had her own down to earth ideas when she was part of liberating Italy. It as Maria's mother that supported her in all here endeavors. Her family moved to Rome so Maria could better her education and her father could follow his company. She attended a mostly all boy technical school. Where she got her degree to be in engineering, spite what her father wanted. But after attending high school she studied to become a engineer but veered from that into the medical field. But due to her father disliking her university studies could be seen as a bit strained. But Maria was strong and overcome difficulties to even study about the human body. At times she had to have special sessions to perform autopsies because it was frowned down on that women were not to study or perform autopsies in front of men. But Maria held onto her dream and became the first female physician in 1896 (Hainstock,1997). Maria first came in contact with children when she had to attend a school for special needs children. As she studied these children she convinced herself into realizing that the kids issues were not medical but educational: by that she could see that if the children were made more stimulated the children were more acceptable to the learning process. Maria wanted more education so went back to school to study anthropology, psychology. So in 1904 Maria gained the position of Lecturer in Pedagogical Anthropology. While studying Maria fell in love with a colleague that she worked with, she had one child a son. She sent her son to live with a foster family, so she would not be shunned at because she was a unwed and single parent at that time. Even after her death her son new his mother well and knew that he was in safe family ways and that she did what she had to do at that time, and provide her son with a great life. Dr. Maria Montessori became a pivotal standard when it came to early childhood education. Her theory that all children are highly motivated to learn. They are like sponges the more information they receive the more they will take what is said and learn from it easily and naturally. Maria felt that formation of life begins at birth and until young adulthood. She felt that as a human infant we are born incomplete person and it is up to the child to complete the transformation (Lillard & Jessen 2003). Montessori studied at the children asylums she learned that a child's development was developed through the senses or â€Å"sensorial exploration† and hand to brain coordination (Lillard,1996 Lillard & Jessen, 2003). She felt that children needed to learn from their senses of touch, feel, smell, and seeing and hearing. Montessori used stages to help children guide themselves through adulthood: the first stage was the Period of Transformation. This usually started from age zero to age six years. In the stage children we somewhat self centered to eve a bit egotistical at time s that lead these children to know the ways of nature which gave them children the drive and the core of self development. This is also where the sponge or absorption of language, walking and talking came it into self development (Lillard &, 2003). These sessions were referred to as the Sensitive Period. At this time it shows that children work on only one area of education while ignoring the other areas. At the age of zero to three a child has a secondary division of the Unconscious Absorbent Mind, at this stage the child is absorbing all he or she can with the environment around him/her, using what they learn to gain a grasp on the their future. (Standing,1957). The second sub division is when the Conscious Absorbent Mind this is between the ages of three to six year olds. This stage is used from taking what the child leaned from the Unconscious Absorbent Mind and using it to understand and placing what he/she learned into categories that well be used later in the learning process. The Sensitive Period and Absorbent mind work together to mold a child's personality. This shows the â€Å"sensorial explorers† so it comes the focus to become oneself. Montessori called these the beginnings years for a child first recollection into a child development. Maria believed that a child's environment was built around a child's needs and wants in order for the child to be able to pass through each stage comfortably. Montessori used Auto Education along with didactic material, individual or on one on one teaching to give the child individualism in teaching in a prepared environment. Within the Montessori Auto-Education she built this theory on that a child learn though what they experience throughout the environment . This can be seen though the sensory, education and muscular coordination using Montessori didactic materials. These supped the use of one's language development(Orem, 1971). This also gave the child the development of right and wrong. This was taught by showing the child two different materials that is not in any way represented of each other, giving the child a connection to the right and wrong. Montessori control of error gave children a constant time of playing while the child had to keep his or her pace not being designated into a certain time to quit the activity so the child could learn at his or her on speed. This showed teachers that a child could learn and do things on their own pace without being told what to do, they took it upon themselves to teach themselves. The next concept was Individual Education, giving the child his or her own space and interests, giving the children the drive to always want more. But learn with space and freedom, individualism while still giving the respect and consideration to the other kids. So not engaging or interfering in other children's work. Giving a child the space and opportunity to learn about the environment around then with hands on techniques or through movement. This gives the child the use of hand eye coordination along with motor skills development. Montessori believes that children learn from experiences through learning when it is their choice other than being forced into learning (Orem, 1971). One more of Montessori's concepts was the one on Independence and Prepared Environment. This was where individuals worked in a block of time without being interrupted . It gave the child the since of peace and accomplishment. But always knowing that others were around to help out. The individual time that child worked alone was his or hers, so that whatever that child or individual was doing was still being observed to a degree but also left alone to tend to the matter at hand. Montessori also felt that breaking children up into groups or sections gave a more one on one chance the teacher and other kids. Plus it gave them the chance to come into contact or meshing with the older students and together they could learn from each other. This gave the prestige of mentoring the younger kids with a older child. The older child got to learn patients, cooperation and mentoring which was great for both kids. Maria Montessori theory brought her great strides to the education of many children from yesteryear to today, but it was also criticized by other too. Some researchers look at the way Montessori teaches and says that there is way too much leniency, in the supervision of the children in the classroom, which in return can turn the children into egomaniacs. Her teaching credentials with researchers saying that her books were expensive and not within reach for the everyday family to teach their child (Faryadi, 2007). Some see her methods and theory are geared only towards lower class families, or for families that had a lower economic status. They also felt that the kids are being put into a hostile and not caring environment where they is not structure of adult supervision. Montessori most well known critic was William Head Kilpatrick. A teacher in his own time, his approach to teaching became the Project Method of Education. This method closely resembled Montessori's ways too. This was where the children learned without the use of a teacher yes, no teacher. He looked at teaching education is like to creating a group of children to take control of work with each other without the confrontations, which could have the children become more independently driven as a single learners. Kilpatrick went back to school and once he did that he had a different approach to education and more progressive outlook. When Montessori's popularity hit the United States, Kilpatrick hired lectures to critique that teaching of Montessori. HE saw her way of teaching was becoming way to lax in the way of play too (Shortridge, 2007). He shunned her for the lack her for the lack of discipline, her theories were way to narrow and the way she ran her school was ways to lenient to his liking. With all this Montessori credibility was diminished. Montessori was becoming more criticized by American schools and some even stopped teaching the Montessori way. But to this day there are still schools that practice or teach the Montessori method and with the theory Maria Montessori lives by to this day. * I am proud to say that I was welcomed into one of the Montessori schools here in my town. I got to observe the methods and teaching for a day. I was so humbled and honored to be in the presents of such wonderful little kids. got to play and talk to them about their school, one little girl Jenny said † I love my school and I learn allot each day†. Jenny was so courteous and so sweet. She showed me around the classroom and the different stations too. It was so rewarding to see this little girl guide me through her classroom not her teacher. Even though her teacher was there it was just a great day spent observing a Maria Montessori class in my town. I relate to Montessori theory, because I feel that children deserve to learn in a classroom that envelops the well being and knowledge that the kids provide along with what I can teach them as the year goes on. My overall teaching would abide by the standards that my state has and make my classroom not only my classroom but the kids that I teach also. Everyone would be welcomed and I would always want to learn from my kids and become not only their teacher but a friend to them. My life and career will revolve around not only my kids but also the kids that I hold dear to me as my class. Each day that passes will bring new horizons for all of us. I will look back on what Maria Montessori has tough me through all the ligature that I have read over the last free weeks. There were many great theorists in the field of Early Childhood Education but I think I have found a new profound outlook on the whole process of teaching and learning. Thanks to a woman like Maria Montessori that started out as a physician and then turned her ideas and teaching into a theory that to this day some schools hold dear. In my future class I would make everyday a learning experience with a standard to the highest, along with the drive and determination to always want to come back and learn more as the days and months pass on.