Montessori in practice today

In times of uncertainty in my own practice, I have found myself turning to a pioneer who inspired and influenced me to pursue teaching in early childhood. Although this pioneer has influenced my practice over the last 15 years, I am now rereading her discoveries to confirm my own philosophy and reassure me during these doubtful times following Covid-19. 

The Montessori Method

Dr Maria Montessori (1870-1952) created a method of teaching which focused on following the child, observing their learning and creating a prepared environment which meets the needs of the child. She was an advocate for learning to be independent and spoke of the teacher as a “non-teacher or directress” (McCormick, 1965, p.11) , thus changing the definition of the teacher. Her philosophy speaks of children having “sensitive periods”, these are periods of time in a child’s development where they are drawn to certain elements in the environment. It is not just about the child being curious, it is seen as a “burning passion”, which is necessary for their growth (Standing, 1998, p.119-120) . Montessori identified 6 sensitive periods; order; language; walking and movement; interest in small objects; refining the senses and the social aspects of life, including good manners (Maria Montessori School, 2023) . If one of these sensitive periods are missed, it will have a significant effect on development.

Repetition and brain development

In practice you will recognise these sensitive periods through repetition of an activity. This means that the child is drawn to a certain element in the environment, enabling them to establish a new function. For example, the element a child may be drawn to is language and the function they establish is speech (Standing, 1998) . Consequently, it is crucial for the adult to identify which element the child has a sensibility towards, observe the repetition that takes place and then enhance accordingly. Montessori states:

“The child, when captivated by a piece of work, repeats the same series of movements time after time…completely absorbed…this proves that the external aim was only a stimulus. The real aim was to satisfy an unconscious need…for the child’s repetition was laying down in his nervous system an entirely new system of controls, in other words, establishing fresh co-ordination between his muscles, co-ordinations not given by nature, but having to be acquired”, (Montessori, 1949, p.164).

Repetition is therefore crucial to a child’s development. How many times have you observed a child repeating an activity? Have you perhaps thought – are they just doing the same activity? They can’t be learning now, they haven’t moved on in their learning…I know I have thought this before, however, through my experience and knowledge of a child’s development I have concluded that they need to repeat the behaviour to feel that they have mastered what they set out to do. Practising the Montessori philosophy and method has given me a clear understanding of why children behave in different ways.

“One child was observed to repeat such an activity forty-two times, and to be concentrating so deeply that she was oblivious to deliberate attempts to disturb her”, (Polk Lillard, 1972, p.5).

According to the studies of Neuroscience, brain development relies on this stimulation and repetition, “…as a result of this stimulation, the brain rewires – with new neural pathways being established in response to the stimulation,” (Conkbayir, 2017, p.108) . As parents/carers and practitioners we need to recognise these sensitive periods and enable the child to fulfil their purpose, “…the young brain as an active and enquiring structure…requires consistent nurturing for optimum growth and development,” (ibid). Neuroscientists recognise the Montessori method as one of the most advantageous for children aged between birth to 5 years of age. Dr. Steve Hughes, a Paediatric Neuropsychologist and advocate for the Montessori method, focused on “…the tactile elements of Montessori as they relate to brain development, asserting that the hands are a child’s strongest link to the brain. When motor movements are repeated, they become templates in the brain that serve as a starting point for new experiences,” (Montessori for Everyone, 2023) . This emphasises that we need to carefully think about the learning environment we provide for children in order to support their brains to flourish.

“Montessori emphasises hands-on learning, children are able to master information more quickly and easily than when conventional educational methods are used. The repetition of activities, multisensory materials, and self-guided learning common to the Montessori classroom create the perfect ‘recipe’ for human brain development”, (ibid).

Montessori as an influencer

Maria Montessori has been my inspiration and influencer. In my experience I believe her discoveries and methods to be accurate when using them in my own practice. My own observations and discoveries of the learning needs of children in my care has confirmed the accuracy of her pedagogy. Her research and findings on how a child learns from the womb to being a toddler, and from toddler to primary age has enabled me to support and influence others during my teaching practice. “The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child’s own natural desire to learn,” (My Community Montessori, 2023) . This has always been my philosophy. Children learn through their senses; by doing; by finding out for themselves how things work; by exploring the world around them; by being curious; by investigating and experimenting.

“The senses, being explorers of the world, open the way to knowledge. Our apparatus for educating the senses offers the child a key to guide his explorations of the world, they cast light upon it which makes visible to him more things in greater detail than he could see in the dark, or uneducated state”, (Montessori, 1949, p.167). 

The prepared environment in Montessori pedagogy

Montessori speaks of the ‘prepared environment’, where the environment becomes the third teacher throughout a child’s learning journey, where children can learn independently and enable the brain to blossom through hands-on activities that stimulate all 5 senses.

“The children must be free to express themselves and thus reveal those needs and attitudes which would otherwise remain hidden or repressed in an environment that did not permit them to act spontaneously”, (Montessori, 1967, p.46).

As a facilitator of learning the adult must observe and act on these needs and attitudes to enable the child to fulfil their full potential in an area they need to master. This is not only done through enhancing the prepared environment but also ensuring the adult understands what the child needs through observation, engaging in quality interactions; asking the right questions to extend their learning; reflecting on those methods and evaluating the outcome. Did the child master what they had set out to do? Mastering a skill or concept dominates a child’s development. A prepared environment should give the child freedom to learn independently; provide sensorial resources to meet the expectations of all 5 senses; space for the child to move and engage in these activities without disruption; and opportunities to gain and improve social skills. As mentioned previously, it is only through repetition of these hands-on activities that the child will achieve and flourish. As Montessori states:

“The importance of the hand as an instrument for the development of the conscious mind in childhood has not as yet been appreciated by educators”, (Montessori, 1967, p.325).

This quote is still relevant to present day practice. Adults are not always well versed in child development and neuroscience due to budget and time constraints limiting engagement in professional development. Consequently, learning environments may not always be fulfilling the needs of all children.

Materials in Montessori pedagogy

Montessori speaks of “material for development” (Montessori, 1948, p.319) in a prepared environment that enables children to teach themselves whilst the teacher observes and reflects on both development of the child and their own practice. Montessori used apparatus and furniture that was suitable in size for young children; furniture that could be easily moved and that was accessible for the child to reach the apparatus they needed. This, for me, is another aspect of the Montessori method that is present in my teaching. Space is a highly crucial aspect to child development. A child needs space to move and carry out their play in a comfortable space which allows for deep engagement. If a child feels restricted by space or cannot find materials that meet their needs, learning may not take place and changes in behaviour may be observed. I always knew when I had achieved a successful prepared environment when I could step back and observe as all the children were engaged in their play. This means that I had met the needs of the children, providing them with the stimulation needed for acquiring skills and therefore increasing brain growth. I don’t always engage in their play, I observe and assess their needs, interacting if invited. Sometimes I get this wrong and I disturb their play and engagement, therefore I must reflect on my actions and of course the needs of the child/children I have disturbed. Planning your prepared environment is therefore a critical aspect of a child’s learning journey and you must do this with a thorough understanding of brain development. Your classroom/space may change in different ways to suit the needs of the children. Order is an important factor in a child’s life and children do like certain things to be in the same place, however in my experience adding different resources to the environment only enhances their learning space and you will know when you get it right!

I appreciate that focused tasks and whole class teaching are expected areas in practice today, however as discussed in this article a child learns very differently from an adult and it is important to understand the process of child and brain development. We must meet their needs in other ways so as to not stop them in their play to complete an activity that may not be beneficial for their development and growth. As mentioned previously if they miss a sensitive period this can have a significant effect on their development.