Maria Montessori
Who is Maria Montessori? What is unique about a Montessori classroom?
Maria Montessori, the first female medical doctor in Italy, developed a student-centered approach to learning based on common developmental and psychological needs of humans. She developed this approach over many years working with children of many different cultures. She believed that children learn in an environment that fosters community through individual freedom and responsibility. Opportunities for community and responsibility are made available to children through the grouping of multiple age groups according to developmental phase.
Perhaps the most apparent trait of a Montessori classroom is the number of available hands-on materials designed with a specific learning goal in mind. A premise of the Montessori educational philosophy is that the mind develops in concert with the body. Especially in the early years of a child’s life, most of the learning involves a substantial amount of both fine and gross motor movement. Students are not confined to a desk but, rather, have the opportunity to learn to choose where to work responsibly. A student who meets the needs of both his body and his mind is better able to cultivate self-discipline, concentration, and a general love of learning.