Everyone thinks they know what kids are like.
Rowdy and messy. Flitting from one activity to the next. Lost in a world of pretend.
But time and again, Maria Montessori found evidence of the exact opposite.
In the end, she concluded adults *don't know kids* at all:
Rowdy and messy. Flitting from one activity to the next. Lost in a world of pretend.
But time and again, Maria Montessori found evidence of the exact opposite.
In the end, she concluded adults *don't know kids* at all:
Montessori was a scientist, skeptical and severe.
She was not readily persuaded of this:
“It took time for me to convince myself that this was not an illusion. After each new experience proving such a truth, I said to myself, “I won’t believe yet, I’ll believe it next time.”
She was not readily persuaded of this:
“It took time for me to convince myself that this was not an illusion. After each new experience proving such a truth, I said to myself, “I won’t believe yet, I’ll believe it next time.”
But she kept accruing evidence and found this new type of child everywhere—
not only in her own school in Italy, but in schools following her approach across Europe, and in America, India, Japan, and Indonesia.
not only in her own school in Italy, but in schools following her approach across Europe, and in America, India, Japan, and Indonesia.
What Montessori found was a new type of child, one who:
>prefers work to play
>finds joy in silence and tidiness
>voluntarily concentrates for long periods
She called this new child "normalized"—a normal as in *healthy*, but not yet normal as in common, child.
>prefers work to play
>finds joy in silence and tidiness
>voluntarily concentrates for long periods
She called this new child "normalized"—a normal as in *healthy*, but not yet normal as in common, child.
Montessori's initial discovery came from the seemingly most unlikely situation. From a school:
>in the worst slums of Rome
>with meager supplies and little money
>with 50 kids between 2 and 7 years old
>with the uneducated porter's daughter as the "teacher"
>in the worst slums of Rome
>with meager supplies and little money
>with 50 kids between 2 and 7 years old
>with the uneducated porter's daughter as the "teacher"
But if any place could display the raw potential and abilities of children, a decrepit school in the slums would be it.
No literate and educated parents to hide behind, no amazing teacher responsible for success, no money to explain it, no culture of learning or discipline.
No literate and educated parents to hide behind, no amazing teacher responsible for success, no money to explain it, no culture of learning or discipline.
So what was the evidence she found?
What led Montessori to conclude that she and millions of parents and teachers across thousands of years had been wrong about children?
Here are 4 of the most significant breakthroughs:
What led Montessori to conclude that she and millions of parents and teachers across thousands of years had been wrong about children?
Here are 4 of the most significant breakthroughs:
1. Profound concentration
Montessori saw a 3yo focusing on the knobbed cylinder activity.
Despite distractions—kids singing and dancing, being picked up and moved across the room—the 3yo didn't waver.
The child repeated the activity over 3 dozen times without pause.
Montessori saw a 3yo focusing on the knobbed cylinder activity.
Despite distractions—kids singing and dancing, being picked up and moved across the room—the 3yo didn't waver.
The child repeated the activity over 3 dozen times without pause.
It wasn't isolated. Montessori observed how the child's ability to concentrate expanded over time, from:
>infants observing their parents speaking for a few minutes
>toddlers washing windows for a half hour
>older kids embarking on ambitious projects for weeks/months
>infants observing their parents speaking for a few minutes
>toddlers washing windows for a half hour
>older kids embarking on ambitious projects for weeks/months
2. Work over play
In the beginning, Montessori's classroom contained traditional toys alongside learning materials.
But as the children settled into the class, the toys gathered dust on the shelf and the learning materials grew worn from use.
In the beginning, Montessori's classroom contained traditional toys alongside learning materials.
But as the children settled into the class, the toys gathered dust on the shelf and the learning materials grew worn from use.
And most surprising of all: it was real work that attracted young children the most. Things like:
>cooking
>washing dishes
>cleaning up spills
>polishing silverware
The children only chose to play with toys when there was nothing better to do.
>cooking
>washing dishes
>cleaning up spills
>polishing silverware
The children only chose to play with toys when there was nothing better to do.
Eventually, Montessori refined the materials in her classroom to only include the ones that children chose to engage with & which inspired their deep focus.
They're organized into a few broad categories:
>Math
>Real-world work
>Literacy-building
>Sensory problem-solving
They're organized into a few broad categories:
>Math
>Real-world work
>Literacy-building
>Sensory problem-solving
3. Freedom sans chaos
Originally, all learning materials were kept locked away in a cupboard & the children had to ask permission to access them.
One day, the teacher didn't show up & the cupboard had been left unlocked.
Rather than causing mayhem, the kids got right to work.
Originally, all learning materials were kept locked away in a cupboard & the children had to ask permission to access them.
One day, the teacher didn't show up & the cupboard had been left unlocked.
Rather than causing mayhem, the kids got right to work.
Eventually, Montessori shifted her classroom so that all materials were accessible to the children on low shelves.
Once the teacher had introduced a particular material to a child, he was free to independently select it and work with it anytime he wanted.
Once the teacher had introduced a particular material to a child, he was free to independently select it and work with it anytime he wanted.
4. Spontaneous literacy
After being introduced to phonetic sounds and matching them with their symbols, 3yo & 4yo children would repeatedly practice on their own.
Suddenly, they would independently start first to write and then to read.
After being introduced to phonetic sounds and matching them with their symbols, 3yo & 4yo children would repeatedly practice on their own.
Suddenly, they would independently start first to write and then to read.
At the time, everyone thought it was impossible to teach children younger than 6 to read.
Indeed, it was in vogue to think reading should be pushed out even further—to 8, 9, or 10 years old.
Even today, the average age for first reading is 6 or 7.
Indeed, it was in vogue to think reading should be pushed out even further—to 8, 9, or 10 years old.
Even today, the average age for first reading is 6 or 7.
To consistently teach 3 and 4 year olds to read?
That was unheard of—and it immediately launched Montessori into worldwide fame.
That was unheard of—and it immediately launched Montessori into worldwide fame.
Montessori concluded that all the "normal" traits of childhood were actually aberrations and coping mechanisms.
Whether the child was defiant, overly submissive, or apathetic and lethargic—their traits were the result of an inadequate environment and misunderstandings of adults.
Whether the child was defiant, overly submissive, or apathetic and lethargic—their traits were the result of an inadequate environment and misunderstandings of adults.
Today, a high-quality Montessori Children's House (for ~3-6 year olds) empowers young children to joyfully:
>read chapter books
>multiply and divide triple digit numbers
>recognize and name the countries on every continent
and so much more across every domain.
>read chapter books
>multiply and divide triple digit numbers
>recognize and name the countries on every continent
and so much more across every domain.
But more than this, they are:
>polite and happy
>tidy and responsible
>self-disciplined and focused
All of it achieved without drills or rote learning, rewards and punishments, or being told what to do and when—all made possible by a radical, but true understanding of children
>polite and happy
>tidy and responsible
>self-disciplined and focused
All of it achieved without drills or rote learning, rewards and punishments, or being told what to do and when—all made possible by a radical, but true understanding of children
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