According to UNESCO (2017), early childhood refers to the amateur period of a child from birth to eight years old. This juvenile period is characterized by immense brain growth. These early years are arguably the most vital and fundamental years in an individual’s growth and education in the sense that this period paves the way for subsequent development. On the other hand, Early Childhood Education (ECE) can be holistically be defined as a fundamental preparatory stage or platform that assists and boosts the transformation of the child into formal schooling. This phenomenon has in some cases been referred to as a theory through which emphasis is put on developing the child all round and holistically tending to his or her emotions, cognitive abilities, socializing, and physical needs all in a bid to solidify and strengthen the foundation for lifelong learning as well as wellbeing. For the purposes of this paper, Maria Montessori will be the subject of discussion in relation to early childhood education. Maria’s impact and influence on this field, her works in the development of early childhood education and how her impacts are currently felt will be discussed.
Maria Montessori was born in 1870 at Seraville Italy, middle-class society. She was born to Allessandro and Renilde Montessori who led an average middle-class life (Sterling, 2013). Her parents immensely encouraged learning and acquiring education through activities. When she turned twenty, Maria enrolled and attended the Faculty of Medicine classes at the University of Rome until her completion of the course when she received her M.D. After her excellent academic achievements, Maria began working with children at asylums in Italy despite sending off her son to be raised and educated by her family. This point marked her involvement with early childhood development and education. However, despite her positive work, she was sent away from Italy by Mussolini but found her way to Holland where her legacy would be born; this is also where the famous Montessori schools kick-started. Maria’s Montessori schools were focused on achieving three crucial things. First, to mold the work of the child and not the other way round. Secondly, to grant children the choice of choosing their activities and materials and finally, to teach and educate on things and activities that could be applied and utilized in the everyday life of the child. The final part majorly relied on the use of senses. Additionally, in Maria’s career, she fundamentally acknowledged that every child wanted to learn, was unique and curious. However, the learning is at their pace, and they dictate or choose what they want to learn. To further this theory, Maria divided the classrooms into learning sections or divisions where each child could go and learn different things at each of the sections.
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As part of her legacy, Maria viewed each child as a spiritual embryo. She believed that education had to be geared or steered towards the individual as a whole helping an individual discover and embrace his or her inner genius. In her famous words, Maria is quoted saying “Man must be educated to realize his greatness and to become worthy of the powers that are his”. This statement has echoed through the sands of time, and in a bid to affirm her words, later in the 1940s, Maria wrote a heartfelt letter to each and every government in the world highlighting and asserting that; the child is forgotten in regards to citizenship. Maria in her letter further wrote that if all the statesmen and educators in the governments of the world came to the realization of the immense or terrific ability and force that is in a child for either good or evil, then without a doubt, they would give the child priority above and over everything else. Further, to put emphasis on her point about the greatness in children, she asserted that, all the problems that humans as a race face accrue from the man himself, and if the man was disregarded and ignored during his growth (that is childhood), then the problems will never reach a solution. Also, as part of her legacy, Maria is credited with her observation and discovery of the true nature and characteristics of children as well as their work. In this accord, she remarked that the early work of a child during his or her early childhood years determined the building and growth of tomorrow’s man or woman. Other than writing books about her observations on children, Maria’s pinnacle of legacy and acknowledgment came when she founded the Montessori schools and subsequently established a remarkable system of education that was fundamentally hinged on timeless principles. Her idea of establishing timeless principles was very articulate in the sense that, the principles would be valid and would reflect human nature as well as the child development timetable through time. It is worth noting that the principles are as valid now as they were 100 years ago (Age of Montessori, 2017).
From a single established classroom in 1907, there are currently tens of thousands of Montessori classrooms spread all over the world in every continent and almost every nation globally. Additionally, from Maria’s work in India as an alien, her friendship with Dr Elizabeth Caspari, who became a Montessori student, and subsequent friendship in 1979 between Caspari and Mary Ellen Maunz, who was an already trained Montessorian, came the genesis of the Age of Montessori. The Age of Montessori was jumpstarted in 1980 by Caspari and Maunz when they initiated a training course, marking exactly 73 years since Maria opened her initial school. Caspari and Maunz’s course faithfully and strictly based its teachings on the originally stipulated materials and methods by Dr Maria Montessori (Age of Montessori, 2017). The Montessori Method and theory was initially founded by Montessori during her early works in Italy in the 1900s. The method is scientific and majorly relies on the child’s individual intellect being governed by three fundamental principles; preparation of the environment, liberty of the child, and observation. In her theory, she believed the curiosity of the children should be the guide to their own development instead of a teacher standing in front of the class imparting information and knowledge in them. Montessori believed one human could not teach another and one must learn on their own or else it will be meaningless. Owing from Montessori’s theory and method, in the 21 st century, we currently see children freely moving around classrooms filled with charts, toys, and other learning materials letting their curiosity be their guide and teacher. Adults or teachers are unnoticeably seen moving gently, directing, suggesting, and helping children educate themselves.
Also, since Maria believed in the hand being the main teacher of the brain, Montessori schools are currently seen employing this technique via equipping the classrooms with handling materials such as mathematical beads, world map made of wood, and sandpaper letters among others. With these, the children or pupils learn on their own with occasional help from their teachers on how to use and handle the materials. Maria envisioned a situation where the teacher is more of a guide than an actual teacher as some philosophers put it. In addition, from Montessori’s observation on how a child effortlessly learns how to walk or speak, she referred to the child’s mind during this period as ‘absorbent’. From this, Maria termed the initial six years of a child as the most crucial stage of life where intelligence as man’s greatest weapon is being developed. Inferring from Montessori’s deep insight of the ‘absorbent mind’, classrooms in this age are seen exposing the children to early abstract concepts prior to public school system. The exposure is aided by special classroom materials that ease the grasping of the abstract concepts. It is through this creative learning that Montessori continues to promote and motivate the excitement of learning throughout every new generation of children (Montessori, 2005).
In current Montessori schools or schools that apply the Montessori Method and theory of teaching and learning, the curriculum is divided into six major crucial categories. These include sensorial, practical life, mathematics, cultural subjects such as history, geography, experimental and natural sciences, language and literacy, and finally creative subjects such as music, art and craft, drama and movement. However, depending on the curiosity and direction of the child, a single typical lesson could incorporate several of these categories or just one, (Lee, 2009). Looking into the future, the current benefits that accrue from Maria Montessori’s contributions and theories will play a huge role in popularizing her children-centered teaching techniques across the globe preventing the ignorance that is most often than not placed on children and their learning. This will, in turn, lead to the general happiness of the children as well as properly educated and intellectual children growing to adults leaving their legacy and impacting the society in a positive way. Some of the benefits playing the role into this foreseeable great future include a student population that is orderly, properly coordinated and independent in thought and action thanks to the daily class routines and materials. Also, the students exhibit self-correction, control, and assessment since they are allowed to learn on their own. In addition, from the conducive environment provided for by the teachers and schools, students are motivated as well as supported in looking for knowledge, providing a basis for future researchers and scientists. Additionally, Montessori students enjoy freedom within particular limits due to the Montessori belief that internal satisfaction motivates curiosity for learning. Therefore, the excitement and joyous learning bolster children’s focus of learning. Finally, Montessori students identify with and are part of a compacted caring community due to the multi-age classroom technique. This further encourages socializing as well as boosts their communication and interaction (American Montessori Society, 2017).
Conclusion
Dr Maria Montessori has been a major early childhood education player, and her theories and methods will forever ripple through time and generations. Her methods have stood the test of time with over 100 years of success. Montessori stated that people do not respect children and that they force them to follow their lead without a care about their needs and interests. From this, it can be concluded that it is important to respect and understand children as well as their needs and effectively nurture them to adulthood. Montessori has already set out the guidelines, and it is our job as the society to follow and abide by them. After all, are the children not the future leaders, scientists, and innovators of tomorrow?
References
Age of Montessori. (2017). Who Is Maria Montessori – An Educational Legacy. Internet resource: http://ageofmontessori.org/whoismariamontessori/
American Montessori Society. (2017). Benefits of Montessori Education. Internet resource: https://amshq.org/Montessori-Education/Introduction-to-Montessori/Benefits-of-Montessori
Lee, S. (2009). Early Childhood Education – What is the Montessori Method? Internet resource: http://figur8.net/baby/2009/03/20/early-childhood-education-what-is-the-montessori-method/
Montessori, M. (2005). The Montessori method. Whitefish, MT: Kessinger. Print.
Sterling, E. (2013). Maria Montessori on Early Childhood Education. Prezi. Internet resource: https://prezi.com/0vbtjar2xfej/maria-montessori-on-early-childhood-education/
UNESCO. (2017). Early Childhood Care and Education. Internet resource: http://en.unesco.org/themes/early-childhood-care-and-education
