The Montessori Approach

Freedom

• the child is free to develop the potential within him
• he is free to learn, explore, to discover
• he is free to be creative
• the child has the freedom of choice
• the child has the freedom to develop his individual interests

Understanding

• the needs of the child must be met
• a basic understanding of the problems of childhood is necessary
• respect the individuality and ability of the child and promote it
• the experience of success before failure
• the teacher must understand herself if she is to discover the child

Indirect Teaching

• create external order to facilitate internal order
• she must be open, flexible and sensitive to the child; by following the child she will become more creative
• She must reinforce only that behavior which she approves of
• She must accept self before she will be able to create independence in the child

Protector of the rights of the child:

• to work undisturbed
• to have freedom of movement
• right to your attention
• right to orientation
• right to independence
• right to development

Didactic Materials

• easily accessible to the child
• conviction that a didactic environment is essential to the development of the child
• multi-sensory approach to concept learning with the isolation of one sense at a time
• from the concrete to abstract, progression of the materials
• the materials include the sensory, mathematics, language, science and music

Prepared Environment

• structured to meet the needs of the child
• orderly, neat, clean and beautiful
• the room should be child-size in architecture and materials
• access to the outdoors
• liberty within limits
• simplicity, cheerful atmosphere and bright
• supply the needs of the child

Sensitive or Critical Period
Critical periods exist in behavioral development during which a wide range of stimuli is effective in altering development. As an embryological development, behavior development is characterized by critical periods during which crucial maturation processes can be adversely affected by a wide range of abnormal stimuli. If we don't capture these periods of development there is an arrestment of growth with some.