Montessori Education

The Montessori approach to education follows the lines of developmental psychology and education should be an aid in life. lt is a comprehensive educational approach from birth to adulthood. Developmental education is concentrated on the phases of the individual's growth from birth to maturity. It tries to respond to the child needs as he develops to help the process of his adaptation, without laying too much stress on the program officially imposed .Dr Maria Montessori wrote `education is to help the child's developing life.´ (The Absorbent of Mind, chapter 8, pg81). The first task of education is to provide the child with an environment in which it is able to develop its natural function. From birth to age six, children are sensorial explorers, studying every aspect of their environment, language, and culture. Dr Maria Montessori noted `during this early period, education must be understood as a help to the unfolding of the child's inborn psychic powers.´ (The Absorbent of Mind, chapter 1, pg4). The child is not soaking up all aspects of his environment, not just the positive learning experiences carefully arrange for him, but everything around him. He is enthused, enamored of, addicted to his environment. Thus, the concept of prepared environment is fundamental aim to perfect a learning environment that will meet the needs of him, as individual, regardless of the stage of learning he is at. The education must call to the child, it must actively engage his interest, it must be accessible to him and stimulating for it appeals to the innermost depths of the developing his soul. She wrote `the immense influence that education can exert through children has the environment for its instrument, for the child absorb his environment, takes everything from it, and incarnates in himself.´ (The Absorbent of Mind, chapter 7, pg61) He has to be free within the environment. `The child has to acquire physical independence by being self-sufficient; he must become of independent