PAKISTAN MONTESSORI

COUNCIL
InternatIonal montessorI
traInIng program

IntroDUCtIon to montessorI

moDUle 01

sUbmItteD by:

aqsa HameeD
refferenCe no: Dk2503

DateD:
25 DeCember, 2022
tH
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assIgnment moDUle # 01
qUestIon # 01
Write a biographical note on Dr. Maria Montessori in your own words.
answer:

Maria Montessori was born in 1870 in Italy. Her father, Alessandro, was an
accountant in the civil service, and her mother, Renilde Stoppani, was well
educated and had a passion for reading.

The Montessori family moved to Rome in 1875 and the following year
Maria was enrolled in the local state school. Breaking conventional barriers from
the beginning of her education, Maria initially aspired to become an engineer.
When Maria graduated secondary school, she became determined to enter
medical school and become a doctor. Despite her parents’ encouragement to
enter teaching, Maria wanted to study the male dominated field of medicine.
After initially being refused, Maria was eventually given entry to the University of
Rome in 1890, becoming one of the first women in medical school in Italy. Despite
facing many obstacles due to her gender, Maria qualified as a doctor in July 1896.
Soon after her medical career began, Maria became involved in the
Women’s Rights movement. She became known for her high levels of
competency in treating patients, but also for the respect she showed to patients
from all social classes. In 1897, Maria joined a research programme at the
psychiatric clinic of the University of Rome, as a volunteer. This work initiated a
deep interest in the needs of children with learning disabilities. In particular, the
work of two early 19th century Frenchmen, Jean-Marc Itard, who had made his
name working with the ‘wild boy of Aveyron’, and Edouard Séguin, his
student. Maria was appointed as co-director of a new institution called the
Orthophrenic School. In 1898 Maria gave birth to Mario, following her
relationship with Giusseppe Montesano, her codirector at the school.
At the age of twenty-eight Maria began advocating her controversial theory
that the lack of support for mentally and developmentally disabled children was
the cause of their delinquency. The notion of social reform became a strong
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theme throughout Maria's life, whether it was for gender roles, or advocacy for
children.
In 1901 Maria began her own studies of educational philosophy and
anthropology, lecturing and teaching students. From 1904-1908 she was a
lecturer at the Pedagogic School of the University of Rome. This period saw a
rapid development of Rome, but the speculative nature of the market led to
bankruptcies and ghetto districts. One such area was San Lorenzo, where its
children were left to run amok at home as their parents worked. In an attempt to
provide the children with activities during the day to fend of the destruction of
property, Maria was offered the opportunity to introduce her materials and
practice to 'normal' children. There, in 1907, she opened the first Casa dei
Bambini (Children's House) bringing some of the educational materials she had
developed at the Orthophrenic School.
Maria put many different activities and other materials into the children’s
environment but kept only those that engaged them. What she came to realise
was that children who were placed in an environment where activities were
designed to support their natural development had the power to educate
themselves. By 1909 Maria gave her first training course in her new approach to
around 100 students. Her notes from this period provided the material for her
first book published that same year in Italy.

A period of great expansion in the Montessori approach now followed.

Montessori societies, training programmes and schools sprang to life all over the
world, and a period of travel with public speaking and lecturing occupied Maria,
much of it in America, but also in the UK and throughout Europe.

Maria lived in Spain from 1917, and was joined by Mario and his wife Helen
Christy, where they raised their 4 children Mario Jr, Rolando, Marilina and
Renilde. In 1929, mother and son established the Association Montessori
Internationale (AMI) to perpetuate her work.
The rise of fascism in Europe substantially impacted the progress of the
Montessori movement. By 1933 the Nazis had closed of all the Montessori
schools in Germany, with Mussolini doing the same in Italy. Fleeing the Spanish
civil war in 1936, Maria and Mario travelled to England, then to the Netherlands
where they stayed with the family of Ada Pierson, who would later become
Mario's second wife. A three-month lecture tour of India in 1939 turned to a
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seven year stay when the outbreak of war had Mario interned and Maria put
under house arrest, detained as Italian citizens by the British government. In
India, Maria began the development of her approach to support the 6-12 child
through 'Cosmic Education'. Her 70th birthday request to free Mario was granted
and together they trained over a thousand Indian teachers.
In 1946 they returned to the Netherlands and the following year she
addressed UNESCO on the theme ‘Education and Peace’. Maria was nominated
for the Nobel Peace Prize in three consecutive years: 1949, 1950 and 1951. Her
last public engagement was the 9th International Montessori Congress in London
in 1951. Maria Montessori passed away at age 81 on 6th May1952 in the
Netherlands.

Her method of teaching which has helped and would continue to help
children of all the times to become a better human being. We can say that she
lived in old days but was definitely “A WOMAN MUCH AHEAD OF HER TIME”.

qUestIon # 02

Write a note on the first Casa dei Bambini. Also explain how did
Montessori method develop there.

answer:
In 1906, Montessori was invited to oversee the care and education of a group of
children of working parents in Rome. Montessori was interested in applying her
work and methods to children without mental disabilities, and she accepted. The
name Casa dei Bambini, or Children's House, was suggested to Montessori, and
the first Casa opened on January 6, 1907, enrolling 50 or 60 children between the
ages of two or three and six or seven.

At first, the classroom was equipped with a teacher's table and blackboard, a
stove, small chairs, armchairs, and group tables for the children, and a locked
cabinet for the materials that Montessori had developed at the Orthophrenic
School. Activities for the children included personal care such as dressing and
undressing, care of the environment such as dusting and sweeping, and caring for
the garden. The children were also shown the use of the materials Montessori
had developed. Montessori, occupied with teaching, research, and other
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professional activities, oversaw and observed the classroom work, but did not
teach the children directly. Day-to-day teaching and care were provided, under
Montessori's guidance, by the building porter's daughter.

In this first classroom, Montessori observed behaviours in these young children

which formed the foundation of her educational method. She noted episodes of
deep attention and concentration, multiple repetitions of activity, and a
sensitivity to order in the environment. Given a free choice of activity, the
children showed more interest in practical activities and Montessori's materials
than in toys provided for them and were surprisingly unmotivated by sweets and
other rewards. Over time, she saw a spontaneous self-discipline emerge.
Based on her observations, Montessori implemented a number of practices that
became hallmarks of her educational philosophy and method. She replaced the
heavy furniture with child-sized tables and chairs light enough for the children to
move, and placed child-sized materials on low, accessible shelves. She expanded
the range of practical activities such as sweeping and personal care to include a
wide variety of exercises for the care of the environment and the self, including
flower arranging, hand washing, gymnastics, care of pets, and cooking. She also
included large open-air sections in the classroom encouraging children to come
and go as they please in the room's different areas and lessons
She felt by working independently children could reach new levels of autonomy
and become self-motivated to reach new levels of understanding. Montessori also
came to believe that acknowledging all children as individuals and treating them
as such would yield better learning and fulfilled potential in each particular child.

She continued to adapt and refine the materials she had developed earlier,
altering or removing exercises which were chosen less frequently by the children.
Based on her observations, Montessori experimented with allowing children free
choice of the materials, uninterrupted work, and freedom of movement and
activity within the limits set by the environment. She began to see independence
as the aim of education, and the role of the teacher as an observer and director of
children's innate psychological development.
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qUestIon # 03
Elaborate the discoveries made by Dr. Maria Montessori by observing
the child?
answer:

After twenty years of work and experiments, she discovered many aspects
of the child and childhood. Montessori had found a method of helping children in
their educational pursuit which helps the child for life.

Discoveries by Dr. Maria Montessori

 Children love to work purposefully

If it is related with the inner development needs, they definitely worked

until they achieve their goal which help them to select and concentrate on task
which are related to their development

 The inner drive is enough

Total development is possible when children can work on different fields of
human activity at specific time following a purposeful inner desire by
naturally.

 When something that answers the inner needs meets the child’s eyes
natural INTEREST in alight

The first thing for learning is interest for work, if finds suitable condition for
work then repeat it as possible through which results concentration. children
works with concentration and find the result according to their inner need they
seems satisfied and happy.

 Normality depends on all the human powers working in unity, in

cooperation
Sometimes children do not find conditions necessary for development. It is
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possible if we give them an opportunity of working individually at the

developmental freedom which brings normality.

 Too young children need order

The child need not practice in everyday life. The child get confused and this
can
wrap in his development.

 Sensorial concept, arithmetic, art and cultural activities are important for
child’s education
Dr. Montessori found that if these kinds of activities included in their
learning
process. It will be helpful and they are also taking interest to take part in
it happily. Because through these activities they brought intelligence and
voluntary movements of the personality.

 If any activity is provided in right way which seems too complicated, the
child can easily understand.

 Children mostly behave according to the behaviour

Children behave disorderly and destructive if environment or any thing

provided in wrong way. In Montessori, the environment is prepared with
trained teachers who understand children needs very well and show
responsible and loving behaviour.

 Provide help if needed, let them do their work them self

Our objective should be to lead the children independence in their individual

or social life. Just provide necessary help if needed. Because every child wants to
tell us “HELP ME DO IT MYSELF” and we just ignored them.

 She discovered that real discipline comes through freedom.

It is necessary for children to give them freedom .it is suggested that true
discipline comes from within, and not comes from the outside because true
discipline is born in freedom. Freedom and discipline are two sides of coin.
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 Real obedience is based on love, respect and faith

When obedience brings the inner satisfaction, it becomes true obedience
which lead to the true development.

 Most of the activities presented to the children in Montessori houses of

children are results of observing the child,

In Montessori most of the activities are designed and result of Maria

Montessori ‘s work with children after observing them.

 Montessori discovered that the environment itself was all-important in

obtaining the results that she had observed.

She also discovers that if anything that is provided to the children are heavy
or bigger than their size in a classroom which hindered their development
process. Approachable and helpful in their learning process. So, she changed the
whole furniture and other materials.

 Montessori further studied the traffic pattern of the rooms.

 Montessori carried this environmental engineering throughout the entire
school building and outside environment.

Montessori designing the child sized toilets and low sinks, large windows low
to the ground through which they can look outside easily, low shelves and all
kinds of garden tools which are easy to carry.
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qUestIon # 04
Explain sensitive Period and write short note of the following:
answer:

Sensitive Period:

The phrase ‘sensitive periods’ often conjures up thoughts of moody

teenagers, but it actually refers to a period of time when a child’s interests are
focused on developing a particular skill or knowledge area.

According to Montessori Theory, the most important sensitive periods occur

between birth and age six. In other pedagogies, sensitive periods are commonly
referred to as windows of opportunity or developmental milestones. During their
first six years of life, children move through five main categories of sensitive
periods, including: order, language, sensory skills, movement, and social skills.
Each sensitive period lasts for as long as it is necessary for a child to complete a
particular stage in their development. These periods of special sensitivity are only
temporary and fade once the aim is accomplished.

Characteristics of sensitive periods may include mimicking, intense concentration,

and compulsive or obsessive behaviours. Interrupting a child while they are in the
middle of an intense sensitive period can result in a powerful emotional response
such as a tantrum. Break a routine that a child is attempting to understand and
master, such as getting dressed, bath time or bedtime, and some children will
emotionally fall apart. The ‘terrible twos’ for example, are often an exaggerated
reaction to small disruptions in order that may not be perceived by adults. This is
because they are likely to be in a sensitive period for learning, and their ‘work’ is
being interrupted.

Sensitive Period for Language

From birth to age six, children are in the sensitive period for language.
Sensitivity to language involves three key phases: spoken language, written
language, and reading. The sensitive period for spoken language is from 7 months
to 3 years of age. It begins when the child first creates sounds by mimicking
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mouth movements, and progresses over time, as they learn to form words and
simple sentences.

The sensitive period for learning to write is from 3.5 to 4.5 years of age. This
begins when the child learns the alphabet, and then sight words, which form the
foundation for reading and writing skills.

For reading, a child is intensely interested from 4.5 to 5.5 years of age. Reading
skills are often developed after a child learns to write as it involves visual tracking
skills.

To support language development at home, it is important to immerse your child

in an environment that is rich in language stimulation. This involves speaking to
your child in clear language, singing and reading with them, and allowing them to
speak their needs instead of anticipating them.

Sensitive Period for Mathematics

With the ideal age to foster mathematical skills being 4 to 6 years, there are
so many creative and fun ways to do this! The sensitive period of assimilation of
images exists within this time frame as well which means a great way to teach
mathematics is through visual learning.

There are so many things which help the child to learn mathematics:

· Use objects to teach them how to count.

· Encourage them to help you count your change

· They can help you count your dollar bills

· Play the jelly bean jar game

· Create a multiplication table together

· Teach them the basics of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division

using objects
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Even though the ideal period is between 4 and 6, you can still introduce counting
to them before this age so that they’re ready to get into the mathematics portion
of learning.

Sensitive Period for Movement

The sensitive period for movement can be divided into two phases. From
birth to 2.5 years, children are sensitive to gross and fine motor development.
This begins when the infant child learns to crawl, pull up, and eventually walk
without assistance. Over time, children also develop fine motor skills through
repeating activities that strengthen their hand muscles and improve hand-eye
coordination.

From 2.5 to 4.5 years of age, children enter the sensitive period for refinement
and coordination of movement. This is when the child begins to hold items using
both hands, develop the pincer grip, and control and coordinate movement.

To support the development of fine and gross motor skills, it is important to

provide your child with regular visits to the park or an outdoor environment. At
home, you can encourage sensitive periods for movement by providing your child
with opportunities to practice tasks, such as drawing or writing, washing hands,
threading, and jumping.
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qUestIon # 05
Write a short note on the following core concepts of Montessori
education?
answer:
Mixed Age Group

The mixed age class is a cornerstone of the Montessori system of education

at every level, as well as part of the secret to its success. Dr. Montessori observed
early in her work that children learn not only from their teacher but also from
their interactions with their peers. Learning in the Montessori setting is seen as a
highly social activity. The Mixed- Age class allows the younger children to learn
from the experiences and to inherit the class culture from their older peers, while
it allows the older children to gain the experience of being leaders in the
classroom.

At all levels of learning, the three year mixed age group community is a
fundamental characteristic of the Montessori classroom. Dr. Montessori divided
children into these groups based on her research that showed distinct periods of
cognitive development, each with its own specific needs and behaviours. In a
mixed-age group setting (ages 0-3, 3-6- 6-9, 9-12), there are children at the
beginning, middle, and end of each plane of development. From a young age, a
child gets to continually experience being a learner, an observer, and a mentor.
These learning environments are meant to mimic the family or workplace
environment, where members are different ages, have diverse skill sets, and
varying needs. As any parent of more than one child can attest, there is a great
contrast between the capacities of a six-year-old and a nine-year-old. This is one
of the reasons Montessori classrooms can accommodate large numbers of
children with two guiding teachers: all the students are helping each other, in one
way or another.

The interactions and positive communication also benefit all of the children; older
students exercise patience, compassion, and empathy through their language,
while the younger ones listen and engage in higher levels of conversations than
they are currently capable of. Social interactions between peers involve kindness
and grace.
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Spiritual Embryo

Montessori developed the concept of the spiritual embryo at the turn of

the century. She suggested that man develops through two successive embryonic
stages – the first (physical embryo) in the prenatal period from conception to
birth and the second during the period from birth to around three years. She
called this second stage ‘the spiritual embryo’ and regarded it as the most
significant phase in the life of the child. Montessori believed that observations
and understanding of this phase were of key importance to education and could
lead the way to a more profound understanding of mankind – for in the small
child is seen an all-encompassing attraction to the environment and the people in
it (she referred to this natural attraction as love) and, above all, a tendency to
want to belong to the group. The child develops in the security and protection of
the family. It is through the family that he adapts to his culture to become as
Montessori said, “…not just a man, but a man of his race.” This means that it is
through the family that all the customs, behaviour, morality and religion of his
cultural group are transmitted to the child”.

There is increasing evidence to suggest that the most critical time for the
establishment of the foundation of these characteristics occurs in the early years
between birth and three. It is appropriate then that this be recognized as an
embryonic period.

Absorbent Environment

In her studies of educational philosophies, Dr. Maria Montessori focused on

the development of the child – the importance of the early years and the way in
which children, at a very young age, begin to absorb everything around them. In
observing child development, she recognized the significance of the ability of the
child to learn unconsciously from his environment, and defined this as “The
Absorbent Mind”.

The absorbent mind is the capacity for children to learn language from their
environment, without rules, instructions, or direct teaching. Every child learns
their mother tongue simply by being exposed to it on a daily basis. Up to the age
of 6, a child is able to effortlessly acquire language by absorbing words and their
meaning through the social constructs created within their environment.
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Children unconsciously absorb social constructs and develop their personalities

during these formative years. While some things are consciously taught, a great
deal of what a child learns is achieved through the observations of their own
surroundings. It is often said that the mind of a child is like a camera, observing
everything in its environment, and forms a clear picture of a fixed record.

Dr. Montessori’s understanding of this sensitive period is significant, as it frames

our understanding of the development of the child. During this stage of life, the
young child, when given the opportunity to experience the wonders of the world,
is capable of acquiring significant knowledge. Her work illustrates the importance
of creating a prepared environment from which they can absorb and learn with
ease.

It is in this manner then, that the Montessori Early Childhood Method of

Education remains an ideal program to introduce children to a world of discovery.
Children are introduced to activities in language, mathematics, science, history,
geography, art, and music. Practical life skills are honed through activities that
replicate everyday tasks that are completed in their own environment. Shelves
within the classroom are filled with materials that provide children the
opportunity for purposeful activity.

An environment that promotes learning during this sensitive period when the
absorbent mind is developing is ideal, and the Montessori classroom does just
that. A young child’s capacity to absorb knowledge is limitless, and within a
carefully prepared environment, can provide them with remarkable
opportunities.

Focus on individual Progress

In Montessori Education, focus on individual progress and development,

children progress at their own pace, moving on to the next step in each area of
learning as they are ready. While the child lives within a larger community of
children, each student is viewed as a universe of one.

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