Anastasia Surkova
Basic principles of the Montessori methodology

Montessori Method

Basic principles of the Montessori methodology – game form learning and independent exercise.

The Montessori method is basedon an individual approach to the child: the kid himself chooses the didactic material and the duration of the classes, develops at his own pace. Key Features Montessori methods– creation of a special developmental environment ( Montessori - environments in which the child can and wants to show their individual abilities. Classes for Montessori method not like a traditional lesson. materials Montessori allow the child to see and correct their own mistakes. Role Montessori- the teacher consists not in teaching, but in directing the independent activity of the child. Montessori Method helps to develop attention, creativity and logical thinking, memory, speech, imagination, motor skills. Montessori Method pays special attention to collective games and tasks that help to master communication skills, as well as the development of household activities, which contributes to the development of independence.

Peculiarities of pedagogy M. Montessori

Every child is naturally given to be smart and successful person. The task of adults is simply to help the baby to reveal his potential, to teach him to comprehend the world on his own. To do this, it is very important to create an environment in which the child will be able and willing to show their individual abilities, develop and learn at their own pace. This opportunity is provided by the pedagogy of the Italian psychologist Maria Montessori.

The Montessori method is based on observation of the child in natural conditions and accepting it as such what it is. Basic Principle of Montessori Pedagogy: to encourage the child to self-education, to self-education, to self-development. Motto method familiar to many: "Help me do it myself." In groups Montessori child learns basically independently with the help of a specially designed environment Montessori materials. In Montessori materials the possibility of self-control is laid, the child himself sees his mistakes, and the adult does not need to point them out. The role of the teacher is not to teach, but only to guide the independent activities of the child. Another key feature Montessori Pedagogy: Children are engaged in different age groups. In one Montessori classroom a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old kid work nearby, they do not interfere, but rather help each other.

Montessori classincludes many areas:

real life zone: the child learns to dress independently, pour and pour, wash, clean, mix, cut, paint, draw, etc. Here, children learn to concentrate and develop large and fine motor skills;

zone sensory development : the study of the world (to distinguish between height, length, weight, color, and other properties items). Here, children play with objects, learning the size, shape and color. For example, the baby puts the cylinders on the table in order from the largest to the smallest. Children also learn to follow their eyes from left to right, which helps them get comfortable with reading;

Zones language, geographical, mathematical, natural science: mental development of the child.

Motor exercises - in mostly on line. Most Montessori classes a ribbon line in the form of a circle is drawn on the carpet or on the floor (an oval, which is used to exercise to develop balance and coordination of movements, as well as attention.

The child himself chooses a zone and a specific Montessori material with whom he wants to work. He can work alone or with other children, he usually makes this choice himself. Child works at his own pace Montessori method has no competition. Many Montessori schools complement Montessori materials with such areas like music, art and dance,foreign language etc.

Task Montessori teachers- help the child organize their activities, go their own unique way, realize their potential to the fullest extent. Very important special pedagogical techniques that must be learned Montessori teachers. V Montessori method there is no classroom system, instead of school desks there are light portable tables and chairs + rugs on which they study on the floor. Montessori teacher is not the center of the class, as in a traditional school. He does not sit at the table, but spends time in individual lessons with children. Montessori teacher intervenes in the activities of the child only when necessary.

The pedagogical system of Maria Montessori is a way of teaching children and teaching in educational institutions, created by Dr. Maria Montessori and put into practice at the beginning of the 20th century. The main essence of this method is open learning instead of closed (frontal, for example). This type of pedagogy can be called empirical, since the child, through his observations, helps the adult to choose the appropriate edifying techniques that are appropriate for him and the specific situation. The whole essence of pedagogy is to help the child do everything on his own.

Ideology

The system of Maria Montessori is a unique method of pedagogy, when the nature of the child and himself are taken as the basis. The doctor believed that all children are unique in their own way. That is why in her methodology children are not compared and measured according to generally accepted standards. In return, they receive free education, where a priori there can be no pressure and condemnation. Maria was convinced that the common method of "carrot and stick" knocked down the internal orientation of a person, while he should learn according to personal motives. This is mainly due to the fact that the growing up, by its nature, seeks to participate in adulthood your parents.

The Montessori system prioritizes the needs, abilities and gifts of each individual child. Children's learning becomes as productive as possible with their own choice of the method and rhythm of learning. Related to this is the behavior of Montessori teachers, in which they allow children to independently determine the area of ​​study, speed, as well as ways to consolidate what they have learned.
The foundation pedagogical method Montessori is about maintaining the child's natural joy in learning. According to the doctor, this feeling is one of the main characteristics of a small person. Therefore, it is extremely important to preserve it and manage it through respectful attitude, thereby forming a full and balanced person.

Children who are allowed to determine their own pace of learning and interests are more confident in their own abilities and perform better in terms of assimilation of what they have learned.
Additionally, independence is reinforced by practical tasks. For this, various plots are taken from Everyday life growing up. V preschool institutions Montessori children lead their own lives, learning this through imitation. Montessori pedagogy in schools provides great opportunities for collective work. Pupils make their own voluntary choice with which of the other guys to cooperate and for what purpose to work. At the same time, in such activities, the emphasis is placed on the individuality of the student as the manager of his intellectual development.

For Dr. Montessori, the task of paramount importance was to develop the baby's sense perceptions in a conducive atmosphere that would satisfy his psychological needs. At the same time, it is imperative that teachers be imbued with his individual characteristics of the child and what worries him at the moment, adjust to his personal rhythm, and also be open to the fact that they also have something to learn from the student. It may be that he will use specialized mathematical material not for its intended purpose, but for the construction of a typewriter or something else from it, and the teacher will have to support his decision.

Principles of Montessori Pedagogy

According to Maria Montessori, the formation of the personality of a small person is carried out in three stages:

• the first stage of childhood (0 - 6 years)
• second stage of childhood (6-12 years old)
• youth (12 - 18 years).

All three of the above stages are distinct, independent phases of development.

The first stage is one of the most important segments of life, when the nature and abilities of the baby are formed. Maria Montessori calls the age up to six years the second embryonic period of growth, when the development of the soul and spirit of a person takes place. If an adult has the opportunity to filter his perception, then a small one absorbs any information from the external environment and it makes up his personality.

The doctor designates the second stage as the stage of lability. As the child develops, he goes through "sensitive" and "sensitive" periods. At these moments, he reacts very sensitively to certain stimuli of the outside world, in particular in such matters as: motor skills, verbal abilities or social aspects. If, during the receptive period, the child is helped to find an activity that satisfies his needs, he can develop such a skill as deep concentration. The result of this is that the baby is not distracted by other stimuli, but is busy learning new knowledge, which has a positive effect not only on his intellectual development, but also on personal growth in general. The doctor calls this phenomenon the process of normalization.

The basis and principles of the formation of the Montessori methodology and related benefits is the following observation: one of the most important periods of sensitivity of any growing up is the stage of improvement of feelings. All children have a natural urge to touch, smell and taste everything. Based on this observation, the doctor comes to the conclusion that the intellectual abilities of the child are revealed not with the help of abstraction, but through his senses. In the learning process, sensation and understanding are combined into one concept.

Based on the results presented, Maria Montessori was able to develop her own system of pedagogy, based only on the sensory perceptions of a small person. Thus, with the help of its mathematical material, a child holding one bead and a bunch of hundreds in his fist already imagines the numbers 1 and 100. And this happens much earlier than he learns the abstract idea of ​​numbers.

Ten Commandments of Maria Montessori

• You do not need to touch the child until there is a request from him to you in any way.
• You can not speak badly about the child, neither in his presence, nor behind his back.
• Try to concentrate on developing only the good in the growing personality, thereby minimizing the bad.
• Proactively prepare the environment and always take good care of it. The child must learn to interact constructively with her, help him in this process. Show the location of each item and how to properly handle it.
• Establish constant contact with the baby, implying assistance with the call, as well as the willingness to listen and answer, no matter what he turns to you.
• Show respect for the little one who made a mistake that can be corrected, but if he incorrectly uses developmental materials or does something that can harm him, his development or other children, then he should be stopped immediately.
• Show respect for a child who is resting or watching others work, or reflecting on his actions, past or future. Do not call him or force him to other activities.
• Help guide those who are still looking for a job choice.
• Show your readiness each time to re-explain to the child something that he could not realize before - help the growing personality to learn something new, to fight imperfection. Show special patience and kindness in this. Be close to those children who are still in search, and do not interfere with those who are already oriented.
• When dealing with children, always use the best manners and give them all the best that is in you and your environment.

Preparing the environment

Preparing the environment is a key element in Montessori pedagogy. Otherwise, its functioning as a system would be impossible. The preparation of the environment allows the child to gradually get out of adult guardianship, to acquire independence from it. That is why it is extremely important to create an environment that would fully comply with it. Thus, the size of the equipment in the place where the child learns must be matched to his height and proportions. In addition, he should be able to freely move pieces of furniture and choose where he will study. And even noisy traffic various items From one place to another, Montessori considers it a good exercise in motor skills. The child will have to learn how to move furniture almost silently, thereby not disturbing the others.

The environment for the baby should be furnished with aesthetics and elegance, the use of fragile porcelain is encouraged. It is very important from an early age to teach a child how to handle such things and realize their value. Such things should be located within easy reach for him: not too high and not too low. Being constantly in the field of view of a small person, they serve as a kind of challenge. It is important that all items are made of different materials because in this way he learns social behavior towards other children and learns to take into account other people's needs.

The child must take care of his workspace himself, thereby gaining autonomy from his parents or educator.

Adults in the Montessori system

From the first minute of their birth, children strive to gain freedom and independence from adults. Maria Montessori calls this intention the biological principle of human life. Just as the child's body develops, allowing him to move freely, in the same way the spirit of the crumbs is torn to the sources of new knowledge and autonomy.

And in this aspiration of the child, the task of the adult becomes to become his ally and help him in creating such an environment that would correspond to his needs and craving for learning. In the Montessori pedagogy, adults are seen as assistants who tactfully guide the child to an independent life. And this is done, taking into account the above principles of Montessori. It should also be remembered that the child has the ability to learn everything himself, while the adult is only required to direct him to study and step back. It is not worth interfering in the cognitive processes of the baby, it is better to remain an observer in this matter.

Given the fact that each child experiences receptive periods differently, the orientation of all curricula must be individualized. The teacher needs to learn to recognize sensitive periods and help the child find activities that would arouse his keen interest. At the same time, it is extremely necessary to provide him with freedom of choice regarding the type of his activity.

The role of the educator

There are also certain principles associated with the behavior of the educator in the Montessori pedagogical system. They consist mainly in the following: the teacher must categorically not violate the process of self-development of the child. Here it is important to assimilate the main idea conveyed by Maria Montessori to her followers: parents are not the creators of their child, he himself serves as an architect own development, they are only assistants in this work, helping their child.

It's the same vision educational process and is the main ideology of the entire pedagogical system, which consists in helping your child develop independently from the day he is born. Doctor Montessori expects adults to shift their focus from themselves to the child and his future. And their actions will be motivated precisely by these thoughts.

Unique technique early development Maria Montessori chooses a lot of parents to raise their children. This system of developmental activities is used for the development of toddlers and is suitable for correctional classes. Maria Montessori, one of the best teachers, was able to make a real revolution in education in her time. She called for the education of independence in children and encouraged free upbringing. Her system has worldwide recognition in our time.

Some facts from the life of Maria Montessori

In 1870, on August 31, in the city of Chiarovalle, a girl was born into the family of prominent well-known aristocrats Montessori-Stoppani. The name given to her by her parents is Maria. She adopted all the best that her parents had. Father - awarded the Order of Italy, civil servant, mother grew up in a family of liberals.

Parents tried to give their daughter the best education. Maria studied well, had good mathematical abilities. At the age of 12, the girl faced social inequality when she wanted to enter a technical school where only boys studied. The authority of Maria's father, her teaching abilities did their job, and she was accepted to study. She graduated from high school with excellence, despite the fact that she had to constantly confirm the right to study on an equal footing with young people.

Once again, she managed to destroy the standards in 1890, when she began her studies at the University of Rome at the Faculty of Medicine. In 1896, for the first time in the entire period of the development of Italy, a girl doctor appeared, Maria Montessori, who successfully defended her dissertation work in psychiatry.

During her student days, Maria got a part-time job at a hospital at the University as an assistant. It was then that she first encountered working with children with disabilities. She began to carefully study the literature on the adaptation of such children to life in society. The work of Edouard Seguin and Jean Marc Itard had a huge impact on Maria's activities.

Her confidence that the competent work of the teacher with them will have a much greater impact on their development than drugs, led her to the idea of ​​creating a methodology based on a developing environment.

She begins to study various literature on the theory of upbringing and education, pedagogy. In 1896 Maria begins work with children with disabilities and prepares them for exams in junior high school. The performance shown by its graduates was simply stunning.

In 1898, Maria decides to have a child out of wedlock. In the same period of her life, she becomes the director of the Orthophrenic Institute for the preparation of special children. To abandon the cause to which she decided to devote her life meant for her to betray herself, and therefore she decided to give her son to be raised in a foster family.

In 1901, she entered the Faculty of Philosophy. Simultaneously with her studies, Maria did not stop working at school. She was struck by the conditions in which the educational process is carried out, strict discipline in the classroom, striving for comprehensive development none of the teachers wanted a personality. In the upbringing of special children in general, violent methods were very often used.

In 1904, Maria became the head of the anthropology department at the University of Rome. As before, she continued to experiment in educational process schools, conduct research. And so, in 1907, with the thoughts that society lacks humanity and enlightenment, she opens her own educational institution - the "House of the Child". She devotes all her other years of her life to the development and introduction of her system, to the educational process.

In 1909, Montessori begins the experience of holding international training seminars. Then many teachers from different countries got to him. In the same period, she publishes her first edition, in which she talks about the "House of the Child" and the methods of working with children used at school. Maria constantly improved her system, conducted courses to train teachers from all over the world.

Pick up your son Mario from foster family she did when he was 15 years old. Since then, Mario has become her faithful assistant, taking on all the organizational moments in her work. He was seriously interested in the system of Mary and became an excellent successor to his mother.

The International Montessori Association was founded in 1929.

Due to the events taking place in the world, Maria and her son were forced to immigrate to India, where they lived for 7 years. V post-war period she returns to Europe and continues to develop and implement her system until the end of her life.

Without abandoning his mother's business, Mario passed it on to his daughter, Renilde. It was she who managed to introduce the pedagogy of Maria Montessori to Russia in 1998.

If you are interested in the life of Maria Montessori, watch the following video.

The history of the technique

Maria Montessori began to implement her system by working with special children, children who had mental retardation, children whose adaptation to society was very difficult. Using games based on tactile sensitivity, creating a special developmental environment, Maria sought to develop self-service abilities in these children. She tried to adapt the guys to life in society, not setting herself the goal of raising the level intellectual development.

However, the results were very unexpected. In just a year of working with them, they turned out to be at the same level of intellectual development and even higher than their absolutely healthy peers.

Summarizing her knowledge, theoretical developments of various teachers and psychologists, her own research and experience, Maria built it all into one system, called the Montessori method.

After that, the Montessori method was also tested in the education of healthy children, which did not present any difficulties. Her system easily adjusted to the level of development, capabilities and needs of any child.

What is the Montessori Method

You can briefly outline the basic philosophy of the Montessori methodology by saying that the child should be directed to independent actions.

An adult should only help him in his independence and prompt when asked. At the same time, you cannot force the child to do anything, prove to him that only your idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe environment is correct, approach him during the rest or observations of the child.

Maria Montessori came to these conclusions based on the ideas that:

• From the moment of birth, a child is unique. He is already a person.
• Every little person has a natural desire to develop and work.
• Parents and teachers should help the child to reveal his potential, and not be ideals in character and abilities.
• Adults should only prompt the child in his independent activity, without teaching. They must patiently wait for the manifestation of the initiative from the baby himself.

The essence of the method

The main motto of Montessori in work was - help the child do it on his own.

Having given the child maximum freedom and organizing an individual approach to each, she skillfully directed the children to independent development, not trying to remake them, but recognizing their right to be themselves. This helped the children achieve the highest results on their own, without prompting from adults. Maria Montessori did not allow children to be compared, to arrange competitions between them. The generally accepted evaluation criteria in her pedagogy are not allowed, as well as the encouragement of children, punishment and coercion.

Her method is based on the fact that every child wants to become an adult as soon as possible, and he can achieve this only by learning and gaining life experience. That is why the children themselves will strive to learn as soon as possible, and the teacher should only observe this process and help if necessary.

Children can independently choose the pace and rhythm at which the acquisition of knowledge by them will be most effective. They can determine for themselves how much time they need for the lesson, what material to use in training. If there is a need to change the environment, the child may well do it. And the most important independent choice is the direction in which they want to develop.

At the same time, the task of the teacher is to use all available means for the development of independence, to promote the development of the child's sensory perception, paying special attention to touch. The teacher must respect the choice of the child, create an environment for him in which the child will develop comfortably, be a neutral observer and assistant if necessary. The teacher should not strive for children to be like him. It is unacceptable for him to interfere in the process of acquiring independence by the child.

Principles of the Montessori system:

• A child who makes decisions without the help of adults.
• Developing environment that gives the child the opportunity to develop.
• An educator who can intervene in the child's development process only at his request for help.

Development environment

The developing environment is the main element without which Montessori pedagogy will not function.

All furniture and equipment of the developing environment must be selected strictly according to the age, height and proportions of the baby. Children should independently cope with the need to rearrange the furniture. They should be able to do it as quietly as possible, try not to disturb others. Such permutations, according to Montessori, perfectly develop motor skills.

Children can choose the place where they will study. The room in which they practice should have a lot of free space, light and access. fresh air. Panoramic glazing of windows is welcome for maximum daylight supply, good lighting is thought out.

The interior should be aesthetic and elegant. The color palette for him is chosen calm, not distracting the child's attention from activities. Fragile objects should be present in the environment so that children learn to use them confidently and understand their value. You can also decorate the room indoor flowers that a child can easily care for, they are located at a height accessible to him.

It is obligatory for the child to freely use water. To do this, sinks, as well as toilets, must be installed on accessible to the child by height level.

Tutorials located at the level of the baby's eyes, so that he can use them without the help of an adult. All copies of the material provided for the use of children should be one at a time. This will help teach the child to behave in society, teach him to take into account the needs of those around him. The main rule for the use of materials is that whoever takes it first, uses it. Children must learn to negotiate among themselves, to exchange. Children acquire the skills of caring for their environment without the help of adults.

Zones for developing activities

The developmental environment is divided into several zones, such as practical, sensory, mathematical, language, space and gymnastic exercises. For each of these zones, appropriate materials for classes are used. Mostly wooden toys are used, because. Maria Montessori has always advocated the naturalness of the materials used.

Practical

In another way, it is called a zone for practical exercises in everyday life. With the help of the materials of this zone, children are accustomed to life at home, in society. They develop practical life skills.

With the exercise materials in this area, children learn to:

• take care of themselves (learn to dress, undress, cook);
• take care of everything that is nearby (take care of the flora and fauna, clean up);
• various ways of movement (to be able to move calmly, silently, walk in a line, behave quietly);
• acquire communication skills (greet each other, communicate, rules of conduct in society).

The following materials are used in the practical area:

• bodyboards (frames made of wood, on which there are various fasteners: buttons of different sizes, buttons, bows, laces and laces for winding on fasteners, Velcro, straps);
• vessels for transfusion of water;
• cleaning agents (for example, metals);
• Natural flowers;
• houseplants;
• various flowerpots for fresh flowers;
• scissors;
• scoops;
• watering cans;
• tablecloths;
• stripes that are glued or drawn on the floor for walking, and objects that need to be carried over them (a glass of liquid, candles);
• conversations and role plays.

There are many benefits for practicing in daily life. The most important thing is that with their size, appearance, color combination, ease of use, they meet the needs of children.

touch

It uses materials that contribute to the sensory development of the child. With the help of these materials, the child also develops fine motor skills, their use prepares the baby to get acquainted with various subjects of the school curriculum.

The following types of materials are used here:

• blocks with cylinders-liners, pink tower, red rods, brown stairs - are necessary for the formation of the ability to determine the dimensions;
• colored tablets teach to distinguish color;
• rough signs, different types tissues, keyboard board, palpation board - tactile susceptibility;
• calls, noise cylinders - develop hearing;
• sensory bags, geometric bodies, sorters, geometric chest of drawers, biological chest of drawers, constructive triangles - contribute to the baby's ability to distinguish and name the shapes of objects, including by touch;
• heavy plates - teach to distinguish weight;
• boxes with smells are needed for the development of the sense of smell;
• taste jars for distinguishing taste properties;
• warm jugs - perception of temperature differences.

Each material develops only one of the senses, which gives the child the opportunity to focus on it, isolating the others.

Mathematical

Mathematical and sensory zones are closely interconnected. When a child compares objects with each other, measures them, arranges them, then he is already studying mathematical concepts. Materials such as the pink tower, rods, cylinders perfectly prepare children for the assimilation of mathematical knowledge. It offers work with specific material, which makes the assimilation of mathematics by a child much easier.

Here are used:

• number bars, numbers made of rough paper, spindles, numbers and circles - needed to get acquainted with numbers from 0 to 10.
• Gold bead material, number material, the combination of these materials introduce children to the decimal system.
• A tower of multi-colored beads, 2 boxes of beads and double boards - introduces the concept of "number" and numbers from 11 to 99.
• Chains of various numbers of beads give an idea of ​​linear numbers.
• Marks, tables of mathematical operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division), dots game help to get acquainted with mathematical operations.
• Geometric chest of drawers, constructive triangles - will introduce the baby to the basics of geometry.

Language

This zone also has a close relationship with the sensory. The materials used in the area for sensory development contribute to the development of the child's speech. Cylinders, sorters, fabrics contribute to the development fine motor skills, which has a huge impact on the development of speech. Bells and noisy boxes perfectly develop hearing. Biological maps, geometric shapes contribute to the distinction of form. Montessori teachers offer daily speech games and exercises, stimulate the development of the child's speech, monitor the correct pronunciation and the correct use of words. In the arsenal of teachers there are many options for games for the development of speech (games for memorizing and recognizing objects, task games, descriptions, stories, and much more).

Also can be used:

• metal insert figures;
• rough paper alphabet;
• movable alphabet;
• cards and boxes with images of various objects;
• frames for hatching;
• boxes with figures for the first intuitive reading;
• signatures for items;
• books.

space zone

The space zone in Montessori pedagogy is a zone where children gain knowledge about the reality around them. The most important thing that the teacher should take into account is the construction of the lesson from certain concrete actions to abstract ones. Often children are offered visibility with a phenomenon and the opportunity to come to their own conclusions.

In this area you can see:

• a variety of literature to find the necessary information;
• the solar system, continents, landscapes, natural areas - contribute to the development of geographical representations;
• classification of animals, their habitat give the concept of zoology;
• classification of plants, habitat - introduce botany;
• timelines, calendars - form an idea of ​​history;
• various materials for experiments, four elements - introduce science.

For gymnastic exercises

A place for this zone may not always be allocated. Often this is the space between the tables lined up around the perimeter. In this zone, sports and recreational activities are organized for kids with elements of aerobics, exercises with a fitball, a stick. Includes outdoor games, walking, running.

From how many months is it worth conducting such developmental classes?

The Montessori system not only has such a name "system", but it is exactly that. She offers parents a more holistic view of children's nature. It is very good when parents got acquainted with the basic principles and essence of the methodology even before the birth of their first child. This will help them prepare for the birth of their baby with knowledge of the basic needs of mother and newborn. After all, according to Montessori, the education of the baby begins precisely with the readiness of the parents for this, since they will be the most important environment for the baby.

The first two months of life, the baby and mother are still very dependent on each other, so it is important for the mother to concentrate only on the child. After that, the child already begins to show an active interest in the world around him, becomes more mobile. From this moment, a mother with a baby can already start visiting a Montessori class, which is called a nido, if it has space for the little ones. During this period, it will most likely be more useful for the mother, allowing her to escape from worries about the baby and diversify her leisure time, spending it with him. There is no need for a child to attend a nido class yet. If desired, all development environments and materials used (such as mobile phones) can be reproduced at home.

From the moment when the baby begins to crawl, attending the class is one can give him much more room for development. It is quite possible to start leaving the baby there without a mother. This is great for moms who have to go to work or families who don't have the resources to provide plenty of space, set up a home environment, and purchase materials for the baby's big moves to get him ready to walk. For this, a variety of large bars, heavy tables and chairs for children, ladders are useful. With the help of these materials, the baby will learn to stand, walk with support, climb on them and get back down, sit.

When a child begins to walk, he moves into a class called a toddler. In Russia, the creation of such classes is not yet widespread; this requires a special Montessori education. However, for parents who are well prepared, it will not be difficult to do this at home.

When attending a todler class, the baby is faced with the need to follow the rules of behavior, learns to communicate with his peers, interact with them, and cooperate with the teacher. This will be a good preparation for the baby to visit the kindergarten. Unfortunately, at home, parents will not be able to recreate this.

It should be borne in mind that up to 3 years, a long separation of the crumbs from the mother is very difficult. Therefore, it would be ideal to attend a toddler class for only half a day. This will not be possible if the mother goes to work and is employed full time. But not every parent can financially afford a visit to a private Montessori toddler class, if the mother continues to be a housewife. If the kid goes to classes 2-3 times a week, and not every day, then he will need more time to get involved in the work. Such visits are suitable as a compromise solution.

We conclude that attending Montessori classes can begin with the child reaching the age of 2 months, if the mother has a need for this. For a child, this will become interesting, not earlier than from the moment when he crawls. A visit to a Montessori class up to 3 years old will provide a good base for future visits to kindergarten.

Montessori classes and Montessori lessons

Montessori pedagogy, as already mentioned, is based on the independent development of the child in a specially prepared developmental environment. The process of education is based on this, where the children express their needs, and the teacher helps them in their activities, with the help of observations and individual work with every.

Maria Montessori herself always called the learning process precisely classes, not games, despite the age of the children. She called didactic aids made of natural materials teaching material. All materials offered for classes were unique, being in the classroom only in 1 copy.

In her methodology, Maria Montessori offers 3 types of lessons:

• Individual. The teacher works with only one student, offering him educational material. It shows and explains how to work with it, where to apply it. The materials used should arouse the interest of the child, attract him, differ from others by some property, whether it be thickness, height, width, allow the child to independently check for errors, see where he performed the action incorrectly. After that, the child begins independent activities.
• Group. The teacher deals with the guys whose level of development is approximately the same. The rest of the children in the class work independently without interfering with the group. The same algorithm of work is observed as in individual lessons.
• Are common. The teacher works with the whole class at once. Lessons are short and concise. Basically, general classes are held in music, gymnastics, biology, history. After the basic information is received by the children, they independently decide to deal with special material on the topic or whether it is for them. this moment not interested. The work continues on its own.

In Montessori pedagogy, there is a division of children into 3 age categories:

1. Children from birth to 6 years. This age period is called the building period, the child is capable of developing all functions.
2. Children are 6-12 years old. This period is called research, the child is interested in the world around him, events and phenomena.
3. Children aged 12-18 years. This last age period was called the scientist. The child sees the relationship between various facts, looks for his place in the world, creates his own picture of the world.

Montessori schools have classes of different ages, from 6 to 9 years old, and from 9 to 12. A child can go to the next class only when his needs and opportunities allow him. The use of classes of different ages helps older children become more caring, and gives younger ones self-confidence.

There is no clear setting of goals and objectives in the classroom. academic year. The program is calculated for 3 years, but at what pace the student will learn it, it depends only on him. If a fast pace suits him, this is good, if the child is used to working slowly and thoroughly, then no one will rush him. Having independently chosen a zone for classes, the child can work there individually or in a group of other children. The most important rule that everyone must follow is do not interfere with the work of another. The child builds his own relationships in the team. Everything that happens in the classroom is monitored by teachers who provide assistance if necessary.

Watch the following video about the features of the technique.

Pros and cons of the system

Despite the fact that Montessori pedagogy is recognized as one of the best in the world, there are many who criticize it. Therefore, you should carefully study its positive and negative sides.

pros

1. Children according to the Montessori system develop without adult intervention and pressure from outside.
2. Individual pace of development.
3. Children explore the world by making discoveries. This contributes to a better assimilation of the material.
4. Montessori pedagogy tends to give children freedom.
5. Students learn to respect the personal space of others.
6. There is no criticism, negativity, violence towards children.
7. The child's intelligence develops through the senses. Much attention is paid to the development of motor skills, which is important for its development in general.
8. Age groups are formed based on the interests of children.
9. Education and assistance is provided not by adults, but by older children, in a language accessible to the child. Learning to care for others.
10. Students learn an important skill from the very beginning. early age- make decisions independently.
11. Self-care skills are quickly acquired.
12. The ability to interact in society develops, self-discipline is brought up: you can’t interfere with others, make noise, clean up the workplace, have patience and much more.
13. Montessori pedagogy implies cooperation with an adult.

Minuses

1. Little time is devoted to the development of imagination, creativity, communication skills are not developed enough.
2. At preschool age, the game is the leading activity, but Montessori believed that the child does not receive any benefit from games and toys for practical life.
3. Children get little acquainted with fairy tales that tell about the confrontation between good and evil, teach ways out of life situations.
4. Entering a traditional school, it is difficult for a student to adjust to a different attitude towards the teacher. In the Montessori system, the teacher is only an observer, and in the school, the teacher is the authority.
5. There are times when children find it difficult to adapt to a traditional school and its discipline.
6. Children do not make much effort while working with objects, in the future this may manifest itself in the fact that the child will hardly force himself to perform active actions.
7. Small amount motor activity. Most of the classes are held in a calm environment, excluding it.

Commandments for Parents

1. Children learn about what surrounds them.
2. If you constantly criticize a child, he will learn to condemn.
3. Children who are often praised learn to appreciate.
4. By showing your baby a hostile attitude, you are teaching him to fight.
5. A child will learn to be fair if you are honest with him.
6. By making fun of a child, you bring up shyness in him.
7. A child will learn to believe if he lives with a sense of security.
8. The child will constantly feel guilty if you shame him.
9. Approval teaches the child to treat himself well.
10. Forbearance will teach the child to be patient.
11. By encouraging your child often, you will help him gain confidence in himself and his abilities.
12. A child will learn to find love if he is surrounded by an atmosphere of friendship and feels needed.
13. You should never talk badly about a baby, either in his presence or in his absence.
14. So that there is no room for the bad, focus on nurturing the good in it.
15. Always listen to the child who has addressed you and answer his questions.
16. Have respect for the kid who made a mistake, let him correct it.
17. Help the child in the search if he needs it, and be invisible if the child has already found everything.
18. Use care, restraint, silence, and love to help your child learn new things.
19. Address the child only in a good manner, give him the best that you have.

P. Tyulenev

N. Zhukova

O. Zhukova

The Montessori method has become one of the most famous due to the rejection of the principles of traditional pedagogy. Its founder believed that children should be given more freedom, since restrictions only hinder development.

Montessori Method - Essence and Principles

The Montessori program implies adherence to several principles:

• Freedom of choice and movement. Thanks to the ability to independently choose educational material, the child listens to himself more, becomes more proactive, learns to choose and independently regulate his mental processes. Moving freely, the child still observes certain rules - to return the taken object to its place, not to interfere with others and to maintain cleanliness.
• Error control. Materials for teaching children within the framework of the Montessori system involve pointing out the child to his oversights and mistakes. As a result, students form an adequate self-esteem, develop reflection skills (analysis of their own experiences).
• Age diversity of students. Contacts with pupils of older and younger age, as well as with peers, help to form a sense of mutual assistance, to form the skill of independent work and cooperation. The younger pupils learn from the older ones, and they, in turn, acquire leadership qualities.
• Don't do for your child what he can do for himself. The desire to solve the problem himself allows him to become more independent and self-confident.
• Lack of constant adult assessments. As a result of applying this principle, each pupil is engaged in educational activities not because of fear of punishment, but because he is really interested.
• Involvement of a specially trained teacher. Since each material in the Montessori teaching method is required to be presented to children in a certain way (this is called a “presentation”).
• No competitive motive. A Montessori student cannot be compared with other pupils. As a result of applying this principle, he develops a positive self-esteem and self-confidence.

Theses of Maria Montessori

According to the theory of Maria Montessori, the child should be in the center, and around him it is necessary to prepare the environment. A teacher or parent should always be next to him, who only helps, and does not control behavior.

Important! It is necessary that the rules of the methodology are observed by parents and at home. Otherwise, the system will be inefficient.

The methodology was originally designed for pupils with disabilities, but was subsequently adapted for healthy children. In Russia, the first Montessori schools began to appear after 1995.

Montessori teacher with children

The uniqueness of the Montessori system

The uniqueness of the methodology lies in the fact that for the students they create a comfortable environment in which they would feel themselves in charge. argued that the parent and adult during education should take the position of an attentive and understanding person, and not strive to become an educator who constantly corrects actions.

In no other method, students are given the leading role, and adults manage the entire learning process. Maria's conclusion was based on the assertion that full self-development is a consequence of freedom of action. She also believed that the child does not need to be corrected every time he makes a mistake. This is necessary so that he can independently understand what he is doing wrong. Help is provided only when students themselves ask for it.

Important! If in traditional pedagogy the educator gives ready-made knowledge, then when teaching according to the Montessori method, the pupils acquire knowledge themselves, as they are in a developing environment.

Montessori classes are also distinguished by the lack of study desks. Instead, light tables with objects are installed, and rugs are placed on the floor. Since all objects in the class are mobile, they can be moved depending on where you want to study at a particular moment.

There are only 3 well-known education systems that are similar to the Montessori methodology. They are aimed at developing the independence of children and imply an individual approach to each student.

Features of the Montessori Method

The Montessori method encourages the child to self-learning and development. The purpose of this system is to cultivate independence, self-confidence and respect for others. The main difference between the methodology and traditional teaching is the freedom of choice. Thanks to this, he can choose what he wants. Maria Montessori argued that freedom is a naturally developing ability to choose the best option for oneself.

When teaching this method, the task of educators is to help the child do what he wants. This helps pupils find their own way of development, learning from their own mistakes.

Note! The training system takes into account sensitive periods of development. The peculiarity of such periods is that each of them happens only once in a lifetime.

For example, the period of intensive speech development lasts from birth to 6 years, so it is at this age that it is important to help the child when he seeks to communicate and expand his vocabulary.

real life zone

The peculiarity of the methodology also lies in the fact that the Montessori class is divided into several zones:

• real life zone. In it, the child learns to dress himself, draw, paint objects, wash and clean, and perform other actions.
• The zone of sensory perception is needed to study the world around us. The child learns to distinguish height, color, shape, weight and other characteristics of surrounding objects. One of the common activities in this area is to place cylinders of different sizes on the table in order from largest to smallest.
• Linguistic, geographic and natural science zones are intended for mental development students.

Note! There are other zones that are needed to develop certain skills. For motor exercises in Montessori classes, there are lines drawn on the floor that serve as a guide for performing exercises. Each pupil independently chooses the specific material with which he would like to work.

Classroom Montessori

Another plus of the system is that pupils start writing and reading earlier. At the same time, teachers apply an individual approach to each child, taking into account his abilities and needs.

A plus is also the formation of groups not by age, but by interests. This increases interest in the learning process itself. Also, the technique involves the development of independence and the ability to make decisions. Despite all the pros and cons of the Montessori system, this approach encourages students to engage in self-development of their own free will, and not under duress.

Montessori method of early development from 0 to 6 years - what is it

The main principle of the early development methodology is to create an environment in which the child can develop. Education under the age of 6 includes the following:

• Unlimited physical activity. This is facilitated by various exercises and specially equipped places in the classroom, thanks to which the child learns new movements earlier and more efficiently and learns to control his own body.
• Using interesting and unusual subjects that you want to study.
• Walks and excursions that allow you to gain new knowledge about the world around you.

Note! Being in specially organized zones allows you to get used to the order and organization of space.

Also, pupils learn to freely choose activities. With the right organization of space, they will independently find an interesting activity for themselves. But, in addition, they comply with certain conditions so as not to restrict the freedom of other students.

Montessori didactic material - what is it aimed at

In the Montessori system, an important role is played by didactic material, which can be considered even a household item. The classes contain "classic Montessori materials":

• colored coils;
• red rods;
• tower;
• brown stairs.

This is only a small part of the Montessori didactic materials that are aimed at the development of pupils. The work implies a certain sequence:

1. a specific material is selected that is interesting to the pupil;
2. the student prepares the place where he will study;
3. work with the material;
4. error correction;
5. after the lesson, each pupil returns the didactic material to where he got it from.

Didactic material

During classes, you must adhere to certain rules:

• All items are placed in the room in such a way that the pupil can easily get them. In this case, the material should not be above eye level. This encourages children to take action.
• In order for pupils to focus on the selected materials, there is a rule that they cannot take several toys at the same time.
• To cultivate accuracy, the teacher explains the basic rules for working with objects.
• While working with the material, children must act independently. Help them only if they ask. But if the pupil too often asks for help and does not show initiative, one should strive to encourage him to act independently.

The child builds a tower

Didactic material serves two purposes:

• The straight line is the one that the children put in front of them. An example is the assembly of the pink tower.
• Indirect - this is the goal of the adult who invented the tower. It consists in the fact that children, when assembling, develop coordination of movements, learn to concentrate and prepare for the study of the basics of mathematics.

Important! The didactic material of M. Montessori is aimed at developing and creating comfortable conditions for self-improvement. All items were designed in such a way that it was interesting for children to play with them.

During creation didactic material Maria Montessori was based on several principles:

• all subjects should be meaningful for the child and interesting;
• subjects should gradually become more difficult in the course of training;
• material should prepare children for further learning.

Note! Exists a large number of games that are created on the basis of the methodology. An example is the cards “Family. Pets”, which contribute to the understanding of classification techniques, and also allow you to teach reading.

During training, children can perform simple actions such as pouring water or sifting cereals. But the effect of such activities can not be compared with the standard game. The child begins to feel independent and confidently continues to learn about the world around him.

About pedagogical Montessori system heard by many. What is it and how is it used in kindergarten, we will tell in this article.

The Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori (1870-1952) first applied her system to mentally retarded children. preschool age in 1907. She managed to create a unique developing environment in which even children with problems easily acquired knowledge and skills of such a level that they were not inferior, and sometimes even surpassed their trouble-free peers in development.

“What should be done with normal children so that they become weaker than my unfortunate ones?” - Maria Montessori was amazed and decided that her training system could be useful for ordinary children. Now this pedagogical system is one of the most popular in many countries of the world. Many kindergartens, development centers and even schools work on it, including in Russia. Why is this method so attractive to teachers and parents?

The principle of the Montessori system

Here is the most important principle of the Maria Montessori system: each child develops according to his own, absolutely individual plan in a specially prepared environment. The full method of benefits that groups are equipped with takes more than a dozen sheets. The task of the educator is to help the child organize his activities so that his creative potential is maximally developed.

Most materials and tasks contain the principle of self-correction: the child himself sees his mistakes, and does not receive a bad assessment from an adult. "Help me do it myself" - this is the principle of the Montessori system. At the same time, the learning space consists of five main zones, which we will discuss in more detail.

Personal space

In the preparatory environment, the child gets acquainted with such important "adult" concepts as. For example, the category of space. And this happens not only due to the realization that each material in the group has its place. It's just that when a baby rolls out a rug for work, he acquires his own personal space, which cannot be violated without the permission of its owner.

Indeed, in Montessori groups, children do not sit at their desks, looking at the proudly reciting teacher. Here everyone is busy with their work, sitting on a rug or at a small table.

If two children need material, each of which exists in the environment in only one instance, then, naturally, it becomes necessary to agree on the order of use or on joint work. And in this case, children receive invaluable communication skills in society, the ability to negotiate and listen to each other.

Purposes of acquiring skills social communication There is also the principle of acquiring groups of different ages, where the elders help the younger ones, which in turn fosters a caring attitude towards loved ones and brings the climate in the group closer to that of a family. For a baby, Montessori materials are the key to the world, thanks to which he will streamline his chaotic ideas about the world. In a special preparatory environment, he exercises all physical and spiritual functions and develops comprehensively.

Differences of the Montessori system

As you can see, the Montessori system differs significantly from traditional pedagogy. Firstly, it concerns the attitude to the child as a unique, inimitable personality, with its own development plan, methods and terms of mastering the world around.

The second is the role of the teacher. The main place in the Montessori system - space belongs to the child, and the teacher is only an assistant, whose task is to teach how to work with the material correctly, as well as to observe the achievements of the child. And this shows the freedom of choice of the baby: he is free to move at his own pace. Independence is the key to a successful and happy life.

life practice

First of all, these are exercises from the field of life practice that help the child take care of himself by teaching him how to fasten buttons correctly, lace up shoes, peel and cut vegetables, set the table and much more that mom usually does not allow to do at home.

And in Montessori groups, children hear: “You are already an adult and you can handle this task yourself.” The teacher only shows how to handle the material correctly. The exercises also include materials related to pouring, pouring, carrying and sorting objects - all that develops hand movements and prepares for the development of writing, reading and mathematical abstractions.

All items must be real, because in Montessori groups children live not for fun, but in earnest. If a baby’s jug falls on the floor and water spills over the floor, the result is obvious to him: another principle of pedagogy works - automatic error control.

Sensory development according to the Montessori system

In the field of sensory development, your baby can get all those sensations that he, for one reason or another, so lacks in real modern life: with the help of materials located in this zone, he perfectly develops his sight, touch, taste, smell, hearing, and also has a great opportunity to train in distinguishing temperatures, to feel the difference in the weight and shape of objects and of course to develop muscle memory.

Working with special materials in the sensory zone is an important preparatory stage before the baby enters the field of mathematical development - having worked with sensory material, having learned to think logically and accurately, the child easily translates already well-known concepts into mathematical terms.

Mathematical development according to the Montessori system

Learning mathematics also takes place as naturally as possible: the baby simply lives in a prepared environment, thoroughly saturated with mathematics. Mathematical Development Zone contains everything necessary materials so that the child quickly and effectively learns the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, mastered ordinal counting - all that is considered an important criterion for a child's readiness to enter school.

Area of ​​language development

A child, as a native speaker, naturally also needs an area of ​​language development, without which full-fledged intellectual growth is impossible. Here the baby gets a chance to expand his vocabulary, get to know the letters by tracing rough letters with his finger or drawing on semolina, and learn how to form words using the mobile alphabet. By the way, you can easily make such rough letters and alphabet at home.

Space education according to the Montessori system

It is also obvious that full-fledged personal development cannot take place without the child developing the whole picture world - and this task is solved by the field of cosmic education. In an accessible form, the kid gets acquainted with the most complex theories about the structure of man, geography, history, plants and animals. A general picture of the world unfolds before the child, and he learns to be aware of its integrity and to perceive himself as a particle of this diverse space.