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Jagpreet
06 August, 2024
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Montessori education was first introduced in 1907, by Dr. Maria Montessori. The approach is based on the scientist’s name. Montessori was a physician and scientist who focused on children’s cognitive development and introduced learning methods beneficial for students in academic and real-life applications. Maria believed in the idea of developing creative, experimental, and applicative educational grounds, and she was successful in establishing a new approach through experimental psychology, which she conducted in 1907. Maria later opened the Children’s House, or Casa dei Bambini, which was the first Montessori school opened in Rome on January 6, 1907.
In this blog, we are going to discuss the success of Montessori Education for the cognitive development of children, and adapting to new ways of learning. We are going to discuss the comparison between the Montessori approach vs the traditional approach to show you what works best for children’s development.
According to the Montessori Wporld Education Institute, the Montessori approach is a way of teaching kids. It’s a perspective on and method of comprehending kids. It is an understanding of how kids grow and learn that has been converted into an organised teaching approach founded on rigorous scientific research. The Montessori educational approach is distinctive and it has gone through multiple changes over the last 70 years. It is a complete approach to education, which is the outcome of extensive research on development, learning, curriculum, and teaching, and is arguably the main factor contributing to its success.
Montessori is an educational method that aligns with the natural development of children rather than opposing it. This approach relies on scientific observations to understand the processes of child development and learning. The Montessori education has changed the game of learning for decades. It has been a superior approach when it comes to inclusivity of each child in the context of learning, academics and cognitive development.
Learning goes beyond the walls of school. Children run from their surroundings and environment through observation. This is where the Montessori approach has the roots correctly. It focuses on children’s cognitive development through the subjective approach of observation and flexible and adaptive ways of learning. It has an in-depth critical problem-solving skill development space for children where they are appreciated for their unique ways of learning and applying it on a day-to-day basis.
Here are 7 other brief benefits of Montessori Education:
Independent Learning for All:
It encourages active self-exploration, problem-solving and critical thinking in children.
Personalised Speed:
Allows children to learn at their own speed. It respects the subjectivity of humans.
Hands-On Experience:
Montessori education is more expressive, and hands-on such as abstract concepts, nature and more.
Encourages Curiosity:
It promotes curiosity which motivates critical thinking.
Boosts Concentration:
It is more mindful, attentive and focused.
Promotes Creativity:
It has a sense of freedom to explore, discover, and make space for innovation.
Builds Self-Esteem:
It boosts self-esteem through its nature of inclusivity and motivation for every child.
We have covered the essentials of Montessori education, its benefits and the objective of the approach. Now it is time for you to decide what works best for children’s cognitive development in the context of education. Make sure you make notes of important differences that can be studied further or implicated in different aspects of learning.
✅ Education Approach
Montessori Education:
Child-centred; adapts to individual child’s pace and interests.
Traditional Education:
Teacher-led; follows a set curriculum for all students.
✅ Curriculum Flexibility
Montessori Education:
Flexible and adaptable; students choose lessons based on interests.
Traditional Education:
Fixed curriculum; all students follow the same path.
✅ Classroom Environment
Montessori Education:
Organised and uncluttered with designated subject areas.
Traditional Education:
Bright colours, posters, and decorations to engage children.
✅ Teacher’s Role
Montessori Education:
Teachers observe and follow children’s interests to guide learning.
Traditional Education:
Teachers prepare and deliver a predetermined curriculum.
✅ Behaviour and Values
Montessori Education:
Teachers model respect and mindfulness, discussing feelings to build emotional intelligence.
Traditional Education:
Basic manners like “please” and “thank you” are taught.
✅ Support for Special Needs
Montessori Education:
Structured routine and less distraction help children with ADHD or autism thrive.
Traditional Education:
Varies; may not be specifically designed for special needs children.
✅ Outdoor Learning
Montessori Education:
Outdoor time is integrated with learning activities.
Traditional Education:
Recess is a break from learning.
✅ Learning Style
Montessori Education:
Hands-on learning with physical materials; students actively engage.
Traditional Education:
More passive learning; students listen and follow instructions.
✅ Concentration
Montessori Education:
Minimal interruptions; teachers respect students’ focus.
Traditional Education:
Frequent transitions between activities regardless of engagement.
✅ Love of Learning
Montessori Education:
Fosters a lifelong love of learning through student choice and autonomy.
Traditional Education:
Focus on passing tests and following curriculum.
The Montessori approach was introduced to make education more inclusive, explorative and subjective. While the traditional approach focuses on one curriculum followed by everyone in the classrooms, the Montessori approach focuses more on providing a more inclusive and children’s personalised educational process. The Montessori education approach is more hands-on in different ways. However, the traditional approach to education is more passive and follows the same path of instructions for everyone. Lastly, the Montessori approach to education respects students’ focus, ability and interest, it is more adaptable than the traditional approach. India can start to apply such approaches for the development of more inclusive, developing and progressing education. We can start practising from smaller regions such as NGO and then learn about the implications that can be done on a larger scale in schools and colleges. This is the future of evolution, adaptation and empathy for every student.
The success of Montessori education is that this approach has been promoting better ways of personalised learning for students, it has opened up a safe space where students can learn through more than one traditional curriculum. The Montessori Educational approach has seen better cognitive development than the traditional one.
Success is measured through teacher observations, self-correcting tasks, work plans, student self-assessments, performance rubrics, work portfolios, weekly reports to parents, parent meetings, grade cards, and student presentations.
Multiple researches have been done on Montessori education vs traditional. The brief of the research says that Montessori education has shown more positive results in cognitive development and educational learning than traditional education approaches.
