Teaching Philosophy of Montessori

I chose to research Maria Montessori's teaching methods. Dr. Maria Montessori lived from 1870 until 1952 and was instrumental in her educational philosophy. "Montessori education is characterized by an emphasis on independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child’s natural psychological development." She opened her first classroom, the Casa dei Bambini, or Children’s House, in a tenement building in Rome. Montessori strongly believed in a model of human development, where children engage with their surroundings and interact with their environment. She believed that children should have the freedom to choose their path in learning and this would create optimal development.

I disagree.

I knew a little about the Montessori schools before doing any research because several children that I babysit for attend one of the charter schools. I can tell you that I was not a big fan of this particular teaching method. First of all, I do not like that the students call their teachers by their first names. I find this very disrespectful. Second, I do not agree with letting children choose what they are going to work on that day. I really believe in more structure and setting expectations for kids. Montessori schools very rarely assign homework and I find this to be a diservice to children. Most of the Montessori schools only go through 8th grade, which means that when a child gets to high school, they are going to be in shock with the amount of homework that they get. "Critics allege that a child who transfers to a traditional school and is required to do homework will have trouble adjusting, although research has shown the opposite" (http://www.k12academics.com/alternative-education/montessori-method/criticisms).

I find some problems with the teaching methods, especially with Math. Montessori emphasizes using materials when solving mathematical problems. I feel that this is having students rely too much on a crutch. When helping one of the children I babysit for with their homework, they said that they could not do their math because they did not have "materials" at their disposal. I feel this is just as bad a kids using calculators to solve math problems. In the United States, we are falling further behind in academics and suffering in math and science. I do not feel that the Montessori method is helping to educate kids in this particular area. It is not preparing them for the real world in which homework is a very important part of the learning process.

Regardless of how I feel, the Montessori teaching method is one of the most recognized in the field of education and there are definitely advantages to this type of education. In a 2006 study of Montessori students and public school children it was found that "On several dimensions, children at a public inner city Montessori school had superior outcomes relative to a sample of Montessori applicants who, because of a random lottery, attended other schools. By the end of kindergarten, the Montessori children performed better on standardized tests of reading and math, engaged in more positive interaction on the playground, and showed more advanced social cognition and executive control" (http://www.k12academics.com/alternative-education/montessori-method/criticisms).

In the end, it is the parent's decision on which education method they are most comfortable with and what is the best for their child. Whether they go to public school, private school, or are home schooled, education is the key to a child's success and becoming an educated individual.

Sources:

http://www.montessori.edu/

http://www.k12academics.com/alternative-education/montessori-method/criticisms