 | The child is a dynamic, curious person that has an
inner need to know the the world. The Montessori classroom has a
multitude of fascinating materials from which to select.
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| The child comes to know the world through the senses.
Consequently, experiences that develop and refine the sense are
fundamental to knowing the world. Further, because knowing the
world comes through the sense activities must concrete and have "manipulatives"
(i.e. toy or game-like). The curriculum area of sensorial
in the Montessori classroom aids the child in the development and
refinement of the senses and the many manipulative materials in
the classroom allows the child to explore and learn.
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| The child auto-educated.
Essentially, the child
constructs knowledge through physically manipulating the
environment. The physical manipulation, or handling of the
environment, allows the child to construct mental images. Mental
images lay the foundation for later abstractions. The Montessori
teacher does not teach, but rather provides experiences for the
child to construct mental images.
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| The child learns that which is of personal interest. It
is important, therefore, for the child to have freedom to select
activities that are highly interesting. The Montessori classroom
contains hundreds of colorful, exciting materials that are of
interest to children.
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| The child repeats activities until they are fully mastered.
The Montessori class schedule has long, uninterrupted times in the
morning and in the afternoon for the child to concentrate on
activities.
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| The child is orderly and focused. The Montessori
classroom is calm, respectful and peaceful. This atmosphere meets
the child's inner need for an atmosphere that supports
concentration. The Montessori classroom is orderly and encourages
the child to maintain an orderly environment. |
