What is the purpose of Montessori education?

Educating a child is not an easy task. It requires a lot of patience, will and above all, intelligence. At least that is what Maria Montessori thought.

The Montessori Method is based on the principle that children should have complete freedom to learn and develop independently in a stimulating environment of understanding and affection. Montessori asserted that children possess an almost unlimited capacity to appropriate knowledge, first at the unconscious level and then at the conscious one. In this way, she gives the child an active role in their learning.

Montessori education also pays special attention to the love and understanding of parents towards their children: A love based on respect, freedom, responsibility and the establishment of clear but unrestrictive limits, where trust, patience and empathy become the protagonists.

“Before we can give help, we must understand; we must follow the path from childhood to adulthood. If we can understand, we can help and this help must be the plan of our education: to help man to develop not his defects, but his greatness.”
Maria Montessori

Some of the Montessori principles:

1. The absorbing mind

From birth, the child's mind is intensely and ceaselessly active, making it similar to a "sponge", with an unlimited capacity to learn. It is therefore essential for parents and educators to provide the appropriate environment, materials and conditions to take advantage of the child's absorbent mind.

2. Respect for the child's nature

The Montessori Method promotes respect for the child's innate ability to learn through exploration, play, manipulation and curiosity. Therefore, it is considered necessary to give the child the freedom to express their interests and preferences, as well as to let them make mistakes and try as much as required.

3. Children are actively engaged in their learning

Contrary to traditional education, in Montessori self-learning is encouraged since most of the time the child chooses the materials, games or activities that are available to them. We also give the children the opportunity to define how long they want to work with the material, allowing them to work for an interrupted period.

4. Sensitive periods

Sensitive periods are considered windows of opportunity, in which the young child can learn skills with great ease. In these cases, the role of the adult is important, as their mission will be to observe and detect those sensitive periods when the child can make the most of their potential to acquire new skills.