1. Maria Montessori Presented By: Eiliesha Lambright
“The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences”- Dr. Maria Montessori
Presented By:
Eiliesha Lambright

2. Maria Montessori : ( )
Maria Montessori became the first female to earn a medical degree and become a physician in Italy.
Montessori revolutionized education for young children for years to come.
While working with disadvantaged and mentally retarded children in the slums of Rome, she sensed the children she worked with only lacked proper motivation and the right environment for learning. Using this developed perspective she opened a preschool, Casa di Bambini in 1907, for children ages 2-5 years of age to stay all day while their parents were at work.
She astonished people all over Europe and America with her teaching technique.
Before her, no one had articulated the needs of the growing child so clearly.

3. Interesting Facts:
“Montessori Center of Minnesota houses a unique, permanent and on-site museum that helps trainees, visitors and children explore the roots and principles of Maria Montessori teachings.”-montessoricentermn.org
Her family moved to Rome from Florence when she was just 5 years of age following her fathers work.
Originally a touring exhibit around the United States, the exhibit Montessori Journey is the result of an international effort by Germany, the United States, Australia and other counties in cooperation with the Centenary Committee of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) and the North American Montessori Teachers’ Association (NAMTA).
She was an only child of an important government official.
She ran her own medical clinic by the time she was 29.

4. By observing children, Montessori developed the Theory of How Children Learn & By focusing on the sequential steps of learning, Montessori developed a set of learning materials still widely used today.
Influenced by:
Jean Itard,
Edouard Seguin, Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, and
Freidrich Froebel
The Montessori Concept- Is a concept based on the belief that education begins at birth. In other words, Montessori concept is a plan for guiding growth from the very beginning. Montessori concept is a philosophy of child development.
Theory of How Children Learn-Theory of how children learn: children teach themselves if only we will dedicate ourselves to the self creating process of the child. She believed any task could be reduced to a series of smaller steps.

5. Principles of the theory A Human Developmental Theory:
Child centered and child based in philosophy and in practice.
1. Independence-“Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.” – Maria Montessori.
2. Observation- By observing without preconceived ideas, Maria Montessori was able to develop materials that the children “needed and were interested in.”
3. Following The Child- “The aim of the children who persevere in their work with an object is certainly not to “learn”; they are drawn to it by the needs of their inner life, which must be recognized and developed by its means.” – Maria Montessori.
4. Correcting The Child (with positive feedback)- make mistakes a learning opportunity. Rather than raising your voice or showing disapproval, simply help show them the right way. Otherwise, the child may become scared to attempt anything else in fear of getting in trouble for a mistake
5. Prepared Environment- She noticed that children liked to sit on the floor so she designed the school around the size of the children. Because of this enlightenment, a carefully prepared environment with child-sized furniture and materials are common features of early education classrooms.
6. Absorbent Mind- Montessori’s idea for the “absorbent mind” was sparked by observing children learning a language without anyone teaching them. “Children under the age of three, do not need to have lessons in order to learn, they simply absorb everything in the environment by experiencing it, being part of it.”

6. Observation example: “if a child starts banging on objects, it means that he has a need for that gross motor activity, so give him a drum.
-If children are pushing things around the room and they need to walk but can’t do it themselves yet, help them or give them a wagon to push.

7. Impact on Learning/Child Development Today:
Her contributions were substantial to all we do in early childhood programs today.
A prepared environment,
self-correcting and sequential materials,
teaching based on observation,
and trust in children’s innate drive to learn all stem form her work.
Montessori programs reach a much wider range of children than ever before-
Early Child Development programs all the way to High School students
The three main concepts used:
1)adapting school work to the individual rather than molding the child to fit the curriculum
2)insisting on freedom for children in selection of materials and choice of activities
3) training of the sense and on practical life issues

8. Right click title to open hyperlink to YouTube video
Maria Montessori: Learn about her teachings, life and lasting legacy (Davidson Films, Inc.)

9. Montessori’s impact on today’s education is seen in the :
classroom structures that accommodate individual learning and team building
Teacher’s lesson planning and strategies are made to encourage, motivate and guide the student’s learning
Example: Cooperative Learning has characteristics of Montessori’s theory
Continuing changing lesson plans that stay relevant to today’s students in terms of technology, new laws and economic growth
Example: Authentic Assessments

10. References: http://www.dailymontessori.com/montessori-theory/
Montessori Training Center. "Montessori Museum Exhibit." Montessoricentermn.org. Kpahi, n.d. Web. 22 June 2016.
American Montessori Society. "Introduction to Montessori Method." Montessori Resources for Schools, Teachers, Families. American Montessori Society, n.d. Web. 22 June 2016
Daily Montessori. "Maria Montessori Theory - Daily Montessori." Daily Montessori. ROKO - Sydney SEO Consultant, n.d. Web. 22 June 2016.
Gordon, Ann Miles., Kathryn Williams. Browne, and Josué Cruz. Beginnings and Beyond: Foundations in Early Childhood Education. 9th ed. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning, Print.