Montessori

Montessori Education

1. What is Montessori Education?

Montessori education is a method developed by Maria Montessori, a Christian, aimed at fostering "child independence." Originally a physician who became an educator, Montessori placed the utmost importance on recognizing each child's unique life. The core of education is the child, acknowledging their existence and discovering their growth and learning from them.

Therefore, Montessori education is a natural and unforced approach for children, allowing each child's abilities and individuality to be freely expressed. Known for its deep and comprehensive approach, Montessori education spans from basic life skills to sensory development, language, mathematics, and cultural education. Today, Montessori education is adopted and highly valued worldwide.

2. Purpose of Montessori Education

Draw out the child's latent abilities

The core principle of Montessori education is that children have the innate ability to grow and develop independently. Adults should support and facilitate this by understanding their needs and encouraging their free and spontaneous activities. The goal is to nurture self-sufficient, capable, responsible, and compassionate individuals who have a lifelong love of learning. Montessori education aims to draw out each child's unique potential and abilities, fostering holistic growth and development.

Making the Most of Sensitive Periods

There are certain critical periods, or "sensitive periods," during which specific functions of human development occur. Children become highly focused and dedicated to developing abilities related to these sensitive periods. For example, learning a foreign language as an adult can be very challenging, but children in the language-sensitive period (ages 0-3) easily absorb the surrounding language. This is the essence of a sensitive period. However, these periods are not permanent; they disappear after a certain age. Montessori education is designed to recognize and capitalize on these critical periods to draw out each child's latent abilities.

Between ages 3 and 6, sensory and motor functions are being refined and developed, accompanied by a surge of energy. It is said that by the age of 6, 90% of the brain's development is completed. Therefore, it is crucial for young children to have rich and high-quality experiences during this time. Missing these sensitive periods can lead to the need for much greater effort later on, which can be painful and challenging. Thus, it is important to fully utilize the sensitivity of these periods to support optimal development.

An Example of a Sensitive Period

When a different spoon is presented to children aged 0 to 3, they may suddenly have a tantrum and cry. This is an example of the "sensitive period for order," where even a slight change in routine can be significant for a child.

From ages 3 to 6, children enter sensitive periods for movement and sensory development. The sensitive period for movement involves a heightened sensitivity to activities like pinching, pulling, and carrying heavy objects. The sensitive period for sensory development involves heightened sensitivity to visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, and gustatory stimuli.

For example, during this period, children might hear sounds that adults may overlook or might try to touch everything around them.

Although these behaviors may be hard for adults to understand, knowing about sensitive periods can make parenting more enjoyable.

Even if you miss the first opportunity, there is a second chance.

First Opportunity

Maria Montessori observed that children aged 0-3 absorb everything in their environment unconsciously. Despite this crucial period, new mothers often feel overwhelmed, inexperienced and too occupied with the newborn. Missing this phase can lead to developmental issues that cannot be undone. During this period, children's innate intelligence begins to emerge, making it an excellent opportunity for parents to support their development fully.

Second Opportunity

If you missed the first phase, the 3-6 years period offers another chance for normalization. This phase is crucial for organizing and abstracting what was unconsciously absorbed earlier in development. ges 3-6 is critical for laying the foundation of lifelong stability and positivity. It is when various parts of development start working together, becoming organized and integrated. It’s also the time children begin to engage socially, moving from home to group settings like kindergarten. Each meaningful activity they encounter strengthens and develops their character from within.

3. The Effects of Montessori Education

Children who receive this education during their early years show increasingly clear benefits as they advance through elementary and middle school. They become filled with autonomy and independence, possess the ability to make decisions and take action on their own, and while expressing their individuality, they maintain harmony and cooperation in relationships. They develop a positive, forward-looking outlook on life and do not fall into self-denial. This is evidenced in educational settings. It is said that all children are born as geniuses, but up to 9,999 out of 10,000 can become distorted through the influence of adults. Montessori education is designed to nurture and bring out the genius in each child.

Notable Individuals who received Montessori Education

Montessori education has been adopted in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom for many years, and it has received high praise for producing numerous prominent individuals who have made significant impacts worldwide. Many of these individuals possess rich creativity and originality, influencing the world in various ways.

Notable figures who are said to have received Montessori education include:

Larry Page and Sergey Brin, co-founders of Google
Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon
Peter Drucker, renowned management scholar known as the "father of management"
Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook
Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft
Prince William and Prince Harry
Yo-Yo Ma, world-renowned cellist

4. Made Possible by OLIVE's Mixed-Age, Small Group Class System

In today's world, children have fewer opportunities to interact, learn, and love each other at home. In Montessori education, children learn from interacting with peers of different ages, avoiding the competition common in same-age groups. Older children care for and help younger ones, who in turn learn by observing the older ones. This multi-age classroom approach fosters individual focus on chosen activities and encourages friendships across ages and genders. Studies show that the benefits of Montessori education become especially evident in later elementary school years.

5. Engaging in the Five Areas in a Well-Prepared Environment

In Montessori education, children engage in activities (referred to as "work") that they are personally interested in and want to try. Rather than having a curriculum imposed upon them by teachers, children have the freedom to choose and fully immerse themselves in their chosen activities. As a result, children who select and engage in activities to their satisfaction gain a sense of accomplishment and confidence, which motivates them to tackle further activities with enthusiasm. They develop into individuals who think, judge, and act independently. Teachers are not in the position of simply teaching but instead are responsible for understanding each child's state and creating an environment that supports and enhances the child's inherent abilities. The core of Montessori education is the "child."

The Five Areas of Montessori Education

1. Practicing Practical Life Skills

Subjects that form the foundation of Montessori education. By utilizing the sensitive periods, we teach orderly movements and body coordination, helping children develop bodies that move according to their own will. Engaging in activities stimulates both the mind and body simultaneously, sparking motivation. By concentrating and achieving tasks, children experience a sense of satisfaction, which fosters a sense of independence and self-reliance, enabling them to do things on their own.

2. Sensorial Education

We refine children's innate five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch). Activities like distinguishing colors, shapes, and sizes, as well as sorting and comparing, lead to intellectual education. This awakens their intellect and helps them acquire abstract concepts, fostering critical thinking skills. From birth to age three, when the right brain is dominant, sensory education that stimulates the five senses is crucial.

3. Language Education

Using teaching materials such as picture cards and letter cards tailored to each developmental stage, we enrich vocabulary through activities involving "speaking, reading, and writing." Ultimately, we advance to grammar and sentence structure, fostering the ability to express emotions and intentions. From early childhood, children learn correct grammar and acquire polite and solid Japanese language skills. They also work on hiragana, katakana, and kanji, developing Japanese language skills at a level exceeding early elementary school.

At our school, we place great importance on providing opportunities for children to present their learning and research. We create chances for them to present or give presentations on the free research they have undertaken during Montessori activities, in front of parents and others.

Through their daily activities, children acquire correct Japanese reading and writing skills, and while exploring topics of curiosity, they learn to express their thoughts, opinions, and learnings in their own words. They develop the ability to present accurately and effectively using precise language.

4. Mathematics Education

Starting with concrete objects (such as beads) to help children physically experience quantities, the transition to abstract concepts is made through a systematic series of teaching tools. This approach guides children from basic number concepts through decimal systems, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in a gradual and manageable way. By using these tools to firmly grasp numerical concepts, children develop the skills needed for mental arithmetic and are well-prepared for elementary school math lessons.

5. Cultural Education

The main content includes history, geography, biology, and music. However, instead of studying these subjects systematically, children engage with and observe familiar things, visit actual sites, and participate in hands-on experiences. The goal is to nurture a broad, global perspective and develop a heart that appreciates and recognizes diversity.

6. What Montessori Education Can Achieve

★ Unlike group care, where everyone is forced to participate in the same activities, children are free to choose the materials they want to work with and can engage in activities (work) as much as they like.

★ The materials used in Montessori education are not just cute or interesting. They are designed to nurture specific developmental needs, with beautiful colors and shapes, and all are made of real materials for authentic work.

★ While children are free to start their activities, they also learn to follow promises and rules, such as returning materials to their original place, not disrupting their friends' activities, and sharing and waiting for their turn with a single material.

★ Since each activity is different, teachers keep track of each child's growth, interests, and condition, preparing and providing tailored care plans every day.

(This type of care is possible due to the small class capacity.)