Independent learning and Montessori education
Every parent desires that their child grows to be independent, confident, and keeps up a desire to learn all the time. However, this can really happen when the child is given an environment from the very first day to try and do things for himself with the express aim of learning. This is the thought upon which Montessori education is based.
The Montessori method takes children forward not by teaching books or cramming, but by making an environment in which children choose activities according to their interest, which they can explore at leisure and draw lessons from their own errors. The teacher’s role in this case is simply that of a ‘guide’, showing direction to children, but without controlling them strictly.
The bases for independent learning in Montessori education
Montessori believes that discovery and doing things by themselves is what will help a child learn well. It believes in a prepared environment for this learning.
1. Prepared Environment
Set up in Montessori room or home so that everything is placed according to the height and needs of the child.
- That is very light and small so that they can use it for himself.
- Most of the learning materials are already available on open shelves so the child can choose easily.
- Replace toys with some learning objects, such as puzzles, counting beads, wooden figures, water vessels, small brooms, and clothes.
For example: if the child is thirsty, he has a small jug and glass, through which he can pour water himself. This small activity makes him self-reliant and increases his self-confidence.
2. Freedom Within Limits
In Montessori, a child gets endowed with a lot of freedom but this freedom is neither total nor absolute.
- He can choose which activity to do at any given moment.
- The rule is that he has to make sure not to disrupt others and complete the work properly.
For instance: one could construct a tower with the blocks, or play puzzles, but he should be careful not to throw around the blocks and should place them back on the shelf when the game is over.
This way the child learns independence as well as responsibility and discipline.
3. Self-Directed Activity
Montessori holds that when a child chooses a task of his interest, he does it more deeply and with more enthusiasm.
- To illustrate — some children enjoy playing with colours, and are given the activity of identifying those colours.
- Some children have an interest in mathematics and are allowed to add and subtract with beads or shapes.
This practice of choice develops both decision-making ability and self-confidence in the child.
4. Hands-On Self-Correcting Materials
The most special aspect of Montessori is its materials, which are so made that the child can identify and correct the mistake himself.
- If he puts a block in the wrong place, it will not fit.
- Or if he has blundered in counting, he will know it himself because the number of beads will not fit.
This is known as ‘control of error’. In this process, the child does not have to hear again and again the nagging of an elder. He learns from his own mistakes. This breeds both self-reliance and confidence in him.
5. Practical Life Activities
These are practical activities that are taught in Montessori, because they are everyday life activities.
- Pouring water
- Washing dishes
- Sweeping
- Serving food
- Watering plants
- Putting buttons or wearing shoes
All these are simple tasks, and so important to kids because through them the child learns his fine motor skills (control of small muscles), concentration, and pride in finishing what he started.
6. Teacher as a Guide
In Montessori education, teachers do not lecture like traditional school teachers. They are just guides.
- They observe the children and see what fascinates them.
- When they feel a need arises, they introduce new material or activities.
- They leave children to their explorations and learning on their own.
Thus, a child does not depend on others always but learns thinking and solving problems independently.
7. Long uninterrupted work periods
Montessori gives children long hours for play, whereby they can lose themselves deeply in their own chosen activity.
Typically, the activity would last for about 2 or 3 hours with no interference at all.
This dramatically enhances their concentration.
For example: if this child is putting a puzzle together and in the middle gets a reason to be interrupted, he will be diverted. However, when given the time without being interfered with, he will finish putting his puzzles together and feel fulfilled.
8. Mixed Age-Classrooms
Students from different ages learn together in Montessori class. This is a very beneficial aspect.
- Younger ones learn from the older ones.
- As they help others, older ones learn to assume responsibility and vision while developing the trait of leadership.
This is just like forming a small society, where each one learns from the other.
Benefits of Montessori
All these principles affect the entire person of a child.
- The child becomes self-dependent.
- He gets self-confidence and discipline.
- He is not afraid of mistakes, but learns from them.
- He loves learning, harbours passion for learning, and most retain interest in it.
- Maturity and development occur for him socially as well as emotionally.
Conclusion
Montessori education teaches to study and to live. It equips them to make choices, discover, learn from mistakes, and become self-reliant within an environment as shown in this method.
Its beauty is that there is very much a balance achieved between freedom and limitations. This is the child that is allowed to learn freely but at the same time understands responsibility and discipline. Those would later make him a confident, responsible, and happy person.
