Who was Maria Montessori?

Maria Montessori lived from 1870 to 1952. She was the first woman to attend medical school and the first female Doctor of Medicine in Italy. Through her work with the handicapped and socially deprived children, she developed her unique educational method, known as the Montessori Method. As a result of her further study, observation and experimentation, she found the principals of her method to be applicable to all children. She had a huge impact on the field of education in general and the way we understand and teach children today.

The Montessori Approach

Maria Montessori stated that children have a natural tendancy to learn. That stages of learning exist for which there should be corresponding education environments and appropriately trained teachers to prepare the environment. The child learns independently using the components of this and the teacher is the link between the child and the environment.

The learning environment cultivates individualisation, freedom of choice, concentration, independence, problem solving abilities, social interaction, disciplinary breadth and competency in basic skills.

In a true Montessori school, you will find independent children who not only do things for themselves but also think for themselves. You will find children who have learnt how to explore and solve problems for themselves.

And you will see small children helping each other and putting things away without being asked.

As children learn to read, write and count they also learn how to persevere, to accept guidance and to make choices. Through this learning process children develop a love for knowledge and discover their unique talents.

Little Tots recognise this and guide your child with care through the crucial stages of his or her educational journey.

The Absorbment Mind.

The young child has a unique aptitude for learning which Dr. Montessori defined as the 'Absorbment Mind'.

The mind of the young child quite literally absorbs information from the environment: for example, consider the way in which two year old children learn their native language, without formal instruction or conscious tedious effort. Acquiring information in this way is a natural and delightful activity for young children, who employ all their senses to investigate their interesting surroundings.