The Montessori educational method is a holistic, balanced approach, which helps the physical, emotional, intellectual and moral development of the individual. It is not only aimed at imparting knowledge, but at creating a well-rounded personality, capable of handling the good and bad events of life. More specifically:
- Living in a small society gives him the opportunity to develop social skills that form the basis of a citizen with initiative, responsibility and independence.
- Mixed ages create the microcosm of a real society of coexistence, where its members have an equal role. Everyone has passed from the position of the youngest and all will pass from the position of the elder. The younger children strive to master skills inspired by the older ones, who become their mentors and role models. Older children, on the other hand, gain self-confidence by confirming their achievements, which they share with the younger ones, thus learning solidarity.
- Staying for three or even four years in the same class allows his personality to unfold. To create roots of security and wings of self-confidence and independence. It also cultivates the ground for connection with deep and meaningful roots between children and educators.
- Knowledge is mastered by the child himself, through a process that gives him inner satisfaction and rewards him with knowledge as such!
- There are no praises and prizesand so the competition is weakened and rendered meaningless. The motivation of learning is the process and knowledge, while the motivation of cooperation is the joy of offering and confirming the knowledge already acquired.
- The child acquires self-discipline which is true because it is not imposed by external factors such as reward or punishment.
- The freedom to choose an activity is encouraged. The child chooses what to do according to his inner needs, his interests. The Montessori philosophy shows trust in the child and the child trust in himself and his choices.
- Each child works at his own pace. The “fast” are not left behind and the “slow” are not pushed. It is possible to work in groups or individually.
- The Montessori method is applied in the same way in every corner of the planet. Because it aims at the all-round development of the child, it is not influenced by place, time period and culture.