18 Aug Happy Birthday, Maria Montessori: Her Best Teachings

August 31st will mark 151 years since the birth of Dr. Maria Montessori, the pioneering founder of the Montessori method of education. Every August, the global Montessori community comes together to remember Maria’s legacy and its impact on the lives of children, families, and teachers throughout the world.

In honor of Maria Montessori’s 151st birthday, Sugar Mill Montessori explores some of her best teachings, accompanied by a few of her most famous quotes! If you’re located in Sugar Land, TX, or the Greater Houston area, we invite you to contact us today to learn more about Montessori education and our school.

Let’s get started.

Education Begins in the Earliest Stages of Life

“Education must begin at birth.”
‒ Maria Montessori, the 1946 London Lectures

A child’s education begins long before they enroll in early childhood care or preschool at the ages of two or three. Decades before studies showed how cognitive development starts within the first three months of life, Dr. Maria Montessori was quoted as saying that education should begin as early as infancy.

Here at Sugar Mill Montessori, we offer an Infant Program for children between the ages of three to 18 months. Through one-on-one interaction, we help infants develop language, as well as their gross and fine motor skills, paving the way for a lifetime of learning and success. If you’re interested in learning more about our Infant Program, get in touch with us today!

There are additional benefits to starting your child’s education early on in life. Throughout her career, Dr. Montessori wrote, spoke, and taught on the concept of the “absorbent mind.” This concept recognizes the period between birth and six years of age as a time when the behaviors and experiences of a child’s environment shapes their identity, as well as their disposition towards learning.

Children Are Their Best Teachers

Dr. Montessori also taught on the concept of the “inner teacher,” or the ability for a child to teach themselves. Think about how much a toddler accomplishes between the time they’re born to the age of three. Babies and toddlers learn to crawl, walk, talk, and behave by interacting with their environment.

Of course, parents can prepare their child’s environment and nurture the absorbent mind at all stages of infancy and early childhood ‒ but children themselves are the foremost natural guides of their own unique educational journey, and parents are mere observers of this phenomenon.

Freedom of Choice Shapes the Individual

“Free choice is one of the highest of all mental processes.”
‒ Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

No two children are ever exactly the same. Every child is unique when it comes to their personality, talents, skills, and interests. That’s why Dr. Maria Montessori created an environment where all children share the freedom to choose what they learn and pursue as individuals ‒ no matter the differences between them.

Freedom of choice is present every day in the Montessori classroom. From the toys they play with to the books they read, Montessori students are free to make decisions for themselves. This freedom is imperative to the child’s individuality and sense of self-fulfillment, as well their ability to make healthy choices in life.

What Parents & Teachers Can Do

Montessori parents and teachers can prepare an environment that provides the child with choices. By observing what the child likes and gravitates towards, parents and teachers can then present materials and activities that will best interest the child.

As observers, teachers and parents can also guide children when they’re struggling to make a decision for themselves. They can do so in a way that doesn’t force them or make them feel inferior and submissive, nor infringe on their freedom.

This doesn’t mean we should allow children to do or behave however they please. Dr. Montessori is also quoted as saying:

“A child needs freedom within limits.”

Instead, we should encourage children to move and behave freely in their environment while still showing respect for themselves, others, and the surrounding environment. Parents can promote free and respectful movement in their infants and toddlers by integrating activities that promote peace and courtesy at home.

We Must Prepare Our Children for the Real World

“Within the child lies the fate of the future.”
‒ Maria Montessori

As parents and teachers, we have a monumental responsibility to nurture our children and help them navigate the world as responsible individuals. Dr. Maria Montessori often wrote and spoke on the role of education in the child’s life and its potential to drive social change and promote peace.

Parents will frequently question how they must educate and prepare their children for life in the “real world,” usually pertaining to careers, relationships, and how to be a good citizen. Yes, Montessori education can shape children into responsible and successful citizens, but it goes much deeper than that.

How Does a Montessori Education Prepare Children for the Real World?

Montessori education teaches children how to make choices, discoveries, overcome challenges, and take responsibility for themselves. In essence, preparing children for life and the future was and continues to be at the heart of Dr. Montessori’s philosophy and every Montessori classroom.

This is what a typical day can look like for a Montessori student:

The child is immersed in a diverse classroom with kids of various ages. The child chooses activities based on what personally interests them, and they achieve great satisfaction in the process.

We integrate science experiments and critical thinking activities to promote problem-solving and help the child discover how the world works. By cultivating scientific minds, children learn compassion, critical thinking, the ability to reason, as well as self-discipline.

Children learn how to play, communicate, work alongside others, and treat others with courtesy and respect. When things don’t go their way or they’re presented with a challenging situation, the child will learn to overcome the challenge with minimal intervention.

Children eventually go on to apply these experiences later on in elementary, middle, and high school and well into adulthood.

Let’s Celebrate Maria Montessori’s Best Teachings

Happy Birthday, Maria Montessori!

It’s 151 years since the birth of our founder, Dr. Maria Montessori, and we’re thrilled to celebrate her best teachings and how they have impacted the lives of our students here at Sugar Mill Montessori.

If you’d like to learn more about the Montessori philosophy and the programs we offer, contact us today!