This system of education is both a philosophy of child development and a rationale for guiding such growth. It is based on the child's developmental needs for freedom within limits, as well as, a carefully prepared environment which guarantees exposure to materials and experiences. Through this, the child develops intelligence as well as physical and psychological abilities. It is designed to take full advantage of the child's desire to learn and their unique ability to develop their own capabilities. The child needs adults to expose him to the possibilities of his life, but the child must determine his response to those possibilities. The main premises of Montessori education are:
The child has a deep love and need for purposeful work. He works, however, not as an adult for completion of a job, but rather, for the sake of the activity itself. It is this activity which enables him to accomplish his most important goal: the development of himself; his mental, physical, and psychological powers. |