When children are first enrolled in school, they don’t have a sense of direction. A large part of Dr. Montessori’s academic philosophy was centered around teaching kids the right ways to engage with their studies so that they developed a strong curiosity and desire to keep learning more about the world in a productive way.
Developing an Interest
Maria Montessori believed that the key to successfully educating a child is to get them interested in learning about the world. She said that interest can never come from without, only from within. However, once a child was successfully engaged with their studies, she quickly noticed that their thirst for education never died down. Because of this, one of the main goals of the Montessori method is to present education in a favorable light so that students are encouraged to explore their natural fascination with learning about the world.
Throughout her own education, Dr. Montessori frequently noticed that the distance between coursework and reality made it difficult for students to engage. She solved this problem by developing lesson plans that deliberately connected abstract concepts to reality. By helping kids see why their coursework was relevant, she found that they were that much more likely to dive head-first into their studies.
Envisioning the Greater Whole
Part of helping kids connect their education with reality includes painting a vision of the world outside of the classroom. In Dr. Montessori’s own words,
“If the idea of the universe be presented to the child in the right way, it will do more for him than just arouse his interest, for it will create in him admiration and wonder, a feeling loftier than any interest and more satisfying. The child’s mind then will no longer wander, but becomes fixed and can work.”
Following this philosophy, Dr. Montessori gave frequent lectures about science, history, and other topics that seemed relevant to her student’s current studies, no matter how trivial the actual coursework might seem. She combined engaging academic lectures with scheduled work periods to develop a steady flow of interest and engagement. The stunning results of this method were well-recognized, and Dr. Montessori’s teaching style is still in use today.
Dr. Montessori’s writings ranged through philosophy, science, educational theory, and even cosmology. She believed that if you can help a student love life, you’ll have no problem getting them to work, play, and thrive. Help your children have a vision of the world around them, and you’ll see immediate results in their ability to engage and learn.
