Montessori education is a process in which a child independently builds his personality, using all his abilities. An important innovation of M. Montessori was the destruction of the traditional classroom system and the creation of an original educational process for children from 3 to 12 years old, built on the recognition of each student's right to significant autonomy and independence, to their own pace of work and specific ways of mastering knowledge. The motto of Montessori pedagogy was the words of the child addressed to the teacher: "Help me do it myself." A teacher working according to the Montessori system always recognizes the child's desire for independence. Montessori is a unique method. It is based on a reasonable balance between freedom and a clear structure, specifically designed for small child. The method includes children in activities that are interesting to them, provides carefully designed didactic materials that are attractive, easy to use, and correspond to the natural age characteristics of the child. The possibility of self-control inherent in the materials allows the child to see his own mistakes. In this case, the adult does not need to point out the child's mistakes.

According to the Montessori methodology, a specially prepared cultural developmental environment is created for the child, in which he finds everything necessary for his development, "absorbs" the correct speech, receives rich sensory impressions, and masters ways of handling various objects. At the same time, the child should have access to the so-called "Montessori materials" at any time. All benefits must be made from natural materials. Characteristically, their design has remained virtually unchanged since their creation, i.e., for about a hundred years. The child also decides for himself whether he will do something alone or with others. With age, the activities of children become more complicated.

Montessori class covers a number of areas:

The practical life zone is of particular importance for young children (2.5-3.5 years old). Here are materials with the help of which the child learns to take care of himself and his things. Using frames with fasteners (buttons, buttons, zippers, buckles, pins, laces, bows and hooks); child learn independently, dress; pour over (water); wash the table.

Sensory development zone - gives the child the opportunity to use their senses in the study of the world around them. Here the child can learn to distinguish height, length, weight, color, noise, smell, shape of various objects; get to know the properties of fabrics;

Zones - linguistic, mathematical, geographical, natural science provide materials whose main purpose is the mental development of the child.

The Montessori class includes children of different ages (from 3 to 6 years old), which contributes to a higher level of learning opportunities. When a child first begins to learn, older, more experienced children help him. Later, he will be able to help others, having formed learning skills. Every Montessori class is unique. Although the method has a well-defined structure, it is flexible and open to individual interpretation. Because no two people are exactly the same, and each Montessori class, being dependent on the interpretation of the method and the capabilities of the teacher, is unique.

Montessori theory is based on the following principles:

1. Children create themselves through purposeful activity.

2. Children have unusual sensitive abilities to absorb and learn through their environment.

3. The most important period for acquiring knowledge is from birth to six years.

4. The right of children to be different from adults and from each other, the right of everyone to preserve their individuality should be respected.

5. Approach to the child as a whole. The main task is to help him reach his full potential in all areas of life.

The fundamental principles of the pedagogical system:

1. The principle of conditions for the freedom of development of the child: Discipline is self-mastery as an inner ability, the ability to find a balance between what is good for oneself and what is good for others. Real discipline is also in no way connected with pressure, coercion. Discipline helps the child to grow independent, i.e. to be free, to treat others with respect, to control oneself. Freedom, like discipline, is the inner feeling of every person.

In her system, freedom means:

1. Freedom of choice of material (from a complete set of Montessori materials);

Choosing a variant of working with this material (in the context of the basic use);

The choice of time for work and the duration of work in accordance with the need and internal rhythm;

Choosing a workplace;

Selecting a friend or group to work with.

2. Freedom of communication - means that any child has the right to communicate with other children and adults, ask a question and receive a friendly answer. A sense of self-confidence is formed in children not only due to orientation in the material, but also as a result of trust in people in the group.

3. Freedom of reflection - the child does not have to be constantly active. He should have the opportunity and time to reflect on his previous and next actions.

In conditions of free activity, the child learns to evaluate his abilities and make decisions in connection with the choice of material, place, partner, etc., realizes his responsibility for decision, experiences joy from the process and result of the activity, which occurs due to internal, and not external motivation.

2. The principle of concentration. Montessori came to the conclusion that a large degree of concentration of attention generates activity of the hands under the guidance of the mind. Children's "experimentation" is a consequence of active exploratory handling of an independently chosen subject, which, in turn, activates the child's attention, mental activity and contributes to their long-term and effective unification - polarization.

Thanks to the internal concentration on the subject, the process of mental self-development of the child becomes possible. In addition, endurance, perseverance and patience necessary for intellectual activity are brought up.

3. The principle of a specially prepared learning environment. In Montessori pedagogy, special attention is paid to the activation of the process of synthesizing complex actions that are new to the child from already known elements presented to him in exercises with didactic material. Therefore, Montessori does not teach writing - writing, reading-reading, drawing - drawing, but provides the child with the opportunity to independently “compose these complex actions out of elements”, and each in his own time, in accordance with the onset of the corresponding sensitive period.

The teacher creates and maintains a connection between the child and the developing object-spatial environment. He carefully observes the children, in no case imposing his help on them, but if necessary, he helps exactly as much as the child asks for help. If help is not required, the teacher does not interfere in the process of the child's activity, allowing him to make mistakes and find them on his own, since the control function is inherent in the didactic material itself.

4. The principle of sensitivity. Montessori's didactic material in its structure and subject logic corresponds to the sensitive periods of a child's development. Sensitive periods are called periods of special susceptibility of children to certain methods, activities; to methods of emotional response, behavior in general, etc. In accordance with development, sensitive periods serve to ensure that the child has the fundamental opportunity to acquire the internally necessary knowledge, skills, ways of behavior, etc.

Montessori identified six main sensitive periods in the development of children under six years of age:

1. Sensitive period of speech development (from 0 to 6 years);

2. Sensitive period of sensory development (0 to 5.5 years);

3. Sensitive period of perception of order (“sensitive period of accuracy”, from 0 to 3 years):

order in the environment;

Order in time;

The order in the behavior of adults in relation to the child.

4. Sensitive period of perception of small objects (from 1.5 to 5.5 years);

5. Sensitive period of mastering movements and actions (from 1 to 4 years);

6. Sensitive period for the development of social skills (2.5 to 6 years).

5. The principle of limitation and order Violation of order and restoration of it is the strongest motive for children's actions, Montessori believed, since the child likes to see the objects of his environment in the same place, he tries to restore this order if he has violated it. Although for the most part the teacher allows the children to cope with the chosen work on their own, nevertheless, there are certain cases when he approaches them to interrupt the free activity. The principle that guides, in the words of Dr. Montessori, is the following: “The teacher should never be afraid to interrupt what is bad; but he must be afraid to destroy what is good. Good is interpreted as any activity that leads to order, harmony, self-development and, therefore, discipline; bad is something that leads to the leakage of children's creative energy and, consequently, to disorder.

Restriction one: collective interest - the freedom of the child should be limited by the collective interest, since we usually consider the observance of the interests of the community as good education.

Second limitation: knowledge must precede choice—i.e. the child can work independently only with those materials with which he knows how to handle.

Restriction three: correct use materials - the child is allowed to deal with any material only as long as he uses it in the right way.

Restriction four: according to the number of materials in the prepared environment - each material, manual, type of work should be presented in a single copy so as not to reduce the intensity of perception of a child surrounded by too large quantity materials.

6. Rules of conduct in the group. The main purpose of the rules is to protect the interests of the team and each individual child. All rules must meet the following basic requirements: - presented in a positive manner;

Be short and clear, appropriate for the age of the children;

The rules are binding on everyone, including adults; it is desirable to be consistent and not change the rules.

7. The principle of a special place for a teacher in the education system At first glance, it seems that the role of the teacher in educational process belittled. In fact, it consists in presenting the material to the child in order to show how it is used, how it is “worked” with. The teacher always shows the child a rational way of working with the material, gives a model of actions aimed at revealing the properties and relationships "included" in the material.

Montessori understood the process of upbringing and education as helping the mental development of the child from birth, and later as help in life. Help is key here. This is what largely determines the role of the teacher's position in relation to the child. The teacher always benevolently and unobtrusively guides the child, becoming an intermediary between him and the prepared didactic environment. That is why the teacher is constantly next to the child, not interfering with him, carefully observing, overtaking him, if necessary, by a step and providing his help and guidance, or stepping back and giving the child the opportunity to fully enjoy independent activity.

An important effect of such an organization of learning is that, unlike a regular lesson or lesson, the teacher has great temporary opportunities to help children who need it, without delaying the advancement of faster and more capable children. Each child, therefore, follows his own "educational route", at his own comfortable speed, receiving the help he needs immediately and promptly. This allows us to the maximum extent, not in words, but in deeds, to observe the principle of an individual and differentiated approach to learning. From this follows the principle of individualization of education, which is significant in Montessori pedagogy.

Another important principle of M. Montessori's pedagogy is the principle of social education and integration.

Individual work and individual interest are made possible by learning aids designed for individual work in a group that is heterogeneous in age and experience (of different ages and different in experience and level of development). Formed groups include children with a difference in age of three years (from 3 to 6 years). mixed age groups contribute to the development of role distance, which has a beneficial effect on moral development children. Among children, a natural system of mutual assistance develops: younger children can ask for help from older children. Older children, showing the work with the material to the younger ones or answering their questions, themselves better learn the essence of the matter, learn to help, take care of others.

In such groups, social skills are more naturally formed and developed; working with materials from older children powerful source interest and motivation for such work for the younger ones. In this case, the teacher is freed from additional efforts aimed at arousing interest in the material, at activating children in activities.

In psychological terms, it is important that in a group of different ages there are no grounds for comparing children with each other. In the Montessori method, there are no assessments as such. A good “assessment” for a child is self-control, which contains the didactic material itself. The mistake made does not put pressure on the child, but stimulates him to new manipulations with the material and moves him towards independent training. Montessori - a child does not need praise. Praise for the child will be confirmation of the correctness of the exercise performed through self-control.

Montessori - Pedagogy is an integral educational system, the effectiveness of which is confirmed by many years of successful experience. practical work with kids. The creator of this system was the outstanding Italian humanist teacher, doctor and public figure Maria Montessori.

For almost a century of existence, her ideas have spread throughout the world. Currently, Montessori - kindergartens and schools exist in Europe and America, Asia and Australia. In 1910-20s. they also arose in Russia, but subsequently this pedagogical direction in our country was undeservedly forgotten.

The main idea of ​​Maria Montessori is to enable the child to fully reveal his inner potential in the process of free independent activity in the spatial-subject environment created by the teacher. A prepared environment is a condition for the development and learning of children and allows each child to develop at their own pace. The task of the teacher is, first of all, to provide the child with the means of self-development and show how they are treated. Such means are autodidactic, i.e. self-learning Montessori - materials with which the child works first according to the model shown by the teacher, and then independently performs various exercises, including those invented by him.

Yulia Fugina
Pedagogy of Maria Montessori

For almost 100 years the name Maria Montessori attracts attention teachers in more than 80 countries around the world. Known as an outstanding scientist and humanist at the beginning of the century, she created pedagogical system, which has not been and is not equal in the world experience. In ideas Montessori Pedagogy attracted by the deep humanism of the upbringing and educational system, the absence of any authoritarianism. Montessori - Pedagogy surprisingly technological and thoughtful, it allows the child to develop at his own pace, according to his abilities, using specially designed materials under the guidance of an experienced teacher ... Today Maria Montessori pedagogy experiencing the peak of popularity around the world. thousands teachers, recognizing Montessori educational system unique and extraordinarily effective, works according to its pedagogical principles. There are thousands of preschool institutions around the world based on Montessori Pedagogy.

For healthy children Montessori pedagogy is developing, and for children with any deviations - therapeutic. Main remedy serve the atmosphere, the spirit kindergarten, environment, developmental environment and personality teacher.

Pedagogical principles of the M system. Montessori.

Maria Montessori highlights in her pedagogicalsystem several important principles:

1. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ENVIRONMENT IN EDUCATION.

One of the most important principles Maria Montessori considers the importance of the environment in education. She argues that for the most productive development of the child, it is necessary to create an environment that meets his needs and interests.

2. FREEDOM AND DISCIPLINE.

“Discipline in freedom is a great principle, which is not easy for the adherent of traditional school methods to understand. How to achieve discipline in the class of free children? Of course, in our system the concept of discipline is very different from the current concept of it. Since discipline is based on freedom, then discipline itself must necessarily be active, active. Ordinarily, we consider an individual as disciplined only from the moment he becomes silent, like a mute, and immobile, like a paralytic. But this is a personality destroyed, not disciplined.

We call a person disciplined when he controls himself and knows how to adjust his behavior to the need to follow one or another worldly rule. This concept of active discipline is not easy to comprehend and assimilate, but it contains a great educational principle, very different from the unconditional and unquestionable demand for immobility.

A teacher who intends to lead a child under the conditions of such discipline needs to master a special technique if she wants to make this path easier for him for the rest of his life, wants to make him a complete master over herself. The freedom of the child must be given a limit in the collective interest, and its form must be what we call upbringing. Therefore, everything in the child that offends or affects others unpleasantly or that has the character of a rude or impolite act should be suppressed. But everything else - every manifestation that has a useful purpose - whatever it may be and in whatever form it may be expressed, must not only be allowed, but must also become an object of observation for the educator.

Montessori in his work he gives an example of behavior teacher.

“One day the children, laughing and chatting, gathered around a bowl of water in which several toys floated. In our school there was a boy only two and a half years old. He was left outside the circle, alone, and it was easy to see that he was burning with curiosity. I watched him from a distance with great attention; at first he moved closer to the children and tried to squeeze into their midst, but he did not have enough strength for this, and he began to look around in all directions. The expression on his face was unusually interesting. I regret that I did not have a photographic apparatus at that moment. His eyes fell on the chair, and he apparently decided to move it towards the group of children and then climb onto it. With a beaming face, he began to make his way to the chair, but at that moment the teacher rudely (she would probably say - gently) she grabbed him in her arms and, lifting him over the heads of other children, showed him a bowl of water, exclaiming: “Here, baby, look at you too!”

Without a doubt, the child, seeing floating toys, did not experience the joy that he should have experienced when he overcame the obstacle on his own. The desired spectacle could not benefit him, while a meaningful attempt would develop his mental strength. In this case, the teacher prevented the child from educating himself without giving him another benefit in return. The little one had already begun to feel like a winner and suddenly felt powerless in the arms of the two hands that bound him. The expression of joy, anxiety and hope that interested me so much faded from his face and was replaced by the dull expression of a child who knows that others will act for him. Tired of my remarks, the teachers gave the children complete freedom. The children climbed on the tables with their feet, picked their noses with their fingers, and no steps were taken to correct them. Others pushed their comrades, and on the faces of these children I read an expression of anger; the teacher paid no attention to all this. Then I intervened and showed with what unconditional severity it is necessary to stop and suppress everything that cannot be done, so that the child can clearly distinguish between good and evil.

This is the starting point of discipline, and its foundations must be laid in this way.

Education should come to the aid of the child by a reasonable weakening of social ties that limit his activity. And as the child grows up in such an atmosphere, his immediate manifestations become more distinct and reveal his nature with the evidence of truth. For all these reasons, the first steps pedagogical interventions should tend to develop independence in the child.

3. INDEPENDENCE

A person cannot be free if he is not independent. Therefore, the first active manifestations of the child's individual freedom must be directed in such a way that in this activity his independence is developed. Young children begin to demand independence from the moment they are weaned.

In contrast to the prevailing condescending approach to "babies"- they say, what will you take from them, - humanist teacher It was at this age that she saw the enormous potential for the formation of the human personality.

The essence of the development of an infant is self-learning, exactly corresponding to the program laid down in it by nature. It is this process that forms in the child “the prototype of the future religious feeling and the characteristics of his national consciousness.” The psychological and physiological basis of this process is the one noted by M. Montessori feature of early childhood, which she characterized as "absorbent mind". In her opinion, if adults acquire knowledge with the help of the mind, then the child absorbs them through his mental life. Just by living, he learns to speak the language of his people, and “a chemical process is going on in his mind” In a child, impressions not only penetrate the consciousness, but also form it. As if embodied in it. With the help of what surrounds him, the baby creates his own "mental flesh". Therefore, the task of adults, according to Montessori is not to teach, but to help "the mind of the child in his work on his development" because it is at an early age that he has tremendous creative energy. "Every pedagogical measure, more or less suitable for the upbringing of young children, should make it easier for children to enter this path of independence. We must teach them to walk unaided, to run, to go up and down stairs, to pick up dropped objects, to dress and undress themselves, to bathe, to pronounce words clearly and express their desires accurately. We must develop in children the ability to achieve their individual goals and desires. All these are the stages of education in the spirit of independence.

4. REMOVAL OF REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS

The reward is satisfaction from the activity that has become available; punishment is relative isolation from the team (landing at a separate, however comfortable table with favorite toys; at the same time, the child does not lose the caress of the teacher). “A person disciplined by freedom begins to yearn for the true and only reward that never humiliates him or brings disappointment - the flowering of his spiritual strength and the freedom of his inner "I", his soul, where all his active faculties arise. It turns out that in order for the child to learn (and better educated) himself, he no longer needs to be punished or encouraged, you just need to throw a “coal” into the furnace of his mind in time, and even better show how and where to find this coal.

5. DIFFERENT AGES.

M. Montessori noticed that children teach other children better than adults, and in our adulthood we communicate with those who are older than us and with those who are younger. Using this observation, she filled her classrooms with children. different ages, distinguishing two groups. In the first - children from 3 to 6 years old, in the second - from 6 to 12. They have different tasks. Until the age of six, the child builds his mind, and after six, he actively masters the culture. And if children grow wiser each at their own pace and to their limit, then culture can still be mastered in different forms and directions. It is much more difficult to organize assistance to the second group, therefore there are much fewer classes for children from 6 to 12 in the world than classes from 3 to 6. Thus, the basic principles of the school Montessori can be formulated in a few words - “the main thing that we must remember. First, it is the interest of the child, which leads him to focus on learning. Secondly, the cooperation of children, the invaluable basis of which is uneven ages. Thirdly, the existence of the human instinct for autonomy, which leads to discipline and order. And all these are the foundations of the organization of the school of my direction.

Basic concepts Montessori Pedagogy.

Absorbent thinking. Beneath the absorbing mind Maria Montessori understands the specific feature of the child to absorb all the information around him like a sponge. This has been discussed in detail above. Montessori writes: “It can be said that if we, adults, acquire knowledge with the help of our mind, then the child absorbs it through his mental life. Just by living, he learns to speak the language of his people. There is a chemical process going on in his mind. Adults act as recipients: impressions flow into us, and we remember them, but we do not merge with them, just as water does not merge with the glass of a glass. In rarer cases, on the contrary, impressions not only penetrate consciousness, but also shape it. They seem to be embodied in it. With the help of what surrounds him, the child creates his own "mental flesh". We called it "absorbent mind". It is very difficult to comprehend all the abilities of the child's mind, but there is no doubt that this is an extremely fruitful form of mental activity.

Sensitivity. Sensitive periods are called periods of special susceptibility of children to certain methods, activities; to ways of emotional response, behavior in general, up to the fact that each character trait develops most intensively on the basis of some internal impulse and for some narrow period of time. In accordance with "cosmic plan" development, sensitive periods serve to ensure that the child has the fundamental opportunity to acquire the internally necessary knowledge, skills, ways of behavior, etc. dedicate your life to the fight against the nature of the child, which is sincerely considered pedagogy; adults can observe the manifestations characteristic of the most intense stages of the flow of a particular sensitive period, which is necessary for an accurate assessment of the current level of development of the child. It is also possible to foresee the next sensitive period and prepare the appropriate environment (didactic material so that the child has what he needs most of all). this moment. From this point of view "prepared environment" Montessori schools is the optimal solution to the problem - it always has everything around the child that he may need to realize any of his cognitive interests.

Sensitive periods occur during the development of all children, regardless of race, nationality, pace of development, geopolitical, cultural differences, etc. They are individual when it comes to the time of their occurrence and duration in a particular child. Hence, the very idea of ​​a frontal approach to teaching children looks wild (especially those under the age of 6, as well as the availability of all educational programs, apart from individual: firstly, the biological age of 5 years does not mean at all that the child is psychologically appropriate for this age; secondly, the average timing of the onset and the dynamics of the course of a certain sensitive period do not at all guarantee that every child goes through it in this particular mode.

Space education.

The concept of space education of the child M. Montessori created during her life in India (1939-1945) under the influence of theosophical teachings, which she became interested in, having become acquainted with the works of theosophists of that time. This concept is based on the idea of ​​knowing a person in all complexity and diversity, his place in history and culture, the idea that all life on earth has an hour of birth and an hour of death, has its continuation in time and its own phenomenon of development. The path to them lies through the feeling of being in a small and big world through a sense of one's surroundings. The didactic meaning of the child's cosmic upbringing lies in the plane of refinement of the sensory experience of various phenomena of nature, culture and life in society.

The Montessori technique is not only pouring cereals and playing with liners, as many people imagine. In fact, this is a whole system of education. And it is based primarily on respect for the child and granting him maximum freedom and independence. Maria Montessori saw the goal of her whole life as the education of free, independent, independent thinking people who are able to make decisions and bear responsibility for them, its system is based on these principles. A teacher or mother who adheres to Montessori principles will never tell a child “Put it down, don’t touch it”, “You haven’t grown up yet”, but on the contrary, knowing his constant need to explore the world, he will give a lot of interesting materials to his hands, entrust him with simple feasible work .

With technique early development I met Maria Montessori when my daughter Taisiya was not yet a year old. I read about the technique, tried to apply something in our games. But I was really inspired by the ideas of this wonderful system when Taisiya and I started going to the developing Montessori club. Toddlers enthusiastically wielding a mop and brush, play materials made, it would seem, from ordinary things, but so attractive to children - all this inspired me to recreate a developing Montessori environment in our home and introduce the basic principles of the methodology into raising my daughter.

In this article I will tell you what this early development technique is, and read more about how it can be implemented at home here:

Although many Montessori clubs claim to accept babies from 8 months old, I think it is most advisable to apply the methodology from 1 year old.

Basic principles of the Montessori methodology

The essence of Montessori pedagogy is to encourage the child to self-learning and self-development. According to Maria Montessori, a child has a great inner need to explore and learn about the world around him. No need to force anyone, persuade, pester with developmental activities. In order for the baby to develop enough

1. in time to create for the child the conditions necessary for development - developing environment;
2. give the child freedom and independence.

Thanks to this, the child will be able to develop at his own rhythm and pace, according to his individual needs.

What is meant by development environment? In such an environment for the baby, firstly, developmental materials are specially selected according to age, and secondly, the space is organized so that all game aids are always available to the baby, he can easily get them himself and deal with them as much as he sees fit.

The Montessori experience has shown that children are most interested in those actions and objects that are associated with real life adults. Therefore, most Montessori materials are based on the most ordinary objects: here we learn, dust, play with dishes, all kinds of things, etc. Very great importance is attached to the system, so many Montessori games take place with the participation of buttons, etc. In the heading "" I write in detail about what toys will be needed at a particular age.

The second key principle in the methodology is “ giving the child freedom and independence . And this means that the child himself determines the type of activity and its duration. Nobody is forcing him to do anything. The kid doesn’t want to cut it out now - we don’t force him (although it seems to us that he hasn’t done this for a long time, and it’s time to take up the scissors), he will cut it when he is interested. Now he has other interests and they need to be respected. And so that the child’s hobbies are not limited to cars or dolls alone, you need to correctly create a developing environment.

The principle of freedom also implies that we do not snatch anything from a child with cries of “Put it down, don’t touch it!”. The environment should be organized in such a way that there are no objects dangerous or especially valuable for you in the reach of the baby. Therefore, remove from your eyes what is forbidden for the child, and let the child use the rest of the items without any obstacles, but with adherence to several clear and simple rules (read about it below).

The child should be given as much independence as possible. For children, this is very important. Did the croup wake up during the game? It doesn't matter, let the baby sweep everything by himself (if the baby is not yet coping well with the brush and dustpan, hold his hands with yours). Are you cooking, and the baby walks next to you with a clear desire to participate? Give the child some feasible work (to interfere, shift something, and you can even cut a banana with a plastic knife!) Of course, this approach requires great patience from the mother: it is much easier to do everything yourself, and it will turn out faster and better. But this way you will never teach the baby independence, do not instill in his soul self-confidence.

We follow simple rules with the baby

An integral element of Montessori pedagogy is the observance of a few simple and clear rules. Here are the main ones:

The child prepares for the lesson on his own : give the baby the opportunity to get the material from the shelf himself, cover the table with oilcloth before drawing, bring paints, draw some water into a glass. Naturally, you can help the child, especially if he asks for it (hold the child’s hands, help draw water, collect garbage with a brush, etc.), but only help, and not do everything for the child.

After we have worked with the material, we put it back in place and only after that we start the game with other benefits. This rule is not always easy to follow, but one should try to do it in most cases.

1. If you are in a club or have several children in your family, it is also useful to follow this rule: The one who first took it deals with the material , the rest will have to wait until the game is free. If the happy owner of the game does not mind, then everyone can play together, but there is no need to insist on this.

Be prepared for the fact that the child will not always unquestioningly follow the established orders, especially at first. However, it is necessary to constantly remind the baby to follow the rules. “We have these rules: if we want to play with something else, we must first remove this game.” Important: if the child does not want to clean up after himself or follow any other rules, do not force him. Just try to always remove the toys after the game: if the baby does not want to remove them himself, offer your help, if he refuses with your help, remove the toys for him, but say, “OK, mom will help you now, and next time you take it yourself" . Thus, the child will always see that you yourself follow the rule and cleaning up toys will soon become a natural end to the game for him.

In general, try not to turn the cleaning of toys into a punishment, let it become the final part of the game. Accompany cleaning positive emotions helping the baby and cheerfully commenting on what and where to put, where to throw out what garbage. Offer to look for where the toy's house is or say something like "So, now let's send the bear to sleep in his place"

My daughter and I started going to the Montessori club at the age of 1 year 2 months, a month later we began to introduce the Montessori system at home. The daughter caught all the rules even in the first classes at the club, at first she fulfilled everything willingly, then, of course, there was a period of denial. Now my daughter is 2.5 years old, she cleans up after herself calmly and without unnecessary resistance, often at my reminder, but lately more and more often on her own initiative. In our experience, I can say that it is more difficult to follow the rules at home than in a club. First of all, because at home it is impossible to constantly monitor whether the child has put everything in its place. And the presence and example of other children in the club also makes itself felt.

According to Maria Montessori, age from 2 to 4 years - the "golden" period for accustoming a child to order and accuracy. During this period, the baby experiences a real passion for observing the usual order for him. For a child, a sense of constancy, a strictly defined way of life, the presence of each object in its place are very important. Unfortunately, without your help, the child will not keep order.

I kind of told about the main essence of the technique in a nutshell, read more about how to implement the technique at home here:

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She was born in Italy on August 31, 1870 in the city of Chiarovall. The father, an important official, opposed his daughter's studies, and her mother always supported Mary's desire for education.

The girl was gifted, studied easily, especially loved mathematics. 12-year-old Maria entered the male technical school, breaking all stereotypes, and graduated with flying colours.

In 1890, Maria decided to become a doctor, and, continuing to go against the grain, she broke another stereotype: she became the first female medical student at the University of Rome. And in 1896 she was already a doctor.

As a student, the girl began to earn money in a hospital at the university. Here she had her first meeting with special children. During these years, she came up with the idea of ​​a methodology based on the use of a developing environment.

After university, Maria got married and worked in private practice. She continued to study the works of her contemporaries: psychologists, educators, anthropologists, trying to fit her observations into a coherent system.

In 1898 she became a mother (son Mario) and director of the Orthophrenic Institute for the training of teachers for special children. And in 1900. an orthophrenic school was opened, headed by Maria.

In 1901, she entered the Faculty of Philosophy in Rome, and in 1904 she became the head of the department of anthropology at the same university.

All this time, she continues to work according to her methodology. In 1907, with sponsorship, he opened the Children's Home in San Lorenzo. And for the next 45 years, Maria Montessori has been improving and implementing her system, not forgetting about educational work with kids.

Since 1922, she worked as a state inspector of schools in Italy.

In 1929, she organized the International Montessori Association.

Events in the world forced Mary to leave for India for 7 years, and only after the end of the war did she return to Europe.

Maria continued her work until last days while living in Holland. In 1950 she became a professor at the University of Amsterdam. Here she died in 1952.

The history of the appearance of the technique

At first, Maria Montessori began to apply her pedagogy to special children, children with mental retardation and difficult adaptation to the outside world.

When working with them, Maria created a special environment that instilled self-service skills in children. This was realized through games based on tactile sensitivity.

Its goal was not to increase the indicators of intellectual development, but to adapt children to society. But the teacher noticed that the mental performance of children improved. The results were amazing. For a year, the pupils caught up and overtook their healthy peers.

Combining her observations, experience and theory of other teachers, psychologists and philosophers, Maria gathered everything into a single coherent system, which was called the Montessori method.

Then this technique was applied to ordinary, healthy children. This was not difficult to do, since the curriculum is easily adjusted to the abilities and needs of each child.

Philosophy of Montessori Pedagogy

Briefly, the philosophy of the methodology fits into the phrase: "To direct children to independent upbringing, training and development."

This is justified by the following theses:

1. A child from birth is a unique person.
2. All children are naturally given the desire to improve themselves and love work.
3. Parents and teachers should be just assistants in unlocking the potential of the child, and not sculptures of character and abilities.
4. Teachers and parents should only properly direct the independent activities of children, and not teach them anything.

The essence of the technique

Maria Montessori's motto: "Help me do it myself."

The Montessori system is based on maximum freedom and individual approach to children.

Its goal is a skillful direction of self-development of children, not breaking them, but accepting them as they really are, which allows children to achieve the maximum result in everything on their own, without adjusting this process by adults.

According to Montessori, it is not allowed:

• competition between guys;
• assessment of the child according to generally accepted criteria;
• application of rewards and punishments;

Coercion is excluded naturally:

• every little person strives to participate in life on an equal basis with an adult;
• only study and purchase life experience allows you to do this;
• the child will happily learn on his own in order to develop faster and get into the world of adults;
• the teacher takes a neutral position, acting as an observer and assistant if necessary.

Children choose:

• the pace and rhythm of gaining experience and knowledge;
• the duration of the lessons;
• educational material;
• direction of its development.

Therefore, teachers need only:

• To develop independence in all available ways.
• Always respect the choice of the child.
• Develop sensory perception, especially touch.
• Create a comfortable environment.
• Allow children to change the situation as needed (choose a place, rearrange furniture, shift material).
• Be only neutral educators and observers.
• Do not create such personalities for yourself.
• Do not correct the process of gaining independence.

How the Montessori development system is built

“I try to see a person in every child, I don’t need to teach him anything. The children themselves reveal their nature to me, but only when they are placed in an appropriately prepared environment.

Maria Montessori

There are 3 basic principles of the Montessori system:

• child
• Wednesday
• educator

Schematic representation of the principles of the Montessori system:

1. The center is a child who independently makes decisions.
2. Surrounded by an environment that provides opportunities for the development of the child.
3. Nearby is a teacher who helps at the request of the child.

The developing environment is a key element in the system; without it, the methodology cannot exist. It helps the child develop independently, pushes for knowledge, using all the senses. And through them lies the path to intellect.

The right environment meets the needs of the child and is built according to a certain logic.

It is divided into specific functional areas.

Types of Montessori classes and lessons

In Montessori pedagogy, the most important thing is the independent development of the child's personality in an equipped environment.

This is the basis of learning, in the process of which children show their needs, and educators, observing, determine the type of individual assistance to each child.

The system offers 3 types of lessons:

1. Individual.

The educator offers the student (or 2-3) educational material, showing how to apply it.

The material is a unique didactic manual made from natural materials.

It has special teaching properties:

• attracts - arousing interest;
• has a distinctive property that catches the eye (length, thickness and ...);
• has a check for an error - allows the child to see for himself the incorrectness of his actions.

It is not necessary to explain this.

2. Group.

Not all children of the class participate, but those who have reached approximately the same level. The rest are doing it on their own. algorithm too.

3. General.

The whole class is involved. These are classes in music, gymnastics, history, biology. Lessons in general subjects are concise and short.

At the same time, Montessori distinguishes the development of children by age:

• from 0 to 6 years - the builder of man (the child is ready for the development of all functions);
• from 6 to 12 years old - a researcher (the child is interested in the world around him);
• from 12 to 18 years old - a scientist (the child links facts, builds a picture of the world, reflects on his place in it).

Classes in Montessori schools are mixed by age: from 6 to 9 years old or from 9 to 12 years old.

The transition to the next class is determined only by the needs and abilities of the child. Mutual assistance allows older children to become more responsible, and younger ones more confident. Envy disappears, imitation pushes the younger ones to success.

For such classes there are no clear goals for academic year. Everything is scheduled for three years. You can learn quickly - good, but you can learn at a pace that suits you.

There is no violence.

The Montessori class includes a developing space divided into activity zones. Children independently choose the area and material for work.

He can work alone or with other children. But there is a rule: if the child himself is in the zone, no one should interfere with him.

The pace of execution is also set by the children. There are no desks in the classroom - only adjustable tables and chairs, as well as mats on the floor for gymnastics.

Educators observe everything that happens in the zones and carefully direct and correct interest in working with the material. Correcting mistakes and building relationships in the classroom, children carry out on their own.

The Montessori Method and the Family

In order for children to quickly adapt to Montessori pedagogy, the family must understand and accept this system. If parents reject the methodology itself, then the efforts of teachers will be in vain, and the child will be in constant discomfort.

The family should help their child develop in a Montessori environment. You can create a mini developing environment from improvised means at home. This will help children psychologically connect learning at school with everyday life at home.

According to Montessori, a child and an adult should be in an equal position. Therefore, parents should treat their child according to Montessori philosophy.

It is very useful for parents to re-read at least occasionally 19 simple truths from Maria Montessori:

1. Children learn from what surrounds them.
2. If children are often criticized, they learn to condemn.
3. If children are often praised, they learn to evaluate.
4. If children are shown hostility, they learn to fight.
5. If children are honest, they learn justice.
6. If children are often ridiculed, they learn to be timid.
7. If children live with a sense of security, they learn to believe.
8. If children are often shamed, they learn to feel guilty.
9. If children are often approved, they learn to treat themselves well.
10. If children are often indulgent, they learn patience.
11. If children are often encouraged, they gain self-confidence.
12. If children live in an atmosphere of friendship and feel needed, they learn to find love in this world.
13. Do not speak badly about children, neither with them nor without them.
14. Concentrate on developing the good in children, then there will be no place for the bad.
15. Always listen and respond to children who come to you.
16. Respect children who made a mistake and can correct it now or later.
17. Be ready to help children who are in search, and be invisible to those children who have already found everything.
18. Help children master things they haven't mastered before. Do it by filling the world care, restraint, silence and love.
19. In dealing with children, always adhere to the best manners - offer him the best that is in yourself.

Then your children will grow up harmonious and developed personalities.

Pros and Cons of Montessori Pedagogy

From the very beginning and until now, there are devoted followers of Maria Montessori and her fierce opponents and critics.

The system has certain disadvantages:

• difficult adaptation to traditional education (there is no class-lesson system);
• lengthy training of Montessori teachers;
• the need for a large number of unique educational materials;
• inadmissibility of habitual spontaneous and creative role playing;
• the development of intellectual abilities prevails over creative ones;
• denial of drawing and modeling, fairy tales and poetry as an activity that leads the child away from reality;
• reading for children is a process of obtaining information, not a pleasure;
• excessive independence deprives the experience of communication in a team;
• ordinary toys are denied.

In addition, all preschool and school Montessori learning centers are private with a fairly high level of payment. This is motivated by the high cost of educational material, which, according to 100-year-old canons, is made from natural material on complex technologies. Therefore, Montessori education is available to few.

But the positive aspects largely cover these shortcomings.

After all, Montessori pedagogy:

• teaches you to create rules, not live by them;
• motivates to study - children study solely out of interest;
• teaches you to organize and plan your own activities;
• teaches responsibility for one's actions;
• teaches mutual assistance: the elders become more responsible, the younger ones more confident;
• teaches you to look for answers to your questions on your own;
• teaches them to find and correct their own mistakes;
• introduces the basics of the world around;
• develops powerful logic and analytical skills;
• develops intelligence;
• develops speech through fine motor skills.

Such qualities, inherent in a child from early childhood, help him in later life, adapting well in society. As a rule, a person who has been trained according to the Montessori method is very successful in adult life.

And for children with special needs, this technique enables self-service and pulls up to the level of healthy children. Is this why the system remains popular today, 100 years later?

Distribution and popularity of the Montessori method

Maria Montessori, together with her son, created the International Montessori Association (AMI) in 1929 to spread her methodology and help in its development.

Since then, the Montessori movement has successfully marched through time.

Many celebrities studied the methodology and contributed to the founding of Montessori schools in their countries:

• Thomas Edison, world famous scientist and inventor.
• Sigmund Freud, the author of psychoanalysis, and his daughter Anna were followers and consultants of Montessori pedagogy. They opened a Montessori kindergarten in Vienna.
• Tatyana Sukhotina-Tolstaya (daughter of Leo Tolstoy) wrote the book Montessori and the New Education in 1914.
• Mahatma Gandhi, philosopher, politician of India, mastered the course in methodology in 1932.
• Jean Pidget, psychologist, was the first in Sweden to found the Montessori Society and the school based on it, they still exist today.

After Maria's death, AMI was headed by her son Maria - Mario. He did a lot to spread Montessori pedagogy. His baton was taken over by Maria's granddaughter, Renilde Montessori. She heads the association today.

Today, many children in the world are engaged in the technique.

During the Soviet period, the Montessori system was not in demand. Only with the collapse of the USSR did it begin to spread rapidly in Russia. For more than 20 years, the Montessori Center has been operating in Moscow, which strictly follows the recommendations of the author.

Their website http://www.montessori-center.ru/

All teachers have been trained by the International Association and have international diplomas. The Center maintains close contact with AMI.

Since 2013, there have been official training courses for Montessori teachers from the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation.

In almost every big city there is a regional Montessori center, which becomes the base for specialized kindergartens, rehabilitation centers for children with special needs, early development schools.

Children with a developmental delay are engaged in this system.

For ordinary children, a combination of Montessori pedagogy with other methods is more often used.

AT different time famous people were Montessori students

• Larry Page and Sergey Brin - founders of Google;
• Jeffrey Bezos - Founder of Amazon.com
• Jimmy Wales - founder of Wikipedia;
• George Clooney - actor
• Gabriel Garcia Marquez - Nobel Laureate in Literature;
• Prince William and Prince Harry of England.

Now a new generation of children is studying according to the Montessori system, and who knows how many famous personalities will grow up.

Bibliography of Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori wrote a lot of fundamental works describing her system. Her first book was published already in 1910, 3 years after the opening of the Orphanage.

It was the Montessori Method book. In a short period, it was translated into 20 languages. All subsequent years, Maria wrote her works, which were in great demand and were published in many countries of the world.

Such books have been published in Russian

1. Children's home. Method of scientific pedagogy (M: Zadruga, 1913; Kazan: state publishing house, 1920; Gomel, 1993).

2. Imagination in the work of children and great artists (Russian School, 1915).

3. The method of scientific pedagogy applied to child education in orphanages (M: Zadruga, 1915, 1918, 1920, M: Gossnab, 1993).

4. Guide to my method (M: Tipolitogr., 1916).

5. Teacher preparation. (M: Enlightenment, 1921).

6. Arithmetic in the elementary school (Pg.: The Beginnings of Knowledge, 1922).

7. Geometry in the elementary school (Pg.: The Beginnings of Knowledge, 1922).

8. Self-education and self-education in elementary school. (M: Worker of Education, 1922; M: Montessori Moscow Center, 1993).

9. The value of the environment in education (Prague, 1926).

10. School didactic material (M: Gosizdat, 1930).

12. Development of human potential (Bulletin MAMA No. 2, 3.5. 1993).

13. The mind of a child (M, 1997).

14. Help me do it myself (Shalva Aminashvili Publishing House, 1999).

15. After 6 months it's too late. A unique methodology for early development (M: Karapuz, 2001).

16. We study according to the method of Maria Montessori. Miracles of transformation: On the lake. For children 5-6 years old (M: Montessori Center, 2001).

Briefly about the content of the best books of Maria Montessori:

• Help me do it myself.

Articles by M. Montessori and modern teachers.

• 2. My method: initial training.

The basic principles of the methodology, philosophy, psychology and pedagogy underlying it, methods of working with children 6-10 years old in the study of grammar and other sciences are outlined. For teachers, psychologists, university students.

• Child's house. Method of scientific pedagogy.

Fundamental work. Provides the rationale for all aspects of the Montessori system.

• Children are different.

It tells about the way the Montessori system was created, it is explained that children are different than we see them.

• Absorbing the mind of a child.

The book is about the potential of a person, about the special periods of receptivity of children from 0 to 6 years old - the absorbing mind. For teachers and parents.

• My method. Guide to raising children from 3 to 6 years.

The book proves the child's right to active knowledge of the world around him and the development of his inner potential. Methods of working with the class and individual lessons are described.

• Self-education and self-education in elementary school.

Describes the development of the child, his thinking, how to organize primary school. For parents, teachers, teachers and students.

• We study according to the method of Maria Montessori. Miracles of transformation: On the lake. For children 5- 6 years

8 magical transformations are described next to the child, opening the world. For kids.

The Montessori method is still popular today.

In order not to make mistakes when using it, a 2-volume book was published:

Montessori Home School. - M: Peanut + Montessori Center, 2001.

This is a book for parents with a description of the essence of the method and 6 books for children with stories, exercises, study cards.

Let's start with a fundamental topic for the system. Scientific pedagogy considers education as a process of adaptation of a child to human culture organized by an adult.

Some philosophical teachings about education are based on the fact that everything is in the genes, with which, by and large, nothing can be done. Others argue that a child is a blank slate on which an adult writes whatever he pleases. These opposites have one thing in common: they deny the little man the importance of personal effort. It is a mistake to consider the process of growing up as something that happens due to the fault of external or internal reasons beyond the control. The truth lies not between these extremes, but on a completely different plane.

Only the child himself can build his personality, and only an adult can give everything that is needed for this construction.

Animals adapt through the processes of natural selection. The less individual qualities of an organism are useful in conditions environment, the more likely it is that it will not leave offspring similar to itself. Development depends directly on the environment, and not on the influence of other members of the species. Care and education of offspring in animals with complex behavior is important enough. But still, the puppy grows up more or less like a dog. Even if people bring him up from childhood, or he survives with early age by oneself. The strength of biological adaptation is that this way of growing up is hard to break. And the weak point is that a rigid program is suitable for a very limited range of conditions.

Human adaptation is arranged differently. He is born extremely immature and takes what he needs to grow up not from a rigid program of instinct, but from other people around him. Children of different historical periods and cultures do not differ much from each other. But, having reached adulthood, each of them becomes a man of his time and place. We speak different languages, have different habits, are hardy and sensitive to different things. Not a single species on Earth is able to live in such different conditions, eat such different foods, survive in such different ways in all climatic zones of the planet and even beyond.

The child is recognized as the main actor own development, and an adult is the main condition for this development, a model of culture, a constructor of the space of growing up. Since he is able to consciously and creatively change both himself and the world around him, he is able to have a huge impact on how the child creates himself.

This defines the essence of the Montessori method:

1. Observing a child allows you to learn from his behavior and interest information about how best to help him.
2. What is innate is not a result-instinct, but an interest in culture and development, called human tendencies.
3. The concept of sensitive periods as an adaptation mechanism.
4. The difference between a person early childhood which is called the absorbent mind.
5. The importance of independence and one's own activity as a necessary condition for development.

The method answers in detail the question of what exactly an adult can offer to a child, taking into account age and individuality. Such conditions of development allow the best possible adaptation to their culture. And having matured, to make their own contribution to the development of mankind.

human tendencies

Strictly speaking, the name of this concept established in Russian is not entirely accurate. English tendency denotes an inclination, aspiration, and is much closer to the concept of "need" than to "tendency". But the term has already become commonly used in the literature, so I use it.

In different periods of life, a person satisfies these needs-trends in different ways, at an accessible level. They are the motivational fundamental principle of development, one's own activity, self-creation and self-improvement. Strings of desires guide the activity of the child. The more he does, the more he learns. New opportunities allow you to follow your interest in a new way, desires give rise to actions, and actions - skills, knowledge, habits, the personality itself.

An adult is able to independently take care of the embodiment of trends and is able to change the world around for this. And the child needs competent support, a prepared environment, although he realizes them exclusively in his own activity.

Methodology child development Montessori uses a century of experience in his own practice and all the achievements of psychology and physiology regarding the development of the child. The method gives this knowledge to an adult so that he can design an extremely useful environment for a self-creating child. There are also methodological guidelines of a general nature, and practical advice how to implement the Montessori method at home.

Respect, supervision and autonomy

The paradox of development is that the child learns to be independent, responsible, self-respecting, effective in communication and much more. But he is not able to do without outside help. He does not have enough capacity to take full responsibility. He doesn't know how to communicate and doesn't even speak the language to communicate. Yes, and this very self, which must be respected, the baby does not yet have.

To give a child exactly as much as he is able to take is the most difficult art and a lot of work. It is easier to do for the child at first, because he himself will not say: “Help me do it myself.” But he needs it more than anything.

Montessori entrusts the little man with the right to individualize his own path of development. The correct degree of delegated responsibility is allocated by adults on the basis of constant observation of the child, who, by his behavior and interest, shows us how his self-creation lives now.

If you give young children a heavy low chair and table, suitable tiny dishes and cutlery, then they will learn to eat by themselves before the age of one. And in addition - to put food on himself and sit down at the table on his own before he learns to walk. If you give a napkin with tips on where and what to arrange, then they will be able to set the table. If you build a comfortable children's stand-ladder, the kids will be able to participate in cooking. This develops their functional independence and allows them to learn everything much earlier.

Similarly, specially prepared classroom materials allow the child to learn independently. This allows him to spend as much time on each exercise as he needs to fully learn the lesson. The child starts working with each material when he is best prepared. Didactic materials are designed according to certain principles that make it easier for the child to make a small discovery on his own and teach himself something.

It is helpful when the child does everything he can already, as early as possible. (And this is not about early development, but about timeliness). Sometimes this requires simply allowing him to act, but more often it is necessary to adapt his immediate environment to the possibilities and size of the child: the home environment and didactic materials in the classroom.

Freedom and responsibility

No less than giving freedom, it is important that it be feasible. The one who knows what he chooses from has the freedom of choice. To have such knowledge, life experience is needed.

This allows you to build your own behavior based on honest feedback from the environment. The environment reports, for example, that water from an overturned glass will spill, and a carelessly drawn line will inaccurately repeat the outlined figure from frames and liners. In addition, the environment helps to understand what behavior leads to what consequences, and how best to act to get the result. The experience of correcting mistakes teaches them to treat them as part of learning and that the child is able to solve problems on his own.

All of the above applies not only to the manipulation of inanimate objects, but also to interaction with other people. In the family and in mixed-age classes, children learn to help and receive care, to cooperate and work independently. As a result of this behavior, which we used to call moral, the child begins to choose for himself and consciously, with an understanding of the benefits that this moral behavior brings to him. In this case, the motivation to perform actions becomes internal, and not focused on external fear of punishment or praise.

Montessori children live for themselves, learn and develop for themselves, and do it all together with others or next to others - also for their own pleasure and learn how to do it for the good of all. Feasible responsibility teaches to be responsible, the experience of solving problems - to solve problems, the positive experience of interacting with others teaches the ability to live and achieve their goals together.

Infographics by Sofia Shipilovskaya