The_Montessori_Classroom

t Ana Ramirez Principles of Philosophy October 2, 2012 Lesson 7: The Montessori Classroom. Written Assignment #1 How does preparing and maintaining the environment directly relate to the development of the child' Along with the absorbent mind of the child, Maria Montessori believed that the prepare Environment was a key factor in the development of the child. She differed vastly from the traditional view of the child. “What Montessori has done is this: realizing the peculiarly absorbent nature of the child’s mind, she prepared for him a special environment; and then by placing the child within has given him freedom to live in it , absorbing what he finds there” The traditional method of education included the teacher and the child. Montessori introduced the concept of the prepared environment. She considered the environment to be just as important as the teacher. She believed the teacher to be the “dynamic link” between the prepared environment and the child. “She described this environment as a nourishing place for the child. It is designed to meet his needs for self-construction and to reveal his personality and growth patterns to us” . However , she went on to explain that the environment could only do so much Ultimately, the child is responsible for his own development. The environment and the teacher only assist. “The child then does not grow because he happens to be placed in a nourishing environment. ‘He Grows because the potential life within him develops ,making itself visible” In preparing the environment, we must remember the absorbent mind is at work. “The child absorbs knowledge from his environment simply by living” Montessori recognized the abilities of the absorbent mind and then gives the child the freedom to explore, learn, and create within an environment suitable for learning. This freedom within the environment gives the child opportunity to fall in love with the learning. The teacher first creates the prepared environment, and then maintains it. A classroom that is beautiful and orderly will tap into child’s logical or “mathematical” mind. Children will absorb more in an orderly environment. They will become more normalized in a place that offers safety, choice and freedom within the environment. As Paula Lilliard says “What is a classroom based on the freedom and structure of a Montessori classroom……' It is a living place, full of children in search of them self’s and their world. There is a feeling of total involvement as children explore and discover….”