Montessori's method.

During this week, our teacher has mentioned the Montessori Method of Education, which was developed by Maria Montessori. This method is a child-centered type of education which is based on the observation of children and it has been used for over 100 years in many parts of the world.

The Montessori method views the child as the one who takes the initiative for learning. It attempts to develop children physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively.

This kind of education has surprised as, we think that it sums up all the aspects that a good education should have. During our research, we have found that The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) and the American Montessori Society (AMS) cite these elements as essential for the children education:

• Mixed-age classrooms.
• Student choice of activity from within a prescribed range of options.
• Uninterrupted blocks of work time, ideally three hours.
• Students learn concepts from working with materials rather than by direct instruction.
• Specialized educational materials often made out of natural, aesthetic materials such as wood rather than plastic
• A thoughtfully prepared environment where materials are organized by subject area, and are appropriate in size for the child.
• Freedom within limits.
• A trained Montessori teacher who follows the child and is highly experienced in observing the individual child's characteristics, tendencies, talents, and abilities.