Montessori child development method. Exercises for teaching children using the Montessori method

One of the most popular methods of child development at present is the Montessori system, which implies for children both serious work and exciting play, discipline and freedom. Maria Montessori, the author of this pedagogical methodology, called it “ a system where the child develops independently, relying on a didactically prepared environment" The technique has existed for more than 100 years, but it was unavailable in Russia for a long time. The first Montessori books appeared in our country only in the 90s. Today, there are many kindergartens and early child development centers working according to this system. The Montessori system works with children aged 3 to 6 years.

System history

Maria Montessori was born on August 31, 1870. She was the first female doctor in Italy, as well as a psychologist, teacher, and scientist.

In 1896, Maria worked in a children's clinic, and her attention was drawn to the unfortunate mentally retarded children who, not knowing what to do, wandered aimlessly along the echoing hospital corridors. Observing their behavior, Maria concluded that this is the result of a lack of incentives for development, and that every child needs a special developmental environment in which he can learn something interesting for himself. Focused and deeply engaged in psychology and pedagogy, Maria tried to develop her own methods of raising and developing children.

On January 6, 1907, Maria Montessori opened the “Children's House” in Rome, where the pedagogical system she created was used for the first time. Using trial and error, Maria prepared sensory materials that stimulated children's cognitive interest. Since 1909, Montessori's books began to spread around the world, and in 1913 they reached Russia. In 1914, the first kindergartens began to open according to the Maria Montessori system, but they were closed when the Bolsheviks came to power. The return of the Montessori method to our country took place only in 1992.

Based on knowledge about the characteristics of the physiological, mental and psychological development of children, Maria Montessori came to the conclusion that education is not so much the responsibility of the teacher as a natural process of the child’s development.

The essence of the Montessori method

The Montessori method is a unique author’s system of self-development and self-education for children. The key attention here is paid to the development of fine motor skills, senses (vision, hearing, taste, smell, touch), as well as to nurturing independence in the child. There are no uniform programs and requirements; each child is provided with an individual pace. Every child is free to do what he likes. Thus, he “competes” with himself, gaining self-confidence, as well as fully assimilating the material.

The key principle in Montessori pedagogy is “Help me do it myself.”. That is, an adult must figure out what the child is interested in, provide him with an appropriate environment for activities and teach the child to use it. An adult helps the child to reveal the abilities inherent in him by nature, as well as to go through his own path of development. Let us note that pupils of the Montessori system are inquisitive children, open to acquiring knowledge. They grow up independent, free, and know how to find their place in society.

Basic principles of the Montessori system

1. Child activity. In teaching a child, an adult plays a secondary role, being not a mentor, but an assistant.
2. Freedom of action and choice of the child.
3. Older children teach younger ones. At the same time, they themselves learn to take care of their younger ones. This is possible because, according to Montessori pedagogy, groups are formed from children of different ages.
4. The child makes decisions independently.
5. Classes are conducted in a specially prepared environment.
6. The adult's task is to interest the child. Then the baby develops on his own.
7. In order for a child to develop fully, it is necessary to provide him with freedom of thinking, action and feelings.
8. You should not go against the instructions of nature, you need to follow these instructions, then the child will be himself.
9. Criticism is unacceptable, prohibitions are unacceptable.
10. The child has the right to make mistakes. He is quite capable of reaching everything on his own.

Thus, the Montessori system stimulates in the child the desire to develop the potential inherent in him, to self-learning and self-education. In this case, the responsibility of organizing the children’s activities falls on the shoulders of the teacher, while offering assistance exactly to the extent necessary for the child to become interested. So, the main components of Montessori pedagogy, allowing children to realize their own path of development, are:

The role of the adult in the system

It may seem that the role of an adult in this technique is insignificant, but this is only at first glance. The teacher must have wisdom, natural instinct, and experience in order to penetrate the system. He must carry out serious preparatory work to create a real developmental environment, as well as provide students with effective didactic material.

Maria Montessori believes that the main task of an adult is to help the child collect, analyze and systematize his (the child’s) own knowledge. That is, adults do not convey their own knowledge about the world. It is understood that the teacher must carefully observe the actions of the children, identify their interests, inclinations, and provide tasks of varying degrees of difficulty with the didactic material that the child himself chooses. In this case, it is assumed that the adult should be on the same level with the pupil - that is, sitting on the floor or squatting next to him.

The work of a teacher is as follows. First, he monitors what material the child chooses or helps him become interested. Then he shows how to cope with the task at hand, while being as laconic as possible. After which the child plays independently, he can make mistakes, but at the same time come up with new ways to use the selected material.Such creative activity of a child, according to Montessori, allows him to make great discoveries. The adult’s task is not to interfere with these discoveries, since even a small remark can confuse the baby and prevent him from further moving in the right direction.

The role of the developmental environment in the Montessori system

The most important element in Montessori pedagogy is the developmental environment. One might even say it is a key element. Without it, the technique cannot exist. A properly prepared environment helps the child to develop independently without parental care and teaches him to be independent. Children have a great need to understand the world around them; they want to smell, touch, and taste everything around them. A child’s path to intellect lies through the senses, so sensation and cognition merge together for him. The right environment is an environment that meets the child's needs. The development process of children should not be accelerated, but you also need to be very careful to prevent the child from losing interest in a particular activity.

The developmental environment is built according to a strictly defined logic. Traditionally, there are 5 zones:

1. Exercise zone in daily life. Here the child learns how to handle his things and how to take care of himself.
2. Native language zone. Allows you to expand your vocabulary, get acquainted with letters, phonetics, and understand the composition and spelling of words.
3. Sensory education zone. Develops the senses, provides the opportunity to study the shape, size, size of objects.
4. Space Zone. Introduces the world around us, the basics of anatomy, botany, zoology, geography, astronomy, and physics.
5. Math zone. Teaches understanding of numbers, order when counting, composition of numbers, as well as basic mathematical operations - addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

There are no tables in the room, there are only small tables and chairs that can be moved at your discretion, as well as rugs. Children can lay them out where they feel comfortable.

The role of didactic material in the Montessori system

In the Montessori system, a child’s education is closely connected with the subject environment. At the same time, almost any objects can act as toys. A toy can be a basin, water, a tea strainer, napkins, cereal, a spoon or a sponge. There are also special Montessori materials, in particular, the Pink Tower, insert molds, Brown Ladder and others. Maria Montessori's teachings were developed with special care. They had to carry out a teaching task, as well as contribute to the comprehensive development of students.

Any classes with didactic materials pursue a direct and indirect goal. The direct goal actualizes the child’s movement, the indirect goal develops hearing, vision, and coordination of movements. Since adult intervention, according to Montessori pedagogy, must be minimized, the materials are designed in such a way that the child can independently find his mistake and eliminate it. This is how the baby learns to prevent mistakes. The tutorials are completely accessible to children and encourage them to explore.

Rules for working with didactic material

1. To encourage the child to take action, the material should be placed at eye level (no higher than 1 meter from the floor)
2. The material must be handled with care. The material can be used by a child after an adult explains its purpose to the child.
3. When working with material, you should adhere to the following sequence: selecting the material, preparing the workplace, performing actions, monitoring, correcting errors, returning the manual to the place upon completion of work with it.
4. It is prohibited to transfer the manual from hand to hand during group classes.
5. The material must be laid out in a certain order by the child on a table or rug.
6. The child can interact with the material not only following the example of the teacher, but also taking into account his own knowledge.
7. The work should gradually become more difficult.
8. Having finished the exercises, the child must return the manual to its place, and only after that he can take other materials.
9. One child works with one material. This allows you to concentrate. If the material that the child has chosen is currently occupied, you should wait while watching a peer’s work, or choose any other.

Maria Montessori notes that these rules do not apply to group games aimed at developing communication and cooperation skills.

Disadvantages of the Montessori method

Like any pedagogical system, the Montessori method has a number of disadvantages.

1. The system develops only intelligence and practical skills
2. There are no active or role-playing games
3. Creativity is denied. It is seen as an obstacle to the child’s mental development (although psychological research suggests the opposite). However, Montessori kindergartens have special playrooms, and the child does not spend all his time in the kindergarten. This allows us to partially compensate for the last two shortcomings.
4. The Montessori system is quite democratic. After it, it can be difficult for children to get used to the discipline of ordinary kindergartens and schools.

It is impossible to fit the entire Montessori experience reflected in its pedagogical system into one article. We tried to outline the main postulates in this article. For more detailed information about the methodology, we recommend that you refer to the primary sources, books written by Maria Montessori and her followers. Fortunately, we currently have access to various pedagogical systems and methods, which allows us to choose the best for our children.

To briefly describe the essence of the Montessori method, it is to stimulate the child to self-education, self-training, and self-development. The task of an adult is to help him organize his activities, follow his own unique path, and realize his nature. In this article you will learn:

She became the head of the kindergarten, equipping it with such in such a way that it would be cozy and comfortable for children of different ages. She orders sensorimotor material and watches how the children study with pleasure and great concentration. She noticed that during these activities, children, being in a friendly atmosphere, develop positive social behavior, demonstrating a keen interest in things around them. Since 1909, the Montessori method has been actively introduced into life. Courses on Montessori pedagogy are opening. Teachers from London, Barcelona, ​​Paris come to Maria.

In those years, our compatriot Yulia Fausek, who was the first in Russia to open a Montessorian kindergarten, also met Maria Montessori.

In 1929, together with her son, Maria Montessori organized the International Montessori Association (AMI), which is still active today. The Montessori movement emerges and unfolds in many countries around the world.

"Development of human creative abilities and his happiness!" And Montessori pedagogy has been moving in this direction for more than 100 years!

Montessori took up the study of pedagogy and developmental psychology healthy child and tried to create my own methods of developing and raising children.

As a result, a pedagogical system was created, which Maria Montessori first used in the “Children's House”, which she opened on January 6, 1907 in Rome. Observing the work of children, through trial and error, she gradually developed sensory materials that arouse and stimulate children’s interest in knowledge.

Since 1909, Montessori pedagogy began to spread in many countries around the world. In 1913 it appeared in Russia. And since 1914 Montessori kindergartens were opened in many Russian cities. But 10 years later the Bolsheviks closed the kindergartens. Only in 1992 did the Montessori system return to Russia.

Maria Montessori system

Today, the pedagogy of Maria Montessori is Obottom of the most popular methods of child development , which combines seemingly incompatible things: freedom and discipline, exciting play and serious work.

Maria Montessori called her pedagogical system system of independent development of the child in a didactically prepared environment . The Montessori system is more 100 years. But for a very long time, her methods were unavailable in our country, while in other countries they are widespread. Montessori pedagogy began to be revived only in the 90s. Currently, many different centers and kindergartens are open in Russia, teaching children according to the Montessori system.

Basically, the system covers ages from 0 to 3 years and from 3 to 6 years.

The essence of the method

The main principle of the Montessori system - “Help me do this myself!” This means that an adult must understand what interests the child at the moment, create an optimal environment for him to study and unobtrusively teach him how to use this environment. Thus, an adult helps each child find his own individual path of development and reveal the natural abilities inherent in him. Children studying according to the M. Montessori system grow up inquisitive and open to obtaining deep and versatile knowledge. Already in childhood, children show themselves as free, independent individuals who know how to find their place in society.

Basic ideas of the M. Montessori system

The system is based on the following provisions:

• The child is active. The role of the adult directly in the learning event is secondary. He is a helper, not a mentor.
• The child is his own teacher. He has complete freedom of choice and action.
• Children teach children. Since children of different ages study in groups, older children “become” teachers, while learning to care for others, and younger children follow the elders.
• Children make their own decisions.
• Classes take place in a specially prepared environment.
• The child needs to be interested, and he will develop himself.
• Full self-development, as a consequence of freedom in actions, thinking, feelings.
• A child becomes himself when we follow the instructions of nature, and do not go against them.
• Respect for children - absence of prohibitions, criticism and instructions.
• A child has the right to make mistakes and figure everything out on his own.

Thus, everything and everyone in the system stimulates the child to self-education, self-education, self-development of the potential inherent in him.

The teacher's task- help him organize his activities to develop his own unique path, help him realize his potential. The adult offers exactly as much help as the child needs in order to arouse interest.

The role of an adult

The main task of an adult in relation to the child directly in the process of classes - not to interfere with his mastery of the world around him, not to transfer his knowledge, but to help collect, analyze and systematize his own. An adult observes the child’s actions, determines his inclinations and provides the child with simpler or more complex tasks with selected didactic material.

Even the position in space is not left without attention. To be at the same level as the child, the adult must squat or sit on the floor

First, the teacher carefully observes each child, what material he chooses for himself. If the child turns to the chosen manual for the first time, then the adult tries to interest the child in it. He shows the child how to complete the task correctly. At the same time, the adult is not verbose and speaks only to the point. Then the child works independently, but not only in the way he was shown, but by trial and error he comes up with new ways to use the material. It is in the course of such creative activity that a great discovery is made! In this case, the most important thing is that the adult is able to provide the child with the opportunity to create on his own! After all, even a small remark can confuse a child and prevent him from taking a step in the right direction.

Developmental environment

Developmental environment - the most important element of Montessori pedagogy. Without it, it cannot function as a system. A prepared environment gives the child the opportunity to develop step by step without the care of an adult and become independent. Children have a huge internal need to master and recognize the world around them. Every child has a natural desire to touch, smell, taste everything, since the path to a child’s intellect does not lead through abstraction, but through his senses (vision, hearing, smell, taste, etc.).

Due to this the environment must meet the child's needs . As Maria Montessori herself noted, one should not speed up the development process of children, but it is important not to miss the right moment, so that the child does not lose interest in the “missed” activity.

The environment has precise construction logic . It should be noted that in a specially prepared environment, absolutely everything is a teaching aid.

The location of the shelves divides the environment into 5 zones:

1. Exercise area in everyday life - materials with which the child learns to take care of himself and his things, i.e. what is needed in everyday life (washing hands, washing napkins, cleaning shoes, tying shoelaces, zipping, ironing, setting the table, washing dishes, sweeping the floor, etc.).
2. Sensory education zone - intended for the development and refinement of perception of the senses, studying sizes, shapes, etc.
3. Mathematical zone - for understanding ordinal counting, numbers, composition of numbers, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division.
4. Russian language zone - to expand vocabulary, familiarize yourself with letters, phonetics, understand the composition of words and their spelling.
5. The space zone is for getting acquainted with the surrounding world and the significance of the role of man in it, for mastering the basics of botany, zoology, anatomy, geography, physics, astronomy.

Features of classes where classes are held, there are no desks that limit children. There are only small tables and chairs that can be rearranged at your discretion. And rugs that children spread on the floor where they feel comfortable.

Didactic material

Maria Montessori very carefully developed manuals that would carry a learning goal and help children develop in a variety of directions. Each of these materials has enormous potential and great creative possibilities.

Any exercise with Montessori didactic material has two goals- direct and indirect. The first promotes the child’s actual movement (unfastening and fastening buttons, finding identical sounding cylinders, etc.), and the second is aimed at the future (development of independence, coordination of movements, refinement of hearing, etc.).

To minimize the interference of adults in the child’s development process, Montessori materials are made in such a way that the child can see his own mistake and eliminate it, following the logic and order of the selected material. Thus, the child learns not only to eliminate, but also to prevent mistakes.

In addition to the above, the very environment and the availability of absolutely all benefits encourages children to look for the key to the world around them.

Basic rules for using Montessori materials:

• The material is freely accessible, at the child’s eye level (no higher than 1 m from the floor). This is a child's call to action.
• Careful handling of materials and working with them only after their use is understood.
• Compliance 5 stages when working with material :

1. material selection
2. preparation of material and workplace
3. performing actions
4. error control
5. completion of work, placement of material in its original place

• The child brings the selected material and carefully lays it out on a rug or table in a certain order.
• During group classes, you cannot pass material hand to hand.
• When working with the material, the child can act not only as the teacher showed, but also by applying the accumulated knowledge.
• Work with materials should occur with gradual complication in design and use.
• When the child has completed the exercise, the materials must be returned to their place, and only after that the next manual should be taken.
• One material - one child to be able to concentrate. If the material chosen by the child is now occupied, he waits, watching the work of another child (observation is one of the most important ways of learning), or chooses some other material

All these rules do not apply to group games based on communication and cooperation.

WHAT RESULTS DO WE ACHIEVE?

Montessori education is a process in which a child independently builds his own personality, using all his abilities. An important innovation of M. Montessori was the destruction of the traditional classroom-lesson 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 acquiring knowledge. The motto of Montessori pedagogy was the words of a 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 method is unique. It is based on a reasonable balance between freedom and clear structure, specifically designed for the young child. The method involves children in activities that are interesting to them, provides carefully designed teaching 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 method, a specially prepared cultural developmental environment is created for the child, in which he finds everything necessary for his development, “absorbs” 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 aids must be made from natural materials. It is characteristic that their design has remained virtually unchanged since their creation, i.e., about a hundred years. The child also decides whether he will do something alone or with others. As children age, their activities become more complex.

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 which a child can learn to take care of himself and his things. Using frames with fasteners (buttons, snaps, zippers, buckles, pins, laces, bows and hooks); the child learns to dress independently; pour (water); wash the table.

Sensory development zone - gives the child the opportunity to use his senses when exploring the world around him. Here the child can learn to distinguish the height, length, weight, color, noise, smell, shape of various objects; get acquainted with the properties of fabrics;

Zones - language, mathematics, geography, natural science - provide materials whose main purpose is the mental development of the child.

A Montessori classroom includes children of different ages (from 3 to 6 years old), which promotes 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 with developed learning skills. Each Montessori class is unique. Although the method has a very specific structure, it is flexible and open to individual interpretation. Because there are no two completely identical people, 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 activities.

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

Fundamental principles of the pedagogical system:

1. The principle of conditions for the freedom of development of the child: Discipline is self-control as an internal 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 or coercion. Discipline helps a child to grow independent, i.e. free, respectful of others, self-controlled. Freedom, like discipline, is the inner feeling of every person.

In her system, freedom means:

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

Selecting an option for working with this material (in the context of basic use);

Choosing the 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 the people in the group.

3. Freedom of reflection - the child does not have to be active all the time. He must have the opportunity and time to think about his previous and subsequent actions.

In conditions of free activity, the child learns to assess his capabilities and make decisions in connection with the choice of material, place, partner, etc., realizes his responsibility for the decision made, experiences joy from the process and result of the activity, which occurs due to internal rather than external motivation.

2. The principle of concentration. Montessori came to the conclusion that a greater degree of concentration generates activity of the hands under the direction of the mind. Children's “experimentation” is a consequence of active research handling of a self-selected subject, which, in turn, activates the child’s attention and mental activity and contributes to their long-term and effective unification - polarization.

Thanks to 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 cultivated.

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

The teacher creates and maintains a connection between the child and the developing subject-spatial environment. He carefully watches the children, in no way 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 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 didactic material in its structure and subject logic corresponds to the sensitive periods of child development. Sensitive periods are periods of special susceptibility of children to certain methods and types of activities; to methods of emotional response, behavior in general, etc. In accordance with development, sensitive periods serve to ensure that the child has a fundamental opportunity to acquire the knowledge, skills, modes of behavior, etc. that are internally necessary for him.

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 neatness”, from 0 to 3 years):

Order in the environment;

Order in time;

Order in the behavior of adults towards a child.

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

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

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

5. The principle of limitation and order Violating order and restoring it is the strongest motive for children's actions, Montessori believed, since a 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 independently cope with the chosen work, nevertheless, there are certain cases when he approaches them to interrupt their free activity. The guiding principle, in the words of Dr. Montessori, is this: “The teacher should never be afraid to interrupt what is bad; but he must be afraid of destroying what is good. Good is interpreted as any activity that leads to order, harmony, self-development and, therefore, to discipline; bad is something that leads to the drain of children's creative energy and, consequently, to disorder."

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

Second limitation: knowledge must precede choice – i.e. The child can work independently only with those materials that he knows how to handle.

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

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

6. Rules of behavior in the group. The main goal 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 understandable, appropriate for the age of the children;

The rules are mandatory for everyone, including adults; It is advisable to be consistent and not change the rules.

7. The principle of the special place of the teacher in the education system At first glance, it seems that the role of the teacher in the educational process is belittled. In fact, it consists of presenting the material to the child 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 sample of actions aimed at revealing the properties and relationships “embedded” in the material.

Montessori understood the process of upbringing and education as helping the child’s mental development from birth, and later as help in life. The concept of help is key here. This is what largely determines the role of the teacher’s position in relation to the child. The teacher always guides the child kindly and unobtrusively, becoming an intermediary between him and the prepared didactic environment. That is why the teacher is constantly next to the child, without disturbing him, carefully observing, overtaking him if necessary by a step and providing his help and guidance, or stepping back a step and giving the child the opportunity to fully enjoy independent activity.

An important effect of such an organization of teaching is that, unlike a regular lesson or lesson, the teacher has greater temporary opportunities to provide assistance to 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 speed, comfortable for him, receiving immediate and promptly necessary help. This allows us, not just in words, but in practice to comply with the principle of an individual and differentiated approach to learning. From this follows the principle of individualization of learning, 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 through learning tools designed for individual work in a group that is heterogeneous in age and experience (different ages and different in experience and level of development). The groups being formed include children with an age difference of three years (from 3 to 6 years). Mixed age groups contribute to the development of role distance, which has a beneficial effect on the moral development of children. A natural system of mutual assistance develops among children: younger children can ask older children for help. Older children, showing work with the material to younger ones or answering their questions, better understand the essence of the matter themselves, learn to provide help, and take care of others.

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

From a psychological point of view, it is important that in a group of different ages there is no basis 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. A 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 - the 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 a holistic educational system, the effectiveness of which is confirmed by many years of experience in successful practical work with children. The creator of this system was the outstanding Italian humanist teacher, doctor and public figure Maria Montessori.

Over the almost century-long period of its existence, its ideas have spread throughout the world. Currently, Montessori kindergartens and schools exist in Europe and America, Asia and Australia. In the 1910-20s they also arose in Russia, but later this pedagogical direction in our country was undeservedly consigned to oblivion.

The main idea of ​​Maria Montessori is to enable the child to most 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 his own individual pace. The teacher’s task is, first of all, to provide the child with means of self-development and show how to use them. Such means are autodidactic, i.e. self-learning Montessori - materials with which the child first works according to the model shown by the teacher, and then independently performs various exercises, including exercises invented by him.

Pedagogical history about upbringing And child development has preserved hundreds of names, but on the fingers of one hand you can count the real schools that survived after the death of the authors. Maria Montessori stands in this honorable row. This happened not only because many of her insights found scientific confirmation, but also because Maria found the key to translating her ideas into everyday teaching practice training And child development.

The Montessori child development system was not built in one day. Maria was friends with the founder of genetic psychology, Jean Piaget, and for some time he personally headed the Montessori Society of Geneva. She corresponded with Sigmund's daughter, child psychologist Anna Freud. Under their influence, she refines the conclusions of her observations of the patterns according to which proper child development. But in many ways she remains a doctor and proceeds from the physiology of children. Even in the concept of freedom, she puts a biological meaning and understands by it, first of all, independence. Using examples from her own teaching practice, Maria proves that an adult does not have to do something for a child, but simply must help him act independently, encouraging physical and child's personal development. After all, a baby enters our world and sees it as alien and unsuitable for his life. He has poor coordination of movements, he is not confident in himself and does not know what to do with the objects around him. The child is dependent on the giants, who are called adults, and shape the world to suit themselves without thinking about it. And it’s difficult for him to unbutton the buttons on his jacket, tie a shoelace, or move his chair to a comfortable place.

M. Montessori suggests that already at 2.5-3 years old, give the child the opportunity to try to do this and much more on his own. The teacher (adult) only helps him. It creates order in those things that are needed for the proper development of a child, and there are a lot of them. All these cups, trays, sponges and brushes, as well as sticks and cubes, beads and rods, cards and boxes - put them in disarray, they will only cause a feeling of powerlessness in the face of the chaos of the world. Montessori proposed arranging them in a certain strict logic, and teaching children to maintain the established order from the first day in the classroom. Not only and not so much because adults want it, but because it is more convenient for the child’s personal development. Maria generally believes that order is organic for a baby, but he does not always know how to organize it himself. An adult can create conditions in which order is simple and natural. He does not hold long and exhausting conversations with the child, does not use figurative allegories, the moral of which jumps out like a jack-in-the-box, leaving only a feeling of bewilderment. The teacher invites the child to accept only one clear rule: “Take it, work, put it back.” But in order for the work to be beneficial for the upbringing and development of the child, the teacher gives the child a short (2-3 minutes) lesson. On it, an adult shows how to handle objects in order to achieve results, and not despair and not lose interest.

Interest is the first thing M. Montessori highlights in his methods of development of preschool children. The second is an individual approach. This, of course, does not mean that each child has a separate teacher. Everything is a little different. During free work, each child chooses what he likes to do, and the teacher shows him how to cope with the task.

Freedom of choice appears in the child immediately after he crosses the threshold of the classroom, because only he himself knows exactly what he needs to develop right now. Although there are some guidelines here too. So M. Montessori drew attention, and modern psychology confirmed, that a child from 0 to 6 years old has periods (lasting from 1 to 3 years) when he learns certain things most easily and naturally. So child development By Montessori takes place in several stages: from 0 to 6 years of speech development, and up to 5.5 years of sensory development. On average, from 2.5 to 6 years, a child develops and strengthens social skills. At this time, children easily accept forms of polite or rude behavior that become the norms of their lives. And, of course, one cannot help but mention the short (from 0 to 3 years) period of perception of order. It actually determines the baby’s relationship with the world, because it concerns not only order in the environment, but also in time (the child’s “internal clock” is started) and in interactions with adults.

If you are late and do not take advantage of the opportunities that are valuable for the correct development of the child, then the child may lose interest in this for the rest of his life or return to the mistakes and accidents of these periods in the most unexpected and unpleasant forms after six years.

Montessori encourages us not to rush physical And child's mental development, but also not to miss the moment and in time to spread a self-assembled tablecloth in front of the baby, on which a smaller, safe model of our entire world will be revealed to him. First, the baby’s eyes will run wide, and then they will find what he needs here and now. We just need to remember that on our tablecloth there are not simple objects, but those that have been selected by long observation of what and how helps the proper development of children. Most of them are collected in series and are designed so that the baby can touch them, feel them with his hand, see or hear the differences. Thus, to a limit known only to him, he can develop all his senses. He can apply this knowledge even when mastering letters that are made of rough paper glued onto boards. By tracing them with his writing fingers, the child remembers not only the letter itself, but also how to write it.

Surprisingly, if the teacher does everything right for the development of children in kindergarten and the parents do not interfere with him too much, the child has an internal need to master and recognize the world around him. It turns out that in order for a child to teach (or better yet, educate) 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 him how and where to find this coal.

Maria herself writes: “It is not true that a Montessori teacher is inactive when an ordinary teacher is active: all activity is ensured by the active preparation and guidance of the teacher, his subsequent “inactivity” is a sign of success.” The main task of an adult in the Montessori method of child development is to help children learn to focus on work that is interesting to them. In this complex matter, the teacher goes through three stages. The first is preparing an environment that is attractive to the baby and convenient for his work. The second is the destruction of the activities of individual children that interfere with the advancement and development of others. At this difficult stage, the teacher shows the naughty boy that he is loved even when he is restless and unbearable, and at the same time tirelessly helps the child find something that will interest him and help him concentrate on work. The child’s energy is redistributed from random splashing to constructive activities aimed at comprehensive development of the child. At the third stage, the most important thing for the teacher is not to disturb the child, not to disrupt his search and his work.

Most of the teacher's influence occurs indirectly, through the environment or through the rules that he comes up with with the children. The entire appearance of an adult and his enthusiasm captivates children and helps the teacher to establish a trusting relationship with each child, to create that unique atmosphere that is so distinctive in classes where the child develops according to Montessori.

Maria noticed that children teach other children better than adults, and in our adult lives we communicate with both those who are older than us and those who are younger. Using this observation in her methodology for the development of preschool children, Maria filled her classes with children of different ages, identifying two groups. In the first there are children from 3 to 6 years old, in the second from 6 to 12. They have different tasks. Until the age of six, a child builds his mind, and after six he actively masters culture. And if children each become smarter at their own pace and to their own limit, then culture can still be mastered in different forms and directions.

It is much more difficult to organize assistance for the second group, therefore there are significantly fewer classes for children from 6 to 12 in the world than classes from 3 to 6. And yet in some countries (USA, the Netherlands) there are quite a lot of Montessori child development schools.

These are mainly countries where there were no totalitarian regimes, with which M. Montessori’s pedagogy did not coexist anywhere in the world. After all, dictators do not need responsible, independent and independently thinking individuals who are raised and developed in children in Montessori classes.

By the end of the thirties, a new motive appeared in the pedagogical system of child development according to Montessori. Everything that happens in the world, M. Montessori believes, is determined by the cosmic plan. The Creator “writes” it, and He gives man a special mission. People are led along the path from an apprentice carrying out the will of the Creator to the heights of mastery. Already now such an imperfect person, the only creature endowed with reason, is responsible for everything that happens in the world. But in the life of each of us, a conflict arises between our cosmic task and what we do under the influence of sociocultural conditions and training.

M. Montessori perceives the small child as the most “pure” bearer of the Creator’s plan. Then the main task of adults is not to destroy this plan with their intervention. These ideas are not always perceived by those who undertake to work according to the Montessori system. However, they are quite organic for teaching and developing a child according to Maria Montessori’s method and give it harmony and completeness.

Anastasia Surkova
Basic principles of the Montessori method

Montessori method

Basic principles of the Montessori method– game form of learning and independent exercises.

The Montessori method is based on an individual approach to to kid: the child himself chooses the didactic material and duration of classes, develops at his own rhythm. Key Feature Montessori methods– creation of a special development environment ( Montessori - environments, in which the child will be able and willing to demonstrate his individual abilities. Classes on Montessori method not like a traditional lesson. Materials Montessori allow the child to see and correct his mistakes. Role Montessori- the teacher’s role is not to teach, but to guide the child’s independent activities. Montessori method helps develop attention, creative and logical thinking, memory, speech, imagination, motor skills. Montessori method pays special attention to group games and tasks that help master communication skills, as well as mastering everyday activities, which contributes to the development of independence.

Features of M. pedagogy Montessori

Every child is given by nature to be an intelligent and successful person. The task of adults is simply to help the child reach his potential, teach him to independently comprehend the world. To do this, it is very important to create an environment in which the child can and wants to demonstrate his individual abilities, develop and learn at his own rhythm. This opportunity is provided to us by the pedagogy of the Italian psychologist Maria Montessori.

The Montessori method is based on observation of a child in natural conditions and accepting him this way, what it is. The basic principle of Montessori pedagogy: to encourage the child to self-education, to self-education, to self-development. Motto the method is familiar to many: “Help me do it myself.” In groups Montessori child learns mainly independently using a specially designed environment Montessori materials. InMontessori- the materials provide the opportunity for self-control, the child sees his own mistakes, and the adult does not need to point them out. The role of the teacher is not to teach, but only to guide the child’s independent activities. Another Key Feature Montessori pedagogy: children study in different age groups. In one Montessori- in the classroom, a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old child work nearby; they do not interfere, but, on the contrary, help each other.

Montessori-class includes many zones:

real life zone: the child learns to dress independently, pour and pour, wash, clean, mix, cut, paint, draw, etc. Here children learn to concentrate and develop gross and fine motor skills;

sensory development zone: study of the surrounding world (distinguish height, length, weight, color and other properties items). Here children play with objects, learning size, shape and color. For example, a child places cylinders on the table in order from largest to smallest. Children also learn to follow their eyes from left to right, which helps them get comfortable with reading;

Zones: linguistic, geographical, mathematical, natural science: mental development of the child.

Movement exercises - in mostly on line. In the majority Montessori-classrooms, a ribbon line in the form of a circle (an oval) is drawn on the carpet or floor, which is used for physical exercises to develop balance and coordination of movements, as well as attention.

The child chooses the zone and specific Montessori material with whom he wants to work. He can work alone or with other children; he usually makes this choice himself. The child works at his own pace, There is no competition in the Montessori method. Many Montessori schools complement Montessori- materials from such areas as music, art and dance, foreign language, etc.

Task Montessori-teachers - help the child organize his activities, follow his own unique path, realize his potential to the fullest extent. Special pedagogical techniques that must be learned are very important Montessori teachers. IN Montessori method there is no classroom-lesson system; instead of school desks there are light portable tables and chairs + rugs on which they study on the floor. Montessori-the teacher is not the center of the class, as in a traditional school. He does not sit at the table, but spends time in individual lessons with children. Montessori- the teacher intervenes in the child’s activities only when necessary.