What is the Story Behind Casa dei Bambini and the Montessori Method?

Private middle schools are an extension of the educational philosophy developed by Maria Montessori. They feature activities that involve multiple facets of education, including physical and social development, practical experiences, and other distinctive traits. Authentic Montessori schools are typically referred to as Children’s Houses in the United States, a translation of the original name she gave her classrooms: Casa Dei Bambini.

Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori was a very interesting woman who had already made a historical impact even before developing the Montessori Method, years before Montessori was available to middle school students. She was the first woman to graduate from the University of Rome La Sapienza Medical School, and the first female doctor in Italy. After her graduation, she was given the task of educating children in one of Rome’s least affluent areas, charged with teaching children that had previously been considered unteachable for a variety of reasons. In 1906, she opened her first school and named it Casa Dei Bambini, and that is where this phenomenal learning style began.

Observing and Guiding

Maria Montessori believed that teaching children with learning deficiencies like autism (a term that didn’t exist in Montessori’s time) was to observe their behavior and guide them toward becoming the masters of their own education. She recognized that children learned more efficiently in a natural environment and that they retained information better when it was acquired through real-world interaction and hands-on activity. Through these observations, she developed what is today known as the Montessori Method.

A Prepared Environment

One of the important facets of Montessori-style learning was to provide children with a stable, controlled learning environment. Children would always know where to find a particular activity and through practical experience would help maintain that environment. The workstations found in today’s authentic Montessori schools are directly descended from the activities first used by Maria Montessori. While there have been some minor changes over time, the original workstations are still widely used and highly recommended for early child development.

The Montessori Method

The Montessori Method is the doctrine that defines Montessori education. It involves children learning at their own pace, classrooms containing a 3-year age spread, extended work periods that allow children to learn at different paces, and a focus on whole-child development that includes physical, social, emotional, and academic instruction. In most cases, activities combine lessons in more than one of these developmental categories and feature things like more time spent outdoors, freedom of movement within the classroom, and more.

The Montessori Method is quite complex and revolves around a trinity of participants defined as the teachers, the parents, and the children. It works best when adopted as a model for family life, and research has shown that children who learn through the Montessori Method have higher retention rates, and exhibit the respect and curiosity indicative of responsible community members.

Kindergarten Lessons: Sharing is Caring

Children learn important life skills through play. Teaching kindergarteners to share, take turns, and care about their peer’s feelings is a necessary life lesson. Maria Montessori saw possessiveness in young children stemming from their lack of opportunities to engage in activities that are conducive to their development. Children have a natural drive to interact with their environment; they merely need opportunities presented so they can interact in productive and positive ways.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Teaching Kindergartners what Respect Means

Respect is an important and universal concept, and one that is a life-long interpersonal practice. But what does it mean to respect someone or something? How do you explain this somewhat abstract concept to your kindergartener? Luckily, there are a few Montessori strategies you can use in teaching this fundamental idea, each of them founded in the key Montessori teaching approach of demonstrating and letting your child choose how to explore the topic, instead of lecturing. Afterall, not only is it easier for you to show what respect is rather than explain it, but it is also more easily learned by your kindergartner when they see and experience respect.

At Home: Helping your Child Become a Better Reader

Reading is more difficult for some children than others, and it can seem torturous for children with certain learning impairments. There are a few ideas you can try at home to get your kids more interested, and ideas on how to improve reading skills. As the parent, you figure heavily in instilling a love of reading in your children, up to and including how often your children observe you reading voluntarily.

Building Fine Motor Skills in Preschool

Many parents confuse preschool with daycare. The fact is, daycare is primarily for childcare while parents are working, while preschool prepares pre-K children for the experience of going to school. One of the key areas that preschool will focus on is your child’s fine motor skills, building hand-eye coordination, balance, and other mobility.

The Value of Attending a School Near Home

The many benefits of enrolling your child in a school that is near your home often go without saying. However, the value is so great for children’s and their family’s experience that it can be worth naming and enumerating. From enjoying a shorter commute to fostering a stronger community, attending a school near home, particularly a Montessori school with strong ties to the neighborhood, can enrich the lives of all involved.