The Origin of Our Method

"The Origin of our Method." (Montessori, 1966, pp113- 118).

Montessori took the work she had done with mentally ill children and installed these ideas into her first school for children of normal intelligence. These children, neglected and illiterate, came from poverty, and with a lack of funds it led them to make their own furniture. During this process Montessori became aware of the different psychological factors, which created a change in the child. This became the basis for some of Montessori's most important findings.

By removing the obstacles to development she gave the child freedom to learn. She was interested to see the difference between younger children of normal intelligence and older mentally challenged children. Using the material's developed for the mentally ill, and the help of a single teacher, who she instructed how to use the materials to guide the children. Montessori discovered a child will engage with an object that attracts them, only leaving that object when they are entirely satisfied that their work is done. Creating a confidence and mental ability within the child that was not there before. Leaving them satisfied that they had chosen and completed the task themselves

Study Skills Task 1:

Taking Notes

Learning from play:

Ideas of repetition and innovative play

* Compliment each other

* Play and work closely connected through repetition

Play:

* Adapting/Transforming reality for own benefit

o Examples:

 Infants turn all objects into something that can be sucked

 Older children turn a leaf into a boat they can float in a stream

 Adult give symbolic value to balls, playing cards etc.

Difference between transformations of reality and creativity:

Creativity:

o Involves a transformations of reality

o Original transformations

o Not all transformations creative:

 Pre established,

 Conventional transformations

Work:

* Adapting/Transforming oneself' to fit with in reality

* Adapting to the demands of society

o Examples:

 Child learns to eat at a table, use a knife and fork.

 Put things away and tidy up

 Dress oneself