Montessori methodology for early child development - the philosophy of pedagogy and the division of learning space. Maria Montessori Methodology Montessori Developmental Handbook

Today, there are many methods of early development of children, including copyright ones. But one of the most popular and in demand - of course, adjusted for the latest pedagogical achievements and developments - for a long time in many countries of the world remains the method of early development of children, developed by Maria Montessori. What is its essence?

Help me do it myself

Maria Montessori began to implement her experimental methodology in working with special children - with those who had difficulty adapting to society, mental retardation. She sought to instill self-help skills in children through tactile receptivity-based games in a special developmental environment. Initially, Maria did not seek to increase the intellectual abilities of such children, but she soon noticed that they had grown noticeably. In just a year, the kids caught up in intellectual development with their peers.

Combining her own observations, pedagogical ideas with the experience of other specialists, applying knowledge of psychology and even philosophy, Maria created her own system, which is called the Montessori method. Later, they tried to work on this system with healthy children, and it easily adapted to the needs of each baby.

Briefly, the idea of the methodology can be formulated something like this: help the child become independent. In it, nature has already laid down its unique development program, you just need to create the necessary conditions for its implementation. That is, an adult only helps when it is needed, without forcing or convincing that only the adult's opinion about the surrounding reality is correct.

The essence and principles of this approach of Mary lie in several ideas.

Every child is a unique individual from birth.
In each of them, nature has a desire for development, knowledge, work.
Teachers or parents should be helpers, not trying to fashion a small personality "for themselves."
Adults only need to guide the baby in a timely manner, and not teach. Give him the opportunity to develop independence, patiently and carefully waiting for the initiative from the child.

In the Montessori method, it is unacceptable:

compare different children with each other;
organize competitions between them;
apply both rewards and punishments
establish an exact training program;
evaluate the results of the child's work;
force him to do something.

Montessori pedagogy proceeds from the fact that any child naturally strives to live and act on an equal footing with adults, and this can be achieved by studying and gaining life experience. Therefore, the child himself strives for learning in order to quickly reach an adult level in his skills.

According to these ideas, each child chooses what and how much he will do, what areas he is interested in; he himself determines at what pace he will acquire knowledge. Education is reduced to ensuring its independence in all manifestations.

And adults at the same time must respect any choice of the baby, develop his perception, especially sensory, create a comfortable developing environment around children, allow them to choose their place, shift aids or rearrange furniture. And most importantly - to keep neutrality: to observe and not correct the process of learning independence.

In this system, the division of children into 3 ages is accepted:

0 - 6 years, when the baby is actively developing all its functions;
6 - 12 years old, when the child actively shows interest in the events and phenomena of the world around him;
12 - 18 years old, when a person is already able to see the relationship between events and facts, forms his own worldview, searches for himself in this world.

Ignore the promises of today's child care centers to turn your child into a Montessori prodigy at age 1 or 2 or earlier. Yes, this is an early development system, but Maria herself built her own method for children 3 years old and older. Everything else is a reworking of the methodology by its followers (and not necessarily correct).

How is the system set up?

There are three main principles in the methodology, but they work only in unity.

At the center of the system is a baby who makes independent decisions about his actions.
Around it is a specially equipped and designed developmental environment.
Next to him is a teacher who watches or helps if the child asks, but does not interfere.

At the same time, the classes themselves are formed fundamentally from children of different ages, so that the older ones have the opportunity to help the younger ones, take care of them, and the younger ones learn from the older ones, strive to reach their level, and take an example.

Of course, the main role in Montessori pedagogy is given to the developing environment, which involves all the senses of the child. Without its proper organization, the system will not work.

In the room, all equipment and furniture (including toilets and sinks) must be appropriate for the age and height of children so that they can use it all, and rearrange it themselves if necessary. There should be a lot of light, free space, as well as fresh air. The color design is calm, so as not to distract the attention of the child. All teaching aids should be at the level of the child's eyes so that he can independently use them. At the same time, all materials and manuals are presented in a single copy, so that children learn to negotiate among themselves who will do what, change. The aids in this technique are mainly used wooden, since Maria herself has always been a supporter of the naturalness of materials.

The development environment is divided into several functional areas with different purposes.

Practical area. Here are materials and devices that help the child to master the skills of self-care (dressing, washing hands), caring for plants and animals, benefits necessary for housekeeping (washing, cooking, ironing, etc.), as well as materials for the development of small and large motility. Here, children learn the rules of behavior, polite communication. In the same zone, conversations are held, as well as various role-playing games.
Sensory zone. Here the child learns tastes, smells, shapes, colors, temperature, texture. Rough tablets, noise cylinders, tactile pouches, flavor jars, various scent boxes, and other similar developments - all this is located in the sensory zone.
Mathematical zone. Equipped with aids for studying counting and simple calculations: action tables, geometric shapes, numerical and counting material.
language zone. Equipped with reading and writing materials (ABCs, books, movable alphabet, cards with different images, etc.), which is a good preparation for school. In this zone, teachers conduct various games for the development of speech.
Space zone. Here are objects that contribute to the knowledge of the surrounding world, culture, history, helping to understand the connection between generations. Here are collected manuals that help to study geography (natural areas, landscapes, continents, solar system), biology (classification of animals and plants, their habitat), history (calendars, timelines), as well as materials for experiments, experiments.
Gymnastic area. This space provides physical activity. It is equipped with mats, marked with lines for performing various exercises that train balance and coordination. There are such activities with children as aerobics, running, walking, exercises with balls, sticks, outdoor games.

Organization of lessons

The Montessori method involves 3 types of classes.

Individual. For one or 2-3 children, the teacher offers educational material, demonstrates the possibilities of its application without long explanations. Such material should arouse interest in the baby, have some kind of bright distinctive property, make it possible to check whether he performed the action correctly. Then the child or children work with the material on their own. When conducting such a lesson, the other children of the teacher do not ask for anything.
Group. They involve children who have reached approximately the same level of development. The lesson plan is similar to the previous one. The rest of the children in the class are engaged without a teacher.
General. The whole class participates in these lessons. These are classes in general subjects - history, music, gymnastics. Such lessons are usually short, and then the children again decide for themselves what and where to do it.

Under this system, children move from one class to another. But when they do this is determined by the capabilities of a particular child. That is, it is a technique applicable to both the younger age and the older one. In such classes there are no specific goals for each year, children study at their own pace. One of the main rules here is not to interfere with others. That is, to behave quietly, not to take away benefits, not to interfere with someone who is engaged in some zone alone, to be able to properly build relationships with other children.

Advantages and disadvantages of the system

Every system has supporters and opponents. The first see it as pluses, the second - minuses. What are the pros and cons of the Montessori system?

Flaws:

the lack of a traditional lesson system makes it difficult to adapt to a regular school;
teachers need to be trained for a very long time;
a large number of special training materials are supposed, mostly natural, manufactured using complex technologies, and therefore expensive, not accessible to everyone. Hence the high cost of classes in such centers;
intellectual abilities in such training prevail over creative ones, which are regarded as a departure from reality;
reading for a child is only a process of obtaining information;
the emphasis on independence limits communication with other children;
Practically no ordinary toys are used.

Advantages:

the system motivates children to study;
teaches you to independently plan your work, as well as organize it;
helps to independently find answers to emerging questions, find errors, correct them;
teaches responsibility and mutual assistance;
gives the basics of knowledge about the world around;
helps develop logical and analytical capabilities;
develops speech and intelligence.

Such children are able to adapt well to society and grow up very successful. And children with special needs have the opportunity to catch up with their peers in development.

Montessori at home

In view of the foregoing, many mothers today decide to develop their babies according to this system. Unable to pay for classes at a specialized center, they are looking for ways to do it at home. Of course, it will not be possible to completely recreate all the requirements of the methodology at home, but it is quite possible to develop your baby in the spirit of Montessori at home. You can pick up a lot of activities for the youngest children, which will help them become independent and skillful.

For example:

pouring water (possible with bath foam) from one container to another, watering the flowers with a watering can;
fastening and unfastening - let the baby “deal with” buttons, buttons, zippers, laces with his own hands.
sifting the cereal mixture through a colander;
catching plastic balls from the water with a spoon (for example, while swimming);
wiping water with a sponge;
cooking, washing, mopping with mom;
shifting small items, for example, salad tongs;
walking along the marked line (possible with a bell in hand or with a spoon filled with water).

You can give the baby to smell different spices, herbs, fruits, invite him to draw with his fingers, identify objects in the bag by touch or determine the sound by ear.

For children from 1 to 3 years old, it is useful to build towers from cubes - at first simple, then increasingly tall and complex. At 2.5 years - 5 years, you can develop the skills of sorting objects according to any principle: size, color, material, shape, texture, etc. These can be cubes, beads, scraps of different fabrics, clothespins, crackers, socks - many options.

So, the Montessori method can be treated differently. Some accept it, some reject it. But if the child lacks independence and self-confidence, such activities can help him gain the necessary qualities. Especially if you do them regularly.

Modern preschool institutions, among the advantages that distinguish them from numerous competitors, list the Montessori methodology. This phrase is familiar to some, but to most it means absolutely nothing. The system was invented at the beginning of the 20th century by the Italian physician Maria Montessori. She is especially already in that she outlived her author and found many followers. The Montessori method was not subject to political regimes and time. What is its peculiarity?

The Montessori education system is based on the principle of freedom, which manifests itself in the form of play and independent exercises of the child. The methodology is based on an individual approach to each child. An adult is just his assistant.

Montessori classes are held in accordance with an individually designed plan for each student in a specially created environment. For learning, a variety of aids are used that allow the child to control himself and analyze his mistakes. In this case, the teacher only guides the baby.

The Montessori methodology for children can be used both in groups and kindergartens, as well as in home schooling. It allows the child to show their personal abilities and potential. Montessori education develops creativity, logic, attention, memory and motor skills. A lot of attention in the classes is paid to collective games, during which the baby develops communication skills and independence. A characteristic feature of the system is that classes are held in groups of different ages. At the same time, the younger children do not in the least interfere with the older ones, but, on the contrary, help them.

The author of the system believed that every child is smart and inquisitive by nature, but not everyone gets into an environment that helps to reveal his abilities. Therefore, the task of an adult is to help the baby in development, in independent knowledge of the world, creating suitable conditions for this. The Maria Montessori method involves accepting the baby as he is. The most important task of an adult is to encourage the child to develop and learn.

The impact of the technique on children

The main influence of the methodology on children is the development of an independent, self-confident personality. Montessori children do not perceive learning as a heavy duty, since classes are conducted without coercion, criticism or rude adult intervention. The main emphasis in the system is focused on what needs a child of this age category experiences, on his abilities and the uniqueness of each.

Montessori learning assumes that the child experiences the joy of the process. This is due to the opportunity to study what he is currently interested in. The organization of the educational process in this way helps the child grow self-confident and learn what he sees with maximum efficiency.

The Montessori development methodology allows the child to be independent, to acquire practical skills early. Even a toddler studying according to this system can dress without the help of an adult, set the table, etc. Independence is reinforced by the fact that children decide what they want to learn now and with whom they will work at the moment. The main slogan of the Montessori method is the motto "Help me do it myself."

Fundamentals of learning

the first stage of childhood (from birth to 6 years);
the second stage of childhood (from 6 to 12 years);
youth (from 12 to 18 years).

The most important stage in the development of a child as a person is early childhood. During this period, the soul of the child receives the main development. If an adult already perceives the world around him, partially filtering it, then the baby absorbs impressions, and they become a part of his soul. Age up to 6 years, according to the methodology, is the second embryonic phase of development.

Then comes the stage of lability, when the child goes through the phase of sensitivity. He becomes especially receptive to certain processes of the surrounding world, for example, to social aspects, movement or speech. Being engaged in an interesting business, at this age the child is already capable of deep concentration. That is, he comprehends a phenomenon or process, as a result of which his intellect is formed and personality develops.

An important stage in the development of children is the improvement of the senses, for which they need to feel, touch or taste everything. Based on this, the author is convinced that the baby's intelligence develops not through abstraction, but with the help of the senses. Therefore, the basis of the method of early development of Maria Montessori is the unity of sensation and cognition.

In accordance with this, the Montessori methodology involves special teaching aids and educational games. For example, picking up one ball in a block of hundreds, the baby is able to get an idea of \u200b\u200bone and a hundred long before he can abstractly imagine these numbers.

A lesson according to the Montessori method is possible only in a specially created environment that allows the baby to gradually become independent from adults. The author of the technique is sure that the atmosphere around the child should correspond to his height and proportions. The kid should be able to choose a place for classes by moving the table and chair on their own. Even a simple rearrangement of chairs Montessori considers motor skills training.

The environment in which the child's personality is formed should be as aesthetic as possible. A kid from early childhood should learn to handle fragile objects, such as porcelain and glass. Such things must be kept within the reach of the child.

Montessori was convinced that an important biological principle of human life is the child's desire for independence and independence from an adult. In the process of physical development, it is necessary to help the baby achieve spiritual autonomy. The adult is assigned the role of an ally who will create the conditions for this, help the child's aspirations for knowledge to develop. In this process, the teacher is the child himself.

When teaching, it must be borne in mind that no two children are the same, each is individual. Therefore, educational plans should be tailored to the individual child.

Pros and cons of the technique

Despite many advantages, the system has not been universally developed in the world. This is due to the fact that the Montessori method has both pros and cons, which are suitable for someone, but not for someone.

The advantages include the following:

The author of the technique is a woman. A female doctor who cares for her pupils with all her heart.
A great emphasis is placed on the fact that babies absorb sensations and impressions like a sponge. At the same time, it is important not only to see and hear, but also to try and feel. It is on the development of fine motor skills (beads, polka dots, laces) that the idea of the Montessori system is directed. It has been proven that with the development of fine motor skills of the crumbs, its psychological development and speech are stimulated and improved. Of course, such activities involve adult control of the safety of the child so that the baby does not put small objects in the ear or nose.
Classes provide an opportunity for a small person to learn independence, self-educate.
Teaching children according to the Montessori method allows you to gain self-confidence, since it completely eliminates censure, punishment, criticism or coercion.
Classes have quick noticeable results. Preschool children are often able to count, write and read.
Individual attitude to the needs and abilities of the child.
Lack of competition in groups.
Possibility to choose the type of occupation according to interests.

Minuses:

The system was originally designed not for every child, it was created for the development and adaptation of mentally retarded children. It will not be easy for a very mobile baby to study according to the Montessori system.
Despite the fact that the technique was adapted to the needs of a normal baby, in the future, the child may have difficulty accepting school rules.
The disadvantages of the system, some include different ages of children in the group. This is a moot point. In families, children also come in different ages, but this does not prevent them from developing without interfering with each other.
Fairy tales were not included in the original Montessori system because the author considered them as unhelpful as any other abstract teaching. Now the methodology is changing a bit, in some groups fairy tales are already used.
Many educators call the Montessori method artificial, because children live in their own microcosm and are often cut off from social reality.

Method at home: organization of zones and basic rules

The Montessori method at home is rarely used. This is due to the complexity of creating all the necessary areas of the house. It is more expedient to choose several exercises that will develop the child's abilities. In this case, you need to use the items that are at hand.

For example, in order for the baby to learn the concept of volume, you can show him two glasses - full and empty. When a child pours liquid from one container to another, he forms an idea of filling a glass, of volume and the concepts of “more” and “less”.

Montessori games allow you to easily develop your child's fine motor skills. It will be useful to unfold the buttons by color or size. A sense of beauty in a baby will be developed by caring for an indoor flower bought for him. In this case, it is better to choose flowering plants. How pleasant it will be for the child when the flower he cared for blooms.

The early development of children according to the Montessori system at home involves the creation of a certain environment conducive to self-knowledge. It is necessary to arrange several special zones in the room. In one zone you need to place toys.

As such, the Montessori system does not imply toys in the truest sense of the word. This means that their main function is not entertainment, but the development of practical skills. At the beginning of training, these are fairly simple items - a plastic iron, a set of dishes. Playing with them, the child receives self-service skills.

Later, Montessori toys and special devices will be needed, with the help of which the baby will learn the basics of counting, get acquainted with the quantity, develop motor skills and attentiveness.

In another zone, materials should be placed that allow the child to develop logical thinking and imagination.

Separately, you can create a real life zone in which the baby will learn to wash, pour, dress, draw, etc. on his own.

Montessori Development Rules:

You can not touch the baby if he does not turn to an adult.
You can't say bad things about a child.
It is necessary to focus on the development of positive qualities in the child.
Preparing the environment requires pedantry. It is necessary to show the child how to work with the material correctly.
Not a single appeal of a child to an adult should be left without attention.
A child who makes a mistake should be treated with respect, he has the opportunity to correct it. But attempts to misuse the material or actions that are dangerous to the health and life of the baby should be stopped.
You can not force a resting child to act. Respect should be given to his observations of the work of others, or his reflections on how he is going to do it.
Help should be given to those who want to work but cannot choose an occupation.
At the heart of education is mercy, love, care, silence and restraint.
An adult, communicating with a baby, should offer him the best that is in him and in him.

At what age can a child start classes?

The age of children with whom you can study according to the Montessori system is determined in accordance with the age groups that the author has identified. It may vary in different schools and groups, but, as a rule, classes are possible from 8 months.

The main condition is that the child must sit confidently, and even better - crawl. By about 3 years old, children can practice without their mothers. Thus, the Montessori system is suitable for all ages.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions

Today, deciding to teach a child according to the Montessori method, we can recommend parents to read the book by Marie-Helene Place “60 lessons with a child according to the Montessori method” on their own. A well-known modern manual for parents can be called the book of the same author “Learning Letters Using the Montessori Method”.

Unfortunately, today it is easy to come across the unprofessionalism of the so-called followers of Montessori, who are not really familiar with her system. Teaching children by such teachers may be based on plagiarism by other authors.

For example, some modern teachers, both skeptical about the methodology, and, conversely, passionate about it, point out that Montessori actually denied the possibility of teaching a baby up to 3 years old. The creation of groups for very young children is considered a common misconception, since such activities do not allow the development of independence. After all, the presence of mother in the classroom excludes this concept.

For 2.5 years now, my daughter and I have been adherents of the Montessori methodology - a wonderful system of early development that has conquered the whole world, a system based on the idea of free education and deep respect for the interests of the child. I will not repeat myself and talk about the basic principles of the methodology, which were previously written about. In this article, I would like to dwell on how to implement the Montessori method at home. After all, going to a developing Montessori club is one thing, but maintaining the spirit of free upbringing at home is quite another, perhaps, this is an even more important component.

Perhaps you have already read my article on the site about the implementation of the Montessori method at home. Now you have before you a revised version of the article, written taking into account the experience we have accumulated in applying the methodology.

So, if you want your child to develop harmoniously, learn to play independently, and at the same time play with pleasure not only with flying fairies and cars, but also with educational didactic toys, so that he learns to clean up after himself, then you just need, firstly, create for baby at home developing environment and secondly, to give the child complete freedom of action in this environment.

And here's what you need for this:

1. Age-appropriate educational materials

The experience of Maria Montessori showed that children are most interested in those actions and objects that are connected with the real life of adults. Therefore, the children's environment should repeat the adult one: let all kinds of dishes appear in the children's room, provide the child with everything necessary so that he can wipe the dust, etc. Very great importance is attached to the Montessori system, so do not forget about buttons, etc.

About what games the child will be interested in at each stage of development, I write in detail in the sections "" and " Ready-made training programs».

2. Proper storage space for toys

Very often, in children's rooms, all toys are stored in containers or deep toy baskets. In fact, this is such a dump of toys, where it is almost impossible to find something specific. Yes, a small child will never do this, he simply forgets about those toys that are lying at the bottom of the basket.

In a properly organized play space, all materials are placed on racks and shelves. At the same time, all the shelves are located at the level of the child so that he can independently take any benefit that interests him. Each material has its own specific place here, which means that the child always knows where to get what he needs and where to put it away afterwards.

In Montessori development centers, the play space usually looks something like this:

However, it is very difficult to do something like this in an ordinary city apartment, because all these shelves require a lot of space, but you also need to put a closet somewhere, and a bed ... Therefore, at home, you can make a more simplified version with fewer shelves. In addition, you do not need to post all the manuals at once, as in the development center, you can post a limited number of toys and rotate them regularly. This approach will not only save space in the room, but also help maintain the child's interest in toys, they will not "get bored". More on this below.

Thus, to organize a Montessori environment at home, one 2-3-tier rack is enough. It can be made to order or use ready-made solutions. We bought our rack in the Ikea store, this is how it looked at the age of 2:

When such a rack appeared in our nursery, it immediately became clear that this is a great boon! I'm not talking about my daughter's delight at all. Previously, insert frames, knockers and other household items were lying on the windowsill, where everyone always forgot about them, now everything was in sight, both for my daughter and for me. When Taisiya took up the game, it was immediately clear what to take on

There are a few important things to know in order to organize a competent Montessori environment in which the child will always be interested.

1. There should not be too many toys on the rack. !

Firstly, a limited set of toys makes it easier for a child to choose, helps to concentrate on something specific. Secondly, if the shelves are crammed with educational materials, then getting to a specific one becomes not so easy. Well, if the child experiences difficulties associated with pulling out and cleaning the material, then with a high degree of probability he will prefer not to play with it at all.

2. It is necessary to constantly change the toys displayed on the rack .

When I first organized a rack for my daughter, I focused on the layout of the developing club - absolutely all the developing materials available were laid out there. I wanted Taisiya to have a full selection of materials at home, so I stuffed into the rack all the educational toys we had, which at the moment were suitable for my daughter by age. It took some time before I realized that the daughter was just stopped noticing toys that were always in the rack! They became so familiar to her that they seemed completely uninteresting.

Then I did what should have been done from the very beginning: I put all the toys in a closed cabinet, and put only a limited set of materials on the shelves so that everyone was clearly visible. Every week I began to conduct a small revision: I removed from my field of view those toys that were not of interest to me, and replaced them with others. And here the second life of our Montessori rack began! Materials that no one had looked at before sparkled with new colors.

Regular rotation of toys is really very important, it helps to keep the child's interest in educational aids. It also allows you to get by with a small set of toys, because, disappearing from the field of view of the child, they are soon perceived as a new thing.

Naturally, in order to meet the changing interests of the baby and contribute to its further development, completely new materials must be exhibited from time to time.

3. Toys must be at a height accessible to the child

(not above eye level), so that he can take from the shelf and put back any manual that interests him without the help of an adult.

4. Every thing on the rack should have its own place. .

If possible, arrange the toys so that they are visually separated from each other (at a short distance from each other).

5. The rack must be open .

Avoid everything that blocks the child's view of the contents of the shelves: a large number of drawers, doors, etc.

Maria Montessori recommends distributing all materials into zones. In your shelving, you can also group games by meaning. For example, in one compartment you can always lay out frames-liners, in another - cubes and designers, in the third - laces, fasteners,

in the fourth - puzzles,

in the fifth - musical instruments, etc.

Despite the fact that Maria Montessori paid little attention to role-playing, I am convinced that role-playing toys are also necessary on the shelf. We have these sections have always been one of the most used.

3. Furniture and play equipment according to the height of the child

So that the baby does not feel like a midget in the country of giants, it is advisable to purchase furniture for him according to his height. Children's table and chair first of all, they are needed so that the baby sits in the correct position during creative activities, and also so that the child has the opportunity to independently prepare a workplace for himself (bring paints, brushes). Children will also be very useful easel, magnetic board.

4. Personal cleaning products for the baby

An integral part of the Montessori system is giving the baby the opportunity to clean up after themselves. Give your child a rag, sponge, small mop, brush, and dustpan to use individually so they can clean up grits or spilled water while playing. Let the cleaning products always stand in a place specially designated for them. Be sure to have a trash basket in the baby's room.

5. Creative corner

Very often, paints, plasticine, glue are stored in boxes and other places not accessible to children. A child draws only when his mother offers him, and not when he wants to. However, it is very important to give the child the opportunity for spontaneous creativity.

Try to organize a creative corner for the baby in such a way that all the same rules about the availability, limitedness and regular updating of materials are observed.

It can be a creative table in a place convenient for the child or a shelf on your shelf reserved for creative materials. Do not post a lot of different materials there at once, let them be updated regularly.

Naturally, if the child is still too small, tastes almost everything and still does not know the rules for working with certain materials, you should not put glue, sharp scissors or liquid paints in the public domain. But a stack of paper and a few wax crayons can already be put down.

6. Accessible and open bookshelves

To be honest, in the literature on Montessori pedagogy, I have not seen recommendations on how to store books. But gradually we ourselves came to the conclusion that books, like any other materials, need to be accessible and visible to the child.

We are used to seeing books standing spine to spine on a shelf, but with such a layout, it is not easy to choose literature for reading, not only for a child, but also for an adult. Agree, because of the inconvenience of choice, as a rule, the same books are read. And some copies, after one reading on the shelf, are generally forgotten.

If you organize a bookshelf so that the books on it face the child with a cover, then he will be able to independently choose books for joint reading, expressing his preferences in literature. Naturally, the shelf should be at a height accessible to the child, and the books on the shelf should be updated periodically. It is enough to make a shelf for 3-5 books.

We hung our bookshelves over our daughter's bed. (We read the books on the shelves in the photo at the age of 3.5. You can find our complete selection of books by age)

Still in the rack we have a small section and benefits. This is how he looked at 2.5 years old:

In fact, creating a developing environment at home is much easier than it might seem at first glance. One has only to start and “get hooked” on the ideas of Montessori upbringing and you will see for yourself what a great blessing it is for a child. Just remember that the correct organization of the playing space is not everything. It is necessary, together with the baby, to observe several, and most importantly, adhere to the fundamental principle of the Montessori system -. Only then can you really teach your baby to play independently, clean up after themselves, and most importantly, encourage the child to self-learning and self-development. Always remember that by adhering to the principles of the methodology, you bring up a free and independent personality!

Thank you for your attention! I will be glad to make friends with you in social networks, go: Instagram, In contact with, Facebook.

“The first 2 years of a baby’s life are the most important and have a significant impact on his subsequent life, because the whole world is open to the baby,” - Maria Montessori. From birth to a year, special attention should be paid to the following points.

Music and the human voice

While still in the mother's tummy, the baby begins to listen to the voices coming from outside, the human voice is very interesting to him. He remembers the intonations and timbre of the voices of the closest people, captures the intonations of the voice. Therefore, after the birth of a baby, it is so important to talk with him as much as possible, to say how much you love him, to talk about everything that surrounds him. Your voice should be gentle: pronounce the words clearly and without errors, sing songs to your baby.

Particular attention, according to the Montessori system, should be given to the following point. When your baby tries to say something, cooing, for example, imitate him, catch all the intonations of his voice and repeat. Thus, you will stimulate him to the first speech. You will see: after a while, your baby will begin to pronounce more and more new sounds ...

In addition, from birth, you can already read books to the baby, show pictures, listen to beautiful classical music with the baby. After all, the baby, when he was just born: he can neither sit, nor crawl, nor run. The only thing he can do is look at everything that surrounds him. Therefore, it is so necessary to fill his world with beautiful animals, plants, nature, etc.

Safety and comfort

These are two important factors that you must provide your baby. Previously, it was believed that babies do not remember the period in life after their birth, but now it has been scientifically proven that a baby can remember not only a long period of his life, but even the birth itself. Being in his mother's tummy, he is already used to the voices surrounding him, he clearly knows how his mother's heart beats. When he is born, he slowly begins to recognize all those voices that surrounded him before birth; he listens to his mother's heart when she breastfeeds him, next to her the little man feels safe, so it is so important for the first period of time to surround the baby only with close people, whose voices he heard before birth. It’s not worth showing the baby to friends for the first time, so as not to frighten him. Be very careful with the baby, speak to him in a calm, gentle voice, dress him in soft warm clothes made from natural materials, pay attention that the seams in the clothes should be out. Thus, you will create all the conditions for the baby to understand that the world is beautiful, comfortable and safe.

Dream

Sleep is very important for babies. Imagine your baby for 9 months was in a dark, closed, cramped place - in your tummy, and then when he was born, he is surrounded by a lot of sounds, light, a completely different bed and everything, everything, everything is completely different, except for his mother's voice. Therefore, the main task of parents is to create all the necessary conditions for a comfortable sleep of the baby. The Montessori system assumes that all parents should provide their own personal space for the baby. It can be a children's room, or a mat, or an arena, that is, a place where the baby can sleep, crawl and spend time as he wants according to his personal schedule. If you accustom the baby to hands, rock it always before going to bed or sing the same song, then the baby may become addicted to this and he will not be able to fall asleep later without these things. In the future, it will be much more difficult to wean him from this. The mental work of the brain of babies does not stop for a minute. When babies sleep, their brain processes and makes sense of everything they saw when they were awake. We should not look at newborns as helpless little people, because babies, although small in size, have simply enormous mental and physical abilities ...

Game examples

M. Montessori's program for the smallest involves special games for children that not only develop fine motor skills, creative thinking, but also adapt kids to everyday life and prepare them for adulthood.

You can easily play the games offered by the Montessori system with children aged 10 months to 7 years. Studying these practical methods at home with your child, you develop his fine motor skills of the hands, train concentration of attention, coordination of eye and hand movements, in addition, you help the child adapt to adulthood, in the future this will greatly help when adapting to kindergarten, namely , the ability to take care of yourself and loved ones, which is very important !!! So, here are the practical methods themselves.

Practice using a spoon

The goal is to learn how to scoop with a spoon.

Materials needed: a bowl, a spoon, any kind of legumes (it is better to start with larger ones, such as beans, then you can move on to lentils, peas, rice, buckwheat, etc.).

Learning to pin clothespins

Description - we train to pin clothespins to the edges of the bowl.

Materials needed: multi-colored clothespins, a bowl.

What does it give? Trains concentration, motor skills, eye-hand coordination.

Age - we have been playing this game since 1 year old.

In addition, the next step can be practiced, for example, pinning multi-colored sheets of paper with clothespins to a stretched rope.

Learning how to screw nuts into bolts

Description - we take multi-colored and various in shape and size toy nuts and bolts and train the skill of screwing and unscrewing.

Materials needed: toy nuts and bolts.

What does it give?

Motor skills training.

Age - We have been playing this game since 1 year and 6 months. So far it doesn't work very well. Still, this game is for older people.

By the way, you can start to train the skill of unscrewing and twisting with ordinary plastic bottles.

Learning to lace

The goal is the practice of stringing beads of various sizes, colors and shapes?

Necessary materials: balls of various shapes, colors and sizes, thread.

What does it give?

Development of concentration of attention, training of fine motor skills of fingers, coordination of eyes and hands, ability to sort.

Age - we have been playing this game since 1 year old.

Learning to take objects with a clamp

Target - we train to take cubes of different colors with a clamp and pack them into different cells.

Necessary materials:

clip, multi-colored cube.

What does it give? Development of concentration of attention, coordination of eyes and hands, ability to sort.

Age - This game can be played from 2 years old.

Practice pouring water

What does it give?

Training motor skills, concentration, eye-hand coordination.

Age - we have been playing this game since about 1 year and 4 months.

Learning to pour from one large container into 2 small ones

Description - show your baby how to open and close Velcro, buttons, zippers, buckles, tie and untie shoelaces.

Materials Needed: You can buy ready-made materials from Montessori stores or just use old clothes.

What does it give?

Learning independence, coordination of hand movements.

Age - We have been playing this game since about 1 year and 6 months.

Learning to pour water from one container to another using a syringe without a needle or pipette

Description - show your baby how to assemble and disassemble these frame inserts, so the baby gets acquainted with various shapes.

What does it give?

Training of coordination of movements, manual dexterity.

Age - we have been playing this game since about 1 year old.

Learning to take floating objects with a strainer

Description - the practice of catching table tennis balls with a small strainer and spoon. Fill one bowl with water and dip some table tennis balls into it, show your baby how to catch the balls

strainer and transfer them to an empty bowl.

Necessary materials:

2 bowls, a few table tennis balls, a spoon, a small strainer, a sponge.

What does it give?

In addition, for the game, you can use not only balls, but also buy a set, for example, marine life and invite the baby to catch them.

Learning to pour water into a bottle with a narrow neck using a funnel and a jug

Description - water pouring training with a funnel and jug.

Necessary materials:

bottle with a narrow neck, jug, funnel, sponge.

What does it give? Training motor skills, concentration, eye-hand coordination.

Age - We have been playing this game since about 1 year and 5 months.

Learn how to transfer pasta from one container to another.

Description - Show your child how to transfer pasta from one container to another.

Materials needed: 2 small bowls, pasta (except for pasta, you can use rice, buckwheat and other cereals, but it's better to start with larger materials).

What does it give? Training motor skills, concentration, eye-hand coordination.

Age - We have been playing this game since about 1 year and 4 months.

We learn to open and close Velcro, buttons, zippers, buckles, tie and untie shoelaces

Description - show your baby how to open and close Velcro, buttons, zippers, buckles, tie and untie shoelaces.

Materials Needed: You can buy ready-made materials from Montessori stores or just use old clothes.

What does it give? Learning independence, coordination of hand movements.

Age - We have been playing this game since approximately 1 year and 6 months.

Playing in-frame frames (Introduction to shapes)

Description - show your baby how to assemble and disassemble these frame inserts, so the baby gets acquainted with various shapes.

Materials Needed: Get your little one some frames with colorful geometric inlays.

Age - We have been playing this game since about 1 year old.

Playing with frames

(Introduction to forms and parts).

Description - Show your baby how to assemble and disassemble these frame inserts, so the baby gets to know different shapes and parts.

Materials Needed: Get your little one some frames with colorful geometric inlays.

What does it give? Training of coordination of movements, manual dexterity.

Age - we have been playing this game since approximately 1 year and 5 months.

Description - show your baby how to assemble and disassemble these puzzles, so the baby will get acquainted not only with various forms, but also with wild and domestic animals, numbers, household and agriculture, fairy tales, etc.

Materials Needed: Get your little one some frames with colorful molds.

Introduction to pets

Content

The unique system of early childhood development is chosen by many parents both in Russia and in many other countries of the world. This program of developing classes is universal, therefore it is also suitable for correctional classes. The Montessori method encourages the free upbringing of the child and allows for early education of even the smallest crumbs under the age of one year.

What is the Montessori Method

This is a system of raising a child, which was developed at the beginning of the twentieth century by Maria Montessori, an Italian teacher. She created a special developmental environment and saw her main task as the adaptation of kids to society and the development of their self-care skills. Montessori pedagogy did not aim to increase the level of intelligence, but the results of the training were unexpected - within a few months, children with developmental disabilities caught up and in some cases even surpassed their healthy peers.

After summarizing the theoretical works of other scientists and independently conducted experiments, the teacher created an author's methodology for the development of children, which was named after her. Shortly thereafter, the Montessori program was introduced into the education of children with a normal level of mental development and showed impressive results. The main difference between the methodology and other similar systems is the desire for self-development of the crumbs.

Montessori child development

The main motto of the Italian teacher is “help the child do it on his own”. Giving the baby complete freedom of choice of activities and organizing an individual approach to each, Montessori skillfully directed the children to independent development, not trying to remake them, but recognizing their right to remain themselves. This helped the children more easily reveal their creative potential and achieve higher results in the development of thinking than their peers who were taught differently.

Montessori classes did not allow comparison of children or competitive moods. In her pedagogy there were no generally accepted criteria for evaluating or encouraging children, just as coercion and punishment were prohibited. According to the teacher, every child wants to become an adult faster, and he can only achieve this by gaining his own life experience, so the teacher should give him the right to be independent, acting mainly as an observer, and help only if necessary. Giving a crumb of freedom leads to the education of independence.

Children are allowed to independently choose the speed and rhythm of classes that will be most effective for them. They themselves determine how much time to devote to the game, what material to use in training. If desired, the student changes the environment. And most importantly, the baby independently chooses the direction in which he wants to develop.

Basic philosophy of pedagogy

The Montessori school sets a goal in the direction of independent activity. The task of the teacher is to use all available means for the development of independence, sensory perception of children, paying special attention to touch. The teacher must respect the choice of the baby and create an environment for him in which he will develop comfortably. The teacher in the learning process observes neutrality and acts as an observer, helping the child only if he himself asks him about it. Montessori in the course of her work came to the following conclusions:

a child is a unique person from the moment of birth;
parents and teachers should only help the baby to reveal the potential, while not acting as an ideal in abilities and character;
adults should only prompt the child in his independent activity, patiently waiting for the initiative to be taken from the student himself.

Basic principles

The key role of the methodology is played by the idea of self-education. Parents and teachers should determine what children are interested in and create suitable developmental conditions, explaining how knowledge can be acquired. The author's method of Maria Montessori involves acting on the principle of responding to a child's request: "Help me do it myself." Postulates of this pedagogical approach:

the baby makes decisions independently, without the help of adults;
the developing environment provides the child with the opportunity to learn;
The teacher intervenes in the learning process only at the request of the child.

The author of the methodology said that there is no need to teach children something on purpose, you just need to see personalities in them. The children independently realize their abilities and opportunities, for this they are placed in a prepared environment. In order for development to take place in an optimal mode, Montessori formed the key principles of learning:

Individuality. The most important rule in building a teaching methodology is an individual approach. The teacher is required to help the ward to maximize the potential already inherent in him from birth.
Self-correction. Children themselves should notice their mistakes and try to correct it on their own.
Personal space. This principle implies awareness of one's own position in the group and the understanding that each object has its place. The approach helps to unobtrusively instill knowledge of order in the crumbs.
Social interaction. The technique suggests creating groups with children of different ages, while the younger ones will receive help from the older ones. Such social skills instill in children the desire to take care of loved ones.
Life experience. Development occurs with the help of real household items. When interacting with them, kids learn to tie their shoelaces, set the table, etc. So the guys get useful life experience from an early age.

Advantages and disadvantages of the system

Despite the fact that Maria Montessori's pedagogy is recognized as one of the best in the world, many do not support her ideas. Parents should carefully study its positive and negative sides. Advantages of the education system:

children develop independently, without the intervention and pressure of adults;
children discover the world by experience, which contributes to better assimilation of the material;
an individual comfortable pace of development is selected;
kids learn to respect the personal space of others;
there is no negativity, violence or criticism in relation to students;
mental development occurs through the senses, while great attention is paid to fine motor skills;
groups of different ages are formed taking into account the interests of children;
this approach helps to grow an independent personality;
children learn to make decisions on their own from an early age;
toddlers learn to care for others through helping younger students in the group;
the skill of interaction in society develops, self-discipline is brought up.

The Montessori system has fewer drawbacks, but for some parents they are fundamentally important when choosing a method of education. The disadvantages of this approach to education are:

insufficient attention is paid to the development of imagination, creativity, communication skills;
for preschoolers, the game is the main activity, but Montessori believed that toys do not give the child any benefit for practical life;
when entering a school, it is difficult for a student to adjust to a different option for interaction with a teacher;
children get little acquainted with fairy tales, which give an idea of good and evil, teach them how to get out of different life situations;
children brought up according to the Montessori method sometimes have difficulty adapting to the discipline of a traditional school;
the system does not offer exercise, so the kids lack physical activity.

Features of the division of educational space according to Montessori

The main element of the author's pedagogy is the developing environment: all equipment and furniture must strictly correspond to the height, age, and proportions of the child. The children must independently cope with the need to rearrange objects in the room, while doing it as quietly as possible so as not to disturb others. Such actions, according to Montessori, perfectly develop motor skills.

Students are given the freedom to choose the place where they will study. The room should have a lot of free space, access to fresh air, be well lit. Panoramic glazing is welcome to maximize the area with daylight. At the same time, the interior should be elegant and beautiful, with a calm color palette that does not distract the attention of children. Mandatory use of fragile items in the environment, so that the kids learn how to use them and understand their value.

It is necessary to provide for the possibility for students to use water, for this purpose the sinks are installed at a height accessible to kids. Teaching aids are at eye level for students to use without adult assistance. At the same time, all the materials provided to children should be one at a time - this teaches children how to behave in society, take into account the needs of other people. The basic rule for the use of materials is the one who takes it first. Guys should be able to negotiate, exchange with each other.

The developing environment is divided into several zones, for each of which certain materials for classes are provided. They are toys and objects made from natural materials. The author's system distinguishes the following main zones:

practical;
sensory;
linguistic;
mathematical;
space.

real life zone

This area of study is also called practical. The main function of the materials here is to teach children about household chores, to form hygiene habits. Classes in the real life zone help kids learn:

take care of yourself (change clothes, cook, etc.);
communicate with other students, the teacher;
take care of things (water the flowers, clean the room, feed the animals);
move in different ways (walk along the line, silently, etc.).

Ordinary toys in the practice area are not welcome, and all teaching materials must be real. Children are offered:

vessels for transfusion of water;
indoor flowers in pots;
business boards or "smart boards";
scissors;
cut flowers;
watering cans;
tablecloths;
scoop with a broom;
strips that are glued to the floor (the guys walk on them, carrying various objects).

Sensory Development Zone

This part uses materials for the development of sensory perception, with the help of which the baby also trains fine motor skills. The use of these things prepares children to get acquainted with different subjects taught at school. In the zone of sensory development are used:

bells, noise cylinders;
sets of blocks with cylinder liners, brown stairs, pink tower, etc.;
colored plates;
plates of different weights (they teach to distinguish the mass of objects);
scent boxes;
warm jugs;
rough tablets, keyboard board, different types of fabrics, feeling board;
sorters, sensory bags, biological chest of drawers, constructor;
flavor jars.

Math Zone

This part of the room is connected with the sensory: the baby compares, arranges, measures objects. Materials such as rods, pink tower, cylinders perfectly prepare for the assimilation of mathematical knowledge. In this zone, interaction with specific material is expected, which facilitates the assimilation of mathematics. For this purpose, use:

constructive triangles, geometric chest of drawers;
chains of beads (help to study linear numbers);
numbers, numerical rods made of rough paper, spindles (needed for the smallest who are not yet familiar with numbers from 0 to 10);
a tower of multi-colored beads (they introduce the child to numbers from 11 to 99);
numerical and golden material from beads (when combining them, children are taught the decimal system);
tables of mathematical operations, stamps.

Language zone

The materials that are used in terms of sensory development contribute to the baby's speech, so these 2 areas are also closely related. Teachers who work in kindergartens and development centers according to the Montessori method daily offer children games and exercises for the development of speech, monitor the correct pronunciation and use of words. At the same time, various role-playing and creative games are used, where kids learn to compose stories, describe actions and objects, etc. To develop reading and speech skills, they use:

books;
frames for hatching;
rough paper letters;
boxes with figurines for intuitive reading;
movable alphabet;
signatures for items;
cards with the image of different objects;
metal figurines.

space zone

This is part of the class where the guys get knowledge about the environment. The teacher here needs to take into account that the construction of the lesson takes place in the abstract. Often, children are offered a good example with some kind of phenomenon, thanks to which he independently comes to certain conclusions. In the space zone they work with:

literature containing information on a particular topic;
calendars, time line;
model of the solar system, continents, landscapes;
classification of animals and plants;
materials for experiments.

Montessori method at home

To implement the technique, parents should create a suitable atmosphere for the baby - do space zoning. A place for individual lessons is equipped with didactic material, helping adults to maintain order, and the child to navigate well in the "toys". Five main zones are freely located even in a small room, the main requirement is that all items be ordered and accessible to the student. To succeed in teaching a child according to the Montessori method, the following requirements are imposed on the zones:

Practical. Children receive elementary household skills in it. Inventory can be brushes, scoops, buttons, laces, shoe-shine kits, etc.
zone of perception. Elements must differ in shape, color, size, weight (lids, bottles, boxes, jars, etc.). Small objects help develop fine motor skills, work out movements, develop memory, attention.
Math corner. Subjects should improve the skills of abstract thinking, train perseverance and patience. The materials are sets of geometric shapes, counting sticks, etc.
language zone. The kid is offered everything that is necessary for writing and reading - cubes, three-dimensional letters, alphabet, copybook.
Space part. Introduces to the surrounding world (mysteries of nature, weather phenomena, etc.). The material is cards, figurines or images of animals, pebbles, shells, books, etc.

Components needed for home learning

The learning process is built on the interaction of the student with the material, which can be any objects - specially purchased or made toys, household items (jars, pieces of cloth, brushes, etc.), books, three-dimensional numbers and letters, geometric shapes, paints, plasticine. An important element in the Montessori technique is musical greetings, which help each phrase to pick up simple actions that are easily repeated by the baby. This provides an opportunity to supplement physical activity, develop memory.

The Montessori system, if desired, can be used when raising children at home. Parents buy all the necessary educational and play materials or make them with their own hands. Children's songs are easy to find and download from the Internet. Parents are only required to arrange a room for classes and passively help the child during the lessons. At the same time, a big plus of the technique is its versatility, that is, even children of different ages can simultaneously engage in play areas, performing different exercises.

Montessori method for children from 1 year

At this stage, the motor skills of the fingers are trained and the development of sensory perception continues. In addition, children are given elementary knowledge about the order. The Montessori system for the little ones involves the use of safe materials and games made from natural raw materials (wood, rubber, fabrics). A baby aged 1 year and older already knows how to concentrate, actively repeats actions after adults, learns to associate actions with consequences.

Special exercises

The Montessori method harmoniously fits into any system of family relations. The kid does not need to be forced to perform any action, instead, follow what he is more drawn to than he likes to do, and direct the energy in the right direction. For this purpose, you can use creative, logical, didactic games. For example:

Secret box. Put jars, bottles, small boxes in a large chest. In each of the items put something else smaller. Spinning and opening objects, children train fine motor skills.
Fishing. The crumbs' favorite toy is placed in a deep / wide bowl, covered with cereals, pasta. Additionally, chestnuts, small cones and other items are buried in bulk contents. The student must find the hidden.
Painter. Print out a drawing template, give it to the baby along with pieces of colored paper. Lubricate the figurine with glue and offer to decorate it with colored pieces.

Game library for a child from 2 to 3 years

As children grow up, the role of parents should increasingly shift into an observant position. At the age of 2-3 years, the guys already understand that in order to get a certain result, they need to study, and the learning process becomes interesting to them. Suitable games would be:

Puzzles. Cut old postcards into 4-6 parts, show the crumbs how they can be folded into one picture and offer to repeat.
Constructor. Scraps of fabric, pebbles, beads, ropes, etc. are used. The task of the parents is to provide the child with materials and observe. The little one will find a way to combine them.
Sorter. The game is designed to teach the baby to the fact that every item in the house has its own place. In addition, the baby will get used to grouping things by color, method of application, size. Provide him with different items, crusts and boxes, setting the rules and showing the place of each item several times.

Controversial points in the Montessori method

The main advantage of the technique is the independent development of the child, at a comfortable speed, without the strict intervention of adults. However, there are several controversial aspects that call into question the effectiveness of the Montessori system, for example:

Education is more focused on mental development, while the physical is given a minimum of attention.
Most of the benefits develop analytical, logical thinking, fine motor skills, intelligence. The emotional and creative spheres are practically not affected.
The Montessori method, according to psychologists, is not suitable for closed, shy children. It implies independence and freedom, and quiet children are unlikely to ask for help if they suddenly cannot do something.
Teachers note that after training in this system, the children have difficulty adapting to school conditions.

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Montessori methodology for early child development - the philosophy of pedagogy and the division of learning space