Maria Montessori emphasized the use of real materials in the classroom. She believed that imagination is the natural inclination of the child; it stems from what is real. To stimulate children’s imagination, give them real objects and a real understanding of the world.
How is Montessori different from traditional preschool programs?
Traditional classrooms often emphasize disembodied education and memorization with seated book learning. To the contrary, the Montessori approach embraces embodied education, the philosophy that movement and learning are tied together. Montessori learning is hands-on, experiential, and investigative.
Let’s discover the importance of Montessori materials in classrooms and their role in promoting hands-on learning, independent exploration, and cognitive development. Explore the diverse range of Montessori materials used in our classrooms and how they facilitate a holistic and engaging educational experience for children.
What materials are used in our classrooms?
Montessori materials are made from natural materials when possible: brass, wood, wicker, cotton, metal, and glass. All of these materials provide a multi-sensory experience for the child, and part of that is the visual appeal that results in a calm, prepared learning environment.
What are some common Montessori Activities?
- Practical Life Activities: pouring, spooning, buttoning, sweeping, or watering plants. These activities promote fine motor skills, concentration, independence, and a sense of responsibility.
- Sensorial Activities: by using Montessori Pink Tower, the Knobbed Cylinders, or the Color Tablets by allowing young children to distinguish and compare attributes such as size, shape, color, texture, weight, and sound.
- Language Activities: by using sandpaper letters, movable alphabets, phonetic reading materials, and language games to promote language acquisition and literacy.
- Math Activities: by using Number Rods, Golden Beads, and the Decimal System enable children to understand mathematical operations, place value, counting, sequencing, and arithmetic.
- Cultural Activities: puzzle maps, explore nature, conduct experiments, or engage in artistic expression.
- Fine Motor Activities: by using tweezers to transfer objects, lacing and threading activities, bead stringing, or using tongs to pick up objects.
Montessori materials are fundamental to the Montessori approach, providing children with a rich and stimulating educational environment. These purposefully designed materials support hands-on learning, sensorial development, sequential progression, independent exploration, and the cultivation of concentration. By incorporating Montessori materials into our classrooms, we create an engaging and holistic educational experience that nurtures children’s cognitive, social, and emotional growth, setting the stage for a lifelong love of learning.
