The Montessori Guide
The journey to become a Montessori guide involves a rigorous process of training, which includes learning the philosophy of the method, the scope and sequence of presentations, and how to use the materials. Alongside the pedagogical components,
much personal reflection is required in order to find alignment with the underlying principles of a peace education.
Maria Montessori clarified that teachers are guides for the children, likening the experience to a journey. The guide helps navigate the path but the traveler does all the wondering, questioning, and seeking. This clearly places the child front and center in the
learning process. As part of this child-centered approach, the guide should follow the child’s interests, notice when his skills are ready for a new level of presentation, and to avoid correcting mistakes in favor of re-presenting the material at another time.
Guides are meant to observe the children as much as interact with them. The insights gained are meant to inform which presentations will be offered and when. The children must also be provided with opportunities to observe to develop their own sense of wonder.
Lessons presented by the Montessori guide utilize the many materials from the prepared environment. Embedded in each lesson is a direct aim (intent of the lesson), an indirect aim (beneficial sub-skill), and a point of interest, which provides a unique, stand
out quality. The point of interest is meant to capture a child’s attention during a lesson.
Use of the three-period lesson is a signature component of the Montessori approach. It is utilized in all subject areas. The first period is a simple presentation of the material or image. The guide offers the child the word or definition for what he is seeing(this is), which may sound like “this is a pupa.” The second period asks the child to recognize the image or material presented (where is?). The second period may sound like “where is the larva?” The third period is a recall of information given and practiced
(what is?). The guide might point to an image and ask “what is this?” Nomenclature (vocabulary related to a subject) would be presented through the three-period lesson.
References:
Montessori, M. (1992). Peace and education. Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House. (Original work published 1943).
Montessori, M. (1987). From childhood to adolescence. Madras: Kalakshetra Press. (Original work published 1948).
Montessori, M. (1988). The Montessori method. (A.E. George, Trans.) New York: Schocken Books. (Original work published 1909).
Author: Catherine Munro
much personal reflection is required in order to find alignment with the underlying principles of a peace education.
Maria Montessori clarified that teachers are guides for the children, likening the experience to a journey. The guide helps navigate the path but the traveler does all the wondering, questioning, and seeking. This clearly places the child front and center in the
learning process. As part of this child-centered approach, the guide should follow the child’s interests, notice when his skills are ready for a new level of presentation, and to avoid correcting mistakes in favor of re-presenting the material at another time.
Guides are meant to observe the children as much as interact with them. The insights gained are meant to inform which presentations will be offered and when. The children must also be provided with opportunities to observe to develop their own sense of wonder.
Lessons presented by the Montessori guide utilize the many materials from the prepared environment. Embedded in each lesson is a direct aim (intent of the lesson), an indirect aim (beneficial sub-skill), and a point of interest, which provides a unique, stand
out quality. The point of interest is meant to capture a child’s attention during a lesson.
Use of the three-period lesson is a signature component of the Montessori approach. It is utilized in all subject areas. The first period is a simple presentation of the material or image. The guide offers the child the word or definition for what he is seeing(this is), which may sound like “this is a pupa.” The second period asks the child to recognize the image or material presented (where is?). The second period may sound like “where is the larva?” The third period is a recall of information given and practiced
(what is?). The guide might point to an image and ask “what is this?” Nomenclature (vocabulary related to a subject) would be presented through the three-period lesson.
References:
Montessori, M. (1992). Peace and education. Madras: The Theosophical Publishing House. (Original work published 1943).
Montessori, M. (1987). From childhood to adolescence. Madras: Kalakshetra Press. (Original work published 1948).
Montessori, M. (1988). The Montessori method. (A.E. George, Trans.) New York: Schocken Books. (Original work published 1909).
Author: Catherine Munro