Respectful Teaching with Montessori Elements

Montessori principles and elements of Montessori education at our preschool.

You've surely come across the term Montessori somewhere before; it's an educational approach that has rightly been in the spotlight lately, derived from the work of the Italian educator Maria Montessori, who developed a system of insights about children based on observing them in their daily lives and at play.

Above all, it involves the recognition that a child is a human being equal to an adult and should be treated accordingly! But that's not all—according to Ms. Montessori, we should also speak to a child as we would to an equal human being, and we should support their development with tolerance and respect, using information rather than prohibitions and commands. We should replace commands with phrasing that guides the child to figure out for themselves what to do, especially when it comes to cleaning up something that has been spilled or broken; however, we should guide them wisely, not manipulatively.

Montessori states that praise alone does not motivate a child, and today this assertion is supported by a wealth of modern psychological research. She also points out—along with the authors of the book *Respect and Be Respected*, a collective work inspired by various figures in psychology—that there is a big difference between praise and appreciation, noting that praise does not generalize a child's merits but applies only to a specific event. Appreciation, and especially gratitude, is, however, exactly what children need. We don't flatter an adult or a friend by claiming they're a great painter when they create an interesting painting; rather, we appreciate them by pointing out what we like about the painting and what resonates with us. And we should treat children the same way—this fosters the healthy development of their personalities, their ability to make decisions, and to shape their lives according to their own ideas. Once we understand this, it will no longer be difficult for us to see why punishment should be completely off-limits in child-rearing.

Of course, natural consequences are a different matter—for example, when a child needs to clean up spilled paint—but even this can be communicated to a child without blame, as a natural part of life. Children are highly perceptive, and they store every personal attack very clearly in their memories; these memories shape them and influence how they will behave later in life. If, through our actions, we demonstrate that all situations in everyday life can be resolved through mutual agreement and with respect for all parties, the child will learn to work both in a group and independently, will navigate life more easily, and will not be burdened by unnecessary conflicts or insecurities sown by others. It is not easy to behave in an ideal way, especially if we grew up under the strict rule of overbearing parents or under the otherwise flawed guidance of adults. However, this is precisely why we are motivated to raise the children we encounter in life so that they do not carry the same emotional scars that we ourselves bear.

In this spirit, education in preschool, school, the home, art classes, a painting studio—anywhere—can be guided. Children often respond very well to this approach because it is very healthy and, in many cases, proven effective; simply put, we believe it's impossible not to be completely inspired by it. Let's try it together!

What are the basic principles of the Montessori method?

• The child is the creator of their own self (The child—a future independent adult—draws inspiration from their surroundings and determines for themselves how and when these influences will shape their actions. We offer inspiration, show possible paths, and leave the decisions to the creator themselves...)

• Help me to do it myself (The young artist acquires new knowledge and skills on their own, at their own pace, and grows into the world around them.)

• The hand is the instrument of the mind. Working with one's hands is the foundation for understanding things and phenomena, as well as for the development of thought and speech. (Our learning stems from hands-on instruction and manipulation of objects, colors, and shapes... We emphasize the integration of physical and mental activity.)

• Respecting sensitive periods. (We honor each child's sensitive periods. We draw inspiration from the children's suggestions for topics they've explored and enjoy, gradually developing and deepening them. Just as artists create in cycles, we link lesson topics together, bead by bead.)

• Free choice of work. (Each young artist decides for themselves what to do, with whom to work, and how long to work. We respect time for painting, time for play, and time for rest...)

• Prepared environment. (The art studio and our workshop are arranged so that children can reach items from the shelves on their own, know where everything belongs, and put them back in their places after they're done. They do all of this independently, without outside help.)

• Focused attention. (While engaged in art activities, a child is able to concentrate intensely and for extended periods on work that captures their interest. The foundation of our teaching is to empathetically sense the most suitable topic for each child individually; we help develop this topic and maintain their motivation to work.)

• Holistic learning. (Physical and mental activities should mutually influence the learning process. The themes and structure of our lessons are always planned as a whole, alternating between phases of direct instruction, physical activities, and the actual work of painting, drawing, or sculpting. There is also a phase where each child reflects on how and what they worked on, and together we plan the program for the following lessons.)