Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician around the turn of the 20th century, founded the Montessori Method.  The method assumes that children have a spontaneous interest in learning and that at certain moments in their lives they are extremely sensitive to exploring a particular concept. 

The method is based on the belief that children can take responsibility for their own education, each proceeding at their own pace.  The role of the adult is to be supportive and to provide a prepared environment that gives the child the means and assistance to educate himself.  The director/directress (teacher) sets necessary limits so the child is not overwhelmed by too many choices.

Other fundamental beliefs are:  all of a child’s senses are interconnected and learning takes place through all of them; learning should be orderly and sequential; children learn abstract ideas through experience with concrete objects. 

The Montessori classroom environment is a warm, spacious room, immediately attractive to children and adults alike.  Everything about it is child-sized and there is a place for everything.  One of the first lessons children learn is that they must return materials to their place and leave the work area in good order before going on to another activity. 

Children work alone or in small groups.  They are free to move around and work with one set of learning materials as long and as often as they want.  Repetition of prepared lessons is vital to the child’s understanding.  Older children reinforce their understanding of the material by helping to demonstrate it to the younger ones, since younger children are motivated by the work of the older children.  Hence, the Montessori practice of having children of differing ages in the same classroom.  The Montessori Method stresses freedom with responsibility.