Remembering Dr. Maria Montessori on her 139th birth anniversary

The 139th birth anniversary of Dr. Maria Montessori is today (August 31):

Sherene A. Fernandopulle

One of the greatest educationists the world has seen, Dr. Maria Montessori was a Trail Blazer. Born to an educated family Maria defied her father and the conservative Italian society to pursue a career in science.

Her determination and hard work helped her to become the First Lady Physician. She represented Italy at two Women’s conferences in Berlin and London. In her clinical observations she inferred that children build themselves from what they find in the environment.

This encouraged her to study the science of Psychology in 1901. She was made a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Rome. She gave up this prestigious title to work with 60 underprivileged children in the San Lorenzo district in Italy and started the first ‘Casa dei Bambini’ or Children’s House’ which has evolved into ‘House of Children’. Her love for children and the rights of Women and Children continued throughout her life until she bid farewell at the age of 82.

Although she is no more, her legacy lives on and the young child is able to enjoy and experience the Montessori method which was created and modified by her. With no formal training as a teacher Dr. Montessori observed the child and then based her developmental, educational theories on her observations.

These proved to be very effective in preparing the child for formal Primary education.

She used basic day-to-day activities which are carried out by adults to teach the children how to look after themselves and the environment, thereby helping them, to become independent in their own little way.

She believed that it was essential to observe the child and to determine the best time to present learning opportunities. Thus the Montessori method emphasizes on individuality in the class rooms. This is the backbone of her method.

Dr. Montessori realized that in order to help the child during his sensitive periods the teacher too should be aware of the child’s needs and ready to help and support the child when he is ready for it. To achieve this the observation technique was born. By observation Dr. Montessori found out what the needs of the child were.

Poorest of poor

Dr. Montessori was not given the opportunity to use her method in the schools in Italy. Being the determined Lady she was, she decided to use this methods to work with the poorest of poor, day care children, too young to attend school.

These children were such a joy to Dr. Montessori. They were so eager to learn that they were adding 2 and 3 digit numbers by the time they were 4 and 5 years old. Their enthusiasm was so great that Dr. Montessori spent many sleepless nights inventing and preparing suitable material for their further development.

At this point she gave up her work as a physician and began to work exclusively advocating for children’s educational opportunities. She observed that if children have an orderly place to work and learn, they take pride in it.

She had carpenters build the first ever child size tables and chairs to make them comfortable for learning. Creating seating areas on the floor and standing learning stations were part of the environment.

Maria Montessori taught her methods in many countries including Africa, Sri Lanka. India and many parts of Europe and America. Anna Freud, Jean Piaget, Alfred Adler and Erik Erikson, studied her methods and went on to make their own contributions to the understanding of the child in education.

In 1915, Dr. Montessori created a teaching environment surrounded by glass walls so that visitors could observe the children at work at the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition, in America. President Woodrow Wilson’s daughter was part of the committee that invited Dr. Montessori to the USA. In 1917, she visited Spain on the invitation of the government to open a research institute.

In 1919, she began a series of teacher training courses in London. 1929 brought about the opening of the Training Centre in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and a series of teacher Training Courses in India.

In the year 1944, Dr. Maria Montessori came to Sri Lanka in response to the invitation extended to her by the Ceylon Teachers’ Association to give a short course of lectures at Good Shepherd Convent, Kotahena, Colombo 13. After the First Montessori Training Course, Houses of Children were established, and this method of education came to stay in Sri Lanka.

It grew at a pace driven by energy and enthusiasm of those who were committed to it.

In recognition of her work Maria Montessori was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 3 times in 1949, 1950 and 1951.

In her own words Maria Montessori expresses her love for the child.

Have faith in the child

It is not enough to be well intentioned and perceptive. Love is dynamic. If we love someone, we want to do something for him. If we love the child, we must realize that he has been neglected and forgotten in a world very rich in varied and beautiful things that are superfluous. We must therefore follow a new and wider path. This will not only make the child happier but will be a source of unimagined wealth and glory for our own lives.

From this we realize that an adequate social environment must be created from the start of life. Love teaches us to be constructive. Not only that, but if one looks back on the dim trail of human existence we find something very strange. Love has made us humble and has made builders of us.

We are like bees which not only collect honey for their very young, but build for them a house of wax because both the honey and the wax are essential to them. This is so for the physical side, but as far as mental health is concerned, the human young is still a ‘forgotten citizen’.

Child’s needs

This is why we must construct a social environment. On the physical side the child’s needs have begun to be recognized and many architects are now specializing in the building of houses for children whose needs and tastes are different from ours and who have the right to a house of their own and to all that is needful for their physical life and growth.

This is the direction which we must take if we wish to create a new humanity because the loving child who feels himself loved has a dynamic character.

He is a child who works a great deal, who has no fear of effort and who seeks that discipline which is natural to men who live normal lives. The loving child if provided for, when reaching maturity will be the New Man.

Due to the school holidays the Eucharistic celebration in honour of Dr. Montessori’s 139th birth anniversary will be held on Thursday September 10, at 2,00 p.m. at Good Shepherd Maria Montessori Training Centre.