Maria montessori (1807- 1952) is the first female doctor of medicine in Italy and an outstanding early childhood educator after wrobel. Montessori initially studied the psychological and educational problems of mentally retarded children, and later devoted himself to the educational experiments of normal children, and founded the world-famous "Children's Home". Her theoretical works on early childhood education have been translated into 37 languages, which has had a far-reaching impact on the reform and development of modern children's education.
(A) the concept of children
From the perspective of development, Montessori believes that. A child is a developing organism and a developing mind; The period of children's development is the most important period in one's life. Children are in the process of constant growth, development and change, mainly internal natural development. In this continuous natural development process, children's development includes both physical development and psychological development.
In Montessori's view, young children contain energetic impulses. It is this instinctive spontaneous impulse that gives him positive vitality and promotes his continuous development. One is dominant instinct, which provides guidance and protection for infants at the initial stage of life and even determines the survival of species. The second is work instinct, which is the basic feature of people. It is through continuous work that children are creating, making them fully satisfied and forming their own personality. It can not only renew human beings, but also improve human environment.
In psychology, children's psychological development has both a certain process and hidden characteristics. Montessori believes that a child is a "mental (psychological) embryo". Because every baby has creative instinct and positive potential, and can rely on his environment to build a spiritual world, a child is not only a physical existence, but also a spiritual existence. Every child's spirit is different, and every child has his own creative spirit.
In Montessori's view, children's psychological development will have various "sensitive periods". She said: "It is this sensitive period that allows children to contact the outside world with a unique intensity. During this period, they can easily learn everything and are full of vitality and passion for everything. " The development of human intelligence is based on the sensitive period of children.
1. The sensitive period of order begins in the first year of birth and lasts until the age of 4. This is an inner feeling for children to distinguish the relationship between various objects, not the objects themselves.
2. Children at the age of 2-3 are sensitive to details, and their attention tends to focus on the smallest details. This shows the existence of children's spiritual life, and also shows that children and adults have two different intellectual horizons.
3. Coordination sensitive period This is the most easily observed sensitive period in the development of young children. Children learn to walk through personal efforts, gradually achieving balance and steady pace. It should appear at the age of two or three.
4. During the tactile sensitive period, the child will extend his little hand to external objects. The initial thrust of this action represents the child's self-entry into the outside world. It is through the activities of hands that children can develop themselves and their hearts.
The sensitive period of language is about 2 months. The child began to absorb the language, and the language he learned was what he heard from the surrounding environment. There is no need to prepare anything special for him when he says the first sentence. Montessori believes that the acquisition and application of language ability is one of the external manifestations of children's intellectual development.
Montessori emphasized the close relationship between children's psychological development and physical development. She said: "If psychological depression can affect metabolism and thus reduce a person's vitality, then the opposite will definitely happen. Stimulating psychological experience can improve the speed of metabolism, thus promoting a person's health. "
(B) the principles and environment of early childhood education
In Montessori's view, preschool education is the most important problem for human beings, and its purpose is twofold: physiological and social. From a physiological point of view, it is to help individuals develop naturally; From a social point of view, it is to prepare individuals to adapt to the environment. In the education of children, we should pay attention to two principles:
1. Freedom principle
According to Montessori's view of children, children's inner impulse is expressed through free activities, and he can choose the object of activities according to his special hobbies. "The basic principle of science pedagogy will be the freedom of students, allowing personal development and the free expression of children's nature."
Just because a child has the freedom to move fully does not mean that he can do whatever he wants. Montessori believes that children must cultivate discipline on the basis of freedom. Freedom and discipline are two inseparable aspects of the same thing. Free activity is an important way to form real discipline, and real discipline must also be based on free activity.
2. Working principle
Montessori believes that the activity that makes children develop physically and mentally is "work". If a child can concentrate on his work, it just shows that this kind of work can meet his inner needs. This process is also the physical and psychological materialization of children. This not only satisfies the child psychologically, but also enables him to gain independent ability. In a word, work is very helpful to children, which can help them coordinate and control their muscles, discover their potential, cultivate their independence and willpower, and make them exercise themselves in the mysterious world where their vitality is constantly showing, and further improve themselves.
The classroom in Montessori school creates a "prepared environment". The so-called prepared environment is the real environment to meet children's needs, the environment to provide activities and exercises for children's physical and mental development, and the environment full of love, nutrition, happiness and convenience. Only through such an environment can children realize their working ability and form a real "self-construction".
Contents and methods of preschool education
Montessori pointed out that the "Children's Home" education for young children should include the following four aspects:
1. Muscle training
Muscle training not only contributes to children's physical development and health, but also helps children's movements to be flexible, coordinated and correct. It also helps to exercise children's will and develop cooperative relations among children.
2. Sensory training
Montessori believes that it is necessary to train children's senses systematically and comprehensively, so that they can develop keen senses and observation through direct contact with the outside world. This is the foundation of children's advanced intellectual activities and thinking development.
Practice in real life
Montessori attaches great importance to children's real life practice. Can be divided into two categories, one is related to the children themselves, and the other is related to the environment. Cultivate children's ability to live independently and adapt to the environment through practical life practice.
4. Preliminary knowledge education
Children aged 3-6 are born with the ability to learn elementary knowledge, and they can be taught to learn to read, write and calculate. Primary knowledge education is related to sensory training, and correct sensory training is helpful to primary knowledge education.
Montessori education law includes: daily life education, sensory education, mathematics education, language education, natural humanities education, social culture education and music art education. The most wonderful, scientific and suitable part of Montessori's education law is the attitude and educational concept of adults towards children. Adults understand children's development needs through observation, so as to prepare suitable development environment for children, assist children to grow naturally and guide children to learn new knowledge. In this process, children not only develop their cognitive ability, but also acquire active learning methods and cultivate good habits of independence, enterprising, persistence, self-confidence and organization.