But at this stage, it is an indisputable fact that Montessori is not the mainstream education system. In China, Montessori education is even hyped as aristocratic education.
So, what is the real Montessori education? As parents, how should we treat Montessori education and become Montessori parents?
What is true Montessori education?
The greatness of Montessori education lies in that she understands the secrets of children's growth and teaches us adults to truly understand children and respect the natural laws of life growth.
Only in this way can our education have hope and our children have a future.
Montessori education, especially the classic original works, reminds every parent that it is worth going deep into, which can really help us understand the law of children's life growth and give correct guidance.
What did Montessori Education say? I'm afraid it can't be explained clearly in a few words, but his educational views can be summarized as follows:
1. Children have inherent "inner vitality"
This inner vitality has infinite power. As parents and educators, we should know how to use children's natural instinct.
Create an environment suitable for children's growth, and let children's inner vitality develop naturally and freely.
2. Children's development has a "spiritual embryo"
Humans have two embryonic stages, one is before birth and the other is physiological embryo, which all living things have; The other is the mental embryo after birth, which is unique to human beings.
Children aged 0~3 are in the embryonic stage of mind, although they already have a miniature mannequin.
However, it is still in the embryonic stage in essence, and the adaptation to the environment, the development of sports ability and language learning are all in a constant "adaptation" stage.
As adults, we should establish an environment that can meet the development of children's mental embryos, eliminate the factors that are not conducive to their development, and make children's mental embryos develop healthily.
3. Children have a sensitive period
Dr. Montessori said: "The sensitive period is the life help that nature gives to children."
There is only one sensitive period, and if it is missed, it will not appear again. For example, the sensitive period of mouth, hands, order and small things.
In the sensitive period, it is the easiest and most effective to cultivate children's ability.
Then it will disappear after this period, will not appear in the same period again, and will not have the same strong interest in the same interest point.
4. Children have the ability to absorb.
We use our brains to acquire knowledge, but children directly absorb knowledge into his mind and integrate it into life.
Dr Montessori found that children have absorptive capacity through observation, which directly led to an educational revolution.
Dr Montessori pointed out that in the first 0-6 years of children's life, they learn through absorptive thinking.
5. Children grow up at work.
Dr. Montessori called children's activities of using teaching AIDS "work", and Dr. Montessori believed that childhood was a period of formation, creation and construction.
Only through work can we gradually form various operational abilities and become "people".
How to be a Montessori parent?
Although Montessori education is good, for various reasons, not every family can send their children to Montessori schools.
In fact, as long as the essence of Montessori education is mastered, parents can also create a Montessori growth environment for their children at home.
So how to learn from Montessori's educational thought and practice Montessori education in the family?
1, create a good family environment
Montessori education pays attention to environmental education. When we talk about children's mental absorption, we actually arrange an educational environment suitable for their age development for their growth.
Dr Montessori compared absorptive thinking: sponges absorb water.
Children absorb all kinds of information from the surrounding environment like sponges, and thus establish their own contact with the outside world, and then form their own personality.
A child's "absorptive thinking" is like a camera, taking pictures of what he sees and hears into his own brain.
This gives parents a very important hint that we should provide their children with an orderly family environment, which is more conducive to their growth.
For example, things at home should be placed neatly and orderly to facilitate children's access. It is best to create a special activity area for children, put children's books and toys in a fixed position, and let him develop the good habit of putting things back at an early age.
In the family, try to provide children with physical objects, such as chopsticks, rice spoons, cups and so on. It doesn't matter if the child accidentally breaks them. As long as the children are not hurt, they should be provided with real things.
Real things will make children feel real and natural.
Only in this way can children distinguish what is real and clarify the difference between real life and unreal world.
2. Respect and give children real freedom.
We often say that we should respect children and give them full freedom. So what is respect for children? Giving children freedom is free-range, no matter?
To respect children, we must first have a clear understanding from the consciousness, that is, children are an independent individual, not a blank sheet of paper.
Children have their own thoughts and their own growth rhythm. Children come to this world through their parents.
As parents, we should feel what children think, know what children think and understand what children think. Only by putting yourself and your child on the same platform and treating your child's problems with a child's heart can you really understand your child and understand your child.
For example, when talking to children, bend over or squat down and keep the same height as children.
When the child speaks, parents should listen attentively, bend over or sit down, keep the same height as the child, and look at the child kindly.
What is freedom? Freedom based on rules is true freedom!
When children have not developed their control ability, "letting children do whatever they want" is against the concept of freedom.
Giving children freedom is not laissez-faire, but freedom based on rules.
How to discipline? There is a simple rule, that is, the three noes: don't hurt yourself, don't disturb others, and don't destroy the environment. As long as children do not violate these three principles, they should be given freedom.
3. Let the children do it boldly.
Dr. Montessori has a classic saying: I listened and forgot; I read it and remembered it; I'll understand when I do it.
This is also the reason why Dr. Montessori wants his children to "work", which can only be understood if they do it.
"It's a pity that children are reluctant to use them" is the biggest misunderstanding of parents' love for their children today.
In fact, to love children is to be willing to "use children". A person can only feel his own value when he is needed and used by others.
Only when children are used and needed by adults can they feel how great their young life is, feel a deep love and have a strong sense of responsibility.
So, how to "use" children in the family?
For example, let children participate in housework together. For example, putting on children's clothes, eating, cleaning, watering and tidying. These real life jobs are full of fun for children.
Some methods used in Montessori kindergarten teaching can also be used for reference by parents at home, such as:
(1) alignment exercise
In Montessori teaching, walking is an important link, which can not only cultivate children's balance ability and large muscle coordination ability.
It can also cultivate children's stability, independence and willpower, so as to achieve good learning results and benefit children's physical and mental development.
At home, parents can let their children walk along the cracks in the floor, or simply stick them into straight lines, elliptical lines or S-shaped lines with colored tape for their children to practice their sense of balance and concentration.
When children become more and more proficient in surfing the Internet, let them walk with things in their hands or things on their heads to exercise their balance.
(2) Montessori teaching AIDS
Can't children use Montessori teaching AIDS if they don't go to Montessori Garden?
That's not true. Montessori teaching AIDS in kindergarten are very complete, and we can also prepare several classic Montessori teaching AIDS for our children at home.
Such as socket cylinder, digital and chip, plug board, brown ladder, powder tower, etc. Parents can choose the home version. At present, there are many operating methods and videos on the Internet.
If you can't find the lesson plan, you can enter the daily Montessori community, where Montessori teachers from all over the country gather. I will give you professional advice when I have time.
Dr Montessori said, "Never help a child to do what he thinks he can do."
As adults, what we need to do is to help children do it themselves, to help children think for themselves, and to help children understand themselves and others correctly.
In addition to "letting go", the key to helping children to be independent should also be "the least guidance, the greatest patience and the most encouragement"!
Let the children do it, and the children will go further. This is growth.