Montessori Materials

"Order is one of the needs of life which, when satisfied, produces real happiness." 

- Maria Montessori

This picture was taken in the early 1900's. Some of you may recognize the bead chains still found on our Montessori math shelves. In fact, the materials we use today are the very same ones Dr. Montessori created over one hundred years ago. This never ceases to amaze me! In today's world of ever-changing curriculum and always-evolving manipulatives (hands-on learning tools) to teach our core subjects, the materials Maria Montessori developed back then, still remain. And still work. How can this be so? Each material is beautiful and captures the interest of the child. Each material is designed to isolate and teach one, specific skill or idea. The presentation that follows, subsequently builds upon the previous one. And in each lesson, one material is introduced, or re-introduced later down the road to be used in a different, more complex capacity. Maria Montessori was a scientist, remember, and she observed and took notes of the child's behaviors and interactions with the materials. With her observational data, she created her materials to support various developmental needs. The shape, size, feel, and purpose of each material served the need of the individual. 

Within the Montessori Method, it is not a race to teach lesson after lesson, within a given time period set by the state. Instead, it is all about presenting one lesson, observing how the child is faring with the new material, and then following this child to determine what comes next. The child sets the pace, nothing else does- or should.