Self-Correcting Materials

"Any child who is self-sufficient, who can tie his shoes, dress or undress himself, reflects in his joy and sense of achievement the image of human dignity, which is derived from a sense of independence." -Maria Montessori

When I made the switch from traditional education to Montessori, the idea of self-correcting materials was one of the very first components I learned about. When a material allows the child to assess their own work, it creates independence and a sense of responsibility. When a child requires a teacher, or adult, to tell them if something is right or wrong, it creates and fosters dependence and a reliance on someone outside themselves. What is our goal here? To encourage the child to select a work and to then independently be able to decipher whether they completed that work correctly. Montessori materials are brilliant in so many ways, and this is just another reason for such a claim. At the Primary level, the materials literally won't fit or line up properly, giving the young child a visual and sensorial cue that the work requires some additional attention. The child then takes apart the work and tries again. At the Elementary level, the number of tiles or color coded labels on the back (shown above) can be used as an indicator to the child that they may not have it quite right yet. The teacher is not needed for the work to be completed and evaluated. Many teachers like students to show them their completed mat or table work, this is true, but not as a means to check. Just to observe and learn from the child what lesson should come next.