Spontaneous Activity in EducationMontessori, Maria
Science
Spontaneous Activity in Education
Montessori, Maria
Montessori method of education
School is the place where the "social sentiment" is developed; it is
the child's society. As a fact, it is not the school in itself, nor
the intercourse of the scholars, but the education given in the manner
described above which is designed to develop this sentiment. Hence
when my method became known, although I had spoken therein of places
where children live together agreeably and work, I was asked in a
critical tone: "And how will the social sentiment be developed if each
child works independently?" We must therefore conclude that this
system of regimentation in which the children do everything at the
same moment, even to visiting the lavatory, is supposed to develop the
social sentiment. The society of the child is therefore the antithesis
of adult society, where sociability implies a free and well-bred
interchange of courtesies and mutual aid, although each individual
attends to his own business; in the society of the child it implies
identity of physical attitudes and uniformity of collective actions,
together with a total disregard of all pleasant and courteous
relations; mutual help which is a virtue in adult society, is here
considered the gravest fault, the worst offense against discipline.
Modern methods of instruction recommend the teacher to conclude every
lesson with a moral, like the classic fables. Whether the lesson
treats of birds, butter, or triangles, it must always end by pointing
a moral. "The teacher must miss no opportunity," says the pedagogist;
"moralization is the true aim of the school."
"Mutual aid" is the burden of the pedagogistic refrain, for the
_leitmotif_ of all moralities, not excepting that of the school, is
"to love one another." To exhort children to help one another and show
mutual affection the teacher perhaps adopts a psychological method in
three periods distinguishing perception, association, and volition; or
she may adopt the method of cause in its relation to effect; this is
left to her discretion; but she must always keep her class in a state
of "discipline" and "goodness," for these are its essential
constituents.
But the factor which affords the most substantial support to the
educative organism of the school is the system of prizes and
punishments.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account