Montessori Childrens House
of the west coast

The Montessori Lesson

Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009

The Montessori Process of Learning creates the framework for how and when materials are presented in the Montessori prepared environment.  The child’s interest in a specific material is driven by the child’s tendencies which arise from the unconscious. The child’s attention is focused because a sensitive period. If the adult has assessed through observation the child’s readiness for a presentation, the child will be keenly interested and the adult will have his attention. Once a child’s readiness is demonstrated, the adult arouses the interest of the child by inviting him to see a specific presentation. Children who are not ready will often decline the invitation or show little interest.  So as not to confuse the child, the lesson and the material isolate only one concept. For example, the Pink Tower isolates visual discrimination of dimension.  Each cube differs by one centimeter cubed. The tower is all pink so that the child is not confused by yet another attribute.  The Montessori guide demonstrates without using words, repeating actions slowly and accurately during the presentation.  We avoid using words because the child in the Absorbent Mind Period is highly sensitive to language.  If we use language, the child will focus more on the language than on the movements.  Once the movements are mastered and the neural pathway is created, the language can be attached.  This provides greater meaning to the word.

A child’s interest is aroused by observing the actions of the presentation. If this interest satisfies a tendency, the child will want to imitate the movements; want to translate this passive experience into a motor action of his own.  By translating this desire into movement and repeating the actions the child accumulates experiences in his conscious mind. The Control of Error (self correction) built into the material, not the correction of the adult, allows the child to repeat and perfect without the adult being present.  This creates in the child greater independence, confidence and ownership in the learning process.  Once the presentation is mastered by the child (he demonstrates that he can grade the Pink Tower from largest to smallest) the Montessori guide knows that the neural path has been solidified and language can be given. 

Some children require slight modifications in their presentations because of their unique learning styles. For example, a child who is a kinesthetic learner may need more dramatic movement to understand the concept.  An auditory learner may need more language earlier in the presentation rather than a totally silent presentation.  Working in harmony with the child’s natural process of learning makes learning effortless and creates a firm foundation for later learning.