What is Montessori?

To many, it’s a way of life. A way to educate their children and learn with, and from, them. To others, it’s an aesthetic on social media, or something that the ‘crunchy’ parents might be into. It’s a controversial topic – the best way to educate and raise a child – and there’s no right answer.

The basic premise of Montessori teaching is that, unlike what may be termed a ‘top-down approach’ to education (a premise I find troubling, to be honest), Montessori teaching advocates for a relationship between child, educator, and environment. The child is supported by the educator and the environment to move at their own pace to master skills and content knowledge.

There are a couple of statements here that I wish to unpack further, for the purposes of clarity. I find it troubling that there is an understanding of the standard, Western classroom as a purely linear transaction – knowledge going from the teacher down to the student. In my experience, it doesn’t always work that way. I’ve always found that a healthy classroom fosters debate and discussion – I learn as much from my students as they do from me, and they certainly learn from one another. It also seems problematic to me to suggest that a standard classroom gives no thought to the environment. Whilst teachers are limited by space, funds, furnishings, and rotating classrooms, the set up and feel of a classroom can certainly change the course of a lesson. Already, the Montessori understanding of a ‘regular’ classroom is flawed and simplistic.

Am I suggesting that the Montessori perception of education is not worth further investigation, simply because some of the initial understandings may be problematic? Not at all. Whilst my experience of education in a standardised classroom hasn’t been so straight-forward and limiting, I also could not deny that there are fundamental issues with it. The wonderful Sir Ken Robinson could attest to that. His now famous Ted-Talks (his 2007 talk ‘Do schools kill creativity?’ and his 2013 ‘Changing educational paradigms’) drew attention to the limits of education in a post-Industrial society, wherein children tend to be shuffled through stages of learning based “on their date of manufacture” rather than on their ability or prior learning. This is contrary to one of the basic tenets of Montessori schooling – the pace is dictated by the child, and the activities by the child’s readiness. Much like Piaget’s Zone of Proximal Development. I can see why parents and carers in the Western world may be drawn to the so-called ‘alternative methods’ of schooling.

I’ve recently begun reading Simone Davies’ novel The Montessori Toddler. I find it fascinating. I was drawn to it initially through a reel on Instagram. How very modern of me. And how truly typical – I can see how Montessori schooling has become the new ‘crunchy’ parenting. I admit, I was drawn to the video of a young girl, named Tori, who was cooking with her parents at her learning tower. She’s 2.5 years old, and seemingly more capable in the kitchen than is my husband, who is definitely not 2.5 years old (add a few decades and we’re getting somewhere). I was hooked – how did these parents guide their toddler to do this? To measure, to pour, to peel, to slice, to mix, to follow instructions and sequenced steps. Seemed like a miracle.

So, as any other 20-something would do… I stalked her Instagram page (you can find this lovely little family at @halfway_montessori if you’re interested), and came across her recommended reads, and started with Davies’ text. I’m not quite half-way through it yet, but really, it just makes so much sense. The way that toddlers develop as little humans, the way that they are incessantly curious and always wanting to learn… imagine if we could carry that on into our older years – not just through the rest of formal education, but through life! What a gift that would be.

As I was saying, I was drawn to little Tori at her learning tower (like a stool with back support, if you’re unsure, raising toddlers to kitchen-bench height) and imagined my own daughter at the kitchen bench with me, making mess and causing havoc, as per usual. What a fun way to learn – and so many opportunities for learning diverse skills through a household task -  preparation for school and for life. I think this notion of purposeful learning is such a powerful one, and probably why, in truth, many are drawn to the Montessori lifestyle. It empowers the learner, gives them agency and responsibility, and allows them to learn to know and trust in themselves and in their ability to regulate their own learning. They are given appropriate guidance – by both the environment, their educator, and themselves (trying and failing is one of the best paths to mastery, really).

Whilst I won’t quit my day-job to go and work in a Montessori school, I certainly intend to begin incorporating elements of this educational pedagogy into my daughter’s life. Self-directed learning has its place, after all.

Of course, this discussion prompts me to consider other alternative methods of schooling. Steiner (or Waldorf, as it’s also known), Emilio Reggio, Dalton, unschooling, home-schooling… With a changed educational landscape in the wake of the global pandemic, it will be interesting to explore the positives and negatives of each style. Many parents, especially those who may be looking for a change for their child, will be doing the same. So, over the coming weeks and months, let’s educate ourselves on the diverse options – there may be something on offer which might work for your child. It doesn’t have to be a 100% commitment. I fully intend to pick and choose what I feel will work for my family at any given moment. Why can’t you?