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The Montessori Materials

The Montessori materials cover developmental activities designed to meet the needs of the child in five curriculum areas:

Practical Life Skills

Practical life skills

Practical Life Skills

The activities develop concentration and co-ordination of movement. Apart from teaching the basic skills needed for everyday life, they also promote independence, introduce the child to mathematical concepts, prepare for later language activities and encourage the child to correct his own mistakes.

Sensorial Apparatus

Sensorial Apparatus

Sensorial Apparatus

These are the activities and materials to develop the senses. The sensorial materials provide concrete experiences embodying abstract concepts.

Mathematics

Mathematics

Mathematics

Dr Montessori carefully designed the math materials to give the child a sound understanding of numbers and their relationship. An idea is always introduce in a simple and sensorial way so the child can see, hold and feel a number or a concept. Gradually the child is led to more abstract understanding.

Language

Language

Language

Language materials take the child step by step through all the stages of language development, including oral expression, writing and reading.

Cultural Subjects

Cultural Subjects

Cultural Subjects

Cultural Subjects

Cultural Subjects

Cultural Subjects

Cultural Subjects

Cultural materials introduce the child to geography, nature studies, art and music.

Once the child has been shown how to use a piece of equipment he is free to take it off the shelf and work with it whenever he wishes. However, he is not allowed to misuse it. The purposeful routine of the "work-cycle" (taking out, working, putting back) creates self-discipline. Most of the exercises have a "control of error" (meaning they are self-correcting). Mistakes are made apparent to the child without needing to ask the teacher. The child teaches himself. As the child works there are no rewards or punishments and the environment is non-competitive, so the learning is for learning's sake. As a result the child grows confident in his own abilities and this, in turn, increases his self-esteem.

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