Montessori Vocabulary

"The Prepared Environment"
The "Prepared Environment" refers to Dr. Montessori's concept that the child's environment can be designed to facilitate maximum independent learning and exploration. To accomplish this it should be carefully and purposefully prepared. The prepared environment of a Montessori classroom allows for freedom of movement for the child. A wide variety of activities are arrayed on shelves from left to right, from top to bottom, from easy to difficult, and from concrete to abstract. In the calm, ordered space of the Montessori prepared environment, children work on activities of their own choosing and at their own pace. They learn and experience a blend of freedom and self-discipline that is especially designed to meet their developmental needs.

"The Materials"
The items found on the shelves in a Montessori classroom are "materials" as distinct from "toys". The children "work with the materials" as opposed to "playing with the toys", since these are learning materials which give the children a sense of worth -- the same sense of worth adults experience when they participate in rewarding and productive "work".

The materials in a Montessori classroom are arranged invitingly on low, open shelves. Children may choose from any materials that have been demonstrated to them. When they have finished using them, they are responsible to return them to the shelf from which they came. Bright arrays of solid geometric forms, knobbed puzzle maps, colored beads, and various specialized wooden rods and blocks attract the children to work with them.

Each lesson in a Montessori classroom isolates one quality in the materials. In this way, the concept that the child is to discover is presented more clearly. Moreover, the materials are self-correcting. When a piece does not fit, or is left over, the child easily perceives the error. In this way, there is no need for adult correction. The child is able to solve problems independently, building self-confidence, analytical thinking skills, and a sense of accomplishment.

"Normalization"
Dr. Montessori used the terms "normal" and "normalization" to describe a unique process she observed in child development. When children are allowed freedom in an environment suited to their needs, they blossom. After a period of intense concentration working with materials that fully engage their interest, children appear to be refreshed and contented. Through pursuing work of their own choice, children grow in inner discipline and peace.

The author E.M. Standing (Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work, 1957) lists the following as the characteristics of normalization: love of order, love of work, spontaneous concentration, attachment to reality, love of silence and of working alone, power to act from real choice, obedience, independence and initiative, spontaneous self-discipline, and joy. Maria Montessori believed that these are the truly "normal" characteristics of childhood, which emerge when children's developmental needs are met. She cited normalization as "the single most important result of our work." (The Absorbent Mind, 1949).

"Sensitive periods"
The Montessori approach recognizes that there are critical times during a child's growth when he or she is more responsive to certain learning experiences than at other times; that there are natural mental and physical "clocks" in children that make them more receptive to learning particular skills and subjects at specific times in their lives. Dr. Montessori termed these sensitive periods. Some examples of them are: language acquisition, sensorial exploration, reading, writing and math. The Montessori classroom is designed to appeal to the child's innate propensity to explore and discover, following his or her natural sensitive periods.