Friday, September 05, 2008
Happy Birthday, Maria Montessori! (8/31/1870)
As you probably know, Maria Montessori developed learning materials for children that were very "hands-on." She first developed these materials for children with learning disabilities and then discovered that "normal" children could also learn better using this method. (I have to say I agree after teaching in a Montessori School for 25 years.) She believed that teachers (called "directors") should provide the educational materials and then step back and only assist if asked by the child. She said, "Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed."But even more apropos to activities in the U.S. these days is her belief that "Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war."
# posted by goots @ 8:42 PM 
