The Prepared Environment
The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences. — Maria Montessori
The Montessori approach aims to create a rich responsive environment in which children can absorb, manipulate, work, play and develop as individuals. The child is by nature an explorer of his environment and between the ages of 3- 6 years enquires, what is this?
The Montessori environment provides concrete materials that satisfy this stage of development. Many of the Practical Life and Sensorial activities are a remote preparation for academic learning. Materials are available at the child’s level of understanding in order to stimulate his or her interests. They are manipulative to satisfy the child’s needs for developing concentration, coordination, and are also designed to blend in concepts so that learning is effortless. Montessori demonstrated that if a child has access to specially designed equipment, he or she can easily and joyfully assimilate many facts and skills which may require long hours of drudgery and drill if they were later introduced in abstract form.
The Role of the Directress
“The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences.”
Our Directress Aileen Allen is a fully qualified Montessori Educator and has been a much loved teacher at Maroondah Montessori Pre-school for over 20 years. Her dedication, passion and commitment to the school has been highly appreciated and respected by generations of students and parents alike.
Aileen’s role as directress is to constantly observe and record the behaviour of each child and by this process determine when to offer suitable material. She is there to demonstrate material, answer questions, divert unruly behaviour and provide emotional support when it is asked. She offers the child a model of respect and courtesy and by her demonstrations and preparations helps to motivate and stimulate the child. The Directress prime objectives are to:
- develop child’s self esteem
- develop the love of learning within the child
- develop the child’s power of concentration encourage independence and self-sufficiency
- provide the child with a wealth of integrated experiences
- help the child to develop respect for himself and others
- promote learning by creating a climate for discovery
- extend and enrich the child’s own interests
- help the child develop his special abilities and realise his potential
- help the child develop an inner discipline which leads to self-control
- develop a teacher-child relationship that is warm, happy and rewarding
- develop a community atmosphere where children are purposefully involved in activity, in which children are given the opportunity to develop the social problem solving skills of community living on a day to day basis.