Contents
The Montessori method seduces mothers
The first Italian woman doctor at the dawn of the twentieth century, Maria Montessori immediately took care of children in difficulty, said at the time to be “backward” or left behind. She then focused on understanding the functioning of the child, his expectations, his “engines” of vital development. For them she put together a pedagogy, a very philosophy, based on observation, listening and valuing the autonomy of the child. At the end of her life, exiled in India (we are at the dawn of the 50s), she sees how Indian women carry their babies and take care of them. And it surely helped her to extend her precepts and intuitions to the little one, from birth. Because in fact, Montessori pedagogy is a way of relating to the child, and of considering him. From the height of its own potential. Immense.
The main principles adapted to the infant
Maria Montessori has a particular vision of the child, born from her observation. She has stored up a sum of knowledge to meet the needs of the little one with ever more respect. The main principle? Do not impose things on him but, on the contrary, let him go ahead with experiences by developing his autonomy. Obviously, at birth, the baby is far from independent. He needs a lot of help and it is difficult then to speak of autonomy. But for Maria Montessori, it is not the adult who builds the child. He does not have to “fill” it from the outside. Because the newborn already carries within him all that is necessary to evolve. He does not need an adult to one day be able to walk, for example! In fact, he is not independent, but capable, potentially, of much more than one might imagine. Adults often think that the baby is nothing without him. And most of the time, he is more or less seated in a deckchair, a high chair, where he is restricted in his freedom of movement. However, when left free, placed on a carpet or in the arms, he is perfectly well, and can thus observe at his ease and move very early.
For Maria Montessori, the child is an “absorbing mind” which has an extraordinary capacity to acquire knowledge.. As long as he is allowed to do so. She divided her first six years into so-called sensitive, well-differentiated periods. Thus, from birth to 1 year, it is the period of movement, from 1 to 4 years, fine motor skills, up to 6 years, language, order, socialization and sensory learning.
A zen room
In Montessori pedagogy, the environment of the little one is important. We do not intervene directly on the child, but through the atmosphere that we have created around him. Uncluttered, his universe must be ordered, in response to the child’s need for order. Indeed, he does not know anything when he comes into the world. It is easier for him to integrate the order of nature than disorder. During his first year, if his environment changes, he must start scheduling it again. It is therefore better not to change the decor too much at the start. In his room, ideally, he doesn’t need much. This must be zen. There is a space which constitutes the sleeping area. There, no stimulation: a small photo on the wall, a basket at the end of the bed with a few objects. That’s enough. Montessori advocates just a bed on the floor. The first two months constitute a specific period when the baby is in symbiosis with its mother, a period which continues the nine months in utero. Recreating continuity with this closeness will give him a feeling of confidence. For this, we can then put the bassinet on the ground, right next to the mother.
Read also: The Montessori method to furnish a child’s room
After a few weeks, the baby moves more, spreads his arms… He needs more space. Hence the mattress placed on the floor. If he sleeps like this, he becomes aware of his space. Installed this way, it cannot fall. His movement capacities will grow with him, naturally, gradually and unhindered. This bed constitutes a mini-investment, but a very big step for the baby, who becomes independent. Indeed, at 6-7 months, when he wakes up, he crawls, he explores some toys placed near him, which brings him to master his universe, at his level. Of course, such freedom of movement goes hand in hand with securing places.x. It is necessary to go around it so that the child does not have access to anything dangerous, and to close the door of the room. Next to the sleeping atmosphere, we define a “living space”, with another small mattress or carpet to create a place of activities for his awakening moments. From about 2 months, we suspend a mobile. Because when the baby has been sufficiently with his mother, filled with love, he will be able to turn to the world and observe … for example a mobile! Initially, hung 20-30 cm from him, because his vision is not yet very developed.
Between play and work
In the Montessori method, we do not distinguish between work and play. For the child, there is no difference: everything is construction work. We adults have divided the off-putting work on one side and the play for fun on the other. The child is constantly working on his own construction. And the awakening material offered to him – mobile, rattle, ball… – allows him to discover the world around him. Small fitting and threading games are popular because toddlers like to develop their fine motor skills. The important thing: to offer him only one activity at a time. Contrary to popular belief, the child can stay focused for a long time and show a lot of attention. If we don’t bother him! We sometimes regret that he flutters, does not concentrate. But in fact, by trying to “furnish” the child, the adult will distract him from his concentration. Indeed, he may appear to be doing nothing as he contemplates the plant on the balcony whose leaves sway in the wind. And this silent activity must be respected because he is learning something. We, parents in a hurry, sometimes have little regard for what the child achieves. We see our activity as an unimportant game… compared to what we are doing ourselves. By believing that we are doing the right thing, we intervene to offer something else, with good intentions. For example, if a friend comes to see us at home, we find it natural to take our baby to introduce him to her. But maybe he was observing his hands, so in the middle of construction? By force, we “scratch” his ability to concentrate.
Adapted awakening material
Maria Montessori has developed toys suitable for different ages of children. They are simple and reflect his observation of the young. Each has an activity, a purpose and a learning process. The uniquely shaped box for example, in which we put a ball, which pops out, thus giving it the so important notion of cause and effect. The principle is to present an activity, with a clear beginning and end, of which he knows all the stages. This allows for repetition, and the necessary concentration to then go further. Here again, adults think, on the contrary, that children are bored and want something new all the time. They are offered lots of different games without always giving them time to go around. On the contrary, they must be allowed to return to their old games, make a rotation to discover an old rattle, for example so that they rediscover it with their new abilities. In fact, with these simple games, the adult does not provide an answer on a board by saying we must do this, we must do that. The child searches for himself and finds the answer on his own. This discovery by himself at his own pace develops his confidence, his focus and his curiosity for the world … and teaches him later that learning and working is interesting and great.
Develop your imagination
Very early on, we sing lullabies, we tell babies little stories. For Maria Montessori, we never intervene in the imagination of the child. He will build his own in relation to the experiences of reality. Between 0 and 3 years old, this is the phase in which the child builds his identity. From his birth, when he was a baby unable to coordinate his movements, until 3 years old, where he stands, says “I” and knows how to take an object with one hand, he has forged the essential bases. for his future life.
Interested in the real world, he must understand how it works (it’s vital!). Unlike us, he does not yet know his surroundings. For him, it is fantastic to just see us turn on a water tap! Suddenly, if we read him a book where an animal is dressed and talks, the toddler does not have the means to know that this does not exist in real life. He does not yet take stock of things. And will later have to relearn the opposite.
At 6 years old, yes, he can appreciate these stories of talking animals because he has already constructed his reality, and as a result, reaches out to others. He is interested in myths, religions, abstraction, after having integrated the concrete bases of the world. Initially, choose a story that is creative, artistic, but anchored in reality, with a real character, a known object, a baby who does something specific. He will thus be able to better project himself into history.
Daily interactive treatments
The same principles of observation, of “leaving it alone”, also apply with regard to the care, the toilet or the meal.. This requires parental presence more in observation than in action, so as not to intervene too quickly and not anticipate the baby’s natural movement. And when he has become capable of doing for himself, we no longer act for him. The best example is the dress-up session. The first few weeks, the newborn baby moves little. However, we can say to him “I’m going to put on your pants, I’m putting on the right leg, can you put on your leg? Then wait a moment to see if he reacts. Very quickly, he will participate. In fact, it encourages cooperation, a very important word for the 0-3 years development phase. The idea is to leave his rattle nearby rather than giving it straight away in his hands, or to put his pacifier close to him in case he wants to use it, but without putting him in touch. office in the mouth… Always in the founding spirit of Montessori pedagogy: help me to do it alone!
To continue the adventure
60 Montessori activitiesfor my baby
Activities and organization of space, from birth to 15 months, by Marie-Hélène Place, specialist in this pedagogy. Ed. Nathan, € 11,90.
The Kit of 4 mobiles
From the simplest in black and white to the most evolved with complex shapes, the 4 mobiles invented by the teacher follow the evolution of the baby. A self-assembly. Nature and Discovery Kit, € 34,95.
My Montessori baby box
Created by Eve Hermann, it contains the butterfly mobile, ten large cards with simple shapes and contrasting colors and a booklet. From 4 months. € 22,90, ed. Nathan.