The Montessori Method

A critical consideration of the new pedagogy in its relation to modern science

History of methods

Inaugural address delivered on the occasion of the opening of one of the "children's houses"

Pedagogical methods used in the "children's houses"

Discipline

How the lesson should be given

Exercises of practical life

Refection

the child's diet

Muscular education

gymnastics

Nature in education

agricultural labor: culture of plants and animals

Manual labor

the potter's art, and building

Education of the senses

Education of the senses and illustrations of the didactic material: general sensibility; the tactile, thermic, baric, and stereognostic senses

General notes on the education of the senses

Intellectual education

Method for the teaching of reading and writing

Description of the method and didactic material used

Language in childhood

Teaching of numeration; Introduction to arithmetic

Sequence of exercises

General review of discipline

Conclusions and impressions.

I. A critical consideration of the new pedagogy in its relation to modern science. Influence of modern science upon pedagogy -- Italy's part in the development of scientific pedagogy -- Difference between scientific technique and the scientific spirit -- Direction of the preparation should be toward the spirit rather than toward the mechanism -- The master to study man in the awakening of his intellectual life -- Attitude of the teacher in the light of another example -- The school must permit the free natural manifestations of the child if in the school scientific pedagogy is to be born -- Stationary desks and chairs proof that the principle of slavery still informs the school -- Conquest of liberty, what the school needs -- What may happen to the spirit -- Prizes and punishments, the bench of the soul -- All human victories, all human progress, stand upon the inner force -- II. History of methods. Necessity of establishing the method peculiar to scientific pedagogy -- Origin of educational system in use in the "Children's Houses" -- Practical application of the methods of Itard and Séguin in the Orthophrenic School at Rome -- Origin of the methods in Germany and France -- Séquin's first didactic material was spiritual -- Methods for deficients applied to the education of normal children -- Social and pedagogic importance of the "children's houses" -- III. Inaugural address delivered on the occasion of the opening of one of the "Children's Houses". The Quarter of San Lorenzo before and since the establishment of the "Children's Houses" -- Evil of subletting the most cruel form of usury -- The problem of life more profound than that of the intellectual elevation of the poor -- Isolation of the masses of the poor, unknown to past centuries -- Work of the Roman Association of Good Building and the moral importance of their reforms -- The "Children's House" earned by the parents through their care of the building -- Pedagogical organization of the "Children's House" -- The "Children's House" the first step toward the socialisation of the house -- The communised house in its relation to the home and to the spiritual evolution of women -- Rules and regulations of the "Children's Houses" -- IV. Pedagogical methods used in the "Children's Houses". Child psychology can be established only through the method of external observation -- Anthropological consideration -- Anthropological notes -- Environment and schoolroom furnishings -- V. Discipline. Discipline through liberty -- Independence -- Abolition of prizes and external forms of punishment -- Biological concept of liberty in pedagogy --

VI. How the lesson should be given. Characteristics of the individual lessons -- Method of observation the fundamental guide -- Difference between the scientific and unscientific methods illustrated -- First task of educators to stimulate life, leaving it then free to develop -- VII. Exercises of practical life. Suggested schedule for the "Children's Houses" -- The child must be prepared for the forms of social life and his attention attracted to these forms -- Cleanliness, order, poise, conversation -- VIII. Reflection, the child's diet. Diet must be adapted to the child's physical nature -- Foods and their preparation -- Drinks -- Distribution of meals -- IX. Muscular education: gymnastics. Generally accepted idea of gymnastics is inadequate -- The special gymnastics necessary for little children -- Other pieces of gymnastic apparatus -- Free gymnastics -- Educational gymnastics -- Respiratory gymnastics, and labial, dental, and lingual gymnastics -- X. Nature in education, agricultural labour: culture of plants and animals : The savage of the Aveyron -- Itard's educative drama repeated in the education of little children -- Gardening and horticulture basic of a method for education of children -- The child initiated into observation of the phenomena of life and into foresight by way of auto-education -- Children are initiated into the virtue of patience and into confident expectation, and are inspired with a feeling for nature -- The child follows the natural way of development of the human race --

XI. Manual labour: the potter's art, and building. Difference between manual labour and manual gymnastics -- The School of Educative Art -- Archaeological, historical, and artistic importance of the vase -- Manufacture of diminutive bricks and construction of diminutive walls and houses -- XII. Education of the senses. Aim of education to develop the energies -- Difference in the reaction between deficient and normal children in the presentation of didactic material made up of graded stimuli -- Education of the senses has as its aim the refinement of the differential perception of stimuli by means of repeated exercises -- Three periods of Séguin -- XIII. Education of the senses and illustrations of the didactic material: general sensibility: the tactile, thermic, baric and stereognostic senses. Education of the tactile, thermic and baric senses -- Education of the stereognostic sense -- Education of the senses of taste and smell -- Education of the sense of vision -- Exercises with the three series of cards -- Education of the chromatic sense -- Exercise for the discrimination of sounds -- Musical education -- Tests for acuteness of hearing -- A lesson in silence -- XIV. General notes on the education of the senses. Aim in education biological and social -- Education of the senses makes men observers and prepares them directly for practical life -- XV. Intellectual education. Sense exercises a species of auto-education -- Importance of an exact nomenclature, and how to teach it -- Spontaneous progress of the child the greatest triumph of scientific pedagogy -- Games of the blind -- Application of the visual sense to the observation of environment -- Method of using didactic material: dimensions, form, design -- Free plastic work -- Geometric analysis of figures -- Exercises in the chromatic sense --

XVI. Method for the teaching of reading and writing. Spontaneous development of graphic language: Séguin and Itard -- Necessity of a special education that shall fit man for objective observation and direct logical thought -- Results of objective observation and logical thought -- Not necessary to begin teaching writing with vertical strokes -- Spontaneous drawing of normal children -- Use of Froebel mats in teaching children sewing -- Children should be taught how before they are made to execute a task -- Two diverse forms of movement made in writing -- Experiments with normal children -- Origin of alphabets in present use -- XVII. Description of the method and didactic material used. Exercise tending to develop the muscular mechanism necessary in holding and using the instrument in writing -- Didactic material for writing -- Exercise tending to establish the visual-muscular image of the alphabetical signs, and to establish the muscular memory of the movements necessary to writing -- Exercises for the composition of words -- Reading, the interpretation of an idea from written signs -- Games for the reading of words -- Games for the reading of phrases -- Point education has reached in the "Children's Houses" -- XVIII. Language in childhood. Physiological importance of graphic language -- Two periods in the development of language -- Analysis of speech necessary -- Defects of language due to education -- XIX. Teaching of numeration: introduction to arithmetic. Numbers as represented by graphic signs -- Exercises for the memory of numbers -- Addition and subtraction from one to twenty: multiplication and division -- Lessons on decimels: arithmetical calculations beyond ten -- XX. Sequence of exercises. Sequence and grades in the presentation of material and in the exercises -- First grade -- Second grade -- Third grade -- Fourth grade -- Fifth grade --

XXI. General review of discipline. Discipline better than in ordinary schools

First dawning of discipline comes through work

Orderly action is the true rest for muscles intended by nature for action

The exercise that develops life consists in the repetition, not in the mere grasp of the idea

Aim of repetition that the child shall refine his senses through the exercise of attention, of comparison, of judgment

Obedience is naturally sacrifice

Obedience develops will-power and the capacity to perform the act it becomes necessary to obey

XXII. Conclusions and impressions. The teacher has become the director of spontaneous work in the "Children's Houses"

The problems of religious education should be solved by positive pedagogy

Spiritual influence of the "Children's Houses".

1. A critical consideration of the new pedagogy in its relation to modern science

2. History of methods

3. Inaugural address delivered on the occasion of the opening of one of the "children's houses"

4. Pedagogical methods used in the "children's houses"

5. Discipline

6. How the lessons should be given

7. Exercises of practical life

8. Reflection

the child's diet

9. Muscular education

gymnastics

10. Nature in education

agricultural labor: culture of plants and animals

11. Manual labor

the potter's art and building

12. Education of the senses

13. Education of the senses and illustrations of the didactic material: general sensibility; the tactile, thermic, baric, and stereognostic senses

14. General notes on the education of the senses

15. Intellectual education

16. Methods for the teaching of reading and writing

17. Description of the method and didactic material used

18. Language in childhood

19. Teaching of numeration: introduction to arithmetic

20. Sequence of exercises

21. General review of discipline

22. Conclusions and impressions.

1. A critical consideration of the new pedagogy in its relation to modern science

2. History of methods

3. Inaugural address delivered on the occasion of the opening of one of the "children's houses"

4. Pedagogical methods used in the "children's houses"

5. Discipline

6. How the lessons should be given

7. Exercises of practical life

8. Reflection

the child's diet

9. Muscular education

gymnastics

10. Nature in education

agricultural labor: culture of plants and animals

11. Manual labor

the potter's art and building

12. Education of the senses

13. Education of the senses and illustrations of the didactic material: general sensibility; the tactile, thermic, baric, and stereognostic senses

14. General notes on the education of the senses

15. Intellectual education

16. Methods for the teaching of reading and writing

17. Description of the method and didactic material used

18. Language in childhood

19. Teaching of numeration: introduction to arithmetic

20. Sequence of exercises

21. General review of discipline

22. Conclusions and impressions.