Education is more than just the transmission of knowledge. It is the process of shaping individuals, developing skills, and preparing for life. The Montessori approach offers a radically different view of learning that deserves attention, especially in the context of the need to reform traditional schooling.

Montessori: Key Principles and Their Impact

1. Interdisciplinary Study of Subjects

Montessori education is built on the idea that knowledge does not exist in isolation. For example, a child can learn math through physics, geography through biology, or art through history. This approach helps to see the connections between disciplines, which is especially important in a world where solutions require systems thinking.

How can this be applied?

Instead of isolated lessons, the school curriculum could include projects where children study one topic through the prism of different subjects. For example, when researching climate change, they study atmospheric chemistry, the economics of green energy, and the geography of natural resources.

2. Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Education

Maria Montessori believed that children are naturally motivated to learn. Instead of imposing a curriculum, her method encourages children to choose what to study and to dive deeply into it.

What does this teach?

  • The ability to independently organize your time and study.
  • Enjoyment of the process of learning, not of assessment.

The opposite is traditional schools, where assessments and standardized tests often suppress natural curiosity.

3. Concentration as the Highest Value

In Montessori classrooms, the main rule is not to disturb others. It is believed that the state of flow, when a child is completely immersed in an activity, is the moment of maximum learning.

What prevents this in a traditional school?

Constant bells, noise, a rigid schedule of lessons, demands to "switch quickly" - all this destroys concentration. It is important to create conditions where students can focus on tasks as long as they need.

4. Freedom of movement and choice of activity

In traditional schools, children are most often forced to sit at desks. In a Montessori environment, a child can move freely, choose materials and learn through action.

This develops:

  • Decision-making skills.
  • A sense of responsibility for your choices.
  • A deep understanding that movement and learning are closely related.

5. Developing critical thinking

One of the cornerstones of the Montessori approach is creating conditions for independent analysis and decision-making. Children do not have ready-made answers, instead they are guided to ask questions: Why does this work? How does this relate to other knowledge? Which of this can be used in practice? 

Traditional schools often focus on memorization rather than understanding, which does not give children critical thinking skills. The Montessori approach teaches not only how to learn, but also how to understand why it is important.

Personal experience: how Montessori changed the view of education

When I decided to send my child to a Montessori kindergarten, this was the beginning of my personal discovery. Observing how the system works in practice, I realized how important it is not only for children, but also for adults.

These principles influenced my worldview. I began to think differently about information management, concentration, and internal motivation. That's when the idea of ​​structuring and connecting knowledge in such a way that it would serve as a tool for new discoveries and projects was born.

What should be changed in the general education system

1. Remove the emphasis on grades. Knowledge assessment should be deep and meaningful, not mechanical.

2. Give more freedom of choice. Children and adolescents should have the opportunity to study topics that interest them.

3. Create interdisciplinary projects. This instills systemic thinking and the ability to solve real problems.

4. Develop self-education skills. This is the main skill that will be useful in the future.

Conclusion

The Montessori approach is not just a methodology for school education, it is a philosophy that can inspire a rethinking of the entire education system. If traditional school focuses on "what to teach", Montessori asks the question: "how to teach" in order to educate creative, independent and motivated people.

Step by step, we can integrate these ideas into our public education to make it more effective, humane and future-oriented.

I would like to express special gratitude to Valentina Nosenko (founder of Montessori School of Moscow). I took these principles and worldview from her.