Learning by Watching: Evidence from a Biography of Maria Montessori

The Doctor Who Watched Children Learn

1Picture a classroom from more than a hundred years ago. In many schools, children sat in long rows of heavy desks, and some desks were even fastened to the floor. Students were expected to sit still, stay quiet, and repeat what the teacher said. Maria Montessori believed children could learn in a very different way.

2Montessori was born in Italy in 1870. As a girl, she was a strong student who loved math and science. When she grew up, she decided to study medicine, even though very few women did at that time. She became one of the first women in Italy to earn a medical degree.

3As a young doctor in Rome, Montessori worked with children who needed extra help with learning. She made objects they could touch, stack, and move, such as wooden shapes and letters. Many of the children made great progress. Montessori began to wonder whether her ideas could help every child learn.

4In a poor neighborhood of Rome, many young children were left alone all day while their parents worked. In 1907, Montessori opened a school for them. It was called Casa dei Bambini, which means "Children's House." Instead of only giving lessons, she spent hours watching the children and writing notes about what she saw.

5Her notes surprised her. One day, she watched a little girl fit wooden cylinders into holes in a block. The girl did it again and again. Other children sang and walked around her, but she kept working. When she finally stopped, she looked calm and happy. Montessori saw the same thing in other children. When they chose their own work, they could pay attention for a long time. She also noticed that many children liked real tasks, such as pouring water or sweeping, even more than toys.

6Montessori changed her classroom to match what she had learned. She had small tables and chairs made that were light enough for children to carry. She put materials on low, open shelves so children could reach them without asking an adult. Children chose an activity, worked with it as long as they liked, and put it back when they were done. The teacher moved around the room as a guide, helping when a child needed it.

7Visitors came from many countries to see the Children's House. Montessori wrote books about her ideas and trained teachers from around the world. Today, there are Montessori schools in many countries. Even in other schools, child-sized furniture and hands-on materials like the ones she used are common.