Chasing Ideal Education: Exploring Montessori Education by Sharon Robert

In the early 1900’s, a woman discovered children learned best when they were allowed to explore and foster their natural curiosity. This observation birthed the Montessori Method, aptly named after its creator Dr. Maria Montessori. This method was revolutionary as up until that time children learned by rote -  a memorization technique based on repetition and drill until it can be recalled verbatim.

The overall goal and philosophy of the Montessori system is to develop the whole child on four levels- intellectually, emotionally, socially and physically. The end goal is to see children become confident, self motivated and responsible. The schools do this in several ways. Ultimately there is respect for the child and they are treated as capable, unique individuals. Their teachers (called guides) respect their interests, choices and pace of learning.

Children are naturally driven to learn and with the right environment and tools, they can educate themselves through meaningful activity. This is done by acknowledging their development and providing space designed to promote independence, engagement and some freedom thereby encouraging exploration and self directed learning.  Materials are child-sized, accessible, and aesthetically pleasing. Children are free to choose their work and are encouraged to do things for themselves.

The teacher observes more than directs and introduces materials and lessons when the child is ready,  Then the teacher/guide steps back to allow exploration. Often children like to know what others are doing, so Montessori capitalizes on that by grouping children of different ages together in the same learning environments. This is to foster peer-to-peer learning. This arrangement can naturally lead to growth that might not occur in a more uniformly-aged classroom.

The Montessori Method can be effective for some children with dyslexia, as it emphasizes multi-sensory learning, tactile activities, and individualized instruction—all of which can support children with reading difficulties. The hands-on approach helps engage multiple senses, which is beneficial for children with dyslexia who may struggle with traditional phonics or visual-only methods.

However, its effectiveness varies depending on the child's specific needs and the implementation of the Montessori approach. Some educators incorporate additional structured literacy interventions alongside Montessori techniques to better support children with dyslexia. Reading programs often integrate phonics, sound-symbol associations, and decoding strategies in a multi-sensory way. Students are taught strategies for self-correction and problem-solving, fostering independence in managing their learning challenges. The approach emphasizes student strengths and fosters confidence, reducing frustration and promoting a positive attitude toward learning.

There are many good things about this method. It denounces the one size fits all form of public education prevalent today and honours where and what stage the child is at. There seems to be a sense of community among the students where often older ones help the younger. The teacher’s role of guidance  and observation helps to ensure students are introduced to new material when ready.

Sharon Roberts: https://dyslexia.ca/about/