Montessori Chapter 11

Maria Montessori Her Life and Work by E. Mortimer Standing
Chapter 11 - A Visit to Lilliput

This chapter describes the wonder and delight of a Montessori classroom. Little desks, little sinks, little shelves, and lots of colors. Children are quietly busy on tasks, or talking in small groups, solving their own problems, or helping each other. One girl decodes words on a card that tell her to get a drink of water - she's working on her own to read. Another child works out addition problems. A few children place historical pictures on a timeline. The teacher isn't even noticable. She is available to help if children need it, to help keep materials in order, and to keep new (non-normalized) children from disturbing the work of the normalized children.

At one point, the teacher puts up a sign with the word "Silence" on it. One by one, as the children notice the sign, they become still and wait. The teacher leaves the room, and the children are so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. One by one, she quietly calls each child by name from outside the door until all the children are outside the classroom. For 10-15 minutes, they're quietly waiting for her to call them. Then they all go back in and resume their activities.

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