The Benefits of Montessori Education | Parenting OC Childhood Development, Education

What is experiential learning in Montessori education?

All ages

Maria Montessori, a pioneer in the field of neuroscience and child development, was the first to recognize the connection between movement and cognition. Her scientific observations led her to conclude that physical action helps to create stronger neural connections in the brain. Her idea of the “absorbent mind” clearly describes a process where the child integrates information from the environment through experiences gained from sensory integration. She stated, “What the hand does, the mind remembers.” To put it simply, children learn by doing. They need to explore and discover through hands-on and active participation in meaningful activities. The conclusions Montessori formed many years ago have become the foundation for child development theory and are the foundation of the Montessori educational approach.

At LePort Montessori, we are stewards of the Montessori Method. The “Prepared Environment” of each classroom is foundational for inviting children to follow their interests, satisfy the need to explore and be active participants in an individualized learning path. The hands-on approach of the Montessori classroom encourages the child to manipulate the “didactic” (learning) materials to solidify their understanding. The materials are intended to be self-correcting, thereby encouraging trial and error, and they are open-ended to allow for problem-solving skills to develop. Our schools operate on the premise that our environments must be child-centered and child-directed, fostering intrinsic motivation and encouraging deep, meaningful engagement.

When children are given free choice to set their own pace and follow their interests, they develop ownership over their learning and deepen their understanding of the concepts gained through their exploration. The classroom environment has many real-life tasks, even utilizing child-sized tools to allow the child to participate in purposeful work. This would include washing a table, dressing and undressing, pouring and preparing food, starting with the youngest children. These “Practical Life” tasks allow the child to develop motor skills and a sense of independence. Children have a strong desire to seek mastery by repeating a process over and over again. Repetition provides the child with an opportunity to truly integrate their learning from the sensory and motor input of real-life activities.

As an example, one might consider the actions of a toddler who has just discovered a light switch. The child turns the light on and off several times with great enthusiasm. This process is cementing in the mind the idea of reversibility, a mathematical concept that something can be undone. Through repetition, the child is gaining a preliminary concept of logical reasoning.

Many of the materials in a Montessori classroom are intended to allow for exploration of abstract sensory concepts such as size, shape, color and texture. Children use materials to explore object permanence and basic mathematical concepts of sequencing, ordering and gradation. This experiential learning lays a foundation for critical thinking and builds a strong sense of self-efficacy. The manipulation of materials is supported by current research confirming that engagement in hands-on activities can significantly enhance learning and memory.

The Montessori educational approach adjusts to the age of a child to allow for engagement in developmentally-appropriate tasks with a clear path from the concrete to the abstract. The child develops executive functions such as working memory, inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility as the child explores the Prepared Environment, engages to extend their concentration and follows their interests. The active participation of the child in their own learning is supported by caring adults who guide the child and offer opportunities for them to extend their curiosity with creativity. The Montessori classroom becomes a supportive community of “little scientists,” as Montessori herself described the child.

Maria Montessori was a true revolutionary when she encouraged the education of students to be child-directed. She laid a foundation for others to use observation of children to identify universal tendencies in children to learn by doing and to support the social and emotional development of children as they seek independence and take ownership over their learning path. Her pioneering approach continues to inspire educators worldwide, fostering environments where children thrive as autonomous, confident and engaged learners.