As the education system works to better itself through
new standards and learning objectives there is more and more pressure to cover
a large amount of information each year. Montessori teachers find different
ways to add to the curriculum and materials. In the article, Delving Deeper: Simplicity in the Montessori
Environment, Michelle Irinyi discusses how she witnessed firsthand the
overwhelming feel of crowded shelves in a coworker’s classroom and the negative
impact it had on children.
Irinyi’s coworker: “…believed it was her responsibility
to present every lesson and material possible each year” (2013). The
overabundance of supplemental lessons overshadowed the Montessori materials.
The children, while busy, did not concentrate. Irinyi compares this bounty of
materials to an overwhelming meal (2013). While everything looks good and is appealing,
the amount becomes overwhelming and nothing is fully enjoyed.
Montessori
created a uniquely beautiful and simple environment for students where each
material was there for a reason. Maria Montessori began by offering the
children dolls and toys to play with but soon observed that the children were
not drawn to them in the way they were captivated by the didactic materials (1998).
Irinyi’s article reminds us of this amazing fact. The original materials are
enough.
In
Irinyi’s opinion, teaching lessons in the Montessori classroom is not about
going through a checklist but must be based on each individual child. The goal
of Montessori education is to open up the whole universe to children: “…freeing
them to explore, ask questions, conduct research, and create their own
understanding” (2013). We must believe in the method and remember the depth of
knowledge found in beauty and simplicity.
