By: Mrs. Kyrä Adamo
Casa Department
During one of our workshops, I suddenly realized that there is something we, as Montessori educators, always say, and that is “We follow the child.” This is hard-wired into our training and is a basic understanding of the philosophy and principles we follow, perform, and believe in every day we spend with the children in our classrooms. It is a fundamental way of life. This got me thinking that many parents and caregivers are still not in the Montessori environment daily or are just beginning to learn about Dr. Maria Montessori and her philosophy and are sometimes puzzled by this phrase we use so often.
“Follow the child, they will show you what they need to do, what they need to develop in themselves, and what area they need to be challenged in.”
What she meant when she said this is that if you pay close attention to a child and watch to see what they naturally enjoy doing, what they are drawn to, and what they always gravitate towards, you can quickly learn a lot about what they need to learn and grow. Children will show you what they are most interested in and where they may need a little extra guidance or even something to challenge them.
As educators and Montessorians, we say this a lot when discussing children, their interests, and how a child works in the classroom. This isn’t to say that in a Montessori environment, all the children wander freely, talking to and playing with each other, all while the teachers stand off to the side, just watching for who knows what to happen! Could you imagine how chaotic that scenario would be? Again, when we say “we follow the child,” we simply mean we invite them into a prepared environment (please see our last blog written by Mrs. Pabla regarding What is a Prepared Environment) and allow them a few moments to decide what they are curious about. What it is they would like to invite us to work alongside them and show them. We use their interests and actions to guide them with the right and personal learning experience.
Maria Montessori said, “Follow the child, but follow the child as his leader.” This quote is a guiding principle in Montessori education, based on the belief that children have natural qualities that lead them to learn. Montessori educators follow the child by:
Observing: Getting to know the child and observing their natural tendencies
Providing opportunities: Creating a safe and prepared environment with opportunities for learning, growing, and developing
Respecting: Honouring the child’s spirit and independence
Trusting: Trusting that the child wants to learn and grow
Supporting: Supporting the child through their social, emotional, and academic learning
Guiding: Guiding the child in the right direction when needed
Montessori educators also believe in “freedom within limits,” which means:
- Setting clear expectations and ground rules
- Making and sticking to routines
- Providing age-appropriate choices
- Creating a secure, loving, and trusting relationship between child and adult
“Anyone who wants to follow my method must understand that he should not honour me, but follow the child as his leader.”
Dr. Maria Montessori wholeheartedly believed that children are naturally curious and have an innate desire to learn new concepts. She also believed that children learn best when allowed to explore their interests at their own pace because every single child is different in every way: in the pace they know, in their interests and passions, as well as their various abilities. This was the best way to understand the importance of teaching a child based on their unique and beautiful qualities, which make them who they are and who they will become in the coming years!
