The Washington herald., 1912-12-01
HOW TO TEACH MOTHERS MONTESsOR OF CHILD CONTROL

cipIs 70 children. and she has proved that
human nature is the same at three years
that II Is at fifteen or twenty and Just
as willing to live in harmony with .
wholesome environment.
II the occupations we find in the Chill
dren's Houses were not so perfectly suit
ed to the needs OF the children this self
development through work would be i'm
possible. One OF the secrets Of Mime.
Montessoris wonderful success is the
way In which she has linked together
provision for both muscular and mental
growth and has matched this with such
accuracy to the needs Of the little bodies
and brains.
The occupations generally given to a
little boy or girl aim at nothing but tenn
porary amusement. The one thing de-
sired is that the child shall be so enter
tanned that he will not come bothering
around his elders for the next hour or
two. Toys do not afford either mental
or bodily development On the contrary,
they tend more and more to the things
that hamper and starve rather than feed
the growing brain.
There is nothing in mechanical con-
thoughts on to effort and achievement
They not only hinder the child's mental
growth, but by giving him entertain
own effort educate him out OF self-relI-
ance instead Of into II.
As DR.. Montessori has worked out her
method, she provides for each child. &C
cording to the stage Of his mental de-
velopment. occupation that relates him
to the life of his environment, makes
him a part OF what is going on around
him, and leads him on gradually to more
and more complex things. His work Is
at the same time his play, and affords
food for mental. moral. and physical
growth.
The children in the Casa del BambinI
show the greatest joy In their achieve
ments as they surmount, unaided, the
little obstacles so mountain high for
them, and are stimulated by their sue
cesses to go on to other triumphs. Work.
ing together in this way. they develop
the most delightful comradeship, eagerly
watch one another's efforts when some
thing comes along unusually difficult,
and they unreservedly admire and take
pride in one another's success.
Some mothers have an idea that babies
and years old are too young to be
benefited by such training and even fear
that the little brains might be injured.
But 1t seems to me that, when a system
of training shows such uniformly excel
lent results. the earlier the child can be
put under 1t the better. There ia no
| danger whatever to the little brain. The
unfolding intellect is bound to grow any,
way through these baby years, and the
Montessori method simply helps il to
grow right.
II Is most unfortunate that mothers a.
well as teachers are not having instruc-
ton In these principles, so that they could
! begin to apply them earlier and could
| bring the home treatment of the child
! into harmony with that in the school,
American parents are beginning to realize
the Importance of this training, for I
learned before leaving Rome that num-
Der of American families had tried to en-
| gage places for their children in DR..
Montessori's ChildreI's Houses and also
instruction for the mothers under her d.
rection.
! Nine Montessori has not yet said the
last word in the formulation of her sys-
| NS'AA- S - SAeAeeu HON upOh expert
ments for the carrying out OF her prin-
ciples with children above the age Of six,
so that they can be employed in the ele-
mentary school grades. She is also per-
fecting her method in its application to
music and rhythmic exercises TO be used
in the Children's Houses.
! But mothers need not wait for further
developments. The system has already
a message for them that ought to arrest
/ the attention of every one who has young
! children.
| Copyright. stursis Walton Company.