The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-12-27
LEAD CHILD TO
TEACH ITSELF,
SAYSMONTESSORI
Great Italian Teacher Describes
System of Education AS
She Prepares To Sail
LIBERTY is ONE
OF FUNDAMENTALS
Children OF New School Left To
i Pursue Natural Desires and
Inclinatinns --

NEW YORK. Dec. 26.-Dr. Maria
Montessori, The great italian educator
or children. who comes 20 this coun
try TO teach her system Tor the upliiJ
OF the human race through the me.
dunn OF consistent education, and
just before she sailed told the Uni
ted Press OF her aims and ambitions
and OF the fundamental phases Of her
methods. Miss Anne f. George Ill
rector Of the work Tor the Montessorl
Educational Association in America
Interpreted Tor the educator who does
not speak English.
No system of education can be
told in few words or IN few hun
dred words, said DR. Montessori 4
have told of my method in my books
and yet | find that the same thing
must be- told over and over again in
different words TO lit different cases
with which have 10 deal | might
say that my method is one which
leads the child TO teach itself The
director OF the activities OF the childs
mind, body ana general temperament
so as TO bring out the things which
are naturally within the child, but not
brought out by the average system Of
education
Liberty OF the child is another
very fundamental thing In my school
the little ones are free 10 pursue their
own best natural inclinations. The
fostering OF spontaneity in the child
is another great factor which must De
reckoned with.
The normal child who grows TO
be the normal man or woman Is the
individual who in this world has had
the least attention. Science has done
much for the sick in body and mind,
Science has borne within il a great
truth, great force, and society has
responded by honoring science On
the other hand the common school
which should have long ago received
the attention OF modern science, has
done nothing for normal life, and con
seQuently society does not honor the
teacher nor give close attention 10
the preparation of teachers
1T was through the deficient and
abnormal children that | first learned
my great lessons about the teaching
OF childhood. | taught my poor un-
fortunate little ones and found that
liberty, opportunities for spontaneous
activity and freedom from the re
straint Of ignorant elders we've work
ing wonders. My deficient children
were advancing along the road TO
Il lAArx 60
children In the ordinary schools. WHY
not set free the normal by the same
method, | thought?
"Since then / have studied the nor
NAL child with results which have
surprised me. took simple means.
] offered stimuli from the outside ma
terial TO quicken their selections OF
things which they studied OF their
own yolition and soon discovered that
the child, left alone and untrammeled
upon by the limiting surroundings
and the modern paraphernalia OF pub
lie schools would soon teach himself
to do things which he would not learn
in four times the number OF weeks in
the ordinary school
Our scientists have never had the
attitude of humility toward the nor.
NAL child which they have displayed
toward the smallest germs on their
microscope slides. The greatest doc
tor goes humbly to the bedside of the
sick child. but not 10 the side OF its
normal brother, This is why we have
not succeeded in penetrating scien-
ti1cally into the knowledge OF the
normal man. Christ, when ne taught
the science OF life. the way OF life
taught humility as its first principal
ana said. He who would be master
OF all must be servant OF all. and he
Who would be master must serve
1t was thus that | tried 10 an
proach the task which | had set for
myself found that teachers In the
public schools often pour q food OF
words presenting various phases OF
the subject on the confused pupil. II
was my belief that, with simplicity.
children would learn the same things
more clearly and with less effort and
less loss. IL was my intention TO an
alyze In order that the child might
receive his perceptions clearly ami
concisely.
My attitude was 10 be that OF a
scientist. ] was not coming to teach
tHeul. came WIN tne orueF OF the
scientist who desires TO come upon
the spontaneous manifestations OF
life and TO assign 10 them their proper
value
$50 In the children's houses the
teacher serves and waits upon life.
She does not teach.
And so the time came. with my.
self. when I arrived at the point
where ! lost all desire 70 carry on
scientific research or 20 compile the
reports OF my experiments. IL was
as II had found a secret garden. a
palace OF peace, in which | only want
I'd 10 live with these children and 70
enjoy their development
Scientific language became revolt
ing TO me- II. seemed inadequate
whtn wished 20 describe the mani.
festations which were taking place
abont me. Wished 70 speak OF Il In
terms of religion
SANTA CLAUS BRINGS