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Is The Montessori School Appropriate For A Gifted Child?

11th August 2021



The Montessori approach is one of the early childhood approaches which is accepted globally. Montessori name is taken from Maria Montessori, who is the founder of the approach. She was a celebrated Italian physician and an educator. Montessori education believed in sensorial development through practical activities. It is believed that a child is a sensorial explorer and learns best through self-learning. 

The features of the Montessori approach are –                  

  • Respect for the child
  • The prepared classroom environment
  • The absorbent mind
  • Mixed-age grouping
  • Normalization
  • Observation

The Montessori teacher is considered to be a guide, a facilitator, and not just an instructor. It is a child-centred approach. It is a prepared environment. Children learn through senses that help them in their life-long learning and build essential life skills.

Who are the gifted children?

Gifted children are those who need special attention in academics. Parents and society tend to underestimate such learners and their potential is neglected. Some of these learners might need extra efforts in academics but might perform well in other activities or sports.

Is Montessori school apt for gifted children?

When we observe the Montessori principles and ideas, we can say that the Montessori approach is best suited for gifted learners. The environment is fixed in such a way that there is a lot of learning happening. Also, Montessori activities and materials are designed in such a way that it would help in the overall growth of the child. Lessons are finely planned and executed keeping in the mind the learner's progress and requirements. The prepared environment, teacher’s role as a facilitator, Montessori apparatus, and the principles, together contribute to the successful working of the Montessori approach.
 


Montessori apparatus-

  • Pink tower
  • Cylindrical cubes
  • Wooden Geometric solid
  • Playdough

Montessori activities-

  • Buckling frame
  • Zipping
  • Sandpaper globe

Above mentioned are some of the materials and activities that are found in the Montessori school.

In this way, Montessori schools give gifted children the opportunity to explore and develop an interest in learning through fun. The environment is encouraging to learn and lessons and activities are modified as per the learner's needs and requirements. Learners are motivated to give their best and teachers give respect to learners' ideas and opinions and also to the learner as an individual.

The Montessori ideologies and principles thus prove that the Montessori approach is best suited for Gifted Learners. So if one comes across such gifted learners, never disappoint them. Instead, help them to raise and develop other skills and educate them in a Montessori school.

But if you are a Montessori teacher or wish to be a Montessori teacher you need to understand the need for a proper Montessori teacher training course to make yourself capable of dealing with these gifted learners and thus enhancing your knowledge and skills, to seamlessly facilitate their learning. There are indeed vast areas that can be explored in the Montessori field.

Thus to conclude, we can say that Montessori learning is best suited for the learners as it encourages creativity, collaboration and helps learners to be independent individuals as they develop practical skills through sensorial development.


Written By: Soma Rajashekhara

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