At the dawn of each new school year, the faculty and staff of St. Benedict Classical Academy gather for an annual meeting, during which our headmaster, Jay Boren, invites us to renew our commitment to classical education by reading and privately reflecting on 15 questions from the Educational Plan of St. Jerome Academy that exemplify classical teaching. Below is the full version of how the Montessori pedagogy is indeed classical education and why SBCA chooses Montessori and Montessori-based Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for its earliest learners.
Why does SBCA choose Montessori for their youngest age group?
Montessori education, created by Italian medical physician Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952), is best expressed as a total respect for the child because it meets children at their developmental level—spiritually, physically, and socially. Through scientific observation and data trials of children all over the globe (repeated from her time and, more recently, proven through the most updated, neurological testing), Dr. Montessori discovered that children develop consistent, universal traits and tendencies in predictable stages. Young children, moreover, are born with special abilities (superpowers, if you will) to absorb and amass information sensorially without getting overwhelmed. Sensitivities to tasks and aspects of their world—especially regarding order, sensory perception, movement, and language—allow humans (from birth to age 6) to be laser-focused and propels them through “exigence” or vital life force to strive for mastery, growth, and adaptation (i.e., think of a baby who crawls, rocks back and forth…you couldn’t succeed in stopping them).
How does the Montessori Method (what the good Doctoressa referred to as “Scientific Pedagogy” and “Scientific Education”) connect with a Classical Education?
Dr. Maria Montessori, born in 1870, was herself classically educated before moving into a male-dominated technical track in junior high and high school. She was also Catholic. Her understanding of human development and addressing the whole child, including growth of the spirit, is prevalent through her work and encouragement to teachers: “With man, the life of the body depends on the life of the spirit.” Maria Montessori, The Advanced Montessori Method I, pg 2.
To truly serve the child, the adult guide needs to fully understand human values and human tendencies. The Classics and Dr. Montessori’s Christianity—along with her practice of scientific observation, medicine, and child psychology—informed her design of educational materials and the importance of quality, virtue, and the value of the highest standards of human dignity. This included the Arts, Language, Mathematics, and Science.
In the words of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, do we incorporate the True, the Good, and the Beautiful into our teaching and environment? In doing so, do we begin with meeting our students where they are and awaken them to a world of awe and wonder?
“To stimulate life, leaving it free, however, to unfold itself–that is the first duty of the educator.” Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child, p. 141
Montessori pedagogy values and respects the child’s development. We, in SBCA’s Montessori Early Learning program, recognize God’s design in the special way children learn and have the utmost respect for the youngest children’s development. We are reverent of their superpowers of learning “absorbently”.
True: Steeped in child development, we understand that children are grounded in reality and learn through the senses. Materials are made of natural and breakable fabric, so children will have access to reality, as well as benefit from the feedback of carrying a porcelain jar of water. You don’t get that if you’re only using plastic all the time. The children are empowered with skills for cleaning spills and sweeping the occasional broken dish. They learn to respect their environment more because it’s the real world they live in, and they gain confidence from being trusted to do so many activities like the grownups!
We offer multimodal ways of learning through the hand, studies of the earth, animals, plants, activities involving care of their environment, sensory perception building, and language enrichment. Through multistep activities, the children practice precise levels of organization, which supplies their sponge-like need for order. The constant, purposeful movement during these activities—across every curriculum area—leads to coordination, confidence, independence and eventual control of the will.
Inherently Good: Montessori pedagogy creates opportunities to help children reach their highest potentials. The main tenants of Montessori education involve promoting independence and deep learning using specially designed materials that support and guide children to develop skills—particularly those they are sensitive to learning at this stage of their lives. Additionally, we offer all ages wholesome stories, scientific books about plants, animals, poems, songs, stories, culturally relevant traditions—including daily work with the Gregorian and Liturgical calendars. We offer curriculum across the areas of Practical Life, Sensorial, Mathematics, Language, Art and Music Expression, Geography, and extension curriculums for Kindergarteners (3rd years) in Botany, Biome research, Geography, Creative Writing, and Ancient History.
Beautiful: We ensure that the environment is aesthetically pleasing and attractive. We want to draw the children in and allow them to feel invited, welcome, and have ownership over their work. This is possible when the materials are set up for their success and furniture and materials are size-appropriate. Our Children’s House’s well stocked, neat, and appealing environments, coupled with free choice work cycles, offer joyful learning and freedom for the child’s own wonderful discoveries. Adults are the link between the children and the environment, but we don’t dominate. We present the work with great interest and within a short time frame, quietly emphasizing felicity and import of the work. Then we melt into the room so the children can practice independence and feel trusted.
Do we encourage reverence for the mystery of human person and respect for one’s own dignity, desire for truth, and an understanding in virtues, as well as cultural manifestation?
“An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking; it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in which they live.” Maria Montessori, Education and Peace – Speech in Copenhagen, May 1937
The entire Montessori model (teaching delivery, prepared environment, curriculum, developmental expertise) is based on respect of the child and reverence for God’s creation of each child’s specialized and unique learning. Montessori is a huge proponent of cultural adaptation and enabling the ongoing conversation between generations. Practical Life activities or practical application of knowledge meets this human need to achieve the tasks important to one’s own culture, while also developing coordination, i.e., “I can do the dishes like my parents.”
Integrating the Catholic faith through constant, accessible means for child’s religious growth, links home goals with those of the school. We sprinkle prayer into all transitions and our gathering places for group lessons are done in conjunction with a prayer table. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd presentations (now in our large, shared Atrium) are offered every week by lead certified catechists and free follow-up exploration and activities are available to the children during select work times throughout each week.
Dignity: Because we revere the learning process of children at each stage, all curricula are given at the right, natural time of sensitivity and at each child’s personal level of readiness. Abundant activities foster choice and interest to invite the children to independently practice, master, and move onto more challenges. Grace and Courtesy presentations, with role-play, enable children to practice relevant problem solving, courtesy lessons, and how to move with care and fluidity. As part of our Classics, Education of Virtues is additionally taught through character formation lessons involving metaphoric stories, role-play, and discerning wonder questions that awaken children to the value of, otherwise, abstract morals. In both the Grace & Courtesy lessons and Virtue/Character lessons, because the children are practicing the words and actions, they are more likely to call up those skills and use them in real life in the classroom (i.e., saying, “pardon me” and waiting for the other party to make a pathway; walking carefully around another child’s floor work or when passing by a friend carrying water; having a two way, clarifying conversation with a friend and knowing the words for “I’m sorry” and “I forgive you”).
Do we help reach highest human talents?
Montessori lessons and activities, along with the encouragement of independent discovery and mastery in the unique multi-aged classroom allow the right independent and social conditions for each of the children to flourish and reach their personal “fullest potential” with intrinsic reward.
Do we encourage patience, to take time to achieve excellence?
Children always have time on their side here in Montessori environments. “The child is the spiritual builder of mankind, and obstacles to his free development are the stones in the wall by which the soul of man has become imprisoned.” Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind, p. 221.
Three-hour work cycles support foundational growth and human need by allowing children nearly uninterrupted time to go through the ebbs and flows of concentration, allowing a child to complete a project or assimilate a skill. Additionally, a special component to the mixed aged groups is a natural built-in error of confidence. Children are accomplishing at so many different levels, a “gifted” or “latent” learner is mixed in; the time allotment needed for an individual is gracefully hidden rather than glaringly apparent as it might be in a same aged group. This fosters confidence and patience.
Do we encourage students to value rigor and discipline?
Through cycles of working with activities, children learn discipline. The three-step cycle involves children choosing an activity, using the material in an orderly fashion (to the best of one’s current ability)—involving memory and corrections typically built-into the materials—and, upon completion, they return the material to the shelf—restored “beautifully for the next friend”. Also, as children choose work, they practice and master within their own pace and are compelled naturally to move onto more challenging work. Alternatively, by noting older children or advancement or a “new” work used by other children, peers feel inspired to master and meet the next challenge. Another benefit to the mixed ages, allows older students to “teach” or “help” younger students and this offers opportunity for additional practice and mastery. This dynamic oftentimes removes the embarrassment a child might have for forgetting a step. Another child filling in this gap is far more powerful than when an adult gives a gentle reminder.
Do we deepen the role of family in life of school and the role of education in the life of the family?
Yes, as aforementioned, cultural adaptation is an essential concern. Our 3 – 6 aged children are in a sensitive period to achieve cultural wishes and norms and to participate in culturally relevant work. Time and again, we witness the children’s internal need and desire to learn and be functional within their culture.
Our Montessori aligns with the classically focused SBCA mission. We support family wishes and aim to align these with the school mission. We practice continuity and shared goals of the Catholic faith, as well as Classical education. In praying and fostering shared values between home and school, the children flourish as they reinforce the values and traditions from home at school. Thus, this essential human need for cultural adaptation is respected and upheld in Montessori and SBCA Classical principles. Specifically, in the SBCA Montessori Early Learning environments, we help unite these goals through the Christ-centered application of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and the respect of the child—which is an extension of respecting God’s authority for the child’s developmental learning process.
Do we foster a sense of intellectual eros…ardent desire?
The young child is hardwired to find wonder in the simplest things. This allows children to explore and expand their natural wonder for discovery and learning. As the youngest children make discoveries, develop concentration and coordination, they thirst for yet more work and empowering knowledge. They start out doing “work” for the sake of their sensitively fueled needs for specific tasks, but as they get older, children eventually develop innovation and creativity, and a sense of nurturing, and stewardship. Moreover, children develop a deep love for learning.
Do we foster the detailed, highly articulated sense of and respect for beauty?
In Montessori education, we sweat all the details. Teachers, known as Guides, aim to work to make a loving, beautiful, orderly physical environment that is filled with activities perfectly suited to match the developmental needs of the 3 – 6-year-old children who spend their school hours “living” here each day. Our classrooms serving ages 3 – 5 and 3 – 6, respectfully, entail a deeply well thought out arrangement of Montessori materials—measured, sized, and painted (to particular shades of color)—across six major curriculum areas. Additionally, our Atrium, a room devoted to the CGS curriculum, is resplendent with materials to aid the child’s interaction with liturgical life coupled with presentations that invite the children to develop a loving relationship with Christ Jesus. Our Practical Life, Sensorial, Mathematics, Language, and Geography shelves are aesthetically pleasing and fascinating. Classical art, music, plants, and nature curriculums round out the classrooms and invite the children to care, protect and nourish, as well as delve into learning.
In closing, how does Montessori equate the need for a Catholic education?
Dr. Montessori was a devout Catholic, who believed God’s creational force starts human life—even as it jumpstarted the cosmos and all the Earth’s elements, plants, and animals. This force propels all of life. Provided we respect and nurture a child, allowing their growth without hindrance or obstacles, the child will develop as God intended.
Dr. Montessori’s foundational work, at the answer of Popes, families, and schools who requested religious pedagogy for children, paved the way for the eventual faith formation, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Children develop interest and love for Jesus as they ponder scripture, particularly through Infancy Narratives and Parables and biblical geography. They learn to participate and wonder about the Trinity and the essence of Jesus as present in the bread, wine, and tabernacle. They imitate and learn to participate in the liturgical life of the church through the liturgical colors and prayer table routines.
Dr. Montessori was commended by and endorsed by many popes during and after her life, including Pope Pius X, Pope Paul IV, and Pope Francis. She had private audiences with Benedict XV, Pope Pius XII, and John XXIII—all of whom requested her development of pedagogy, collected her educational books, or simply commended her work and contribution. She wrote two books on children’s religion, including Children and the Mass. In her second to last speech, the day before she died, Dr. Montessori called to Catholics to recognize children as “builders of personality” and to encourage religious formation that will enable children to help in defending the Catholic faith. “Take then, as help in your task, with faith and humility, ‘the all-powerful children’ (Benedict XV). Take as your special task to watch that their limpid light be not dimmed. Protect in their development those natural energies implanted in the souls of children by the guiding hand of God.” – Maria Montessori, May 5, 1952
AUTHOR: Kellie Young, Montessori Early Learning Lead Teacher