The Montessori Environment

While trying to stay warm in the afternoons, I have been spending WAY too much time surfing the internet and I hate to admit it but I’m hooked.  Ever since my invitation to join Pinterest, it has become one of my favorite time wasters.  Like any good thing, I have had to severely limit myself to small amounts of time and only after my “school work” and “homework” are both done!

 

Being both an early childhood educator and mother myself, I frequently find myself perusing the Education category to seek non-conventional inspiration for both my classroom and my home.  It has been very easy to become tempted by the cute bulletin board and classroom décor ideas. There are welcome banners, posters, and so many colorful decorations it makes me feel like a kid in a candy store. Remember the looks on the children’s faces in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, when the children see the River of Chocolate and edible flowers and grass for the first time? They are overwhelmed. I can certainly relate, as I see all the classroom décor ideas and think, “I have to have it!” and I have been “pinning” like crazy.  And then I realize, if I am overwhelmed, the children must be too.  With constant stimulus from TV, video games, advertisements, and the internet, children have a hard enough time focusing and concentrating as it is without being constantly bombarded by the visual stimulus in the classroom.

 

The Montessori school and classroom environment promote peace and tranquility. The use of natural wood shelves and materials along with soft neutral paint is meant to soothe the senses and attract the children to the Montessori materials and not to the decorations on the wall. Dr. Montessori said that her materials were to beckon the children to come to use them. If the décor in the class is overwhelming, the materials remain unnoticed. The use of natural materials such as wood, bamboo, and fabric inspires not only a sense of beauty but also a sense of respect and reverence for nature. 

 

When you first walk into my classroom and most other Montessori classrooms, I hope you notice right away that it is different than other “traditional” classroom environments.  Parents often comment on how “neat and orderly” it is and visitors often breathe a small sigh and visibly relax. Adults and children are drawn in because it is so peaceful and uncluttered.

 

Over the years I have developed a deep appreciation for the Montessori environment and this has been reconfirmed as I have witnessed firsthand the effect it has had on the children.  When a classroom is neat, open, and airy it is like an open invitation to stretch out and relax.  Most traditional classrooms are so cluttered that they automatically create that “not enough room” feeling that causes undue anxiety and stress.  I have found through the years that I don’t need my senses assaulted by all the “stuff” on the walls, hanging from the ceiling, and covering all the surfaces. When I walk into my Montessori classroom I am confident that the décor that is there serves a purpose, as it draws the eye to the Montessori materials and fills the soul with a sense of calm and purpose.  Now I only wish that one day I could de-clutter my home in much the same way.

 

-Grasshopper Teacher