Good habits formed at youth make all the difference. ~Aristotle
The ‘absorbent mind’ welcomes everything, puts hope in everything…adopts any religion, and the prejudices and the habits of its countrymen, incarnating all in itself. That is the child! ~Maria Montessori
Nature says copy your parents…whatever your interests are, the child gets tremendously interested in them too. ~Margaret Homfray, below video, 08:50
As I was researching Montessori principles, I came across some wonderful full-length lectures, by a plain speaking Montessorian named Margaret Homfray. This one on preparing children to read is particularly good.
[googlevideo=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4642441267249144773&ei=LTecSd-WDJy4qAO35vHCDA&q=Margaret+Homfray+1]
If our goal is to educate children to become free thinking adults then we need think about how to they develop the habits of thought. We have to be aware of the role each of us has in fostering the habits of dialogue. If we never speak to children like they are thinking beings, if we never model sophisticated language and thought for them, children will never become comfortable thinking about sophisticated ideas. Then, how can they enjoy the wonderfully complex ideas that we value?
When was the last time you had a conversation with a child? Asked them an open-ended question? It is amazing. They are so eager to talk to you, eager to tell you what they are thinking, what they like, what they don’t, what they have done with their day. Children see adults talking to one another all the time, and when you make the smallest effort to engage them, they tell you all about themselves. Each of us making these small efforts are what create the culture we strive for.
And you don’t have to wait until you have your own child to begin fostering a culture of dialogue. Try it with the next child you are standing with in the grodery store line, or on the bus. Let me know what you learn.
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As a corollary to your comments, I remember reading a passage from Montessori in which she comments about the fact children in Montessori classes are allowed to talk to each other. She said that, in adult life, we learn so much from each other by talking, why don’t we allow children to talk to each other in school?
And that got me to thinking about how talking to each other is CRUCIAL in most jobs.
Oh, and I forgot to mention: I am SURE that Montessori was highly influenced by Aristotle, probably through Aquinas. I don’t know that any intellectual historian has fond particular data about this,i.e. university courses, etc. But Aquinas’ ideas were pervasive during the late 19th century, especially among Catholics, especially through the Jesuits.
My reason for saying this is two-fold: her general, biological approach and schema seems closely related to the scientific concepts in the De Anima. She places heavy emphasis on the hierarchical organization of the human psyche, and the unfolding of development, plus, understanding the child’s actions as attempts to fulfill unmet biological/psychological needs.
Also, particular terminology she uses appears to me to be Aristotelian.
Wow. I would be very interested in learning about these connections.
Did M.Montessori receive a Jesuit education, or did her parents?
A quick Google Search picked up on this lecture by Prof. Madonna Adams, of Caldwell College, at St. Anselm College…She gives a lecture entitled “Aristotle, Hume, Montessori, and the Preconditions of Ethics” http://www.anselmphilosophy.com/read/?p=34
You have to get an account to hear it, but I am listening to it now.
I will be posting about it soon, I think.
Today, I was reading a Montessori book, Pedagological Anthropology, which is only available online, as far as I can tell:
http://books.google.com/books?id=eVIBAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=pedagological+anthropology
and found Montessori referring to Aristotle’s “belief that there is some one organism corresponding to each manifestation of nature” which sounds as if she’s read at least some of Aristotle’s biological work(s).
Very nice post! Thank you for sharing. I’ve worked with primary school teachers in the past. It always drove me nuts that they could not turn off the “Kindergarten Voice” even with other grown ups. I really think it’s important not to talk to children has if you’re hosting “Sheri Lewis and Lambchop.” If you also ask them thought-provoking questions or even teach them how to analyze and examine their own behavior it helps grow ‘responsible’ and ‘thinking’ big people.