In a previous blog, we discussed the value of inclusion and how Montessori’s tenet of following the individual needs of the child makes it inherently inclusive. The Circle of Inclusion Project (University of Kansas) and Raintree Montessori (Lawrence, Kansas) listed 11 specific ways in which Montessori education addresses the needs of all children, including those with disabilities. Included in this list is “Materials with a built-in control of error.” In today’s blog, Michelle kindly shares her classroom experiences to provide real-life examples of how Montessori meets that specific goal.
The didactic material controls every error. The child proceeds to correct himself, doing this in various ways.
—Maria Montessori
The Montessori Method, p. 171.
The Montessori Method, p. 171.
Dr. Montessori’s words remind us of the significance of control of error in the Montessori environment. We give children the materials they need to use in a carefully prepared environment, and let the materials, not the adults, do the teaching. Allowing children to discover answers independently and in their own time is another way that Montessori education addresses the needs of all children.
