Resources for Educators

Quotes

“To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.” Maria Montessori

“The first aim of the prepared environment is to render the growing child independent of the adults.  It is a place where he can do things for himself- live his own life – without immediate help of adults,” E.M. Standing, Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work

“This is an intense and specialized sensitiveness in consequence of which the things about him awaken so much interest and so much enthusiasm that they become incorporated in his very existence.”  Maria Montessori

“A child in a sensitive period is believed to exhibit spontaneous concentration when engaged in an activity that matches a particular sensitivity. They will be observed choosing such activities and becoming deeply concentrated, sometimes repeating the activity over and over, without external reward or encouragement. Young children are naturally drawn towards those specific aspects of the environment which meet their developmental needs.”  www.ami-global.org

“We must help the child to act for himself, will for himself, think for himself; this is the art of those who aspire to serve the spirit.”Maria Montessori; Education for a New World

“Childhood constructs with what it finds. In order to build himself, the child has taken by chance whatever he finds in the environment.”  Maria Montessori

“The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own activity.”   Maria Montessori

“Such an environment provides the foundation for an integrated life.” Maria Montessori

“I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn. “  Albert Einstein

“Our care of the child should be governed, not by the desire to make him learn things, but by the endeavor always to keep burning within him that light which is called intelligence.”   Maria Montessori

“Too often we give our children answers to remember rather than problems to solve.”           Roger Lewin

“Independence is not a static condition; it is a continuous conquest, and in order to reach not only freedom, but also strength, and the perfecting on one’s powers, it is necessary to follow this path of unremitting toil.” Maria Montessori

“I must continue to practice to retain my constructive and analytic powers. The goal is to be a master of my environment.” Michael Merzenich

“You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality. “  Walt Disney

“There are three principal means of acquiring knowledge… observation of nature, reflection, and experimentation. Observation collects facts; reflection combines them; experimentation verifies the result of that combination. “ Denis Diderot

“Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.” Anthony J. D’Angelo

“Respect all the reasonable forms of activity in which the child engages and try to understand them.”  Maria Montessori

“It is not enough for the teacher to love the child. She must first love and understand the universe. She must prepare herself, and truly work at it.”   Maria Montessori

“Our work for peace must begin within the private world of each of ourselves.”             Maria Montessori