Freedom within Limits (Montessori)

by 01 Aug 2023Glossary

Freedom within Limits (Montessori)

Freedom Within Limits is a key principle in Montessori education that acknowledges the importance of balancing liberty with structure for effective learning and development.[1] Montessori educators provide children with a range of choices and activities in a prepared environment, yet also establish clear boundaries and expectations. This approach encourages children to take ownership of their learning while respecting the needs and rights of others in the community.

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Montessori Quotes

  • “We must give the child an environment that he can utilize by himself: a little washstand of his own, a bureau with drawers he can open, objects of common use that he can operate, a small bed in which he can sleep at night under an attractive blanket he can fold and spread by himself. We must give him an environment in which he can live and play; then we will see him work all day with his hands and wait impatiently to undress himself and lay himself down on his own bed.”[2]
  • “The child’s development follows a path of successive stages of independence, and our knowledge of this must guide us in our behaviour towards him. We have to help the child to act, will and think for himself. This is the art of serving the spirit, an art which can be practised to perfection only when working among children.”[3]