Work (Montessori)

by 01 Aug 2023Glossary

Work (Montessori)

In the context of Montessori education, Work refers to the self-initiated, purposeful activities of children. While these activities may appear to be play from an adult perspective, Maria Montessori considered them as the child’s work, given the seriousness and concentration children often exhibit during these activities.[1] This perspective arises from an understanding that, from an evolutionary perspective, the extended period of childhood serves as a time for learning and experimenting in a relatively pressure-free environment.[2]

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Montessori Quotes

  • “The first essential for the child’s development is concentration. The child who concentrates is immensely happy.”[3]
  • “The child can only develop fully by means of experience in his environment. We call such experience ‘work’. “[4]