Montessori approach to early childhood education, not only teaches children how to fine tune their motor skills but also help them to develop a sense of independence. Some of the key examples to the teachings and beliefs of the Montessori approach to early childhood education are: The observation that children take a natural pleasure in learning to master their environment and that this mastery is the basis of the sense of competence necessary for independence. The judgment that real learning involves the ability to do things for oneself, not the passive reception of a body of knowledge. That the child benefits from learning materials that are intrinsically interesting, reality oriented and designed to facilitate self-correcting and the refinement of sensory perceptions. That imposing immobility and silence hampers children’s learning and that, given interesting work to do, children will establish their own order.
Like Dr. Montessori, Dr. Bloom believed “that the environment will have maximum impact on a specific trait during that trait’s period of most rapid growth.” As an extreme example, a starvation diet would not affect the height of an eighteen year-old, but could severely retard the growth of a one year-old baby. Since eighty percent of the child’s mental development takes place before he is eight years old, the importance of favorable conditions during these years can hardly be over emphasized. Many parents over the years have chosen the Montessori approach to early childhood education for their children and see their children bloom before their very eyes. Montessori programs are highly sought after and well worth the look.