The Spirit Of The Child - Montessori

Spirituality of the Child and Teacher

Written by: Angela H Knight

Dr. Maria Montessori believed that the spirit of the child was one of the most valuable parts of a child. Part of the child is the spiritual embryo that needs its own special environment where the child has a feeling of protection, love and finds the nourishment that they need. The environment is a key factor in the development of the spiritual embryo and the whole child.

In her writings Education for a New World, Dr. Montessori wrote, "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. It is the teacher's joy to welcome the manifestation of the spirit." (Wolfe, 1996, p.3) This is the essence of what she believed. The child has to be guided to be independent and listen to the still small voice that is within each of us.

I believe that Dr. Montessori was seeing the child as a whole being, the physical, intellectual, and spiritual all making the child. You can develop just the physical part of a child and he is not a complete and happy being. If the intellectual aspect is the focus the physical nature falls behind and the child is unhealthy. The same is true of the spiritual part of the child. When it is ignored the child is unhappy and will not reach his fullest potential. In order to be a complete person, all three areas have to be nurtured and developed.

References

Wolf, A. (1996). Nurturing the spirit. Hollidaysburg, PA: Parent Child Press.

Montessori, M. (1964). The Montessori method. New York: Schoken Books.

Standing, E.M. (1957). Maria Montessori her life and work. New York and Toronto.

Hollis