MONTESSORI, STEINER & EMILIA

Montessori, Steiner and Reggio Emilia



Montessori, Steiner and Reggio Emilia

Personal Journal Part A

Maria Montessori (1870-1952) was a physician, educator, philosopher, educator. At the psychiatric clinic of the University La Sapienza (Rome) was entrusted with the recovery of children considered deficient. Just worked out for them the materials that are still the basis of his method of teaching. Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) was a philosopher, educator, esoteric (Rousseau, 1979). In 1919 the owner of the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory gave him the direction of a school designed to educate the children of his workers. The Waldorf School takes its name from this factory (Barbarin & Wasik, 2009). Waldorf and Montessori methods have much more in common than you might think. Here are some examples.

The Waldorf method primarily aims to nurture the human spirit, to make it free. Learning takes second place. Rudolf Steiner attaches great importance to the imagination. The learning of reading and writing is offered only after seven years (Gestwicki, 2011). Until then, Steiner believed that the child was still anchored to another dimension, that pre-natal.

The proposed toys are rough, rudimentary, and are suitable to be used in different ways. The purpose is to stimulate creativity. The decor is suitable for children. Children can move the furniture, climb and turn, with their imagination, what they prefer. Children follow a rhythm (daily, weekly, yearly) adjusted. Guided by the teacher, find security in their habits (Jackman, 2001). The teacher has a great responsibility (Rogers, 2011). It'should cease to be a true vocation. Waldorf schools in the arts and crafts have a major role. From painting to sculpture, to music. From knitting to sewing, paper manufacturing, wood processing and metal, many students acquire skills that will make an important personal baggage.

Personal Journal Part B

Waldorf schools are against the use of television, computers and other technological tools generally by children. Instead, they give much importance to the outdoor game. Properly dressed, the children go outside to play quualunque both the weather conditions and temperature, even in the rain or snow. The Steiner schools are often viewed with suspicion. Some people think it is a sect, a religion of people. Obviously, none of this. In fact, Rudolf Steiner has treated many themes and elaborate theories on the larger topics, including religion and occultism. But these are certainly not taught to children in schools.

Then there are those who believe that children who attend the Waldorf schools do not live in the real world. In fact the day in Steiner schools is punctuated by the fairy tale. Just like in our homes or at any other school. Some people think that a child who believes in fairy tales will not be able, when he grew up, to face reality. I believe that a happy child but an adult will be free and balanced, perfectly able to cope with difficulties.

According to Maria Montessori, the child must be left free as possible. These words are often misinterpreted, and they imagine hordes of unruly children in the name of freedom...