Module 1 Qurrat ul Ain Ahmer

Roll # DK-1580
Q.3 What are the discoveries made by Dr. Maria Montessori by
observing the child?
Ans. Dr. Maria Montessori was a keen observer of children. She studied
them scientifically. She observed children looking for behavioral patterns in
their interaction with the environment. She found a method of helping
children in their early age to learn basic skills of life as she believed that
throughout the early years of life the child absorbs impressions from the
world around him not with his mind. She discovered several aspects of
children. Her life long observations and inferences led to the “Discovery of
the Child”.
Main discoveries made by Dr. Maria:
• She discovered that children show more interest in academic
manipulative rather than toys. She discovered unlimited potential in
children. She noticed that children preferred work over play,
especially in school timings. They love to do activities in subjects like
geometry, geography, history , art, natural science and in math. In
math they are fascinated with numbers.

• She observed that children work until they reach to their goal. They
are very enthusiastic about the work which makes them select and
concentrate on different activities which lead them to make them
perfect in their inner development. Children love to work purposefully,
they work out of the natural drive, which makes them select and
concentrate on tasks which are appropriate for development.

• She discovered the inner drive is sufficient. The teacher or an adult

should follow the child rather them to motivate him to do work. When
a child works in different areas of human activity at specific time that
lead them to develop the awareness and usage of doing. The teacher
should not ignore their inner urge of doing activities.
 Module 1 Qurrat ul Ain Ahmer
Roll # DK-1580

• She observed that the children worked with great inters and repeated
the activities on their own to reach a state of concentration. When a
child does activities again and again or when there is a spontaneous
repetition of an activity is done with great interest the result is
concentration. Concentration is just a beginning of the education, its
not an end. The children revealed that they could work with
concentration when they found right conditions.

• Dr. Maria says that during the early childhood it is possible to rectify
any developmental error and bring the child back to normality.
Normality refers to human power working in unison or in collaboration.
The child should work individually and with freedom. All activities are
very important to bring child back to normality.

• She discovered that very young children need order in their life. She
found out when she saw her children putting their things back to their
places, same in the case of values, functions and other human
activities. The child needs to see human values like “say the truth’
being practiced. Montessori students in this age, built up their
personalities, they needed consistency in all aspects of environment.

• She discovered that for building child’s complete personality. A child

needs those activities which help him to develop sensorial concepts,
language, arithmetic art, and culture. These are very important for
building of child’s personality. Montessori found that these activities
can bring intelligence in the children as they love to perform these
activities.
 Module 1 Qurrat ul Ain Ahmer
Roll # DK-1580
• She observed that a child can learn almost everything in early
childhood, as it was previously thought, that many things are too
complex for children. A child could assimilate that the knowledge
which people think that this kind of knowledge is too complex for the
children but according to Maria Montessori if that knowledge present
in rightful manner or condition, that would be easy for them to digest.

• She discovered that real discipline comes through freedom. If a child

is satisfied, he would start respect others. He may learn discipline
unintentionally. Freedom and discipline are two faces of the same
coin.

• She observed that real obedience comes through love, respect and
faith. Teachers and adults should be polite and sharp enough to
understand the child’s behavior. Real obedience leads to real
development.

• She discovered that the behavior of a child depend on the environment.

A child can be disobedient, stubborn etc. or a child can be disciplined,
happy and healthy. It depends on the environment. If proper, healthy
and interactive environment provided to children and their rightful needs
fulfilled, they behave normal otherwise not. The second condition is
called deviation.

• She observed that most of activities like walking on the line and
silence activity are the exercises for practical life.

• She observed that children are willing to do their work by their own.
They feel happy and satisfied while doing daily household activities.
Like cleaning, washing etc. She concluded that children want to learn
“Help me do it myself” strategy.
 Module 1 Qurrat ul Ain Ahmer
Roll # DK-1580

• She observed that the building and outside environment should be

according to the size of a child. For instance toilet, low sink, windows,
shelves, miniature kitchen and garden tools. Furniture should be light
weighted and everything is with in the reach of a child.

• She had discovered the traffic pattern of the rooms. She figure out
that a room where children had to stay, it should not be congested
and overloaded. The children love to sit on the floor so that’s why she
put a lot of rugs and mats for children where they sit and do activities.

• She observed that children are more comfortable with their sized
furniture and things. So whole building and rooms are designed
according to children interest and comfort ability. The furniture,
washrooms etc. are designed and sized for children. Windows low to
the ground and low shelves used so that children can have the
outside view and used things from shelves.

All the observations and discoveries made by Dr. Maria Montessori is

now followed and practice by Montessori houses all over the world.