If you have been in the Montessori space for any length of time, you have probably heard phrases like “follow the child” and “freedom within limits.” If you haven’t, these phrases can set a controversial tone to any conversation about the Montessori philosophy. While these two tenets sum up a large portion of what makes Montessori education unique, it is no secret that they bear contention among traditionalists.
More often than not, when strangers find out what I do for a living, the first question they have is, “Is that the kind of school where children can do whatever they want?” After taking a few deep breaths I remind myself that my role in that moment is not to react out of frustration, but to educate and inform. As Montessorians, we have a responsibility to speak truth to those who misunderstand and draw awareness to a method that has stood the test of time.
Walking into a Montessori classroom for the first time can be jarring. At first glance, it may seem as if the students have declared anarchy. Children are buzzing around carrying heavy glass pitchers, walking in and out of the door to the garden to check their plants, or painting little orange circles on a cardboard box. Not to mention, the teacher may be hard to find among the fray. But upon closer inspection, this seemingly chaotic episode is what makes Montessori so beautiful. It is this that gives us reassurance that the method is working.
Montessori believed that freedom within a prepared environment nurtures child development and allows them to discover who they are, instead of becoming what others want them to be. In a traditional setting, teachers stick to a strict schedule where children are told what tasks to do and when to do them. Students are fully dependent on the teacher as they hold the power to pass or fail based on performance and perceived effort. However, in a Montessori classroom, students are afforded the freedom to choose when and what to work on. Further, Montessori teachers fear children becoming dependent on them. Their main goal is to foster independence from the adult and to allow the child to take responsibility for their own education.
Freedom and responsibility ultimately create self-awareness within the child. Instead of a set structure or schedule, we allow the child to choose when and how. Instead of implementing a grading system, we encourage children to reflect on what went well and what they could have done better. Placing strict guidelines on children can have an adverse effect on their growth. Instead of choosing to follow the rules or complete assignments because of their intrinsic value, children learn to comply because they are afraid of the consequences.
But, what would it look like if we shifted our traditional perspectives on success? How could children benefit from an educational system where grades didn’t exist? What if we stopped measuring readiness based on the material a child has covered, but instead, began evaluating student success by a child’s resilience to stick with a task and to see it through to the end?
These questions have been answered time and time again in the Montessori world. The amount of freedom we give our students is directly proportionate to the amount of responsibility they assume. For example, if we give a group of children a lesson on adverbs and require them to complete a canned assignment, their rate of retention and recall is lower than if we gave the same lesson to the same group of students and allowed them free choice in showing their knowledge of the subject. With the latter, retention and recall is irrevocable. When we strip students of their choice in follow-up assignments, we are not simply stripping them of their chance to be creative; we are robbing them of their freedom to take responsibility for their own learning. Inhibiting creativity and choice can be a make-or-break moment where the child decides whether they enjoy learning or not. And what a shame that would be!
So, no, “freedom within limits” and “follow the child” are not terms that describe an anarchic, limitless educational method. In fact, they mean quite the opposite. These phrases serve as a promise to honor our students and their unique abilities. We use them to guide our instruction, and to provide our students with the best experience possible. And, most of all, we use them to always remember that our job is not to impose knowledge, but to plant seeds and let the children do the rest.
Montessori On My Mind 