More and more parents and teachers are opting for the Montessori method to educate children. It is an educational system created by the Italian pedagogue María Montessori that focuses on respect for human rights of children, in their ability to learn independently and in their need for affection and affection.

This methodology proposes that the child has an active role in their learning, while adults become guides, with the mission of guaranteeing an adequate environment in which affection, understanding and trust prevail.

Well applied, the Montessori methodology is very effective as it favors the development of the child’s cognitive functions, especially their creativity, while enhancing social skills and fostering autonomy. However, like the rest of the educational methods, this methodology also has some disadvantages.

What benefits does the Montessori methodology provide?

It focuses on the active role of the child in their learning

The Montessori methodology emphasizes the active role of the child in their learning, so educational activities are adapted to the pace of development of each little one. In fact, its methods are designed to stimulate children’s creativity and thinking, encouraging children to discover their environment autonomously and assimilate knowledge on their own.

Promotes personalized learning

Montessori activities are designed so that each child executes them individually following their learning pace. That is why these tasks do not usually have precise instructions, orders or steps but are designed so that children can self-correct while they execute them, without the need for an adult to intervene. In fact, children also have complete freedom to choose the tasks they prefer to perform according to their preferences and abilities. Consequences of having a distant father.

It favors the spontaneous development of cognitive functions

Unlike educational methodologies more traditional, the Montessori method stimulates the almost unlimited development of the child’s cognitive abilities. In practice,children can learn everything they are capable of assimilatingsince they are the ones who manage their learning based on the educational means that adults offer them. With no standards to follow, little ones can unleash their creativity, imagination, memory, attention, and thinking.

What are the disadvantages of apply the Montessori methodology?

Badly applied, it can lead to disruptive behaviors

One of the most important keys of the Montessori method lies in stimulating children’s freedom, fostering trust, responsibility and mutual respect. However, if adults give children too much freedom and don’t know how to set clear limits, disruptive and rebellious behavior is likely to appear.

Certain issues can be overlooked. learning

Unlike traditional education, children who learn following the Montessori method have complete freedom to manage their learning. It is true that giving children the reins of their learning stimulates their motivation to learn, but it also carries the risk of overlooking certain knowledge that the child is not interested in.

Child development can lag behind

The Montessori methodology emphasizes the personalized development of each child, attending to their own learning pace, so as to avoid competition between peers. Although this principle prevents the child from feeling too much pressure while learning, it can also limit his development since the little one may lack challenges that motivate him to excel and reach the same level of development that his peers have achieved.

There are some possible contradictions

In addition, when the child accesses social activities where activities that follow this type of alternative pedagogy are not carried out, they may feel annoyed since in our society the rules that must be followed for the proper functioning of the system prevail.

Finally, this pedagogy is committed to the total freedom of the child and that he be the one to follow his own learning without the adult having to interfere in the process, but the reality is that contrary to what they say, it is the adult who leads and guides the child at all times to carry out the learning and he needs the support of the adult, at least at the beginning of learning, as when any other pedagogy. The type of pedagogy is not the secret in teaching, it is the professionals who teach from the heart.