Dr. Maria Montessori, Italy’s first female physician, observed children throughout various continents and cultures, to develop her educational philosophy and teachings, known today as the Montessori Method. Perhaps one the most beautiful and respectful components of the Montessori Method is the notion of “following the child.”

Montessori believed that children are naturally interested in learning and should be invited to become active participants in their own learning and education. Dr. Montessori advocated that the teacher should observe the child to see what he or she is naturally interested in and capable of achieving, then offer and present lessons to the child based on his or her interests and intellectual capabilities. The child in the Montessori classroom excels because the teacher “follows the child” to his or her potential, with no educational or curriculum limits. The normalized Montessori classroom environment becomes one of a busy, calm, peacefulness because the children are truly engaged in purposeful work in which they are interested and work that is appropriately challenging and engaging. The children are inspired by the beautifully inviting Montessori materials that support their independence, as well facilitating their transition from the concrete to abstract thinking.  The children thrive and develop a life-long love of learning when educators embrace the notion to “follow the child.”