Pedagogical conceptions of Maria Montessori

Ime Marije Montessori izrazito je popularno u povijesti predškolskog odgoja. Osnivačica je Montessori pedagogije u čije središte je stavila dijete. Svoju metodu oblikovala je na temelju promatranja djece u različitim fazama razvoja. Smatrala je da pripremljena okolina ima ključnu ulogu u razvoju djeteta. Pripremljena okolina ispunjena je priborom u Montessori vrtiću te potiče dijete na istraživanje. Maria Montessori tvrdila je da dijete za svoj razvoj treba zaposliti ruke jer su ruke instrument njegove inteligencije. Montessori pribor izrađen je prema strogim pravilima te potiče cjelokupan razvoj djeteta. Osim Montessori pribora, prostor u vrtićima se uređuje prema Montessori estetskim kriterijima. Postoji bitno pravilo u Montessori prostoru: nakon bavljenja nekim priborom potrebno ga je vratiti na isto mjesto na kojem se nalazio i dovesti ga u isto stanje u kakvom je bio. Veliku ulogu imaju Montessori odgajatelji, oni moraju pokušati odgovarajućim izborom pribora i aktivnostima stvoriti uvjete u kojima će dijete imati potreban prostor za daljnji, vlastiti tempo. Cilj ovoga rada je pobliže opisati osnovne karakteristike i načela Montessori pedagogije te ukazati na njezin pozitivan utjecaj na rast i razvoj djeteta.The name Maria Montessori is extremely popular in the history of preschool upbringing. She is the founder of The Montessori pedagogy, where she put the child in the center of attention. She formed her method by observing children in different stages of their development. She considered prepared environment to have a key role in the child's development. Prepared environment is filled with equipment in the Montessori kindergarten and encourages the child to explore. Maria Montessori claimed that the child needs to use their arms more, because their arms are the instrument of their intelligence. Montessori tools are made under strict conditions and encourages the entire development of the child. Other than Montessori equipment, the space in the kindergartens is decorated by the Montessori aestethic criteria. There is a very important rule in the Montessori classrooms: after using a certain tool, it is needed to put it back in place where it was found and brought back to the state it was originally found in. Montessori educators have a big role, they have to try create a setting in which the child will have the space needed for its own further tempo, by selecting the right tools and activities. The aim of this paper is to closely describe the main characteristics and principles of the Montessori pedagogy, and show its positive impact on the child's upbringing and development