Montessori: Freedom Is Not the Same as Permissiveness (Part 1)
To let the child do as he likes when he has not yet developed any power of control is to betray the idea of freedom. —Maria Montessori The Absorbent Mind. Dr. Montessori was very clear: we should not grant children freedom until they have learned to follow the rules. But many Montessori teachers and parents are at a loss at how to set or enforce those rules. After all, aren’t we supposed to follow the child? Following the child does not mean allowing the child to do whatever she wants, whenever she wants. When a young child is unable to control her impulses and doesn’t know what she wants, or how to do what she wants, disorder and disruptive behavior occur. This usually happens because an adult was overly permissive and didn’t establish boundaries or rules. And there are rules in the Montessori environment. Stop and think about the Montessori environments you have observed. What rules of society did you see? Children walk in the classroom. We talk with quiet voices. Chairs are tucked i...