Deck 10: Montessori Education: Environment, Materials, and Methods

Question 1

Montessori's work combined her background in which fields?

A) Psychology, medicine, and education
B) Business, education, and accounting
C) Horticulture and art
D) Podiatry, psychiatry, and sports medicine

Answer 1

Psychology, medicine, and education

Question 2

Based on her work with children with developmental disabilities, (so-called "defective children"), what did Montessori see the need for children to engage in?

A) Teacher-directed activities
B) Productive, hands-on work
C) Learning through play
D) Whole-group instruction

Answer 2

Productive, hands-on work

Question 3

What was the origin of Montessori's first program for children?

A) 1945; a school for gifted, wealthy children in Reggio Emilia, Italy
B) 1919; a reform school for factory workers' children in Germany
C) 1905; an academic training school focused on science education in Vienna, Austria
D) 1907; a "Children's House" for poor children in Rome, Italy

Answer 3

1907; a "Children's House" for poor children in Rome, Italy

Question 4

Montessori's program was widely embraced by the public. Why did professionals in the early childhood field NOT agree with her methods?

A) Progressives dominated the field and viewed play as the most appropriate means of learning for young children, not Montessori's repetitive, purposeful work.
B) Professionals in the field, at the time, believed in a more structured, academic approach.
C) Progressives did not trust a program that came from Italy and was designed by a woman.
D) Montessori's program was too open-ended and creative arts-based.

Question 5

What captured the public's attention first about Montessori's method?

A) Beauty of children's paintings, displayed in museum exhibits.
B) Advanced academic skills, demonstrated on national tests.
C) Parents' comments about children's imagination and creative thinking abilities.
D) Children's rapt attention to task as they repetitively completed the didactic materials.

Question 6

What did Montessori believe about children's development?

A) Children grow through adult-directed activities.
B) Children grow purely through biological processes (maturational theory).
C) Children develop through spontaneous activity that comes from an inner drive.
D) Children develop by watching, not engaging with, the world around them.

Question 7

Montessori believed children learn through:

A) Sensory experiences and absorbing their surroundings.
B) Rote instruction.
C) Fantasy play.
D) Reading.

Question 8

Montessori laid out three key roles of the early childhood teacher; which one is NOT one of these?

A) Prepare the environment.
B) Active participant in children's play.
C) Present materials.
D) Observe children at work.

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT one of the key ideas Montessori believed about children's development?

A) Children strive to be independent and self-sufficient in their environment.
B) Children develop through "sensitive periods."
C) Children's minds absorb their surroundings and stimuli.
D) Preschool-age children's development is not as rapid as school-age children's.

Question 10

Montessori believed the following are driving forces in children's development, EXCEPT:

A) Children have a natural sense of spirituality
B) Children need plenty of unguided time for open-ended activities
C) Children have internal sense of purpose and seek purposeful activities
D) Children are driven to make sense and order in their world

Question 11

Montessori based her method and sequencing of activities based on:

A) Sensitive periods in children's development.
B) Common practices in parenting and education in the late 1800s.
C) Practices aligned with Progressivism.
D) Observations of her biological children.

Question 12

What is the definition of auto-education?

A) Self-directed action using didactic materials.
B) Prescribed handbooks for teachers.
C) A complete guide to parenting.
D) A complete curriculum guide based on themes throughout the year.

Question 13

What is the sequence of actions teachers should take to support children's drives and needs?

A) Set minimal limits, let children engage in free play, observe and document
B) Prepare environment, engage children in whole group instruction, test children's knowledge
C) Set clear limits, model proper use of materials, back away to observe
D) Prepare the environment, let children explore freely, add more materials to environment based on children's interests

Question 14

Montessori believed teachers' influence on children should be:

A) Direct and deliberate.
B) Indirect and intentional.
C) Strict, instilling discipline.
D) Protective of children's innocence.