Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

After seeing this book on the Internet for many months and I have finally decided to read it.

Initially, I did not find myself inclined to place this book on my "Would like to read insha'Allaah" list because I find the Montessori method of education to be sound in many ways and whatever parts I feel either contradict Islaam or do not apply to my classroom, I leave them. I was under the impression that the book was written with the goal of convincing nay-Sayers or those who were considering Montessori for their child(ren) and wanted to know more about this style of educating children.

After reading about two chapters, the book appears to be one whose primary purpose is to present Montessori in light of the scientific research that has been conducted in the fields of psychology and cognitive science that seek to better understand how human beings learn. The author uses available psychological research literature to evaluate the Montessori method of educating children and she also addresses how she feels Montessori education is a much better alternative than the current school system prevalent today. She points out that, in her opinion, the method of educating children that is widely used today is based on flawed assumptions and systems that are applicable to factories but not to children.

In her book, author Angeline Stoll Lillard looks at eight of Maria Montessori's insights on how people learn and she applies current and past research to these insights to evaluate if they are sound. Not replete with scientific terminology (to make the reading assessable to parents and teachers), the book may be of interest to parents and/or teachers who seek to understand the pedagogy behind the Montessori method. If this interest is not there, parents may not find the book very engaging or even a bit technical...waallaahu a'lam.

pages: 346

This video (6 minutes long) compares/contrasts between Montessori Education and Traditional Education. And there is another video of this same nature that may further explain Lillard's comment that 

the method of educating children that is widely used today is based on flawed assumptions and systems that are applicable to factories but not to children

Second video is roughly 11 minutes long:

Storytime: رحلة فاشلة (Failed Trip)

  السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

 

 رحلة فاشلة

 

 

In رحلة فاشلة (Failed Trip) a little kitten learns to be satisfied with what he has. After a cat named Qaatqut comes to visit Bisbis and remarks that he eats fish every day while Bisbis only eats fish twice a month, Bisbis accepts an invitiation from Qaatqut to visit a nearby market so he can eat fish every day as Qaatqut has said they will. During the trip, Bisbis looses Qaatqut and cannot not find him but he also does not know the way back to his house. 

 

This is a cute story that has, alhamdulillaah, the characters calling on Allaah for aide and also finding the way home by remembering that there is a masjid near their owners house. 

Alhamdulillaah, a story with a nice message to be grateful for what Allaah has provided you with and not look at what others have and in doing so not be satisfied with your rizq.