Maria Montessori Quotes

The objects in our system are instead a help to the child himself, he chooses what he wants for his own use, and works with it according to his own needs, tendencies and special interests. In this way, the objects become a means of growth.

We need to look at learning as the product of educational self-organization. It’s not about making learning happen; it’s about letting it happen.

Children have to be educated, but they have also to be left to educate themselves.

We discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being.

Actually, all education is self-education. A teacher is only a guide, to point out the way, and no school, no matter how excellent, can give you education. What you receive is like the outlines in a child’s coloring book. You must fill in the colors yourself.

The secret of sound education is to get each pupil to learn for himself, instead of instructing him by driving knowledge into him on a stereotyped system.

Children will learn to do what they want to learn to do.

There should be no element of slavery in learning. Enforced exercise does no harm to the body, but enforced learning will not stay in the mind. So avoid compulsion, and let your children's lessons take the form of play.

Whenever the child is given the notion that he needs to be entertained, learning comes almost to a halt.

Creative activity could be described as a type of learning process where teacher and pupil are located in the same individual.

I soon gave up instruction for self-teaching.

All learning is in the learner, not in the teacher.

Children are like men, the experience of others does not help them.

I don't like books that seem to want to teach me things. Which is not to say that one doesn't learn from books - but you do your own learning in your own way.

Learning in our family was entirely self-directed.

If children have interests, then education happens.

Each time one prematurely teaches a child something he could have discovered himself, that child is kept from inventing it and consequently from understanding it completely.

My father taught in the wise way which unfolds what lies in the child

Education is what you must acquire without any interference from your schooling.

Begin by instructing yourself, then you will receive instruction from others.

When a child is given a little leeway, he will at once shout, "I want to do it!" But in our schools, which have an environment adapted to children's needs, they say, "Help me to do it alone." And these words reveal their inner needs.

You learn best by reading a lot and writing a lot, and the most valuable lessons of all are the ones you teach yourself.

If children have interest, then Education happens

All education must be self-education.

Never let formal education get in the way of your learning.