Do you think that a Montessori preschool program discourages imagination and/or fantasy play?

Question

We are enrolling our (almost) 3 year-old son in a very traditional Montessori preschool for the upcoming fall. We feel very confident that this will be the right environment for him. Our only concern is that we've heard that the Montessori method stifles/discourages imaginative and/or fantasy play. Our son has a very vivid imagination, which we feel is one of his strengths. Montessori experts out there, how would you respond to this criticism? Is it just another misconception about the Montessori method, or is there some validity to it?

Answer 1

The reason this misconception comes up, I feel, is because you generally don't see a lot of dolls, figures, etc. in the Montessori classroom.  You do find some, but definitely not as much as in a non-Montessori classroom.

The reason for this is not something you'd expect - the children are not as interested in these things as they are in the materials.  Maria Montessori even tried putting them out in her room and the children simply were not interested in them.  

Creativity is fostered much differently in a Montessori school.  In more traditional forms of education, "creativity" is brought about by the teacher telling the students what to do and when to do it.  They might bring all the children over to a table to show them how to do an activity then they will have all the children do the activity and they'll have freedom within that time frame to do the activity how they like it.  In Montessori, the child will know the activity is there, have learned a way to do it, and will have the opportunity to do it when he/she wants and to do it alone or with a friend or two.  

Montessori also fuses creativity with care of the environment.  Think about the painting easel in the Montessori classroom.  The child has to set everything up, do their painting.  After that, there's usually paint on the floor, paint all over the easel, the paint brushes need to be cleaned up, the apron they use needs to be wiped off, and the child gets to do all of that.  Somehow, giving the child the responsibility of cleaning up has been interpreted by some as not allowing for creativity.  

The more academic materials even foster creativity.  Montessori materials have what we call a "control of error."  If the child did something incorrectly, it is usually apparent to the child.  It's interesting to observe them try different ways to figure out how to solve the problem.

Social interaction and creativity are extremely important parts of the Montessori Environment.

Matt

Answer 2

The Montessori program is designed around structure and learning to use materials in a prescribed way.   It does not include use of imagination or development of social interaction skills.  Some programs-or parent- supplement a half-day Montessori program for structure with a half-day program that focuses on creativity and social interaction.

Answer 3

i went to a montessori school and i was allowed fantasy play and creative thinking. we played unicorns alot. my most vivid memory from it was signing silent night at the christmas program and having to eat beets. but there wasnt any limitations placed on my imagination or personality. it was encouraged. its my understanding, and i could be wrong so dont quote me, that montessori schooling is supposed to foster the childs direction in their personal interests and that its a little more liberal than most of other types of private schools. i think you are making a good choice.

Answer 4

Just remember, a child needs imagination to be able to learn, or he might become very uninterested in his school work, he needs room to create.

Answer 5

As a teacher in a Montessori school, I could see how this misconception could arise. Because we don't teach children that work is not fun, and "fun" is fun it could be thought that we work all the time. Imagination is part of the child's work, that is to say it IS part of what a child needs to develop. Also social development is very important for all children, Montessori philosophy encourages social growth through independence. Allowing children to relate to others in their own, peaceful way.  Another part of imagination is being able to imagine other parts of the world, when your child comes home talking about Japan- he's imagined what it will be like. An important thing for parents to know is that not all Montessori programs are equal- MAKE SURE yours is accredited by one of the two governing bodies- AMS or AMI.

http://www.amshq.org/    

http://www.montessori-ami.org/

Answer 6

All children play! They explore new things playfully. They watch something of interest with a fresh open mind. They enjoy the company of treasured adults and other children. They make up stories. They dream. They imagine. This impression stems from parents who don’t know what to make of the incredible concentration, order, and self-discipline that we commonly see among Montessori children and thus assign a negative to the situation.

Montessori students also tend to take the things they do in school quite seriously. It is common for them to respond, "This is my work," when adults ask what they are doing. They work hard and expect their parents to treat them and their work with respect. But it is joyful, playful, inspirational, and anything but drudgery.

Is Montessori Opposed To Fantasy And Creativity?  

It’s true; there is no “dress-up” center in a Montessori class. However, imagination and creativity are important aspects of a Montessori child's experience and differ from fantasy-based play. Montessori classrooms incorporate art, music, dance, and creative drama throughout the curriculum. Imagination plays a central role, as children explore how the natural world works, visualize other cultures and ancient civilizations, and search for creative solutions to real-life problems. In Montessori schools, the Arts are normally integrated into the rest of the curriculum where imagination and creativity is encouraged. Remember you are choosing Montessori and not a day care program. Do not look to see what day care features are missing in our Montessori classrooms because comparing both programs would be like comparing Asian food to Italian food. True, they both have noodle dishes but that’s where the similarity ends.

Answer 7

Read Matt's answer, he pretty well summed up what I was going to say.

Good job, Matt!