Author: Dr S Rekha Reddy

This episode presents how the invention of writing affected civilization leading to recorded history and the development of science and technology. In the beginning, an ordinary human being was not allowed to write. The Right to Write was achieved as a fundamental right only after many bloodsheds. After getting the Right to Write, the adults forced their children to learn instead of learning to write themselves. Many countries made learning to write compulsory for children. What was the result of this compulsory education? Tune in.

This episode discusses the way Maria Montessori discovered the real nature of children in the first house of children – like repetition, ability to choose, disregard for dolls, rejection of sweets, exploding into writing and reading. These qualities are not confined only to the children of Casa Dei Bambini but all Montessori children across the globe belonging to different caste, creeds, cultures and times.

Casa dei Bambini was inaugurated on 6th Jan. 1907. It was neither similar to the present Montessori Houses of Children nor the schools of those days. During the nineteenth century, it was thought that young children could not be educated as they were immature; the teacher should be highly qualified, and parents to be well educated. Casa dei Bambini proved that all these were mere misconceptions.

Maria Montessori introduced the concepts of Learning through activity; Play is the work of the child etc. The Montessori method is not based on predetermined philosophies or ideas but on child psychology and the developmental needs of children. Dr Montessori began her work with differently-abled children but ended up working with normal children. The inception of the Montessori Method is an exciting story. Tune in!