Permission to intervene

Children engaged in activity

The non-intervention of the teacher idea in Montessori education is vastly misunderstood. It can be seen to an outsider as doing nothing and leaving the child to discover themselves. But it is a balance of the teacher giving just enough instruction. Giving more may destroy a child’s spontaneity and interests where giving less may seem like the teacher has abandoned the child. A whole part of being a Montessori teacher is to know when to intervene and when not to intervene. The teacher should not intervene when the child is seen engaged in spontaneous activity that is orderly and creative. The child’s work must be respected. The teacher is able to intervene when a child is not doing anything at all or if a child is disturbing others. Although it is not always easy to distinguish at a glimpse whether an activity is creative or unimportant it is with a practised eye may a teacher gain this skill. This shows the importance of teachers needing to be great observers and have great understandings of the children from these observations. It is often easier to recognise the deviated reactions rather than the delicate positive actions as these are more strong and disorderly. Yet the positive actions need more encouragement and attention. Adults must be trained to notice these positive actions to support the growths of this child (Standing, 1998). If a cycle of activity is continuously interrupted the inner surroundings of a child’s mind can deprive them of self confidence and counteract an ability to complete what they have begun. The child will gradually lose the courage, reliability and determination needed for accomplishment. Future developments could become hindered with an unsteadiness and lack of perseverance which can be seen as a characteristic in the child. Regularly interrupted cycles of activity fail to set children up to a habit of applying themselves to complete work to a satisfied end. Children may develop a subconscious attitude that if they start something somebody will stop them therefore they will not start it. This not only develops a lack of persistence but inattention, fearfulness, hesitancy and indecision (Montessori, 1989).

Gaining permission to intervene involves observing and having a good understanding of the materials. The purposes of the materials are to self teach children and learn control of error. This guides children to self correct their learning and get feedback from their own work and gives them an accomplished feeling (Chattin-McNichols, 1991). A teacher must be careful if trying to intervene it is sometimes best for the child to attain self correction themselves and their own learning. This will help the child to gain self motivation through intrinsic learning. The teacher should know whether a child will be able to learn themselves from careful observation and knowledge of their development.

There are useful intervention strategies to use when supporting children’s development such as extrapolation, interpolation, inquiry, anecdotal and development. This guides a teacher on when to intervene and when not to intervene. It supports knowing when and how we gain permission to intervene. Extrapolation is when a teacher predicts from observations and evidence to take the next step in the child’s learning and development. Interpolation is addressing the gaps in the child’s learning. A child isn’t quite doing something correctly or has missed a step. Inquiry means if the child comes to the teacher and asks how to use a material or any other relevant question the teacher then has permission to intervene. Anecdotal is the evidence from observations that supports whether the teacher should intervene or not. Having the proof to confirm the decision rather than having to remember. Development relates to the child’s planes of development where they fit into. Gives an idea where the child is at in terms of development and where they can go next. Interest also comes into this strategy as the child’s interests are evaluated. This can help to determine whether there is a connection and knowing when to intervene.

To conclude this point I have found quotes that were meaningful to me to show the importance of independence for the developing child:

“The child needs to do things himself from the beginning of life, from the moment he is capable of doing things” (Montessori, 1989).

“It is by helping the child to help himself we render him that help, which will make him independent” (Montessori, 1989).

These quotes show the value to the Montessori environment:

“Having an institution in which children can engage themselves in these actions peacefully and without inconvenience of other” (Montessori, 1989).

“Prepare the children a world of their own, where their minds and bodies can find suitable activities” (Montessori, 1989).