Montessori is a shorthand term that refers to Dr. Maria Montessori’s educational methods that came from observing children as they engaged the world. The creation of the Montessori materials used to teach children are the application of those insights throughout the development of the child. In essence, she was able to bring together her understanding of child development with her insight into the perspective of the child. The result was the creation of a prepared environment, an environment designed to support the developmental journey.
When you enter a Montessori classroom, particularly for the young children age 3-5, the first thing everyone notices is that the chairs, tables, sinks and materials are all child size, located at heights and in colors that attract the child’s eye. The materials are sensorial, that is they are designed to engage the sense experience of the child rather than to generate conceptual understanding.
Applying the Montessori view to dementia care means the creation of a prepared environment designed to support the developmental journey of those with dementia.