An Introduction to Derech Eretz Montessori

Dr. Montessori opened the first “Casa dei Bambini” (House of the Children) in San Lorenzo, Italy on January 6, 1907. Since then, the Primary Montessori classroom has been referred to as the “Casa dei Bambini” or simply Casa. Additionally, the Montessori teacher was referred to as a Directress or Guide due to the fact that her role was not so much to “teach” the child in the traditional fashion, but rather to direct or guide the child along his path of development. Dr. Montessori also developed manipulative materials that nurture the spiritual and religious needs of children and which she housed in an area of the Casa she named the “Atrium”.

Derech Eretz Montessori has chosen to honor our commitment to Montessori education and Jewish traditions by referring to the Primary Montessori classroom as the “Beit HaYeladim” or simply Bayit. While the traditional Hebrew term “Morah” has been translated as teacher in English, according to Rabbi Jonathan Rietti, the more exact translation of Morah is that of a connector or guide. Even in Hebrew, the Montessori teacher does not “teach” the child, but rather serves to connect the child with the Torah and then guides him along his path of development. We have chosen the term Beit Knesset Me’at to identify our area of the Bayit in which the child will come to know the teachings and traditions of Judaism through manipulative materials on a level and in a manner that is appropriate for his development.

Once a child has become bathroom independent, he is ready for enrollment in the Bayit. The 3-4 years spent in the Bayit should act as a bridge between the home environment and the outside world. A basic tenet of Dr. Montessori’s educational theories was that the social environment of the child is important to his psychological development; therefore the child must have a sense of community where he feels that he belongs. This community is achieved through what Dr. Montessori referred to as the Prepared Environment. It is here that children of mixed ages are allowed to work at their own pace and ability. Each child stays in the same Bayit so that he will be allowed the opportunity to develop a bond of trust and security through the structure of routine and repetition that the Bayit provides. It is important that the same Morah be available to witness the child’s growth and development. In a social environment with mixed ages, each child is allowed to experience the role of leader and follower. A child is able to contribute to his community through shared problem solving, individual acts of kindness and opportunities to act as a role model to others.

The Prepared Environment of the Bayit allows for children to be valued as individuals in a safe place where each can live, work, play, laugh, cry, celebrate and grow. It is important to the development of self that a child is physically and emotionally respected and valued by other members of his community. He should be supported in his individual choices and feel free to make the inevitable mistakes of life without fear of ridicule or ostracism. The Bayit gives the child avenues for self-construction and development through purposeful activities. “When we watch a child in an environment that is his and that evokes response in him,” Dr. Montessori said, “we see that he works by himself toward his own self-perfection. The right way is not only indicated by the objects he picks up, but by the possibility of his recognizing his own errors by means of these objects.” By gifting the child with purposeful activities, the Prepared Environment fosters true independence in the child. He is given freedom to choose from individual materials that support learning through all of the five senses and then allowed the time he feels is needed to achieve true mastery.

The goal of the Bayit is to provide a beautiful and safe environment in which the child may grow and thrive. The child is allowed to develop coordination of motor skills and control of movement through individual and small group activities. He is also provided with a daily structure that supports good work habits, problem solving skills and opportunities for positive social interactions with others in his community. Because the Prepared Environment allows children to develop their individual self discipline, the Morah is not in a position of “classroom monitor” as are traditional teachers. Because the Prepared Environment fosters independence and free choice, the child is better able to concentrate on his activities. Dr. Montessori saw discipline in the learning environment not as something imposed upon the child by the adult, but coming from within the child. Self discipline might be analogous to a tiny seedling planted deep inside the child; while a physical plant seedling needs water and sun to grow, the seedling of self discipline is nurtured through concentration. Dr. Montessori stated that, “The more the capacity to concentrate is developed, the more often the profound tranquility in work is achieved, then the clearer will be the manifestation of discipline within the child.”

The Bayit serves not as a “school” in the traditional definition of the word, but rather as a place where each child is allowed to live and grow into a unique and valued member of society. In the Bayit, each child is viewed as a whole personality; psychological, spiritual and intellectual needs of each child are all served. In the Prepared Environment of Derech Eretz Montessori, one would find five distinct areas in which differing modes of activity occur: Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics, and the Beit Knesset Me’at.

1 The Child in the Family, The Clio Montessori Series, pg 45

2 The Child in the Family, The Clio Montessori Series, pg 38