Montessori Classroom Layout

Updated on

A Montessori Classroom when compared to a vibrant and colorful Traditional preschool classroom is quite different. 

Where Traditional classrooms bound your child to a desk and a chair for hours on end, Montessori Classrooms provide your child with the freedom to explore and broaden their horizon. 

A Traditional Classroom fashions Flashy colors, Shelves loaded with different toys, and walls adorned with colorful charts or posters, for most children it must be a dream come true. 

Unlike Traditional Preschools, a Montessori Classroom environment opts for a more minimalistic approach. 

A Montessori classroom is a sanctuary of knowledge, information, and sensorial stimuli, a place where children are provided with a relaxing, demure, as well as respectful environment. 

Montessori Classrooms Environment is distinct and carries the essence of Dr. Maria Montessori’s educational philosophy to help children become independent, self-reliant, and confident individuals. 

To help understand the essential features of a Montessori classroom and help Montessori beginners become acquainted with the Montessori Classroom layout, here is everything one should know about Montessori Classroom Layout. 

What are the Chief Characteristics of a Montessori Classroom?

A Montessori Classroom is unique and often integrates aspects that encourage children to become independent from a very young age. 

Here are some hallmarks and characteristics of the Montessori Classroom that one should be acquainted with before incorporating aspects of the Montessori classroom at home. 

Montessori Classrooms are divided into several learning stations based on the curriculum and subject.

These designated areas are often divided into:

  • Sensory Area
  • Language Area
  • Math Area
  • Practical and Cultural Areas. 

Minimal Decoration:

Unlike Traditional Preschools that have vibrant colors, toys, and flashy posters, a Montessori Classroom is often Minimal in terms of decor. Montessori Classrooms have light-colored walls with simple decorations in the learning area. 

Natural Furniture:

The Montessori Method of education strictly prohibits the use of synthetic and plastic materials or furniture. Hence, all Montessori Furniture should be child-sized and manufactured with natural materials like wood.

The furnishing setup of a Montessori Classroom is loose, unlike traditional classrooms, children are not limited to sitting in rows and being bound to their desks and chairs, children are allowed to ponder around as well as explore their surroundings. 

Soft Lighting:

Montessori classrooms have lighting close to what a child may have in their home environment. Instead of fluorescent lighting, a Montessori Classroom has natural and soft lighting to help create a relaxing and cozy atmosphere educational atmosphere. 

Organized:

There is a saying, “with freedom comes responsibility”. While the Montessori Method allows children to explore their surroundings and indulge in hands-on learning, decorum, as well as a sense of order, is also important. 

A Montessori classroom Environment should have a balance between freedom and order. Each ad every material, furniture, and education apparatus should be specifically organized in their designated shelves, bins, and learning stations.

This promotes children to become responsible and brings a sense of order in the classroom. 

What are the benefits of a Montessori Classroom Layout?

Montessori classrooms are simple, neat, and minimal in terms of their appeal or layout. But a Montessori Classroom setup no matter how unique it might have several benefits. 

Here is a list of benefits of a Montessori Classroom set for pupils. 

  1. Encourage children to learn:
    The layout of a Montessori Classroom is intended to encourage your younger one to explore, learn, and look for knowledge in the most mundane tasks or objects.
    Designated workstations not only promote auto-didactic education but also promote the development of fine motor skills and gross motor skills in children. 
  1. Close to no Distractions:
    Traditional Preschool classrooms may have too many distractions that might overstimulate the child. Montessori Classrooms minimize distractions and prevent the child from being overstimulated or overwhelmed. 
  1. Comforting Environment:
    When child initially enters a classroom they might experience several emotions from stress to intimidation. 
    These feelings can be effectively minimized by providing a tour of the classroom before the child enters a program.
    Due to the soft lighting, natural furniture, minimalist appeal, and free-range environment children can feel close to home. 
  1. Opportunities to develop inner potentialities:
    While Traditional preschools focus on instilling basic curriculum in children, Montessori classrooms allow children to explore new opportunities, enhance their inner potentialities, and build character. 
    Montessori classrooms provide children with Unique opportunities to help develop their character and potential. 
  1. Organized Management:
    All Montessori Materials, apparatus, and furniture have designated spots to develop a sense of structure among children. 

How to Create a Montessori Classroom at home?

Once you are fully equipped with the knowledge of Montessori Classrooms, you can now incorporate appropriate aspects of the classroom at home.

Here are some ways you can enhance your child’s educational experience at home by integrating Montessori classroom features into your home environment. 

  1. Create different learning stations:
    You should provide your child with different learning stations for specific Montessori subjects:
    • Practical Life
    • Sensorial Education
    • Math
    • Language
    • Cultural Education
  1. Have Minimal Decorations:
    The walls should have muted colors with minimal decorations to avoid overstimulation and distractions. 
  2. Child-sized furnishing:
    Always incorporate child-sized furniture to make the furnishing accessible and less intimidating for the child. 
  3. Natural light:
    Make sure the learning area is near or at least close to a window. Windows will let natural light in and enhance the child’s learning experience. 
  1. Avoid clutter and chaos:
    Make sure you have designated spaces for each and every apparatus and material in your home. You can organize the materials based on their functions in designated shelves, bins, or baskets.
  2. Close to nature:
    To add natural color and make the child feel close to nature you can add plants and flowers around the learning area.

Why incorporate Montessori Classroom Layout?

The layout and Environment of a classroom are very important aspects of the child’s developmental process but are often overlooked in traditional educational institutions.

The Montessori Method of Education acknowledges the importance of the Classroom Layout and provides children with an appropriate environment for optimum development.

Montessori Classroom Layout provides children with opportunities to grow, explore, and learn at their own pace. The child is encouraged to freely explore new possibilities with controlled freedom.

Montessori Classroom Layout is open, loose, and minimalistic but also instills values of order, structure, decorum, and responsibility in the child.

Montessori Classroom Layout provides children with designated workstations for several Montessori Activities and Montessori Materials according to Montessori Curriculum.

See Also: