Although there is no specific Montessori writing on art in a Montessori classroom, we can only imagine the appreciation Dr. Montessori must have had for this approach to learning. Her emphasis on order, neatness, and love of nature gives further indication that she would support artworks within a Montessori classroom.
In addition to the general appreciation of art, activities within a Montessori early childhood classroom involve fine motor development, math, science, language, and sensorial. Integrating art into other learning areas is key to introducing art to children.
Montessori Art focuses on the process and allowing the child to truly experience art on his own terms. Children are born naturally inclined to art. So, then, our job is to nurture that natural tendency towards creativity. I think you will agree that art is about the experience the child has with the materials, the mediums, and the textures that ultimately create the art. This idea is known as process art.Montessori Art Activities, Materials, & Shelf Ideas
You won’t find crafts or step by step art projects in a Montessori environment. More often than not, an art project is integrated into other areas of the classroom such as language (storytelling), history (visual representations of time), math (beadwork), and geography (tracing & coloring maps).
Montessori Art Theory in a Few Words
So, what is behind Montessori art? Here are a few words used to describe Montessori art.
- Exploration
- Creativity
- Unique
- Thoughtful
- Mindful
- Patient
- Child-Led
- Process Not Product
- Appreciation
- Time
- Flexibility
- Sensory
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