In this module we will take a closer look at observation, the most important skill of the Montessori teacher. We will discuss why it is such a critical part of scientific pedagogy, and present a step-by-step guide to observing in your classroom. We will also show various tools that can be used to gather raw data about students or situations.
By bringing the scientific method to education, Dr Montessori aimed to transform the school into a scientific laboratory for the study of the human mind. This would not only put the study of education on firmer ground, she argued, but also allow for an overhaul of the science of psychology. Montessori’s revolutionary discovery was that children learn much more effectively and naturally when allowed to actively develop their own personalities through sustained concentration. Offering experiences and watching for the children’s authentic responses are the experiments that the teacher-scientist conducts each day in their classroom laboratory. Observation is the only way to accurately study the students and discover their readiness for experiences without interfering with the experiment.
The first requirement for effective observation is for the teacher to become clear about what they want to find out. Knowing the purpose of an observation and asking the right questions will help the teacher decide which tool is most appropriate to collect the evidence they will need to answer their question. Before observing in the classroom, consider, “What do I want to understand better about my students?” As we observe, we seek to understand what our students are revealing to us about themselves. As Dr Montessori said, we are “looking for the child who is not yet there”. Understanding must always begin with the gathering of bits of raw data through careful observation.
For many educators, the hardest thing about observing is overcoming the feeling that they are not being productive because they are just sitting, watching, and not doing! However this is exactly why observation is so beneficial, and not only for teachers! The second requirement that Montessori teachers need to become trained observers is a commitment to making observation a regular daily habit. Good observation requires all of our attention, so a crucial prerequisite for making observation more enticing is to focus on doing less and encouraging students to do more for themselves.
Observation involves not only noticing what happens around us, but it’s also about what’s happening inside us. Just as we prepare the environment, we must also prepare the mind of the observer. As we “look for the child who is not yet there,” it’s essential to separate what truly belongs to the child from what may be our own projections. The final requirement for effective observation—the third of the three Cs—is Clarity of Perception. Dr Montessori noted that a good observer must develop traits such as humility, to release fixed ideas, and patience, to remain still and receptive. This final part also summarises the procedure for observing in a Montessori classroom. Reflection is the final stage of looking back at the raw data and information, and processing it into knowledge about a young person or a situation.
PART 1: Observation and Scientific Pedagogy
PART 2: Connect with Questions
PART 3: Commit to Consistency
PART 4: Clarify Perception
