Following the Child
Recently I’ve seen or heard a few questions about what it means to “follow the child”. It’s one of those Montessori phrases we throw around, but what does it really mean?
Since Maria Montessori divides ages into 6-year cycles, it’s helpful to do so for this topic as well. In the 0-6 age group, following the child typically means observing the child in the classroom and using their interests and level of ability as a guide.
Following the Child in 0-6
This may influence what work is presented to the child and when. For instance, a teacher who notices when the child has mastered the cylinder blocks will then present the knobless cylinders. A parent who notices that a child needs to improve their fine motor skills will make several materials available that use fine motor skills.
Following the child is one place where Montessori differs considerably from traditional education. Rather than following a strict curriculum, where every child learns the same things every day, we use a more flexible approach. If there are 20 children in a classroom, there may be 20 different paths being followed in terms of order and repetition of presentations.
What accounts for this difference in philosophy? In Montessori, we believe that the child instinctively knows what he or she needs to do. In my time spent as a 3-6 assistant, I saw this proven over and over again. A child would try a work and struggle with it, then return to it (sometimes dozens of times) in order to master it. All this without the interference of a teacher.
I found this thought-provoking quote from Rising Star Montessori:
“‘Follow the child’ does not mean let the child do what he wants. It is simply an acknowledgment that the child has his or her own pattern – that we need to take into account where the child is at, rather than impose our idea of what the child should learn now.”
This is an important point, and another reason that observation is so crucial in Montessori. Since each child has their own development timetable, we can’t know where they are at if we are not constantly observing them. You’ll want to check out this post about observation if you need more information on how to observe and what to look for.
Following the Child in Elementary
Does “following the child” change as the child gets older? I believe it does. Once the child enters the 6-12 age range, there needs to be a balance between following the child’s own interests and making sure that they learn necessary information.
Some people believe that Montessori elementary is similar to primary (3-6) but this is one of the many ways it differs. The child has entered a new stage – one of taking in information rather than the forming of their personality. They are able to accept directions and instructions in a new way.
Most elementary classrooms use some form of recordkeeping – charts, workplans, contracts, or job calendars – to keep track of each child’s work from week to week or month to month. Presentations are often given to the group rather than individuals. Children may be required to complete certain lessons, especially in math and language.
A child’s individual learning style can still be honored in the elementary classroom. Independent projects can be chosen that represent a child’s specific interests. For example, I’ve long used the format of “presentations”, where a child spends several months researching a favorite topic and then prepares a presentation to be shared with others.
Children in elementary are still able to complete work at their own pace as well as repeat it when necessary. Teacher should still be spending some time every day observing and making sure that the work on the shelves meets all of the children’s needs. Work can be tailored for a child’s specific abilities, whether they need more repetition in order to succeed, or need additional work in order to stay engaged and challenged.
As usual, I am very interested in your thoughts. What does “following the child” mean to you? Do you agree that “following the child” changes from preschool to elementary? Why or why not?
Hi Lori,
This is really helpful clarification and I would agree completely with this. I think the idea of following the child often gets misconstrued…by non-Montessorians and Montessorians alike.
Lori, what you wrote about elementary children taking in information rather than forming their personalities got me thinking about the importance of the relationship of the teacher with the child at this age. I believe it is more appropriate and necessary to give these children more guidance to expand their interests than is needed with children under 6. To do this in a respectful way, the child must feel the teacher’s passion for the subject matter and that the teacher cares about the child’s learning. If the child feels that the teacher is acting in the interest of that child’s well-being, and trusts the teacher, the guidance is more likely to be welcomed. This is a huge problem in many non-Montessori classrooms – especially with curriculum mandated from administration levels many times removed from the actual teacher. If that teacher neither believes the subject matter is particularly important nor that teaching it is in the best interests of the children in the class, how can we expect the children to be receptive?
Hi, Emma! Thanks for your kind words. It is a phrase that is often misunderstood – I get a lot of questions about it.
Souzzann, I agree that the child/teacher relationship is very important in elementary. The teacher’s attitude towards the materials is key. Luckily it’s pretty easy to get excited about the Montessori materials
Darlene left this thoughtful comment at my Facebook page:
“First, let’s clarify what “follow the child” does NOT mean:
It does not mean allowing the children to choose any material in the classroom.
It does not mean letting them set their own rules.
It does not mean allowing them to do what they want with the materials.
It does not mean neglecting to expose a child to a material because they don’t show curiosity about it.
So what does “follow the child” require us to do?
It encourages us through observation to ascertain the child’s developmental achievements, and use these to guide our selection of what we’re going to present next. For example, I will present the red rods to a child and encourage him to build them on his own. When, after several attempts, the child succeeds in building the red rods in descending order, this is a good indication that the moment is right to introduce the number rods.
The child told me he was developmentally ready, not with words but by demonstrating the mental maturity to correctly organize a material that varies only in one dimension. Had I moved forward with the number rods presentation basing my decision on the child’s age, or on the performance of his peers, I would not be “following the child”.
This is only one example from the math area.”
(me again) This is a great example – I particularly like the idea of a child letting you know when they are ready for something new by their actions rather than words. They may not be able to verbalize it, which is why observation is so important.
Just to give a contrasting example from elementary, you might give an introductory lesson for the Binomial Cube to a group of 3rd graders. A week later, you might give another Binomial Cube lesson to the group.
There may be children in that group who have not yet mastered the first Binomial Cube activity, but it’s okay for them to be part of the next lesson (it might help them, actually, to solidify their concept of the cube). They can still continue to work on the first lesson as needed; indeed, the teacher might spend some time with them one-on-one to make sure they “get it”.
This is definitely in contrast with primary 3-6, where lessons are mostly individual and are only given when the child has mastered the material. I just want to make clear the difference between primary and elementary in the “follow the child” philosophy.
After almost 20 years of working with children ages 2 1/2 -6 years, to me it means see everything as fresh and new. Live in humility and respect for the amazing work the child is undergoing – the creation of the human they are meant to be. Guide them to new discoveries, ideas and adventures and then get out of their way.
Because, chances are they will follow their interests farther than you ever imagined. Take note just like Souzzann said of where they go and what they discover. There seems to be so few chances for new discoveries…where will the next Wright Brothers, Louis and Clark, or Google guys find their inspiration? I don’t know. I simply want to follow the child and do all I can do is clear the path.
Great thoughts, Laura! Children do need to have freedom to find inspiration and be creative. I like your visual of clearing a path and getting out of their way.
Thanks for stopping by!