Montessori Approach to Science Education: Cosmic Vision as a Unique Area of Pupils’ Studies
Abstract
The paper aims at recalling Maria Montessori’s essential assumptions about the child development and organization of the educational process as a basic issue considering the concept of science education. In the Montessori pedagogy, it is characterized by the form of the so-called Cosmic Education. Cosmic Education is a unique approach to work with children aged 6 to 12. Thus, the idea of Cosmic Education, the relationship between the child’s needs and the science education curriculum is elucidated. The essence of the Great and Key Lessons as centers of children’s exploration and research is discussed. The Montessorian way of learning about fundamental human needs is presented as an inspiration for school practice. The basis for collecting empirical material is the analysis of the content aiming at the current achievements within the selected topic characterization.
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