The Pedagogy of Nature according to Maria Montessori

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to examine the multiple concepts of nature expressed in the writings of Maria Montessori, in relation to children’s relationship with nature and salient educational practices. We analyze the multiple meanings that Montessori herself attributed to the term nature”, going on to explore the role of nature in her child pedagogy, as well as her thoughts on caring for nature, in keeping both gardens and animals, and on nature as the ideal setting for sensory education. We ultimately draw together a Montessorian Pedagogy of Nature that underscores the importance of child-nature interaction during the early stages of development. The study was conducted under the PRIN 2019-2021 program, as part of a leading research national project entitled “Maria Montessori from the past to the present”.