"The First Dawning of Self-Discipline Comes Through Work" Discuss This Statement

2444 Words10 Pages
“The first dawning of self-discipline comes through work”. Discuss this statement. Dr. Montessori believes that self-discipline is a natural part of normal progression and growth of a child. It is a skill that does not pre-exist nor inherited at time of birth but one that is developed through time. She is of the view that every child has an innate ability and desire to develop himself in a constructive manner through repeated activities which she refers to as “work”. It is also through these series of work that the child engages himself in, which aids him in his development of self-discipline – “No man learns self-discipline through hearing another man speak….it must be learned through series of complete actions…..Discipline..is reached by indirect means….by developing activity in spontaneous work…”(Montessori Method, Chapter XXI, page 3 of 14). She is also of the view that in order for a child to develop self- discipline, he must be given the freedom to choose and carry out his work at his own pace with minimal guidance as possible for “Discipline must come through liberty…An individual is disciplined when he is master of himself, and can, therefore, regulate his own conduct when it shall be necessary to follow some rule of life.” (Montessori Method, Chapter V, page 1 of 13) and the work the child does should not be given or presented to him in an arbitrary manner but instead it must be “the kind of work that a man inwardly desires and for which he has a natural inclination, or which he can accomplish bit by bit” (The Discovery of the Child, Chapter 23, page 305). According to Dr. Montessori, when a child begins to learn how to move, he is in fact preparing himself for life for “he becomes able, through habit and practice, to perform easily and correctly the simple acts of social or community life….” (Montessori Method, Chapter V, page 1 of 13). She further

More about "The First Dawning of Self-Discipline Comes Through Work" Discuss This Statement

Open Document