Working with both the poor and the disabled, Dr. Montessori further developed her ideas of a system under which all children can develop at their own pace and, again, to fully develop to their own potential. She instituted a study of Cosmic Education, or the "gradual discovery, throughout the whole of childhood, of the interrelatedness of all things on earth, in the past, present, and in the future" (Stephenson, 1998, p. 2). She contended that through Cosmic Education, the needs of the individual child would be met and would lead, in turn, to the needs of the greater world being met. In attempts to further these ideas, Dr. Montessori incorporated methods now considered key to the overall Montessori Method. These include: grouping children by periods of development, usually in three-year age spans; applying methods based on human tendencies, like tendencies to move, share, explore, and abstract ideas from experience; and preparation of the environment, by both having a knowledgeable teacher and additional resources available to the child for further learning (Stephenson, 1998).
This groundwork has enabled current programs, most notably Montessori schools, to continue helping children at all ages and levels of development. Even children with multiple and severe disabilities have received considerable benefits after being integrated into Montessori classrooms. The integrated environment seems to be a positive learning experience for both disabled and non-disabled students...
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