MONTESSORI AND DALCROZE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2413, 19 March 1915, Page 2

MONTESSORI AND DALCROZE

AN INTERVIEW. To possibly a large number of people in New Zealand ut the present time tho name ot Madamo iloutessori conveys little beyond tho fact that sho has been a very interesting and important contributor towards the cause of education for the .young, and that sho applied and developed her system in many children's sdhools in Italy. To hear something of lior methods as applied in' one or two schools in London from Miss Allen, daughter of the Minister of Education', who has just returned from England, whero she had been studying kindergarten work, as well as seeing as much as possible 'of the Montessori system, was to gain further light upon tho subject.' "It had really not gained very much ground in- England," said Miss Allen. '■'The general idea seemed to be that it did not suit the English temperament, but it was quite likely that the combination of the two methods, Froebel's and Dr. Montessori's, would be much more used in the children's schools in •the time to "com©."' In the Caldicott Nursery School in Euston Road, Montessori methods ' had been established, and there " Miss Allen was enabled to see something of. their working. The children ranged in age from about three to seven, and in the free field that was given to display individual tendencies and characteristics some interesting light was thrown upon ways of teaching that had been looked upon in the past as being unquestionably sound. "For instance," continued Miss Allen, "it was found that one child wanted to go on with arithmetic, for about a fortnight, doing nothing practically but that. Then' he would want to go on perhaps with .writing for another fort night, and after that with something 'else, but always, whatever the subject was, he would work at it for quite a long timo. Noticing this, one began to think that : perhaps the ordinary school methods. (kindergarten and_ otherwise) hurried the child on too quickly." The Expression of individuality. Practically the keynote of the Montessori teaching is the need of the child ,for liberty and freedom in which to express and find itself, and while this may suggest to some minds a lack of discipline and indiscriminating wandering of mind and body, such is not really the case. It is here that Dr. Montessori differs from Froebel, and also in the specialising' of the training of the senses of tho child, through which his mind is reached. The kindergarten lays more stress upon the evolving of the imaginative and creative faculties. Dr. Monfessori says that children have enough imagination as it is, and that it does not need to -be stimulated This, of course, is a point upon which experts other than these have differed, aiul upon • which many ■ controversies have hinged. So much depends upon the individual. Discipline was shown by the teacher in guiding the child's discoveries, in distinguishing between useful and harmful activities, and knowing when to interfere, so as to enable the latter to avoid the harmful and make nsoof the good 'or useful, though not depriving it of the consciousness of arriving at his knowledge himself. _ Dr. Montessori held that naughtiness was sometimes nothing but mental sickness, and had to be treated as such, and in her system there were no rewards and no punishments. The discipline aimed at was not the reducing of the child to a state of passivity, but of disciplined activity. Miss Allen said that much waß learned from the "silence lessons" which were given. In these lessons the children learnt to be very still, such ft stillness that the falling of a leaf would be heard, the less audible sounds of the •els, the wind, all bodily movements that would interfere with the condition of silence being restrained. Rhythmic Cymnastlcs. Some of the London County schools were visited, and much that was very admirable and advanced was seen. As in all other things, much depended upon the individuality of the teachers. Where they were good, with a genius for their work, wonderful results were obtained from the children, and, again, where the converse was to be met with, the results were unsatisfactory. It was ■ the 'personal equation all over again. One of the most charming and interesting places which Miss Allen visited was a Dalcroze school out at Hampstead, where the _ children are _ taught rhythmic gymnastics (Eurhythmies), an art' that is already, known in every country of Europe, though much more on the Continent than in England. Probably no one who has not in person undergone • the training and discipline of rhythmic gymnastics could possibly form an, idea of the extent to which every faculty of mind and body_ shares in this musical, experience. It is much more than a new method of physical culture with , a musical accompaniment and something of what it means may be obtained by'recalling to mind some of movements in, the dancing of Maud Allan, which embodied some of its teachings. A performance by the children was given at an entertainment given in aid of the and some beautiful examples of rhythmio gymnastics' were seen. " Not only does the system go so far that the students interpret music into bodily movement, but the movements have been themselves interpreted into music. What this may mean in the development of the artistic faculties of children, to say nothing of other developments, it is difficult to say Studying at the Froebel Institute,-in West Kensington, at the same timo as Miss Allen, were Miss Burnett, Miss Anna Fell, and Miss Hursthouse, all three of whom have been doing highly successful work. . Miss Anna .Fell has been studying at the Dalcroze School, as well as at- the Frobel Institute. Mrs. F. Wall (Martinborough) has taken Mrs. A. P. Webster's house at Claremont Terrace for nine months. Among the visitors staying at Caulfield House are Mr. and Mrs 6. H. Collie (Masterton), Mrs. Letlibridge, of Pahiatua, the Misses Blocksidge (2), of Sydney, and Miss Hitchings, of Levin. For Face Massagp. Shampooing, all Han Treatmerts, and Electrolysis, Mrs ttolleston's ii recommended. Spacious Private Rooms. Qualified Assistants, and Personal Attention. Switches and Transformations of every shade a speciality. Hair guaranteed to keep its colour. 256 Lambton Quay * TO KILL HAIR BOOTS Permanently and without any inconvenience, all those who suffer from this humiliating blemish should uso "Kuldali." Its oft'ect is marvellous. "ICuldah" is a lotion, odourless and quite pleasant to use, which penetrates the hair shaft and destroys permanently tho root. After it has been cured no sign that ,it ever existed remains. Why resort to cleotric necdlo when this simple home treatment will cure you? 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