Montessori and the Real Building of Self-EsteemMontessori education has been building self-esteem for over a hundred years long before it became apopular buzzword and a psychological “distortion” of reality. All the trappings of the modern self-esteem movement – participation trophies, not letting children fail, everyone’s outcome is equal – haveno place in Montessori or the reality of the world.Practical life in Montessori is the foundation of all this reality that is to come. Every practical life exercisehas a beginning, a process and an ending – just like successful life. But there is something in this processthat is so simple yet dynamic – the child builds and feels a sense of power, control, and accomplishment.It is these early experiences, these early real successes that become the foundation for all the successthat is to come. This self-esteem is internalized and does not come from outside, from what people tellyou but it wells up...
