In the 20th century, new scientific approaches said children were unhappy and suffering in school. Some efforts were made to improve education, like open-air schools and reducing harsh punishments, but the root issues were not really fully addressed.

It questions whether education has to involve suffering and suggests that better alternatives might exist. At the end of the 19th century, new scientific approaches like hygiene and psychology were introduced to schools, leading to the realization that children were suffering from unhappiness and mental fatigue. Although efforts were made to improve education—through games and more humane teaching methods—the fundamental problems remained unsolved.

There is an anecdote of a king who wished to reform his kingdom. He sent for his counselors, and one wiser than the others said, “First, you must reform yourselves, you and your court.” In this parallel, the place of the wise man is today taken by the child because he is the active person in this problem. Great evils are not resolved by alleviating a collective error. The issues surrounding children stem from a fundamental error made by adults, who must reform themselves. While adults mean well, the suffering of children often results from adult attitudes and actions. Adults believe they must shape children into wise, useful citizens with educated minds, seeing themselves as essential to the child’s growth. This sense of responsibility leads adults to think they must create the child’s character, focusing on how best to achieve this goal. However, the real problem lies in the need to change the adult’s approach rather than trying to mold the child.

Adults must adopt a new role by understanding that trying to directly shape the child only hinders their development. Unlike adults, who manipulate their environment with specific goals, children work to develop themselves through constant inner-driven activities. Adults fail to recognize this natural process and unintentionally create two major obstacles: first, by placing children in adult environments that are not very suited to their needs, and second, by not understanding the child’s developmental work, constantly impeding their progress.

Neither the school, where children are forced to sit still, nor the home, where they are constantly told “come, go, don’t touch,” provides an ideal environment for children. Conflict arises in both places, with parents and teachers alike acting out of love but also unconscious egoism. A true school, where children are the masters, represents a significant shift. Instead of focusing on discipline and academic understanding, adults must first learn to respect the child as a full human being, not an object to be controlled. Simple actions, like abrupt questioning or commanding, reflect a lack of respect, as adults often see children as lesser personalities. In reality, children have their own world, and it is essential to recognize and respect their social and human identities.

In a true school, children are the masters of their environment, marking a profound difference from traditional schools. Instead of focusing on how they are taught, disciplined, or how much they understand, the essential lesson is learning to respect the child. This respect should go beyond moral or theoretical acknowledgment; children must be recognized as social, human personalities of the highest order. Common actions, such as excessively questioning their activities, often show a lack of understanding, as children may not always be able to explain their actions. Those who believe that enforcing blind obedience and strict correction will make a child intelligent, good, and well-instructed are misguided. In reality, the child responds defensively to such treatment, becoming timid, lazy, deceitful, or difficult. This might occur because the child is not given the freedom to act or concentrate. As the adult continues to impose more corrections, a conflict arises between the child and the grown-up, marking the beginning of the first struggle in the child’s life.

When the adult stops oppressing the child, the child reveals a different, deeper character, showing qualities often considered miraculous, such as energy, generosity, and enthusiasm. These traits emerge not through any extraordinary action from the adult but simply by allowing the child freedom in a suitable environment. When provided with appropriate objects and tools that meet the child’s need for activity, the child engages in focused, prolonged work, moving away from selfishness and laziness. In both the school and home, creating an environment with child-sized furniture and materials encourages the child’s natural desire to work and learn through their own initiative. This is not yet practical in every home, but at least the adult can provide the child with a suitable spiritual environment.

Adults must resist the urge to interfere with a child’s actions, allowing the child the freedom to act independently by simply providing the necessary tools and environment. True freedom for the child is found in this space to act without constant adult intervention. Teachers and parents are encouraged to approach children not with grand instruction but with humility and simplicity. Children’s lives are pure, free from competition and ambition, and their happiness comes easily when they are given the freedom to work in their own way.

At 4Life Education, we are dedicated to realizing Dr. Montessori’s vision of an ideal educational environment for children. We work daily to inherit and develop her great ideas, with the goal of creating the best environment for each individual.