INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN

It’s Elementary
To renew and reinforce workplace learning experiences,
look to the Montessori method—a century-old preschool
learning approach—for practical inspiration.
BY SARA PORTWOOD

56 TD | January 2023
IMAGES | ADOBE STOCK January 2023 | TD 57
O
“ Education is not what the teacher gives ; education is a

As the morning light shifts, the gleam of a polished metal hand-crank

whisk catches a four-year-old girl’s eye. A shiny metal bowl and small vial
of dish soap accompany the whisk on a small tray. She claims the tray, fills
n a clear autumn the bowl with water, and places everything on a small table. Now, unencum-
day, the sun’s early light bered by time and free of interruption, she gets to work.
pours into a busy preschool “Bubbles!” she shouts after refining her technique through trial and error.
Feverishly cranking the whisk, the girl whirls soap and water into a foam that
classroom. Bright beams grows and grows until it blossoms over the bowl’s edges. Across the room and
shine through the spacious supporting other students, her teacher still keenly observes this triumph—a
rows of low, wooden shelves joyful, hands-on, and self-led learning experience. That’s the exact outcome
Montessori teachers work so hard to organically create in their classrooms.
highlighting carefully placed “Our real aim is to make sure [children] are fully rounded, talented hu-
arrangements of artfully man beings who love learning and feel that they have a contribution to
crafted everyday items— make in society,” explains Lynne Lawrence, executive director of the Associ-
ation Montessori Internationale. AMI is a nonprofit organization founded
painted blocks, colorful beads, by the creator of the Montessori method, Maria Montessori, to uphold and
wooden puzzles, and more. It’s practice her educational philosophy.
a playtime paradise specially Developing talented humans? Encouraging a love of learning? Making
direct and meaningful contributions to their environment? As a learning
designed to be within a consultant, those are the exact learning outcomes I want for my audiences.
student’s reach. But it’s not While I’m sure those outcomes resonate with all educators, the more I learn
time to play; it’s time to work. about this 115-year-old early-childhood learning methodology, the more I
want to borrow from it for my adult learners.
“I think one of the biggest misconceptions of Montessori is that it’s
just for children,” says Bobby George, a creative strategist at Microsoft, a
Montessori children’s book author, and a thought leader on Montessori phi-
losophy. “I think Montessori is one of the few educational systems that was
adequately prepared to address the challenges of the 21st century,” he adds.
After more than a century, the Montessori method has been refined to ef-
fectively teach all academic levels—from preschool to postgrad. How about
in the workplace? Before learning how L&D practitioners can effectively
leverage Montessori values in today’s primarily digital work landscape, it’s
essential to understand the methodology’s key concepts.

Montessori principles
Montessori education is a holistic self-led learning philosophy. Maria Mon-
tessori, Italy’s first woman physician, created the method to effectively teach
young children foundational skills (for example, motor skills, executive func-
tion, and emotional regulation) and help them develop an ongoing love of
learning. As summarized in Montessori: A Modern Approach and further de-
fined by AMI’s US affiliate, the Montessori method has six essential concepts.
Thoughtfully prepared environment. The classroom is an attractive,
orderly, and easily accessible library of stimulating activities. Everything in
the environment is directly related to the learner’s development. The en-

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natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual.” —Maria Montessori

vironment itself represents a clear progression of learning. Teachers place there are many factors to consider when
activities on shelves from least to most challenging. To establish ownership preparing the right environment.
and accountability of the shared space, teachers assign students routine “Design an environment—a very novel,
tasks to maintain it. hands-on, highly structured, scaffolded
Specially designed materials. The activity arrangements on each shelf are curriculum—that an individual can actu-
made of everyday items. The items are handcrafted from natural materials ally move through and learn,” suggests Matt
such as wood or metal. Those arrangements are called works and have been Bateman, executive director of Montessorium,
scientifically designed to provide effective and intuitive learning experiences. a Montessori-focused think tank, and vice pres-
Freedom (within limits). Perhaps the hallmark of what people think of ident of Higher Ground, a learning platform
when discussing Montessori is the freedom for students to learn what they for Montessori education. “Really systematize
want, when they want, and how. The curated environment provides struc- what the best learners do—[they] go out and
ture of a clear progression of learning, and the teacher enforces limits to figure it out on their own.”
ensure freedom for one student doesn’t hinder another. To adapt that to the workplace, strengthen
Self-led, self-paced, and uninterrupted. Students can use their freedom the foundation of where most learning occurs.
to pursue entirely self-led and self-paced learning experiences. That is when For many organizations, that’s the learning
the most effective learning occurs. Teachers use various tactics to ensure management system. Training catalogs can
students are uninterrupted during this critical work period. be massive, difficult to navigate, or unconven-
Mixed-age collaboration. Montessori classrooms must include an even tionally organized. And once learners are free
mix of younger and older students. Older students have the opportunity to to explore the overwhelming sea of knowledge
teach younger students concepts they’ve learned, while younger students before them, they may never dive in.
have the opportunity to learn something from a near peer. A Montessori-inspired LMS would resemble
Observation and guidance by a trained instructor. Trained Montessori the shelves of a Montessori classroom—
teachers are masters of observation. They monitor and track every child’s uncluttered and easily accessible. Making the LMS
progress, challenges, and milestones. Teachers ensure their students master user friendly starts with an inviting homepage
necessary skills before introducing learners to more complex works. They where a handful of training options (curated by
recognize when instruction is needed and, more importantly, when it’s not. either you or an algorithm) appear front and cen-
Teachers balance a harmonious yet free environment by holding students ter for learners to select. Additionally, you can
accountable for their actions. create more virtual “shelves” of training options
by assembling curriculums or playlists.
Principles in practice for L&D If you don’t store training content in an
We as learning professionals should indulge in a more elementary LMS, you can still create an organized vessel
perspective—one where Montessori principles may provide inspiration of hyperlinks to get learners where they need
to enhance training design and delivery. to go (for example, a self-study schedule or cal-
Looking at each Montessori principle through an L&D lens, here are endar, syllabus, or custom SharePoint site).
some practical ways to apply the concepts. For in-person training, take a minimalist ap-
proach when preparing your classroom. Review
Thoughtfully prepared environment each item and ask, “How does this item directly
“You need to create the right type of environment for the right type of enable a participant’s learning experience?” If
work to happen,” says George. According to Montessori: A Modern Approach, you can’t answer the question simply or clearly,
the student’s environment is the “primary element” needed for successful remove the item.
learning to take place.
In a corporate world where video calls and online breakout rooms have re- Specially designed materials
placed most training classrooms, the typical workplace learning environment As an instructional designer with a deep ap-
is now online. For learning professionals, particularly instructional designers, preciation for graphic design, I was instantly

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drawn to the Montessori classroom’s neat ar- For adult learners, the control
ray of handcrafted works. I wasn’t surprised to of error concept often appears
learn that they were specifically designed to in self-led training, especially
attract and maintain learners’ attention. Ma- e-learning. Instructional design-
ria Montessori embedded two crucial concepts ers already use knowledge checks
into each work: the point of interest and the to gauge a learner’s comprehen-
control of error. sion and then provide immediate
Points of interest are the details incorporated feedback. As another tactic, edu-
into a work that intrigue and guide a student cate and correct learners by using
to their ultimate learning goal. From the scene flashcards, either print or digital.
described in this article’s opening, a few points
of interest include the shine of the metal hand- Freedom within limits
crank, the aroma of dish soap, the reflective I prided myself on designing
surface of a stainless-steel bowl, and the bub- concise, effective, and often lin-
bles that appear when a student operates the ear learning experiences for
whisk. Those details hook learners to continue my busy adult learners. How-
the activity, which is intended to teach con- ever, to embrace the freedom of
centration and motor skills. But what is the the Montessori method in the
exciting equivalent of bubbles for adults tasked workplace, I challenged myself
with learning dry or serious subject matter? to really analyze what learners
“In the adult context, the point of interest is needed to accomplish a learning objective. For example, instead of deliver-
often a very compelling understanding of the ing a series of brief how-to microlearning modules on a required schedule
need or problem [the training] fulfills,” ex- and in a specific order, I delivered them all at once in a playlist. I let my
plains Bateman. learners choose what order and when to take each module. But before turn-
For instructional designers, that may look ing them loose, I established some parameters.
like realistic, compelling scenarios incorpo- By a specific date, learners had to earn a score of 80 percent or higher on a
rated into a course. The scenarios could include final quiz to demonstrate they learned the most critical information. That’s
positive outcomes or serious consequences if it. I don’t mind how long they take on each module or in what order they
users do or don’t apply the learned behaviors. learn the information.
Additional points of interest for adult learn- You can integrate freedom with workplace learning in a variety of ways,
ers could include gamification elements, such but its success depends on how rich your learning environment is. Freedom
as scoring points, collecting badges, earning can look like an unlocked training curriculum, a well-curated and search-
achievements, and a leaderboard. able LMS, a self-paced video series, or a list of reading materials learners
When my training content includes funda- can choose from as prework.
mental elements of graphic design, the rate of
completions and revisits improves. To develop Self-led, self-paced, and uninterrupted
more attractive training, learn some graphic After preparing a thoughtful environment, providing the necessary ma-
design basics such as balance, color, contrast, terials, and encouraging a reasonable amount of freedom, the Montessori
emphasis, and white space. teacher then lets self-led and self-paced learning happen organically. In the
After hooking and maintaining a learner’s workplace, self-led and self-paced learning experiences include interactive
attention with various points of interest, de- e-learning courses, information-based scavenger hunts, and fill-in-the-
signers can reinforce learning experiences with blank handouts. However, for busy learners, time is everything.
the control of error. According to Montessori: A To support them, schedule blocks of self-study time on their individual or
Modern Approach, the control of error provides team calendars. Explain to learners that they’re free to move the self-study
“auto-education,” the opportunity for a student period to a different day or time, but it must be present on their calendar.
to identify and correct their mistakes based on That tactic works well for individuals who prefer self-led training but have
feedback from the learning material itself. high work volumes and packed schedules.

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Mixed-aged collaboration topic, and they keep feedback to themselves
The workplace tends to naturally form a rich setting of different ages, until correction is absolutely necessary.
experiences, and capabilities. To best leverage that diversity, Lawrence rec- For trainers looking to mirror a Montessori
ommends that learning professionals “create an environment that enables teacher’s indirect yet significant impact on
them to be working and learning from each other.” learning, ensure the environment includes a
Embrace this principle by assembling mentorship programs or training wealth of informative and autonomous train-
cohorts. For help on determining how to best distribute employees across ing assets for learners to choose from. When
training groups or mentor pairings, consider sending out a survey that asks creating collaborative experiences for learners
about participants’ experience levels, long-term goals, and interests. Use the to interact and educate each other, use a skill
survey results to distribute or pair learners effectively. matrix to keep track of each learner’s progress.
In the classroom, facilitators can improve collaboration by including
meaningful icebreaker activities. And instructional designers can build Within reach
in opportunities for learners to share anecdotes and real-world problems As a full-time learning consultant, I didn’t expect
they’re having. Form breakout groups of diverse learners to collaborate and preschoolers to surprise me, but when I started
resolve those stated problems. part-time substitute teaching at a Montessori
elementary school last year, they absolutely did.
Observation and guidance by a trained instructor My young students are fiercely independent,
Instructor-led training in the workplace is typically conducted by a charis- natural educators themselves and have the most
matic and engaging individual, one who concisely presents the knowledge joyful love of learning I’ve ever seen.
their learners need. But Montessori teachers take a much more indirect role When Montessori principles align in the
in their students’ learning. workplace, that can likewise lead to reward-
Maria Montessori explained that “education is not what the teacher gives; ing experiences and holistic development
education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human indi- for learners.
vidual.” Montessori teachers provide initial instructions to students on how
to perform a work, but after that, they leave students to complete the work Sara Portwood is a learning and performance
at their own pace and in their own way. Montessori teachers are acutely consultant in Columbus, Ohio; saraportwood@
aware of the progress each student is making before introducing the next gmail.com.

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