Los materiales sensoriales Montessori más allá del aula

Abstract

This paper deals with two different experiences carried out in Italy. The first concerns a Sensorial Materials workshop, which I directed in Milano at the University of Image (UI) founded by photographer Fabrizio Ferri. UI offered a post-secondary education to creative professionals, from various backgrounds and geographical areas, according to a two-year experimental program, organized in five workshops, each of them dedicated to one of the five senses and directed by a professional of the field. My workshop title was: “The corner of sensory relief” and interacted with the other five. The second relates to the use of solid insets, pink tower and brown stairs for the rehabilitation of a twenty-one years-old girl, who suffered from severe mental retardation with some autistic features. In both cases the results were very positive. In the first one, the sensory perceptions of UI students have been refined and perfected; in the second, the girl affected by mental retardation showed a great interest in the above-quoted materials. The girl has spread her interest to external environment and to the people who interacted with her. The fine movements of her fingers were also enchanced, allowing her to perform various tasks in her daily life, which previously she was unable to carry out. Her Montessori rehabilitation began during some music therapy sessions. Then it was carried out at home, where various Practical life activities were introducted. Thanks to them she improved her body coordination in space, her eye-hand coordination and visual discrimination. These activities strengthen considerably her autonomy.