The Human Tendencies and Montessori Education

This booklet is a revised edition of the reprint of a lecture held by Mario M. Montessori in the Netherlands, 1956 previously published under the title "Tendencies of Man." The lecture starts: "Dr. Montessori's educational aims were on one side to help the development of the child and on the other to help him to adapt himself to the physical conditions of his environment and to the social requirements dictated by the way of life of the group of people among whom he lived. Dr. Montessori explained what she meant by 'adaptation'. To her the word meant happiness, ease and a sort of equilibrium which gives a sense of security to the child. It is based on the permanency of the spiritual, ethical and economical equilibrium of the group environment..."