Why Breakable Objects Belong in Preschool: Montessori’s Control of Error
Crash! It’s the sound of breaking glass in a preschool classroom. In a traditional preschool, this is a very unlikely sound because no glass is allowed. In a Montessori classroom, a glass object may break very occasionally. Why is glass allowed in Montessori classrooms? It’s part of the Montessori concept of “control of error.”
Aside from breakable objects, control of error is also a feature of many other materials and lessons. Dr. Montessori created control of error because it brings many benefits to students and the classroom overall. What is control of error exactly, and why is it so important?
What is Control of Error?
Have you ever been practicing a new skill with someone breathing over your shoulder, critiquing your every move? “Do it this way!” or “No, don’t do that!” It can be a frustrating experience that likely doesn’t help you achieve the new skill.
The same is true for children. Children need the chance to work without teachers constantly telling them how to do things or correcting them. That doesn’t mean children don’t need support, guidance, or correction.
That’s where control of error comes in. Control of error means that errors are obvious to the child so they can correct them without the help of an adult. For example, when completing a puzzle, the pieces only fit when put in the correct place. Other lessons may even have an answer key that children can use to check their work.
As Dr. Montessori explained, “The environment itself will teach the child, if every error he makes is manifest to him, without the intervention of a parent or teacher, who should remain a quiet observer of all that happens.”
In other words, the Montessori classroom has built-in feedback. Children don’t have to go ask the teacher, “Did I do it right?” Instead, they can independently see when they’ve done something right.
What is an Example of Control of Error in Montessori Materials?
One of the most popular Montessori materials that demonstrates control of error are the knobbed cylinders. The cylinders are circular pieces that fit into holes, similar to a puzzle. The pieces only fit when in the correct spot.
“By exercising control of error when working with the apparatus, the child’s mind is held by the apparatus. If he replaces the cylinders incorrectly and there is one cylinder left without a cavity he will be inclined to wonder why there is still one cylinder left. Why? Although he does not reason exactly as we would, he realises it subconsciously through his actions,” Dr. Montessori asserted.
Many other Montessori materials use control of error. Another popular example is the addition and multiplication finger charts that children can use to check arithmetic work. Essentially, they are answer keys. Puzzles, sets of blocks, and cylinders also feature a control of error.
Why Use Breakable Objects in Preschools?
Practical life lessons often use breakable objects such as a pretty glass vase for flowers or a ceramic pitcher for pouring water. Why use such fragile items? This teaches children to be careful. Knowing that objects can break helps young children take even greater care with their movements. Plus, these objects are beautiful and fun for children to work with.
The fact that objects can break serves as a control of error. If you move too brusquely or leave objects where they don’t belong, they might break. Similarly, children practice pouring and spooning. If they spill, they know they’ve made a small mistake.
In Montessori classrooms, spills are normal and a part of control of error. Children don’t need help from adults when this happens. Instead, children can wipe or sweep up spills with child-sized cleaning tools they can easily access.
Benefits of Control of Error in Montessori Classrooms
Control of error benefits children and the classroom overall in many ways. Here are a few:
Self-Esteem and Confidence
When children can check for mistakes independently, this boosts their sense of confidence and self-esteem. Instead of waiting for a teacher to tell them whether or not they did something correctly, they can see for themselves and correct any errors.
When they complete activities or lessons correctly, children can feel proud of their work without waiting for an adult to tell them. This also helps build a healthy self-esteem and sense of capability.
Critical Thinking Skills
Instead of waiting for someone else to evaluate their work, children start to do this on their own. They might compare their work to a photo or use an answer key to check their work. They look for their own mistakes, building problem-solving and critical thinking skills as they make corrections.
Encourages a Growth Mindset
Looking at a worksheet marked up with a red pen can feel depressing and demotivating. Or, if a teacher is constantly correcting a child, they may feel demoralized.
However, the control of error allows children to have a more positive interaction with mistakes. They can learn to see them as opportunities to try again or to learn. In other words, children are better able to adopt a growth mindset, or believe that they can learn from mistakes and improve their skills with practice.
Promotes a Love of Learning
Dr. Montessori once said, “The goal of early childhood education should be to activate the child’s own natural desire to learn.” Control of error helps encourage a love of learning because it removes some negative associations with learning. Instead of feeling scolded or disappointed about making mistakes, children feel empowered to correct them. This makes learning fun, exciting, and joyful.
Fosters a Proactive Attitude
Control of error helps teach children to look for errors and correct them proactively. Instead of waiting for someone else’s opinion, children learn to check their own work. This also translates to a sense of personal responsibility. From a young age, children in Montessori classrooms learn to clean up their own spills and messes.
Builds Intrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic motivation means children complete an activity for their own enjoyment or objectives. Often, we compare intrinsic motivation to extrinsic motivation. With extrinsic motivation, children complete activities because they’re seeking something from outside, like a star on a sticker chart or approval from a teacher.
Dr. Montessori explained, “Discipline is born when the child concentrates his attention on some object that attracts him and which provides him not only with a useful exercise but with a control of error. Thanks to these exercises, a wonderful integration takes place in the infant soul, as a result of which the child becomes calm, radiantly happy, busy, forgetful of himself and, in consequence, indifferent to prizes or material rewards.”
Teachers Can Offer More Lessons
Because of the benefits that control of error offers for children, teachers can focus better on their role. Teachers can ensure the classroom is filled with many engaging, interesting activities and lessons that support learning. Also, teachers can take time to demonstrate new materials to children, helping guide their learning journeys.
As children work, the teacher is always watching. Through observation, the teacher will know when a child has mastered a new skill or if they need help. If the teacher notices a child needs help, she can demonstrate the material or activity to the child again, showing them the correct way to do it. In this way, sometimes the teacher is the control of error.
How to Use Control of Error
When children first enter a Montessori classroom, they need to learn how to use the control of error. Some children may think that looking at an answer key is “cheating” at first. Or, they might still go to the teacher to show them their work every time they finish an activity. Over time, children become “normalised” or gain intrinsic motivation while doing their work. Montessori teachers use many strategies to help children adapt to the classroom and ensure a happy, harmonious environment.
Are you ready to learn more about control of error? This wonderful Montessori principle is helpful in many settings, at home, school, or daycare.
Montessori Professional Training Canada offers comprehensive online Montessori training courses that will help you gain a strong understanding of control of error, and how to implement it with children. We also offer hybrid and in-person courses and workshops featuring Montessori teacher training in Calgary. Ideal for parents, educators, and anyone who works with children, our courses offer personalized attention and authentic Montessori training. Get in touch to learn more!
