Montessori glossary · The materials
Control of error
A material designed so the child can see their own mistake without being told.
In plain English
What it actually means
If the cylinder does not fit the socket, one is left over at the end; if the tower is built out of order, it looks wrong. The feedback comes from the object, not the adult. This is a deliberate transfer of authority: the child learns to check their own work rather than to look up for approval.
Why it matters to you
On a tour
It is also why a Montessori teacher can afford to say so little.
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Tours run mid-morning, during the work cycle, year-round.