Montessori Teacher Training

Friday, January 27, 2012

A NAMC Student’s Experience as a Montessori Parent

Part 3 of 4 – Choosing Montessori Elementary Teacher Training

This four-part series include excerpts from an introductory letter written by a NAMC Lower Elementary diploma program student, Rachel, to her NAMC tutor. A mother of six boys, she was first introduced to Montessori in seeking alternative method of education for her first son. Her first four sons attended public school since kindergarten, with the oldest three beginning their education in Montessori preschool. Rachel’s two youngest boys, aged nine and ten, are autistic and she has chosen to complete her NAMC 6-9 diploma so that she may work with her sons using the Montessori method.

I chose the NAMC Lower Elementary diploma program to help my two youngest sons:

I have two autistic boys, ages nine and ten. They are struggling in the public school system. The ten year old hates being “told what to do” and thinks his teachers are “bossy”. I hope that he will thrive on being able to choose his own work and by integrating his studies into something that fascinates him.

Last year, he studied the nutrition pyramid. He was totally fascinated and spent every moment he could at school learning more about nutrition and the digestive tract. I think that had he been allowed to continue this study and had they integrated reading and writing and the body systems into this interest, he would have done well at school. Instead they pushed him into learning about the US government system in which he had no interest. He shut down and refused to do any more work for them and is now in a program for autistic children but still trying to be mainstreamed. This year he is interested in the US government system. He told me last week, “Did you know that the President lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue?” Now would be a good time to allow him to delve into what a president is or if he is interested in housing, shelters around the world, but they have moved on to something else and he is now having a lot of behavior problems because he is being forced to do things he doesn’t want to.

My nine year old son has a language disability. He must be taught visually and be allowed to assimilate vocabulary at his own internal rate. Each year he falls further behind his classmates because teaching becomes more and more auditory. His auditory processing is very slow but if he can see and/or do something, he will understand and learn it. I have tried to explain to his teachers that he must have visuals, but they are not taking the time to create things that will capture attention and involve the students. I think he might be noticing that he is not doing as well as the other children and am afraid his self-esteem will be affected. Even my husband, who does not like the idea of homeschool, has realized that the public school system is not working for our nine year old son.

As much as possible, NAMC’s web blog reflects the Montessori curriculum as provided in its teacher training programs. We realize and respect that Montessori schools are unique and may vary their schedules and offerings in accordance with the needs of their individual communities. We hope that our readers will find our articles useful and inspiring as a contribution to the global Montessori community.

Related NAMC Blogs:

The NAMC diploma program and materials provide a comprehensive curriculum for Montessori educators:

North American Montessori Center: http://www.montessoritraining.net/

Thursday, January 26, 2012

A NAMC Student’s Experience as a Montessori Parent

Part 2 of 4 - Follow the Child

Some time ago I asked my niece, a high school history and Spanish teacher, what she thought about the Montessori method. I cannot quote her exactly because it has been too long. This is what I remember: she felt that students who entered the school from Montessori schools had difficulty conforming to the schedule of the school and the teachers. She felt they were undisciplined.

I find it very interesting that my fifth son (age nine) who has Autism is currently facing this very problem in the public school system he has always attended. He refuses to do his work and to move from place to place on an imposed schedule. I wonder how necessary this approach is, instead of children learning and working on their own internal time clocks.

Montessori teaches freedom within limits. Self-correcting Montessori learning material must be used properly and children are taught how to show respect for others and for their work. I am not sure that what my niece says is a detriment. I admit not knowing a lot about the Montessori method beyond preschool but from what I have read it seems that Montessori elementary students are encouraged to work in groups on projects, which is what most of the adult work world is doing. Or at least it is what my husband is doing and team building seems to be extremely important.

Related NAMC Blogs:

The NAMC diploma program and materials provide a comprehensive curriculum for Montessori educators:

North American Montessori Center: http://www.montessoritraining.net/

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

A NAMC Student’s Experience as a Montessori Parent

Part 1 of 4 – Montessori For My Children

Dear Ms. Irinyi,

Thank you for being my tutor. I look forward to working with you as I learn the Montessori method for teaching lower elementary. This is a long introduction, but it will help you understand why I enrolled.

Why Montessori?

When my oldest son was 3 years old, he developed an interest in letters. He wanted me to sit with him for several hours and day and do flash cards. I could only stand going through the stack of cards twice before I was bored to tears. I was at my wits end and decided that when the next school year started he needed a preschool or I would go insane so I started asking around.

None of the schools that my friends put their children in felt right. Finally one of my friends told me about a local Montessori school. From her explanation, it sounded like the school taught the way I felt children learned. After visiting the school and learning more, we enrolled our son. I loved the concept and I loved what it did for him, as well as for my second and third sons.

When we moved away I tried to find another Montessori program but in my new area the schools were too expensive. I regret that my third son could not continue and my fourth son was never able to participate in a Montessori preschool. The Montessori preschool learning really helped my older two boys excel in school and gave them a self confidence that my second two do not seem to have.

After enrolling my oldest in the Montessori school, I got to know the teacher. We became friends and I began volunteering at the school. Soon, I wanted to learn the method myself and started a course but could not complete it because my family continued to grow and I found I did not have the time required. Because I have worked in a Montessori school, and because I studied the philosophy and some of the method, I believe it is an excellent method of teaching children and have long since wondered why our education system keeps experimenting with new methods when such an effective method has been in existence since the early 1900s, and has been proven over the last century in hundreds if not thousands of schools across not only the US but the world.

Related NAMC Blogs:

The NAMC diploma program and materials provide a comprehensive curriculum for Montessori educators:

North American Montessori Center: http://www.montessoritraining.net/

Friday, January 20, 2012

February is Black History Month

2012 Theme, USA: Black Women in American Culture and History

February is Black History Month in Canada and the US, also known as African American History month. It is honored in Great Britain in October. The theme in the US for 2012 is Black Women in American Culture & History, and provides a catalyst for various Montessori classroom activities for all ages. Montessori educators can begin to prepare activities across all subject areas, including cultural and physical geography, history, language arts, art, and more.

NAMC links below provide helpful background information for this occasion, and subsequent links are provided to give you additional selections for topical studies that your Montessori students may choose to delve into, depending on their particular area of interest. As February gets underway, more online information may be available, so be sure to research your own particular area of interest.

Throughout your activities, incorporate lessons in alignment with Montessori Cosmic Education and Peace education: conflict resolution, community service, character education, grace and courtesy, etc. Strive to inspire your young students to believe in their own ability to make significant social contributions in their own lives. Here are a few suggestions for consideration:

Choose age-appropriate literature written by black women and engage your students in reading and comprehension activities.
Identify women who have had significant accomplishments toward your country’s culture and explore their lives and stories.
Study art by black women and discuss with your students the artists’ history and particular style of artistic expression. Alternatively or additionally, study black women in the performing arts (music, dance, film, etc.), both today and throughout your country’s history.
Learn about black women who have made significant contributions to civil rights and/or within the political realm of your state/country.
Discuss with your students their own ideas for peace and harmony within the constructs of family, friends, community, country and the world. Ask them to express their ideas and visions of peace through their own artistic and literary creations.

Remember to search the NAMC blog site for other articles that may provide you with further activity ideas related to character education, conflict resolution, etc.

It may also be helpful to keep in mind that March is Women’s History Month. Studies begun in February around the Black History Month women’s theme may serve as a springboard to further studies in women in leadership and peace studies.

Related NAMC blogs:

Other Links:

http://www.asalh.org/files/ExecutiveSummary2012.pdf

North American Montessori Center: http://www.montessoritraining.net/

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

When Montessori Mixed Age Groups are Challenged

On the practical side, our method has, moreover, the advantage of being able to draw together children of very different backgrounds. In our first Children’s Houses there were children of two-and-a-half, still too young for the simplest exercises of the senses, and children over five who, because of their attainments, could have passed after a few months into the third grade. In our schools each child advances and perfects himself according to his own individual ability….As far as the teacher is concerned, she can remain a whole day with children of such different stages of development without exhausting herself… ~Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child

The following question posed by a Montessori teacher highlights some of the challenges associated with maintaining mixed age groupings within the mandates of regional jurisdictions. The question also brings to the forefront the importance of the Montessori teacher as role model and guide for students, regardless of varying environmental parameters. Thank you to NAMC faculty alumnus Bree Van Nes for her thoughtful response.

Q: How would you feel about changing the age groups in a Montessori environment? Our four year olds cannot be in the same classroom as the five year olds due to Ministry regulations, which leaves us in a predicament. Our school principal wants to group the five year olds with grade one and two students. Do you think the five years olds are better alone (this is working fine) or should the age groups be redefined?

~ A confused Montessori teacher.

A: In this instance it sounds like the Ministry has placed restrictions on the age grouping that schools are able to include in a single class setting, and it is unfortunate that they are not able to follow the traditional Montessori 3 to 6 (Preschool/Kindergarten) and 6 to 9 (grades 1-3) age grouping. I have had the opportunity for many years to implement the Montessori philosophy with a classroom community of just Kindergarten children, so I know firsthand that it is definitely feasible. I actually loved teaching Montessori Kindergarten (age 5-6) as there is so much you can do with the children because they are far more capable and confident than they were when they were younger. However, in my opinion, something was always missing in this environment. I always felt that my Montessori kindergarten students missed out on being the ‘big kids’ of the Montessori multi-age classroom and the important experience of being the leaders and helping the younger children in the classroom.

Any Montessori preschool/kindergarten teacher will attest to the fact that everything seems to come together for the kindergarten child in a Montessori 3-6 classroom. In particular, their social/emotional development and the preparations for later academic work are decidedly progressive. A big part of that can be attributed to the unique Montessori environment of the mixed age grouping.

In this Montessori casa classroom, it appears that they still adhere to the mixed age grouping without the kindergarten-aged students. In this scenario, although the preschoolers will miss out on having the guidance of the confident, capable kindergarten children it is still very much a feasible grouping for a Montessori environment. The four year olds will still act as mentors for the younger children and will still serve as role models. The three year olds will continue to be inspired by the older children and the environment should still emulate that endearing sense of community so indicative of the Montessori classroom.

The question is: should the kindergarten students be kept on their own or should they be mixed with the 6 and 7 year olds (grades 1 and 2)? I think for some kindergarten-aged students it would be a huge stretch to be included with the six and seven year olds, but overall, I do think the majority of them would rise to the challenge and would be motivated and inspired by the older children in the group. I do like the fact that they would still be a part of a mixed age grouping and by watching the older students at work in the environment, the kindergarten students would challenge themselves and look forward to future activities. I really believe that if a school is unable to accommodate the traditional Montessori preschool/kindergarten age grouping, it is better to have the kindergarten students with the six and seven year olds rather than on their own, simply because mixed age grouping is the backbone of a harmonious Montessori environment. We all know that a Montessori classroom thrives on the mixed age grouping, and it helps to form a bond only seen in small social communities and families. Being in a class with all kindergarten students would mean that the children miss out on that very important aspect.

I hope this is helpful.

NAMC blogs that may be of further interest:

The NAMC Classroom Guides provide helpful instruction for setting up and managing the Montessori environment.

North American Montessori Center: http://www.montessoritraining.net/

Monday, January 16, 2012

Chinese New Year – Montessori Curriculum Activities

Chinese New Year is a 15-day cultural celebration that follows the lunisolar calendar. This year Chinese New Year begins with the full moon on January 23 and 2012 is considered the Year of the Water Dragon. It will end with the full moon 15 days later on February 7.

The following website is informative and provides several links that offer a springboard for student activities across a number of subject areas. Find out about the 15-day celebration of the Chinese New Year, the Chinese calendar, traditions of Chinese New Year, including traditional foods prepared for Chinese New Year, to name a few: http://education2.uvic.ca/Faculty/mroth/438/china/chinese_new_year.html

There are many ways your students can create and participate in their own Chinese New Year cultural celebration. Here are few ideas to get you started:

Learn about the lunisolar calendar, which is utilized by Asian countries particularly to celebrate traditional cultural events. The lunisolar calendar incorporates the rotation of the earth around the sun, and the movement of the moon around the earth.
Discover the symbolism of the animals associated with the Chinese zodiac calendar. 2012 marks the Year of the Water Dragon – find out more about this special animal in Chinese tradition. Why is the dragon dance part of Chinese New Year celebrations?
Discuss with your students how people prepare for and celebrate the Chinese New Year (i.e., housecleaning, family gatherings, festivals, etc.). With older students you may choose to discuss the topic of symbols/superstitions and some of those associated with Chinese New Year.
Discuss traditional Chinese New Year foods and decorations, and the symbolism behind them. Bring some oranges or tangerines to class and along with connecting these to the Chinese New Year tradition, include a lesson on the parts of a fruit. Share the fruit among your students as a tasty treat at the end of the lesson.
Discuss popular colors associated with Chinese New Year and why they are chosen.
Encourage other physical and cultural geography activities that focus on China. Find China on the world map or globe, learn about the Chinese flag, discuss some of the ancient history of China.
The origins of fireworks are generally attributed to China. Discuss how fireworks are incorporated into Chinese New Year celebrations. Use this as a springboard for further historical study into important Chinese inventions (papermaking, printing, compass, abacus, etc.).
Learn about Asian water dragons and their habitat.
Find out more about the Chinese community in your area. What is being planned to celebrate the Chinese New Year in your community? Are any of your students and their families participating?
Invite a representative of your community’s Chinese New Year celebrations to speak to your students in class.
The last day of Chinese New Year celebrations includes a lantern festival that children love to participate in. Discuss the lantern

Here are more online links for your further research/review:

http://www.thestar.com/article/1115086--chinese-new-year-2012-where-to-ring-in-the-year-of-the-water-dragon

Several student activities are provided by Scholastic:

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/chinese-new-year-celebration

More activities/crafts:

Related NAMC blogs:

The NAMC diploma program and materials provide a comprehensive curriculum for Montessori educators:

North American Montessori Center: http://www.montessoritraining.net/

Friday, January 13, 2012

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service: January 16, 2012

"If you want to be important, wonderful.

If you want to be recognized, wonderful.

If you want to be great, Wonderful!

But recognize that he who is greatest among you is your servant.

That’s the new definition of greatness.

This morning, what I like about it is that by giving it the definition of greatness it means everybody can be great because everyone can serve.

You don’t have to have a college degree to serve.

You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve.

You don’t have to know about Plato and Aristotle to serve.

You don’t have to know about Einstein’s Theory of Relativity to serve.

You don’t have to know the Second Theory of Thermodynamics in Physics to serve!

You only need a heart full of grace.

(A) soul generated by love. You can be that servant."

- Excerpt from Dr Martin Luther King Junior’s Speech “The Drum Major Instinct”

This year, January 16 marks the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service in the US. Montessori teachers everywhere, not just the US, have the opportunity to help students honor his legacy of service toward peace through activities that span every subject area of the Montessori curriculum.

Following are some web links for Montessori teachers to prepare and provide a rich selection of research and practical activities for their young students.

About Martin Luther King, Jr. and the MLK Jr. Day of Service:

Activity Ideas:

Related NAMC blogs:

North American Montessori Center: http://www.montessoritraining.net/

Montessori Teacher Training

Friday, January 27, 2012

A NAMC Student’s Experience as a Montessori Parent

Thursday, January 26, 2012

A NAMC Student’s Experience as a Montessori Parent

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

A NAMC Student’s Experience as a Montessori Parent

Friday, January 20, 2012

February is Black History Month

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

When Montessori Mixed Age Groups are Challenged

Monday, January 16, 2012

Chinese New Year – Montessori Curriculum Activities

Friday, January 13, 2012

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service: January 16, 2012

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