American Women’s History Month in the Montessori Classroom

March is Women’s History Month in the U.S. (In Canada, Women’s History Month is celebrated in October.) As a Montessori teacher, this is a wonderful opportunity to share important history with your students while incorporating a variety of other curriculum areas. Montessori students of any age will enjoy hearing about Maria Montessori. This will help students to continue to build a feeling of ownership of their school and knowledge of why their education is unique.

Maria Montessori was the first woman to graduate from medical school in Italy. Besides hard work, she had to be quite persistent in her efforts to even be admitted to medical school. Dr. Montessori’s approach to education was revolutionary and at times was met with resistance. She helped to create educational environments and completely new materials that were child-friendly. She helped to redefine the teacher’s role and wrote several books.

Women’s History Month Activities

• Depending on the age of your students, you can tell your class about significant women in history in a story format or ask students to research and share the stories themselves.
• A language-oriented group of students might enjoy producing a Women’s History newsletter that can be sent home to all families of the school. This newsletter can be in a paper or digital format.
• Students can choose to study historical or contemporary women that reflect their personal interests and create a presentation for the classroom. Students interested in music might select Alicia Keys or Norah Jones. Student dancers might select Martha Graham or Twyla Tharp.
• Students can interview an important woman in their community about what she thinks are her greatest accomplishments.
• Kinesthetic learners and/or history buffs might enjoy creating a timeline of significant events in women’s history.
• Young artists can choose a new or favorite technique or medium in which to create a portrait of a woman (either famous or someone significant in their life).

Some Individuals for Suggested Study

• Sojourner Truth: Spent many years spreading a message of equality
• Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony: Organizers of the National Woman Suffrage Association
• Shirley Chisholm: First African American woman elected to Congress and first African America to run for President in the Democratic primaries
• Sandra Day O’Connor: First woman to be a U.S. Supreme Court Justice
• Sally Ride: First female astronaut
• Hillary Clinton: First First Lady to be elected to public office and later became the third woman to be Secretary of State
• Alicia Keys and Norah Jones

Important Dates in Women’s History

• 1920: 19th Amendment gives women the right to vote
• 1942: Approximately 350,000 women serve in WWII
• 1972: Equal Rights Amendment is passed in Congress but fails to get states’ approval
• 1972: Title IX, which provides equal funding for male-oriented and female-oriented sports in schools, is passed

Recommended Books for the Montessori Classroom

• A is for Abigail: An Almanac of Amazing American Women, by Lynne Cheney
• 100 Women Who Shaped World History, by Gail Meyer Rolka
• 33 Things Every Girl Should Know About Women's History: From Suffragettes to Skirt Lengths to the E.R.A, by Tonya Bolden
• The New York Public Library Amazing Women in American History: A Book of Answers for Kids, by Sue Heinemann
• Black Stars: African American Women Scientists and Inventors, by Otha Richard Sullivan
• The Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth, by Jean L. S. Patrick
• Remember the Ladies: 100 Great American Women, by Cheryl Harness
• Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions, by Women by Catherine Thimmesh
• Canadian Girls Who Rocked the World, by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
• Outrageous Women of Ancient Times, by Vicki Leon
• Outrageous Women of Colonial America, by Mary R. Furbee

Sources and Resources

• http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/specials/whm/0,8805,101044,00.html
• http://womenshistory.about.com/od/womenshistorymonth/a/whm_history.htm
• http://www.history.com/content/womenhist
• http://www.internationalwomensday.com/
• http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/dates/iwd-jif/index-eng.html
• http://www.amazon.com/Maria-Montessori-Her-Life-Work/dp/0452279895/ref=cm_lmf_tit_4/185-1557713-2521613

The NAMC Classroom Guides provide a history of Maria Montessori, the philosophy and method.

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

Spring Festival of Colors: Holi in the Montessori Classroom

This year Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colors, will be celebrated on or around March 1. It coincides with the full moon day of the Hindu lunar calendar month called Phalgun. It is also known as the Festival of Colors or the Spring Festival celebrating the joy of the season and the triumph of good over evil.

Last year, I wrote about the Holi tradition of dressing in old clothes and throwing brightly colored paint on each other. I suggested that depending on your climate and accessibility to an appropriate environment, Montessori students could partake in this tradition. Of course, for a lot of us, it is probably too cold to do this activity outdoors which is more than likely the most appropriate place for this activity. If it is warm enough to do this in a grassy area near your Montessori classroom, make sure students have enough notice to bring in old clothes and please use non-toxic paints that will not hurt the grass, water shed, and outdoor wildlife.

Another option for indoors or outdoors is paper streamers. Students can cut the streamers into smaller (6 inches to 1 foot) sections or keep them in a long roll. These should be fairly easy to clean up indoors or out and students will have fun with the throwing and cleaning.

Confetti is a possibility for inside. Students can cut larger sheets of paper into confetti themselves. After the throwing is complete, students can have a sweeping and vacuuming frenzy. An entire classroom could quickly restore the environment to order.

An option that is both “green” and more lasting is to provide a variety of seeds for colorful flowers to your students. In an area with prepared soil, students can throw the seeds at each other and then wait until the flowers bloom for the surprise of the flowers and their colors.

If throwing paint, confetti or seeds is not a possibility for your students, an art activity based on splattering paint could be an alternative. A Jackson Pollack-inspired, large canvas group art project could be fun and memorable.

The throwing paint tradition of Holi and all it encompasses (color theory, gross motor skills, etc.) can be a very enjoyable activity in your Montessori classroom whether you go the traditional route or do one of the alternatives above. Your Montessori students might also have some creative ideas for how to celebrate this Hindu tradition.

Previous NAMC blog:

Celebrating the Holi Festival in the Montessori Classroom

Further web resources:

• http://holi-gifts.indiangiftsportal.com/holi-calender.html
• http://festivals.iloveindia.com/holi/
• http://www.theholidayspot.com/holi/

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

Walk the Line Activity as an Aim Toward Reading and Writing

Practical life activities in the 3-6 Montessori classroom nurture concentration and self-discipline, develop and encourage motor skills, and allow the Montessori student to gain independence. The Montessori classroom is ripe with opportunities to learn and practice language skills in all areas, including time spent walking on the line or at circle time. The Walk the Line activity in the Montessori environment provides numerous opportunities to advance gross motor skills to fine motor skills. Language and communication are present in every aspect of life, and this activity offers opportunity for well-planned, structured, coordinated movement that serves to develop the fine muscles needed for writing. Through the Walk the Line activity, the Montessori student not only develops motor control, but practices listening skills, balance, coordination, body awareness and sense of inner discipline. The student will also work on the visual skills of left to right orientation and visual span.

Since children often enter the classroom ready to work, it is important that the cycle of activity be respected. The best time to come to line (ellipse) is not first thing, but after a work cycle or between work cycles. After periods of intense focus and concentration, children need a time to use their minds and bodies together. Preparatory activities might include conversation, discussion, calendar work, previewing the day, a warm up for relaxation, etc.

Extensions of the Walk the Line Activity:

• Students can practice changing directions while walking the line.
• Place a collection of objects on a table in the center of the taped area. Ask children to choose an object and walk the line while holding the object as still as possible in front of their body. The students can hold an object in each hand as they master their skill. They can also move to more difficult objects like a glass of water or cymbals or carry the objects on their head.
• Children must walk the line according to the pace of the music being played. The teacher can alternate slow tempo and fast tempo. It is helpful to end the activity with a slower music in order to calm the room.
• Place objects around the elliptical shape that create an “obstacle course” for students.
• Teachers or students can give verbal commands to those who are walking the line. Examples of these commands could include “walk fast,” “walk slowly,” “raise your arms,” etc. These commands could also be an opportunity for creative movement and include things such as “walk like a mouse,” “walk like an elephant,” etc.
• Students can toss and catch bean bags, foam balls, etc. to other students while walking the line. One student can stand to the side of the ellipses or inside the ellipses and throw to other students as they walk by.
• The teacher can play “I Spy” with students as they walk the line. They will need to concentrate on walking the line while focusing on scanning the room for the object being spied.
• Students can perform yoga poses while using the line a base for their hands or feet.

Related articles:

• Encouraging Motor Skills in the Montessori Classroom - Part 1 of 2
• Encouraging Motor Skills in the Montessori Classroom - Part 2 of 2
• Montessori Preschool Practical Life - More than Pouring Water

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

The Importance of Precise Language in the Montessori Environment

One should not aim at being possible to understand, but at being impossible to misunderstand. ~ Quintillion, Roman Rhetorician, the first century C.E.

The main purpose of language is to let others know what we are thinking by communicating our thoughts, ideas and feelings, analyzing previous experiences, and generating new ideas. The ability to order our world and communicate our cultural ideas separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom. Montessori believed that language is an innate ability and that the sensitive period for language begins in utero and lasts until the age of six. During this sensitive period, the child absorbs language through listening to the sound of her environment. Through every conversation, every book read aloud, every song that is sung, and every new word that is taught, the child is learning language.

It is, therefore, crucial that adults are mindful of the precision of language they use. Just as the environment is carefully prepared for the child, our words must be precisely thought out as well. During the first three years of life, patterns of speech are formed which will be the basis of speech for the rest of a child’s life. Montessori cautioned parents and caretakers of infants and toddlers to refrain from using baby talk as it inhibits language development. Dr. Montessori emphasized speaking slowly and clearly with correct pronunciation and enunciation so that children develop proper language patterns.

In the Montessori environment, adults continue with modeling correct and precise language. Activities are often presented with few words so as to draw attention and give importance to the words that are spoken. Using too many words in an explanation tends to drown out the intent of the message. In the Montessori environment, speech is slow and deliberate, giving the child every opportunity to comprehend the exact meaning.

Precision of language can best be seen by the early lessons of Grace and Courtesy in the Montessori environment. Montessori teachers use precise, positive language to direct and redirect student behavior. Here are some examples of how this is used in the Montessori environment. Note how clearly the meaning is imparted by the specific word choice.

• Please walk.
• Please walk around the mat.
• Please go back and walk around the mat
• Please go back to the snack table and walk.
• Please push in your chair.
• Please carry materials with two hands.
• Please keep all your materials on the mat.
• Please return your materials to the shelf.

Through precise language, children learn to develop control over their own words. Precise language holds their interest; there is value in the words they hear. There is little chance to misunderstand because thoughts and expectations are clearly stated.

Related NAMC Blogs:

• The Importance of Tone and Voice Level in the Montessori Environment
• The Eyes Have It: Importance of Eye Contact in the Montessori Environment

Further information about periods of development, language and communicating with Montessori students are covered in the NAMC Classroom Guides.

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

Montessori Leadership Corner: Mission and Guiding Principles – Your School Compass

In our previous Montessori Leadership Corner article, we introduced the concept of describing your Montessori school’s identity – the characteristics and nature that uniquely define your school from any other. If you have begun this process, you are on your way to further exploring and defining the values and goals of your Montessori school.

Today most institutions, educational or otherwise, are creating a mission statement that briefly illustrates the purpose and aim of the organization. In a nutshell, a mission statement should be succinct, honest, inspiring and motivating to those connected to the organization. It should convey, using dynamic language, the organization’s unique identity, core values, and primary goal. It can be put into individual and collective action every day.

Display your Montessori school’s mission statement in a prominent place where you, your faculty and your families can easily see it. Include it in promotional material and public documents, such as your Montessori parent and employee handbooks. Keeping your mission statement clear and visible serves to focus everyone’s efforts toward that mission.

By engaging your staff and families in your Montessori school’s mission, you send a clear message of intent to maintain the standard that the mission implies. At the same time, the mission sets a foundation from which to build a strong Montessori community that is ultimately dedicated to the same goal – the success of your students, both in school and in life.

In addition to your Montessori school’s mission statement, define the principles that guide your school’s mission. These principles further clarify the values that drive your mission and goals, and illustrate the unchanging philosophy upon which these are based. They serve in decision-making processes that move your school forward as a driving force and leader in your Montessori community.

Below are the mission statement and guiding principles for NAMC. There are many online resources available to help you establish your unique mission and guiding principles. See what other Montessori schools, other educational institutions and corporations have created to this end. Engage your teachers and key families in the process to embrace their aspirations for the school and its success. Then publicly display them for daily inspiration and action.

Our Mission Statement

Our mission at NAMC: to deliver high quality Montessori teacher education programs that equip our students with a solid foundation in Montessori philosophy, methods, materials, and interactions needed to create the environment that leads to enriched learning opportunities for every child. We achieve this goal by including comprehensive, innovative lifetime teaching resources with our programs, by engaging our students in productive, active learning, and by effectively supporting each student’s success with their educational journey.

Our Guiding Principles

• Our guiding philosophy is one of continuous improvement. NAMC is committed to continually enhancing its programs and resources.
• We believe that a quality training program is flexible and dynamic with the ability to respond and adapt quickly and appropriately to the changing needs of individuals, and the labor market. Our training is designed to match employment opportunities and student needs.
• We embrace Dr. Montessori’s belief that childhood education must be progressive. It should provide a keen insight into the Montessori method within the context of contemporary psychology and educational and social wisdom. Blending the Montessori approach with contemporary enrichment has proven to be effective, rewarding and beneficial to today’s child.
• We believe that every individual has lifelong, personal opportunities for learning. To that end, we offer an international training program for persons who desire to enrich the development and learning experience of young children. Teachers, teaching assistants, tutors, parents and grandparents all enroll in our programs for a variety of professional and personal reasons.
• We build our programs on the human and cultural richness of our international student body. We believe in the principles of promoting acceptance and inclusivity, embracing diversity and challenges, and inspiring human progress toward peace and harmony.

Some web resources:

• http://www.how-to.com/Operations/mission-statement.htm
• http://humanresources.about.com/cs/strategicplanning1/a/strategicplan.htm
• http://waynecparker.com/planning.html
• http://www.uscharterschools.org/pub/uscs_docs/r/mission.htm

See previous Montessori Leadership Corner blogs:

• Building Montessori Communities

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

The Importance of Tone and Voice Level in the Montessori Environment

A few years ago, my family and I were fortunate to spend the Christmas holiday at Disneyworld, ‘The Happiest Place on Earth’. Sadly, for many children, it was not a happy place. Time and time again I heard parents yelling, shouting, and even screaming at their children. What should have been a magical time was indelibly etched into their memories of one of pain, shame, and humiliation.

Children are tender creatures. They are acutely sensitive to the world around them and are much more apt to pick up on how words are said rather than the words themselves. They hate to be shouted at and even if the words are well intended, it is the volume of the message that they hear. One only need witness a cringing child to know that voices raised in frustration or anger can do as much emotional harm as a raised hand inflicts physical pain.

The expectation in the Montessori environment is to speak in a quiet, respectful voice at all times. Using a quiet voice models appropriate inside voice level, limiting the noise level of the Montessori classroom as well as provides a quiet working environment that allows focus and concentration to be on the works. It also helps encourage good listening skills. Montessori students come to us assailed by noise – television, computer and video games, and other people. Hearing a calm, quiet voice is effective in getting students’ attention because they are not used to it. At first, the Montessori student attends because of the novelty of it, but later it is understood that this is an appropriate and respectful means of communicating. Usually, being whispered at catches a student’s attention, and therefore he automatically redirects his attention away from inappropriate activity or behavior onto what the Montessori teacher is saying.

The tone of your voice is just as important as the volume. Students are much more likely to listen to a voice that sounds warm and encouraging than to one that sounds harsh and judgmental. A caring and inviting tone of voice communicates our desire to have an atmosphere of acceptance, love, and respect.

It’s not so much what you say

As the manner in which you say it;

It’s not so much the language you use

As the tone in which you convey it;

“Come here!” I sharply said,

And the child cowered and wept.

“Come here”, I said -

He looked and smiled

And straight to my lap he crept.

Words may be mild and fair

And the tone may pierce like a dart;

Words may be soft as the summer air

But the tone may break my heart;

For words come from the mind

Grow by study and art –

But tone leaps from the inner self

Revealing the state of the heart.

Whether you know it or not,

Whether you mean or care,

Gentleness, kindness, love and hate,

Envy, anger, are there.

Then, would you quarrels avoid

And peace and love rejoice?

Keep anger not only out of your words –

Keep it out of your voice.

~Author Unknown

Related NAMC Blogs:

• The Eyes Have It: Importance of Eye Contact in the Montessori Environment
• The Importance of Precise Language in the Montessori Environment

The NAMC Classroom Guides offer more helpful information on communication in the Montessori environment.

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

Montessori Leadership Corner: Building Montessori Communities

This is the time of year when many Montessori schools are preparing to promote Fall 2010 enrollment. We turn our attention to updating and revising communications vehicles such as websites, brochures, newsletters and advertisements. We set out housekeeping plans to upgrade or update physical space. We look at scheduling regular open houses for prospective parents. All this is necessary and effective in terms of getting the word out and demonstrating that we are ready to welcome new students through our doors.

But what will make them stay?

Attracting and retaining students is really about attracting Montessori families. Enrollment success is very much dependent on attracting families that match your Montessori school’s values, philosophy, and commitment to quality education for children.

It begins with a clearly-defined identity, mission and guiding principles. As important members of your communities, Montessori schools benefit from a strong communications strategy that provides a lens into the immediate and long-term value and impact of your presence in and contribution to that community. Montessori schools have the opportunity to provide the foundation for lifelong learning in every child that passes through your doors. This goal cannot be met without the involvement and engagement of each family. In other words, Montessori schools play an integral role in building Montessori communities in order to thrive.

In upcoming articles for 2010 centered on Montessori leadership, we will explore a number of specific initiatives to develop a sound approach toward nurturing a community of families and faculty that are committed to investing in Montessori as an education for life.

Some areas that we will look at:

• Mission and Guiding Principles: Your School Compass
• Defining Your Path: Authenticity and Integrity
• Marketing and Communications: Building Awareness and Understanding
• Enrollment
• Parent Education, Communication and Involvement
• School Facilities: Ongoing Maintenance and Improvement
• Faculty Support and Development
• Student Assessment and Record Keeping
• Mentorship At Any Age

Let us begin with your unique identity. Every Montessori school has one, whether it has been defined, or is yet to be defined. What is your school’s essential character? Perhaps your faculty has a special affinity to connecting with and caring for nature and the environment. Write it down. Ask your teachers, students and parents to define it in their own words. Keep this information, and revisit it further down the road, when you have more fully explored what you envision the true nature of your Montessori school is or should be. This will help you move toward developing a school culture and community that follows a clearly-defined vision.

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

The Eyes Have It: Importance of Eye Contact in the Montessori Environment

I have looked into your eyes with my eyes. I have put my heart near your heart. ~ Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

One of the greatest joys of a new parent is when their baby makes and maintains eye contact with them. At birth, babies tend to look at the borders of objects and will look at the hairline or edge of the face of a person who is talking to them. Between 6 and 8 weeks, infants begin to focus more on the internal feature of the faces and are able to make eye contact and by 3 months, prefer to look into a person’s eyes over any other part of the face. By the age of 4-5 months, infants are able to distinguish their caretakers’ faces from all others.

It is often said that they eyes are the window to the soul. Indeed, making or maintaining eye contact often communicates the real intent of our verbal message. In western societies, people who make eye contact come across as confident and honest. People take you more seriously and believe that what you are saying is important. Eye contact also provides an emotional connection between the speaker and the listener. Eye contact is an important non-verbal means of communication, and is a critical component for creating an ideal Montessori learning environment.

In the Montessori environment, we are sure to establish eye contact with a child before we begin speaking. We do this by respectfully bringing our eyes to the same level of the child. We are not merely establishing eye contact, but using our whole body to communicate a respectful presence and relationship with the child’s body. We do not look down at the child or merely bend at the waist, as this can be intimidating. We must bend our knees and lower our body so that we are on the same or closer level as the child. This respectfully helps focus the child’s attention; she is ready to listen and learn.

We do the same thing when a child is speaking to us. If for example, a teacher is standing watering a plant and a child requires help, the Montessori teacher lowers herself to the child’s level in order to fully attend and engage in what is being said. This courtesy extends to the child that what they are saying is important to the teacher.

When inviting a child to participate in an activity or lesson, the Montessori teacher makes deliberate eye contact with the student, smiles, and then begins the demonstration. By making eye contact before beginning a Montessori lesson, you are signaling to the student that they need to give their attention to the lesson and they in return are telling you they are ready to learn.

Humans communicate thoughts, feelings, ideas, and emotions through our use of language. We generate and share new ideas and tell stories of our past through the spoken and written word. But language is not limited to words; it includes the messages we send with our bodies.

As Montessori parents and educators, let us remember to engage our children and students by being truly present whenever we communicate with them. The eyes have it – they can clearly express our interest in, respect for, and connection to the child.

Related NAMC Blogs:

• The Importance of Tone and Voice Level in the Montessori Environment
• The Importance of Precise Language in the Montessori Environment

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

Valentine’s Day Montessori Circle Time: Peace, Love and Friendship for Early Childhood Students

I have found that students (especially preschool and kindergarten students) can be particularly titillated by holidays. It is my belief that it can be much more manageable to incorporate the holiday into a circle time or lesson than to try and pretend it is not happening. Though some sensitivity and awareness is necessary when planning the incorporation of holidays into the Montessori classroom (not all families will share the same beliefs), discussing holidays in the classroom is the perfect opportunity to plan a cross-curricular activity and cover important concepts such as peace, love and friendship.

Begin your circle time by reminding your Montessori students that it is a special day. Ask them if they know what today is. After they tell you that it is Valentine’s Day, ask them what that means. What happens on this day? Why do we do what we do on that day? Remember to be aware of students who may not celebrate this day. Depending on the interest of your students, you could share a simple story of the history of Valentine’s Day. If necessary, help prompt and elicit the ideas of love and friendship from your students. During this time, you could choose to share a book about Valentine’s Day and/or love and friendship.

At this time, you’ll want to begin to move the conversation toward peace. You can do so by introducing a song or poem about peace. Reading a book or sharing a story about an African American peacemaker would tie nicely with African American History Month and introduce a cross-curricular component to your lesson. Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph J. Bunche are both possibilities. As well, Chinese New Year begins on Feburary 14 in 2010. Again, you could explore peace-related activities surrounding Chinese New Year, a time of reunion and thanksgiving, as another cross-curricular activity. It is now time to bring the discussion of peace outside circle time and introduce a peace-themed art project or poem writing activity that students can complete independently.

Previous NAMC blogs on Valentine’s Day

• Eco-friendly Valentines: Montessori Practical Life
• Valentine's Day in the Montessori Classroom

Valentine’s Day Books for the Montessori Classroom

• Valentine's Day: A Day of Friendship and Love, by Terri Dougherty
• My Heart Is Like a Zoo, by Michael Hall
• Happy Valentine's Day, Mouse! (If You Give...) by Laura Numeroff
• Valentine's Day Is… by Gail Gibbons
• The Ballad of Valentine, by Alison Jackson
• Bloom! A Little Book About Finding Love, by Maria Van Lieshout
• Valentines Are For Saying I Love You, by Margaret Sutherland

Peace, Love and Friendship Books for the Montessori Classroom

• Working Together (Keeping the Peace), by Pam Scheunemann
• Finding the Friendship Dolls: A True Story How Children Can Help Create World Peace through Toys, by Charlotte Pack
• The Peace Bell, by Margi Preus
• Hug Time, by Patrick McDonnell

Other Valentine’s Day Resources

• http://holidays.kaboose.com/valentines-day/history/val-history.html
• http://www.theholidayspot.com/chinese_new_year/

The NAMC Lower Elementary manual, Five Great Lessons and Cosmic Education and Peace, provides further ideas and activities related to peace education.

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

Chinese New Year in the Montessori Classroom: Journals and Resolutions

Chinese New Year falls on February 14th this year, and lasts for fifteen days. 2010 is the Year of the Tiger, a symbol of bravery in the Chinese zodiac. The Year of the Tiger represents a fast-moving time of drama and intensity.

Some of the ways Chinese New Year is celebrated include cleaning, dinner with family, and repaying debts. Games are played, special foods are consumed and children are given red envelopes filled with money. I have enjoyed a variety of activities with my Montessori students for Chinese New Year; we have made red envelopes and decorations, cleaned the classroom and read books and stories about Chinese New Year.

Journaling is an activity that can build language and literacy skills while incorporating all areas of your Montessori curriculum. Students are also encouraged to draw in their journals. Montessori teachers can begin or end the day with students’ journal writing, or allow journals to be used throughout the day, or encourage students to work on their journals at home. Making resolutions and creating goals is a worthwhile endeavor to undertake with your students, and even if you did it at the beginning of the academic year, it is important to revisit these throughout the year. Since many of us were not in school for our New Year, why not utilize the Chinese New Year as an opportunity to create or revisit your Montessori students’ individual goals and resolutions, and incorporate these into their journals?

Montessori students of any age can enjoy making books. From a simple fold and staple method to a more complex stitching and binding method, there are a range of options that cover a range of skills. Your Montessori students’ books can be filled with plain paper, lined paper or pages filled with a template of your design. If you are incorporating your bookmaking into your Montessori classroom study of Chinese New Year, students could create their books out of red, black and gold materials. Another option is to encourage students to create a small book about Chinese New Year and repeat this activity with other topics that your Montessori students study. At the end of the year, they will have their own set of “encyclopedias.”

Ideas for Student Journal Writing

• Begin the day by writing about what you plan to accomplish and how you would like your day to go.
• Write a letter to Confucius (or someone relating to another area of study)/the President/the director or principal of the school/yourself in twenty years.
• Reflect on your day. How will tomorrow be different?
• What were your three favorite things about today’s field trip?

Chinese New Year Resources

• Celebrating Chinese New Year: An Activity Book, by Hingman Chan
• Chinese New Year for Kids, by Cindy Roberts
• Lanterns and Firecrackers: A Chinese New Year Story, by Jonny Zucker
• Celebrating Chinese New Year, by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith
• The Dancing Dragon, by Marcia K. Vaughan
• Happy, Happy Chinese New Year! by Demi
• http://www.teacherplanet.com/resource/chinesenewyear.php
• http://www.yearofthetiger.net/
• http://www.kiddyhouse.com/CNY/

Please refer to previous NAMC posts on Chinese New Year

• Activities for Celebrating Chinese New Year in the Montessori Classroom
• Celebrating Chinese New Year in the Montessori Classroom

Bookmaking Resources

• http://www.bookmakingwithkids.com/
• http://www.makingbooks.com/teachingtips.shtml
• Gung Hay Fat Choy: Making Books for Chinese New Year, by Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord

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

Montessori Musings: Education Reform - Reflections on Obama’s First Year

The basis of the reform of education and society, which is a necessity of our times, must be built upon…scientific study. ~ Montessori, From Childhood to Adolescence, 1949

On the morning of US President Obama’s inauguration, I wrote a blog full of hope. Part of President Obama’s campaign was centered on the promise of early childhood education reform in the United States. In fact, he promised to fund spending in order to bring early childhood education reform to the forefront of education. He said he understood how important a good foundation was in developing lifelong learners and healthy, happy, independent citizens.

In the President’s State of the Union Address last week, I heard no mention of early childhood education. The majority of his comments regarding education were about making higher education more affordable and obtainable. He commented on the need to renew the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, otherwise known as “No Child Left Behind” and the need to increase competition among states to improve American education.

Educational reform is no easy matter. One needs look to Finland for a positive model for educational reform. Beginning in 1960, Finland made the decision to move from an agrarian and industrial society to a Nordic welfare state, or mixed economy. The reform began by looking at where Finnish education was at the time, and having a vision for where it needed to go. With the backing of the government and the support of teachers, Finland’s educational system has moved from a class-based system to one which supports and encourages all citizens of all ages.

Montessori & Educational Reform

In order to reform education, it is crucial that all involved agree to the vision, the goals, and the standards. Why are we reforming education and what will the new model look like? As Montessorians, we fully embrace the Montessori philosophy and methodology as an effective, lifelong learning approach to education. Yet I hear over and over from Montessori educators that Montessori will not/does not work in the public school environment. Our current model of public education certainly has its challenges, but I truly believe that if you are a Montessorian at heart, then you are a living model and testament to the Montessori philosophy. Montessori is not just a method to be used in the classroom; it is a philosophy for life.

President Obama stated that “we need to invest in the skills and education for our people”. As any good investor knows, you need to know what you are investing in before making the decision to invest at all. The world is changing. This is the age of information and our need for skilled labor is being replaced by the need for individuals who are able to access, process, and transfer information quickly and easily. The economy of many developed nations is shifting from traditional industry to economies based on the manipulation of information. Schools can no longer afford to be factories churning out workers. There is an entirely new skill set to be learned and, like Finland faced post World War II, this calls for a new model of education. Dr. Montessori not only recognized this but was ahead of her time when in 1948 she stated:

The need that is so keenly felt for a reform of secondary schools is not only an educational, but also a human and social problem. This can be summed up in one sentence. Schools as they are today, are adapted neither to the needs of adolescence nor to the time in which we live ~ From Childhood to Adolescence, 1949

Characteristics of a Montessori Education

• Psychic wellness
• Intrinsically motivated
• Inner disciplined
• Self-supporting
• Creative thinkers
• Highly developed social skills
• Lifelong learners
• High sense of self-worth
• Peacemakers & peacekeepers
• Love of mankind
• Stewards of the earth
• Leadership
• Abstract thinkers
• Able to think & speak for themselves
• Self control
• Team players

As long as education sees children simply as “empty vessels” to fill, education will remain passive. As long as those in charge believe the public to be passive, we will continue to have a behaviorist approach to education, dominated by politicians. We need to stop preparing children to “survive” in the real world and start preparing them to thrive. Montessori education does just that.

Further Resources

• http://montessoritraining.blogspot.com/2009/01/montessori-and-obamas-educational.html
• http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100201/ap_on_bi_ge/us_obama_education
• http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/PreK-12EducationFactSheet.pdf
• http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/education

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

2010 Olympic Games Series: Part 3 - Cultural Olympiad

I have to admit, my favorite part of the Olympics is not the sports. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy watching my favorite sporting events, but my favorite part is the opening and closing ceremonies. I love watching the Parade of Nations at the opening ceremonies. The formality and seriousness of the occasion is marked upon their faces. I love hearing how the flag bearers were chosen and seeing their pride as they parade the colors of their countries. I enjoy seeing the small countries, represented by one or two athletes and knowing how proud their families and their countries are of them. Equally, I enjoy seeing how native costume is communicated in modern design.

When Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the modern Olympic Movement in 1894, he was inspired by the Ancient Greeks whose Olympic events involved not only the best athletes but the best artists of the time. De Coubertin upheld the belief that adding an artistic component to the Olympics would enhance the understanding of different cultures, promoting peace and understanding among nations. Olympic host cities are required to produce a cultural program that highlights and showcases the culture of the host nation to an international audience.

The 2010 Olympic Games are centered on three pillars: Sport, Culture and Sustainability. The City of Vancouver is rich in the arts, and has chosen to showcase local and international artists as an important aspect of the spirit of the Olympics.

Vancouver has done what no other host city has done - the past two years have been dedicated to a Cultural Olympiad which showcases the best in Canadian and international arts and culture. Between 2008 and 2009, more than 700 performances and exhibitions were held in the metro Vancouver area. In 2010, the Cultural Olympiad will run another 60 days throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games showcasing 400 free and 350 ticketed performances and exhibitions. These events span coverage of Aboriginal, classical, and contemporary art and culture.

Promoting a Culture and Sustainability in your Montessori Classroom

The Montessori curriculum is full of ways to explore cultural geography. Here are a few that offer ideas for the Montessori classroom.

• Encourage your Montessori students to find ways of supporting a culture of peace. Look at ways children have turned their war toys into peaceful works of art. http://www.wartoystopeaceart.com/
• Climate changes effects us all. The Cape Farewell Project has brought together artists, writers, scientists, educators and the media to explore the High Arctic. They’ve brought back their stories and artworks that share how global warming is affecting the planet. http://www.capefarewell.com/
• Explore classical music through the Canadian National Arts Centre’s Music Alive Program. There are great resource kits for teachers, including composer timelines, videos, podcasts, and even recordings of Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, and Vivaldi. http://www.artsalive.ca/en/mus/musicresources/teachers.html
• Get involved with Right to Play, whose mission is to “improve the lives of children in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world by using the power of sport and play for development, health and peace.” They seek to “create a healthier and safer world through the power of sport and play.” Their values accurately reflect those found in our Montessori classrooms as seen in this acrostic poem found on their website: (http://www.righttoplay.com/canada/Pages/Home.aspxHome.aspx)

CO-OPERATION

HOPE

INTEGRITY

LEADERSHIP

DEDICATION

RESPECT

ENTHUSIASM

NURTURE

• Explore sustainability by downloading a free educational kit meant to help your students study the games from a sustainability and environmental accountability standpoint. http://www.olympic.org/content/Olympic-Museum/?articleNewsGroup=-1&articleId=73389
• Connect with your favorite athlete while learning how to reduce your carbon footprint at http://www.projectbluesky.ca/index.php

For more information about the Cultural Olympiad, Education Programs, and Sustainability related to the 2010 Olympics: http://www.vancouver2010.com/cultural-festivals-and-events/

To read NAMC's other Olympic Series blogs, please see: Part 1 and Part 2.

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