Montessori Perspectives: on the Montessori Method

The following is a brief overview of some key elements of the Montessori method as reflected in the Montessori environment, as described by NAMC tutor, Bree.

What is the Montessori Method?

The Montessori method of education is more than just a set of nicely designed materials, and it is more than a few useful techniques. The Montessori method is a comprehensive approach to working with children based upon careful research which is passed on to teachers through training. It is a dynamic system of education in which each generation of teachers has the opportunity to pass on the knowledge gained through training and experience to future generations. It is a system of education where the best is kept and improvements are added and passed on. It has been used in different cultures and countries around the world and continues to be a very popular Method of teaching. But beyond this, the Montessori Method is a way of life -- it is a method of teaching that cultivates in each child a love for learning and gives them the confidence to tackle any challenge that they are faced with.

What are some of the main characteristics of the Montessori method?

• The Montessori method of education teaches to individuals instead of to groups. In many other classrooms, lessons are presented to the whole class and sometimes to small groups. In Montessori schools the general rule is reversed. Most of the time, the teacher presents lessons to individuals. Other children can watch if they are interested. In this way, the teacher can address the specific needs of a child and can respond to that individual child’s interest and level of understanding. The child does not have to sit through something that he or she is not ready for. This individual attention also helps the teacher to be much more familiar with each child. Thus, the teacher understands the child more fully and better provides for that child.

• Children learn through practicing tasks rather than through listening and having to memorize. In many non-Montessori classrooms children are expected to learn by listening to the teacher. Work is usually with paper and pencil. In a Montessori classroom, on the other hand, children learn by practicing with apparatus which embodies the concept to be mastered. For example, when learning about shapes such as triangles, squares, circles, etc., instead of listening to a teacher talk about the shapes and watching her draw them on a chalk board, Montessori students trace real figures and make designs. They fit different shapes together to make patterns. They make fine discriminations by fitting shapes into the correct corresponding holes.

• The Montessori curriculum is much broader than many other programs. The Montessori program teaches more than just curriculum basics. First of all, it has exercises to develop the child's fundamental capacities: his or her ability to control movement (motor development), and to feel and have emotions (affective or emotional development). In this way, the Montessori program helps the child become a competent learner. This develops independence and responsibility. In addition, the Montessori curriculum also helps the child develop a strong foundation in language and math, and an in-depth study of physical and cultural geography, zoology, botany, physical science, history and art. Children further learn practical skills for everyday life such as cooking, carpentry, and sewing. But more than this, they learn how to be contributing members of a social community.

• With regard to discipline, in a Montessori program the emphasis is on self-discipline developed through helping each child learn how to appropriately meet needs rather than discipline through the use of rewards and punishments.
  
• In a Montessori classroom the organization of the room allows children easy access to a variety of learning experiences. The room is specifically organized to appear attractive and orderly. Materials are displayed on shelves.

• The materials in a Montessori classroom are carefully designed and thoroughly researched to fit the developmental needs and characteristics of children.

• Montessori teachers are trained to teach respect and positive values through their modeling as well as through the way they teach.

• The Montessori method of helping a child is through a process of showing a child what to do in a positive manner. Montessori teachers attempt to avoid “put downs” or sarcastic comments, and try not to humiliate or embarrass the child.

• The Montessori program is systematic and carefully sequenced according to principles of development. Every activity is carefully thought out to build upon previous preparation and to lead the intelligence on to a higher activity.
• The Montessori program is designed to develop independence and responsibility. The organization of the classroom, the method of teaching, and the practical life lessons are oriented toward helping the child become a self-sufficient and disciplined individual.
• The routine of the Montessori program is based upon the principle of freedom of choice rather than set times for prescribed activities. Since everything in the Montessori environment is something planned that is worthwhile and educational, the child can be free to choose.

• In Montessori programs children are viewed as positive beings whose primary aim is the work of constructing an adult. Rewards and punishments, therefore, can only get in the way. Development and learning by themselves are adequate motivators. Likewise, children do not need to be appealed to through fantasy, bright colors, or gimmicks, as these things come between the child and real learning. Therefore, joy is discovered and experienced in the real world through the study of nature, science, math, music, reading, history and geography rather than in a world of comics, cartoons, and fantasy.

How does a Montessori education benefit children?

Experience and research both indicate that children attending Montessori schools tend to be competent, self-disciplined socially well adjusted, and happy.

Competence: Children in Montessori schools are often above grade level in their basic skills. Also, since the Montessori education is comprehensive; children are often exceptionally knowledgeable in a number of other areas as well.

Self Discipline: Montessori schools are well known for children’s development of self-discipline. Children choose to work long and hard. They treat materials and others with respect. They display patience and resistance to temptation and the ability to attend for long periods.

Social Adjustment: Montessori school children usually strike a visitor as friendly, empathetic, and cooperative. The classroom is a cheerful social community where children happily help each other. It is not uncommon to see a Montessori student offer to help another child in the classroom. Also, learning social grace and courtesy are a part of the Montessori curriculum.

Happiness: Most parents of children in a Montessori school comment on how much their children love school.

Children from a Montessori program are often several years ahead of grade level. They like school and are usually interested in everything. Typically, they are friendly, generous, cooperative, and respectful of both property and others.

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

Montessori Perspectives: Lower Elementary Reading Programs

I love to teach language and literature; I would have to say it is my favorite curriculum area. But when I began to teach in the lower elementary Montessori classroom, I was initially at a loss to engage my struggling readers in appealing literature.

Today, my favorite readers to use at the Montessori lower elementary age (6-9) are the Junior Great Books, and I cannot say enough good things about them. The Junior Great Books program ties perfectly with the Montessori philosophy as it incorporates critical thinking rather than simply choosing the best answer to multiple-choice questions. The first three levels (appropriate for lower elementary) are meant to be read aloud by the teacher.

I used the Junior Great Books with my entire Montessori lower elementary class. Because at the lower elementary level, the teacher reads the stories, I was able to include even my special needs, non-readers. They actually had a chance to feel like they were successful in reading when I used the program. All 32 students in my LE class loved it and would beg for more. I even had children from other classrooms ask if they could come to me for reading! Using the Junior Great Books along with the Montessori reading/phonics program also works very well together.

Another series of readers that I highly recommend is the Bring the Classics to Life leveled readers. Montessori would have appreciated the great ways in which classic children’s literature is made accessible for such young and eager readers through this program. There are definitions of key words and how to use them in context. Although there are multiple choice questions, there are ample opportunities for critical discussions. The stories included will appeal to boys and girls alike.

Finally, I have also had wonderful success with increasing fluency by using the Read Naturally/One Minute Reader program with my Montessori lower elementary students, as well as in private tutoring. Fluency and comprehension have increased quickly and even the most reluctant readers enjoy challenging themselves and working individually at their own pace. I have to admit that I was initially extremely skeptical when I first attended staff development meetings about this program. However, after implementing it and seeing the remarkable progress students made in fluency, I quickly changed my mind and have gone on to recommend it to Montessori and public school teachers alike, as well as to parents and homeschoolers.

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.

Some related NAMC blogs:

• Montessori Storytelling: True Stories in the Elementary Environment
• Montessori Storytelling: True Stories in the Early Childhood Environment
• Montessori Curriculum Overview: Language Arts
• Montessori Musings: Development Needed Before Reading
• Tall Tales in a Montessori Elementary Classroom
• Reading Aloud to Children: Part I
• Reading Aloud to Children: Part II
• Reading Aloud to Children: Part III

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

Montessori Perspectives: Environmental Design

This is a student response to one of our NAMC blogs, The Peaceful Montessori Classroom: Environmental Design. We would like to share it with you. Thank you to NAMC Lower Elementary student Michelle S. for her insights!

I wish I had read this when I first started to learn about the Montessori method. I went through a stage of trying to define what made the prescription for the Montessori classroom. I lived in a rural area and had seen only a few elementary classrooms early in my training. I am proud to say my ability to set up, arrange and organize the Montessori elementary environment has grown through my NAMC experience.

I still go through brief moments of doubt when I feel everything is chaotic, and I miss my traditional rows of desks and everyone turning to the same page of their math textbooks. As a matter of fact, the last time I felt that way a few boys in the Montessori classroom were building a robot, one of my girls was solving binomials, several were working on the pin map of Africa, the Timeline of People was out with books on early man, another student was working on an embroidery project. The classroom felt like a whirlwind of activity.

Recently we had welcomed a new elementary student with no Montessori experience. On his first day, I invited him to join me for lessons and learn more about the Montessori classroom and curriculum, especially the cultural works. On the same day that I was feeling my brief insecurity about my Montessori environment, this new student approached me to say, “I like how everything is so organized. Even I know where to put things when it is time to clean up!” Perspective is awesome. In the midst of all this activity, he saw that it was organized and orderly.

I am growing as a Montessori teacher and now I see that by giving the classroom to the students, they give me so much more than I could ever ask for in return. Adding a few items that are beautiful, that show my personality and make it feel like our home contribute to the process of making our Montessori environment a comfortable place that encourages a love of learning.

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

Montessori Student Journals: Finding the Right Fit

I have recently been asked similar questions about Montessori student journals that are worth sharing with our blog readers. The questions posed by NAMC elementary diploma program students are paraphrased as follows:

Instead of having a journal for every subject: Math, Language Arts, History, etc. did you ever use a three-ring binder or something similar for each student with dividers breaking the subjects up into different sections? In doing this, the Montessori students still get the beginning-of-the-year experience of labeling each section (as they can do this with the dividers), and it seems less wasteful (is all the paper in spiral bound notebooks used?) and for first graders, it seems a bit easier to handle. I did an observation in a Montessori elementary class with the various journals and found that the students’ cubbies did not have the same orderly appearance of the Montessori classroom. I realize that this is a skill that the Montessori teacher needs to guide children into. What do you think would be drawbacks, if any, of trying the one main notebook idea? On a side note, I think I would keep separate the creative writing journal and the travel journal that my Montessori students take outside to record observations.

These are good questions. Yes, I have tried using a 3-ring binder, but only in the upper elementary classroom (ages 9-12), and only for one year. Is my personal opinion that lower elementary (ages 6-9) students are not ready for the 3-ring binders mainly because the binders are big and bulky and first graders are so very small. The binders are hard to carry, they do not fit well on small laps, they take up a lot of room on floors and tables, they are hard to open and close (and pinch fingers!), they are a distraction – click, click, click, click…Imagine a calm, peaceful, Montessori work period being constantly interrupted by someone having to open a ring binder. In addition, papers are easily torn out of a 3-ring binder and then you need all those little gummed 3-hole reinforcements to be able to put the papers back in the binder. Those too, are a big distraction.

I found that using a 3-ring binder with dividers was also difficult for my Montessori upper elementary students. In addition to the above-stated reasons, papers did not always get filed right away, or arranged properly. The binders did not fit in the cubbies and had to be stored elsewhere. Binders broke. They were dropped, scattering loose papers everywhere.

Personally, I much prefer the small black and white composition books. Pages in spiral notebooks tear out too easily, the covers rip, and again, they are too large for the smaller students. Here is how I have used and divided them (with tabs) before:

• Language - divided into spelling, grammar, and reading.
• Writing – divided into journals and writing
• Math
• Science – Botany, Zoology, Matter/Astronomy
• History & Geography – History, Cultural Geography, and Physical Geography

For loose papers, I have asked each of my Montessori students to use colored pocket folders for each subject. I employ a consistent color code system so everyone knows that the yellow folder is for language, red is for science, etc. It takes some training, but not nearly as much as a 3-ring binder.

As for the mess in cubbies, you correctly indicate this as a matter of the Montessori teacher guiding and modeling how things are to be stored in the cubby, being consistent about checking, and holding our Montessori students responsible for keeping their cubbies clean and organized.

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

Lessons to Montessori Educators from the Subtraction Snake Game

As a tutor for the North American Montessori Center, I enjoy the curiosity and thoughtful care in which our students approach their studies. Their questions often challenge me to help them understand the theory and philosophy behind the Montessori method, which is ultimately the truly important aspect of their training.

A recent response to one of my students’ questions prompted me to share it with our blog readers. I think it represents a critical, defining intention of the Montessori method. The question is paraphrased here:

“I don’t know why we should bother to teach students this [Subtraction Snake Game] when there is a much easier way and I could simply show them the shortcuts to reach the final result. Am I missing the point to these tedious materials?”

This was my response:

You have asked a valid question regarding showing students ‘shortcuts’ or easier ways than using the Montessori materials. You asked if you were missing ‘the point’. First, let me thank you for asking.

Conventional education reasons that if you teach children the easy way or the shortcuts, the students will “get it faster” and you can simply move on to the next lesson. Conventional education tells children “trust me”; the adult is the all knowing giver of information and the child is the empty receptacle waiting to be told how to do something. Once the child does this “thing”, they wait until they are told how to do more. Conventional education is about the product. If you can do it faster, you can produce more. More, in this case, is “good”.

Montessori education is about the process. Montessori theory (and Constructivism) states that when children understand why something is the way it is and they have constructed this knowledge themselves by using didactic materials, not only do they have a firm foundation from which to move forward, but they also become more self-reliant. They do not need to wait for the omniscient and omnipotent adult to tell them what they need to know; they can discover by themselves.

By constructing their own knowledge (and reality) children discover the shortcuts themselves and own that “Ah ha!” moment and readily seek out the next challenge. They build deeper connections because they understand the workings and concepts behind the concrete material which leads to greater abstraction of thought than can be given by simply telling them how to perform a shortcut. By giving children the answers/short-cuts we rob them of that “Ah ha” moment of self-actualization. Montessori education may seem ‘slower’ because of this, but in actuality, building that process knowledge leads to greater development of product. (Think: work smarter, not harder).

Montessori cautions her educators to avoid leaping over the “abyss separating the concrete from the abstract.” She states that the Montessori teacher should be trained to simply make experiments. In Montessori’s words: “The answer she expects from the child is that he should be interiorly moved to use the material presented to him” and the lesson “…should not have anything about it that is not the absolute truth.” (Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child)

There is so much more to the simplicity of the Montessori lessons than meets the eye, and all of it is there in the Montessori material, waiting to be discovered.

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

Using Montessori Materials

The first time I walked into a Montessori environment, I was speechless! I gazed around at the calm, organized environment and wondered in awe at the beautiful, child-size and developmentally appropriate materials. The combination of purchased and teacher-made works were displayed neatly and uncluttered on the shelves, as if there was all the space in the world and this one spot was made just to hold this beautiful work.

I quietly observed the children, ages 3-6, enter the Montessori classroom and it was as if the materials called to the children to take them off the shelves and get to work. There was no jostling about or loud voices. There was calm; there was purpose. There was intense concentration. There was work!

A few years later, I began my Montessori life teaching in the upper elementary Montessori environment. My “big kids” were accustomed to using the materials and if any untoward usage occurred, I was able to quickly refocus it with a glance.

Things changed when I entered the Montessori lower elementary environment. I found myself with several students who had never been in a Montessori environment before and they regarded the materials as toys rather than work. As my normalized Montessori students looked on aghast, I quickly realized it was time to start from the beginning and take time for lessons in how to properly use the materials.

The Golden Rule: Treat the materials with respect!

Modeling desired behavior is one of the best gifts we can give a child. I knew right away that in order to leave the biggest impression on my students, I would have to model the appropriate use of materials. I went around the room and quietly invited several students to join me by whispering “I have something to show you. Would you like to meet me at circle?” When I arrived back at circle, several beaming faces were ready for my lesson.

I silently got up and got my work rug and came back and slowly and deliberately unrolled it and smoothed it out. I then looked up at each child and smiled. I left again and wordlessly gathered my materials and placed them deliberately on the mat. I looked up, smiled again, and said quietly “This is my gift to you. This lesson was specially chosen to show you how special our materials are. This Montessori classroom is our home and each material in it has a special purpose. We treat our materials with respect, just as you would like me to treat your materials in your own home.”

Deviations will occur

Every new material is presented to the child using a fundamental lesson of use. The teacher, through observation, usually presents the material individually to each child when that child is ready. Montessori said that children not only need lessons that are interesting, but they also like to be shown exactly how to use the materials. Montessori understood that children are profoundly attracted to precision and these intricacies help keep their focus and attention. Once the child has been shown how to use the material, the teacher invites the child to use the materials independently. If the child continues successfully, the teacher quietly steps away. If the child is unsuccessful, rather than correcting, the teacher merely suggests the material be put away for another day and the lesson is repeated at another time.

Sometimes children who were once successful using a material find themselves distracted and using it inappropriately. Here are some suggestions on how to redirect inappropriate use of Montessori materials without correcting the child:

• Quietly bend to the child’s level, look him/her in the eye and simply ask “Would you like a lesson on that material?” If they say no, ask them “Then, would you please demonstrate the appropriate way to use that material?”
• Ask the child to give you a lesson with the material. “Sherri, I haven’t used the long division work in quite a while. Do you think you could give me a lesson on it, please?
• Join in the work. “Oh, you’re using the Puzzle Map of Europe. That’s my favorite. May I work with you?”
• Sometimes, it’s best to simply suggest the material be put away. “I see you are finished with snack. Thank you for putting everything away neatly.”

The simplest way to ensure proper behavior among your Montessori students is to model it at all times. When materials are introduced, handle them with great reverence and care, using slow, precise movements which tell the child “these are special”. When you make a new material, make a big deal about it: “Look what I made just for our classroom this weekend. I spent a lot of time coloring and making it just right. I do hope you’ll enjoy using it.” When your expectations are clear, your Montessori students will follow them.

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.

Some related NAMC blogs:

• Daily Preparation of the Montessori Teacher
• Preparation of the Montessori Teacher

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