Thoughts on Daily Preparation – The Montessori 3-6 Environment, Part 2 of 2

As stated in Part 1 of this series, it is the responsibility of each Montessori teacher to follow the child and present the learning activities that are conducive to the child’s changing needs. This is how the Montessori educator ensures the child’s success in every step of his/her development, and fosters a lifelong love of learning.

Each Montessori classroom does things a little differently and each teacher finds the balance that works for them and their students through thoughtful observation. One of the Montessori environments in which I have worked was essentially two spaces or “rooms” separated by a wall. Our Montessori environment was academically focused and rather than giving the children complete freedom to choose their daily work, we arranged one new presentation each day for students to complete. This functioned quite well and the children all loved working on their "big work". We divided the two rooms into the main Montessori preschool/kindergarten (ages 3-6) subject areas:

Room 1:

• Practical Life and Art
• Sensorial
• Culture & Science
• Snack Table
• Circle Time Area

Room 2:

• Language Arts
• Math
• Children’s Library

My co-teacher and I decided that it would work best if we both had equal time with the children so that we could collect and share insight into their various needs, strengths, weaknesses and academic levels. This facilitated collaboration as we observed and recognized the needs of each child. To do this, we alternated working in both rooms. In Room 2 we focused on Math and Language presentations while the work in Room 1 was focused on monitoring Practical Life & Art, Sensorial and Culture & Science, and classroom management such as assisting children when needed and reminding them of the rules and routines, i.e., tucking in chairs, working quietly, putting work away, etc.

In order to create the most productive use of our time with the children, we divided them into two groups after circle time. For example, we would invite 10 children (one at a time) to find something to work on in Room 1 and they have complete freedom to choose whatever they would like (Practical Life, Art, puzzles, blocks, Sensorial, Culture & Science, snack, maps, nomenclature material, etc).

The other 10 children were invited to Room 2 to look for their name tags, which were placed either on a mat or table with the work chosen for them to work on that day. Montessori students already familiar with the chosen material would work independently at their table or mat while others would be introduced to the material with a presentation by the Montessori teacher. As the children completed their work, they returned their Montessori work material to the shelf where it belonged and had the choice of choosing another Math or Language activity on their own, or they were free to move to Room 1 to choose work there. As a child left Room 2, the teacher marked down on her presentation list that he/she had completed the presentation and then invited a child from Room 1 that had not yet received the presentation to join her in Room 2.

The Montessori teacher responsible for Math and Language that day constantly referred to her list, marking off who she had worked with and inviting other children from Room 1 to join her for a Math or Language presentation. If a child that had not been called to Room 2 wanted to work there, that was just fine and this was never discouraged. When this occurred, I always explained to the child that I was going to be busy working with other children and that he/she would have a turn to work with me very soon. I also let the child know that he/she was welcome to choose an activity that he/she was already familiar with to work on independently. Quite often, there were children that spent their entire class time choosing Montessori Math and Language activities all by themselves to work on independently. It was truly amazing to observe!

As far as making a plan for the year, it is a good idea to write down the themes you wish to cover each month as it helps considerably with the planning process and with feeling organized and on top of things.

* The NAMC 3-6 diploma program includes record keeping sheets for each curriculum area. These are provided on CD-ROM for ease of use.

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.

The NAMC 3-6 manuals are rich with activities that span the entire three-year curriculum, including the 3-6 Classroom Guide containing tools and techniques for classroom management.

Some related NAMC blogs:

• Thoughts on Daily Preparation – The Montessori 3-6 Environment, Part 1 of 2
• Daily Preparation of the Montessori Teacher
• Preparation of the Montessori Teacher
• Montessori Elementary Perspectives – Thoughts on Curriculum Scheduling
• Montessori Elementary Perspectives: Following and Inspiring the Child

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

Thoughts on Daily Preparation – The Montessori 3-6 Environment, Part 1 of 2

A teacher is destined by his own special work to observe not simply insects or protozoa but man. And the man he is destined to observe is not one busy about his daily occupations, like those of insects when they wake up in the morning, but man when his intellectual life is awakening. ~ Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child

Daily preparation is an important part of a Montessori teacher’s routine, and there are many ways in which this can vary, according to the individual, the Montessori environment, and of course, the Montessori students themselves. Personally, I like to create a tentative plan at the end of each day as to which presentations I would like to introduce the following day. I am always flexible with my plan, but it serves as a helpful guide and aids my personal daily preparation and organization for the Montessori environment.

Essentially, it is the responsibility of each Montessori teacher to carefully observe each student in order to assess the academic strengths and abilities of each, and to present materials accordingly. Follow the child and present the learning activities that are conducive to the child’s changing needs; this is how the Montessori educator ensures the child’s success in every step of his/her development, and fosters a lifelong love of learning.

A critical element of the observation and evaluation process is taking clear notes with regard to the child’s progress. This is also an important part of the Montessori teacher’s daily preparation. I jot down notes throughout each day as to what I present. At the end of each day, I record my notes on my NAMC record-keeping sheets.* This helps to clearly identify those students with whom I have not yet worked. I then prepare to work with those children the following day.

In Part 2 of this series, I will describe the unique scheduling system that we created for our Montessori 3-6 environment.

* The NAMC 3-6 diploma program includes record keeping sheets for each curriculum area. These are provided on CD-ROM for ease of use.

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.

The NAMC 3-6 manuals are rich with activities that span the entire three-year curriculum, including the 3-6 Classroom Guide containing tools and techniques for classroom management.

Some related NAMC Blogs:

• Thoughts on Daily Preparation – The Montessori 3-6 Environment, Part 2 of 2
• Daily Preparation of the Montessori Teacher
• Preparation of the Montessori Teacher
• Montessori Elementary Perspectives – Thoughts on Curriculum Scheduling
• Montessori Elementary Perspectives: Following and Inspiring the Child

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

Montessori Elementary Perspectives: Following and Inspiring the Child

Recently I received an email from a NAMC student asking about working with a family that is quite outspoken as to the precise curriculum schedule they want to be presented to their child. She was concerned about following and meeting the needs of their child within the confines of their demands for him to follow a rigorous and precise academic schedule.

Her question is a tough one. On the one hand, I completely understand the parents’ point of view – they want to make sure that their child does not ‘fall through the cracks’ and miss important information and lessons. On the other hand, I am a firm believer in Montessori’s wisdom of following the child and allowing him to discover his own path, and am secure in the knowledge that the child will eventually choose to work in all areas. I have experienced this firsthand with my own son. (You can read more about my son and his Montessori elementary years in my blog: Making Connections between Montessori and Traditional School).

The purpose of the Montessori environment is to develop the whole personality of the child, not merely his intellect. Montessori said “The aim of the children who persevere in their work with an object is certainly not to “learn”; they are drawn to it by the needs of their inner life, which must be recognized and developed by its means.” (Discovery of the Child)

Sometimes, however, it is not simply enough to follow the child. Sometimes we really need to know and understand the child and allow her interests and personality guide us to helping her learn. If the child shows no interest in math, ask yourself what does interest her that could incorporate math? Does she like space? Can we learn to calculate planetary years using the Checkerboard? Does she like chemistry? Can we figure out scientific notation based on chemical formulas? What about cooking? There’s addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, measurement conversions.

For very reluctant math students I have incorporated a great series of “real” math works from Rempub publishers. Using the idea of playing restaurant, students quickly learned to add, subtract, multiply, divide, and percents by figuring out sales tax and tips. My students like to play restaurant so much I have to take it off the math shelves for a while so they could explore other areas. It’s always such a great feeling when they come and say “Miss Michelle, can we do restaurant math today?” (http://www.rempub.com/n2oneportal/Items.aspx?g=118&scat=09)

What about geometry? The best way to interest students in geometry is to build something. The Montessori environment is full of opportunities for students to assemble a bookshelf, an aquarium or even a sandbox. Construction leads to discovering metric and standard measurement, perimeter, area, surface area, and volume. The best way to interest upper elementary students in anything is to let them touch it, feel it, eat it. In other words, make it real and let them “do it”.

Another topic is spelling. I required all my students to do spelling every week. However, my spelling lessons don’t look like traditional spelling lessons. Each child developed their own weekly list where half the words came from me and half the words came from them. I then gave 20 or more choices of what they could do to practice. These might include writing a story, making a puzzle, making a mobile, or writing and illustrating a comic strip. The work had meaning for the student and they were much more inclined to learn and remember the words.

Most importantly, it is up to you to advocate for both your Montessori students and your belief in the Montessori method. If parents insist a more traditional approach (“My child must study all areas of the curriculum each day. They must strictly adhere to the timeline and standard course of study as dictated by the state.”), then, unfortunately, the Montessori environment may not be the best choice to satisfy this demand.

You may also be interested in the following NAMC blogs:

• Montessori Parent/Teacher Communication and Collaboration: An Education for Life
• Spelling in the Montessori 9-12 Classroom

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.

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

Montessori Elementary Perspectives – Thoughts on Curriculum Scheduling

Actually, [the teacher] will learn from the child himself the ways and means to his own education, that is, he will learn from the child how to perfect himself as a teacher. ~ Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child

As many of our students and graduates begin a new year at their Montessori elementary schools, questions about how to schedule curriculum activities is often top of mind. Below are some thoughts on setting up Montessori lesson/activity schedules using examples in the cultural studies.

Firstly, I would like to remind our readers that while the Montessori curriculum is rich in lessons and resources, it is important to always keep in mind that the child has three years in which to learn the material. There are several schools of thought when approaching the issue of implementing the elementary curriculum in the Montessori classroom; here are three popular approaches:

• Every subject is taught spontaneously throughout the year at three different age levels
• Cultural subjects may be rotated over a three-year cycle
• Cultural subjects may be rotated throughout the year, with different age-leveled presentations

Below are a few examples:

Every subject is taught spontaneously throughout the year at three different age levels

Every cultural lesson is placed on the shelves in the Montessori elementary classroom. As the students are interested, they approach their teachers for introductory lessons. More ideally, they find older classmates who have already mastered the particular material, and learn from them. After this, the teacher records the lessons and concepts that have been presented, as well as the level of mastery that the student has achieved or is working toward.

If a certain Montessori work is being over-used, the teacher may choose to remove it from the shelf for a time and replace it with another Montessori work. Or if, for example, a child only wants to do Montessori Landform work, the Montessori teacher may suggest that the student select a work in a different subject area.

When a child chooses an advanced work, the Montessori teacher guides the student to an introductory lesson or two, to help them learn and understand the concept before moving forward to the advanced work. This approach is very much in line with Montessori’s "follow the child" philosophy, where the child drives the curriculum choice through natural interest. However, it is important to keep in mind that not every child is interested in every area and may need careful and respectful prompting or direction toward work that covers the full curriculum over the three-year period. Alternatively, some Montessori teachers determine that the child is not yet ready for certain advanced work, and may allow the student to work on other areas until the child shows interest and/or readiness.

Cultural subjects may be rotated over a three-year cycle

In my personal experience, I have presented as many lessons as possible to all the students. For example, even though the NAMC 6-9 Zoology manual might suggest that a particular lesson is for Year 1 students, I do try to give all the Zoology lessons to Year 1, 2 and 3 students.

Here is an example of rotating subjects over a three-year cycle in the Montessori 6-9 classroom:

• First year: Zoology, Cultural Geography
• Second year: Botany, History, Health Sciences
• Third year: Matter & Astronomy, Physical Geography
• The Five Great Lessons activities are given each year separately, as a catalyst to the cultural studies of the year.

A note regarding the lessons on reproduction: I do not have a problem including the Year 1 students; it has been my experience that they absorb only what they are able. The language is not prohibitive, nor is it graphic. Another option might be to 'save' discussions on reproduction for only Year 3 students. Perhaps each year the Year 3 students will study plant and animal reproduction separately from the Year 1 and Year 2 students. This would ensure that everyone would have the coverage.

Cultural subjects can be rotated throughout the year, with different age-leveled presentations

If using this approach, Montessori teachers might split the school year into thirds and adjust the cultural curriculum accordingly. For example:

• Fall: Five Great Lessons/Cosmic Ed. & Peace, Matter and Astronomy, Physical Geography
• Winter: Zoology, History, Cultural Geography
• Spring: Botany, Health Sciences

In this way, all lessons could be presented at all age levels throughout the year. For example, you could further split the Cultural Geography study into a 3-year continent continuum such as the following:

• Year 1 students: North and South Americas
• Year 2 students: Europe and Asia
• Year 3 students: Africa, Oceania, and Antarctica

As rich as the Montessori curriculum is, it takes time for a Montessori teacher to construct a schedule with which she/he is most comfortable. Each Montessori school, classroom, and teacher is unique. Montessori described the classroom as a laboratory in which the teacher is guided to make decisions appropriately through careful observation of her students. As mentioned earlier, always remember when determining a schedule for lessons and activities that your Montessori students have three years to learn the material.

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.

NAMC’s 6-9 Manuals provide comprehensive curriculum activities for teachers to implement in the Montessori classroom.

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

NAMC Upper Elementary Students – Tips for Classroom Material Setup

Setting up a Montessori upper elementary classroom for the first time can seem pretty overwhelming. I was looking through the latest Nienhuis flier that came in the mail recently and I am always amazed by the beautiful upper elementary Montessori materials they provide. However, for many Montessori classrooms, costs can be prohibitive.

For our NAMC Upper Elementary (9-12) Diploma Program students who may be setting up a Montessori upper elementary classroom and looking for some guidance as to where to begin with limited funds, here are a few suggestions that I hope will help.

Consider your Montessori Math materials first. Montessori upper elementary students are moving toward more abstraction but the concrete Montessori Math materials are still of great importance as students begin their advancement into upper elementary math concepts.

Do you have all three ages (9-12) in your new upper elementary Montessori classroom? Some schools start their Montessori upper elementary level with only the fourth-year (age 9) students. If this is the case, I suggest looking at NAMC’s Upper Elementary (9-12) Mathematics Mastery Checklist (available on your NAMC 9-12 Curriculum Support Material CD) to see which lessons are suggested for fourth-year students. Then, look at the materials for those lessons and see what you need to start with.

If, however, you have all three ages (9-12) in your classroom, I would suggest that you look at the Montessori materials on hand that you can share with your Montessori school’s lower elementary (6-9) classroom for now. I believe these would most likely include:

• Bead Cabinet and Material
• Checkerboard and Beads - multiplication
• Racks & Tubes (Test Tubes) – division
• Algebraic Pegboard & Pegs
• Decanomial Material
• Golden Bead Material
• Fraction Circles and frames
• Fraction Circle Box

In addition, you will be able to use the Geometric Cabinet from the Montessori lower elementary classroom and if you are lucky, they also have the Montessori Geometric Solids that you can use, too! You will need the Montessori material for area and volume, as well as Equivalency Figure Material (frames).

Next, look through the three NAMC upper elementary math manuals and look under the “Teaching Materials Used in This Section’s Activities” in each section. Most likely, you will need to begin by obtaining materials for work with decimal fractions. While the cubing material is beautiful and something you should strive to have in your Montessori classroom one day, I have had Montessori upper elementary classrooms that never had cubing material because of the expense.

Luckily, in the Language area of the Montessori upper elementary classroom, there are much fewer materials needed. Many of the UE Language materials can even be hand-made at little or no cost. In Language and the rest of the subjects, my best suggestion is to look through your NAMC Curriculum Support Material CD for each subject. There are many great materials that you can print, color, laminate and use right away.

Numerous Montessori material suppliers are available around the world; prices and quality vary. Below are a few that may be helpful in your research, and that our students have used. The USA/Canada suppliers listed may offer a 10% discount to NAMC students if you inquire:

USA

• Alison’s Montessori
• Montessori Outlet
• The Materials Company of Boston

Canada

• IFIT
• Montessori Outlet

International

• Ancona

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