New Montessori Students and the New School Year

Assigning “buddies” in the multi-age Montessori classroom allows older
Montessori students to model behavior and demonstrate procedures
to younger students

As the school year fast approaches, NAMC tutors frequently receive emails from our students asking practical, “how-to” questions on how best to implement the Montessori method. I recently received this question about how to plan for the first few weeks of school:

Question: I am about one week away from starting the school year. I have finally set-up my classroom and have a much better idea of all the Montessori materials in the classroom. The NAMC Classroom Guide provided me with a reference for the first day of school, but I am having a hard time understanding how to get into the swing of things. The hard part is I have several new students in 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades who do not understand the materials. I have another class that is returning, but I do not know what they have already learned. How do I start teaching all the various activities? Should I start with the basic ones and then continue from there? I am not sure how to follow the child when I do not know the child for the first few weeks of school. Any advice would be great.

Maria Montessori's Birthday - Celebrate With a Google Doodle and More!

Today is Maria Montessori's 142nd birthday, and Google has marked this special occasion with a Google Doodle! 

This great graphic is made up of drawings of some of the Montessori materials used in the prepared environment, including Sandpaper Letters, Colored Bead Bars, and the Trinomial Cube.

Learn more about ways to incorporate Maria's birthday into your classroom with this great article:

• Celebrating Maria Montessori’s Birthday in the Montessori 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.

Being Selective in Adding Educational Material to Your Montessori Environment

Children are called to the beauty of Montessori materials,
like the Fraction Skittles

If you are like me, you are inundated by the seemingly constant stream of educational catalogs and emails promising the latest and greatest study aids and materials for your students. Not only do I get information on Montessori materials, I also get various catalogs and emails from other educational publishers. Browsing through them, it is easy to be lured by the promise of affordable solutions that correlate to government and Common Core standards.

So how do you decide which materials and books to add to your Montessori classroom?

The Montessori Bead Cabinet - A Tool For All Ages

One of the most rewarding things about being a NAMC tutor is interacting with my students. I recently engaged in a conversation with a student who was preparing to place her first order for Montessori Materials for her upper elementary Montessori classroom. She told me that she was not going to purchase the Montessori Bead Cabinet materials for her upper students since they had used the Bead Cabinet Materials in lower elementary.

The Montessori Bead Cabinet Material is a quintessential and defining Montessori material.

Approaches to Presenting the Montessori Culture and Science Curriculum

The NAMC tutors are frequently asked about the best way to present the Montessori culture and science curriculum, which includes history, science, geography, art, and music. For the new Montessori teacher, the abundance and variety of these lessons can seem overwhelming. While the Montessori curriculum is rich in lessons and resources, it is important to remember that the child has three years in which to learn the material.

The spontaneous approach to presenting the Montessori culture
and science curriculum focuses on the individual child’s interests

When planning your curriculum, teachers often find it best to work backward. Look first at all the topics to be covered during the three-year program. Then, consider what you want to teach over the course of each year. Break each year down even more, into semesters, quarters, months, weeks, and days. Working from the top down allows you to see how it all fits together. Here are some excellent tips for presenting culture and science:

My Best Advice to a New Montessori Teacher - Model and Prepare

Thoughts from Montessori Teachers on Their Best Advice...

From Lisha —

Be confident in yourself and your abilities as a Montessori teacher. You have your Montessori training in place; you understand the Montessori methodology and philosophy; and you are enthusiastic about guiding children in their learning — that counts for a lot. Things will not always go as you planned, but that is okay. When that happens, remember that one of the great things about children is that they are very forgiving. Overall, relax, enjoy, and have fun!

From Collean —

You are a new Montessori teacher, full of hope and enthusiasm and eagerly anticipating your chance to apply all you have learned. Despite your positive attitude, the beginning of the school year can be a challenge. And if things do not go as smoothly as you had envisioned, it is possible you may feel a bit discouraged. My best advice is to remain inspired — hold on to that enthusiasm. But also, be prepared for those days when things are not going as planned. Here are some ways to do just that:

My Best Advice to a New Montessori Teacher - Four Tips to Help Prepare

Your Montessori mentor can help you with everything from
classroom management to practicing with Montessori materials.

As the new school year approaches, I offer these four suggestions to new Montessori teachers:

Find a mentor

Find someone in your school who has taught at least four years in the Montessori environment. They have been through what you are going through now, and they have the experience to help you through even your toughest days. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Remember that your mentor is a valuable resource — use this resource to help you be successful. Confide in your mentor, ask questions, and show her/him what you are doing. Chances are, your mentor will be more than happy to take you under his/her wing.

My Most Rewarding Montessori Student - Language Barriers

From Collean —

I have had a very rewarding and memorable teaching career, but I can think of one little boy who stands out because of his exceptional progress over the three year continuum. When he came to school he wasn't quite 3 years old. He spoke only Arabic at home and his English was so limited that even simple communication was quite the challenge and very confusing and frustrating for him. I know that he felt isolated at first and was prone to rebel and act out his exasperation. However, just a few weeks into the program there was a huge shift.

My Most Rewarding Montessori Student - Number Troubles

From Lisha —

My first Montessori teaching job started a few months into the school year. As a result, the children were all happily working and interacting with each other and the materials by the time I joined their classroom. All except one little girl that is — Isabella. I asked the other teacher why Isabella was alone, and she said that she was still trying to figure out this little girl….Isabella was not interested in working with anyone or learning anything.

My Most Rewarding Montessori Student - Making Friends

The head of the school approached me in the hall on the day before school started. “Miss Michelle, you speak French, right? You are getting a new sixth year student in your class from the Cote D’Ivoire; he speaks no English,” she said. What to do? I had just finished my Montessori training, been given the lead position in an Upper Elementary classroom, and my co-teacher had been hired just one day before school started. Now, I found myself with an even greater challenge. However great my challenge seemed, my new student faced a bigger one.