Montessori Information
Contents (click on a subject to go directly there)
The Qualities of a Good Teacher
The First Period of Development (birth – 6 years)
Introduction to Language Arts and Math
The First Period of Development (birth – 6 years)
This first period of development is the most important in terms of influencing behavior, academic learning, and self-concept. What is learned at this time of life is learned so well it is described in the Montessori philosophy as being absorbed.
It is at this time that every effort should be made to see that valuable learning experiences are available to the child. This is the best way to ensure the child’s later success in life. Emotional and intellectual care are just as important as having physical needs met. Most juvenile delinquency cases can be traced back to a childhood of neglect and abuse.
The "psychic embryo", the development of the mind, occurs during the first three years. This is explained further below.
Throughout the first six years there appear special windows of opportunity that only stay open for a relatively short time. These are referred to as the sensitive periods in the Montessori philosophy. They are explained in detail in below.
Introduction to Language Arts and Math
Children have an intense desire to learn reading, writing and math during the 4 – 6 year period. This is when a child is very interested and really enjoys learning. By the age of seven children usually are more interested in their peers. It would be like throwing away an important tool to ignore the advantage the child has at this time. That is why this age period is the best time to be working on these skills. Although an introduction to language and math can be made earlier with the sandpaper numbers and letters, and math and language stepboards it is important to only do what the child is interested in to avoid boredom, apathy, and dislike. Any challenges should be fun, not frustrating.
Dr. Montessori referred to the development of the baby’s mind as the "psychic embryo". She felt that just as the physical embryo has a set time to develop the organs and to get everything working together the child’s mind is also developed during a specific period. It is during the first three years of life that this occurs.
The third year is the most important in terms of personality and self-concept. The child is constructing and organizing his personality. Abilities that have been developed will now come under conscious control. Any bad influences or crisis at this critical time of development can have lasting repercussions on the child’s character and intellect for his whole life.
She believed that to best serve the child we should allow them to develop naturally by giving them the freedom to learn what they are drawn to with a sense of caring and love. Dr. Montessori felt that freedom was very important at this time and the lack of it can be one of the reasons for bad behavior. In her opinion freedom was a necessity for character building. With freedom a child will develop self-control and self-confidence.
The most important need at this time is simply love. Without it a child will grow up with anxiety and a poor self-concept.
"One of the miracles of human nature" is how Dr. Montessori referred to the child’s ability to so easily learn language.
The sensitive period for language acquisition begins at about four months and continues through the fifth year of life. At this time the child absorbs the language or languages that they hear around them. They also pick up rules of grammar and even the syntax. This means they are not simply imitating.
Babies begin with attentiveness to the spoken word as early as three weeks. They soon discover (around 3 months) that these sounds come from the mouth. Then they start watching the mouths of anyone talking to them. Between this time and 6 months babies will start to experiment with different sounds. At the end of the first year the baby will start to repeat words that are being taught. There are two separate areas of the brain for comprehension and speech.
In the second year there is rapid increase in language comprehension and practicing words. By 18 months most babies speak and understand at least five words. Near the end of the second year the child will be putting words together to form sentences.
During the third year development happens so quickly Dr. Montessori called it the "explosion of speech". Usually happening very suddenly, sometimes within weeks a child will go from using just a few words to dozens or hundreds of words.
By offering the child real names for things we can enrich his vocabulary. Speaking in correct sentences to him and repeating back the proper way to say something when he says it incorrectly also helps the child acquire better language skills sooner. The child doesn’t need to be taught language but does need to be able to listen to people speaking both to him and each other.
Children are born with the ability to pattern, sequence and memorize. The following analogy was used by Dr. Montessori to describe the difference between the way a child learns and the way an adult learns. The child learning something it is like taking a picture with a camera (instant, effortless, and permanent), while the adult’s learning process is more comparable to a person painting a picture (it requires much effort, the result is coloured by personal beliefs, the result is not an exact replica, and the image fades over time).
This ability to absorb information so easily allows the child to learn a great deal in a very efficient manner. This is why we find child prodigies where skills are learned at an early age. Not only is it easy but they find a joy in learning new things.
The environment must be set up so that the child has interesting and challenging material to work with. This way without interference the child will naturally absorb the right things at the right time. The teacher needs only to be there to guide them, to "follow the child".
The sensitive periods are special time periods in the formative years when a child is attracted to a particular aspect of the environment. Working on activities related to the sensitive period the child is in results in the easy acquisition of a particular skill or knowledge. This happens more easily and perfectly than at any other time in a person's life! As educators it is important to know when these sensitive periods are happening so we can help the child learn what is most important to their development.
Sensitive periods give some order to learning and aid the child in learning. The strongest and longest of the sensitive periods is language acquisition. It begins at about four months and continues through the fifth year of life. By offering the child real names for things we can enrich his vocabulary. The sensitive period for language includes the sensitivity to the written word, usually between the ages of three and a half to four years.
The sensitive period for order begins around six months of age and lasts for five years. When we understand that the child needs order we can help him by keeping our environment orderly. At this stage the child needs things to be in a certain place at all times.
From the ages of two to four years the child is in the sensitive period for attention to small detail. Very young children are drawn to tiny things. The classroom can offer them attention to detail in many of the activities.
Between six months and five years of age, the child is in the sensitive period of refinement of the senses. Through the senses, the child builds their intellect. The Montessori materials refine the senses more precisely. Lessons of taste, touch, smell, sound, colors, and dimension are good for this period.
The sensitive period of refining and coordinating movement usually takes place in the two and a half to four year olds. The child becomes better at walking and handling things. The exercises of Practical Life help the child in coordinating his movement.
During the ages of three and a half to six years, the child has an important need to belong. He becomes very interested in people and how they behave. The child is in a sensitive period of manners and courtesy. The child now needs to know about behaving properly in different situations. Dr. Montessori developed the lessons of grace and courtesy for this sensitive period.
Practical Life activities are the foundation for the child’s introduction into school. They are mainly everyday activities that can be found in the home, making them a link from home to school environment. The child at this stage of development (2-3) is very interested in the things that Mom and Dad are doing and love having the chance to be able to help. It encourages a sense of contribution as a member of a group.
Although the activities are usually simple and repetitive, they help to develop many qualities in the child such as; concentration, sense of order, pride in work, respect for environment and others, independence, and self esteem. Physically the activities help to develop the coordination and fine motor movements needed for later work.
The child’s third year of life often called the terrible two’s is a very important time for the development of the personality "psychic embryo". That is why many confrontations between the child and adult will happen now. A child at this stage will not have much patience and will not be very compliant.
A parent that understands what is going on at this time can be prepared and instead of reacting will be able to foresee power struggles and avoid them or will redirect the child when they occur. This would be a good time to lessen the expectations for all but the most important things and have tolerance and sympathy, as this time is also very difficult for the child. Using anger or threats not only doesn’t work but can also have bad consequences as the child’s unconscious mind is learning how to react to problems by watching the adult at this time. Showing them a calm, gentle and consistent approach will better serve them for their future.
Our senses gather impressions and feed them to the mind. The child can tell variations of sounds, tastes, and so on soon after birth. The senses are points of contact with the environment. In Sensorial Education we use the senses as instruments to building up the intellect.
Sensorial Education is organized in such a way that when working with the purposefully designed material the child learns to compare, discriminate and distinguish different sense impressions. Each activity isolates a particular feature or property. In this way it encourages the child to focus on a singular aspect of the material. Through the material the child will acquire conscious knowledge in a systematic and orderly way.
Montessori discovered that manual activity leads to intellectual development. When the child fixes their attention on a task they are doing with their hands they are learning to concentrate. Real learning occurs when the child concentrates.
Sensorial activities and presentations are always done individually. To have success with the material a child needs to analyze and do a lot of thinking. Lessons of taste, touch, smell, sound, colors, and dimension are found in the classroom. The Montessori materials refine the senses so the child will have a more precise perception of the world and fewer vague notions.
Discipline problems will occur due to the stage in development of the children.
The first impulse needs to be redirection. Usually this is all that is needed. If the problem persists it is time to "glue" the child to yourself, a positive way of telling the child they must now go everywhere that you go until they are ready to work alone again.
Finally if all else fails a "time out" will be given. It must be given in such a way that it doesn’t feel like a punishment and does not humiliate the child. It must also be short. The teacher will explain why his behavior was not acceptable and then try to give the child some positive reinforcement later that day.
When a child in the classroom is physically hurting others it must be dealt with quickly. First the teacher will speak to the child explaining why they must not behave this way and helping the child to come up with other ways of dealing with their feelings. If the problem persists the teacher will call a meeting with the parents to explain that if the problem occurs again the child will have to leave the class. The teacher could help the parents find alternative care and/or counseling.
It is very important to continually model the behavior you expect. Complimenting children when you see them following the rules, "positive reinforcement", is very powerful in changing behaviors.
Parent/Child evenings are important to show the parent what the child is doing at school. Prepare the child ahead of time by asking him what he will show his parents.
Parent conferences are a time to give the parent a progress report on their child and to answer any questions the parents have. The teacher should make note of any concern the parent has. Make sure they understand that the appointment is for only 15-20 minutes and that they are to come without their child.
Observations are an opportunity for parents to see what their child is doing during school. Parents should be able to request an observation at any time and at least 2 observations should be scheduled during the year, usually lasting for 45 minutes.
An annual workshop can help by teaching parents what Montessori is all about. It would cover all the areas of the classroom as well as a brief explanation of the Montessori philosophy and social graces.
Usually in the spring the school would hold a student/parent evening. This is where the child is given the opportunity to show their parents around the classroom and what they can do. Parents should be encouraged to come to this, as it is very important to the children.
Christmas concerts and a Tea for Mother’s Day are examples of how a school can involve the parents at special times throughout the year. To bring the year to an end, a picnic or sports day will be fondly remembered by children and parents.
Phasing In is a term you will hear at this time of the year. The children must be shown how to use the material before they can use it. This takes time with so many new ones and only two teachers. Having a shorter period will lessen the chance of boredom, something you want to avoid as it is at this time that the child will be forming an opinion on whether they enjoy school or not.
While new children will go home a little earlier for the first week or so, it is a good time to keep the returning children to reacquaint them with the materials as they might otherwise get less attention because of the newer children. It is also advantages to get the returning students to teach the newer ones the way things are done in the classroom, such as rolling a mat, tucking in a chair, etc. This benefits both children.
An environment conducive to providing the child with all of his physical, emotional and intellectual needs so that he can grow up in the most natural way and become a contributing and influential part of society.
Respecting the child as a learning, developing person. This also teaches the child to respect others.
Changing the environment to allow the child to flourish and develop a positive attitude to learning.
Understanding that it is only in the first six years of life that we can positively influence the development of personality, intellect, and self-concept. After this time it is very difficult or impossible.
Montessori takes advantage of the natural stages of development to keep the child joyous and positive.
Writing is taught first because it is decoding, taking apart of a word which is easier for the child to do. Reading is encoding and with little knowledge of words the child has a harder time with this.
When a child is asked to write a word (dog) she has the sound already in her head all she has to do is work at taking it apart (decoding) to be able to assemble it again on paper or with the movable alphabet.
Reading is a different process where if asked to read a word, the child has nothing to go on. He must synthesize (encode) the sounds as he is trying to find the meaning.
Reading should be taught using a systematic phonetic approach. Starting with mostly phonics and as the child becomes better at reading whole language activities are introduced. As the child reaches fluency in reading, phonetic work is reduced.
This programme fits in well with the Montessori material because the child can work at their own pace. As the child proceeds the lessons become more challenging but not frustrating. The activities are enjoyable and give the child a sense of pride in their work when they print words on their own to show their parents and when they read out loud.
Dr. Montessori had a strong interest in math and therefore created an exceptional math program. She realized that children that could count to nine could just as easily count tens up to ninety, and hundreds up to a thousand. It is taught in a fun way, first using concrete materials then introducing abstract along with the concrete. Some of the materials reinforce the same concept in different ways. Learning the basic concepts of mathematical operations at this time is the way to insure success in math in the future. Montessori math gives the child a very strong foundation for learning math later on.
It is a multi-cultural world that we live in. By familiarizing children at a young age to the different cultures that make up our world they will realize that we are all part of a greater "human family". This lays a foundation for better understanding of co-operation and harmony among human beings. Maria Montessori felt that world peace was a very important issue and to achieve lasting peace we must start with the children. I agree 100%.
Children quickly pick up and accept that differences are all right, and that it is the differences that make life interesting and exciting. Learning to respect others is a very valuable benefit from this experience.
The Qualities of a Good Teacher
In my opinion the most important part of a Montessori class is the teacher. The teacher must be able to hold everything together to allow the children’s community to function at a productive level. The teacher must also have a good relationship with the children, with the other teachers, the parents and any others involved in the school.
Parents will be informed of progress and encouraged to learn about the Montessori Method and practice it at home. Newsletters and staying in touch with parents is very important.
The children are treated as individuals not a group. They are respected at all times and allowed the freedom to pursue their own interests. They are self-directed or guided to be self-directed. Observing the classroom one would find busy children keenly working individually or in small groups, older children showing the newer ones how to properly roll up their mat. A small child patiently waiting for help with a hand on her teachers shoulder.
The materials will be in good shape with no missing parts. Materials will be inspected periodically to keep them in good order. A good balance of materials will be displayed in a pleasing way to attract interest. More material will be stored close by for the purpose of rotating and for different themes throughout the year.
copyright©1999 Kim Beckett, Karen Young, and Kulbinder Braich
