UNDERSTANDING MONTESSORI: IN A NUTSHELL

Montessori as a Foreign Language.  You have heard about it, know the basics, but really aren’t quite sure what it means.  It reminds me of a trip with my little sister to France.  I thought I knew the language, yet every time I simply tried to order tap water, I was served with a bottle of sparkling water and a bill for 6 Euros.  Confusing.  Truth is, while I knew the language, understanding it, was another story.

 

 And then we met a man.

He introduced us to 'His Paris'.  As we slowly strolled through the famed fashion district, I studied him and his interactions with his fellow Parisians.  That is when I came to understand, that knowing how to speak French and understanding the French are not the same thing.

The same holds true for the World of Montessori.  What you may think you know about Montessori may be vastly different from what children actually experience as Montessori Students. 

Allow me to give you a simple, yet comprehensive tour of Montessori.  After gaining a better understanding of what makes a Montessori classroom, I invite you to schedule a visit, and experience it, as intimately as I experience Paris, for a day.

Montessori Preschools (3 - 6 years)

Children in the primary program possess what Dr. Montessori called the absorbent mind, the ability to absorb all aspects of one's culture and environment without effort or fatigue. The primary classroom is made up of children varying from ages 3 to 6 years old. These young children are exposed to various lessons found in four main areas of the classroom - Practical Life, Sensorial, Language and Math.

As an aid to this period of the child's self-construction, individual work is encouraged. The following areas of activity cultivate the children's adaptation and ability to express and think with clarity:

·      Practical Life exercises instill care for self, for others, and for the environment. Through the Practical Life exercises, the children gain OCCI order, coordination, concentration, independence and the will to learn more while completing purposeful daily activities. Activities include many of the tasks children see as part of the daily routine in their home, such as preparing food and washing dishes, along with exercises of grace and courtesy. They learn to work at a task from beginning to end, and develop their powers of control and concentration.

      In a nutshell?  Practical life looks like they are pouring water, but they are getting ready to dive into Math and Reading, with success.

·      Sensorial materials serve as tools for development. Children build cognitive skills, and learn to order and classify impressions by touching, seeing, smelling, tasting, listening, and exploring the physical properties of their environment. All of the child's senses are enhanced and sharpened through the exposure to the Sensorial materials. It is through the isolation of each sense and the work with the Montessori materials that this is made possible. 

      In a nutshell? Sensorial work prepares the senses and entices the children into Math and Language, with a greater understanding of the vastness of their possibilities.

·      Language development is vital to human development. Throughout the classroom language is heard and expressed constantly. The Montessori environment is rich in oral language opportunities, allowing the child to experience conversations, stories and poetry. The primary teachers take note of each child's state of language and will then fill the inadequacies and deficiencies, correct mispronunciations and wrong usages of words and will enlarge the vocabulary already learned. The sandpaper letters and moveable alphabet help children link sound and symbol effortlessly, encouraging the development of written expression and reading skills. 

      In a nutshell? Language happens while the kids play, and they learn to read, "All by Myself!!!"

·      Geography; Biology; Botany; Zoology; Art and Music are presented as extensions of the sensorial and language activities. Children learn about people and cultures in other countries with an attitude of respect and admiration. Through familiarity, children come to feel connected to the global human family. Lessons and experiences with nature inspire a reverence for all life. The comprehensive art and music programs give children every opportunity to enjoy a variety of creative activities, as well as gain knowledge of the great masters. 

      In a nutshell? The children have fun, while exploring all that the world has to offer!

·      Mathematics activities motivate children to learn and understand the concepts of math by manipulating concrete materials. In Montessori, the children work from the visual to intellectual, from the concrete to the abstract. They begin by handling and manipulating "real qualities" in different ways until the abstraction is reached. This work gives children a solid understanding of basic mathematical principles, prepares them for later abstract reasoning, and helps to develop problem-solving capabilities. This joyful process is part of the child's inner development and creation of him or her self.

      In a nutshell?  Children love a challenge, and every math problem is a problem they are able to solve!!!     

Pouring water? Spooning Rice?

Questions and concerns regarding the Practical Life area in a Montessori classroom, come in many different forms; My child is in a Montessori school for the academics, not to pour water or spoon rice!  Why is my kindergartener wasting time making hot chocolate, when he should be learning to read?  When is he going to become a Math Genius? Can you tell my kid that they can’t do practical life any more?  No, I can not and trust me you do not want me to!  The practical life area is an essential part of a Montessori classroom, often considered the foundation of Montessori education.  The philosophical goals of Montessori are fully in evidence in this area.

Yes, practical life teaches children the skills needed to function in everyday life.  More, it is through the development of these skills, that they are also developing Order, Concentration, Coordination, and Independence (OCCI), skills that are essential so that the child can successfully attempt academic work.  How can a child tackle a math problem, if they do not appreciate the need for order and sequence?  Without coordination of the fine motor skills, how can a child successfully write a letter?  The ability to concentrate is important, if the child wishes to stay on task and complete and repeat an activity.  If the child does not discover the joy of independence, how will he/she become self confident in his/her own abilities?  Without learning that they can successfully complete a task in varying degrees of difficulty, will they ever feel confident enough to separate from the adult enough to challenge themselves? 

Each activity is especially designed to develop these attributes in children.  Because of the simplicity of design and the careful presentations given to the children, they discover the need to follow a specific sequence to help achieve success.  They come to appreciate the need for order, to prevent chaos.  The practical life area develops the child’s fine motor skills. Through varying degrees of difficulty, the children achieve success in the actual activity, while fine honing their coordination and concentration.  The child becomes self-motivated to achieve success and is stimulated to concentrate on his/her task to achieve self-satisfaction.  Developing simultaneously with these skills is the need for Independence.  The child is becoming self-motivated through the work provided, and develops the need to “do it all by myself!”, realizing his/her potential and developing the need to do things independently. “No, thank you.  I don’t need help! I can pour myself a glass of milk.”  When a child can say this, they have reached the highest degree of success.

Along with the direct aims of OCCI that help prepare the child for success in the other areas of the classroom, actual skills and concepts are introduced and developed in Practical Life.   It is an area of the classroom that is considered an extension of Pre-Math, Pre-Language and Pre-Writing.  Beginning counting skills are introduced in tonging and spooning activities.  Perhaps the child will count the number of balls while concentrating on spooning them into the empty bowls.  An introduction to fractions is taught to the children as they are pouring grains from one pitcher into two or three cups.  Language skills are enhanced by exposing the children to new vocabulary such as in the spooning exercise mentioned above.  The children are introduced to the concepts “full” and “empty”.  The whole sequence for Care of the Environment develops the fine motor skills and coordination needed for writing.  Tonging and tweezing, for example strengthen the muscles in the prehensile grasp needed for the act of writing. 

Practical life is essential in creating a well rounded education where the children become individuals who are secure in their abilities and enjoy the discovery of challenge and learning. So don’t be worried that your child says she spent her day making oatmeal.  Know that she is learning to concentrate and understanding the need to complete a task successfully by following the directions. And know that when she finally goes to the math area she will sit down and be undaunted by the task of adding 2472 + 458.  She will take the time to prepare her work.  She will successfully complete the equation.  She will write down her results and then ask the teacher for another more challenging problem.  All for the very first time!

Joanne Shango is a certified Montessori Teacher and Mom with 20 years experience.

Is a Montessori classroom really social?

As a Montessori teacher I am often confronted by parents who “want to know!” more about Montessori.  The questions usually follow the same lines.  Is a Montessori classroom social?  Isn’t a Montessori classroom very structured, how can kids be kids if they aren’t interacting freely?  Does a Montessori classroom promote socialization or individualism?  With all the freedom in the classroom, isn’t the atmosphere too chaotic to allow for appropriate social interactions?  These questions, contradictory in nature, are frequently asked, and remind me that Montessori is a relatively unknown philosophy, especially in regard to socialization. 

In a Montessori classroom individuality comes first and through the discovery of oneself, the child discovers the magic of friendship.  A child entering a new environment must first feel safe before he/she can develop relationships with other children.  With the beginnings of these social interactions comes a respect for each other, the materials, and the environment.  A desire to take care of themselves, their classroom and their friendships is developed.  The social interactions amongst the children are healthy, imaginative and exciting.  A true Montessori classroom provides the tools for children to discover for themselves the joys of learning, both academically and socially.

Socialization is based on freedom and cannot be forced on anyone.  If someone was placed in an over-stimulating environment it might be detrimental to the socialization process.  When people cannot feel comfortable with themselves in foreign situations, they tend to alienate themselves. In the structured environment of a Montessori classroom, where children have liberty within limits, they feel secure and confident.  Within the boundaries of the classroom, children are free to discover themselves, their minds and their friends, safely.  They make solid friendships that they carry with them for a lifetime.

Socialization in large groups also occurs in the Montessori classroom. During circle time the children enjoy sharing special stories of their lives with their friends, while learning how to listen and respect what their friends have to share.  They enjoy singing and playing games with each other.  The playground offers a wider freedom where kids run and play, where imagination and discovery soars.

During my course of teaching, I have seen the socialization process form confident and independent young children who enjoy each others company but are not dependent upon it.  They strongly influence each other in a positive manner, taking on the role of teacher, assisting each other in all areas of the classroom.   In all of my years of teaching, there was one child who exemplifies the success of this process.

Julianne was new to Montessori, but not to early childcare.  In her prior experience she was labeled shy and was not provided with a nurturing environment that promoted her individual growth.  Her first two weeks at school were spent in virtual solitude.  Any approaches made towards her were gently but consistently rebuffed.  She spent all of her time discovering the carefully designed materials in the classroom and observing the class.  During line time, she remained mute and declined any attempts to include her in the activities.  Gradually, as she discovered her place in the classroom, her confidence began to flourish and she started to seek and cultivate relationships with her newfound friends.  Her comfort with teachers took longer.  She saw us as an intrusion to her peace and actively avoided any direct involvement.  Eventually, through observation, she became trusting of the adults and began initiating conversations, opening the door to communication and academic nurturing as well as socialization.  Julianne gradually discovered herself and her potential, and made the classroom her own. 

Before Julianne became socialized in the classroom, she became individualized.  Both of these qualities are in evidence in normalized adults and are considered assets.

As Julie Washington, parent, once stated “These Montessori kids are so social, but it is more than that.  Even at birthday parties, you can see that they really enjoy each other and know how to play together. Never before have I been to a kiddie party where the children are playing so beautifully that the parents can sit down and relax without having to interfere in the children’s play, or rather, their conflicts.  That is so nice to see.”

“A classroom in which all the children move about usefully, intelligently and voluntarily without committing any rough or rude act, would seem to me a classroom very well disciplined indeed.”  - - Maria Montessori.  The Montessori Method, p. 93

Joanne Shango is a certified Montessori Teacher and Mom with 20 years experience.