MONTESSORI APPROACH

Dr. Maria Montessori was born in 1870 and became the first woman doctor in Italy. She studied Education, Philosophy, Psychology and Anthropology. By observing children in a scientific manner, and without the usual pre-conceived educational ideas, she was able to create new techniques of education which emphasized the unique development of each child.

This led to the Montessori system which has at its core an environment in which the child is free to develop their own skills and abilities. Dr. Montessori's first school achieved far greater academic success than the traditional state system and many of her ideas such as cross-curriculum teaching have now been adopted into `mainstream' education.

However, Montessori's ideas, both practical and Philosophical, are based on a co-ordinate approach tailored to each child's development. In the prepared Montessori environment, the child learns to explore and make their own discoveries about the world around them.

Mixed age groups afford the child the opportunity to help and be helped by other children and take part as both the youngest and oldest member.

Montessori teachers are called directresses because they direct the child's learning rather than `teaching' at them. Especially trained to observe, to respond to the needs of each child and to direct the whole group, they do not teach in the traditional sense, but rather guide each child forward.

Learning by rote is alien to the Montessori classroom. It is the child's own drive to enquire and explore their world which motivates the learning process.

The elementary child is entering a new sensitive period - developing their imagination. The younger child learns to co-ordinate hand-eye and large motor movements, practical life, and care of self. By contrast, the elementary child learns to co-ordinate their abstract thoughts and take imaginative steps beyond the physical limits of home, classroom and community. Imagination is the new area of growth, the mental push whereby the child explores nothing less than the world and universe around them.

"My vision of the future is no longer people taking exams and proceeding then on that certification, but of individuals passing from one stage of independence to a higher, by means of their own activity through their own effort of will, which constitutes the inner evolution of the individual"
~ Maria Montessori

MONTESSORI VS. TRADITIONAL EDUCATION

Montessori	Traditional
Based on the development of the child	Based on the transfer of a national curriculum
Children follow their own interests and learn at their own pace	Children learn from a set curriculum according to a preset time frame
Children teach themselves using specially prepared materials	Children are taught by the teacher
Children develop their ability to discover for themselves	Learning is based on subjects and based on what is given
Learning based on physical exploration of environment	Children sit at desks and learn from worksheets and white boards
Teacher works with children	Class is teacher led
Intrinsic Motivation	Motivation through rewards and punishments
Uninterrupted work flow	Block time, period lessons
Multi-age Classrooms	Single-graded Classrooms

GOOD MORNING!

"The secret of good teaching is to regard the child's intelligence as a fertile field, in which seeds may be sown to grow under the heat of flaming imagination. Our aim therefore, is not merely to make the child understand and memorise facts but to touch his imagination and to interest the child to his innermost core.

We do not want complacent pupils, but eager ones: we seek to sow life in the child rather than theories, to help the child grow mentally, socially, emotionally and physically."

Dr. Maria Montessori 1870 – 1952

NOW OPEN

SUPERWOMEN WAS ALREADY HERE!

"A Montessori Child’s Plea Poem"

WHAT DID YOU DO TODAY?

Today I did my math and language, practical life too,
I used my eyes, my ears and hands, my senses the whole day through.
I added and subtracted, learned patience all the day.
I used tweezers, blocks, and puzzles,
And worked with the scrubbing tray.
I learned how to mix colors,
And learned how to weigh.
So mom and dad, please don’t say-
“DID YOU BRING ANY PAPERS HOME TODAY?”

You see, I’m sharing as I play,
Learning self control throughout the day,
I’m learning to listen and speak clearly when I talk,
To wait my turn and when inside to walk,
To put my words into phrases,
To balance along the “Red Rod” maze,
To find my name and write it down,
I do it with a smile, not a frown.
So mom and dad, please don’t say,
“WHY DON’T YOU HAVE ANY PAPERS TODAY?”

I learned about a snail, I learned about a worm,
I learned about flags and maps,
And how to take a turn,
I helped a friend when he was stuck,
I learned that water runs off a duck.
I looked at words from left to right,
Agreed to differ, not to fight.
Today I sang the continent song,
I learned the difference between right and wrong,
So mom and dad, please don’t say,
“DID YOU ONLY PLAY TODAY?”

Because yes, I played the whole day through,
I worked to learn the things I do,
Encounter a problem, find the clue and work it out for myself, I do.
My teachers set the scene and stand near-by,
They want me to succeed and teach me how to try.
They pose the questions, and help me to think,
They keep me afloat and would never let me sink.
So don’t get discouraged and frustrate me,
I try my best and I’m learning each day.
So mom and dad, please don’t say,
“HAVEN’T YOU DONE ANY WORK TODAY?”

~ Author Unknown ~

OPEN HOUSE

Please note that the date for the OPEN HOUSE

has changed.

OPEN HOUSE

September 15th 2011