Transcript Intro to Montessori - Surrey Montessori Society

Educating the
“Human Potential”
Agenda
•Introduce Students – current
and past
•Introduce Sunnyside Staff
•Introduce Maria Montessori’s
theory of education and
interesting facts
Dr. Maria Montessori
Is Montessori “magical”?
No. The realization of each child’s
potential that can be met in the carefully
prepared Montessori environment is.
Maria Montessori stated many times over
in various ways the world
“…speak to everyone of the child and of
his secret; unveil the truth; reveal the
powers of this “spiritual embryo” of the
human soul; proclaim him for what he is;
the father of man, the builder of
humanity, the creative and transforming
energy which can act on the hearts of
men and can offer new elements for the
solution of social problems.” - Maria
Montessori
Dr. Maria Montessori
• Dr Maria Montessori (1870-1952) has been
described as an educator, scientist,
physician, philosopher, philanthropist,
feminist, and humanitarian, and was the first
early childhood educator to be nominated
for the Nobel Peace Prize.
• Dr Montessori felt strongly that a radical
reform of education was essential if there
was to be any hope for peace in our time.
• Her method came from studying physicians Jean Itard and
Edouard Seguin. She developed an environment for the
scientific study of children with physical and mental disabilities.
After successes in treating these children, she began to study
the application of her techniques to the education of children
without intellectual or developmental disabilities.
• By 1906, Montessori was well known enough that she was
asked to head a day-care center in Rome's run-down San
Lorenzo district. She used the opportunity to observe the
children's interactions with materials developed to appeal to
the senses (sensorial materials), refining them as well as
developing new materials with which the children could work.
• Her initial work focused on children of preschool age. After
observing developmental changes in children just
commencing elementary school, and recognizing that young
children's thought or cognitive processes are inherently
different from those of adults, Montessori and her son, Mario,
began a new course of research to adapt her approach to
elementary-school children.
What is Montessori all about?
• Developmental planes – each stage needing to
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fulfill specific goals and objectives (4 in childhood)
Global or “cosmic” view of humanity – emphasizing
the interdependence of people and the
environment
The child is a highly respected and valued member
of the world society
Individualized – meeting the needs of each child
Multi-age groupings – promoting peer teaching
and learning
Emphasis on group cohesion and cooperation
Materials – scientifically based, self correcting, and
sequential matched with the child
Scientific observation in a Prepared Environment
How does this happen?
• self-directed learning.
• teacher to be an "observer" of the child instead of a lecturer.
• "sensitive periods" of development are understood and
utilized in facilitation of the child’s growth, during which a
child's mind is particularly open to learning specific skills or
knowledge. These skills are learned effortlessly and joyfully.
• Children are masters of their school room environment, which
has been specifically prepared for them to be academic,
comfortable, and to encourage independence by giving
them the tools and responsibility to manage its upkeep.
• Children learn through discovery, so didactic materials with a
control for error are used. Through the use of these materials,
which are specific to Montessori schools (i.e., checker boards,
and science experiments) children learn to correct their own
mistakes instead of always relying on a teacher to give them
the correct answer.
• This also happens because it is understood that the hand is
intimately connected to the developing brain in children.
Side effects of a Montessori education
• There are of course benefits academically - well
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documented in many studies the world over, but
the most profound and long lasting benefits are in
the children’s mental and spiritual health.
The result is a deep respect for themselves, their
classmates, the community within the school and
outside of the school, and a profound LOVE and
RESPECT of our earth.
Our children have an absolute knowledge that all
things are connected and all things must be
respected.
Some other side effects may include: ongoing joy of
learning, self controlled will, and deep
concentration.
Many Montessori students have discovered a
unique and individual way to contribute. This is the
essence of real "Montessori" work today.
Measurements of achievement
• The Montessori method discourages traditional measurements
of achievement (grades, tests) under the premise that it is
damaging to the inner growth of children.
• Feedback and qualitative analysis of a child's performance
does exist but is usually provided in the form of a list of skills,
activities and critical points, and sometimes a narrative of the
child's achievements, strengths and weaknesses, with
emphasis on the improvement of those weaknesses.
• A key point to understanding Montessori Education is the
recognition that what is important is not so much the product,
but the process by which the product is attained.
The Three Period Lesson
• “Tell me - I forget. Show me – I understand. Involve me – I
remember.” – Chinese Proverb
• 2 or 3 materials are selected from what the children are
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working with.
Period 1 consists of providing the child with the name of the
material. “This is_”
Period 2 is to help the child recognize the different objects.
“Point to _ or "Give me _” . After spending some time in the
2nd period, the child may move on to period 3.
Period 3 involves checking to see if the child not only
recognizes the name of the material, but is able to tell you
what it is. "What is this?" We know the child fully understands it.
Dr. Maria Montessori was very clear to point out that if the
child does not go through the 3rd period, it is OK and the
teacher must simply put the material away to try some other
time. There is no undue pressure from the teacher to learn the
lesson.
Communication between teacher, child and home is
invaluable.
Montessori Myths
• Montessori is only for Well Behaved Children - well trained and
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reflective teachers creating an environment that will attract and
engage the children, so that by degrees, they become calmer and
more in control of their bodies and their actions.
Montessori is Too Structured -the environment is, rather than from the
teacher. The shelves are set out in areas, with activities set out on the
shelf in a particular way, usually from left to right, from easier to
presented with a lesson. Structure also comes in the control of error
in the material. The control of error allows the child to learn from
interacting with the material, without an adult having to point out to
them they have made a mistake. Children with time and space are
often able to work it out for themselves. Structure comes in the
careful and methodical observations the teachers make of the
children, so they know exactly where a child is, what they need and
when to show them something new. It also comes in the careful
training the teacher undergoes to be able to prepare exactly the
right environment for a child at his or her developmental stage.
What happens when all of this structure is put together is an
environment where it is possible to give children the freedom to
interact in it as they wish – and usually they wish to interact in a
positive manner, engaging and exploring with the Montessori
materials, excited to share their discoveries with their friends and
teachers.
Checker Board
• The checker board is a Montessori primary (6-12) math
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material used to do long multiplication of numbers into
the 100’s of millions. The material is part of a
progression of math materials that enables the student
to experience the process of multiplication using
coloured beads and a painted board.
The Montessori student does not learn about
multiplication as an abstraction; but knows why you ‘add
the zero’, why you ‘carry the 10’ and what the multiplier,
multiplicand and partial product actually are. The
material appeals to primary-aged children who are
fascinated by large numbers and is seen in both 6-9 and
9-12 classes.
• Grammar, story-writing and reports are focused on during the
elementary years. Grammar is taught with very hands-on materials. In
a 6-9 classroom, the child learns about :
• Noun - large black triangle. A triangle is used because it represents a
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very sturdy object and something that is concrete.
Article - small, light blue triangle.
Adjective - medium size, dark blue triangle. The triangles are used
with articles and adjectives because they are part of the noun
family.
Verb - Red Circle. The red circle is used because it represents action.
Conjunction - pink line. A pink line is used here to represent a ribbon
that ties the ideas together.
Preposition - green bridge. A green bridge is used because a
preposition connects two nouns together and bridges their
relationship.
Adverb - smaller orange circle. Since the adverb is related to the
verb, it also uses a circle.
Interjection - a golden object that looks like an exclamation point or
key hole.
In the 9-12 classroom, a focus is also placed on learning gerunds,
abstract nouns, and other more advanced grammar concepts. The
materials are similar to the parts of speech symbols used in 6-9, but
there are additions to them.
Some famous people exposed to the
Montessori philosophy and education
 The short list includes: Alice Waters, Friedrich Hundertwasser,
Julia Child, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Helen Keller, Alexander
Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Mahatma Gandhi,
Sigmund Freud, Buckminster Fuller, Leo Tolstoy, Bertrand
Russell, Jean Piaget, Erik Erikson, John Holt, Ann Frank, the
Dalai Lama, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Prince William and
Prince Harry of the English royal family, Cher Bono, Yul
Brynner, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Larry Page and Sergey Brin founders of Google, Jeff Bezos - founder of Amazon.com,
Sean ‘P.Diddy’ Combs – singer, T. Berry Brazelton pediatrician and author, Elizabeth Berridge – actress, Kami
Cotler – actress, Melissa and Sarah Gilbert – actors, David
Blaine - magician, Gabriel Garcia Marquez - Nobel Prize
winner for Literature, Katherine Graham - ex-owner of the
Washington Post, and finally Yo Yo Ma to mention a few.
• 'I see the world being slowly transformed into a wilderness, I hear the
approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too, I feel the
suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow
feel that everything will change for the better...that this cruelty too
shall end, that peace and tranquillity will return once more. In the
meantime, I must hold on to my ideals. Perhaps the day will come
when I'll be able to realise them!'' – Anne Frank (Montessori student),
July 15, 1944, age 15
Montessori vs Traditional Education
Montessori:
1. Emphasis on cognitive structures & social development
2. While the teacher guides the learning process, the student is an active
and primary participant
3. Environment and method encourage internal self-discipline
4. Individual and group instruction adapts to each student's learning style
Traditional
1. Emphasis on rote knowledge and social development
2. Teacher's role is dominant and student is a passive participant
3. Teacher is primary enforcer of external discipline
4. Group instruction that conforms to adult's teaching style
5. Mixed age grouping
5. Same age grouping
6. Children encouraged to teach, collaborate, and help one another
6. Most teaching done by teacher and collaboration is discouraged
7. Child formulates concepts from self-teaching materials
7. Child is given concepts by teacher rather than by self-discovery
8. Concentrated work time on a single subject
8. Child sits in assigned seat, not allowed to move about classroom
9. Child sets own learning pace to internalize information
9. Instruction pace set by group norm or teacher
10. Child spots own errors through self-correcting materials
11. Learning is reinforced through child's own repetition of activity, internal
feelings of successful repetition
12. Multi-sensory materials
13. Child can work where he or she is comfortable, is allowed to move
around classroom as long as he or she is not disruptive to others
10. Errors corrected by teacher
11. Learning reinforced externally by rewards, punishments
12. Few materials for sensory, concrete manipulation
13. Child is given specific time for work in one subject and then moved on to another subject perhaps before
subject has been adequately covered
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Montessori Education Provides Better Outcomes than Traditional Methods, Study Indicates
A study comparing outcomes of children at a public inner-city Montessori school with children who
attended traditional schools indicates that Montessori education leads to children with better social
and academic skills.The study appears in the Sept. 29, 2006 issue of the journal Science.Montessori
Provides Better Outcomes'Science' Article on Montessori Research'Science' Article Supporting
Documents
Outcomes for Students in a Montessori Program
A Longitudinal Study of the Experience in the Milwaukee Public Schools
"This study supports the hypothesis that Montessori education has a positive long-term impact.
Additionally, it provides an affirmative answer to questions about whether Montessori students will be
successful in traditional schools.""A significant finding in this study is the association between a
Montessori education and superior performance on the Math and Science scales of the ACT and
WKCE. In essence, attending a Montessori program from the approximate ages of three to eleven
predicts significantly higher mathematics and science standardized test scores in high
school."Download research report (PDF 127 KB)A Comparison of Montessori and Traditional Middle
Schools: Motivation, Quality of Experience, and Social Context
by Kevin Rathunde
With the help of co-investigator Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Dr. Rathunde compared the experiences and
perceptions of middle school students in Montessori and traditional schools using the Experience
Sampling Method (ESM). Montessori students reported a significantly better quality of experience in their
academic work than did traditional students. In addition, Montessori students perceived their schools as
a more positive community for learning, with more opportunities for active, rather than passive, learning.
This study was sponsored by the North American Montessori Teachers’ Association (NAMTA, an affiliate
organization of AMI) and published in The NAMTA Journal 28:3 (Summer, 2003), pages 12-52.
Download research report (PDF 152 KB)
Optimal Developmental Outcomes: The Social, Moral, Cognitive, and Emotional Dimensions of a
Montessori Education
by Annette M. Haines, Kay Baker, and David Kahn
This series of articles (including a new introduction by Annette Haines, NAMTA's Director of Research)
spells out optimal outcomes of Montessori education for the early childhood, elementary, and
adolescent years. Haines states, "we find the possibility of an educational continuum that extends
naturally along a developmental path from birth to adulthood. It is hoped that the delineation of this
path within the three distinct developmental stages will enable educators to look at students and
schools from a new perspective."
Sources: The NAMTA Journal 25:2, Spring, 2000; The NAMTA Journal 26:1, Winter, 2001; The NAMTA
Journal 28:1, Winter 2003.
Download research report (PDF 200 KB)
Visit NAMTA's website for additional research studies and resources.
Thank-you for coming out!
• Please feel free now to ask questions
to those who are wearing a name tag
with SS (Sunnyside Elementary)
• We will be ending this evening at 8:30
• Please feel free to contact me
anytime at
[email protected]