Montessori Resources including: Where to find Info? What is Montessori? What to look for

[ExuberantDaffodil]

Can any of you mamas help find good info on Montessori learning? I am very interested in researching more about it, but need good information from a variety of reputable places. I am not sure where to begin. . . I do have some time to thoroughly research, as my DS is only 14 months old. :)

Thanks!

[mysweetfiona]

Google! That is where I researched the actual Montessori schools, missions and values. There are MANY Montessori certifications via internet that have valuable information. And of course you could find some experiences here at MDC.

This could take you a LONG time to read it all. I love it though, it's fun.
Lori

[lauren]

I'd love to make this thread a Sticky if we have enough members come forth with resources. I just went through the subforum and realized we've never really collated resources the way they have on the Waldorf subforum.

So let's collect them, and if we get a few I'll stick the thread so others can find it easily.

[flyingspaghettimama]

Official Resources:

Official American Montessori Society (AMS) website :
http://www.amshq.org/

Official Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) website:
http://www.montessori-ami.org/

North American Montessori Teachers Association
http://www.montessori-namta.org/NAMTA/index.html

Information on Montessori:

International Montessori Index FAQ on Montessori:
http://www.montessori.edu/FAQ.html#QUESTIONS

A Beginner's Guide to a Montessori Classroom
http://www.montessorimagazine.com/magazinebody10.html

Comparing Montessori and Traditional Education
http://www.montessori-namta.org/NAMTA/geninfo/compar.html

Common Misconceptions
http://www.montessori-namta.org/NAMTA/geninfo/miscon.html

Lessons/Homeschooling -

Montessori World Institute: http://www.montessoriworld.org/

Shu-Chen Jenny Yen's Montessori Albums:
http://www.ux1.eiu.edu/~cfsjy/mts/_link.htm

Montessori Homeschooling Questions and Answers
http://www.montessori.edu/homeschooling.html

Montessori Information for Homeschoolers
http://www.montessori-namta.org/NAMTA/geninfo/homesch.html

Materials and Where to Buy Them -

Michael Olaf Montessori Materials (excellent for home use, less expensive):
http://www.michaelolaf.com/

Nienhuis Materials (what most schools use, expensive):
http://www.nienhuis.com/index2.html

Making your Own (only some materials available):
http://www.jmjpublishing.com/montessoriEducation.htm#MM%20MATERIALS

Also see Shu-Chen Jenny Yen's page for more material ideas.

[lauren]

That's great! Do you think that covers it or will others have additional ideas?

[montessorimama]

Other suggestions:

It depends on what you want to do with the information. If you want to find a montessori school, the websites are really all you need. If you want to TEACH your child montessori ed, then you need books, I'd just use amazon.

The Montessori Method
The Absorbent Mind
Montessori from the Start (infants, toddlers)
Maria Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius (new, describes montessori ed in contrast to trad ed)
A Parent's Guide to the Montessori Classroom
Rita Kramer's biography of Dr. Montessori

Anything written by Aline Wolfe for "spiritual and artistic guidance"
For materials: Montessori Services (look at the pictures, go to restaurant supply stores, the dollar store, and walmart and make your own scrubbing work! Go to michaels and make your own alphabets and math materials)

Furniture, especially for babies, toddlers, preschoolers: Environments, community playthings, hellowood (expensive, but when you compare it to the expensive useless toys people give you, not so expensive, tell the grandparents), ikea for less expensive but less sturdy stuff.

[flyingspaghettimama]

Other suggestions:

It depends on what you want to do with the information. If you want to find a montessori school, the websites are really all you need. If you want to TEACH your child montessori ed, then you need books, I'd just use amazon.


I used Jenny's page a lot when first starting Montessori at home, along with MWI's page. I also used these two books:
*Montessori Read and Write : A Parent's Guide to Literacy for Children by Lynne Lawrence
*Montessori Play And Learn : A Parent's Guide to Purposeful Play from Two to Six by Lesley Britton

But I did come from a Montessori background myself, so I understood the three-part lesson, etc before starting. Lawrence and Britton's books do a great job of explaining this as well, and it's aimed specificially for at-home use.

For answering those pesky questions about Montessori, I found this book super-helpful:The Montessori Controversy by John Chattin-McNichols

The latter is a textbook, but local libraries should have it available.

[flyingspaghettimama]

I found another great website with Montessori Lessons, lots of really fun ideas for at-home learning!

http://www.moteaco.com/albums.html

Here is math:http://www.moteaco.com/albums/casa/casamath.html
Here is culture: http://www.moteaco.com/albums/casa/casaculture.html

[healthymantra]

I would argue that while it is wonderful to apply Montessori principles in the home (child -sized furniture, independent activity, freedom of movement). It is not possible to offer a truly Montessori classroom environment in the home. Not without a lot of other children there too.
The fact is that the peer group and the three-year age range are vital to the independent work of the child. Montessori educators are not there to 'teach', rather to guide each child's independent learning. The child needs to observe others at work, repeating activities at will. They should, when they are older, have the opportunity to help and teach younger children (the Kindergarten child becomes the mentor to the younger students, thereby building his own self-esteem). All activity should be initiated by the child, who's interests and behavior should be observed by a well-trained Montessori guide. This guide can then offer presentations as unobtrusively as possible.
Therefore, any time the adult might say 'today we're going to learn...', or 'why don't you chose...', then it is the adult who is directing the activity, not the free will of the child.

[flyingspaghettimama]

Montessori Elementary At Home

Here are some more links (can you tell what we will probably be doing next year?)

Elementary Scope and Sequence (curriculum for ages 6-9)
http://www.moteaco.com/albums/sequence/69scope.html

Elementary Albums are also available on the above site.

Materials To Print at Home (free)
http://www.montessorimaterials.org/

Montessori Materials (pay)
http://stores.ebay.com/Montessori-for-Everyone

Montessori Materials (pay)
http://stores.ebay.com/Learning-Collection-Montessori

Montessori Games Online (Math, Geometry, and Culture)
http://www.our-montessori.com/home.html

I am sure an AMI teacher's head will explode upon seeing the online games; but hey, when you're poor, you're desperate.

[Lillianna]

I depend on the AMI and NAMTA websites for their publications and resources.
I would add that everyone should read The Secret to Childhood and The Discovery of the Child by Maria Montessori.

[Lillianna]

Another recently discovered site.

http://www.our-montessori.com/materials.html

[Lillianna]

I just found an old copy of this catalog, also available online: http://parentchildpress.com/
Excellent books for the new reader: the Cosmic Wonder Series, the Thoughtful Living Series and the Sense of Wonder Series are seriously beautiful. The "Pledge to the Earth" inspired our class to say it each day as a blessing at lunch. Also books for Peace Advocacy, for Parent Guidance and a Wonderful Art Appreciation series.

[Lillianna]

3 more links to add:
1) a very comprehensive list of books written by and about Montessori, plus a thorough list of international organizations:
http://www.shelton.org/montessori/reference.html
2) articles, ideas and online support montessorimom.com especially http://www.montessorimom.com/?Approach_and_Philosophy:Maria_Montessori_Links
3) Gandhi's speech at a Montessori Training Center 1931
http://www.peace.ca/montessoriandgandhi.htm

[darkskye]

greetings...
I have a link to some articles on infants/toddlers from my website. You are free to reproduce them and hand them out to members of your play group, etc. http://www.littleredrobin.com/pages/library_of_articles.asp

A good book of activities that you can do at home with toddlers is Awakening Your Toddler's Love of Learning by Jan Katzen-Lucenta. I think you can get it on Amazon, but she has a website you can order from directly, but I forget what it is!

I know Montessori From the Start was suggested, and I second that as a great book to get the whole philosophy.

Thanks.

[Lillianna]

Hi darksky!
Jan Katzen-Luchenta also has a new book out about nutrition and the child (Montessori style!) http://www.thetoddlertutor.com/home.html
Thanks for your link.

[mehndi mama]

Are there any magazines in publication for Montessori families?

[Lillianna]

There is a magazine put out by The M Foundation called "Tomorrow's Child" that has articles that cover the basics and are somewhat general:
http://www.montessori.org/section.php?sectionname=Tomorrow's%20Child%20Magaz ine

I found this: "The Magazine for Montessori Families" with Maya Angelou on the cover! I'm gonna check it out, too.
[url]http://www.amazon.com/M-Magazine-Montessori-Families/dp/B000FBFXCE

The "Communications" and AMI bulletin (you will receive if you are a member) are more lengthy 'scholarly' articles but they do send out "Montessori talks to Parents" once or twice a year. Select "Publications" at http://montessori-ami.org/ This site also has a few articles by Dr. M online.

The NAMTA journal is excellent, too! http://montessori-namta.org/NAMTA/NAMServs/journal.html You can view it online at http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal search for NAMTA journal.

[SexyMama]

I just read "Montessori, The science behind the Genius." It does a great job explaining how the kids actually learn.

[guestmama9911]

Teaching Montessori In The Home: The Preschool years by Eliabeth G Hainstock is a great litte introduction and includes directions on how to make materials yourself on the cheap. While it is short and therefore does not cover the philosophy in depth, it is still a great little resource and one I intend to own (I got my copy from the library).

[Lillianna]

Montessori Services, a very high-quality products catalog: http://www.montessoriservices.com/store/,
I should note that shopping these catalogs (M. Services, Michael Olaf, Montessori-n-such, etc.) is mostly for practical life and "curriculum support" materials. They don't have any of the "authentic" Montessori materials available (these make up the sensorial, language and mathematics areas of the Children's House).
The authentic materials are available only from certified manufacturers world-wide, such as Neinhuis (has the original blueprints) http://www.nienhuis.com/index2.html and Gonzaggareddi. This can contribute to a misconception about the simplicity of Montessori education. There is much more to it than these catalogs show. This is true for books like "Teaching Montessori in the Home..." (Hainstock) as well; many essential materials are not presented at all and the interrelationships and indirect preparations are not examined either.
I recommend "Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius" as well, it is a great explanation of the philosophy with scientific research to support M main theories.

[usingmontessori]

Montessori Concepts http://www.MontessoriConcepts.com has a complete line of products including the "authentic" materials. I've bought from them for my children and have been very happy with the materials. They also have a low price guarantee which I took advantage of.

Eduaids USA http://www.eduaids.com is another company that sells materials. They are much more expensive (but still less than Nienhuis) but have beautiful products.

There is another website that hasn't been mentioned yet that I helped create. UsingMontessori.com http://www.UsingMontessori.com . It is a new free website which is basically a forum where people write about how to use specific Montessori Materials and Montessori techniques.

Hope this helps!

[Lillianna]

Hi Usingmontessori! - Great links.

I guess I should clarify that while these sources may have authentic materials available, there are many intangible lessons especially in the language area as well as activities that need to be assembled (prac. life such as sweeping, baking, art activities, etc). So, the point I am trying to make is that one would assume by looking into these sources that the whole language area consists of sandpaper letters and moveable alphabet. While these materials are vital to the program, there are lessons taught prior to the sandpaper letters to prepare the mind as well as the hand. The spoken language lessons and sound games are intangible but necessary. Similarily, the phonetic object box, reading cards and commands, puzzle words and phonogram exercises are available through some of the manufacturers or made by hand. These activities should be presented/practiced/proficient before any function of word or sentence analysis can be done and all these materials are important to the child arriving at "Total Reading".

I just think it helps to explain that there is more to this than meets the eye.

[Lillianna]

Another supplier:
http://www.mahnoormontessori.co.nr/
The prices are very low, I can't vouch for the quality since I haven't ordered from them though.

[r_brown56]

I really like this site: www.montessoriforeveryone.com

They have articles, free stuff, and the blog is great.

[Lillianna]

The Kaybee Montessori Co. located in Rochester NY.

http://www.montessoricollection.com/

[Lillianna]

Montessori Professional Development:
http://www.teach-nology.com/prodevelopment/montessori/

Maria Montessori, global pathmarker:
http://www.creativeprocess.net/gp/mont.html

[Boernemama]

A brand new website out for raising Montessori Infants and Toddlers is
www.montessorifamilies.com. She has a new DVD coming out called
Bringing Out the Brilliance in Your Infant. It is an excellent discussion of how to implement Montessori Principles in the home.

[Boernemama]

[QUOTE=Lillianna;6360337 I found this: "The Magazine for Montessori Families" with Maya Angelou on the cover! I'm gonna check it out, too.
http://www.amazon.com/M-Magazine-Montessori-Families/dp/B000FBFXCE]

This past year at the AMS Conference in NYC, Maya Angelou was the Keynote speaker. She was excellent. She really has a heart and passion for Montessori Education, as well as for children. I think you can order her talk from the AMS website. www.amshq.org

[Lillianna]

Cool Boernemama! I am going to read Maya Angelou's speech. I heard it was wonderful.

I have a few to add.

For geography, science, writing and woodworking materials:
http://laughingstarmontessori.com/

and for the website of Angeline Lillard, author of Montessori: The Science Behind the Genuis:
http://www.montessori-science.org/index.html
There is a nice section of articles detailing recent studies.

[SillyMommy]

There is another website that hasn't been mentioned yet that I helped create. UsingMontessori.com http://www.UsingMontessori.com . It is a new free website which is basically a forum where people write about how to use specific Montessori Materials and Montessori techniques.
Hope this helps!

I was so psyched when I read this, so I registered - but the whole forum is full of nothing but porn spam. :(

[Lillianna]

That's not cool.
Good thing you checked on that one, Sillymommy.

Here's another one to try,
www.montessoriboard.com

[SillyMommy]

Thanks, that's much better!

[Lillianna]

This company has nice language cards, scientific and cultural reading classification as well as sensorial and math labels:

http://www.in-printforchildren.com/

[ChristinaMarieR]

Awesome :jumpers:

[Lillianna]

Montessori Around The World:

http://montessoriaroundtheworld.org/home.html

Help out if you can!

[Lillianna]

This website has alot of nice practical life and some of the other materials priced inexpensively, but they don't offer a complete set of Montessori materials in either the lang. or math areas.

http://montessori-n-such.com/default.aspx

[kforsgren]

"Montessori from the Start" was where I started - a mother-daughter team of authors. Great ideas for simple things to create and do at home - make the little box to put little poker chips in for your 14 month old now! the perfect age for it.

I will say, though, after much trial, tribulation, research and observation of my own children and others', the Montessori approach to education is very outdated, and when used in the "official" setting (AMI certified, 28-32:1 and maybe 2 teacher ratio, for example) is detrimental to the young children that are so much at the "core" of the original philosophy. If you end up liking some of the ideas, materials and aspects of the approach, make sure you at least go to a school that uses Montessori in addition to other more current (and more creative) teaching methods. The best educators I know (my field is education/consulting and I work with schools nationwide) have schools that take the "best practices" from different philosophies and work with each child in a small group setting - especially at these tender ages.

[Lillianna]

I disagree with the above.
The group size in Montessori is one of the reasons why this method is so successful. You need to have a large enough group size for a variety of peer relationships as well as to have a variety of materials in use. The reason that large group sizes are possible is because the children reach a high degree of independence, they are working with materials individually or in small groups and they are learning from one another not just from the "teacher".
Far from being outdated, the Montessori method (especially AMI) is recently experiencing an upsurge in popularity as more traditional methods are proving to be less than satisfactory. As a matter of fact, contemporary learning theorists are just beginning to catch up with some of her theories and educational strategies. She was way ahead of her time. The book "Montessori: The Science behind the Genius" validates 7 core Montessori theories with a plethora of current psychological, behavioral and learning theory research.
I truly feel that the reason people are not successful with the Montessori method is because they don't apply it in the originally intended way. When you incorporate many different methods, you necessarily make compromises that negate some of the fundamentals.

[Lillianna]

Two more links to add:

This company provides some Montessori and some non-Montessori materials.
Appleseed Montessori's Educational Products:
http://www.appleseededucational.com

Here is a link to a project that many Montessori schools across the US are become increasingly involved in. Help out if you can:
"Montessori Wells of Love":
http://montessori-amman-imman-project.blogspot.com/

[MattBronsil]

2 web sites:

Montessori books:
http://astore.amazon.com/monteblog-20?%5Fencoding=UTF8&node=16

And my blog:
http://www.myspace.com/MontessoriBlog

:thumb

[Lillianna]

Hi Matt!
Have you read The Tao of Montessori by McTameney? It sounds really good.
That's on my list of books-to-read.

Nice links- I'll check out your blog wigam.

also - www.primrosematerials.com

[MattBronsil]

I have not read it. If you get to it before I do, let me know how it is.

[Lillianna]

Here is a link for wonderful geography materials and also language cards:

http://www.wasecalearning.com/

[milehighmonkeys]

Another resource for buying materials:
http://www.alisonsmontessori.com/

I made a purchase with them and was happy with the price and quality.

[Lillianna]

I think this is so interesting and inspiring:
http://www.tcv.org.in/home.shtml

[Anandamama]

Not all Montessori classrooms are created equally. In my opinion, here are some of the elements that are of importance in a Montessori classroom. I'm starting this thread with the idea that it can be of service to parents who might not know what to look for when they go to observe a classroom.


- Children choosing activities themselves and having sustained focus on the activities.

- Children helping one another in a natural way, (without looking for approval or praise from adults).

- Older children giving lessons to the younger ones.

- Children solving their own disputes without adult intervention.

- An orderly, pleasant environment, with materials that are complete and well-cared for.

- Materials should be in regular rotation on the shelves, especially in Practical Life, but also in other areas.

- Children moving about and talking to one another freely, but still respecting each other's space.

- Teachers who speak quietly and respectfully to the children.

- Teachers giving individual or small group lessons. Teachers should also be able to have time to simply observe the classroom in action, without taking an active role her/himself.

- Teachers who don't yell, threaten or have to spend much time disciplining children.

- The overall impression should be one of a happy, busy, harmonious community.

- Hmm... what else?


Note: What I'm describing is a "normalized classroom". Classrooms will be more normalized when the same teacher has been with a class for several years. It will be more normalized at the end of the school year than at the beginning (if you're observing at the beginning, expect to see a little more chaos!). If a classroom has had an influx of new, non-Montessori children, it will not be as normalized.

[MattBronsil]

Great list. Just want to add some clarification on some.



- Older children giving lessons to the younger ones.

Good one to put in. Just remember this doesn't always happen all the time. If you're observing and you do not see it happening, but you still see a lot of activity and learning going on, it's just because nobody has chosen to teach or learn that way at that time.


- Children solving their own disputes without adult intervention.

And if the adult does step in, how does the adult handle the situation? The teacher should be helping the child learn how to develop the resolution skills, not just offering a quick solution and move on.


- Teachers giving individual or small group lessons. Teachers should also be able to have time to simply observe the classroom in action, without taking an active role her/himself.

This may vary on the day you're watching as well. I have had days where students were doing things that required me to do three period lessons. (Geometric solids, letter sounds, puzzle maps) I hardly have times some days to observe. There should usually be a lot of time for observation.

This was different in Taiwan where I teach a foreign language to them. I've had to modify this some and put more direct teaching in as the students worked with the materials.



- Hmm... what else?


I like parents grilling me with questions. If you're able to observe and talk to an administrator/teacher at the same time, ask a lot of questions about what the child is doing and what they are learning from that activity. First of all, if you do not really know too many specific things about the materials, you will be fascinated. Also, you will see how much depth and understanding the teacher has of the materials.

Ask Philosophical questions. "Why is choice important in the classroom?" "Why don't you do worksheets and workbooks?" Even let the teacher struggle with the questions, as they may know the answer, but sometimes have trouble thinking of where to start. :) Let them know it's ok to take their time and think about it before they answer.


Matt

[Sierra]

Bumping for my own reference and to ask if anyone else had additional comments.

[freistms]

I don't know if it is stating the obvious, but for people who are not familiar with Montessori method, I think the following are important:

1. Typical Montessori materials are present in the classroom, and are styled in the traditional Montessori way. I think you can teach your children in a Montessori way in the home with materials that are not always exactly as Maria designed them, but in the classroom, faithfulness to the traditional materials indicates a faithfulness to the traditional program. So expect to see a pink tower, a brown stair, a bead cabinet, access to water and children using it, plants in the classroom . . .

2. A lack of toys in the classroom. Every classroom I have been in has incorporated a few mainstream "toys" that are not exactly Montessori but provide work opportunities relevant to Montessori principles. However, the presence of these kinds of work should be minimal.

3. Furniture sized appropriately to the student population. This seems incredibly obvious, but I have seen preschool classrooms with inappropriately sized furniture, and toddler classrooms with no furniture.

4. There is no need for a computer in the classroom, and the children shouldn't be using one. (Yes, I've seen this, too.)

[Mountain Diva]

SOME of the Materials in Practical Life are "rotated" in that a different version may appear - different colored cloth and pitcher, smaller pitchers for pouring, different food (rice, beans) for spooning.
The Materials in Sensorial, Language, and Math are NEVER rotated. In fact, all year they are in the exact same place.
There is A Teacher in a Montessori classroom, not teachers plural. A teacher and one, possibly two if the state requires it during the more populated morning work cycle, assistant.
10 first years, 10 second years, 10 third years - evenly split between boys and girls is also an element of a Normalized classroom.
No transitions out of the classroom during the uninterrupted 3 hour morning work cycle is also an essential part of Montessori. (ie going to a music room, or a second language teacher coming in) But during nice weather, there should be an easy access and flow to an outdoor environment.

[Yaliina]

This is very helpful. I'm just starting to consider pre-k for my 2 year-old (looking early to decide where to apply next year), and Montessori was first on my list. There are two M schools in our area- one has a much nicer website, but I have no idea if that will translate to the real-world, so I hope to go observe them. It's so nice to have this list. I have read the M philosophy & spoken with a few teachers over the years (pre-baby), but I don't know much about the specifics. I'd love to hear more about the materials- how will I recognize right from wrong? Thanks!!

[freistms]

I'd love to hear more about the materials- how will I recognize right from wrong? Thanks!!


I'd start by scanning some websites that sell Montessori materials. I think Niehhuis is the manufacturer that AMI schools use, so they will be the most true to the stuff used by Montessori herself. This is the gold standard. Lots of other websites sell stuff, too, of varying quality and authenticity. Anyway, here's the website (I think):

http://montessori.nienhuis.com/html/01_products_introduction.php?fluxmenu=m4

Also, pick up a few books. I think Maria Montessori's Handbook talks about the materials? Not for sure, though . . .

[nkm1968]

and would add the following suggestions if you are looking at (or considering in the future) Montessori elementary....

Classrooms with at least 3 year age span, evenly divided (ie, not 15 six year olds, 4 seven year olds, and 1 eight year old) with a fairly larger number of children per classroom (around 35) compared to "regular" schools...

Classrooms should be large enough to accomodate lots of different work, and small enough to inspire the elementary student to leave the classroom for more information (called "Going Outs" instead of field trips, and kid-designed rather than school-scheduled). There should usually be a pretty lively "buzz" of discussion, and many discussions between and among kids regarding fairness, rules, community expectations, with only occassional adult participation (for guidance when children sometimes are not able to reach a reasonable compromise amongst themselves).....

Children working in pairs and small groups, using Montessori materials and doing self-directed research......

No workbooks, grades, or standardized testing (or if a public Montessori, no teaching to the test)....

Directors/directresses/guides should be able to tell you about the "great lessons" and how these tie the cosmic education in elementary....and they should give all of the great lessons every year....

Continuation of primary practical life but extended (so instead of pouring rice, an elementary student may knit, throw pottery, garden, cook, etc.). The elementary practical life should help the children operate as a community...

Lastly, to me it was very important when looking at elementary programs that the schools insist that every child, with very few exceptions, had the full 3 or 4 year cycle in primary prior to elementary. I also felt it was important that schools asked for a written (or in many cases, a $500 or more deposit) guarantee that if accepted, the family was committed to the full elementary cycle. Elementary communities work best with stable enrollments!

[Sierra]

Well this is interesting. I have observed two schools so far, and it was just very interesting. First, let me post the form I created for myself to use to keep notes on the schools.

There were some things I didn't include but have nonetheless been asking each school about (for example, ratio of 3 year olds, 4 year olds, 5 year olds, and 6 year olds in the classroom; age/grade the school runs through and if they go through the elementary years, questions related to that, etc.).

But in any case, here is the text from the form I created:
---------------------------------------------------------

Name of School:
Location of School:
Tuition:
Notes on Financial Programs:
Notes on Teacher Training:
Experience With Children Who Have Special Needs:


Observations of Classroom (each of these had a yes or no checkmark box under them...a couple had a place to jot notes):

Children choosing activities themselves, having sustained focus on the activities, and caring for the classroom and materials.
Work period close to 3 hours.
Children working and helping one another in a natural way (without looking for approval or praise from adults).
Older children giving lessons to the younger ones.
Children solving their own disputes without adult intervention. If adult intervention is involved, please make exact notes.
Minimal behavioral management does not involve yelling, threatening, etc.
An orderly, pleasant environment, with materials that are attractive, complete, and well-cared for.
The presence of traditional Montessori materials. Minimal “toys,” and all toys have a specific lesson-based purpose.
Child sized furniture and equipment, and materials at the children’s level, set up in orderly and accessible ways.
Children moving about and talking to one another freely, but still respecting each other's space.
Teachers who speak quietly and respectfully to the children.
Teachers giving individual or small group lessons.
Teachers journaling and/or actively observing the classroom in action, without taking an active role. (journaling? )


Observations From Conversation with Teacher or Administrator:

Notes on Depth of Teacher/Administrative Understanding of the Work:
Notes on Depth of Teacher/Administrative Understanding of the Philosophy:


Questions (I left a short space under each of these for notes...for some I was looking for adherence to typical Montessori method "standards," for others I was looking for information of subjective value to myself):

What is the typical daily schedule? What are drop off and pick up procedures? How does parent-school/teacher communication take place?
What are the clothing and personal item restrictions?
Is the school AMS or AMI or [insert other] oriented? What is the training most common among staff? Is circle time a regular or unusual part of the class schedule?
How are lessons presented? How is a child’s progress through materials monitored?
Where does the school expect children to be at the end of the 3-6 year old period? Does the school offer Montessori for children older than six, and if so, what percentage of children continue at the school?
How does the school describe it’s approach to discipline? (Also, any concerns such as lack of boundaries placed on restraint, etc.)
Are teachers ever one-on-one with a child or class of children? In what type of scenarios? For what length of time?
What type of scenario would signal to the teacher/administrator that Montessori or that the school is not a good fit? Are there any types of students who the teacher/administrator feels would have a harder time in the school? What type of testing is required for admission/what’s the admission criterion?
Are there any “specials” offered, and if so, how frequently and at what cost (gym, music, foreign languages, etc…)
What is the teacher turnover rate? Do staff members appear happy and satisfied by their work? What is the level of support and compensation of staff?
How does the school describe its approach to diversity? What is the classroom approach to family structure diversity (adoption, same-sex parents, etc.)? What is the current level of diversity (gender, ethnicity, race, first language, family structure, etc.) among the children, their families, and the staff:
Notes on the facility (playground, library, garden, etc.):
Notes on general sense of the school:


Then I had myself rate my overall sense of the school on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being LOVED IT SO MUCH I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF.

[MattBronsil]

Well this is interesting. I have observed two schools so far, and it was just very interesting. First, let me post the form I created for myself to use to keep notes on the schools.

Congratulations on possibly the best post I have read on this subject.

[Sierra]

...continued...

Okay, so that was the form I used. So far I have visited two schools. I have three more schools I will be visiting. The schools range from $3600/year-$12,500/year for a halfday only, 5 days per week (the top one offering scholarships and running through the elementary years, which is the only reason I am considering it). The average cost is between $6000-7000.

The schools are all within a 40 minute drive from us. The closest one (which blows my mind since I live in New England's second largest city...how could there not be any true Montessori schools here?) is a 20-25 minute drive. That is also the youngest school. It is 3 years old.

Now that I've visited two of the schools, I am truly truly running circles in my mind.

Regarding the first school:

Was the one that is closest to us (the youngest school). It is also very close to where my SIL, BIL and their family live, which is nice on a variety of levels.
It is in the average cost range at $6,250/year.
It is AMI accredited. All teachers are AMI certified.
It does not yet serve children over age six, but there is a clear intention and plan to do so.
It is expanding currently, adding two new 3-6 year classrooms this fall, so there are many slots open. My kido will probably be placed in one of the newer classes because it won't be normalized yet. This was my suggestion, as his particular special needs would be better served by starting out his first year in school with kids closer in age to him (3). The newer classrooms will have a higher ration of three year olds.


What I liked:

The director was very gentle in her demeanor, and I felt pretty comfortable with her.
The school stays very true to the Montessori way.
The school is very diverse, both in teaching staff (though I saw no men, at least in the class I was in) and in the children and their families. There were children in the classroom for which English was not their first language, etc.
The teachers in the class were very quiet.
Though the school has thus far had only very, very limited experience with children who have special needs, the director seemed very open. She just wants to meet ds first to see if the school will be a useful environment for him.
The director seemed to be an acute observer. She also was very interested in the unique person my son is. And she was very kind.
Before I came in, I was given the proper instructions on how to sit and observe. This meant I could see fewer of the materials, given where the chair was located and how large the room was, but it also meant that I wasn't disrupting the classroom, disrupting the Montessori way.
The cycle of enrollment works well for our plan, to enroll ds in the fall. They work within the standard academic year, and then have a different summer program.


What I didn't like:

The school building was newer and had a very institutional feel to it.
There was a musical work the kids used in the class that would not be comfortable for my ds' sensitive auditory system, as it is sharp and when coming up unexpectedly, could completely overwhelm ds' system.
The classrooms were quite large, which wonderfully accomodated more materials but also presented some unique challenges (see below).
While in the classroom (for about an hour), sitting an observing, I really wanted to love this school. I did. It is the best location, a reasonable price, and I loved the director and loved how true the school stays to Montessori standards.

But the thing is, I witnessed multiple incidences of bullying and teasing among the children. Some even getting borderline physical. Because the classroom was so large, this usually went unnoticed. And despite the grace and courtesy lessons the director told me all the children get a lot of early on in the year and again periodically throughout the year, the children were rather rude to one another.

When the teachers did notice what was going on, they used the "minimal intervention" and focus on redirection standard of Montessori, which I suppose should make me feel good. But instead, I became very uncomfortable. No one seemed to take advantage of any opportunity at all to do any kind of learning with the children, helping the children work through their conflicts with one another and learn resolution techniques. It basically felt like a "fend for yourself" system.

Yes, there were about thirty children in the room, and most were engaged in their work and not getting into it with one another. But there were multiple kids also engaged in this negative behavior, and it wasn't all the same kids...it changed constantly.
I also witnessed the person I believe is the lead teacher putting her hands on a child multiple times during one behavioral management incident. It wasn't extremely rough or anything, but it wasn't a gentle hand on her shoulder either. It was more stuff like...um, for example, the child trying to walk away before the adult was done conversing with her, and the adult pulling the child back firmly by the wrist. Actually grabbing on her arm and gently yanking her all the way back. I have no idea what was being said in those moments. The teacher was extremely quiet during all of this. But even though I loved a lot of the other stuff I saw with this teacher, as someone who directs a ministry for kids and knows there are better ways, this made me very uncomfortable.
One of the assistant teachers seemed generally uninterested in her work. She also did some annoying non-Montessori-type things like standing over a child, rather than getting on his level and commanding him in a sort of meaningless corrective manner, "remember to draw on the lines" or something like that.


Regarding the second school:

This school is pretty far away. It is nearly a 40 minute drive, depending on traffic, and the fastest way to get there involves driving on a toll highway. It is not near anyone I know, which also means, that for example, if there was an emergency...well, you know (what's the point in putting someone on the pickup list if they are impossibly far away?).
It is in the lower of the cost range, between $4000-5000/year.
It is AMS affiliated (accredited?). However, only one teacher and the director (there are two classes...one in which the director currently serves as lead teacher) is trained in AMS (she still has to complete her albums). The only bottom line requirement the director set for hiring teachers is that they have a bachelor's degree.
It does not yet serve children over age six, and while there is some interest in some day expanding, when I asked about it, I didn't get a sense that this is being planned at this point (the director simply pointed out the limited size of the building, etc.).
The usual periods of enrollment are in January and June or something like that, which doesn't match our plans as well. And while they accept students year round, I think it would serve ds well to start when the class is sort of "new" and everyone is getting oriented again and again.
This school was less visibly diverse from the first, but wasn't homogenous either.


What I liked:

There was virtually no teasing, no bullying, or similar behavioral issues. The children seemed well practiced in grace and courtesy, and I even heard a teacher instructing a child to talk directly to another child.
Despite the fact that the Montessori method was followed much more loosely (see below), the children were engaged in the material (and most of the children very independently), and the children didn't seem to be seeking tons of adult praise/approval despite the over-involvement of the adults (by Montessori standards). In fact, I saw less engagement in the first school in some ways, and there I definitely observed children seeking praise/approval from adults, so???
The director was open and prepared for the fact that ds might not have learned to use the toilet yet, and were not concerned about this. They were happy to be a part of that learning process.
They seem to have a lot of experiences with children who have special needs. In fact, one of the teachers was a special ed teacher many years prior. And they were ready to work with the school district, which will be providing my ds with some therapeutic educational services. Plus, they didn't seem overly concerned about ds having special needs. They just treated him normally, and didn't mention any potential issues at all. It was like they just assumed they'd be able to integrate nearly any child.
I felt comfortable with all the staff. I could see liking them all. One did get sort of short-tempered with the kids at one point, and was a little loud with one of them. However, I felt like she still handled things better overall than the teacher in the first school who was "hands on" in her discipline.
The classrooms were very moderately sized. This made less room for materials, and presented some challenges for the kids in finding space to work, but it also helped the teachers keep a handle on what was happening in the room. Additionally, the two classrooms were separated only by a partial partition and some visual boundaries with shelves and benches. However, the noise between the classes was minimal and I actually liked that this meant the director could basically have a presence throughout the entire school.
The teachers understood a lot of what ds (who has major articulation challenges) was saying, even on a couple occassions when I didn't know.
The children seemed much more joyful in this school.
ds really seemed to like it there, even though he insisted afterward he didn't like it (I think he wanted me to take him to a different school right then just to have a day of adventuring). And I didn't want to leave myself. It was just such a nice atmosphere for reasons I am not even aware.


What I didn't like:

The Montessori standard was present in the classroom, but as far as I could observe, was not followed meticulously. Take for example the fact that they let my ds come in and be part of the class without any orientation. They encouraged me to bring him with me for the visit (I just assumed he'd be welcome to participate in some manner since they were inviting him and didn't give us any instructions to the contrary, which worked out fine as we've been doing Montessori at home and my ds knows the routine). And they didn't orient us as visitors at all. We were not given instructions just to observe (and how to do that), so we wouldn't disrupt the classroom and the Montessori way.

Both classrooms had a computer (though it was not on during our time there). One classroom was a bit disorderly in an area where the children were discouraged from going because they were not regularly used work items. And immediately upon entering I saw a teacher cleaning up after a child, while the child sat there watching without helping at all. This went on for ten minutes (there was a BIG sand mess).

The teachers seemed, to my outsider eyes anyway, to spend little time observing and instead spent much time engaged with the children in one way or another (sometimes giving lessons, but even that appeared almost rare...many times the teachers seemed engaged in other ways, which I felt didn't communicate as much confidence and trust in the children).

And the director told me that with kids who have special needs, if the school district recommends that the Montessori method not be followed to the letter-T with the child, they can adapt. (Where was the wholehearted commitment to Montessori's ability to meet every child where s/he is at?)

I liked the staff, but I couldn't tell at all what they thought of me. On one hand, after observing me with my son in the classroom and hearing about the stuff we've been doing at home, the director asked me at one point if I had any interest in teaching Montessori (almost as if she was half looking to hire, but I have no idea if I just read too much into it), which I took as a compliment. And one of the teachers seemed to genuinely really like ds, and complimented his ability to handle the Montessori classroom without any orientation (well, he did have an orientation to our homeschool classroom), and said enthusiastically, "he'd be ready to start tomorrow if you wanted him to!"

On the other hand, I felt like the teachers in one of the classrooms were judging me and concerned about ds' participation, but no one told me what they wanted him to be doing. I felt so lost, and so judged, and honestly, I couldn't have observed for long enough if I had to keep ds by my side every moment. The teachers also weren't the warmest toward me (aside from one). In short, there was some element there that was uncomfortable.


So I am spinning in circles. These descriptors make it sound like I haven't found the right school, and maybe I haven't. The first one I really, really wanted to like, and had some good reasons to like, but I also had some big and important and valid concerns. The second school I feel like I ought not to like, as it was not 100% Montessori, but I felt like the kids actually responded to it in a much more Montessori manner-- joyfully and focused and respectfully. How could that be?

[Sierra]

Congratulations on possibly the best post I have read on this subject.

:shy Thanks! But honestly, a lot of this was stuff I borrowed from this thread and other recent threads on this subject.

[Anandamama]

- Teachers giving individual or small group lessons. Teachers should also be able to have time to simply observe the classroom in action, without taking an active role her/himself.


Just want to add: I don't mean to give the impression that a Montessori teacher should be a passive presence in the classroom. Generally, Montessori teachers are very active and involved, responding to the children's needs. But, in a mature, normalized classroom there will be times when the teacher CAN, if she wishes, simply observe, and the children will still continue peacefully going about their business.

[MattBronsil]

Welcome to the world of choosing.

If we really think about Montessori, we can see it broken down into how the child acts between:
--The environment
--The teachers
--The other students

There is also the consideration of location. That may be partially overcome by working with a parent at the school who can help during emergencies. Just make sure you arrange that with the school as well so they can release your son legally to that parent should an emergency arise. The director may be able to help you arrange that.

Your next step may be to take your notes and put them in the columns of "environment" "teachers" "other students" and just a generic "other" column. Weigh out the options and go from there, but that may make things even more clear.

Matt

[arwenevenstar]

I don't know if it is stating the obvious, but for people who are not familiar with Montessori method, I think the following are important:


4. There is no need for a computer in the classroom, and the children shouldn't be using one. (Yes, I've seen this, too.)

In Primary yes absolutely, but in Elementary I think there should be access to one at least. Lots of the elementary program is based on researching information and in all honesty the ability for children to have keyboard and basic computer skills to do this is important.
I think the difference is that a: the children are through the concrete stage and b: MM started this in the 1800s well before the day and age of computers. Today, to prepare our children properly for life, there needs to be a degree of computer competence.

But I am digressing from what is an excellent list. I just wanted to add that it differs from the age group that you observe too. Maybe we should start another list for elementary??

[freistms]

In Primary yes absolutely, but in Elementary I think there should be access to one at least. Lots of the elementary program is based on researching information and in all honesty the ability for children to have keyboard and basic computer skills to do this is important.


ITA!

I was definitely thinking more of a 3-6 classroom. IMO, there is nothing out there that indicates that computer programs do a better job of teaching children the basic skills they are trying to acquire at that age [literacy, math and sensorial skills, etc.] than the traditional Montessori materials. In fact, there is a significant amount of research that shows that Montessori method is far better at teaching these skills than other forms of education.

Admittedly, once the children are past acquiring these foundational skills, computer literacy is a necessity for success in our society, and I agree that children should gain appropriately monitored computer literacy skills at the earliest practical stage of their education!

[LucyRev]

This thread has been really helpful. Just a couple days ago I called the 2 Montessori schools in my area and asked some questions. One whispered to me that the kids were napping so I needed to call back. i crossed that one off the list immediately because there is no way my 5 yr old will nap at noon, and no way I can afford to pay tuition for her to nap.

The other one is sending me information and I will probably call soon to observe.

My DD has been in a playschool co-op for the last year and a half. I wonder how she will be welcomed since she didn't start out in Montessori at age 2 like many of the others probably did. She wasn't ready for any sort of school environment until 3 1/2. I doubt public school kindergarten will be a good match for her learning style. She does not like to be directly "taught". She wants to learn everything for herself, hands on. Montessori seems great from what I have learned so far.



Lastly, to me it was very important when looking at elementary programs that the schools insist that every child, with very few exceptions, had the full 3 or 4 year cycle in primary prior to elementary. I also felt it was important that schools asked for a written (or in many cases, a $500 or more deposit) guarantee that if accepted, the family was committed to the full elementary cycle. Elementary communities work best with stable enrollments!

That seems really unfair and exclusive. I don't think Montessori would have been a good fit for my daughter when she was that young. I can understand why you would want a stable community, but wouldn't a one year agreement be more reasonable? We probably won't be able to afford to have 2 kids in Montessori either, so once it is time for DD2 to go, I'd have to pull out DD1. :(

It seems like the tuition assures that the population is all fairly affluent. How does this affect the children's sense of our society? I grew up in a low income household, in public schools, and moved a lot. My experience was obviously not ideal, but I wonder how the other extreme would be.

[nkm1968]

I also feel that a written contract for schools with out the affluence of most of the private schools would work too---however, in order for the elementary classroom to work for all of the children, there has to be a certain level of committment by each family to keep their child in the environment for the full 3 or 4 year cycle. The problem with NOT expecting that level of commitment to the program from families is that you end up with Montessori preschool rooms with 13 three year olds, 9 four year olds, and 2 "extended day" kindergarten-aged kids, instead of the ideal 1/3 of each year making up the class. ALL of the children benefit from most (if not all) of the children having the full cycle experience. And I totally agree that expansion of public Montessori programs as well as expansion of scholarship programs would be ideal.........but for those affluent families, a deposit that is forfeited if the cycle isn't completed weeds out many families who aren't committed to the method. There are many families of means who enroll in Montessori because of the name-recognition, rather than a conscious evaluation of the school and other alternatives. It is just so hard to see an entire class somewhat ruined by an exodus of the children from the last year of the cycle (whether primary or elementary). I think even a nominal fee for families with financial struggles at least gives you an indication of their commitment to the school.

As an example from my medical practice. I live in a community where close to 30% of children are uninsured, so I do pro bono work for one of my fave progressive high schools for their kids without insurance. Five years ago, I charged these kids and families NOTHING, and had over the year about a 60% "no show" rate. So, then I started "charging" the families $5 per session, but $10 per session if they blew it off without calling 24 hours in advance. This was a signed "contract" prior to starting our work together. Over the last year, my no show rate has been exactly 2 no-shows out of 47 scheduled appointments. There is something about having some sort of an investment that makes people more serious about the commitment. Oh, and before anybody worries about me and my unexpected windfall, it goes right back to the high school.:innocent

[bobandjess99]

Slightly hijacking here....how would you go about evaluating a school when it doesn't exist yet? My town got a grant to start a Public Montessori and they are starting with a 3-6 classroom in the fall. So there is no place for me to visit, no classroom to observe yet. They don't even have materials purchased or the space set up.....the building it is slated to be held in is now maybe on a chopping block for renovation/demolition next year....so.......how in the heck do I go about trying to figure out if the program is going to be any good or not? I'm honestly not even sure of the teachers have been hired yet....
So, assuming all you have to go on is an administrator or possibly teacher/directress to interview, and it is going to be a public Montessori that is being made by the local public school system, what kinds of things should I ask?
My *serious* fear is that it is not going to be a "true" Montessori experience, and instead, some sort of public school/Montessori hybrid that is not at ALL what I want. What are some of the key elements of what a Montessori school should NOT have that a public school has? Like, if you were going to complete the following phrase "
"In a Montessori school, the kids would never...."
"In a Montessori school, the rules would never include..."
"In a Montessori school, the teachers would never..."
On the flip side, what about those statements in the positive?
"A Montessori school should have...."
"A Montessori teacher should..."

i'm just afraid they are going to use a few Montessori principles or something, and *call* it Montessori, but it will really just be public school, but I don't feel like I knwo enough about Montessori to even make that distinction......am I making any sense?

[MattBronsil]

You're making perfect sense.

I would start by contacting both AMS and AMI and seeing if the school is associated with them in any way. You could likely get more information that way.

Matt

[freistms]

I think you have to find out first whether they have hired a teacher. If they have, then you have someone to interrogate. If they haven't, then you could probably ask things about what their hiring requirements are and where their pool is drawn from. Also, if they got a grant, then they should have some sort of written plan for the classroom. Most likely, that will involve plans for what their capital expenditures will be, so you should be able to find out from administration what they plan to buy, even if they haven't bought it yet. I think you have to be a super sleuth. Sounds like a tough situation. Good luck!

[MattBronsil]

One other thought. Are there teacher training areas near you? It is likely that, if it's going to be a good school, they would seek out those training centers for teachers. You may be able to find out from them who is working at the school, what their qualifications are, etc.

[bobandjess99]

One other thought. Are there teacher training areas near you? It is likely that, if it's going to be a good school, they would seek out those training centers for teachers. You may be able to find out from them who is working at the school, what their qualifications are, etc.

Thanks, that wouldnt have occurred to me! The local university has a montessori certification program, its a big thing there.....

[MattBronsil]

I posted this in another forum. It may help.

_______

I sometimes jump on yahoo answers and answer Montessori questions. I came across the question, "What exactly does a Montessori School teach?"

I started typing and it took about a half hour to answer. So I wanted to share it with others. The last part is the most important part, in my opinion.

__________________________

Since you asked in preschool, I assume you're asking about the Montessori 3-6 classroom. Although there are programs in Montessori for infant all the way up through high school, I'll answer with 3-6 and try to give you a good, broad picture of the rest of the educational system as well.

Maria Montessori was actually a medical doctor who later became in charge of a small day care area where she wanted to see if her ideas on education that she formed while working with mentally retarded children would work on children that generally had no known medical issues that would inhibit their learning. This is important because, being a doctor and scientist, the Montessori method is a very scientific method of education.

What Maria Montessori did was observe children. She set up an environment where children were free to explore. Through the practical life materials, they began to develop life skills of how to care for themselves. They began to develop their senses through the sensorial materials. They began building their concentration to fascinating levels. They began taking on an inner discipline that confused teachers who came in to try to give them rewards, to children very uninterested in medals, candy, and other such external rewards. Everyone was amazed at how easily these children learned to read and write, do math, and treat each other with respect. They did it all while loving it as well, which is even more amazing.

It wasn't long before Montessori schools branched out into what are traditionally thought of as more academic areas. In the 3-6 curriculum, there are 6 overall areas:

--Practical Life: This area is designed to help students develop a care for themselves, the environment, and each other. Children learn how to do things from pouring and scooping, using various kitchen utensils, washing dishes, shining objects, scrubbing tables, and cleaning up. They also learn how to dress themselves, tie their shoes, wash their hands, and other various self-care needs. They learn these through a wide variety of materials and activities.

While caring for yourself and your environment is an important part of Montessori Practical Life education in these years, it also prepares the child for so much more. The activities build a child's concentration as well as being designed in many cases to prepare the child for writing. For the first three years of life, children absorb a sense of order in their environment. They learn how to act a certain way naturally by absorbing it. These ages, from 3-6, the children are learning how to both build their own order and discover, understand, and refine the order they already know. So it's typical for you to see a child spend a half hour working on one practical life activity with a strong concentration and attention to detail. Language preparation comes in many forms in the practical life area. The setup is from left to right, top to bottom, as much as possible. Many of the fine motor skills being used involve a pencil grip and help the child develop that grip to be able to later use a pencil more easily.

--Sensorial: All learning first comes to us through the senses. By isolating something we are trying to teach the child, the child can more easily focus on it. For example, we do not teach colors by having the child think of everything that is blue - blue jeans, the sky, iceburgs, a picture of a blue cartoon elephant hanging on a wall. We teach them by using color tablets. The color tablets are all exactly the same except for one thing - their color in the middle. This helps take away the confusion for the child and helps them to focus on specifically what blue is. We also feel it is important to be exact with children and provide them with correct information. We do not call an oval an "egg shape." An egg isn't even in the shape of an oval - it's in the shape of an ovoid. Children learn much more quickly if you're exact and accurate with them, since it takes away so much of the confusion. The sensorial area also falls over into the math area quite regularly. The red rods in the sensorial area are a direct link to the segmented rods in math that teach 1-10. The pink tower has a connection to units and thousands that the child learns later in the 3-6 curriculum. Even the trinomial cube will be used in the elementary years to figure out complex mathmatical formulas.

--Cultural: This includes both the studies of the world and various cultures. Montessori children come out of a 3-6 environment not only understanding the concept of a continent, country, and state, but also the names of many countries around the world. I had one student that fell in love with the Montessori maps and decided to learn all the countries of the world by the time he was finished with Kindergarten. More power to him. He came pretty close, but just had fun doing it and it was easy for him, so why stand in his way?

More importantly, the goal is to get an understanding that there are various cultures and these cultures have a lot to offer us. When a student is doing the map of Asia, pictures, stories, facts about different Asian countries, and a variety of learning opportunities open up to give the child a real sense of the world and how it is different - even within the same area.

--Science: Children at this age are very detail oriented. They know what a bird is. Now they want to know the various body part of a bird. They want to know the life cycle of different animals. They begin to really look at the parts of a plant and wonder, "What are those long things coming out of the middle of a flower?" The science curriculum takes the opportunity for the child's natural questioning and draws a fascinating curriculum for the 3-6 age range. What I really enjoy about this area is this is where I learn the most. Children ask questions I cannot answer, so I have to find it out. Or we might be studying something I know nothing about, so I have to learn as well. When the teacher is learning, the children really see that and get excited about learning too.

Language: The language curriculum involves everything from vocabulary development to writing to reading. Children learn their basic letter sounds through the use of sandpaper letters, where the letters are cut from sandpaper and glued to a wooden board. As the child traces the letter, they get a real image for how the letter feels. They can also feel if a mistake was made because of the different feel of the sandpaper from the board. They begin making words before they can read words with the movable alphabet. It's fun to watch children spell out a word, but not be able to read it. Quite interesting, too.

--Math: The math area is the area most people find the most fascinating. Children go from a very concrete understanding of math to a more abstract concept. Children in a Montessori classroom know the difference between 1, 10, 100, and 1000 because they have felt it countless times. They felt it originally in the pink tower and later in the math materials. It includes things such as addition and subtraction of 4 digit numbers, basic multiplication and division, and the understanding of various mathmatical concepts such as odd and even.

The learning goals of Montessori are quite different than that of traditional education. By not having set goals that have to be met, the child is free to explore these materials and activities when he or she is ready. As a result, we get the maximum results the child can produce rather than something set by a syllabus. If we were to say that Montessori does have goals, it would be to develop a person who:

--Has a lifelong love of learning
--Has a more empathetic view to the world
--Is self-motivated
--Is able to form answers and analyse situations on his or her own rather than relying on someone else, such as a teacher.
--Has internalized discipline
--Understands that no matter what they do, they are an important part of society

With that comes a very individual respect for each child by the teacher. The teacher sees them not as either children that can follow the rules or can't follow the rules. The teacher sees them as a developing person who has great potential that should be fostered.

Hope this helped!
Matt

[MattBronsil]

Can we make this a sticky topic? I've referenced it and pointed people to it a few times, but always have to go searching for it.

[turtle2who]

This is a GREAT thread!

[Lillianna]

Providing materials for directresses to beautify their classrooms and attract the child:
http://montessoridetails.com/

Montessori books and language card materials:
http://maitrilearning.com/

[Lillianna]

For general information as well as lessons and materials:
http://www.infomontessori.com/index.htm

[MattBronsil]

A little more information.

My friend is making a web site about Montessori and asked me to help answer some questions. Here's what I just sent her and thought I would pass it on.

Her web site is http://montessori.weebly.com

_______________________________________

Q: Montessori teachers do not teach -they leave that to the materials and the older children.

A: There is a common misconception that Montessori teachers do not teach. This is because when we think of teaching, we imagine a person standing in front of a room telling things to people and they try to take it all in. This is one way to teach, but as Montessori schools show, it is not the ONLY way to teach.

What teachers really do is help us to understand, remember, and process information. That is what really defines the role of the teacher. In Montessori, there is almost a "back door" method used to teaching. Where traditionally, teachers tell students new information and they take time to practice it. In Montessori, students practice the information and once they have a clear understanding, they are taught the information. In essence, by the time the teacher steps in to help the child learn the vocabulary of a work or directly pointing out specific concepts, the child already has his or her own experience of the work to draw upon.


Q: Montessori only works for smart children
Montessori only works for self motivated children
Montessori only works for children from wealthy families
Montessori does not work for learning disabled children


A: All the "Montessori only works for..." type statements are not quite correct. Is Montessori a perfect solution to every situation? It would not quite be correct to say yes to that. However, the match does not really fit into a stereotyped mold of what certain children are like. To say it will only work for "wealthy families" denies the fact that it started in the slums of Italy. That is where the magic really began.

To say it only works for "smart children" is actually confusing to a Montessori person, because we view all children as smart.

What Montessori seeks to do is move EVERY child ahead. That's our goal. We're not trying to get some children to a certain standard then stop teaching them so everyone else can catch up. We're not taking a child that has many difficulties and letting them fall behind or rushing to get them to a certain point. What we are trying to do is move children ahead. We take where they are and keep them progressing in social, academic, emotional, and physical development.

Many of these stereotypes are, unfortunately, justified by experience. Anyone can open a school and decide to put "Montessori" in the name. Sometimes that means people open a school and decide, "I'm also going to push out the children that have any behavioral or learning problems." It is a terrible thing, but it happens. Is it Montessori? No. And I hope this web site helps to clarify what is good Montessori and what is not.

Montessori is also often very costly. There are not enough public Montessori schools and I hope more and more parents begin to put pressure on the school boards to bring about that change. The cost of running a private school is expensive. So the stereotype comes in that Montessori is only for rich families. I hope that changes. Most schools are competitive with local private school prices.

Where I see problems with Montessori "not working" are in two cases:
1) When the school is not a real Montessori school (discussed above)
2) When children are in a good Montessori school, but the parents are not on board with Montessori philosophy.

Many parents send their child to Montessori because they know the academics are stronger. Or they have an incorrect idea about Montessori and think children are just "allowed to do whatever they want" or "are controlled all the time." What Montessori seeks to do is provide inner discipline. It also provides a safe environment for the child to develop his or her own personality. That is something that conflicts with many parents who have a strictly authoritative style to parenting or want conformity to a certain ideal.

Either way, what matters is the question, "Is Montessori ideal for MY child?" That means taking the time to visit the school, see how things are working, and asking a lot of questions. You might even find some Montessori schools that are wonderful, but just do not feel right for your particular family's needs. Do not worry about the stereotype of "Montessori is only right for ____ type of child." They are ALL wrong. Montessori is right for the children who are in a good school and have good parental and teacher support. That's the only stereotype that fits.


Q: Montessori teachers don't believe in discipline

A: My response to this is always, "Then why are the children working so well and so disciplined?"
When there are 20-30 children all working together and respecting each other while learning a lot, what more could you want from a disciplined classroom? Isn't that the very definition of discipline?

[Lillianna]

Here is a wonderful website dedicated to using the Montessori Method at home for the ages of birth - 3:
www.dailymontessori.com

[montdad]

If you've got questions about Montessori, you've got to read this new book out called [I]Montessori Madness! A Parent to Parent Argument for Montessori Education[I]It is very accessible, folksy, a fun-read with the meaty Montessori stuff woven in. Dad's will love it too. I know, I'm one. I haven't seen it available except at the website www.montessorimadness.com

[Lillianna]

Hi MontDad!!
This book looks very well done, thanks for posting.
Lots of Montessori down there in Texas, right?

[MattBronsil]

Just e-mailed and asked how much it will cost to send it here. Can't wait to order it :)

[Lillianna]

Financial aid and scholarships
http://www.montessori-omi.org/7.html

[Lillianna]

Here is something I recently wrote on this topic to add:
Basic Montessori fundamentals:
3 year age span - except in toddler
3 hour work cycle - no interruptions for compulsive circle time or whole group "specials"
well prepared, complete set of Montessori materials and progression of lessons
well trained Directress (I prefer AMI, this is my training. Other training programs have sometimes slight, sometimes significant differences in sensorial, language and math presentations)
Other considerations:
mistakes and their corrections: mistakes should be addressed at neutral moments in a positive, not punitive, lesson
control of error: children should be solving their own problems and correcting errors independently with the didactic materials
The atmosphere should be one of calm, peaceful and productive harmony. The discipline we are seeking is active and spontaneous.
The materials should be kept in good condition with thought put into aesthetically pleasing and natural materials.
You should see the older children working with advanced materials in language and math. They should be challenged and joyfully engaged.
Younger children spend alot of time observing the older children and participating in practical life, music and movement activities.
Respect and care for self, others and the environment is a prominent theme.
The emphasis is not so much on what the children are learning but on how they are learning...are they learning to direct themselves to productive activity, are they learning how to organize their work and how to persist through challenges? These are the points that mark an authentic Montessori environment.
Good luck!

[MattBronsil]

Great post, Lillianna.

I'd also like to add the practical life also includes stuff that the older children would find interesting. It shouldn't just be a lot of pouring work, but scrubbing, polishing, washing, etc. should be included...multi-step activities that engage the 6 year old as well.

Matt

[Lillianna]

Yes Matt, so true. The children continue to benefit from practical life throughout the various planes of development yet it is tailored to offer increasing challenge. For the oldest children in primary, we have a few food preparation activities such as baking pretzels, pizza, granola and muffins, they love the work bench (hammer, drill and screws) and the advanced sewing activities as well.