Philosophy Highlights

Philosophy Highlights

We made it through two weeks of philosophy training! It was amazing. The things I think I'll most take away from that is this:

1.) Follow the child

This is something you'll hear a lot from a Montessori teacher. Children have "sensitive periods" where their brains are primed to learn a specific skill. You've seen it, that 3 year old that is obsessed with lining things up, they are in a sensitive period for ORDER. You're 4 year old who just wants to know what 3 + 12 is, how tall that mountain is, how many degrees is the sun? They are in the sensitive period for MATH. There is a sensitive period for Language, order, movement, small objects, refinement of the senses, grace and courtesy, writing, reading the spatial relationships. 

A "normalized" child will naturally gravitate to those things that fulfill that need, and a Montessori classroom is set up in a way to provide an environment rich in objects and materials that will also fullfill that need for learning when the child is most ripe to receive it. the Key to "follow the child" is to give the child the freedom to choose for themselves. It's this liberty that is the key to a child who is following their sensitive periods, learning self-discipline and just being really happy!


2.) Observe observe observe!!!

A Montessori teacher doesn't teach in the traditional sense. She presents lessons, yes, but she lets the child teach themself, through interactions and experimentation with the environment. This is where true learning takes place, experimentation. The materials in a Montessori classroom are set up in a way so that a teacher doesn't even really have to be there after the initial presentation. They are self correcting, so that the child can tell when they've made a mistake. this means that the teacher is free to observe the child, to see where they are excelling, where they are struggling, clues to their development, likes and dislikes. When we know the child, that is when we are most able to help them succeed. 


3.)  teach the child to do it themself

Children want to be free, the best way to free your child, do empower them to do things themself. Children become fussy, and throw a tantrum because they feel controlled. What if they could do the things they need to all on their own? Children in the Montessori method  are taught to dress themselves, make their own meals, clean up after themselves, choose their own activities, and more. 

Montessori Philosophy

I am so impressed with the training so far! I've loved leanring the philosophy behind the method , and what influenced Dr. Montessori to create the methodology that she did.

Here are the basics of Montessori Phillosophy:

What is Montessori?

• Montessori is a HANDS ON learning environment where children work with MATERIALS,  to develop a CONCRETE UNDERSTANDING of the world, then move to the ABSTRACT CONCEPT. Children learn at their OWN RATE through SEQUENTIAL CURRICULUM with INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTION. Montessori offers a GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE where children develop RESPONSIBILITY and INDEPENDENCE through CHOICE and RESPECT.

 

What are the Elements to a Montessori Education?

• Auto-education
• The children teach themselves. You give the lesson and then get out of the way, observe and take notes, but let the child use the material to teach themselves.
• Control of error- child can check their own work to see if they're correct and not ask the teacher

• Didactic Materials
• Designed to teach a specific concept.
• Isolation of difficulty. There is only 1 skill they are trying to learn.
• Ex. pink tower. Isolation of difficulty is the fact that they are ONLY trying to discriminate  it by SIZE (not shape or color too)
• Ex. all geometric solids are the same size and blue

• Individualized education
• "follow the child" philosophy. You give the child WHAT they need WHEN they need it, regardless of what your schedule is
• Makes it so INTEREST does not stagnate and also they are not pushed beyond interest or ability

• Prepared environment
• Geared 100% to the child. Few if any materials should be in the classroom that are off-limits to the child.
• Promotes ownership.
• Everything is child size and inviting to the child

• Teacher as a guide
• It is the teacher's job to guide, not direct. "it is our job to shed a ray of light and be on our way.
• "we are not the sage on the stage but the guide on the side"

 

 

 

What are the areas of study in a Montessori Curriculum?

• Practical Life
• Sensorial
• Math
• Language
• Cultural
• History
• Geography
• Botany
• Zoology
• Science
• Art
• Music
• Movement

To learn more about the philosophy for yourself, check out some of these books. This is also the list required of trainees to read during their training.

• Secret of Childhood
• Discovery of the Child
• Montessori- A Modern Approach
• The Absorband Mind
• The Montessori Method
• Maria Montessori- Her life and work

Psssst! the Absorbant Mind and The MOntessori Method are FREE if you download them from google books (the Montessori Method) or for the kindle (The Absorbant Mind)


I do more on the Philosophy of the Learner and the Role of the Learner next.
Thanks for reading, please feel free to post your comments and questions!

First Week of Training- Philosophy

                                                Us enjoying a lecture by Linda.

                    First Week of training!

 

I have enjoyed this first week of training so much! I can't believe that we've learned so much in so little time. I'm training with five wonderful gals, 2 from my school, 2 from outside the school who might be joining us here, and the instructor- the great and powerful Linda Kahlil (long time teacher and trainer here at MVA).

 

Let me break down for you- in case your interested in taking the training yourself- what's expected during the training, the projects, the deadlines, all that good stuff.

 

EXPECTATIONS:

• 3 observations done by a teacher one you
• 3 observations of students you have to do at a certified school
• 1 year long internship at a school under a certified teacher
• 1 year long project where you research a subject or create a curriculum
• 4 essays on the philosophy of montessori
• Put together 8 albums for all the different montessori subjects (philosophy, practical life, sensorial, math, language, culture, art/music/movement)
• these albums are 1/2 pre-ordered lesson plans and the other half self-made lesson plans
• you are responsible for making 2 lesson plans, 1 original lesson and 1 extension lesson for all subjects
• also need to write 1 rationale for all subjects (2-4 page paper)
 
 

 

 We also have 6 books we need to be reading and include notes from these readings in our albums, as well as quotes and information from the readings in our rationales and essays. the books are:

 

1. Maria Montessori: her life and work
2. Montessori Method (free download on google books)
3. The Discovery of the Child
4. Montessori: a Modern Approach
5. Secret of Childhood
6. Absorben Mind (free download for Kindle)

 

 

 

 This whole first week has been the philosoophy behind the Montessori method. The philosophies and science behind the method, learning about the role of hte montessori teacher, the environment, the role of hte learner and child development and modern research on how children learn.

 

It's all mind blowing!

 

I feel like Neo in the Matrix where he gets his first download, mountains of info poured into his brain in a few seconds via and with an amazed/dazed look on his face he says...."Wow, I know Kung-Fu".

 

More on the specifics of the philosophy later. Hope this was informative for all you wishing to learn more about the training!

1 day until training begins!

My training to become a AMS (American Montessori Society) certified teacher starts on Monday! I am so excited! So before it begins I wanted to let you all have a brief overview of what the process entails.

first- to become a certified Montessori teacher you need to attend a training facility that is accredited by either the AMS or the AMI, the two major Montessori organizations. But, since Maria Montessori, the founder of the method, did not trademark her name, there may be many schools claiming to offer Montessori training that are not sanctioned by many schools.

Thankfully, I work at the only AMS certified Montessori training center in Nevada. (lucky me!)

Second- you need 350 face-to-face instruction
third-There is a year long internship as a student teacher under a certified teacher of at least 2 years
fourth- three observations by a certified teacher of your teaching during your internship
fifth- complete a year long project
sixth- complete lesson resource albums for all the major curiculums (ex. practical life, sensorial, language, math, etc.)

A year long process, but it's worth it! There are thousands of Montessori schools in the US and thousands more around the world. And I'm sure that as we see traditional schooling fall short again and agian, more and more people will see the need for schools like the ones that implement the Montessori method.


I'm most interested right now in picking my year long project I'll be working on during my internship year. One of my fellow teachers who is already certified did hers on creating hand-made materials for the classroom. Another on yoga.

I believe I'll do mine on food education. Gardening, nutrition, the whole bit.

Excited!