Category Archives: Montessori Philosophy

Peace

By Alex Chiu

“Peace is every step,” wrote Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, mindfulness teacher, author, and peace activist. In his many books, he offers suggestions for how we can find peace in any and every moment, especially the most hectic ones! This sage one would probably love spending time in a Montessori classroom where he could see that peace, indeed, is in every step the children take at school. Within everything a child does in the Montessori environment, there is an underlying lesson which helps to build the foundation of living mindfully, joyfully, and peacefully with ‘every step’.

This peace education begins on the very first day of school when teachers introduce lessons on Grace and Courtesy. They model the use of simple words and actions that demonstrate respect and regard for self, others, and the environment. Children learn the polite way to greet people. They are shown how to carefully walk around the work rugs of their classmates and how to move throughout the classroom slowly and with care. Vocabulary for interrupting someone or asking for something is provided and practiced. All of this early groundwork sets the stage for a classroom community whose members can work together and enjoy one another, while at the same time promoting a peaceful, safe, warm environment in which the children can learn and grow.

After these early Grace and Courtesy lessons, the children begin their exploration of the Montessori materials, making their way to the Language, Math, Cultural, Practical Life, and Sensorial areas. All of these areas of the classroom are filled with enticing ‘work’ for the children to do, leading them to wonderful academic discoveries. But mastermind that she was, Dr. Montessori incorporated ‘secret’ lessons into the materials she developed. In addition to teaching an academic skill, each activity is also a lesson in mindfulness and part of Montessori’s goal of education being a vehicle for peace in the world.

When using any of the Montessori materials, children must navigate through several steps. These include setting up a work space (either at a table or on a floor work rug), retrieving the material from the shelf, performing the tasks required to complete the work, returning the work to the shelf when finished, and then cleaning up the work area. The children’s movements must be planned, precise, and peaceful in each step. As they traverse throughout the classroom, they must negotiate the other people and furniture in the environment. When attending to their work, they have been shown how to use the material purposefully and carefully. The children understand that the care of the materials benefits the whole class, and they want to make sure things are taken care of for themselves and for everyone in their classroom. The beauty of the materials captures their attention and inspires their interest and careful consideration. Children take their time as they work. They aren’t rushed to complete one thing in order to move on to another. Instead, they are in charge of their work time which is safeguarded in an uninterrupted work cycle which facilitates their investigation of the materials and allows them to explore without being hurried along to the next activity. They enjoy the work that they do!

Many Montessori classrooms also include a special Peace Table where children might be found raking sand in a Zen garden, observing seasonal items from nature such as seashells or pinecones, or balancing a collection of smooth stones. Even the youngest Montessorians engage in these peace activities either at a Peace Table or in their other lessons chosen from across the curriculum. As shown in the lovely photograph above, some of the children in one of our MCA 2 ½ – 3 ½ classrooms took time to create beautiful ‘nature mandalas’ using a collection of items from nature in combination with pretty glass seashells and stones. Providing children with such opportunities allows them to observe nature, to make a connection with the materials, to mindfully take time to create a pretty display, to sit peacefully, and to take delight in the work that they completed.

Peace, indeed, is every step in the Montessori way. We take heart in knowing that Montessori education continues to promote peace in the development of our children, and we remain hopeful that the children will live out these lessons of peace as they grow and move about in our world. We wish everyone a joyful, peaceful 2019!

Celebrating the International Day of Peace

By Alex Chiu

Once again, The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA) will be joining with people worldwide to celebrate the International Day of Peace on September 21st. “Peace Day”, as it is sometimes referred to, began in 1981 when the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution to have “a day devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples”. In 2001, the organization officially chose September 21st as its fixed date for the celebration of Peace Day, and the tradition continues on today.

Each year, the UN chooses a theme for the celebration, and this year’s theme is “The Right to Peace”. In our homes, in our schools, in our communities, and in our world, we hope everyone aspires to peaceful living. However, we know that peace isn’t always or easily achieved. Still, peace is something that we can all work towards with effort, practice, and guidance. Learning how to be peaceful is central to what we hope to pass on to the children we serve at MCA not just on September 21st, but every day.

Montessori education, at its core, incorporates peace education across all areas of the curriculum. From the very beginning of her research and educational practice, Dr. Montessori sought ways to educate the ‘whole child’. Every aspect of Montessori’s work was geared toward helping children in order to help the world because she believed that children were the ‘promise of the future.’ Most of us would agree with that sentiment today, and thankfully, we have Dr. Montessori’s guidance and time honored traditions to know how we can work best with children to facilitate a more peaceful world. Montessori’s educational methods and the materials she so carefully constructed aimed at providing children with ways to develop important skills and to work through challenges. The Montessori philosophy incorporates the essential ingredients needed to foster not only discovery and learning, but also peace within the child, peace within the classroom community, and ultimately, peace in the world. From Montessori’s teachings and example, we know the importance of preparing an environment for children where they learn about order, self-discipline, grace and courtesy, respect, kindness, empathy, problem solving, character, and global awareness, in addition to their academic lessons. This type of learning, this way of addressing the ‘whole child’, certainly is a path to peace.

And so we celebrate both the International Day of Peace as well as the values of Montessori education this September 21st! As is tradition, everyone at all three MCA campuses will participate in singing “Light a Candle for Peace” at 9:30AM. Should you like to mark this special day in a very simple way, you might consider taking a moment of silence at 12:00 Noon to join in the efforts of the organization Pathways to Peace to create a “Peace Wave” along with millions of others around the world to honor and inspire the work we all are called upon to do in order to be peacemakers.

As Dr. Maria Montessori said “Times have changed, and science has made great progress, and so has our work; but our principles have only been confirmed, and along with them our conviction that mankind can hope for a solution to its problems, among which the most urgent are those of peace and unity, only by turning its attention and energies to the discovery of the child and to the development of the great potentialities of the human personality in the course of its formation” (The Discovery of the Child).

May we all work together to create a world where everyone everywhere is able to enjoy and exercise their ‘right to peace’. And may we all help our children learn how to carry on this important mission. Wishing you all a happy Peace Day!

For more information about the International Day of Peace and other peace initiatives, check out these websites:

http://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/
www.singpeacearoundtheworld.com
http.://internationaldayofpeace.org
pathwaystopeace.org

Farmers Markets and Montessori

By Alex Chiu

August is perhaps one of the most colorful months of the year, especially if you take some time to visit any number of local farmers markets in the area. Fruits and vegetables in rainbows of hues fill the baskets and tables, inviting a closer look at their beauty. Who knew there were not only red and yellow tomatoes, but orange, purple, and striped ones, as well?! Beets, red and golden, inspire something new for the upcoming week’s menu. Cauliflower, bright white, neon green, or even purple, might find its way into new family recipes. The variety of fruits and vegetables available at this time of year is such a welcome sight. Some are common and well known and loved—something to enjoy and savor again and again. Others are surprising and completely different, and they welcome us to give them a try, offering us a chance to find a new favorite to include at our tables at home.

As strange as it sounds, walking through a farmers market on a Saturday morning elicits images of a Montessori classroom. The markets are filled with colorful, carefully cultivated, and specifically chosen items, made available for us to explore, investigate, and learn from as we take our time moving from one stall to another. Our senses are awakened to the colors, flavors, and textures before us, and who can resist the beauty and opportunity within each market item? The markets are also a place for community. We meet the farmers, learn from them, and share our experiences. We might provide feedback about last week’s purchases, describe a new recipe we tried with some of the grower’s ingredients, or ask questions about additional benefits or usages for what they have brought to the market. We learn together. We see how we are different, how we are the same, and how we are connected in it all.

Similarly, Montessori classrooms invite students to do the same sort of exploration and discovery as they entice students with their carefully prepared materials specifically developed by Dr. Montessori to support child development. The materials are heirlooms of her teachings passed on to promote the growth of new generations. The Montessori materials, intentionally pleasing to the eye, draw the students’ attention and invite them to use them as they delight their senses and develop new skills. The Montessori classroom, like the farmers market, is also a community. Students and families come together to learn, share experiences, ask questions, and develop personally. Montessori students, teachers, and families also grow together as a community, acknowledging one another’s strengths and needs, and working together to promote growth in all.

So, as the summer continues on, consider taking in a farmers market or two with your child. Identify what’s familiar, and find out more about what’s new. Enjoy the fruits of the season, and make some discoveries about nature together. Before you know it, school will be starting up again. And when September arrives, even as the produce available at the farmers market changes and begins to dwindle, you can be assured that with the start of another school year, the fruits of Montessori education will continue to flourish and grow all year long.

A Day in the Life of a Montessori Teacher

by Alex Chiu and Sue Gallo

What is Montessori, Montessori classroom, Montessori preschools

A teacher’s carefully prepared environment

Montessori teachers possess a special passion for their chosen field of education and a strong desire to promote the growth and well-being of children in their classrooms. They approach teaching with warm hearts, open minds, careful attention to detail, and a strong commitment to the Montessori Method and to their students. Here’s a peek into one teacher’s preparation and progression through a ‘typical day’.

I have thought long and hard about how best to describe a ‘typical’ day as a Montessori teacher. The first thing that comes to mind is preparation. Preparation is one of the essential elements in the Montessori classroom, and a typical day begins with preparation for the children even before we enter the school. Every day, Montessori teachers have a ‘plan’ for each individual student. We believe it is important to follow the child, and to do that we need to know the children and provide each one with guidance in the areas that will help him or her grow. Being prepared for every school day means knowing which students are ready for new lessons, which need a bit of support in completing a work, who could use some extra attention, and who might be ready to take on new class leadership roles. Using her or his skills of observation from each day in the classroom, the Montessori teacher plans how to approach and work with the students on a daily basis. This preparation is ongoing, and many Montessori teachers find themselves involved in this type of preparation at home, in the car, and in the classroom, as they are always looking for ways to make the most of each day for each child. As Dr. Montessori said, “Our care of the child should be governed, not by the desire to make him learn things, but by the endeavor always to keep burning within him that light which is called intelligence.”

Beyond preparing how to work with our students, another type of preparation we engage in is the preparation of the environment. Monthly, we prepare our room with work that focuses on a variety of Practical Life skills. We try to keep the work fresh and inviting to draw the students to this area so that they can continue working on skills that develop eye-hand coordination, left-to-right orientation, and concentration, just to name a few. Using seasonal colors, or enticing objects, we carefully arrange the materials in an organized and beautiful way. We teachers often try out the work ourselves to make sure it is appropriate for a young child to use, with just the right level of difficulty. We also change our Science activities or add something new to the Cultural shelves or the Art area in order to engage and challenge some of our older students or to extend a lesson of interest to the class. According to Maria Montessori, “The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences.” She also believed, “The teacher must not content herself with merely providing her school with an attractive environment; she must continuously think about this environment, because a large part of the result depends on it.”

On a daily basis, we always take care to make sure that each area of the classroom is in order, with clean shelves that hold complete, carefully placed materials. When we arrive at school around 8:00AM (or earlier), we make sure chairs are in place, fresh water is added to the necessary materials in Practical Life, fresh food preparation work is set out, and that the work in each part of the environment is inviting. In some MCA classrooms, we prepare other items, such as the classroom job chart, fresh paint in the Art area, or pet food for the feeding of the class pet. Each day we remember, as Maria Montessori did, that “To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.”

Once the physical classroom is prepared, we remember to prepare ourselves with a smile and a positive attitude, grateful for another Montessori day! Dr. Montessori stated, “It is not enough for the teacher to love the child. She must first love and understand the universe. She must prepare herself, and truly work at it.” So we teachers work to present our best selves every day. By 8:30AM (or earlier in some classrooms), we begin to greet the children at the door. We welcome them in and depending on the classroom, the Assistant Teacher may read a story or have a conversation with the children at circle as they wait for their classmates to arrive. In other classrooms, students may begin choosing their work from the shelves for their work cycle immediately upon entering the classroom. It is always a joy to see our students in the morning, as they come to school filled with anticipation and excitement about what they will be doing that day!

At some point during the morning, students will have the opportunity to go outside on the playground. Outside playtime is an essential element of childhood. The children need fresh air and outdoor movement, and their free play is a chance to socialize and play creatively outside the classroom walls. As teachers, we use this as yet another opportunity to observe, facilitate, and enjoy time with our students. We observe both the leaders and the children who need some help interacting with others. We see opportunities to foster relationships on the playground and in the classroom. We take very seriously Dr. Montessori’s tenet that “To stimulate life, leaving it free, however, to unfold itself – that is the first duty of the educator.”

When we return to our classroom, students may finish their morning jobs, teachers may present new work, and other students may share something with their classmates, which encourages listening and speaking skills. After being outdoors, we are ready to go back to work. The children are allowed and encouraged to choose work to which they are drawn. Teachers facilitate a work period during which children can become absorbed in what they are doing with few interruptions. The children are absorbed because they have the freedom to choose to work with something that is fascinating to them in their particular stage of development. All the while, the teachers are observing, presenting lessons, and facilitating learning. We enjoy hearing the delight in students’ voices as they make new discoveries, achieve goals, and solve problems. The steady low hum of classroom activities tells us that our classroom is productive. We strive to achieve the goal set forth by Dr. Montessori when she said, “The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, “The children are now working as if I did not exist.””

After the work period, some teachers ring chimes to end work and prepare for lunch. The children clean up their work, wash their hands, and get their lunches. Lunch is an extremely valuable learning time. Children are encouraged to be independent as they set up their lunch spaces and open their containers. Teachers help them to ‘do it themselves’. As we learned from Maria Montessori, “We must support as much as possible the child’s desires for activity; not wait on him, but educate him to be independent.” Throughout the day, students practice grace and courtesy, but this is especially true at lunchtime. Just as we do on the playground, teachers use this time to join in casual conversations with our students and to listen to how they interact with one another, all the while tucking our observations into our memory banks to help us in the future. When finished, the children clean up after themselves, taking good care of their classroom before they leave.

To end the morning session, students and teachers gather together on the carpet to conclude the day with songs or a story and always good conversation. As children await whoever is picking them up from school, they have this final time as a community until we meet again the next morning. After the last child has left, we will check our emails or voicemails for any parent communications, confer with our Assistants or other Teachers about the day’s events, and perhaps attend a school meeting with the Director or other staff.

Once the students are dismissed and any teacher meetings have concluded, the typical day ends in much the same manner that it began. We inspect each area of the classroom to make sure the materials are complete and in order, put away any water or food work, complete the clean-up of tables, chairs, and the floor, and ensure the environment is safe and clean. As we move about the room, we also reflect upon our observations of the day, taking down notes about student progress, concerns, and the general classroom climate. We take time to consider which lessons students will need the next day, what types of guidance to provide to certain students who were especially quiet (or noisy or unsettled), and how to make sure each child is challenged, secure, and attended to – all in preparation and anticipation of… tomorrow!

“Whoever touches the life of the child touches the most sensitive point of a whole
which has roots in the most distant past and climbs toward the infinite future.”
~ Maria Montessori

Eye on the Montessori Elementary Experience

By Alex Chiu

Most people equate Montessori education with early childhood or the preschool years. However, did you know that there are Montessori programs which begin serving children in infancy and extend up through the elementary, middle, and high school grades? For families who embrace the Montessori philosophy, they truly do see Montessori education as an ‘education for life’ and something that continues throughout their children’s school years and beyond. Many adopt a Montessori approach to their family home life, especially if there is not an opportunity to continue in a Montessori program beyond preschool. We are lucky in that The Montessori Children’s Academy offers programs which invite families to begin the Montessori journey at age 18 months in the Montessori, My Child, & Me child-caregiver program and continues with programs for Preschool, Kindergarten, and Lower and Upper Elementary students. The MCA Elementary Program, one of the few Montessori Elementary programs in our area, serves students in grades 1-8 and is located at our Short Hills campus.

MCA Elementary Highlights
Let’s take a peek into just some of the unique opportunities that students have when they continue their Montessori education beyond the Preschool and Kindergarten years and move into the Elementary Program. Our MCA Elementary students benefit from many varied and unique experiences both in and out of the classroom. Here’s a sampling of just some of the special activities they’ve participated in so far this school year.

The MCA Garden
This year, our MCA Elementary students have taken over the responsibility of maintaining our school garden. When the weather was warmer, the students used tools such as pitchforks and hand trowels to clean up the garden and pull out bulbs that were no longer needed. Next, they will begin indoor planting in February. Students have also been in contact with the Master Gardeners of Essex County to help plan their garden. They even tied the garden to math lessons as they measured the area and perimeter so that they could draw, to scale, graphs of the garden in order to plan how they will utilize the space most efficiently. The garden is just one example of how our students connect with community members, such as the master gardeners, and extend their learning beyond the classroom walls. It also illustrates cross-curricular learning where gardening meets math, science, and more.

Practical Life Skills Put to Work
The Montessori Practical Life exercises came in handy to the Elementary students recently. They decided they needed to adjust the height of some classroom tables, so they grabbed screwdrivers and went to work. The students made tables taller so they could fit more comfortably, as they have all grown so much this year! Here, too, students took the lead in problem solving, putting their skills to use in a practical way, and working together for their classroom community’s comfort and well-being.

Exploring History and Making Predictions for the Future
Our Elementary students have been continuing to study pre-humans and the theory of evolution. In order to understand how scientists develop theories based on evidence, the students analyzed models of pre-human skulls. They wrote down observations, drew what they saw, and compared the skulls to one another. The students then developed theories based on what they saw, as well as their prior knowledge from class lessons, to hypothesize what the skull changes meant for humans and why these changes might have occurred. One student even took it upon himself to predict what evolutionary changes could happen in the future and why those changes might occur! Montessori students continuously build upon prior learning, making connections and discovering ways to answer their many thoughtful questions.

Protons, Neutrons, Electrons, Oh My!
To kick off our chemistry studies, the MCA Elementary students explored atoms! The students used three-part cards and books to learn about the different parts of an atom. Some students took the initiative to take their studies one step further. Here you can see 3-D atoms built by our students with materials they found around the classroom. Montessori students are hands-on, engaged, active learners!

What Montessori Elementary is All About
It’s important to note that our MCA Elementary Program maintains the hallmarks of the Montessori philosophy, keeping its true values at the core. Here is what Montessori Elementary (and beyond) is all about:

Classroom Community
One thing that remains consistent in Montessori education across ages is the mixed-age groupings of the students. The benefits of the mixed-age group are clear when students fluidly move from one level to the next as they are ready, not limited by age or grade, and as students learn from one another, with each bringing different talents and skills to the classroom. A younger student may already be an ‘expert’ in dinosaurs because of a vast amount of interest and research done on the subject, so that student might take on a teaching role to share his or her knowledge with the others, regardless of whether they are same-age peers, or younger or older students. Students take on various leadership roles at different times throughout the school year, and all work together in a way similar to how families function, with each class member taking on different responsibilities and everyone working together for the common good of a happy, productive, learning environment.

Teachers Who Guide Students
Montessori Elementary teachers have a certification that is specifically designed for teachers working with the elementary age groups. Using their finely tuned observation skills, they adapt lessons to the needs and readiness of their students, continuously offering appropriate, challenging, and engaging activities. Montessori teachers act more as guides than lecturers, helping their students understand that the students must take ownership of their learning, which makes their learning so much more meaningful. This is not to say that Montessori teachers don’t ‘teach’. They meticulously prepare their classrooms, work alongside their students, and provide all of the support necessary to promote active, challenging, and real learning in their classrooms.

Montessori Materials and More
Elementary students may continue to use some of the same materials familiar to them from their Primary classes, but they do so in a much more advanced, sophisticated way. The materials grow with the students, moving them ever forward from concrete to abstract thinking. Supplementing these Montessori materials are important curriculum materials that equal and surpass what is being presented in traditional elementary schools. These may include supplemental writing exercises, literature, science tools, and current technology. What is different is that Montessori students continue to have the freedom to explore these varied academic components after having been provided with initial guidance by a teacher. After an introductory lesson on a material or concept, students move forward with their learning at their own pace, oftentimes seeking out independent study of special areas of interest. Very often, learning is interconnected across subject areas, and students can see how the skills they learn in their core academic areas work together in so many real life situations.

An Uninterrupted Work Cycle
The work cycle of the Elementary classroom is similar to the Primary class in that the Elementary students also have a long, uninterrupted work time. During this work cycle, they may move from one activity or subject to another, completing experiments, writing essays, doing research, and working independently, in small groups, or with a teacher. The school day also includes special classes, such as Spanish, Music, Art, Technology, Physical Education, and Health.

Peace Education and Community Connections
The MCA Elementary Program continues developing the students’ global awareness and civic responsibilities through the ongoing Peace Education curriculum. This includes not only learning social graces, but also incorporating environmental education and involvement in community service activities. Students are encouraged to make community connections, and as they do, they discover that there is so much that they have to offer in making the world a better place starting right within their own communities.

Continuing a Montessori education beyond the preschool years allows children to further develop their love of learning while taking ownership of their education. Elementary students in a Montessori environment are provided with the opportunities to follow their interests and identify their passions. With the support and guidance of their teachers, these older Montessori students apply knowledge to new areas, make connections among subject areas, and delve deeper into each area of study. They come away with skills that stretch beyond strong academic performance. From their Montessori experiences, they learn how to learn, how to ask questions and seek answers, and how to be part of a community that works together for the benefit of all.

 

For more information about Montessori elementary in general, you might enjoy reading Montessori Today by Paula Polk Lillard, which provides an in-depth look at what Montessori elementary education is all about. We also invite you to visit our website at www.TheMontessoriChildrensAcademy.com for more details about our MCA Elementary Program, or call our Short Hills campus at 973-258-1400 to schedule a tour to visit and see for yourself.