Tag Archives: Montessori school

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.

Five Questions to Ask at a Preschool Open House (Repost from October 2016)

As this is a common time of year for families to begin their preschool search for the next school year, we would like to once again share with you some pointers when attending a preschool Open House. An Open House provides parents with a firsthand impression that cannot be replicated via a website or a brochure. The opportunity for parents to establish a personal connection with the administration, the teachers, and the classroom environment is one that shouldn’t be missed.

Moreover, an Open House gives parents the opportunity to ask questions to help determine whether the school is the right fit for their family. If you’re just starting out on your family’s preschool search, begin by asking the following five questions when attending preschool Open Houses:

  1. What is the school’s educational philosophy?

Today, there are dozens of different philosophies and methods applied in preschool settings.  First, do your research. Once you know a bit about the different early education philosophies, you may be able to narrow your search based on what you believe fits in with your family’s values and educational goals.

At The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA), we believe that a Montessori education benefits children in so many ways. Montessori classrooms are designed to recognize and address various learning levels and styles. Teachers take unique roles as classroom guides and observers, providing children with the freedom and opportunity to learn at their own pace within a carefully prepared, stimulating environment.

It’s also important to determine how strictly the philosophy is adhered to at each school. This is particularly important if you are looking at Montessori schools. Many parents are unaware that the American Montessori Society (AMS) has established guidelines for adhering to Dr. Montessori’s practices. Programs that work with AMS are required to uphold high standards in areas including teacher certification, classroom preparation, and parent education regarding Montessori education. The Montessori Children’s Academy is an AMS Member School.

  1. How does learning take place at the school?

Children must have opportunities to explore how things work, to move their growing bodies, and to engage in activities that they find enjoyable. Especially with preschoolers, hands-on activities involving multiple senses often better facilitate the growth of children’s natural curiosity and their interest in learning for learning’s sake. When attending an Open House, ask what types of activities the children participate in during their school day. How much time is spent in teacher-directed activity? Do children have opportunities to make choices and move throughout the classroom? What types of learning materials are used?

The materials in Montessori classrooms are attractive, inviting, and meaningful. They also grow with the children, as the lessons move from concrete to abstract concepts. Every aspect of the Montessori classroom promotes the development of fine and gross motor skills, the expansion of new knowledge, and the joy in learning. Children have a balance of independent work time where they choose what they would like to do, small group learning lessons, and large group activities. Learning opportunities are integrated into all aspects of the Montessori classroom.

  1. What is the school’s standard for teacher qualifications?

Some early childhood facilities, like cooperative programs run by local parents, and traditional day care centers, do not require state or nationally recognized teaching certificates for their staff. Regardless of the type of school setting, it is important that preschool teachers understand how children grow and learn. You will also want to find out whether teachers and their assistants are trained in CPR and First Aid, and if they regularly attend continuing education workshops to stay current in their field.

If you are looking exclusively at Montessori schools, check that the teachers have their Montessori teaching credentials. This will ensure that they have been trained in the Montessori Method by a qualified teacher education program. You can learn more about AMS Montessori teaching credentials from the Montessori Center for Teacher Development.

  1. How is discipline handled?

Preschools have a very important responsibility in how their teachers manage their classrooms and help children grow and develop in a healthy, safe environment. Since preschool is often a child’s very first school experience, how discipline is handled can make a difference in how children view school and how well they succeed in learning.

MCA focuses on positive discipline and conflict resolution. Teachers are keen observers in their classrooms, and they are carefully trained to manage a variety of situations before there is any escalation of improper behavior. Redirection, positive reinforcement, and logical consequences allow teachers to help children learn respect, self-control, and responsibility in the most natural of ways. Peace Education is also a significant component of the Montessori curriculum, and children are guided through conflict resolution techniques with the aid of teachers and peers. Montessori classrooms are communities, and children learn that every member of the classroom is valued and important.

Later this month, MCA will host guest speaker Teresa LaSala, a positive discipline expert and author. If you are interested in learning more about this topic, please consider attending this Parent Education event, as it is open to the public. Details can be found on MCA’s website.

  1. What will a typical school day look like for my child?

This is an important question because it will help to alleviate some of the common anxieties that parents have when the first day of school arrives. Understanding how the day flows will help you to determine if your child will be comfortable in the classroom. As young children thrive on routines, it would be helpful to learn about things like what the procedures are for eating snack or lunch at school, using the restrooms, spending time on the playground, or having a resting time. It is important to know how much structure is in the school day. You might also ask what opportunities the children have for socializing with peers, spending one-on-one time with the teacher, or learning responsibility by having a classroom job.

At any Open House, it is important to get a feel for the facility and to meet the staff. Above all, you want to be able to picture your child in the classrooms. If possible, bring your child along to the Open House so that he or she can meet the teachers and interact in the school space. Watching your child explore might make your choice just a little bit easier.

The Montessori Children’s Academy is hosting Winter Open Houses at each of its campuses on the following dates:

Morristown: Saturday, January 21, 2017, 9:00-11:00AM

Chatham: Saturday, January 28, 2017, 9:00-11:00AM

Short Hills: Saturday, February 4, 2017, 9:00-11:00AM

 

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Montessori Around the World

Last spring, Montessori education made international headlines when the United Kingdom’s Prince George was enrolled at a Montessori school in England. George’s family has a history with Montessori education; his late grandmother, Princess Diana, worked in a Montessori school as a young woman. Diana later sent her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, to Montessori schools. Royalty aside, the Montessori approach has stretched across continents since Dr. Montessori first entered the classroom at Casa dei Bambini in Rome in 1907. We’d like to share with you a little bit of the story about how the Montessori philosophy made its way around the globe.

The Beginnings of the Montessori Method in Italy

The Montessori Method was born in Italy when Dr. Maria Montessori, one of the first Italian female medical school graduates, turned her interest to the field of education. Intrigued by her observations of children, Dr. Montessori began developing specialized materials to facilitate the children’s natural tendencies to explore and their desire to do things for themselves. She also worked extensively with teachers at training institutes, eventually conducting her own Montessori teacher training sessions, using the materials she developed to help teachers reach a wide range of students and promote their independent learning and growth.

The Spread of the Montessori Philosophy

After the publication of Dr. Montessori’s books The Montessori Method and Pedagogical Anthropology, the Montessori message spread beyond Italy and into England, France, Spain, Switzerland, Argentina, and the United States. Some schools adapted Dr. Montessori’s methods into their existing curricula, while other schools were being created specifically to follow the approach Dr. Montessori outlined in her books. International teacher training sessions were well attended, as more educators wanted to bring this innovative and effective approach to children in their home countries.

Due to political turmoil and the breakout of war in Europe in the 1930s and 1940s, Maria Montessori lived as a political refugee in many different countries, including Spain, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. During this time, she continued to travel widely, giving lectures about her philosophy and peace education.

Maria Montessori passed away in the Netherlands in 1953, where the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), established by Dr. Montessori, remains headquartered. This is significant because the Netherlands is a country known for its culture of tolerance and its support of education. After her death, Dr. Montessori’s son, Mario, carried on his mother’s legacy, enlightening educators about the Montessori Method throughout the world.

Montessori in the United States

Some of Montessori’s earliest supporters in the United States included the likes of Alexander Graham Bell and Margaret Woodrow Wilson, daughter of the President. However, her philosophy didn’t truly strike a chord in the world of American education until the 1960s when Nancy McCormick Rambusch returned to the United States after being trained under the guidance of Mario Montessori in Europe. With Mario’s support, she later founded the American Montessori Society (AMS). A resurgence of interest in Montessori education was cultivated, and new Montessori schools began to crop up throughout the country. Today, AMS oversees thousands of schools in the United States. Montessori schools that are affiliated with AMS are held accountable for upholding the classroom standards set forth by Dr. Montessori.

Montessori Around the World Today

Today, approximately 20,000 Montessori schools serve children from birth through 18 years of age. The Montessori Method, with over 100 years of practice, is recognized worldwide as an educational approach that helps children achieve their fullest potential. Montessori schools are often the first educational choice for immigrant and expatriate families because of the international recognition of the Montessori philosophy. The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA) has certainly experienced this phenomenon in recent years.

MCA’s International Community

MCA’s school community reflects the international acceptance of the Montessori philosophy. Our area is culturally diverse in part because of the many international companies headquartered here. When international families relocate, they have a desire to enroll their children in Montessori schools because the philosophy is already familiar to them. In addition to the many MCA families born and raised here in America, our schools include families from Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, India, Pakistan, China, and Australia. Due to this diversity, a celebration such as the International Day of Peace becomes even more meaningful. Diversity also allows our students to expand their knowledge of different cultures and traditions, which we believe will encourage them to grow into tolerant, responsible, and informed global citizens.

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Notes and sources for this post:

The Montessori Children’s Academy is an AMS member school and the Montessori Center for Teacher Development is our Teacher Education Program that is fully affiliated by AMS and accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE).

MCA Book Club Inspires Summer Reading List

By: Alex Chiu

In the fall of this past school year, The Montessori Children’s Academy (MCA) was proud to host Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore as a guest speaker for a Speaker Series event.  Dr. Kennedy-Moore shared her professional insights on a variety of parenting topics, balanced with her own honest experiences as a mother of four.  She was an engaging speaker, and she enlightened everyone who attended this special event.  Her focus on the topics in her book Smart Parenting for Smart Kids stirred up lively conversation.  The book, which is filled with vignettes and strategies for raising smart kids who will become healthy, happy, and independent adults, raised a great deal of interest and intrigue among the audience members.

In order to keep the conversations going, MCA sponsored a Parent Book Club featuring Smart Parenting for Smart Kids in the spring of 2016.  Twenty parents from all three MCA campuses participated in the six weekly sessions, with each week zeroing in a different topic of discussion taken from sections of the selected book.  A Head Teacher at each campus guided the conversations where parents exchanged personal experiences about the challenges of parenting, asked questions, and bonded over the content of the conversation.

The Book Club provided a platform for delving into a variety of issues that were commonly experienced by members of the group, and together, using the book as a guide, they brainstormed methods for better understanding and helping their children.  Certainly this was the common denominator for the group – all parents seek new techniques for working with their children as they grow up.

We reached out to Dr. Kennedy-Moore and invited her to share some background information about why she wrote Smart Parenting for Smart Kids. She shared the following:

“One of the comments that my co-author, Mark Lowenthal, and I hear a lot from parents in our practices is “My kid is smart, but…” The “but” could be that their children get very upset when they make mistakes, or they have trouble getting along with other kids, or they constantly argue with adults… These parents know that their children are bright, but they worry because they also know that it takes more than school smarts to create a satisfying life…

This book is about helping children develop inner strength and outward empathy. The world tells bright children that their performance matters; they need us, their parents, to tell them that they are much more than the sum of their accomplishments. They need to know that we love them for their kindness, curiosity, imagination, determination, and sense of fun. Qualities like these aren’t necessarily impressive, but they matter deeply.”

MCA’s Director of Montessori Development, Camilla Nichols-Uhler, added that many of the tenets in Dr. Kennedy-Moore’s book complement Montessori education, making this book choice something which dovetails with what our parents are learning about how their children work within a prepared Montessori environment.  She explains:

“In Montessori classrooms, teachers guide the children to develop solutions to challenges and problems in a practical way while at the same time gaining self-confidence.  Children find ways to be successful working independently and in groups through each stage of their development and throughout their Montessori education.  The focus is not just on academics, but also on developing the whole child.  Smart Parenting for Smart Kids and the Montessori philosophy share the value of nurturing the whole child.  Parents learn how to lay the best foundation at home just as we lay the foundation for our students’ academic, social, and emotional growth while at MCA.”

Our Book Club facilitators and parent participants enjoyed Dr. Kennedy-Moore’s book and the discussions about positive parenting that ensued at the club meetings.

Mrs. Gallo, one of the club facilitators, shared her experience with us:

“I thoroughly enjoyed hosting the MCA Book Club.  The parents were great and really positive and supportive of each other.  We had five parents and most were able to attend the entire series. We typically started out with the chapter topic, but often parents had parenting issues that they wanted to talk about.  The biggest takeaway from the series was tuning into the child by reflecting what the child is saying.  This enables the child to know that you heard him or her and allows the parent to slow down and focus on the child.  I think a forum for parents to come together and discuss parenting concerns is so needed…  All-in-all it was a positive experience…”

With so many challenges facing parents and children today, having a place where people can come together to exchange ideas and glean insights from experts and peers can alleviate some of the stress of parenting.  It can also foster feelings of confidence when parents realize that they are not alone and that there are people and resources out there to support them in their efforts to be the best parents that they can be.  As the saying goes, “It takes a village.”

A parent participating in our Book Club commented:

“The Book Club offered me an opportunity to pause and reflect on some of the struggles I face as a parent in addressing my children’s needs.  I found it helpful to hear other parents’ experiences and to discuss strategies with them….  I enjoyed participating in the Book Club and found it helpful, overall.”

We were thrilled by the positive response to our inaugural Parent Book Club and are looking forward to hosting another in the 2016-2017 school year.  Stay tuned to learn when it will be held and which book will be the focus for the next set of meetings!  If you were unable to be a part of our Parent Book Club this year, we recommend that you add Smart Parenting for Smart Kids to your summer reading list. And while you’re at it… Here are some other titles you may want to check out while traveling, lounging poolside, or just taking a lemonade break in your backyard:

  1. Montessori Madness!: A Parent to Parent Argument for Montessori Education, Trevor Eissler
  2. The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness: Five Steps to Help Kids Create and Sustain Lifelong Joy, Edward Hallowell, MD
  3. The Big Book of Parenting Solutions, Michele Borba, Ed.D.
  4. Getting It Right with Children, Madelyn Swift
  5. Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius, Angeline Stoll Lillard
  6. Parents Do Make a Difference, Michele Borba, Ed.D.
  7. The Pressured Child, Michael Thompson, Ph.D.
  8. Raising a Self-Disciplined Child, Roberts Brooks, Ph.D. and Sam Goldstein, Ph.D.
  9. Building Moral Intelligence, Michele Borba, Ed.D.
  10. Generation Text, Michael Osit, Ph.D.