{"id":409,"date":"2017-02-14T15:43:14","date_gmt":"2017-02-14T15:43:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/?p=409"},"modified":"2017-02-14T15:43:14","modified_gmt":"2017-02-14T15:43:14","slug":"classrooms-filled-with-character","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2017\/02\/14\/classrooms-filled-with-character\/","title":{"rendered":"Classrooms Filled With Character"},"content":{"rendered":"

While many parents today continue to put an emphasis on the academic rigor of their children\u2019s education, more and more are asking how schools are addressing their child\u2019s development of character. We hear buzz words like \u201cgrit\u201d, \u201cself-motivation\u201d, and \u201cemotional intelligence\u201d, and begin to worry that our children are not adding these skill sets into their personal repertoire. Indeed, many schools are incorporating \u2018character building\u2019 into their curricula along with \u2018anti-bullying\u2019 and other similar social development and prevention programs. Adding these types of curricular areas is a beneficial component to a more holistic educational approach. Those who have been involved in Montessori education as former students, parents, or educators might find it interesting that current trends are just now catching up to something that Montessori education has been doing for more than 100 years.\"\"<\/p>\n

Dr. Montessori believed in \u201ceducating the human potential\u201d. The potential she referred to was not limited to academic potential, but rather reached beyond the limitless possibilities we all possess to learn and do meaningful things. Every aspect of Montessori education contributes to educating the whole child. Let us look at what it is about the Montessori approach that contributes to character building:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The Environment<\/strong><\/a>: Children entering a Montessori classroom for the first time are introduced to the various works on the shelves by a teacher. The children learn how to handle the materials with care. After using a particular work, they know to return it to the shelf so that the work is ready for the next person. Children learn how to walk around the work rugs on the classroom floor. They receive lessons in making a \u2018safe chair\u2019. They learn to wait for a turn if something they want to do is being used by someone else. They learn to work cooperatively with their peers in a non-competitive environment. These seem like simple lessons, right? That is where Montessori is magical. These are so much more than simple lessons. At their core, these are lessons in safety, respect, and patience. To handle the materials with care keeps them in good condition for the benefit of everyone in the classroom. To move safely about the classroom demonstrates concern for others and their well-being. To learn to delay gratification and be patient is an enormous lesson in self-control. Respect, care, concern for others, and patience\u2014character building in progress!<\/li>\n
  2. The Work Cycle<\/strong>: Over the course of the school day, Montessori students are given an \u2018uninterrupted\u2019 period of time in which to choose and do their own work. They have the freedom to decide which activities from the shelves they would like to do, and so long as they are working purposefully, they may work with the materials for any length of time. This work cycle is another example of a multi-purpose lesson in Montessori education. By providing children with the opportunity to make choices, they learn decision-making skills, responsibility, and accountability for what they do. In addition, they build concentration and persistence by being permitted time to work on an activity without being rushed to complete it. This often results in children gaining mastery over skills and an understanding that \u2018hard work pays off\u2019. Again, we see character being developed through these opportunities as children gain skills in decision-making, persistence, concentration, and the rewards of self-motivation and diligence.<\/li>\n
  3. Peace Education<\/strong><\/a>: We have already shared the importance of Peace Education in Montessori curriculum. It bears repeating, however, as this is another central and direct method of imparting values and building character in our students. Learning that there are peaceful methods for solving conflicts and providing children with tools for positive problem solving all contribute to well-rounded, healthy, communicative individuals, both inside and outside of the classroom.<\/li>\n
  4. The Mixed-Age Classroom<\/strong>: Montessori classrooms consist of students across a 3-year age span. Much like in families, everyone in the classroom has his or her special role and important responsibilities. Older students act as mentors and role models in Montessori environments. Younger students learn from classmates as much as they do from a teacher. There are opportunities for collaboration and many discussions in which everyone participates. Working and learning together in a mixed-age setting promotes acceptance of differences, appreciation, and respect for individual skills and gifts, and an ability to work with a variety of people.<\/li>\n
  5. The Teacher<\/strong>: Montessori teachers often are referred to as \u2018guides\u2019, which is a fitting term for their role in the classroom. They are the primary example-setting individuals in the classroom whom children are meant to model. Their words and actions deliver messages of how to speak kindly, respectfully, and clearly. And the teacher\u2019s role in observing the needs of the children in the class is crucial, as it is the teacher who then presents lessons and creates an environment that meets the needs of the children who are served in the classroom.<\/li>\n
  6. Stories as Teaching Tools<\/strong>: Many Montessori lessons revolve around The Great Stories. As children learn about time, history, math, and language, they learn these things in the context of stories that make sense as a whole and in a context children understand. In addition to these \u2018teaching stories\u2019, many circle time lessons in Montessori classrooms incorporate children\u2019s literature rich with examples of virtuous characters. These stories are the springboard for classroom discussions, role-playing, and games to help students better understand how character makes a difference. Stories and fables about courageous mice, boys who cry wolf, hardworking pigs, and more, help children come to value these good qualities in the heroes of these important stories. Students are encouraged to share thoughts and ideas, and to apply the lessons in their everyday interactions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Long ago, Dr. Montessori knew the importance of educating the \u2018whole child\u2019\u2014from the academics to character development. She said, \u201cThe child is capable of developing and giving us tangible proof of the possibility of a better humanity. He has shown us the true process of construction of the human being. We have seen children totally change as they acquire a love for things and as their sense of order, discipline, and self-control develops within them…. The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.\u201d (Education and Peace). Indeed, these Montessori classrooms are filled with students of great character who are a beacon of hope for our future as they are learning the skills they will need to be productive, peaceful citizens of the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    While many parents today continue to put an emphasis on the academic rigor of their children\u2019s education, more and more are asking how schools are addressing their child\u2019s development of character. We hear buzz words like \u201cgrit\u201d, \u201cself-motivation\u201d, and \u201cemotional intelligence\u201d, and begin to worry that our children are not adding these skill sets into […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":414,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[3],"tags":[208,82,38,138,54,210,52,207,53,181,211,154,137,70,209],"coauthors":[15],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Garden.jpg?fit=3776%2C2265&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7icff-6B","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":806,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2019\/03\/06\/celebrating-montessori-education-week-at-mca\/","url_meta":{"origin":409,"position":0},"title":"Celebrating Montessori Education Week at MCA!","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"March 6, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"By Alex Chiu \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 A sampling of MCA student projects on display at local libraries for Montessori Education Week We at The Montessori Children\u2019s Academy celebrate Montessori education each and every day, but for one week out of the year, we join together with schools from around\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Early Child Education"","block_context":{"text":"Early Child Education","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/early-child-education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":263,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2016\/09\/29\/montessori-around-the-world\/","url_meta":{"origin":409,"position":1},"title":"Montessori Around the World","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"September 29, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Last spring, Montessori education made international headlines when the United Kingdom\u2019s Prince George was enrolled at a Montessori school in England. George\u2019s 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\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Montessori Philosophy"","block_context":{"text":"Montessori Philosophy","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/montessori-philosophy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Montessori Childrens Academy NJ","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Camilla-Patch-1.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Camilla-Patch-1.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Camilla-Patch-1.jpg?fit=600%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":230,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2016\/07\/28\/school-is-in-session-for-mctds-adult-learners\/","url_meta":{"origin":409,"position":2},"title":"School Is In Session for MCTD\u2019s Adult Learners","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"July 28, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"By: Hannah Ferris with Doreen Adamo and Bernadette Fasolas The summer months are filled with activity at The Montessori Children's Academy (MCA). \u00a0We are busy running our MCA Summer Camp, preparing our classrooms for the upcoming school year, and our Teacher Education Program, Montessori Center for Teacher Development (MCTD), is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Montessori Philosophy"","block_context":{"text":"Montessori Philosophy","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/montessori-philosophy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/mctdCourse1.jpg?fit=450%2C300&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1245,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2024\/01\/25\/a-montessori-journey-for-adults-educating-the-educators\/","url_meta":{"origin":409,"position":3},"title":"A Montessori Journey for Adults: Educating the Educators","author":"Tori Inkley","date":"January 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doreen Adamo, Program Director of Montessori Center for Teacher Development \u201cThe real preparation for education is a study of one\u2019s self.The training of the teacher who is to help life is something far morethan the learning of ideas. It includes the training of character;it is a preparation of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Adult Learners"","block_context":{"text":"Adult Learners","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/adult-learners\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/MCTD-Blog4.jpg?fit=1151%2C980&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/MCTD-Blog4.jpg?fit=1151%2C980&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/MCTD-Blog4.jpg?fit=1151%2C980&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/MCTD-Blog4.jpg?fit=1151%2C980&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/MCTD-Blog4.jpg?fit=1151%2C980&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":253,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2016\/09\/16\/sing-for-peace-international-day-of-peace-celebration-2016\/","url_meta":{"origin":409,"position":4},"title":"Sing for Peace!: International Day of Peace Celebration 2016","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"September 16, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"September 21st may not be a date you recognize, but around the world and in our Montessori community, we look forward to celebrating the International Day of Peace on this day.\u00a0 Established by the United Nations in 1981, the International Day of Peace began as a way to promote a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Giving Back"","block_context":{"text":"Giving Back","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/giving-back\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Montessori Children's Academy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/image1.jpg?fit=1200%2C809&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/image1.jpg?fit=1200%2C809&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/image1.jpg?fit=1200%2C809&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/image1.jpg?fit=1200%2C809&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/image1.jpg?fit=1200%2C809&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":438,"url":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/2017\/04\/05\/the-importance-of-the-montessori-kindergarten-year\/","url_meta":{"origin":409,"position":5},"title":"The Importance of the Montessori Kindergarten Year","author":"Alex Chiu","date":"April 5, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I had the pleasure of running into a recent graduate of The Montessori Children\u2019s Academy (MCA) and his family at breakfast last weekend. I asked him how he likes first grade. He told me, \u201cFirst grade is awesome,\u201d and launched into an impressive monologue about his math class, his soccer\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Early Child Education"","block_context":{"text":"Early Child Education","link":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/category\/early-child-education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"montessori childrens academy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/monkey-bars-playground.jpg?fit=1200%2C917&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/monkey-bars-playground.jpg?fit=1200%2C917&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/monkey-bars-playground.jpg?fit=1200%2C917&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/monkey-bars-playground.jpg?fit=1200%2C917&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/monkey-bars-playground.jpg?fit=1200%2C917&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/409"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=409"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/409\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":416,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/409\/revisions\/416"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=409"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=409"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themontessorichildrensacademy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}