Technical issues...
I have to fix the picture after Christmas!
Why is it always the template....
Merry Christmas to all!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
More reflections from the Handbook
Sensorial, Language and Math
Dr. Montessori was first and foremost a scientist prior to an educator. Her system of education was built systematically based on observation and experiment. The priority for the education of the senses includes:
"1. Recognition of identities (the pairing of similar objects and the insertion of solid forms into places which fit them.)
2. Recognition of contrasts (the presentation of the extremes of a series of a series of objects.
3. Discrimination between objects very similar to another." (Montessori Handbook, p. 109)
She made a distinct point in the Montessori Handbook that the nomenclature in the sensorial material comes only after the child has had the opportunity for use. "In every exercise, when the child has recognized the differences between the qualities of the objects, the teacher fixes the idea of this quality with a word." (Montessori Handbook, p. 124) AFTER the child has explored the pink cubes, you introduce the language "large" and "small" and only these two words. There is a very distinct emphasis on vocabulary. {"Large/small" – all proportions, "thick/thin" – cross section (brown prism), "long/short" – length only (red rods), "tall/short" – height (cylinders), "wide/narrow" – diameter(cylinders), "dark/light" "darkest/lightest (color tablet) } The child develops a very specific vocabulary which allows him to make observations, classifications, discriminations, categorize and order his thoughts and impressions. She specifically mentioned the Prepared Environment as necessary for helping the child develop this vocabulary.
Given the enriched environment that many children come from, many of these children already know some understanding of these terms. It may be one of those areas that misconceptions have formed. It's also an area that some children demonstrate a far more elaborate understanding and are exploring the subtleties of both language and properties that are NOT the extremes.
The foundation and preparation for mathematics come from adequate use of the sensorial materials, including the development of a distinctive vocabulary. Ordering, classification, sorting and matching are early prenumeration skills. (See specific post on Knobless Cylinders and Bee Pape- draft)
Physical control
So often we teach children to carry no more than one item at a time. "For instance, when they carry three or four tumblers at a time…" (Montessori Handbook, p. 136) It seems that this desire came from teachers working to control the children in their classroom and ensure success. Dr. Montessori encouraged the children to carry what they successfully could because they knew they were responsible for success. Recently I worked at a school where there was a child that was tremendously uncoordinated. He would only carry one dish, but he's the one that always broke it. He always felt bad, and he always wanted to clean up. Those children that choose to carry more understood their abilities.
Silence
A note on Silence.. It is only with the consent of a group that silence can be achieved. If even one child is incapable of holding themselves still, it will disturb the silence. The implication behind this is that you must initially introduce silence effectively with a very small group and then ask others to join. It may also be a place where peacemaking activities, yoga, and the candle can come into play. The children in our lives are so unused to silence. Even many adults are uncomfortable with silence.
Professional Priorities
1. School Development
- Financial feasibility Plan
2. Professional Development
- CA certification
- Conference presentation
- Journal writing
- DAP
- Professional Development
- Independent Montessori certification
- Consider AMI certification
3. Curriculum
- Peace education
- Science
- Geography
- Cultural
- Art
4. Get Smart!
- Organize CPE / handouts; turn into reference materials
(How to re-engage child positively, classroom management)
5. Personal
- Comprehension Montessori preschool curriculum /Cosmic education
- Expansion of Montessori map
- Montessori philosophy
Monday, December 14, 2009
Calendar
At a school that I was visiting recently, they took the idea of a calendar to the idea of wall art. On two walls they had two gigantic circles that were divided into twelve pie like segments. Each segment represented a month and was painted a different color by the children. There were no numbers or days of the weeks posted. It was a beautiful graphical representation of the passage of time over the school year.
New ideas for classroom by Sharon Caldwell
Have the third year students really done all the work they could do with the Golden Beads? Then move to the stamp game. Have they worked with all the maps? Made their own? Written
in the capitals? Matched puzzle pieces to flags? If they have done, say the life-cycle of the butterfly, maybe explore the lifecycle of the silkworm - how is it different how the same? Make their own cards for the new creature using the butterfly ones as a model but trying to draw their own outlines for the silkworm ones from looking at the silkworm and it's cuccoon? What about letting them go into the garden with a camera and photographing flowers, and them making three part cards for that (or simply matching cards for younger children to use?).
by Sharon Caldwell
in the capitals? Matched puzzle pieces to flags? If they have done, say the life-cycle of the butterfly, maybe explore the lifecycle of the silkworm - how is it different how the same? Make their own cards for the new creature using the butterfly ones as a model but trying to draw their own outlines for the silkworm ones from looking at the silkworm and it's cuccoon? What about letting them go into the garden with a camera and photographing flowers, and them making three part cards for that (or simply matching cards for younger children to use?).
by Sharon Caldwell
Cylinder Extensions by Cathie Perolman
The Cylinder Game.
Each child has a box of knobless cylinders. They take their cylinders out
and place them on the lid. Then the child who thought of the games selects a
cylinder and places it in the center of the container. The child to his
right has to find a cylinder that is the same diameter or the same height
and places it in the center as well. That turn proceeds until each child has
had a turn. Then each child puts his used cylinder in the box and the next
child to the right begins the cycle again.
This is a nice way to engage five year olds and it lets you say the words
height and diameter.
by Cathie Perolman
Each child has a box of knobless cylinders. They take their cylinders out
and place them on the lid. Then the child who thought of the games selects a
cylinder and places it in the center of the container. The child to his
right has to find a cylinder that is the same diameter or the same height
and places it in the center as well. That turn proceeds until each child has
had a turn. Then each child puts his used cylinder in the box and the next
child to the right begins the cycle again.
This is a nice way to engage five year olds and it lets you say the words
height and diameter.
by Cathie Perolman
Monday, October 26, 2009
New Ideas, Humor and Discontent
The AMS Montessori conference was several weeks ago in LA. I didn't get to attend as many workshops as I would have liked to do, but I went to several and I'm glad that I spent money to buy the presentations of others on CD's.
"The religion of my training school and I'm orthodox!" by Marlene Barron in a session about observation. I loved this. We have to do it the way we learned... Never mind that other training centers are different, and might have a different approach. Never mind that in other parts of the world they might do it differently. Outside of the US, children often learn to carry weight on their heads- maybe we should put the pink cubes in a basket. Why do we always stack them up? We put the geometric solids in a basket. What about observing the child? What about properly preparing the environment to meet the child's needs?
Maybe we should actually place the pink cubes in a basket. Maybe it will actually allow the children to carry WEIGHT to work their developing bodies. Children love the ability to carry "heavy" objects. What if we did put the pink cubes in a basket? The youngest children might have to carry the objects one at a time. The oldest children might work on the strength of their bodies or work with a friend to carry the basket. Would it be an interesting and challenging work to place all the blocks on the floor? Would they still see the control of error built into the material when they accurately built the pink tower?
Bee Pape talked about math GAMES and patterning and sorting of the knobless cylinders. "Always present a material more than one way. That way they learn that they can explore." I know some of the work she looked at. Math researchers- Constance Kamii who used the work of Piaget and developed it. Other ideas and theorists besides Maria Montessori, but everything that we need can exist in a Montessori classroom.
There was another talk by Jonathan Wolff. It was about classroom management. "Let's tell the children that they may not work with a material. Why don't we just call them a sociopath right now while we're at it?" The list was long... many teachers can generate a lot of behaviors that do not help a child develop. Some solutions for off task children included exhibiting excitement and a "may I watch?" behavior. He was hilarious. ( I want to listen to the CD, and come back to this one.)
I was frustrated to hear of the amount of dissatisfaction with AMS or the AMS/AMI division. It seems to be a continuing problem for everyone that AMS doesn't seem to have strong standards but that many AMI schools and teachers have concerns hiring teachers that are not AMI trained. It's possible that we need an individual certification process at some level. The initial training can be high quality but variable. Subsequent training can offer many benefits and individuals can learn many things. However, what I've seen is that AMI schools will shut their doors to teachers from any background that is not AMI. This may be an area that I want to get personally involved in.
"The religion of my training school and I'm orthodox!" by Marlene Barron in a session about observation. I loved this. We have to do it the way we learned... Never mind that other training centers are different, and might have a different approach. Never mind that in other parts of the world they might do it differently. Outside of the US, children often learn to carry weight on their heads- maybe we should put the pink cubes in a basket. Why do we always stack them up? We put the geometric solids in a basket. What about observing the child? What about properly preparing the environment to meet the child's needs?
Maybe we should actually place the pink cubes in a basket. Maybe it will actually allow the children to carry WEIGHT to work their developing bodies. Children love the ability to carry "heavy" objects. What if we did put the pink cubes in a basket? The youngest children might have to carry the objects one at a time. The oldest children might work on the strength of their bodies or work with a friend to carry the basket. Would it be an interesting and challenging work to place all the blocks on the floor? Would they still see the control of error built into the material when they accurately built the pink tower?
Bee Pape talked about math GAMES and patterning and sorting of the knobless cylinders. "Always present a material more than one way. That way they learn that they can explore." I know some of the work she looked at. Math researchers- Constance Kamii who used the work of Piaget and developed it. Other ideas and theorists besides Maria Montessori, but everything that we need can exist in a Montessori classroom.
There was another talk by Jonathan Wolff. It was about classroom management. "Let's tell the children that they may not work with a material. Why don't we just call them a sociopath right now while we're at it?" The list was long... many teachers can generate a lot of behaviors that do not help a child develop. Some solutions for off task children included exhibiting excitement and a "may I watch?" behavior. He was hilarious. ( I want to listen to the CD, and come back to this one.)
I was frustrated to hear of the amount of dissatisfaction with AMS or the AMS/AMI division. It seems to be a continuing problem for everyone that AMS doesn't seem to have strong standards but that many AMI schools and teachers have concerns hiring teachers that are not AMI trained. It's possible that we need an individual certification process at some level. The initial training can be high quality but variable. Subsequent training can offer many benefits and individuals can learn many things. However, what I've seen is that AMI schools will shut their doors to teachers from any background that is not AMI. This may be an area that I want to get personally involved in.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Dr. Montessori's Handbook
I started rereading this book recently and found that I was unable to put it down for many reasons.
With both my AMI and AMS background and observation in many classrooms, I've developed my own reasons for what I believe works well and why and what doesn't. This book was authentically going back to what Maria did in many individual instances and fit with my own observations.
In my own mind, the necessity between a child needing a "lesson" before the ability to use a material has been answered. At least for practical life and sensorial - the exact conclusion that I initially reached although that has practical difficulties for classroom management.
"These lessons are not necessary for all the children, as they learn from one another, and of their own accord come with great patience to analyze the movements, performing them separately very slowly and carefully." (Montessori, 1965, p. 54)
and
"Such intervention, however, is almost always found to be unnecessary, for the children see their companions at work, and thus are encouraged to imitate them" (Montessori, 1965, p. 69)
Very important. I've often felt that even the youngest children need access to all of practical life and most of sensorial very early. Observation is the key to when they need a small or complete lesson.
She introduces the knobbed cylinders prior to the pink tower, and brown prisms. Her reasoning is very interesting here. "As a matter of fact, it is more difficult, as there is no control of the error in the material itself. It is the child's eye alone which can furnish the control." (Montessori, 1965, p. 76) A good point, but the materials them-self can be used to demonstrate when they are correctly placed. The pink tower when not built from largest to smallest is more unstable, and when very accurate the smallest cube will go around the edge of all others... (I have yet to see a child interested in building to that accuracy though!)
In many books, Maria Montessori is very clear about the need to treat the materials with care and without undue roughness. However, she is very clear that part of what will attract the child to building with the pink cubes is the ability to knock them over. "As soon as he has built the tower, the child, with a blow of his hand, knocks it down, so that the cubes are scattered on the carpet, and then he builds it up again." (Montessori, 1965, p. 72) WOW! Yet, I can see the attraction, and desire of this with young children. I've also watched young children build the tower incorrectly not aware of their errors, but friends rather insistently wanting to correct them.
My assessment skills and mathematical knowledge play a lot into what is going on when children are unable to correctly order any of the sensorial materials. It gives me a good insight into what they need practice in. I have also watched many teachers intervene to help the child. This is the best quote that I've read this morning, and in so many ways sums up Montessori.
"As the aim of the exercise, however is not that the rods be arranged in the right order of gradation, but that the child should practice by himself, there is no need to intervene." (Montessori, 1965, p. 76)
(The beginning of that quote is "The reason is that the mistakes which the child makes, by placing, for example, a small cube beneath one that is larger, are caused by his own lack of education, and it is the repetition of the exercise which, by refining his powers of observation, will lead him sooner or later to correct himself. Sometimes it happens that a child working with the long rods makes the most glaring mistakes." (Montessori, 1965, p. 76) )
With both my AMI and AMS background and observation in many classrooms, I've developed my own reasons for what I believe works well and why and what doesn't. This book was authentically going back to what Maria did in many individual instances and fit with my own observations.
In my own mind, the necessity between a child needing a "lesson" before the ability to use a material has been answered. At least for practical life and sensorial - the exact conclusion that I initially reached although that has practical difficulties for classroom management.
"These lessons are not necessary for all the children, as they learn from one another, and of their own accord come with great patience to analyze the movements, performing them separately very slowly and carefully." (Montessori, 1965, p. 54)
and
"Such intervention, however, is almost always found to be unnecessary, for the children see their companions at work, and thus are encouraged to imitate them" (Montessori, 1965, p. 69)
Very important. I've often felt that even the youngest children need access to all of practical life and most of sensorial very early. Observation is the key to when they need a small or complete lesson.
She introduces the knobbed cylinders prior to the pink tower, and brown prisms. Her reasoning is very interesting here. "As a matter of fact, it is more difficult, as there is no control of the error in the material itself. It is the child's eye alone which can furnish the control." (Montessori, 1965, p. 76) A good point, but the materials them-self can be used to demonstrate when they are correctly placed. The pink tower when not built from largest to smallest is more unstable, and when very accurate the smallest cube will go around the edge of all others... (I have yet to see a child interested in building to that accuracy though!)
In many books, Maria Montessori is very clear about the need to treat the materials with care and without undue roughness. However, she is very clear that part of what will attract the child to building with the pink cubes is the ability to knock them over. "As soon as he has built the tower, the child, with a blow of his hand, knocks it down, so that the cubes are scattered on the carpet, and then he builds it up again." (Montessori, 1965, p. 72) WOW! Yet, I can see the attraction, and desire of this with young children. I've also watched young children build the tower incorrectly not aware of their errors, but friends rather insistently wanting to correct them.
My assessment skills and mathematical knowledge play a lot into what is going on when children are unable to correctly order any of the sensorial materials. It gives me a good insight into what they need practice in. I have also watched many teachers intervene to help the child. This is the best quote that I've read this morning, and in so many ways sums up Montessori.
"As the aim of the exercise, however is not that the rods be arranged in the right order of gradation, but that the child should practice by himself, there is no need to intervene." (Montessori, 1965, p. 76)
(The beginning of that quote is "The reason is that the mistakes which the child makes, by placing, for example, a small cube beneath one that is larger, are caused by his own lack of education, and it is the repetition of the exercise which, by refining his powers of observation, will lead him sooner or later to correct himself. Sometimes it happens that a child working with the long rods makes the most glaring mistakes." (Montessori, 1965, p. 76) )
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Making Landforms
On one of the yahoo groups there has been a discussion of landforms. Having tried this once and watched it not work, I followed the discussion carefully.
"Oil based sculpting clay" (plasticine) is the key.
I also love the idea of cutting out one shape to have the match. That's just perfect.
This write-up includes is fantastic and more detailed than I ever want to duplicate! I love how her's turned out.
"Oil based sculpting clay" (plasticine) is the key.
I also love the idea of cutting out one shape to have the match. That's just perfect.
This write-up includes is fantastic and more detailed than I ever want to duplicate! I love how her's turned out.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
About ready...
I quit my job last week. I realized that my best efforts would only result in failure. More there was no way that I would be allowed to do anything that would benefit the children. I'm not sure why she hired me when it was clear that I was a strong individual capable of many things when she does not want to use my skills.
That's ok. I have plans.
It starts with a basic cleaning of the house and finishing of my thesis. Too many things haven't been put away in too long.
I will put my name out as a substitute and work hard to set that up. It will give me a chance to observe in many schools.
More... I will develop my own school.
I'm fixing all the little things that bother me on this blog, and it's about ready to be announced. An accumulation of good points from others and will be the thoughts about want I want to work on. A very good resource for links though. Also thinking of asking others to be involved in the quote blog. I need some help on it. Sharon's document is fantastic, but it needs people to build it.
I think I want to make a wishlist link/page. That will help people who want to buy stuff for me.
That's ok. I have plans.
It starts with a basic cleaning of the house and finishing of my thesis. Too many things haven't been put away in too long.
I will put my name out as a substitute and work hard to set that up. It will give me a chance to observe in many schools.
More... I will develop my own school.
I'm fixing all the little things that bother me on this blog, and it's about ready to be announced. An accumulation of good points from others and will be the thoughts about want I want to work on. A very good resource for links though. Also thinking of asking others to be involved in the quote blog. I need some help on it. Sharon's document is fantastic, but it needs people to build it.
I think I want to make a wishlist link/page. That will help people who want to buy stuff for me.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Literature and Fantasy
Although I try really hard to use only reality based books, I have to honestly say that I am not 100%.Once in a while a book with animals talking sneaks its way in! For picture books I look for beautiful illustrations and interesting stories. I do read The Kissing Hand the first day of school basically because I have never found a book that is better than that on the subject of transition.
Books of the popular culture like Thomas the Train and Dora are not in my class and if children bring them in, they show their favorite page on the circle and out the book in their cubby. I am careful that what I read aloud to children has educational value...... When a child asks why.... I explain honestly that it will not help our learning.
I have never thought so much about exaggerations but I think a lot about offering a multicultural view of the world and people in it through the literature!
Posted by: "Cathie Perolman"
We had a HUGE discussion about this on this list last year or so and it gave me the motivation to "clean out" my class library. I took out all books that had animals portrayed as people, talking animals and in animate objects, etc. The children have never missed them. There are other books that seemed too fantasy based where it was quite confusing to the children. My feeling is that I am the teacher who the children look up to, and although parents are probably reading fantasy books, sharing fantasy stories, etc, the children know that they can count on me to help them sort out what is real and what is not real. I do have a section of fiction books, although small and non commercial, they passed my inspection years ago and remain on the shelf. To tell you the truth, the children rarely choose one of those books for me to read to them. They usually choose reality books about transportation(current), the seasons, planets, animals, plants and other people and places around the world.
2. If you have a "reality" only policy for books, do you believe that children are not influenced by outside literature or television programming. (Thomas the Tank, Dora Explorer)
Sure they are influenced but just like they know there are different rules at home then at school(it's ok to climb up slides at home, but not at school), they know without reminders what conversations will be at school. That doesn't mean that a cartoon character does not come up among friends, but the influence is not that major in the classroom. Of course, we have in our parent handbook, talk about such things (our classroom is reality based and what that means) so we tend to attract families that share that way of thinking. It is a family value. We still have occasional child that seems obsessed with a cartoon character from home, but I have noticed less children coming from homes that use tv as babysitters like I did at my last school.
Maureen
I don't think that the schools that I worked for had a "policy" about literature. I think that they left it to our descretion. My job before I was trained and was working as an assistant was to bring library books that I selected to school. This was a lesson for the children that the library is an interesting place full of wonderful books to borrow. I had a couple real lapses where I didn't read the books and brought them in and my teacher gave me a look. One was about a man dying of aids. This is a great tool for a parent to child situation but hardly appropriate for a class of thirty preschoolers. My other one was about a boy who fantasized turning himself into a monster and eating his enemies. She started to read this one before we both realized what the plot entailed. Needless to say I "always" read the books that I brought in from then on.
Posted by: "marie.hopkinson@comcast.net"
Books of the popular culture like Thomas the Train and Dora are not in my class and if children bring them in, they show their favorite page on the circle and out the book in their cubby. I am careful that what I read aloud to children has educational value...... When a child asks why.... I explain honestly that it will not help our learning.
I have never thought so much about exaggerations but I think a lot about offering a multicultural view of the world and people in it through the literature!
Posted by: "Cathie Perolman"
We had a HUGE discussion about this on this list last year or so and it gave me the motivation to "clean out" my class library. I took out all books that had animals portrayed as people, talking animals and in animate objects, etc. The children have never missed them. There are other books that seemed too fantasy based where it was quite confusing to the children. My feeling is that I am the teacher who the children look up to, and although parents are probably reading fantasy books, sharing fantasy stories, etc, the children know that they can count on me to help them sort out what is real and what is not real. I do have a section of fiction books, although small and non commercial, they passed my inspection years ago and remain on the shelf. To tell you the truth, the children rarely choose one of those books for me to read to them. They usually choose reality books about transportation(current), the seasons, planets, animals, plants and other people and places around the world.
2. If you have a "reality" only policy for books, do you believe that children are not influenced by outside literature or television programming. (Thomas the Tank, Dora Explorer)
Sure they are influenced but just like they know there are different rules at home then at school(it's ok to climb up slides at home, but not at school), they know without reminders what conversations will be at school. That doesn't mean that a cartoon character does not come up among friends, but the influence is not that major in the classroom. Of course, we have in our parent handbook, talk about such things (our classroom is reality based and what that means) so we tend to attract families that share that way of thinking. It is a family value. We still have occasional child that seems obsessed with a cartoon character from home, but I have noticed less children coming from homes that use tv as babysitters like I did at my last school.
Maureen
I don't think that the schools that I worked for had a "policy" about literature. I think that they left it to our descretion. My job before I was trained and was working as an assistant was to bring library books that I selected to school. This was a lesson for the children that the library is an interesting place full of wonderful books to borrow. I had a couple real lapses where I didn't read the books and brought them in and my teacher gave me a look. One was about a man dying of aids. This is a great tool for a parent to child situation but hardly appropriate for a class of thirty preschoolers. My other one was about a boy who fantasized turning himself into a monster and eating his enemies. She started to read this one before we both realized what the plot entailed. Needless to say I "always" read the books that I brought in from then on.
Posted by: "marie.hopkinson@comcast.net"
Music recommendations
If you are looking for songs written by a Montessori teacher, try Frank Leto. He has also given some wonderful workshops at Montessori conferences in the U.S. His music is rhythmic and calming and I find the approach of singing a line and then having the children echo it is perfect for children who are learning English as a second language.
Elaine
Burchie and I are two long-time teachers at the Montessori School of Northampton, MA (USA) and have created an album of songs inspired by Maria Montessori's method and materials. Our CD is called "Taking My Dog to Dinner", a song of grace and courtesy. You can listen to our songs at
http://www.burchiemusic.com/index.html
Our goal is an album of songs catchy and sing-able enough that children are going to want to learn them and 'adult' enough for grown-ups to enjoy them over and over (and over) as well. And, of course, to flow from Montessori classroom ideas.
Our songs tap into all areas of our classrooms, and many forms of music, from the bluesy "Walkin' on the Line " and the gospel-rock sound of "One Pink Tower" (Sensorial) to the jazz of the "Monarch Butterfly's Blues," and a "Fishes' Song" (science), to "Picnic Basket" (math) and "Metal Insects" (language).
Out of the strata of the geography area comes "Get My Continental Drift? (The Continents Song)" and from everyday living: "My Work is Practical Life" and the "Water-table Blues." We set a brisk pace that we temper with lullabies "While You Were Sleeping" and "Owls and Lullabies," and Burchie's anthem, " My Montessori Classroom ."
And we stout-heartedly maintain "I Wanna Bring My Dog to Dinner" is a study in grace and courtesy.
- Matt Levin
Elaine
Burchie and I are two long-time teachers at the Montessori School of Northampton, MA (USA) and have created an album of songs inspired by Maria Montessori's method and materials. Our CD is called "Taking My Dog to Dinner", a song of grace and courtesy. You can listen to our songs at
http://www.burchiemusic.com/
Our goal is an album of songs catchy and sing-able enough that children are going to want to learn them and 'adult' enough for grown-ups to enjoy them over and over (and over) as well. And, of course, to flow from Montessori classroom ideas.
Our songs tap into all areas of our classrooms, and many forms of music, from the bluesy "Walkin' on the Line " and the gospel-rock sound of "One Pink Tower" (Sensorial) to the jazz of the "Monarch Butterfly's Blues," and a "Fishes' Song" (science), to "Picnic Basket" (math) and "Metal Insects" (language).
Out of the strata of the geography area comes "Get My Continental Drift? (The Continents Song)" and from everyday living: "My Work is Practical Life" and the "Water-table Blues." We set a brisk pace that we temper with lullabies "While You Were Sleeping" and "Owls and Lullabies," and Burchie's anthem, " My Montessori Classroom ."
And we stout-heartedly maintain "I Wanna Bring My Dog to Dinner" is a study in grace and courtesy.
- Matt Levin
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Setting up a School
Congratulations on your opportunity! Setting up a proper Montessori environment is a lot of work, but exciting as well. Brilliant idea placing an ad for the National Geographics! Maybe you could build your classroom library asking for donations of children's books?
A 5-day program is ideal (and more profitable) and I hope you can persuade your community of the value in it.
In our class, children wash their snack dishes in two round plastic basins on a low table. One for washing, one for rinsing. The children dry the dish and return it to the serving table. The assistant changes the water as needed, using anti-bacterial soap. The adult sanitizes all dishes again at the end of each day. This is not ideal
from a germ-control perspective, and some day care inspectors will not allow it, but it offers the most independence for the child and conservation of resources, b/c we're not using disposable products.
The day's used towels (from dish-drying or table-washing) go into a dirty laundry basket, and the teacher or assistant takes them home for laundering on the weekend. You might get a parent volunteer to this as well. Small cloths from polishing exercises, etc. are washed by the children in the cloth washing exercise. These too are periodically taken home for a real laundering. Thus you need a large
supply of each type of towel/cloth used in the classroom.
Articles on setting up a Montessori environment:
http://www.montessori.org/story.php?id=303
http://www.montessori.org/story.php?id=54
Photos of a Montessori environment:
http://mymontessorijourney.typepad.com/my_montessori_journey/2008/06/
setting-up-the.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/montessoribyhand/sets/72157602128379274/
http://www.headstartmontessori.ca/images/method1.jpg
http://sunhillmontessori.tripod.com/id10.html
Very affordable materials:
http://www.kidadvance.com/
Seasonal lesson guides:
http://www.newchildmontessori.com/
For some practical help....
The way snack works in my classroom is this. There is a bowl of snack on and pitcher of drink on a counter. There is a table devoted to only snack that has flowers on it and three placemats. There are two small baskets near the snack set up. One basket has a small nametag with each child's name. The other basket is empty. The day begins with all the names in the left hand basket.
The child is hungry. She finds her namecard and places it at a place at the snack table saving her spot. She washes her hands and dries them. She looks at the snack chalkboard top see what there is for snack and how many. It might say 2 apples. She unfolds a paper napkin and places it into the snack carrying bowl. (It is simply a dollar store cereal bowl that color coordinates with the entire snack set up- in my class that is blue.) She counts out her snack and places it on the napkin. She carries the snack to her place and lifts the napkin containing the snack out of the bowl and places it on the placemat at her snack spot. Then she returns the snack bowl to the serving area. (We have a total of two snack carrying bowels.)
She gets a cup- paper or glass and pours her juice or dirnk. She carries that to her snack place. She sits down and enjoys her snack socializing with the other two children who are there as well. When she is done, she discards her napkin and her cup. She uses the small table sweep to sweep up the crumbs and replaces the sweep. Then if necessary, she gets a small bucket and a half size sponge and puts a small amount of water in the bucket, dips and squeezes the sponge, wipes the placemap, pours out the water in the large dirty water bucket that sits next to the sink. and puts the bucket back where it goes.
Lastly she places her namecard in the finished snack basket (sometimes I start the year with this being a margerine tub with only small slit in it so once it is in there, it can't be easily retrieved.) Now the snack space is available for another child.
Each child may have snack once a day and any time they would like. The namecard placed in the second basket is the reminder that this is the rule.
The first few days you begin this individualized snack process, it will be teacher intensive! You will need one adult monitoring the snack process untill the children master it. Then it is very easy to maintain it.
If the water at the sink is difficult to access, you might want to try one of those plastic jugs- like people take on picnics. Some hold about 5 gallons of water and that is usually enough for a day's water activities. We have done that in spaces that do not have a water source. You have to refill it each day but that is not too difficult.
A 5-day program is ideal (and more profitable) and I hope you can persuade your community of the value in it.
In our class, children wash their snack dishes in two round plastic basins on a low table. One for washing, one for rinsing. The children dry the dish and return it to the serving table. The assistant changes the water as needed, using anti-bacterial soap. The adult sanitizes all dishes again at the end of each day. This is not ideal
from a germ-control perspective, and some day care inspectors will not allow it, but it offers the most independence for the child and conservation of resources, b/c we're not using disposable products.
The day's used towels (from dish-drying or table-washing) go into a dirty laundry basket, and the teacher or assistant takes them home for laundering on the weekend. You might get a parent volunteer to this as well. Small cloths from polishing exercises, etc. are washed by the children in the cloth washing exercise. These too are periodically taken home for a real laundering. Thus you need a large
supply of each type of towel/cloth used in the classroom.
Articles on setting up a Montessori environment:
http://www.montessori.org/
http://www.montessori.org/
Photos of a Montessori environment:
http://mymontessorijourney.
setting-up-the.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/
http://www.
http://sunhillmontessori.
Very affordable materials:
http://www.kidadvance.com/
Seasonal lesson guides:
http://www.newchildmontessori.
For some practical help....
The way snack works in my classroom is this. There is a bowl of snack on and pitcher of drink on a counter. There is a table devoted to only snack that has flowers on it and three placemats. There are two small baskets near the snack set up. One basket has a small nametag with each child's name. The other basket is empty. The day begins with all the names in the left hand basket.
The child is hungry. She finds her namecard and places it at a place at the snack table saving her spot. She washes her hands and dries them. She looks at the snack chalkboard top see what there is for snack and how many. It might say 2 apples. She unfolds a paper napkin and places it into the snack carrying bowl. (It is simply a dollar store cereal bowl that color coordinates with the entire snack set up- in my class that is blue.) She counts out her snack and places it on the napkin. She carries the snack to her place and lifts the napkin containing the snack out of the bowl and places it on the placemat at her snack spot. Then she returns the snack bowl to the serving area. (We have a total of two snack carrying bowels.)
She gets a cup- paper or glass and pours her juice or dirnk. She carries that to her snack place. She sits down and enjoys her snack socializing with the other two children who are there as well. When she is done, she discards her napkin and her cup. She uses the small table sweep to sweep up the crumbs and replaces the sweep. Then if necessary, she gets a small bucket and a half size sponge and puts a small amount of water in the bucket, dips and squeezes the sponge, wipes the placemap, pours out the water in the large dirty water bucket that sits next to the sink. and puts the bucket back where it goes.
Lastly she places her namecard in the finished snack basket (sometimes I start the year with this being a margerine tub with only small slit in it so once it is in there, it can't be easily retrieved.) Now the snack space is available for another child.
Each child may have snack once a day and any time they would like. The namecard placed in the second basket is the reminder that this is the rule.
The first few days you begin this individualized snack process, it will be teacher intensive! You will need one adult monitoring the snack process untill the children master it. Then it is very easy to maintain it.
If the water at the sink is difficult to access, you might want to try one of those plastic jugs- like people take on picnics. Some hold about 5 gallons of water and that is usually enough for a day's water activities. We have done that in spaces that do not have a water source. You have to refill it each day but that is not too difficult.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Contacting parents...
Naomi, everything you do that is unique or interesting can be a press
release. Interesting studies, field trips, art projects, etc. can be used
to tell the local parents about what is happening at your school...
Especially if it is unique to your school or Montessori. Most papers will
print it if it is concise, well written and includes a couple of interesting
pictures. Also, coffee with the head master once a month. Be sure to
invite local realtors, bankers and the Chamber to the coffee dates so that
they can help market your school. Many realtors, banks and the Chamber put
together packets to send or give to prospective families moving into your
area and education is always high on their list of questions about the area.
If you have some hair dressers that are friends with any of your parents,
invite them... Moms always talk about their children when getting their hair
done ;-) Be sure you have a decent brochure (not expensive, just with
beautiful pictures of children peacefully working and concentrating).
Finally, go to where the families are and set up a table. If you have
different festivals (music, art, heritage, etc) where families congregate,
be sure you have a booth/table there with some of the wonderful works. We
always take the division board, the fraction circles, some botany works,
etc. Be prepared to give lessons to the visiting children and show the moms
how engaged the children are. We ask the parents to rotate through on the
day of the event with their children. I would highly recommend letting the
children give the visiting children the lessons. Hope this helps!
Trish
release. Interesting studies, field trips, art projects, etc. can be used
to tell the local parents about what is happening at your school...
Especially if it is unique to your school or Montessori. Most papers will
print it if it is concise, well written and includes a couple of interesting
pictures. Also, coffee with the head master once a month. Be sure to
invite local realtors, bankers and the Chamber to the coffee dates so that
they can help market your school. Many realtors, banks and the Chamber put
together packets to send or give to prospective families moving into your
area and education is always high on their list of questions about the area.
If you have some hair dressers that are friends with any of your parents,
invite them... Moms always talk about their children when getting their hair
done ;-) Be sure you have a decent brochure (not expensive, just with
beautiful pictures of children peacefully working and concentrating).
Finally, go to where the families are and set up a table. If you have
different festivals (music, art, heritage, etc) where families congregate,
be sure you have a booth/table there with some of the wonderful works. We
always take the division board, the fraction circles, some botany works,
etc. Be prepared to give lessons to the visiting children and show the moms
how engaged the children are. We ask the parents to rotate through on the
day of the event with their children. I would highly recommend letting the
children give the visiting children the lessons. Hope this helps!
Trish
Enrollment deposit
My families sign a contract, in this contract it says they will give a 2 week written notice if they decide to leave. Then they get the deposit back or credit the current bill. If they don't I keep the deposit and bill them for the whole month. I know that a month deposit is common and that's what a lot of bigger schools do but some families can't afford to put down such a large deposit. So they are forced to choose other schools that aren't their first choice. Maybe while your starting out you could cut the deposit in half until your good name gets out there and families want you and then are willing to put up a larger deposit. We live in a small cummunity, so word gets around about my school. But money is a big thing right now. People have to work and are looking for deals.
Just my opinion.
Tami
Just my opinion.
Tami
New school
The Montessori Foundation's Center for Montessori School Leadership offers
several popular courses that hundreds of schools have found useful. Here are
a few simple suggestions summarized from our 12-week online class, Finding
the Perfect Match: How to Recruit and Retain Your Ideal Enrollment
In today’s economy, many schools still need to recruit as many new students
for next fall as possible. Here are some strategies that we’ve used to both
respond to both temporary shortfalls and to build enrollment up to capacity
in the long-run. The key is to do several things at once to create resonance
(where the audience hears about your school from many different sources) and
to continue your efforts on some level year-round.
In other industries, it is common for companies to share the cost of
marketing in return for equal billing.
a. A School Brochure or a Brochure About Montessori: Many Montessori schools
do not have a real brochure. The Montessori Foundation is working on a
series of generic brochures and pamphlets that could be used by schools
individually or jointly.
b. Direct Mail: Many Montessori schools do not currently use direct mail
marketing. We have designed many pieces for ourselves and other schools over
the years, and had excellent response rates. We believe that direct mail,
used in conjunction with other marketing strategies, can be very effective
in recruiting both last minute families who are still open, or families who
have left or are enrolled in other schools and decide that the new school is
not working so well when school reopens in the fall.
c. Targeted advertising: Many Montessori schools only run bland print ads a
few times a year. The ones we usually see say little about the benefits and
outcomes of a Montessori education. Highly focused messages with appealing
photography can be very effective when placed in the right publications such
as a local family magazine or city magazine. Newspapers, on the other hand,
are often not a good investment because of their low shelf-life. In many
cases, a one day ad may not be effective enough to warrant the cost.
d. Cable TV: Cable TV ads can be mounted quickly and have been almost
always proven to be effective. A focused campaign of 10 weeks or so may be
enough if timed correctly.
e. Radio: In some areas, radio stations broadcast to such a wide audience
over a large region that the cost to reach families in your area may not as
cost effective as Cable TV. A year round sponsorship of National Public
Radio’s Morning Edition or All Things Considered may be worth considering
too.
f. Public talks and free workshops: One of the strategies that worked very
well for us over the years was a series of free talks and workshops open to
the general public. Radio stations and newspapers normally list upcoming
events like these as a public service.
g. Call prospective applicants who have not yet applied:
h. Contact past parents who were satisfied but transferred their children to
public or other private schools. See how they are doing, and gather
information about how well the children are adjusting. Done correctly, you
communicate your continuing interest and concern in their children.
i. Call local real estate agencies and personally stop in to leave
information about your school for their agents. Do the same with the local
pediatricians.
j. Make a special offer people can't refuse: Virtually any season or event
can serve as an opportunity to offer a special promotion. You can offer a
discount or a free trial week in the summer program.
k. Offer a pricing incentive through financial aid: Some money beats no
money. Offer a special scholarship award that's so tempting that the former
or prospective family simply can't say no.
l. School Flyers: Put up one-page flyers about the school on bulletin board
around town in grocery stores and libraries. Make sure they are placed in
spots that prospective families tend to frequent: pediatricians'
offices/family medical practices and clinics, health food stores and organic
grocers, gardening supply shops, and better toy stores.
Recruitment and Admissions - Long Term
3. The need to build enrollment over the long run
In addition to using the marketing strategies listed above year-round, we
suggest the follow steps:
a. Invite the local radio station that parents are most likely to tune in to
broadcast live from the school one morning -- especially good when something
special is going on at the school.
b. Church and Temple Bulletins: Ask local congregations to put a blurb
about the school in their newsletter, weekly e-updates, or bulletins. Don't
forget synagogues, mosques, Friends Meetings, and Unitarian churches.
c. Local Service Groups: Contact any "mothers" groups to see if they will
run a blurb in their newsletters or join and post something on their Yahoo
group ourselves.
d. Local OnLine Discussion Groups: Look for general Yahoo groups and other
electronic bulletin boards for our area and post messages about the school.
Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/ and type the name of the town in "Find a
Group."
e. Call the education reporter at the local newspapers and television
stations and ask to meet with them. Go to these meetings prepared with
interesting, appealing "press kits" describing New Gate and the exciting
things children are doing at the school. Invite the press to visit the
school for photos/footage.
p. Start a blog on the Montessori experience at your school from a parent's
perspective.
q. Website: Improve the content on the website for the school and keep it up
to date. Link to school videos and other useful files for prospective
families. Post your weekly newsletter, brochures, annual reports, and other
resources on the website where they can be easily found. Add a password
protected area for school families and staff.
r. Tomorrow's Child: Put a label w/the school contact info and website on
past copies of TOMORROW'S CHILD. Then leave them in the waiting rooms of
local pediatrician/family medicine practices and clinics. Encourage all
school parents to do this.
s. Create or rejuvenate your Parent Ambassador Program for assisting with
the admissions program and mentoring new families into the school community.
4. The need to build the strongest school community possible:
In great schools, new administrators and members of the faculty are chosen
according to the fit between their values and the schools, as well as their
other skills. The most qualified person who is neither an expert in
Montessori education, nor truly committed to Montessori in his or her heart,
will fail to succeed for long as the leader or an instructor at a Montessori
school. To us, this should be self-evident.
a. Full Staff retreat before school - Everyone who works at your school
should be considered part of the faculty from the classroom teachers to the
bus driver to the head of school. Each touches children and families in some
way as they go about their daily tasks. Many of the staff who are not
directly teaching children during the regular school day have talents and
skills which can be shared either in an afternoon studio program or as part
of children’s individual research and classroom projects. For example: the
maintenance person may be able to give older students practical life lessons
about the campus, or the receptionist may be a talented basket weaver who
can lead a studio after school on basket weaving.
b. Weekly faculty meetings - Open discussions about philosophy, curriculum
and celebrations, run according to the basis of Montessori Meetings, where
faculty can get back to being excited about all that a Montessori school can
offer and be.
c. Coffee Chats - Meetings with small groups of parents to answer questions,
to discuss Montessori and to exchange ideas for the school now and in the
future.
d. Class and Community Meetings - Evening and Saturday meetings for staff
and parents to meet about common questions and ideas about school life as
well as curriculum.
e. One-on-One or small group meetings with parents - informal small group
lunches with parents.
Tim Seldin
several popular courses that hundreds of schools have found useful. Here are
a few simple suggestions summarized from our 12-week online class, Finding
the Perfect Match: How to Recruit and Retain Your Ideal Enrollment
In today’s economy, many schools still need to recruit as many new students
for next fall as possible. Here are some strategies that we’ve used to both
respond to both temporary shortfalls and to build enrollment up to capacity
in the long-run. The key is to do several things at once to create resonance
(where the audience hears about your school from many different sources) and
to continue your efforts on some level year-round.
In other industries, it is common for companies to share the cost of
marketing in return for equal billing.
a. A School Brochure or a Brochure About Montessori: Many Montessori schools
do not have a real brochure. The Montessori Foundation is working on a
series of generic brochures and pamphlets that could be used by schools
individually or jointly.
b. Direct Mail: Many Montessori schools do not currently use direct mail
marketing. We have designed many pieces for ourselves and other schools over
the years, and had excellent response rates. We believe that direct mail,
used in conjunction with other marketing strategies, can be very effective
in recruiting both last minute families who are still open, or families who
have left or are enrolled in other schools and decide that the new school is
not working so well when school reopens in the fall.
c. Targeted advertising: Many Montessori schools only run bland print ads a
few times a year. The ones we usually see say little about the benefits and
outcomes of a Montessori education. Highly focused messages with appealing
photography can be very effective when placed in the right publications such
as a local family magazine or city magazine. Newspapers, on the other hand,
are often not a good investment because of their low shelf-life. In many
cases, a one day ad may not be effective enough to warrant the cost.
d. Cable TV: Cable TV ads can be mounted quickly and have been almost
always proven to be effective. A focused campaign of 10 weeks or so may be
enough if timed correctly.
e. Radio: In some areas, radio stations broadcast to such a wide audience
over a large region that the cost to reach families in your area may not as
cost effective as Cable TV. A year round sponsorship of National Public
Radio’s Morning Edition or All Things Considered may be worth considering
too.
f. Public talks and free workshops: One of the strategies that worked very
well for us over the years was a series of free talks and workshops open to
the general public. Radio stations and newspapers normally list upcoming
events like these as a public service.
g. Call prospective applicants who have not yet applied:
h. Contact past parents who were satisfied but transferred their children to
public or other private schools. See how they are doing, and gather
information about how well the children are adjusting. Done correctly, you
communicate your continuing interest and concern in their children.
i. Call local real estate agencies and personally stop in to leave
information about your school for their agents. Do the same with the local
pediatricians.
j. Make a special offer people can't refuse: Virtually any season or event
can serve as an opportunity to offer a special promotion. You can offer a
discount or a free trial week in the summer program.
k. Offer a pricing incentive through financial aid: Some money beats no
money. Offer a special scholarship award that's so tempting that the former
or prospective family simply can't say no.
l. School Flyers: Put up one-page flyers about the school on bulletin board
around town in grocery stores and libraries. Make sure they are placed in
spots that prospective families tend to frequent: pediatricians'
offices/family medical practices and clinics, health food stores and organic
grocers, gardening supply shops, and better toy stores.
Recruitment and Admissions - Long Term
3. The need to build enrollment over the long run
In addition to using the marketing strategies listed above year-round, we
suggest the follow steps:
a. Invite the local radio station that parents are most likely to tune in to
broadcast live from the school one morning -- especially good when something
special is going on at the school.
b. Church and Temple Bulletins: Ask local congregations to put a blurb
about the school in their newsletter, weekly e-updates, or bulletins. Don't
forget synagogues, mosques, Friends Meetings, and Unitarian churches.
c. Local Service Groups: Contact any "mothers" groups to see if they will
run a blurb in their newsletters or join and post something on their Yahoo
group ourselves.
d. Local OnLine Discussion Groups: Look for general Yahoo groups and other
electronic bulletin boards for our area and post messages about the school.
Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/
Group."
e. Call the education reporter at the local newspapers and television
stations and ask to meet with them. Go to these meetings prepared with
interesting, appealing "press kits" describing New Gate and the exciting
things children are doing at the school. Invite the press to visit the
school for photos/footage.
p. Start a blog on the Montessori experience at your school from a parent's
perspective.
q. Website: Improve the content on the website for the school and keep it up
to date. Link to school videos and other useful files for prospective
families. Post your weekly newsletter, brochures, annual reports, and other
resources on the website where they can be easily found. Add a password
protected area for school families and staff.
r. Tomorrow's Child: Put a label w/the school contact info and website on
past copies of TOMORROW'S CHILD. Then leave them in the waiting rooms of
local pediatrician/family medicine practices and clinics. Encourage all
school parents to do this.
s. Create or rejuvenate your Parent Ambassador Program for assisting with
the admissions program and mentoring new families into the school community.
4. The need to build the strongest school community possible:
In great schools, new administrators and members of the faculty are chosen
according to the fit between their values and the schools, as well as their
other skills. The most qualified person who is neither an expert in
Montessori education, nor truly committed to Montessori in his or her heart,
will fail to succeed for long as the leader or an instructor at a Montessori
school. To us, this should be self-evident.
a. Full Staff retreat before school - Everyone who works at your school
should be considered part of the faculty from the classroom teachers to the
bus driver to the head of school. Each touches children and families in some
way as they go about their daily tasks. Many of the staff who are not
directly teaching children during the regular school day have talents and
skills which can be shared either in an afternoon studio program or as part
of children’s individual research and classroom projects. For example: the
maintenance person may be able to give older students practical life lessons
about the campus, or the receptionist may be a talented basket weaver who
can lead a studio after school on basket weaving.
b. Weekly faculty meetings - Open discussions about philosophy, curriculum
and celebrations, run according to the basis of Montessori Meetings, where
faculty can get back to being excited about all that a Montessori school can
offer and be.
c. Coffee Chats - Meetings with small groups of parents to answer questions,
to discuss Montessori and to exchange ideas for the school now and in the
future.
d. Class and Community Meetings - Evening and Saturday meetings for staff
and parents to meet about common questions and ideas about school life as
well as curriculum.
e. One-on-One or small group meetings with parents - informal small group
lunches with parents.
Tim Seldin
Sharon's ground rules
I'm going to open a can of worms right at the outset with this one.
I know many classes have lists of "ground rules" - some very short and some
very long. I'm going to suggest that we look at an alternative to rules.
(or, at least, if you are going to have rules, then arrive at them
differently).
Rules are the way one person (big, powerful) tells another person (small and
without power) how to behave. In democracies then the majority tell everyone
else what they should do (either directly or through elected
representatives). Where there are rules, the mandated behaviour is enforced
- usually through fear of punishment. When you have rules you need to
enforce them or they are meaningless.
Dr. Montessori's approach is fundamentally different on all levels. While
she clearly felt that dangerous or disruptive behaviour should be stopped,
this is not because someone is breaking some rule (and has either forgotten
or disregarded the rule) but because the child moves towards pro-social
behaviour through a process of development of the will (and observing worthy
models). If we assume that a child who has not yet developed his will cannot
obey (thus the rules, in a sense, are just setting him up for failure) and
that a child who has normalized will behave with care and consideration
regardless of the rules, the rules are in a sense "impediments" to a child's
development. [I am talking about the first plane of development here.] If
you have rules, everyone will focus on the rules - but if you focus on the
child, and leading the children toward concentration then everything else
follows and you don't need rules - caring, compassion, kindness cannot be
legislated.
On the second plane all of this becomes more conscious and deliberate and
there is a fascination with rules - the child becomes interested in the
details of how these things fit together and should be involved in the
process of making rules - and constantly changing them - to meet the
changing needs of the group. But in this case it is the dialogue and process
of understanding how humans inter-related that is more important than the
rules themselves.
Sharon Caldwell
I know many classes have lists of "ground rules" - some very short and some
very long. I'm going to suggest that we look at an alternative to rules.
(or, at least, if you are going to have rules, then arrive at them
differently).
Rules are the way one person (big, powerful) tells another person (small and
without power) how to behave. In democracies then the majority tell everyone
else what they should do (either directly or through elected
representatives). Where there are rules, the mandated behaviour is enforced
- usually through fear of punishment. When you have rules you need to
enforce them or they are meaningless.
Dr. Montessori's approach is fundamentally different on all levels. While
she clearly felt that dangerous or disruptive behaviour should be stopped,
this is not because someone is breaking some rule (and has either forgotten
or disregarded the rule) but because the child moves towards pro-social
behaviour through a process of development of the will (and observing worthy
models). If we assume that a child who has not yet developed his will cannot
obey (thus the rules, in a sense, are just setting him up for failure) and
that a child who has normalized will behave with care and consideration
regardless of the rules, the rules are in a sense "impediments" to a child's
development. [I am talking about the first plane of development here.] If
you have rules, everyone will focus on the rules - but if you focus on the
child, and leading the children toward concentration then everything else
follows and you don't need rules - caring, compassion, kindness cannot be
legislated.
On the second plane all of this becomes more conscious and deliberate and
there is a fascination with rules - the child becomes interested in the
details of how these things fit together and should be involved in the
process of making rules - and constantly changing them - to meet the
changing needs of the group. But in this case it is the dialogue and process
of understanding how humans inter-related that is more important than the
rules themselves.
Sharon Caldwell
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Not today.
Sigh. I have a new template. I want to upload it. I forgot one key step. I need to go copy all the widgets and stuff first. And my husband wants my help so fixing links won't work either...
Another day.
Another day.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Portfolios
I do end-of-the-year portfolios for each of my students. The process gets a
little bit more refined each year. We made a checklist for each year of
student as to what we would like to include which translates roughly into
anywhere between 10-25 plastic sheet protectors in the folder or binder.
Throughout the year we take pictures of the students in the classroom, on
the playground, at cultural events or other special all-school events, on
field trips, etc...At our school we send any papers and parent notes home
weekly, so we pull any work at that time for the portfolios. I also try to
make it a point to periodically take pictures in each of the classroom areas
during work time. It sounds like a lot, but if you set up the
folders/binders at the beginning of the year and set aside time at least
once a month to work on them, it really isn't hard.
little bit more refined each year. We made a checklist for each year of
student as to what we would like to include which translates roughly into
anywhere between 10-25 plastic sheet protectors in the folder or binder.
Throughout the year we take pictures of the students in the classroom, on
the playground, at cultural events or other special all-school events, on
field trips, etc...At our school we send any papers and parent notes home
weekly, so we pull any work at that time for the portfolios. I also try to
make it a point to periodically take pictures in each of the classroom areas
during work time. It sounds like a lot, but if you set up the
folders/binders at the beginning of the year and set aside time at least
once a month to work on them, it really isn't hard.
Posted by: "Amy Lewis
Possible schedule Notes
7:30 - 8:00 Early children arrive and set the classroom up with me. We set dishwashing up, take chairs down, prepare snack, tidy anything that is glaring, etc. They are free to choose their first work after we've set up these basic things.
8:00 First assistant arrives. Other children begin trickling in around 8:15. These children are free to choose work, or we can gather if that seems necessary.
8:30 - 8:45 Second assistant arrives. Remaining children arrive. There is a huge rush of children at this point, so we will often gather, though we've had many days when everyone wants to go straight to their work.
8:30 - 11:20ish We work, gather, go pick flowers, hike, have lessons...I follow the children.
11:20 I sing a song that indicates the end of the morning work time. Children begin cleaning up and gathering with me. We usually sing songs, listen to a story, do something that I need to make sure everyone sees (like practice a fire drill). From this gathering, children are invited to tell me what they'd like to "check" (read: tidy/clean up) before they get their outdoor clothes on. Each assistant takes 7-9 children out to the playground (across the street). The remaining 8 children stay with me, and we set the classroom up for lunch. These are the eldest children, and they also have particular areas that they know to double check. By 11:45 we are all outside.
Noon Children start coming in for lunch in groups of 7-9. We start with the children who went outside first and proceed logically, until 12:20 or so. Children always go in and out with the same group.
By 12:50, most children are finishing up their lunch. 5 or so kids get picked up at 1. They can have a student led gathering or help classmates clean up their lunch until their parents arrive. Sleepers go take a nap in the half-day classroom from 1 - 3, rejoining the other all-day kids on the playground around 3. Older/non-sleepers stay with me in our room.
The non-sleepers "rest" for about 20 minutes while we read a chapter book. After the rest, we have a short work-time until 2:30.
2:30 Children who stay all-day head outside. Children who get picked up at 3 stay in with me, finish work, gather, tidy the classroom, etc.
4:00 Children come in to have an afternoon snack. Shelves that have more toy-type activities (dolls, legos, bean-bag toss, etc.) are opened up.
4:00 - 6:00 Children can choose work from the toy shelves or other shelves. Wanderers are usually invited to help with the end of day cleaning (take out garbage, run things through the sanitizer, check that windows are closed and doors are locked, do a final sweeping of the classroom, etc.).
Posted by Rochelle
8:30 Arrival and work cycle begins
11:30 Clean up and call to group(later if inclement weather)
11:30 Short singing, music or other group activity
11:35/40 12:00/12:10 outside time
12:00 dismissal for half day children
12:10 prepare for lunch, eat
1:00 lunch clean -up afternoon work cycle begins
no pull outs, one on one lessons, small group lessons, enrichment
projects or activities
2:45 Clean up and group snack, read a loud chapter book
3:00 dismissal
8:00 First assistant arrives. Other children begin trickling in around 8:15. These children are free to choose work, or we can gather if that seems necessary.
8:30 - 8:45 Second assistant arrives. Remaining children arrive. There is a huge rush of children at this point, so we will often gather, though we've had many days when everyone wants to go straight to their work.
8:30 - 11:20ish We work, gather, go pick flowers, hike, have lessons...I follow the children.
11:20 I sing a song that indicates the end of the morning work time. Children begin cleaning up and gathering with me. We usually sing songs, listen to a story, do something that I need to make sure everyone sees (like practice a fire drill). From this gathering, children are invited to tell me what they'd like to "check" (read: tidy/clean up) before they get their outdoor clothes on. Each assistant takes 7-9 children out to the playground (across the street). The remaining 8 children stay with me, and we set the classroom up for lunch. These are the eldest children, and they also have particular areas that they know to double check. By 11:45 we are all outside.
Noon Children start coming in for lunch in groups of 7-9. We start with the children who went outside first and proceed logically, until 12:20 or so. Children always go in and out with the same group.
By 12:50, most children are finishing up their lunch. 5 or so kids get picked up at 1. They can have a student led gathering or help classmates clean up their lunch until their parents arrive. Sleepers go take a nap in the half-day classroom from 1 - 3, rejoining the other all-day kids on the playground around 3. Older/non-sleepers stay with me in our room.
The non-sleepers "rest" for about 20 minutes while we read a chapter book. After the rest, we have a short work-time until 2:30.
2:30 Children who stay all-day head outside. Children who get picked up at 3 stay in with me, finish work, gather, tidy the classroom, etc.
4:00 Children come in to have an afternoon snack. Shelves that have more toy-type activities (dolls, legos, bean-bag toss, etc.) are opened up.
4:00 - 6:00 Children can choose work from the toy shelves or other shelves. Wanderers are usually invited to help with the end of day cleaning (take out garbage, run things through the sanitizer, check that windows are closed and doors are locked, do a final sweeping of the classroom, etc.).
Posted by Rochelle
8:30 Arrival and work cycle begins
11:30 Clean up and call to group(later if inclement weather)
11:30 Short singing, music or other group activity
11:35/40 12:00/12:10 outside time
12:00 dismissal for half day children
12:10 prepare for lunch, eat
1:00 lunch clean -up afternoon work cycle begins
no pull outs, one on one lessons, small group lessons, enrichment
projects or activities
2:45 Clean up and group snack, read a loud chapter book
3:00 dismissal
Hundred Board Extensions
Posted by: "Ron and Linda Cameron
- Every fifth number
-I have blank printouts of the hundred board, write in several numbers randomly, have your child fill in the number that comes before and after the numbers
- give your child the blank page and 10 numbers such as 56, 3, 64, etc, have him color in those squares (no pattern, just random, or you can make a simple pattern, such as the first letter in his name)
- Also-make a design on a blank squared page, like a cross stitch design. Give your child a blank page plus a code, such as 56+4=, where he colours in the answer. At the end he will get the design you made. You can give him your design as the control when he is done. I've done circles, letters, easy figures, numbers, etc. Use take-aways too: 78-3. After the child build the hundred board he can easily count forwards or backwards. Challenge him later by giving longer sums: 46+9-3+17=
Peace Table Notes
- There is a small photo of every child and the word peacekeepers on the wall next to it. There is also a pict of myself and my assistant when we were children. They come to rely on the photos being there and identifying themselves as peacekeepers/problem solvers.
- The table is covered with beautiful, soothing fabric that is rotated a few times a year. There is a small plaque that states the speaking and listening process using "I" messages. There is also a peace ball and a wheel of choices. The peace ball is a rainbow colored hacky-sack that serves the same purpose as the peace rose. The ball is gives a sensory outlet for frustration and feels really good to squeeze. (There are times when it gets tossed, but this is easily redirected and I have never seen it tossed in anger. The wheel of choices is a pie-like wheel that has words and pictures of 12 choices the children could make in resolving conflict. A few of the choices are; take a stop and cool off, count to ten and breathe, walk away, go back and try again, ignore it, use and I message, share and take turns, appologize, go to another work, what would love do. There is a blank spot for them to come up with their own idea.
-On stressful days where the feeling of peace is ellusive; but it does not warrent a class meeting, we will gather and toss the peace ball (gently underhand) to one another stating one way we can be a peacekeeper today.
Posted by: "jim blanchard" or Michelle
- The table is covered with beautiful, soothing fabric that is rotated a few times a year. There is a small plaque that states the speaking and listening process using "I" messages. There is also a peace ball and a wheel of choices. The peace ball is a rainbow colored hacky-sack that serves the same purpose as the peace rose. The ball is gives a sensory outlet for frustration and feels really good to squeeze. (There are times when it gets tossed, but this is easily redirected and I have never seen it tossed in anger. The wheel of choices is a pie-like wheel that has words and pictures of 12 choices the children could make in resolving conflict. A few of the choices are; take a stop and cool off, count to ten and breathe, walk away, go back and try again, ignore it, use and I message, share and take turns, appologize, go to another work, what would love do. There is a blank spot for them to come up with their own idea.
-On stressful days where the feeling of peace is ellusive; but it does not warrent a class meeting, we will gather and toss the peace ball (gently underhand) to one another stating one way we can be a peacekeeper today.
Posted by: "jim blanchard" or Michelle
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Admin
http://www.scribd.com/doc/24547/Report-Card-Comments-Collection
Interesting idea. Some of those are interesting, however, I've always written about the children. I want to keep this for reference.
Cleaning the classroom...
Vinegar will kill most germs and is not as harsh as bleach. Orange oil is also a disinfectant and would be friendly to wood. I would simply wipe the material with one of these and let air dry
Interesting idea. Some of those are interesting, however, I've always written about the children. I want to keep this for reference.
Cleaning the classroom...
Vinegar will kill most germs and is not as harsh as bleach. Orange oil is also a disinfectant and would be friendly to wood. I would simply wipe the material with one of these and let air dry
Outdoor time
At our school we have a garden teacher who is there for the whole morning and during that time (9-12) any child may go outside . We have divided our garden into zones - physical activity, becasue some children need that huge physical release of running, climbing, kicking etc. We also have 1 little girl who has been teaching herslef to skip with a rope for the past few weeks and has spent hours practicing; diging and construction, this includes the veg beds but also has digging tools of all kinds, bricks (left over from building a wall), lots of differently sized planks of wood, some wooden guttering. This gets added to depending on childrens' interesets; a maths zone - this has an outdoor spindle box (10 buckets with 0-9 painted on them and equal length sticks collected on walks) lots of weatherproof maths games and chalk boards for recording; a literacy zone with a bower to read in, a box of books, table and chairs, writing tool boxes, white boards, chalk boards, pavement chalks, clip boards, pens pencils, crayons; a sand/water tray with drawers beside them with all sorts of different materials to be used with sand/water; a creative area with easel, paints, paper, crayons, junk for modelling, this is changed to reflect childrens' interesets; a den making zone with a big wooden packing box on its side, tarpaulens, bungee ropes, pegs, blankets, poles etc; a role play area, currently a garden centre, changed half termly and tweaked weekly; a small world area - train tracks, little people, little houses anything like that.
There is also a daily adult-led activity which is planned for in the weekly planning meeting and relfects the needs/interests of specific children. If only one child shows an interest that is as valuable as if 10 do.
We keep most of it outside in waterproof drawers which the children have free access to just like in the classroom. They have the same rules out as in - put it away when finished with . This is a new school (openend in september) so the garden is evolving and growing but the important thing is that we have some chidren who would be out there whatever the weather so it is up to us to make/ modify classroom materials that reflect their learning style. Not all children concentrate by being still and we would be failing them to insist on their outside time being restricted to "play" only.
It is very interesting to me to see it all writtin down like that!!! It really concentrated my mind as to why we have this area and how it is used. In many ways it is the most important part of the school. Some of our children are out there for 3 hours every day and need that physical space. They are doing the same work as the children inside because we have set it up to reflect the classroom. Some children go out for a specific activity and then come back in again, some are less predictable, depending on what they are interested in at the time. I have to tell you it has not been expensive to set up. We bought very little ready made - most of the materials are like the spindle box - made to do the same thing but to be durable and different looking. We are looking to add a practical life area this term and have washing clothes and some other activities in there but often they happen naturally in other parts of the garden.
Sorry this is so long but it may help you fight your cause!!!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
A coherent Montessori curriculum - preschool
Montessori Education includes a concept of education where you teach the "whole picture" then individual parts so the child can see and understand a coherent whole. They can develop and understand relationships when they have a framework to work from. Cosmic education teaches the elementary child with a series of "Great Lessons" that begin with the formation of the universe and then move closer to the child.
I spent a lot of time thinking about the elements of Cosmic Education that seem relevant to a preschooler. As in a Montessori classroom, many concepts can be taught simultaneously and will appeal to the child that is the most interested. (I have a child in my own class that is learning to read from advanced "Shark" books because of their appeal to him.) I see several major curriculum divisions though, and I'd love to hear what others think. Many of these overlap in different ways.
First - There is the division between Earth and the Solar system/Galaxy/Universe.
Second - There is the division between people, plants and animals.
People can be divided into either timeframe or where people live. (I'm sure there are other ways to study people as well.)
Plants can be divided into ecosystems, geography or timeframe.
Animals can be divided into living/extinct, mammals/birds/reptiles/insects.
I spent a lot of time thinking about the elements of Cosmic Education that seem relevant to a preschooler. As in a Montessori classroom, many concepts can be taught simultaneously and will appeal to the child that is the most interested. (I have a child in my own class that is learning to read from advanced "Shark" books because of their appeal to him.) I see several major curriculum divisions though, and I'd love to hear what others think. Many of these overlap in different ways.
First - There is the division between Earth and the Solar system/Galaxy/Universe.
Second - There is the division between people, plants and animals.
People can be divided into either timeframe or where people live. (I'm sure there are other ways to study people as well.)
Plants can be divided into ecosystems, geography or timeframe.
Animals can be divided into living/extinct, mammals/birds/reptiles/
Children of the Universe
"Children of the Universe: Cosmic Education in the Montessori Elementary Classroom." by Michael and D'Neil Duffy
Chapter 1 of this book is called "Cosmic Education" What it is and why we teach it." The Duffy's have done a fantastic job of answering that. Cosmic Education is the method of education that guides the child toward the examination of the questions "Who am I?" "Where do I come from?", "Why am I here?" and "Where am I going?" When the child understands their place in the world, they can understand the contributions of the human species and their individual contributions. This is the first step towards Maria Montessori's vision of education for peace. Maria then extended this idea with a series of "Great Lessons."
If you think of a series of concentric circles... "The Story of the Universe" (The Creation Story / The Big Bang) are the outer most circle with the Individual, Montessori and the Future and peace Education as the innermost circle.
The circles as described by the Duffy's in their book on Cosmic Education, related lessons and areas studied in the elementary program are as follows. (I am not elementary trained, so I'm not going to elaborate on the Great Lessons specifically. They are generally experiment and drama driven and designed for the older child.)
1. The story of the Universe
- metaphysics, astronomy
2. The story of the Stars and the Solar System
- physics, chemistry
3. The story of the Earth
- geology, geography
4. The story of Life
- biology
5. The story of Humans
- archaeology
6. The story of Civilization
- history
7. The individual, Montessori and the Future
- peace education
The elementary children have a coherent curriculum with organization behind it. Children from 3-6 are still learning with an absorbent mind- the conscious phase of the absorbent mind. Their actions are influenced by their minds. They also learn are willing and excited about learning many things. It is the time to "Follow the child."
Practical realities for most teachers and schools however, dictate a "curriculum." Schools or directors need a schedule of what is taught that they can plan materials for, show parents or demand teachers "teach to." (Unfortunately...) The presentation of different material, activities and interests can be what sparks a child's interest. Often in the 3-6 age it is merely one thematic unit after another with no connection between them.
Some themes are fantastic. The children always seem to love dinosaurs, oceans, solar system, nature, etc. I've seen "Californa" presented and the only interest was the art project. I watched one class spend an entire month on groundhog Day. Many themes can actually be taught under a coherent curriculum that approaches Cosmic Education at a younger level.
The initial question of "Who am I" can be a unit at the beginning of the year. "I am a child. I am part of a family. I am part of a class. I am part of..." This unit would include ground rules and grace and courtesy. It can also be an introduction into different people and respect for them.
Stars and Solar System can include many different units on space travel, planets, possible life on Mars, Europa or Io. Earth includes information about volcanoes, land formation, rocks, continents, Pangea etc... The story of Life. You can obviously introduce the dinosaurs. What about Mammoths and other extinct animals. Life began in the ocean. This might lead to an entire unit on the ocean. Etc.
My questions to you...
1. What are the themes that your kids have just loved the most?
2. What do you see as ideas to integrate the ideas of a child's place in the universe and connected education.
Thanks to everyone that is interested in this subject!
Chapter 1 of this book is called "Cosmic Education" What it is and why we teach it." The Duffy's have done a fantastic job of answering that. Cosmic Education is the method of education that guides the child toward the examination of the questions "Who am I?" "Where do I come from?", "Why am I here?" and "Where am I going?" When the child understands their place in the world, they can understand the contributions of the human species and their individual contributions. This is the first step towards Maria Montessori's vision of education for peace. Maria then extended this idea with a series of "Great Lessons."
If you think of a series of concentric circles... "The Story of the Universe" (The Creation Story / The Big Bang) are the outer most circle with the Individual, Montessori and the Future and peace Education as the innermost circle.
The circles as described by the Duffy's in their book on Cosmic Education, related lessons and areas studied in the elementary program are as follows. (I am not elementary trained, so I'm not going to elaborate on the Great Lessons specifically. They are generally experiment and drama driven and designed for the older child.)
1. The story of the Universe
- metaphysics, astronomy
2. The story of the Stars and the Solar System
- physics, chemistry
3. The story of the Earth
- geology, geography
4. The story of Life
- biology
5. The story of Humans
- archaeology
6. The story of Civilization
- history
7. The individual, Montessori and the Future
- peace education
The elementary children have a coherent curriculum with organization behind it. Children from 3-6 are still learning with an absorbent mind- the conscious phase of the absorbent mind. Their actions are influenced by their minds. They also learn are willing and excited about learning many things. It is the time to "Follow the child."
Practical realities for most teachers and schools however, dictate a "curriculum." Schools or directors need a schedule of what is taught that they can plan materials for, show parents or demand teachers "teach to." (Unfortunately...) The presentation of different material, activities and interests can be what sparks a child's interest. Often in the 3-6 age it is merely one thematic unit after another with no connection between them.
Some themes are fantastic. The children always seem to love dinosaurs, oceans, solar system, nature, etc. I've seen "Californa" presented and the only interest was the art project. I watched one class spend an entire month on groundhog Day. Many themes can actually be taught under a coherent curriculum that approaches Cosmic Education at a younger level.
The initial question of "Who am I" can be a unit at the beginning of the year. "I am a child. I am part of a family. I am part of a class. I am part of..." This unit would include ground rules and grace and courtesy. It can also be an introduction into different people and respect for them.
Stars and Solar System can include many different units on space travel, planets, possible life on Mars, Europa or Io. Earth includes information about volcanoes, land formation, rocks, continents, Pangea etc... The story of Life. You can obviously introduce the dinosaurs. What about Mammoths and other extinct animals. Life began in the ocean. This might lead to an entire unit on the ocean. Etc.
My questions to you...
1. What are the themes that your kids have just loved the most?
2. What do you see as ideas to integrate the ideas of a child's place in the universe and connected education.
Thanks to everyone that is interested in this subject!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Logistics
I have a logistical problem. I want to post some of the posts that I'm thinking about and writing about Montessori cosmic education here, except they are coming through a different email account at the moment.
My mind is distracted and I'm going to have to fix details. This is what life is about.
I'm learning about ODD. I have a child that I do not believe is ODD, but has been diagnosed as ODD in my class. There is no doubt that he is difficult.
I'm also making plans and dreaming about my own school. Let's get back to fixing problems... Yet, I'm not sure how at the moment. This may simply be in the wrong place at the moment.
My mind is distracted and I'm going to have to fix details. This is what life is about.
I'm learning about ODD. I have a child that I do not believe is ODD, but has been diagnosed as ODD in my class. There is no doubt that he is difficult.
I'm also making plans and dreaming about my own school. Let's get back to fixing problems... Yet, I'm not sure how at the moment. This may simply be in the wrong place at the moment.
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