Technical Issues

Technical issues...
I have to fix the picture after Christmas!
Why is it always the template....

Merry Christmas to all!

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
  

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

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