Parent Resources & Links
Math and Reading Activities for Grades K-5
www.starfall.com
www.esparklearning.com
Some Specific Details of the Montessori Method
Multi-age grouping
Children are grouped in mixed ages and abilities in three to six year spans: 0-3, 3-6, 6-12 (sometimes temporarily 6-9 and 9-12), 12-15, 15-18. There is constant interaction, problem solving, child to child teaching, and socialization. Children are challenged according to their ability and never bored. The Montessori middle and high school teacher ideally has taken all three training courses plus graduate work in an academic area or areas.
Work centers
The environment is arranged according to subject area, and children are always free to move around the room instead of staying at desks. At any one time in a day all subjects -- math, language, science, history, geography, art, music, etc., will be being studied, at all levels.
Teaching method - "Teach by teaching, not by correcting"
There are no papers turned back with red marks and corrections. Instead the child's effort and work is respected as it is. The teacher, through extensive observation and record-keeping, plans individual projects to enable each child to learn what he needs in order to improve.
Teaching Ratio - 1:1 and 1:30+
Except for infant/toddler groups (Ratio dictated by local social service regulations), the teaching ratio is one trained Montessori teacher and one non-teaching aide to 30+ children. Rather than lecturing to large or small groups of children, the teacher is trained to teach one child at a time, and to oversee thirty or more children working on a broad array of tasks. She is facile in the basic lessons of math, language, the arts and sciences, and in guiding a child's research and exploration, capitalizing on his interest in and excitement about a subject. The teacher does not make assignments or dictate what to study or read, nor does she set a limit as to how far a child follows an interest.
Basic lessons
The Montessori teacher spends a lot of time during teacher training practicing the many lessons with materials in all areas. She must pass a written and oral exam on these lessons in order to be certified. She is trained to recognize a child's readiness according to age, ability, and interest in a specific lesson, and is prepared to guide individual progress.
Areas of study
All subjects are interwoven, not taught in isolation, the teacher modeling a "Renaissance" person of broad interests for the children. A child can work on any material he understands at any time.
Class size
Except for infant/toddler groups, the most successful classes are of 30-36 children. This is possible because the children stay in the same group for three to six years and much of the teaching comes from the children and the environment.
Character education:
Education of character is considered equally with academic education, children learning to take care of themselves, their environment, each other - cooking, cleaning, building, gardening, moving gracefully, speaking politely, being considerate and helpful, doing social work in the community, etc.
http://safeandcaringschools.com/
For more information go to: www.montessori.edu
Other Montessori sites:
THE ENVIRONMENT
The Montessori learning environment is much different than the traditional model. Instead of information passing from the teacher to the student, the teacher is skilled in putting the child in touch with the environment, and helping him learn to make intelligent choices and to carry out research in a prepared environment. The teacher then protects the student's concentration from interruption. This fosters a love of lifetime learning in the student.
Keep in mind a triangle: the student, the parent or teacher, and the environment. It is the role of the adult to prepare, and continue to prepare, the environment, to link the child to it through well-thought-out introductions to books and materials, projects, and lessons, which nurture the child's exploration and creativity. Children thus taught often surpass both the level of education of their peers, and the knowledge of the adult in all areas -- then they learn to find answers for themselves.
The Montessori school environment is arranged according to subject area -- cooking, cleaning, gardening, art, caring for animals, library corner, etc. -- children always free to move around the room instead of staying at desks. There is no limit to how long a child can work on something she has chosen. At any one time in a day all subjects -- practical work, math, language, science, history, geography, art, music, etc. -- will be being studied, at all levels, by children of mixed ages learning from each other, facilitated by careful observation, individual lessons, record keeping, and help of the teacher.
For more information go to: www.montessori.edu
Ages and Stages:
Kindergarteners and First Grade
This article has some very helpful information for parents of a Kindergarten and First grade child. Keep in mind that every child is different and may not follow these developmental milestones completely.
Brought to you by the American School Counselor Association
Is your six-year-old on track? Below are some general development milestones to help you understand your child's progress over the school year. Keep in mind that every child is different and may not fit perfectly into this framework.
Where They Are
The average six-year old is extremely egocentric and wants to be the center of attention. He/she:
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wants to be the "best" and "first"
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has boundless energy
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may be oppositional, silly, brash, and critical
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cries easily; shows a variety of tension-releasing behavior
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is attached to the teacher
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has difficulty being flexible
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often considers fantasy real
Where They Are Going
School isn't just about academics. Your child's teachers are also helping him/her grow socially. At six-years-old, your child is learning to understand himself. You can help by encouraging him as he/she:
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develops a positive, realistic self-concept
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learns to respect himself
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begins to understand his own uniqueness
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gains awareness of his feeling
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learns to express feeling
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learns how to participate in groups
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begins to learn from his/her mistakes
A new school year finds all of us with best intentions of helping children succeed in school. A simplified list of reminders on the refrigerator door can help us keep our resolutions in mind.
1. To be alert and ready to learn, your child needs plenty of rest, nutritious meals, and a good deal of physical activity. These seem obvious, but they take discipline on the part of the entire family.
2. Find time to talk regularly to your child about what is important to him or her.
3. Monitor television viewing.
4. Provide a place for your child to study and offer to help with homework if necessary.
5. Read to or with your child as often as you possibly can - even if it's just a few minutes. Encourage your child to read for fun, too, and take time to talk about what he or she is reading.
6. Let your child see you reading newspapers, magazines, and books to show how you incorporate reading into your daily activities.
7. Send your child notes and encourage him or her to write in practical ways every day - making lists, notes, or keeping a notebook of thoughts and ideas for example.
8. Take your child to the library regularly, and watch for opportunities to purchase books at yard sales or flea markets.
9. Don't underestimate the importance of encouragement. Praise efforts, give support when limits are stretched, and remind your child that mistakes are learning opportunities.
Sources for Montessori Books and Materials for the Home
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Michael Olaf Company : www.michaelolaf.net
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Nienhuis Montessori USA: www.nienhuis-montessori.com
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Montessori Services: www.montessoriservices.con
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Parent Child Press Inc. www.parentchildpress.com
How Can the Montessori Philosophy be Implemented at Home?
The core of Montessori is respect and support for a child’s inner quest for learning. To implement that kind of learning does not require special classes, toys, or equipment. It does require time, attention, and awareness and the modeling of respect, enthusiasm, and patience. There are many books outlining the particulars of Montessori in the home. “A Parent’s Guide of Montessori in the Home” is available to borrow from our class resource collection.
Practical Life skills are broken down into four categories:
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Care of Person
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Care of Environment
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Grace and Courtesy
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Control of Movement
ABC's for Parents
Ask your child about the school day.
Begin your child's day with a nourishing breakfast.
Congratulate your child for doing well.
D iscuss homework with your child.
Eencourage your child to read.
Find a quiet place for your child to study.
Give your child responsibility.
Hug your child to build self worth.
I include your child in making simple family decisions.
Join a library with your child.
Keep your child on a schedule that includes exercise and sleep.
Limit TV viewing by selecting prorams with your child.
M ake the time you spend with your child special.
Notice and discuss changes in your child's behavior.
Offer to help your child organize school papers.
Provide your child with good role models.
Q uestion the activities your child shares with friends.
Respect your child's right to have opinions different from yours.
Share an interest or a hobby with your child.
T ake time to listen to your child.
Urge your child to say "NO!" to unwanted touching.
V isit places of interest with your child.
Work with your child to set up rules of behavior.
X erox and save records or articles that benefit your child.
Yield results by encouraging your child to do better.
Zoom through these ABCs again and again!
All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten
By Robert Fulghum
These are the things I've learned: Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life. Learned some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work everyday some.
Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the plastic cup. The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
Gold fish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the plastic cup--- they all die. So do we.
And remember the book about Dick and Jane and the first word you learned, the biggest word of all: LOOK. Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love. Ecology and politics and sane living.
Think of what a better world it would be if we all the whole world had cookies and milk about 3 o’clock every afternoon, and then lay down with our blankets for a nap. Or if we had a basic policy in our nation and other nations to always put tings back where we found them and cleaned up our won messes. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.