MONTESSORI EDUCATION Montessori education is an educational approach developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori.

Montessori education is practiced in an estimated 20,000 schools worldwide, serving children from birth to eighteen years old.[1] Montessori education is characterized by an emphasis on independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a childs natural psychologicaldevelopment, as well as technological advancements in society. Although a range of practices exists under the name "Montessori", the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) and the American Montessori Society (AMS) cite these elements as essential:[2][3] Mixed age classrooms, with classrooms for children aged 2 or 3 to 6 years old by far the most common Student choice of activity from within a prescribed range of options Uninterrupted blocks of work time

A Constructivist or "discovery" model, where students learn concepts from working with materials, rather than by direct instruction

Specialized educational materials developed by Montessori and her collaborators In addition, many Montessori schools design their programs with reference to Montessoris model of human development from her published works, and use pedagogy, lessons, and materials introduced in teacher training derived from courses presented by Montessori during her lifetime.

The Edward Harden Mansion in Sleepy Hollow, NY, listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the site of the first American Montessori school in 1911 Contents [hide]

1 History

1.1 Trademark status

2 Educational theory

2.1 Self-construction, spontaneous activity 2.2 Human tendencies

liberty,

and

2.3 Prepared environment 2.4 Planes of development

2.4.1 First plane 2.4.2 Second plane 2.4.3 Third plane 2.4.4 Fourth plane

2.5 Education and peace

3 Education practices

3.1 Ages birth to three 3.2 Ages six to twelve 3.3 Ages twelve to eighteen

4 Montessori authenticity 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit]History Montessori began to develop her philosophy and methods in 1897, attending courses in pedagogy at the University of Rome and reading the educational theory of the previous two hundred years.[4] In 1907, she opened her first classroom, the Casa dei Bambini, or Childrens House, in a tenement building in Rome.[5] From the beginning, Montessori based her work on her observations of children and experimentation with the environment, materials, and lessons available to them. She frequently referred to her work as "scientific pedagogy". Montessori education spread to the United States in 1911 and became widely known in education and popular publications. However, conflict

between Montessori and the American educational establishment, and especially the publication in 1914 of a critical booklet, The Montessori System Examined, by influential education teacher William Heard Kilpatrick, limited the spread of her ideas, and they languished after 1914. [6] Montessori education returned to the United States in 1960 and has since spread to thousands of schools there. Montessori continued to extend her work during her lifetime, developing a comprehensive model of psychological development from birth to age 24, as well as educational approaches for children ages 03, 36, and 612. She wrote and lectured about ages 12 to 18 and beyond, but these programs were not developed during her lifetime. [edit]Trademark status The term "Montessori" is in the public domain, so anyone can use the term with or without reference to her work. [edit]Educational theory [edit]Self-construction, liberty, and spontaneous activity Montessori education is fundamentally a model of human development, and an educational approach based on that model. The model has two basic elements. First, children and developing adults engage in psychological selfconstruction by means of interaction with their environments. Second, children, especially under the age of six, have an innate path of psychological development. Based on her observations, Montessori believed that children at liberty to choose and act freely within an environment prepared according to her model would act spontaneously for optimal development. [edit]Human tendencies Montessori saw universal, innate characteristics in human psychology which her son and collaborator Mario Montessori identified as "human tendencies" in 1957. There is some debate about the exact list, but the following are clearly identified:[7] Self-preservation Orientation to the environment Order Exploration Communication Work, also described as "purposeful activity" Manipulation of the environment Exactness Repetition

 Abstraction Self-perfection The "mathematical mind" In the Montessori approach, these human tendencies are seen as driving behavior in every stage of development, and education should respond to and facilitate their expression. [edit]Prepared environment Montessori's education method called for free activity within a "prepared environment", meaning an educational environment tailored to basic human characteristics and to the specific characteristics of children at different ages. The function of the environment is to allow the child to develop independence in all areas according to his or her inner psychological directives. In addition to offering access to the Montessori materials appropriate to the age of the children, the environment should exhibit the following characteristics:[8] Construction in proportion to the child and his/her needs Beauty and harmony, cleanliness of environment Order An arrangement that facilitates movement and activity Limitation of materials, so that only material that supports the child's development is included [edit]Planes of development Montessori observed four distinct periods, or "planes", in human development, extending from birth to six years, from six to twelve, from twelve to eighteen, and from eighteen to twenty-four. She saw different characteristics, learning modes, and developmental imperatives active in each of these planes, and called for educational approaches specific to each period.[9][10] [edit]First plane The first plane extends from birth to around six years of age. During this period, Montessori observed that the child undergoes striking physical and psychological development. The first plane child is seen as a concrete, sensorial explorer and learner engaged in the developmental work of psychological self-construction and building functional independence. Montessori introduced several concepts to explain this work, including the absorbent mind, sensitive periods, and normalization. Absorbent mind: Montessori described the young child's behavior of effortlessly assimilating the sensorial stimuli of his or her environment, including information from the senses, language, culture, and the development of concepts with the term "absorbent mind". She believed that

this is a power unique to the first plane, and that it fades as the child approached age six.[11] Sensitive periods: Montessori also observed periods of special sensitivity to particular stimuli during this time which she called the "sensitive periods". In Montessori education, the classroom environment responds to these periods by making appropriate materials and activities available while the periods are active in the young child. She identified the following periods and their durations:[12] Acquisition of languagefrom birth to around six years old Orderfrom around one to three years old Sensory refinementfrom birth to around four years old Interest in small objectsfrom around 18 months to three years old

Social behaviorfrom around two and a half to four years old

Normalization: Finally, Montessori observed in children from three to six years old a psychological state she termed "normalization". Normalization arises from concentration and focus on activity which serves the childs developmental needs, and is characterized by the ability to concentrate as well as "spontaneous discipline, continuous and happy work, social sentiments of help and sympathy for others."[13] [edit]Second plane The second plane of development extends from around six to twelve years old. During this period, Montessori observed physical and psychological changes in children, and developed a classroom environment, lessons, and materials, to respond to these new characteristics. Physically, she observed the loss of baby teeth and the lengthening of the legs and torso at the beginning of the plane, and a period of uniform growth following. Psychologically, she observed the "herd instinct", or the tendency to work and socialize in groups, as well as the powers of reason and imagination. Developmentally, she believed the work of the second plane child is the formation of intellectual independence, of moral sense, and of social organization. [14] [edit]Third plane The third plane of development extends from around twelve to around eighteen years of age, encompassing the period of adolescence. Montessori characterized the third plane by the physical changes of puberty and adolescence, but also psychological changes. She emphasized the psychological instability and difficulties in concentration of this age, as well as the creative tendencies and the development of "a sense of justice and a sense of personal dignity." She used the term "valorization" to describe the adolescents' drive for an externally derived evaluation of their worth. Developmentally, Montessori believed that the work of the third plane child is the construction of the adult self in society.[15]

[edit]Fourth plane The fourth plane of development extends from around eighteen years to around twenty-four years old. Montessori wrote comparatively little about this period and did not develop an educational program for the age. She envisioned young adults prepared by their experiences in Montessori education at the lower levels ready to fully embrace the study of culture and the sciences in order to influence and lead civilization. She believed that economic independence in the form of work for money was critical for this age, and felt that an arbitrary limit to the number of years in university level study was unnecessary, as the study of culture could go on throughout a person's life.[16] [edit]Education and peace As Montessori developed her theory and practice, she came to believe that education had a role to play in the development of world peace.[17] She felt that children allowed to develop according to their inner laws of development would give rise to a more peaceful and enduring civilization. From the 1930s to the end of her life, she gave a number of lectures and addresses on the subject, saying in 1936, Preventing conflicts is the work of politics; establishing peace is the work of education.[18] She received a total of 6 nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize in a three year period: 1949, 1950, and 1951.[19][20] [edit]Education practices [edit]Ages birth to three

White Pine Montessori School in Moscow, Idaho, USA Infant and Toddler Programs: Montessori classrooms for children under three fall into several categories, with a number of terms being used. A "Nido", Italian for "nest", serves a small number of children from around two

months to around fourteen months, or when the child is confidently walking. A "Young Child Community" serves a larger number of children from around one year to two-and-a-half or three years old. Both environments emphasize materials and activities scaled to the children's size and abilities, opportunities to develop movement, and activities to develop independence. Development of independence in toileting is typically emphasized as well. Some schools also offer "Parent-Infant" classes, in which parents participate with their very young children.[21] Preschool and kindergarten Montessori classrooms for children from twoand-a-half or three to six years old are often called Childrens Houses, after Montessoris first school, the Casa dei Bambini in Rome in 1906. This level is also called "Primary". A typical classroom serves 20 to 30 children in mixedage groups, staffed by one trained teacher and an assistant. Classrooms are usually outfitted with child-sized tables and chairs arranged singly or in small clusters, with classroom materials on child-height shelves throughout the room. Activities are for the most part initially presented by the teacher, after which they may be chosen more or less freely by the children as interest dictates. Classroom materials usually include activities for engaging in practical skills such as pouring and spooning, materials for the development of the senses, math materials, language materials, music and art materials, and more.[22] [edit]Ages six to twelve Elementary Classrooms: Classrooms for this age are usually referred to as "Elementary", and can range in size from very small up to 30 or more children, typically staffed by a trained teacher and one or more assistants. Classes usually serve mixed-age six- to nine-year old and nine- to twelveyear old groupings, although six- to twelve-year old groups are also used. Lessons are typically presented to small groups of children, who are then free to follow up with independent work of their own as interest and personal responsibility dictate. The scope of lessons and work in the Elementary classroom is quite broad. Montessori used the term "cosmic education" to indicate both the universal scope of lessons to be presented, and the idea that education in the second plane should help the child realize the human role in the interdependent functioning of the universe. Classroom materials and lessons include work in language, mathematics, history, the sciences, the arts, and much more. Student directed explorations of resources outside the classroom, known as "going out" in Montessori, are an integral element of the Elementary work.[23] [edit]Ages twelve to eighteen Middle and High School: Montessori education for this level is less welldeveloped than programs for younger children. Montessori did not establish a teacher training program or a detailed plan of education for adolescents during her lifetime. However, a number of schools have extended their programs for younger children to the middle school and high school levels. In

addition, several Montessori organizations have developed teacher training or orientation courses and a loose consensus on the plan of study is emerging. Montessori wrote that,[clarification needed] The essential reform of our plan from this point of view may be defined as follows: during the difficult time of adolescence it is helpful to leave the accustomed environment of the family in town and to go to quiet surroundings in the country, close to nature.[24] Although a number of Montessori middle schools have incorporated some form of land-based education, only one (the Hershey Montessori School in Concord Township, Ohio) operates a full boarding program. [edit]Montessori authenticity Montessoris ideas were well received internationally, and Montessori societies to promote her work were formed in many countries. However, Montessori maintained tight control over the use of her name and insisted that only she was able to give authentic training in her methods.[25] In 1929, she founded the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), "to maintain the integrity of her lifes work, and to ensure that it would be perpetuated after her death." [26] AMI continues to train teachers using materials and presentations developed by Montessori and her son, Mario Montessori. Montessori societies were established in the United States and in several European countries during Montessori's lifetime, but teacher training and authenticity remained under Montessori's control.[27]In 1960, after a dispute with AMI, the American Montessori Society (AMS) was formed. According to AMS, "The two organizations have since reconciled their differences, and now enjoy a collegial relationship of mutual support and respect."[28] AMS trains teachers and states on its website that "AMS is the largest Montessori organization in the world." [28] Other smaller organizations offer training as well, and there is an ongoing controversy in the Montessori world about what constitutes authentic Montessori. In 1967, the US Patent Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ruled that "the term 'Montessori' has a generic and/or descriptive significance."[29] Therefore, in the United States and elsewhere, the term can be used freely without giving any guarantee of how closely, if at all, a program applies Montessori's work.

The Montessori Method explained:

WHO IS MARIA MONTESSORI? How the Montessori method works

WHO IS MARIA MONTESSORI? Maria Montessori (1870 - 1952), was the first woman in Italy to receive a medical degree. She worked in the fields of psychiatry, education and anthropology. She believed that each child is born with a unique potential to be revealed, rather than as a "blank slate" waiting to be written upon. Her main contributions to educating and raising children include:

Preparing the most natural and life supporting environment for the child Observing the child living freely in this environment Continually adapting the environment in order that the child may fulfill his greatest potential -- physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Maria Montessori developed a teaching program that enabled 'defective' children to read and write. She sought to teach them skills not solely through repetition, but through working on exercises that prepare them to learn skills. Continuous work on these exercises would then lead them to the skills: Looking becomes reading; touching becomes writing. The success of her method then caused her to ask questions of 'normal' education and the ways in which it failed children. Maria Montessori had the chance to test her programme and ideas with the establishment of the first Casa dei Bambini (Children's house or household) in Rome in 1907, taking charge of fifty poor children of the dirty, desolate streets of the San Lorenzo slum on the outskirts of Rome. This house and those that followed were designed to provide a good environment for children to live and learn. An emphasis was placed on self-determination and self-realization. This entailed developing a concern for others and discipline and to do this children engaged in exercices de la vie pratique (exercise in daily living). These and other exercises were to function like a ladder - allowing the child to pick up the challenge and to judge their progress. The news of the unprecedented success of her work in this Casa dei Bambini soon spread around the world. Dr. Montessori was as astonished as anyone at the realized potential of these children: "Supposing I said there was a planet without schools or teachers, study was unknown, and yet the inhabitants doing nothing but living and walking about - came to know all things, to carry in their minds the whole of learning: would you not think I was romancing? Well, just this, which seems so fanciful as to be nothing but the invention of a fertile imagination, is a reality. It is the child's way of learning. This is the path he follows. He learns everything without knowing he is learning it, and in doing so passes little from the unconscious to the conscious, treading always in the paths of joy and love." From Europe To The United States, India, and the rest of the World Invited to the USA by Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, and others, Dr. Montessori spoke at Carnegie Hall in 1915. She was invited to set up a classroom at the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco, where spectators watched twenty-one children, all-new to this Montessori method, behind a glass wall for four months. The only two gold medals awarded for education went to this class, and the education of young children was altered forever. During World War II Dr. Montessori was forced into exile from Italy because of her anti-fascist views and lived and worked in India. Her concern with education for peace intensified and she was twice nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Since her death interest in Dr. Montessori's methods have continued to spread throughout the world. Her message to those who emulated her was always to turn one's attention to the child, to "follow the child". It is because of this basic tenet, and the observation guidelines left by her, that Dr. Montessori's ideas will never become obsolete. Source: The Informal Education Encyclopedia/forum. www.infed.org

The Montessori Method explained:

Who is Maria Montessori? HOW THE MONTESSORI METHOD WORKS

HOW THE MONTESSORI METHOD WORKS

"I have studied the child. I have taken what the child has given me and expressed it and that is what is called the Montessori method." The Montessori approach was designed to help children grow by letting them explore the world around them. Classrooms are called prepared environments where childrens innate zeal for learning is encouraged allowing them opportunities to choose among an array of purposeful activities to work on with the guidance of a trained adult. Through Montessori work, children are able to develop concentration and self-discipline by following the work process outlined by the teacher, also called the Directress. Children progress at their own pace, according to their capabilities and inclinations.

A unique element of the Montessori program which sets it apart from traditional teaching methods is the decentralization of the teacher. Rather than being the center of attention in a classroom, the teachers task is to observe and to intervene from the sidelines, essentially the 'keeper' of the environment, letting children get on with their activities, guiding and intervening only when necessary. The Montessori program has the following activities: PRACTICAL LIFE EXERCISES Practical Life exercises teach children to care for themselves, for others, and for the environment. They involve a wide variety of activities such as carrying objects, walking, polishing, sweeping, dusting, lacing, mainly activities that are done in day to day living. It is divided into four major areas namely: movement, care of self, care of environment, and grace and courtesy. These activities are Montessoris response to the childs need for movement, order, independence, among many others; they are basic activities that enable the child to explore his environment and eventually make him one with it. Through practical life exercises, he learns to refine his movements, becomes conscious of his body and of what his body can do. He learns how to move and act in a socially accepted manner, thus helping him in his task of adaptation. He learns the ways of social living and becomes comfortable and confident in his society. These exercises also teach the child to complete a task following a step-by-step procedure. This sequential ordering of tasks prepares him for the logical task that awaits him in mathematics. Likewise, activities in these areas are presented in isolation in order to help the child focus his attention only on a particular task. SENSORIAL EXERCISES Sensorial Materials provide training of the senses. They teach children about color, shape, sound, dimension, surface, texture, weight, temperature and form. It is through contact and exploration of the environment that the child acquires his store of knowledge and ideas that are necessary for his functioning in society. He has a need to touch, to explore and manipulate. He acquires this mass of ideas, impressions and information and needs to establish a certain order from this chaos; to categorize, classify and catalogue all this information. The sensorial materials provide the child an opportunity to rediscover his environment in a more precise and organized manner. The exercises will not improve the senses but rather refine their use. Sensorial materials serve as aids to a childs development. The training of the senses provides a solid foundation for intellectual training. A more accurate and refined perception of the environment certainly helps the child adapt better to his environment. The sensorial materials then are important tools to the education of the child. LANGUAGE Language is not taught to a child. It is something that develops within the child, a faculty acquired simply by living around people that speak. Children live with people who speak, so naturally they come to speak themselves. A child, in his early years, simply absorbs a language unconsciously. His mental mechanism is such that he is able to bring the totality of his mother tongue, with all its aspects, into a whole language and apply it with such ease. The Montessori method provides the child with the words in order to help him better express himself, providing him with an environment of speaking people, and with the tools for intelligent and correct speech. Using objects familiar to the child facilitates beginning reading. The child is given exercises with reading cards to provide opportunity for practice in reading. As the child goes on, he is presented with words with increasing

difficulty. He is thus prepared for exercises like labeling objects in the environment and work with nomenclature cards. The child is then presented with exercises that introduce him to the function of words in a sentence. Exercises in sentence analysis provide the child with the opportunity to practice identifying the functions of words and how they relate to each other in a sentence. Word study exercises serve as a follow-up activity for words that he has previously learned. Language exercises prepare the child to move on to further work in grammar and syntax; progressing towards creative writing and total reading. MATHEMATICS The mathematics materials help the child learn and understand mathematical concepts by working with concrete materials. It uses a general approach of introduction, practice and application. The Montessori Number Work Progression is divided into 6 major parts namely: Introduction to Numbers 0 to 10 Introduction to the Decimal System Work with teens and tens Memory Work Passage to Abstraction Fractions

The math materials introduce the child to the quantities, and later on the symbols, 1 - 10. The child is then given the opportunity to relate his knowledge of quantity and symbol with the number rods and cards. The spindle boxes clarify the idea that a quantity is made up of separate quantities and introduces zero as no quantity. The memory game and cards and counters serve as practice for the child as he is required to remember and associate quantity to symbol. The cards and counters provide practice for the sequence of numbers and also introduce odd and even numbers. The child may continue to learn the quantities and symbols for numbers succeeding 10 thus moving on to work with teens and tens. Another Montessori approach is to present work with the golden bead material, introducing the decimal system. The categories of the decimal system (units, tens, hundreds, thousands) and their numerical symbols are presented. With the golden bead material, exercises for the 4 mathematical operations are introduced. With these exercises, the child is presented with a geometric representation of the quantities as well as a concrete and sensorial understanding of the process involved in each arithmetic operation. Simultaneously, the child may also be presented with linear counting exercises. To reinforce his experience with the golden bead material, the stamp game for the 4 operations are given as follow-up exercises. The child is now moving to more abstract work. Instead of working with geometrically represented quantities, he is now dealing with stamps of the same kind, varying only in color and in the numbers printed on them. The child is also encouraged to write down the problems and answers on paper. The child then moves on to memory work. The Montessori approach attempts to make this task less tedious and more meaningful for the child. The child is given only the basic unit combinations of each operation to memorize. The approach begins with concrete materials such as the snake game for both addition and subtraction. Follow-up work with the strip boards are then presented. Work then moves on to variations of finger charts where the child is given the opportunity to memorize the unit combinations through repetition. In addition, work with the half chart brings the child to a realization of the commutative property, where he realizes that he only needs to memorize half as much combinations. This helps sustain the childs interest for memory work. As the child gains mastery over the previous material, the child moves on to exercises that will help him towards his passage to abstraction in mathematics. The goal is to have the child do mathematical operations solely on paper. The child is given the link between the materials, such as the small bead frame for addition and subtraction, and paperwork. The materials bring to the childs awareness that he has already acquired the knowledge he needs to perform the operations and no longer needs the materials to do so. Through this number work progression, the child moves from a concrete impression to an understanding of abstract mathematical concepts, which enables him to mentally perform mathematical operations on paper with understanding and ease. CULTURAL EXTENSIONS Geography, History, Biology, Botany, Zoology, Art and Music are presented as extensions of the sensorial and language activities. Children learn about other cultures past and present, and this allows their innate respect and love for their environment to flourish, creating a sense of solidarity with the global human family and its habitat. Experiences with nature in conjunction with the materials in the environment inspire a reverence for all life. History is presented to the children through art and an intelligent music program.

PRACTICAL LIFE EXERCISES Practical Life Exercises are the foundation of the Montessori environment, provide a sane and wholesome range of activities which allow the children to develop control and coordination of movement, awareness of their environment, orderly thought patterns, independent work habits, responsibility, and many other characteristics which can only be attained through spontaneous, purposeful work.

Dressing Frames These individual Dressing Frames present a variety of activities which introduce self-help skills buttoning, lacing, zipping, etc. While doing these exercises, children also hone fine finger motor skills, understand the importance of sequence in tasks, as well as enhance focus and concentration.

Pouring Exercises Dry Pouring Wet Pouring When presented to the children, they are shown how to do pouring without spilling the contents of the vessels. Mind-hand coordination is developed as the children exert their efforts to pour in the same manner presented by the teacher. Thus, all their focus and attention, their entire body concentrates to complete "pour without spilling". This procedure promotes what Montessori calls "integration of the mind and the body" which is the primary foundation for the child's "development of will". The child discovers that he can conduct his bodily movements through the direction of his will. When translated to a life skill, this gives the child confidence in facing challenging activities realizing that he can practically accomplish any task as long as he wills it.

Transferring Exercises Spooning Marble Spooning Tongs Exercises (various kinds of tongs ranging from simple to difficult) Transferring Exercises in the Practical Life Area provide interesting opportunities for the child to build eye-hand coordination, develop focus and attention, refine motor skills and hone muscular control. Making use of things mostly found around the home, these activities promote learning of skills that also enable them to participate fully and independently in their home life. With independence comes also the building of the child's self-confidence and initaitive which carries out to his attitude towards learning in general.

Washing Hands Exercise The Washing Hands Exercise is only one of the many "Care of the Self" exercises of the Practical Life Area. In doing these exercises, children are able to integrate and practice a variety of skills while gaining a better understanding of the importance of sequence in completing a task. Since the completeion of this activity requires a series of related steps, children learn to improve on their focus on the task and increase their attention span to see the task through its completion.

SENSORIAL EXERCISES Sensorial Materials allow for individual work and repetition, and allows children to clasify their sensorial impressions in an organized, orderly, and scientific manner. They have a built in control of error, which builds in the child the habit of working independently, without fear of making mistakes, becoming comfortable in the fact that errors are essential to the process of learning.

Rough and Smooth Boards Set This set of three boards forms the introductory materials for development of the tactile sense and prepares the hand for writing. The first board introduces the contrast of rough and smooth. The second board helps to coordinate finger movements and builds dexterity. The third board introduces gradations of texture from fine to coarse.

Pink Tower This series of cubes develops visual discrimination of size in three dimensions. Exploration with this material prepares the child for mathematical concepts in the decimal system, geometry and volume.

Set of Knobless Cylinders The Knobless Cylinders are the final stage (application) in the dimensional material where the child places in order the sets of cylinders based upon his abilities to discriminate. The cylinders have interrelationships in size that are revealed to the child as he works with the sets in combination.

Thermic Tablets When touched, each of the Thermic Tablets has a different sense of temperature. The pairs of tablets are used to cultivate the ability to discriminate thermic qualities.

Baric Tablets The Baric Tablets introduce and refine the concepts of the baric sense. While blindfolded, the child endeavors to discern the weight of the tablets of wood. Error is controlled by the color of the wooden tablets, the lightest color being the lightest weight to the darkest color wood being the heaviest weight.

Geometric Solids The Geometric Solids introduce the child to solid geometry. The set contains one each of the following solids: Cylinder, cube, ellipsoid, cone, sphere, square-based pyramid, triangular-based pyramid, ovoid, rectangular prism and triangular prism.

Binomial Cube The Binomial Cube is a concrete representation of the algebraic formula (a+b)3. The factors of the equation are represented by the cubes and prisms. The primary Montessori child explores the Binomial Cube as a sensorial activity of visual discrimination of color and form. This indirect preparation for algebra prepares the child for the elementary Montessori class.

Trinomial Cube The Trinomial Cube is a concrete representation of the algebraic formula (a+b+c)3. The factors of the equation are represented by the cubes and prisms. The primary Montessori child explores the Trinomial cube as a sensorial activity of visual discrimination of color and form. This indirect preparation for algebra prepares the child for the elementary Montessori class.

MATHEMATICS Math materials allow the children to have a sensorial experience of the abstraction that is mathematics, allowing them to store concepts so that when the time comes to deal exclusively in abstract terms, the understanding is already there. Every piece of material isolates one concept, which integrates to form the basis for a further step in the child's understanding of mathematics.

Number Rods The Number Rods introduce the child to quantity 110 and their corresponding number names. Serves as the child's link to the sensorial exercises as it is very similar to the long rods. Through exploration with the material, the child also develops concepts in sequence of number, combinations of 10 and basic arithmetic.

Sandpaper Numerals The sandpaper numerals introduce the child to symbol 0-9 and their corresponding number names. By tracing the numerals in the style and direction in which they are written, the child is preparing for writing numbers. The child is then given the opportunity to relate his knowledge of quantity and symbol with the number rods and cards.

Spindle Boxes Spindle Boxes provide practice in associating quantity and symbol for the numbers 0-9, and introduces zero as no quantity.

Memory Game, Cards, and Counters The memory game, cards, and counters serve as practice for the child as he is required to remember and associate quantity to symbol. The cards and counters provide practice for the sequence of numbers and also introduce odd and even numbers.

Introduction to Decimal Quantity A tray containing Golden bead materials for introducing the decimal quantities of 1, 10, 100 and 1000

Introduction to Decimal Symbol A tray containing cards that differ in length and color to introduce the values of 1, 10, 100 and 1,000.

Golden Bead Material The golden bead material introduces the child to the decimal system with concrete representations of the hierarchy of numbers. Quantity and place value of the decimal system are explored by the child in activities in the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

Stamp Game After being introduced to the processes of the decimal system using the golden bead materials, the Stamp Game provides opportunities for individual practice in the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. In a step towards abstraction, the quantity and symbols of the decimal system are combined and are represented by each "stamp".

Tens Boards With the Tens Boards, the child explores the number names of the tens and the sequence of numbers 11-99. Bead quantities are created from the ten bars and unit beads in the Tens Bead Box and are associated with the corresponding numeral on the Tens Board.

Hundred Board An enjoyable counting activity that reinforces the sequence of numbers from 1-100. The Hundred Board is used by placing the wooden chips in sequence on the board.

Bead Material This extensive set of bead material is used for the exercises of linear and skip counting the quantities of the squares and cubes of the numbers 1-10. It prepares the child for later activities in multiplication, squaring and cubing, as well as base number work.

Addition Equations and Sums Box This two-compartment box with lid contains plastic chips, one set with equations printed on them and one set with the answers to be used with the addition working charts. These aid the child in practice and memorization of the unit addition combinations.

Colored Bead Stairs The colored bead stairs are used for activities of addition, subtraction and multiplication.

Addition Snake Game The addition snake game introduces the child to addition combinations of the unit numbers.

LANGUAGE Language materials have some essential points in common with Sensorial materials. They provide the children with keys to discover something that is beyond what lies on the surface. Sandpaper letters give the shape of the letters, the Movable Alphabet makes it possible to arrange these letters to form words, and the Metal insets makes it possible for childen to control a writing instrument and later on, put their thoughts on paper.

Sandpaper Letters The sandpaper letters guide the hand for writing as the child traces the letter shapes in the style and direction that they are written. Each sandpaper letter is in lower case with the consonants on boards painted pink and the vowels on boards painted blue.

Movable Alphabet After learning the letter sounds with the Sandpaper Letters, the Movable Alphabet is used by the children for the writing of words. The set contains 10 of each consonant in red, and 15 of each vowel in blue, in thick plastic letters.

Writing Insets Dr. Montessori analyzed the movements, which are connected with writing and developed the Metal Insets for directly preparing the child for handwriting. The metal insets exercises strengthen the three-finger grip and coordinate the necessary wrist movements. The exercises also advance proficiency in lightness of touch and evenness of pressure through drawing activities.

Reading Analysis, First Chart and Box This material helps the child to analyze the basic parts of a sentence and identify their function. The first chart and box introduces the predicate, subject, and direct object.

Reading Cards Allows the child to different key letter combinations.

Grammar Symbols Grammar Symbols help to reinforce sensorially each part of speech. There are 15 different symbols, each representing a specific part of speech.

Family Montessori Preschool of Loyola offers a 3-year pre-elementary curriculum with the following areas of learning:

Practical Life Exercises that promote mind and body coordination, control and refinement of basic movements, and develop focus and attention. These exercises in movement, self-help, care of the environment and grace and courtesy capture the preschool childs natural interest and innate desire to participate in the affairs of the world around him, transforming these exercises into purposeful activities which build good habits for exploration and learning which extends to the home and even to the larger, more conventional learning environment.

Sensorial Development Exercises are didactic materials that enhance and enrich visual-motor, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory and three-dimensional (stereognostic) perceptions. Sensorial materials give the child the power to come into contact with his/her world through the use of all his/her available faculties. Only with the guidance of a trained directress, sensorial materials can develop a childs keen attention for details, order and sequence.essential foundations for acquiring language and math skills.

Language Exercises on vocabulary enrichment, language training, letter sound and alphabet association, word building/composition, comprehension, expressive writing and reading. The Montessori language curriculum provides a range of indirect and direct experiences in the meaningful acquisition and use of language, both in English and the vernacular.

Math Exercises on the basic concepts of 0-10, tens and teens, the decimal system and four math operations. Developmentally appropriate, the Montessori Math curriculum places a prime on concrete and meaningful learning of Math concepts with the sensorial materials as its foundation.

Cultural Arts Exercises covering selected concepts of Biology, History and Geography. These materials bring the world to the child and exposes his/her to various topics of interest from which to select, pursue and promote his/her inclinations.

Spiritual Exercises for the development of a fundamental relationship with God, nurturing and appreciating relationships with fellow human beings and nature. The exercise of silence allows the child a profound realization of self and promotes intra-personal awareness as he/she develops into the person he/she is to become.

Music, Movement and Art Exercises for self-expression and creativity. Action Singing, dancing, movement exercises and the arts provide opportunities for your child to express his/her own uniqueness and create using his/her body. The child realizes the wonderful potentials of his/her body and grows in loving appreciation of it.

Family Montessori Preschool of Loyola runs on a regular June-March school year, with separate summer classes offered in April and May. However, because the Montessori approach is highly personalized, your child may enter at any time during the school year. In this way, valuable learning moments are not wasted waiting for another semester or a year. When your child joins us, he/she will be presented and guided through materials and learning activities that meet his/her own level of learning and development. Classes are grouped vertically (2 - 6 year old), with various opportunities for spontaneous and vicarious learning. Aside from the directress as the sole source of learning, children gain valued insights from watching each other work. Vertical grouping is characteristic of the Montessori approach in recognition of the fact that children have different rates in physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development and thus are more sensibly treated as individuals rather than lumped as a chronological age group. Parent-school communication is facilitated through periodic written update reports sent by the class directress. Twice a year, parents are invited to sit through individual parent-teacher conferences with their childs directress and the school head.

PROGRAMS We offer the following programs: 3-hour Montessori program (2 - 6 years of age) Morning session: 8:00 11:00 a.m. Afternoon session: 12:30 3:30 p.m. 7-hour Extended Day program (4 - 6 years of age) 8:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m.

Regular Extended Day Program (R-EDP) Prepares the child for enrollment in a traditional elementary school. Simulates learning in a regular classroom setting. Children experience lectures/whiteboard instruction, workbooks and task sheets, recitation, writing quizzes, and tests, and other classroom activities. R-EDP also prepares the child for entrance exams in traditional schools, and facilitates adjustment to a big school setting.

 Montessori Extended Day Program (M-EDP) Prepares the child for advanced Montessori work. Some children, at the age of 4, are already ready for more advanced work in areas such as Mathematics, Language, and Cultural Arts that are currently tackled in his/her morning sessions. Also, opportunities for more hands-on activities such as experimentation, creative writing, research projects, dramatization, extensive arts and crafts and even cooking, complement the Montessori activities similar to what they encounter in a Montessori elementary school.

We invite you to visit our school and observe our classes. We will be more than happy to share with you essential information about Family Montessori Preschool of Loyola.

FAQ's
(frequently asked questions)

General Questions
Q. Where did Montessori come from? A. Montessori (pronounced MON-tuh-SORE-ee) education was founded in 1907 by Dr. Maria Montessori, the first woman in Italy to become a physician. She based her educational methods on scientific observation of children's learning processes. Guided by her discovery that children teach themselves, Dr. Montessori designed a "prepared environment" in which children could freely choose from a number of developmentally appropriate activities. Now, nearly a century after Maria Montessori's first casa dei bambini ("children's house") in Rome, Montessori education is found all over the world, spanning ages from birth to adolescence. Q. Where can I find a good, brief, introduction to Montessori from birth through the school years? A. At the Michael Olaf Montessori "text"site, which is actually an E-book of Montessori philosophy and practice: www.michaelolaf.net. Q. What is the difference between Montessori and traditional education? A. Montessori emphasizes learning through all five senses, not just through listening, watching, or reading. Children in Montessori classes learn at their own, individual pace and according to their own choice of activities from hundreds of possibilities. Learning is an exciting process of discovery, leading to concentration, motivation, self-discipline, and a love of learning. Montessori classes place children in three-year age groups (3-6, 6-9, 9-12, and so on), forming communities in which the older children spontaneously share their knowledge with the younger ones. Montessori represents an entirely different approach to education. Q. Can I do Montessori at home with my child? A. Yes, you can use Montessori principles of child development at home. Look at your home through your child's eyes. Children need a sense of belonging, and they get it by participating fully in the routines of everyday life. "Help me do it by myself" is the life theme of the preschooler. Can you find ways for your child to participate in meal preparation, cleaning, gardening, caring for clothes, shoes, and toys? Providing opportunities for independence is the surest way to build your child's self-esteem. At the school level many homeschooling and other parents use the Montessori philosophy of following the child's interest and not interrupting concentration to educate their children. In school only a trained Montessori teacher can properly implement Montessori education, using the specialized learning equipment of the Montessori "prepared environment." Here social development comes from being in a positive and unique environment with other children -- an integral part of Montessori education.

Some Specific Details of the Montessori Method

The schedule - The three-hour work period Under the age of six, there are one or two 3-hour, uninterrupted, work periods each day, not broken up by required group lessons. Older children schedule meetings or study groups with each other the teacher when necessary. Adults and children respect concentration and do not interrupt someone who is busy at a task. Groups form spontaneously or are arranged ahead by special appointment. They almost never take precedence over self-selected work. Note: For more information on the "three-hour work period" see the chapter "My Contribution to Experimental Science" from The Advanced Montessori Method, Volume I, by Dr. Maria Montessori, or contact the Michael Olaf Montessori Company at michaelola@aol.com for reprint GB850 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, 1518. 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. There is no limit to how long a child can work with a piece of material. At any one time in a day all subjects -math, language, science, history, geography, art, music, etc., will be being studied, at all levels.

1 BASICS ELEMENTS OF THE MONTESSORI APPROACH by Tim Seldin, Executive Director The Mont e s sor i Clas s room Montessori classrooms are bright, warm, and inviting. They are filled with plants, animals, art, music, books, and interest centers filled with intriguing learning materials, fascinating mathematical models, maps, charts, fossils, historical artifacts, computers, scientific apparatus, perhaps a small natural science museum, and animals that the children are raising. You will not find rows of desks in our classrooms at New Gate. Montessori learning environments are set up to facilitate student discussion and stimulate collaborative learning. One glance and it is clear that our children feel comfortable and at home. Students will typically be found scattered around the classroom, working alone or with one or two others. They will tend to become so involved in their work that we cannot help but be tremendously impressed by the peaceful atmosphere. It may take a moment to spot the teachers within the classrooms. They will be found working with one or two children at a time, advising, presenting a new lesson, or quietly observing the class at work. In her research, Dr. Montessori noted specific characteristics associated with the childs interests and abilities at each plane of development. She argued that a school carefully designed to meet the needs and interests of the child will work more effectively because it is consistent with basic principles of psychology. Rather than fight the laws of nature, Montessori suggested that we follow the child and allow our children to show us how to facilitate the development of their human potential. This focus on the whole child led Montessori to develop a very different sort of school from the traditional adult-centered classroom. To emphasize this difference, she named her first school the Casa dei Bambini or the Childrens House. There is something profound in her choice of words, for the Montessori classroom is not the domain of the adults in charge, but rather a carefully prepared environment designed to facilitate the development of the childrens independence and sense of personal empowerment. This is a true community of young children. They move freely within the rooms, selecting work that captures their interest, rather than passively participating in lessons and projects selected by the teachers. In a very real sense, even the very youngest students at New Gate take care of their own child-sized environment. When they are hungry, they prepare their own snack and drink. They go to the bathroom without assistance. When something spills, they help each other carefully clean things up. Parents are often amazed to see small children in Montessori classrooms cut raw fruits and vegetables, sweep and dust, carry pitchers of water, and pour liquids with barely a drop spilled. These little ones normally go about their work so calmly and purposely that it is clear to even the casual observer that this is their environment: The Childrens House. The Montessori classroom is commonly referred to as a prepared environment. This name reflects the care and attention that is given to creating a learning environment that will reinforce the childrens independence and intellectual development. Re s p e c t , Intelligence, and Independence We know that young children are full and complete individuals in their own right. They deserve to be treated with the full and sincere respect that we would extend to their parents. Respect breeds respect and creates an atmosphere within which learning is tremendously facilitated.2 Montessori schools believe very strongly that intelligence is not fixed at birth, nor is the human potential

anywhere near as limited as it sometimes seems in traditional education. Success in school is directly tied to the degree to which children believe that they are capable and independent human beings. If they knew the words, even very young children would ask: Help me learn to do it for myself! By allowing children to develop a meaningful degree of independence and self-discipline, Montessori sets a pattern for a lifetime of good work habits and a sense of responsibility. Students are taught to take pride in doing things for themselves carefully and well. Mont e s sor i Teache s Chi ldr en to Think, Col laborat e , and Di s cove r Our program is designed to help each of our students discover and develop his or her unique talents and possibilities. We treat each as a unique individual learner. We know that no two students will learn at the same pace, nor will they necessarily learn best from the same teaching methods, and our goal is to be flexible and creative in addressing each student as a unique individual. At New Gate, students and teachers learn to collaborate in the process of education rather than mindlessly compete. Our students discover their own innate abilities and develop a strong sense of independence, self-confidence, and self-discipline. In an atmosphere in which children learn at their own pace and compete only against themselves, they learn not to be afraid of making mistakes. They quickly find that few things in life come easily, and they can try again without fear of embarrassment. One way of thinking about the difference between our approach and one that is more traditional is to consider that while learning the right answers may get our children through school, learning how to become a life-long independent learner will take them anywhere! Our children are learning to think, observe, and reflect; not memorize and quickly forget. Rather than present students with loads of right answers, their teachers ask the right questions and lead the children to discover the answers for themselves. Learning will become its own reward, and each success will fuel their desire to discover even more. The Elementary students are encouraged to do their own research, analyze what they have found, and come to their own conclusions. The teachers encourage our children to think for themselves and become actively engaged in the learning process. Fr e edom of Movement and Independent ly Chos en Work Montessori children are free to move about, working alone or with others at will. They may select any activity and work with it as long as they wish, so long as they do not disturb anyone or damage anything, and so long as they put it back where it belongs when they are finished. The Integrated Montessori Curriculum Classrooms at New Gate are organized into several curriculum areas, which include language arts (reading, literature, grammar, creative writing, spelling, and handwriting), mathematics and geometry, everyday living skills, sensory awareness exercises and puzzles, geography, history, science, art, music, and movement. Most rooms will include a classroom library. Each area is made up of one or more shelf units, cabinets, and display tables with a wide variety of materials on open display ready for use as the children select them.3 New Gates curriculum is organized into a spiral of integrated studies, rather than a traditional model in which the curriculum is compartmentalized into separate subjects, with given topics considered only once at a specific grade level. In the early years, lessons are introduced simply and concretely and are reintroduced several times over succeeding years at increasing degrees of abstraction and complexity. The course of study uses an integrated thematic approach that ties the separate disciplines of the curriculum together into studies of the physical universe, the world of nature, and the human experience.

Literature, the arts, history, social issues, political science, economics, science, and the study of technology all complement one another. This integrated approach is one of Montessori's great strengths. As an example, when our students study Africa in world history, they will also read African folk tales in world literature, create African masks and make African block print t-shirts in art, learn Swahili songs in music, and make hieroglyphic calendars in math, as well as study African animals in zoology. Our mathematics curriculum follows a European model of unified mathematics through which students are introduced to concepts in algebra, geometry, mathematical logic, and statistics from the early years of their education, rather than waiting until high school as is normal in the United States. The same is true in our science curriculum, weaving principles of physics, chemistry, the earth sciences, botany, and zoology together from the preschool years and up, with far greater emphasis on the sciences in general than is common in most American elementary curriculums. T y p i c a l Cl a s s Size A typical Montessori class is made up of from twenty-five to thirty children, representing a three-year age span, taught by two certified Montessori teachers. Parents often wonder if it would not be better to organize classes into smaller groups, but there is actually a great deal of research, thought, and successful experience behind this particular model. The key is to remember that in Montessori, the teacher is neither the center of attention nor the sole source of instruction. The children are learning on their own by independent discovery and from each other, as well as through lessons presented by the teacher. This approach allows the children to explore and learn independently as much as possible. The stimulation of older children and the encouragement of their peers fuels the process, and all so often the best teacher of a four-year-old is an older child rather than an adult. Children learn best from one another. We create classes of thirty to ensure that each child will have enough classmates of the same sex and age group, as well as the stimulation of the older children. Mo n t e s s o r i Cl a s s e s E n c omp a s s e s a T h r e e -Ye a r Ag e Span. Montessori classes are organized to encompass a two- or three-year age span, which allows younger students to experience the daily stimulation of older role models, who in turn blossom in the responsibilities of leadership. Students not only learn with each other, but from each other. We find that most often the best tutor is a fellow student who is just a bit older. Some parents worry that having younger children in the same class as older ones will leave one group or the other short changed. They fear that the younger children will absorb the teachers time and attention, or that the importance of covering the Kindergarten curriculum for the five-year-olds will prevent teachers from giving the three- and four-year-olds the emotional support and stimulation that they need. Both concerns are misguided. Working in one class for two or three years allows students to develop a strong sense of community with their classmates and teachers. The age range also allows especially gifted children the stimulation of intellectual peers, without requiring that they skip a grade and feel emotionally out of place.4 Each class is an essentially stable community, with only the oldest third moving on to the next level each year. At each level within a Montessori school, the curriculum and methods are logical and consistent extensions of what has come before. How Can Mont e s sor i Teache r s Me e t the Ne eds of So Many Di f f e r ent Chi ldr en? Montessori teachers play a very different role from those played by traditionally trained educators. While the stern disciplinarians of the past may be an endangered species, many teachers are focused on maintaining order and on covering a pre-defined curriculum. Most see their role as dispensing facts and skills to complacent students.

The Montessori teachers role is that of a facilitator and guide. He or she is usually not the center of attention and will not normally spend much time working with the whole class at once. Her role centers around the preparation and organization of appropriate learning materials to meet the needs and interests of each child in the class. The Montessori teacher has four primary goals: to awaken our childrens spirit and imagination, to encourage their normal desire for independence and high sense of self-esteem, to help them develop the kindness and self-discipline that will allow them to become full members of society, and to help them learn how to observe, question, and explore ideas independently. The Montessori teacher is a coach, mentor, and friend. The teachers rarely present a lesson to more than one or two children at a time and limit them to a quick, efficient presentation. The objective is to intrigue the children so that they will come back on their own to work with the materials. Lessons center around clear and simple information that is necessary for the children to be able to do the work on their own: the name of the material, its place on the shelf, the ground rules for its use, and some of the possibilities inherent within it. The teachers closely monitor their students' progress, keeping the level of challenge high. Because they come to know the children so well, Montessori teachers can often use their own interests to enrich the curriculum and provide alternate avenues for accomplishment and success. The Mont e s sor i Mat e r ial s - A Road f rom the Conc r e t e to the Abs t rac t The basis of our approach is the simple observation that children learn most effectively through direct experience and the process of investigation and discovery. In her studies of childrens learning, Dr. Montessori noted that most children do not learn by memorizing what they hear from their teachers or read in a text, but rather from concrete experience and direct interaction with the environment. Asking a child to sit back and watch us perform a process or experiment is like asking a one-year-old not to put everything in his mouth. Children need to manipulate and explore everything that catches their interest. This led Montessori to emphasize the overriding importance of concrete learning apparatus and to the development of the Montessori materials for mathematics, sensory development, language, science, history, and geography. The Montessori learning materials are not the method itself, but rather tools that we use to stimulate the child into logical thought and discovery. They are provocative and simple, each carefully designed to appeal to children at a given level of development. Each material isolates and teaches one thing or is used to present one skill at a time as the child is ready. Montessori carefully analyzed the skills and concepts involved in each subject and noted the sequence in which children most easily master them. To facilitate the prepared order of the environment, the teacher arranges the materials on the shelf following their sequence in the curriculum flowchart. The materials are displayed on low open shelves that are easily accessible to even the youngest children. They are arranged to provide maximum eye5 appeal without clutter. Each has a specific place on the shelves, arranged from the upper-left-hand corner in sequence to the lower right. Materials are always arranged in sequence, from the most simple to the most complex, and from the most concrete to those that are the most abstract. Pr epar ing Tomor row s Innovat ive Thinke r s Today In a world of rapid change and new discoveries, we can only guess at the skills our children will need to succeed in the 21st century. Now, more than ever, the essential lesson is learning how to learn. The most important years in our childrens education are not high school and college, but, instead, their first twelve years of life. This is when their character and values, self-image, basic skills and knowledge,

and appreciation for culture and the arts are formed. New Gate offers our children a world-class education, along with an education of the heart, that nurtures their self-confidence, personal creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit. It offers them the most challenging academic program that they can handle in a course of study that includes the Junior Great Books, creative writing, unified mathematics, geometry, pre-algebra, history, geography, economics, philosophy and ethics, computers, botany and zoology, the physical sciences, foreign language study, art, music, dance, and physical education. We can see our children as they truly come to love learning and begin to discover their true potential as young men and women. New Gates goal is to nurture their intelligence and creativity, helping our child become renaissance individuals in the intellectual tradition of Thomas Jefferson, Buckminster Fuller, and Maria Montessori. Granted, this lies beyond the scope of traditional education, but then New Gate has set out to become a rather unusual school. As families, we come to schools like New Gate to give our children an outstanding preparation for high school, college, and life.