Breanna Holden

ECE 250
April 9, 2019
Age 3-6 Primary Montessori

Section 1. Physical Environment

A. Equipment
1. Indoors- Appropriate materials for each station.
2. Outdoors- Common outdoor playground, garden, sand play wall, wall climb,
teeter totter (not to play on but to play with objects like
rocks)
B. Room Arrangement

C. Centers
1. -Writing Area, Pre Reading, Grammar and Sound Program Center. Materials
include, phonics materials, colored pencils, paper, wooden letters.
2. -Library- Books Alphabet on wall, comfy chairs.
3. -Sensorial Area- blocks and other objects for visual, tactile, baric, thermic,
auditory, olfactory, gustatory, and stereognosis learning.
4. -Math Area. Counting cards, number rods and tiles, math beads/ shelf.
5. -Community meeting area and calendar events.
6. -Art Area- chalkboard, paper art tools.
7. -Peace and Mindfulness area- fish tank, desk with single chair, plants, map
of the world.
*D. EVALUATION - Children move freely, and each have an individualized way of moving
throughout the class, it is a very prepared environment with lots of hands on learning.

-DAP Environment/ Teaching Methods

• DAP 152- Teacher ensure environment is safe, healthy and conducive to children’s
exploration and independence and provide attentive supervision (supervision includes
Lindy who is the teacher, and she has 2 teacher assistants).
• DAP 153- Teachers create a learning environment that fosters children’s initiative, active
exploration of materials, and sustained engagement with other children adult and
activities.
• DAP 154- Teachers create interest areas and furnish with materials based on program
goals… Materials include blocks, books, writing materials, math related games.
• DAP 155- Teachers provide many opportunities for children to learn to collaborate with
others and work through ideas and solutions as well as develop social skills such as
cooperating, helping, negotiating, and talking with other people to solve problems.
Section 2. Curriculum
A. Philosophy
1. Teacher's philosophy

2. Center/School philosophy

“The mission of Anchorage Montessori School is to make Montessori education a

dynamic and positive force in the lives of children, in families and in our community. The
following principles support this mission:

We believe in the dignity of children and in their inherent right to our protection,
assistance, and guidance in fulfilling their potential

We are committed to the Montessori philosophy and trust the Montessori approach to
education

We wish to support parents’ efforts to raise capable, joyful, confident children without
undue stress or financial hardship and without abdication of their parental
responsibilities

We are willing to share our lives with children and to grow and learn alongside them

We are dedicated to the well-being, integrity and development of the larger Montessori
community

It is our most fervent desire to help bring about a peaceful world in which every person’s
contribution is cherished and in which all barriers to understanding and acceptance have
been removed.”

B. Goals
1. Program goals

“Anchorage Montessori School encourages students to show respect for differences

including but not limited to race, gender, and religion, while fostering a school
environment free from all forms of bullying and intimidation whether physical, social,
emotional, or verbal. The school’s focus, based on Montessori pedagogy, is on
preventative measures for such behaviors, by teaching children how to

§ be caring and courteous

§ cooperate with others

§ deal with angry feelings

§ stand up for themselves without being aggressive

 § respect and celebrate the unique qualities of every person

§ make appropriate behavioral and academic choices”

2. Classroom goals (interview of teacher)

C. Lesson Plans *see other link downloaded with assignment

D. Individualization Lindy said she evaluates learning throughout the day and takes notes
to create individualized lesson plans (see attached lesson plan link).

*E. EVALUATION
Each child had own specialized curriculum and there was set items to be taught. For example,
the month of April consisted of the following.
• Care of the Earth
• Recycling
• South America
• Rainforests
• Birds
• Parts of the flower
Ø April fool’s day, Easter, Earth day

DAP Curriculum Essentials/ Schedule/ Assessing

• DAP 160- The curriculum is designed to help children explore and acquire the key
concepts and tools on inquiry of each discipline in ways that are effective for children.
• DAP 161- Teachers actually refer to and use the curriculum framework as they plan
what they will do with children, so classroom experiences are coherent. Teachers plan
and implement experiences that help children achieve important developmental and
learning goals.
• DAP 162- Teachers assess each child’s progress toward the programs stated curricular
goals and they reflect on their proactive by monitoring the effectiveness of their
teaching, they make changes to their teaching practice as necessary to improve
effectiveness for the group and for individual leaners.
• DAP 165- Teachers teach children how to listen by teaching and scaffolding it just like
any other language skill.
• DAP 153- Teachers organize the daily schedule to allow for periods of alternating active
and quiet time, adequate nutrition and nap time. (See Below for example of her daily
schedule)
• DAP 179- There is an assessment plan that is clearly written, well-organized, complete,
comprehensive, and well-understood by directors, teachers, and families.
 • 8:30 – 11:00 Morning Work Cycle
• 11:00 – 11:15 Circle Lesson
• 11:15 – 11:45 Recess
• 11:45 – 12:30 Lunch
• 12:30 – 12:45 Story Time/ Rest Transition
• 12:45 – 2:00 Rest
• 2:00 – 2:30 Afternoon Work Cycle
• 2:30 – 3:00 Specials {Music, Spanish}
• 3:00 Restore Our Environment
• 3:15 Dismissal

Section 3. Guidance
A. Routines:
1. Worked right when they came in for a work cycle, had circle lesson, recess then lunch,
story time and then transition into rest, they did an afternoon work cycle, focused on
music or Spanish, then a restore environment block, then were dismissed.

2.Routines did not change day to day, they were fairly structured as far as time restraints
went.

3.There was time allowed for transitions, it was not a rush or chaotic transfer between
objectives
B. Classroom rules/ Ground Rules

1.Use Materials respectfully

2. Clean up after themselves

3. No disrupting others learning

4. Work quietly and mindfully of others

There were subtle displays of these concepts, but no actual class rules sheet. She said she
communicates with the students if inappropriateness is occurring in a non-scolding
fashion.

C. Teacher Interactions
1. She plays a more evaluating role.

2. She provides the materials and instruction, but it is up to the children to interact and
learn from their mistakes and make corrections.

3. Lindy creates individual curriculum off of her observations when the children are
working in their centers.

D. Guidance Techniques

1.Positive guidance and redirection of behavior.

2.Encouraging the students, and encouraging the younger to learn from the older, while
being independent and courteous. As soon as a child is not acting appropriately or
disrupting others, the child is first attempted to be redirected and if that does not work
the child is removed from all situations that could distract other children in the
classroom. This could include having him stay with her while she tries to find something
else for him to do that won’t distract others and still have him be in a cooperative state
rather than timeout.

3. Uses the words “our and we” a lot when talking to class, there is no
threatening what so ever.
*E. EVALUATION

DAP Guidance/ Building Classroom Community/ Motivation and Positive Approach to Learning-
• DAP 159- Teachers set clear limits regarding unacceptable behaviors and enforce these
limits with explanations in a climate of mutual respect and caring.
• DAP 151- Teachers strive to create a sense of the group. They often refer to “our class,”
“we,” and “all of us together,” and they engage children in cooperative experiences as
well as experiences that demonstrate that each member of the group is valued.
• DAP 156- Teachers talk often and warmly with every child-getting to know children,
building positive relationships with them, and gathering information about them.
• DAP 158- Teachers use verbal encouragement in ways that are genuine and related to
what the child is doing. They acknowledge the child’s effort and work with specific
objective comments.
• DAP 183- Parents are not encouraged to be part of the classroom with their children.