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The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind
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Page 1: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

The Montessori ideaMontessori materials, and the ideas behind

Page 2: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

Malin RingbladHead of school, Norgårdenskolan,

Uddevalla, SwedenHighschool teacher, Social Science and English

Montessori teacher 0 – 18 years

Worked at a Montessorischool for 12 years, headteacher in middleschool

Started an exchangeprogramme with Inlyschool, Boston

Was the first European Montessori teacher to bring students to Montessori Model United Nations in New York

Head of school at a public middleschool, working to implement the foundamental montessori ideas in such environment.

Page 3: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

Why Montessori?The Montessori method is a thoughtful and purposeful approach to education and focuses on children’s ability to direct their development when given the opportunity and tools.

The method's focus on multi-age grouping, since it benefits children in many ways. Children of different education levels, abilities, and ages are grouped together and taught to learn from one another. Younger children begin to adapt the older children's attitudes and behavior, and older children learn about caring and mentoring their younger classmates.

Montessori schools inspire confidence, nurture the child's inate desire for learning, discovery, and social interaction skills in an environment where teachers are encouraging, engaging and value the individual child. Children learn how to learn, and this prepares each child for future academic and social excellence.

Page 4: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

Montessori Madness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcgN0lEh5IA

Page 5: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

What makes Montessori unique?

The whole child approachThe primary goal of a Montessori program is to help each child reach their full potential in all areas of life.

Activities promote the development of social skills, emotional growth and physical coordination as well as cognitive preparation for future intellectual academic endeavors.

The holistic curriculum, under the direction of a specifically prepared teacher, allows the child to experience the joy of learning, the time to enjoy the process and ensures the development of self esteem. It provides the experiences from which children create their knowledge.

Page 6: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

Prepared environment

The Prepared environmentIn order for self directed learning to take place, the whole learning environment - classroom, materials and social setting / atmosphere - must be supportive of the child.

The teacher provides the necessary resources, including opportunities for children to function in a safe and positive environment.

Together, the teacher and child form a relationship based on trust and respect that fosters self-confidence and a willingness to try new things.

Page 7: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

Montessori materials

The Montessori materialsDr. Montessori's observations of the kinds of things which children enjoy and go back to repeatedly, led her to design a number of multi-sensory, sequential and self correcting materials to facilitate learning.

Each material is designed to focus on a specific skill, and to lead on to the next material.

Page 8: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

Teacher

The teacherOriginally called a "directress”. The Montessori teacher facilitates learning and functions as a designer of the environment, resource person, role model, demonstrator, record-keeper and meticulous observer of each child's behavior and growth.

Page 9: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

The materialsThe first materials were developed for working with mentally retarded children. Montessori adapted them in the early 1900s, and modified and added to those.

A lot of work and experimentation went into the development of these materials and their use. 

The Pink Tower, for example, is not just a tower of blocks of increasing size, but instead is a carefully calculated instrument to educate the senses and the motor system, and to introduce the decimal system and the notion of cubing.  Each block is one centimetre longer on all sides than the one that came before, and there are ten such blocks going from one cubic centimetre to ten. The increasing size is reflected not only visually but also haptically and barically: each block is heavier by an exponentially increasing magnitude.

Good Neighbor Montessori#23C1D5

Page 10: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

Observing

Dr. Montessori watched children in the classroom and thought about their developmental needs; she developed materials that she thought would suit those needs; and she then watched the children with the materials, and revised and refined them until she thought she had a material that would meet one or more specific needs. 

Page 11: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

Purpose and interweaving

Each material have many purposes

Each material was developed in the context of all the other materials.

By design the materials have this complex interweaving nature, so one material feeds into or plays off of another. 

Montessori Sensorial Exe#23C1F9

Page 12: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

Three period lessons are used throughout the Montessori environment to help introduce a new lesson/concept and lead the children along a path to understanding and mastery. However, in the area of language they are used to increase, enrich and broaden a child's vocabulary.

The three period lesson

Page 13: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

1. Naming

Begin by presenting the child with three objects of contrast and isolate them on a table or mat. For this example the objects will be dog, snake and bird.

1. First Period - Naming Period

this period is short as it simply involves giving the object a name

point to the first object (dog) and say "dog"

repeat the name several times, clearly and slowly "This is a dog. Can you say dog? dog."

continue on with the second and third objects (snake and bird)

once all three objects have been named, review them one last time by pointing to each one and saying the name clearly and slowly

It's a known fact that we have an easier time remembering items at the beginning and end of lists and have the hardest time remembering items in the middle. When deciding what order to place the 3 objects in, place the object that you are sure your child is most familiar with in the middle, to increase his chance of success. The first and last objects should be the newer objects.

Page 14: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

Recognition & Association

2. Second Period - Recognition and Association

rearrange the objects and ask the child to show you a specific object

"Please show me the snake."

"Can you place the bird in my hand."

point to spot on the table - "Please put the dog here."

"Put the bird on the basket."

"Hold the dog in your hand."

ask the child to close their eyes while you move the objects around, then continue

This period is much longer than the first to extend the handling and movement of the objects. This handling and movement increases the kinesthetic memory and will solidify a child's recognition of the object's name. There are many variations to the Second Period that can be used to hold a child's interest. The movement will make the lesson more attractive and help the child be successful; so be creative!!

Page 15: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

Recall

3. Third Period - Recall

place the 3 objects back in front of the child

point to the first object and ask the child "What is this?"

repeat with the second and third object

This is the 'testing' period. This is in fact, the very first time you have asked the child to verbally recall the name of the objects. It is important to proceed to this period only if you feel the child will be successful. If the child is unable to recall the names of the objects, simply give them the names again, and casually end the lesson without making the child feel as though they've failed.

Page 16: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

Demonstration of Stamp game

Stamp Game Three-Period #23C204

Page 17: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

Progress

The materials are designed to start out very ”hands on”, concrete, to develop towards more and more abstract.

The students come back to the same problems they have already dealt with as a young child, but in a more and more abstract way.

For example the math materials that are very ”hands on”, and eventually the student work independently in a math book with the same types of problems, and they can always go back and get the materials and match them with their abstract work.

Page 18: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

Older students

For middleschool students it is important that the work they do is challangeing.

It needs to be abstract, but at the same time ”hands on” – real life work.

They need to feel the purpose of the work, that it is important, and that they lead it.

As much as posssible should be connected to the society they live in, their country and the world. At this age they want to become a member of society and they are finding themselves.

Page 19: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

Materials for older students

The design;

Define the subject and the area

Clarify what the purpose of the work is

Point out the most important features that needs to be included

Give examples of how to find the facts, ex books, internet, interwievs etc

Give different suggestions on how the work can be presented, and include creative ways like a film, presentation, presentation in a foreign language, a report, an art show, exhibition etc..

Page 20: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

How it works

Produce ”worksheets” for all subjects and areas

Decide wich year the students shall do what

Make bundles

Let the students choose which subject they want to do when

Page 21: The Montessori idea Montessori materials, and the ideas behind.

Why does it work?

The student have control over their education

The teacher let the student know that he/she has full confidence in the fact that the student will be successful

By making their own descisions the students will have a positive feel for the work

By a supportive teacher everyone is successful in their work