The Wonderful World of Montessori

By: Xavier Roach, Candice Seawright, and Marquetta Strait Date: November 07, 2013 Mrs. Wright

Pop Quiz!!
1. Montessori teachers do not teach (T or F) 2. Do Montessori students take standardized tests? 3. Are Montessori schools religious? 4. Do the students do more work than play? 5. Do teachers assign grades?

Stepping Into a Montessori Classroom

What is Montessori?
o Characterized by an emphasis on independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a childs natural psychological, physical, and social development.

Common Misconceptions
Chaotic classroom Students do not have to take the standardized tests Teachers do not teach Montessori is only for the gifted and talented Students do not know how to adapt to traditional education Montessori is expensive

Background on Maria
o o o o o Maria Montessori was born on August 31, 1870. She was born in Chiaravalle, Italy and raised in Rome. Raised in a family that valued education. Was a very ambitious and ambitious student during her childhood years. Entered in an all boys technical institute for engineering at the age of thirteen. o During this time she changed her mind to become doctor. o Graduated from medical school in 1896, she graduated from medical school and became one Italys first female physicians.

These words reveal the childs inner needs: Help me to do it alone. -Maria Montessori

Birth of a Movement
o In 1900, Maria was appointed to become the co director of a new training institute for special education teachers. o This gave her an opportunity to observe each student carefully and see which teaching method worked best. o Each student in the program was successful.

Grand Opening!
The First Montessori school was opened in Rome on January 6, 1907. This school provided a quality learning environment for young children in the low income district of Rome. These students worked with puzzles, learned new math lessons and absorbed knowledge from their surrounding. Students learned better by teaching themselves. Maria designed learning material and a classroom environment that fostered the childrens natural desire to learn.

Montessori Curriculum
Role of Teachers: Facilitators or Guides More motivated to learn when working on something of their own choosing. Beginning at the elementary level, students typically set learning goals and create personal work plans under their teachers guidance. Students self-pace The students learn to think critically. Work collaboratively Act boldly Self correction Self assessment The teachers set up the classroom environment where students search for the answers to their own question.

How is it different than traditional teaching?

Activities in a Montessori Classroom

Beads

Number Rods

Geometric Shapes

Moveable Alphabet

More Activities
Puzzle for Asia Trinomial Cube

Pink Tower

Cylinder Blocks

Weaving Loom

Is it effective?
o More than 4,000 Montessori schools o Most are privately owned, but some are in public schools

What is considered a high quality Montessori school?

The American Montessori Society believes that certain elements: o mixed-aged classes, in which older children serve as role models and helpers; o a full array of developmentally appropriate Montessori learning materials; o teachers with credentials from a Montessori teacher education program; o adherence to the Montessori instructional approach, with teachers serving as guides rather than givers of information.

How to become a Montessori educator?

o Plan to take approximately 1,200 hours of instruction, divided up by units. Lectures compromise most of the units. o Demonstrate your ability to create Montessori materials for all subjects. o Participate in classroom observations and supervised teaching. o Complete a teaching practicum in the last semester. o Earn your diploma only after completing both oral and written exams given by your training center. The exams will cover the training education and prove that you are competent in the interdisciplinary methods of Montessori teaching.

Works Cited
One Percent Matters Labs LLC. (n.d.). Montessori research. Retrieved from http://montessorihome.com/research/ Montessori philosophy. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.childrensmontessori.org/philosophy.htm American Montessori Society. (n.d.). Faqs of montessori education. Retrieved from https://www.amshq.org/MontessoriEducation/FAQs.aspx

POP POP QUIZ QUIZ!!!

1. Who created the Montessori curriculum? 2. Where did the first school open? 3. What are some of the characteristics? 4. Do the students do more work than play? 5. Do teachers assign grades?