MONTESSORI By Jacqui and Melissa “Education should no longer be mostly imparting of knowledge, but must take a new path, seeking the release of human potentialities.” Maria Montessori

MARIA MONTESSORI Born In Rome Italy August 30 1870 1896 became first female doctor in Italy, after medical school she specialized in psychiatry Began working with disabled children noticed some significant developmental periods where children learn different things most easily Opened a Casa dei Bambini or Children’s House in the slums of Rome. She died May 6th 1952 but her legacy lives on in schools all over the world.

Goals of a Montessori School The main purpose of a Montessori school is to provide a carefully planned, stimulating environment which will help the child develop an excellent foundation for creative learning. Developing a positive attitude toward school and learning Helping each child develop self confidence Assist each child in building a habit of concentration Fostering an abiding curiosity Developing habits of initiative and persistence Fostering inner security and sense of order in the child The main purpose of a Montessori school is to provide a carefully planned, stimulating environment which will help the child develop an excellent foundation for creative learning. The specific goals for the children who attend a Montessori school are presented below. Developing a positive attitude toward school By having individualizes learning activities, for the childs needs and readiness, working at own pace and interest, achieving therefore experiencing success, which builds positive attitude. Helping each child develop self confidence Each step built on what has been done before, and so the incidence of failure is lessoned and as such builds the childs self confidence, and healthy emotional development. Assisting each child in building a habit of concentration Through being absorbed in the learning experience a child develops concentration. Fostering an abiding curiosity The inbuilt curiosity in us all is the pre requisite for creative learning. Montessori provides opportunities in a rich variety of stimulating learning situations Developing habits of initiative and persistence By giving children activities and materials, designed to appeal to their inner needs, develops their ability to engage in activities on their own. It develops their initiative, a Montessori “ground rule” of completeing a task once begun develops persistence and perserverance. Fostering inner security and sense of order in the child The Montessori world is well ordered and calm. Each activity has its place and children are expected to things back when they are finished with them. “If education is always to be conceived along the same antiquated lines of a mere transmission of knowledge, there is little to be hoped from it in the bettering of man's future.” Maria Montessori

SENSITIVE PERIODS 0-6 Birth to 3 years: Absorbent Mind – Sensory Learning 1 ½ to 3 years: Language Explosion 1 ½ to 4 years: Development of large and fine motor skills 2 to 4 years: Greater coordination, increased language skills 2 ½ to 6 years: All 5 senses involved in learning and adapting 3 to 6 years: Want to copy (mimic) adult world 4 to 5 years: Tactile senses acute 4 ½ to 6 years: Reading and maths readiness Birth to 3 years: The absorbent mind-the mind soaks up information like a sponge Sensory learning and experiences: The child uses all five senses-touch, taste, feel, sight, and hearing-to understand and absorb information about his or her environment 1 ½ to 3 years: Language explosion-a child builds his or her future foundation for language at this period. 1 ½ to 4 years: Development and coordination of fine and large muscle skills, advanced developing grasp and release skill spawns an interest in any small object (usually dangerous ones on the floor). 2 to 4 years: Very mobile with greater coordination and refinement of movement, increased interest in language and communication (they love to tell stories- true or not!), aware of spatial relationships, matching, sequence and order of objects 2 ½ to 6 years: Works well incorporating all five senses for learning and adapting to environment 3 to 6 years: Interest and admiration of the adult world, they want to copy and mimic adults-such as parents and teachers. One of the few times most children are very open to their parents and other adults. 4 to 5 years: Using one’s hands and fingers in cutting, writing and art. Their tactile senses are very developed and acute. 4 ½ to 6 years: Reading and math readiness, and eventually, reading and math skills. “And so we discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being.” Maria Montessori

MONTESSORI TEACHERS are originally referred to as directress, as they direct the children’s learning the child chooses their work independently the directress ensures they do a wide range of activities in a day stress self sufficiency and respect The greatest sign of success for a teacher... is to be able to say, "The children are now working as if I did not exist."”

Learning areas Practical Life is an area where many varied life skills are introduced. Practical Life is an area where many varied life skills are introduced such as pouring drinks, laying a table, learning to do up zips and bows, caring for plants and developing good manners. All of these skills increase the child's independence, self-esteem and confidence, helping him/her to become self-reliant. Sensorial deals with exploring the five senses - taste, touch, hearing, sight and smell. Specially designed Montessori equipment helps teach your child to sort, match and compare objects, thereby developing his/her powers of observation and discrimination. Sensorial deals with exploring the five senses - taste, touch, hearing, sight and smell.

Mathematics contains a varied range of equipment and exercises MATHEMATICS contains a varied range of equipment and exercises to help your child develop an understanding of simple and complex mathematical concepts. These concepts include numbers, counting, simple sums, measurement and fractions. The materials are designed so that your child can see at a glance if he/she has made a mistake and be able to put it right without help. Language and Literacy helps your child to expand his/her language through songs, discussions, rhymes, stories, books and everyday communication. Your child learns the sounds and shapes of the individual letters using materials designed to give a structured phonic approach to learning. Language and Literacy helps the child to expand his/her language

Cultural introduces your child to the concepts of science, geography, biology and history, giving them a greater understanding of the world. Globes, puzzle maps, tactile land form models and a range of other materials help your child to form a bridge between his/her knowledge of the immediate environment and the wider world. Cultural introduces the child to the concepts of science, geography, biology and history, giving them a greater understanding of the world.

MATERIALS A Montessori classroom is a prepared environment, containing lots of concrete learning materials, for children to explore and learn Manipulatives are to be beautiful, made of natural materials and explore one concept at a time. Materials are self correcting (if possible) so that the child can see where the error is Children are also taught responsibility with these materials, to handle with care, to put them away after using them

FAMOUS MONTESSORIANS Larry Page, Co-Founder of Google Sergey Brin, Co-Founder of Google Jeff Bezos, financial analyst, founder, AMAZON.COM Katherine Graham (deceased), owner/editor of the Washington Post Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (deceased), editor, former first lady (John F. Kennedy) Prince William and Prince Harry, English royal family Anne Frank, famous diarist from world war II Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Nobel Prize winner for Literature Melissa and Sarah Gilbert, actors