Incorporating Montessori in a “Traditional” Classroom Sandy Graf April 12, 2013

The Best Education The question of how to best educate our children has been a source of debate since the colonial period. It continues to be so today.

Early Schools Public schools first began in the North in the nineteenth century. They spread to the South after the Civil War. These schools were “traditional” in nature.

Traditional Classroom What is a “traditional” classroom? For our purposes, we’ll say a “traditional” classroom is one that is teacher directed. Students primarily learn through observations and listening.

Early Schools In the 19 th century, there was a heavy emphasis on the proverbial three Rs. The moral shaping of children was equally important during this time period. Corporal punishment and public humiliation were seen as an effective means of education.

School Reform The 20 th century brought an era of school reform to the United States. Progressives began to launch an assault on the traditional classroom. The innovative approaches during this time period included active learning, field trips, and student projects. Change was difficult, and many schools resisted the new ideas.

School Reform During this time period, in Europe, Maria Montessori was formulating her “method” for education. She opened her first school, Casa dei Bambini, in 1907.

Montessori Method What is the Montessori Method? The Montessori Method is a child-centered approach to teaching. This method incorporates “free activity” within a prepared environment where students learn concepts from working with materials rather than direct instruction.

Montessori in the United States In 1910, The Montessori Method was published. During this same year, the U.S. magazine, McClure’s published an article about Maria Montessori and her method. In 1911, the first United States Montessori school opened in New York.

Incorporating Montessori in a Traditional Classroom How can two dichotomic approaches come together in one classroom? This is easier than one would think. Just...

Incorporating Montessori in a Traditional Classroom Make use of the practice of differentiating instruction in your classroom, but incorporate some Montessori materials. Consider using grammar environments (Montessori terminology – phonetic and non- phonetic farms), grammar symbols and colors, the banking game, science materials and more.

Incorporating Montessori in a Traditional Classroom Let’s practice...