A Parent Guide to what to expect in a Montessori Primary classroom. Montessori Learning Community Vertical age grouping: Characterised by multi-aged groupings of three or more years. The children are a mixture of ages with groupings from the 6-9 year olds or 6-12 year olds. This grouping allows each child to find his or her own pace without feeling ‘ahead’ or ‘behind’ in relation to peers. There is no segregation by age level or year level in any learning area. Children can develop socially, emotionally and intellectually at their individual pace. Respectful community: A community in which everyone learns from one another and everyone’s contribution is valued. Children develop confidence and are comfortable in their interactions with each other and adults. Children will seek and offer feedback, ask and help not only with their teachers but with each other. The children play an important role in deciding and managing classroom activities and routines from preparing food to be shared, learning conflict resolution skills and hosting class meetings to presenting lessons to classmates and engaging in community service projects. Motivation to learn: Children learn when they are free to choose work that is personalised to their interests, needs and abilities. Children may choose own work with appropriate limits negotiated with their teacher. They take an active role in planning their work and setting goals for themselves. They do not work for grades or external rewards. At any time the children will all be involved in different tasks. The children have the freedom to choose their own work; they do not have the freedom to choose to do nothing! Follow the Child: The teacher responds to the changing interests and needs of each child as a unique individual. Children are engaged in activities which are interesting to them and become deeply focused and involved in what they are doing. Teachers know the children well and respond to their unique interests and needs, engaging the parents in this process. Each child’s individual needs are assessed through observation so that he is introduced to new concepts when he is developmentally ready and new knowledge is always built on what he already knows. The learning opportunities in the classroom are frequently changed to cater for the needs and interests of the current group of children. Safe and caring classroom: The learning environments meet the developmental needs of all children in a safe, caring and interesting community. The children are relaxed and develop confidence with their peers and teachers. Learning is fun and children find joy in their discoveries and in the activities they choose each day. Montessori Learning Environment Cosmic Education: Montessori primary children experience a totally integrated curriculum referred to as cosmic education. Subjects are introduced in a series of connected stories that spark the child’s imagination called the Great Lessons. Cosmic education seeks to expand the child’s knowledge by providing the child with a coherent whole view rather than a mix of unrelated bits of information; this assists in helping the child classify new information in a coherent way. The stories give the child a context for all future learning in a way of seeing the relevance in the detail of what they learn. Montessori materials: Especially designed Montessori materials enable the children to literally see and explore abstract concepts and the primary child uses these concrete experiences to develop a deep abstract understanding of complex concepts. The materials cater for the different age groups in the class. The wide range of materials and activities provide a focus for the children’s exploration and learning. Children will be engaged with the concrete materials with very limited book or worksheet usage; rather actively recording their findings. The materials provide a scope and sequence allowing each child to move at their own pace. Children not only select their own work most of the time, but also continue their work over many weeks or months, until finally the work is ‘so easy for them’ that they teach it to someone else. This allows the teacher to confirm that the child has reached mastery of a skill or concept. Focus on children’s learning and not on teachers ‘teaching’, thus fostering the element of independence in Montessori philosophy Children work individually or in small self-selected groups; there will be group lessons but very little whole class instruction. Children are supported to independently choose their own work or activity. Teachers will actively observe and assess children’s choices and are ready to step in with new challenges and give guidance where needed. The children are able to access all activities independently or with the help of a peer, without relying on constant adult assistance or direction. 2 All activities are limited in number - only one of each activity - so that children learn the social skills involved in being part of a community such as turn-taking, sharing, negotiation and co-operation. The Montessori child is put in charge of their own learning through their own exploration. Concentration development: Children need the long uninterrupted work period to allow for concentration and engagement with their chosen work. There is an uninterrupted work cycle of three hours each morning. This is free from interruption for whole group activities. This time is not broken up into subjects. The children either work alone, in pairs or in small groups. Children are protected from interruptions so that they can concentrate and become deeply absorbed in their chosen activity. They are increasingly able to independently plan their daily and weekly work. Montessori learning is at all times: Montessori is a way of being - it does not stop and start at specific times or occur only indoors. The whole learning environment is available to all children. The whole day programme runs on Montessori principles. Outdoor environments are used as rich learning experiences for the children in the same way as indoors. Activities that are purposeful, real and explorative. A Montessori classroom is structured: The environment is structured and orderly to facilitate the child to make choices for their learning. All activities and materials are placed on shelves with everything having a specific place so that the children can always find what they need. All materials are attractive, clear, complete and in good repair. Materials with missing parts are removed from the shelves. Furnishings and wall colours are soft and aesthetically pleasing to allow for enhancement of materials and supporting the child’s attention to their work. The children are actively involved in maintaining order and making decisions about how the classroom could work for everyone. Practical life: Practical life is real work and therefore an ‘aid to life’. Primary children have daily opportunities to learn to use practical life skills and to make a real contribution to their community and environment. Children take the initiative to actively care for each other and the environment. Practical life has an observable purpose in the classroom. Children learn skills that they use daily in the classroom and home. Preparation for life: Montessori education is a preparation for life and not just an academic preparation. The Montessori environment is rich with learning opportunities for the children to explore their culture and the world. Social, emotional and spiritual learning experiences are valued as highly as intellectual learning experiences. 3 Rich cultural experiences including music, art, singing, drama, celebrations from other cultures, plant and animal studies are a feature in the classroom. The children have the opportunity to garden, care for animals, observe nature and interact with the wider community. Montessori communities actively seek to promote a global perspective. The inclusion of the children’s interests and discoveries: These are used as a springboard for exploration of other areas: The learning environment is prepared with each community of children in mind, and the selection of activities available is constantly modified to meet the ever-changing needs, interests and abilities of the children. Children progress at their own pace and select work that captures their interest and attention while the teacher strives to draw their attention and capture their interest in new challenges. Montessori children experience self-created challenges rather than teacher-imposed worksheets or whole class assignments. Children learn how to research their topic of inquiry and find information they need using reference books, online resources and experts around them or the wider community. Individual planning for each child, based on ongoing and systematic observations by teachers and negotiation and goal setting with the child. Freedom of movement: Children enjoy considerable movement and choice; however, their freedom always exists within carefully defined limits on the range of their behaviour. Children are guided and supported to understand that their freedom of choice comes with a large responsibility to their own learning and to the learning of the group. Children are free to do anything appropriate to the ground rules of the community but are redirected promptly when needed. Children have a variety of places to work – indoors, outdoors, at tables, on work mats on the floor. Community Service: Montessori’s spiritual perspective leads to the promotion of community service ranging from daily contributions to others within the class or school setting, to community service that allows children and adults to make a difference in the lives of others beyond the school. Children learn through their experience how to offer help and receive help. Their growing understanding of the needs of others enables children to grow into competent, empathetic world citizens. Children learn that to help others brings a great sense of achievement. Sharing what we have with others, whether our time or our resources, benefits both the giver and the receiver. Giving to others and sharing part of our lives with others, becomes both a joy and a habit for children and they take this sense of service with them into the world. Collaboration: Montessori observed that competition is an ineffective tool to motivate children to learn and Montessori children learn to collaborate rather than compete against each other to meet external standards set by an adult. 4 Children’s self-assessment in own progress and work is actively encouraged. Children are confident and seek feedback from their peers and teachers. Children compete against themselves and quickly become unafraid of their own mistakes. Children learn at their own pace and teachers refrain from comparing students with one another. Children have a great fondness for one another and are free from one-upmanship and needless interpersonal competition. Learning occurs beyond the classroom: Outings into the world in search of knowledge and experiences accomplish what is limited in the classroom. Exploratory trips differ from traditional field trips as they are initiated, planned and executed by the children, not the teacher and they arise organically from the interests of the children. Once children demonstrate responsibility in the class they can then begin the steps to going out. These are small groups, as whole group outings do not necessarily meet the needs of all children in the class. Curriculum We follow a global Montessori curriculum shared by Association International Montessori (AMI) adapted by SAMA for our South African context. This is delivered using the Montessori materials encouraging self-discovery and learning and promoting the curriculum as a coherent whole. They move through the curriculum at their own pace rather than the teacher’s prescribed timetable to the whole class. Montessori Adults Qualifications: Montessori Primary Teachers in South Africa do have to have a degree recognised by SAQA and to be registered with SACE. The less traditional teaching experience a Montessori teacher has the easier it is for them to follow the Montessori principles. The teacher needs to have a diploma in Montessori Education and have gone through 600 hours of teaching practice with a suitable mentor. Adults in the classroom: The real work belongs to the individual child and not the adults and so the Montessori learning community reaches its full potential when the number of adults is kept to a minimum. There should be a minimum of adults present; ratio of 1:28 unless there are a high number of children with special needs or a narrow age range of children in the class. Parent involvement is welcomed for specialised activities, but the focus is on the children’s independence. Constant interruptions by adults or imposed timetables detract from the child’s ability to concentrate and to become absorbed in their chosen activity. Respectful attitudes and behaviour: This is modelled by the teacher to the children of the behaviours and attitudes she wishes them to learn. 5 Teachers are exceptionally calm, kind, warm and polite to each child. Teachers look like they enjoy being with the children! Teachers give frequent ‘grace and courtesy’ lessons to children, gently modelling and showing expected and desirable behaviour. Observation: The Montessori teacher is a trained observer of children’s behaviour and learning. These careful observations enable the teacher to guide the child’s learning. In order for the approach to be truly child centred and child initiated, teachers are constantly observing what the children’s interests, strengths and dispositions are. Montessori teachers are hard to spot in a classroom. They will be working quietly with individual children or small groups, presenting new lessons or quietly observing. The teacher: (Directress/guide) The teacher will be the same each day and maintain ongoing professional development. A safe caring community is built between familiar adults and the children. Ideally the lead teacher needs to be the same person each day. Role of the parents: Montessori schools work in partnership with the parents for the benefit of the child, fostering a dialogue with parents to promote understanding of Montessori philosophy and values. There is an orientation process to the Montessori learning environment for both the child and the parents. There are opportunities for parents to learn about Montessori philosophy and practice. There are magazines and books and resources available to borrow. Regular dialogue with staff and other feedback provides parents with information about their child’s learning and experiences. Schools offer support to what parents can do at home to support the work that happens in the Montessori classroom. The Montessori Vision: The Montessori classroom or school has a clear vision on how it delivers Montessori education. The Montessori school provides written information about its philosophy and vision for its children and its ongoing growth. The school handbook and policies are available to parents at all times. Taken and adapted from Montessori Aotearoa, New Zealand. Choosing Montessori Primary for your Child. Montessori Parent Guide. 6
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