The Montessori Curriculum
Montessori Method in Our Classrooms
Montessori (pronounced MON-tuh-SORE-ee) education was founded
in 1907 by Dr. Maria Montessori, the first woman in Italy
to become a physician. She based her educational methods on
scientific observation of children's learning processes. Guided
by her discovery that children teach themselves, Dr. Montessori
designed a "prepared environment" in which children
could freely choose from a number of developmentally appropriate
activities.
Now, nearly a century after Maria Montessori first developed
her educational methods, Montessori education is found all
over the world. Montessori emphasizes learning through all
five senses, using many hands-on materials.
 Children in Montessori
classes learn at their own pace and according to their own
choice of activities from hundreds of possibilities. Learning
is an exciting process of discovery, leading to concentration,
motivation, self-discipline, and a love of learning.
The instructional methods are based on Maria Montessori's
scientific observation of children and her medical knowledge
of physical stages of development. She noticed basic human
tendencies, and physical and behavioral characteristics of
the child to the age of 12, which form the basis of the instructional
methods. Montessori manipulative materials and the structure
of lessons, as well as Montessori classroom management, spring
from this pedagogy.
There are three levels for providing education:
The simplest and lowest level is the acquisition of organized
information and knowledge by means of lectures, textbooks,
videos, and other aids in various areas of subject matter.
This is the least durable because of subject matter. This
is the least durable because information acquired by this
method is quickly forgotten; largely memorization based, and
requires any well-formed habits of skilled performance.
The second level is the development of intellectual skills
by means of coaching, exercises and supervised practice and
usually areas of learning like reading, writing, speaking,
listening, calculating, problem solving, conserving, measuring
and exercising critical judgment. This level of learning enables
students to pass examinations requiring reasoning and thinking
skills, rather than simple repetition of information.
The highest level of educational teaching enlarges understanding
or ideas and values using questioning, active participation
and Socratic dialogue. These discussions can be formal or
casual but always involve critiques and analyses of books
(not textbooks) and other works of art involvement in artistic
activities including music, drama and visual arts. This is
the most durable form of learning and is only possible if
the student is fully engaged in their learning process.
If students are encouraged to use their own interests as
the key to engaged involvement with the subject matter, they
work ambitiously, take greater responsibility for their endeavors,
care deeply about their studies and are able to remember and
apply what they have learned. We work with each student to
develop an educational plan and approach best suited to his
or her needs.
To promote all three levels of educational provisions, our
classrooms will integrate the Montessori Methods, specifically:
Freedom and Discipline
Unless a river is bound by its banks, it would never reach
the ocean. Freedom and discipline are an integral part of
the Montessori method. The children choose their academic
activities in a prepared environment. However, the teacher
initially defines the boundaries of activities. The class
will then work in partnership with the teacher to define the
boundaries of acceptable behavior and activity. Eventually
the goal is that each child will define his/her own boundaries
of right and wrong consistent with the standards of the school
community. Within limits, they are free to choose their own
work, work at their own pace, to move around and communicate
with others in the classroom. The limits imposed are in relation
to the collective interest and this means that children learn
to have respect for the rights and safety of others and for
the environment. This is the Montessori approach to self-discipline.
Children learn to use care with materials, to help other children
and to become a co-operative member of the group. This enables
each child to enjoy the freedom which is offered, while displaying
and developing discipline.
Why is this valuable? This freedom develops the ability of
the child to make reasoned choices based on a framework of
self-discipline.
A Prepared Environment
 Believing
that the environment should aid and foster the child's development
throughout life, Maria Montessori designed the Prepared Environment—a
classroom environment to satisfy the child's differing needs.
Children work with concrete materials which isolate important
concepts and skills. Many of these materials are self-correcting.
Most of the Montessori math and geometry materials, some reading
materials, as well as the nomenclature materials include control
charts and booklets. The children may then check their own
work. This encourages each child to embark on independent
work, progress at his/her own pace and feel successful in
the classroom by being allowed to make mistakes and learn
from them. Thus learning, and not the adult, is the focal
point.
Individual and Small Group Teacher Presentations
An important element of the Montessori Method involves individual
and small group presentations. The way lessons are presented
to children follows their developmental readiness. In preschool
and Kindergarten, lessons are generally given on an individual
basis. At the elementary level, small group presentations
capitalize on the desire of the child to interact with his
peers. The lessons utilize Montessori didactic materials,
teacher-made materials (including impressionistic charts),
nomenclature booklets and cards, as well as scientific instruments.
The plan for the composition of the student group involves
consideration of students' abilities, interest, as well as
previous knowledge.
Often there is at least one student who is familiar with
the lesson and who may act as a peer guide. After the lesson
is presented, there are choices of follow-up activities to
enable the child to master the concept isolated in the lesson.
If the child has not mastered the concepts, there are also
extension activities, games, and other materials that can
be introduced to provide more practice so that the concept
may be mastered.
 Presentations
that focus upon nomenclature utilize the Montessori three
period lesson. Each lesson teaches approximately 3-5 terms.
In the first part of the lesson (first period), the teacher
gives the nomenclature (e.g. This is the isosceles triangle).
The second period asks the child for comprehension of the
nomenclature while giving the child the term in question (e.g.
Show me the isosceles triangle.) The third asks the child
to show comprehension by producing the asked for nomenclature
on his own (e.g. What is this triangle called?) This 3 period
approach is one of the ways in which children are tested in
the Montessori environment.
Why is this valuable? The small group presentation allows
the teacher to quickly gauge individual student comprehension.
The student is directly involved in the learning process.
The brevity of the lessons leaves time for the child to do
his/her own exploration and manipulation, leading towards
mastery of the subject. The three-period lesson follows the
natural progression of learning, asking for information only
when the child has demonstrated that he/she understands, thus
ensuring more confidence and a sense of accomplishment.
Variety of Lessons and Materials to Teach a Single Concept
In the Montessori method there is rarely only one way to
present a single concept. For instance, there are several
materials and presentations dedicated to mastery of the multiplication
tables (e.g. bead bar multiplication and layout, the multiplication
board, the checkerboard, finger boards, decanomial squares
and rectangles, and multiplication booklets). Without realizing
it, the child has memorized the multiplication tables and
can reproduce them at will. Why is this valuable? The variety
of lessons engages the child's interest for an extended period
of time and leads to a more complete understanding of a subject.
If a child has difficulty learning a particular subject, the
teacher has a variety of materials at her disposal which allows
the child alternative routes of understanding.
Emphasis on Research
In a Montessori classroom, there is great emphasis placed
on research for even the youngest student. This includes learning
the varied means of obtaining information (e.g. on-line sources,
encyclopedias, books, interviews, etc.), discretionary note
taking to help with compilation of information into a meaningful
statement. Why is this valuable? Learning the means of obtaining
sources and means of extrapolating information from those
sources is a valuable academic and life skill. Research builds
a framework for creative thinking and exploration.
Relevancy to the World Outside the Classroom
Through the multi-age classroom, freedom of movement inside
and outside, and the use of research and real-life materials,
the Montessori classroom has great relevancy to the world
beyond the school. Teaching subjects in isolation from each
other may distort knowledge. Teachers will expose students
to the connections among and between subjects. On the most
obvious level, science and mathematics fit together as do
English and social studies. Curriculum constructed around
themes or directed at answering fundamental questions or aimed
at generative issues readily lend themselves to integrative
education.
Multi-age Classrooms
Classes have a vertical age structure. Younger children have
the opportunity to learn by observation and absorption of
the work of older children, while the older children also
have opportunities to teach the younger ones, thereby acquiring
a greater depth of understanding as well as greater confidence
and competence. The classroom is a society in itself, fostering
equal opportunity for all where the child can develop socially.
Self-Directed Learning
The Montessori approach is child centered and allows an unfolding
of each child in an atmosphere of cooperation rather than
competition, according to his or her own true nature. The
role of a Montessori teacher is in constructively guiding
children in their learning. Montessori students have an individual
work plan, which the teacher and student prepare and oversee
together. The student is responsible for fulfilling his/her
individual contract, with teacher guidance, on a daily, weekly,
monthly, and yearly basis. Montessori based her approach on
the belief that real learning must take place through the
spontaneous activity of children in a non-competitive environment,
which promotes a joy of learning and the development of self-
discipline. Such an environment would develop in children
intrinsic motivation and lead children to become the active
force in their own education, a discoverer in their own environment,
able to learn through their own experiences and apply their
knowledge to novel situations.
The Montessori Curriculum
Click here for an overview of the
Montessori Curriculum for ages 3-12.
For More Information
Websites:
The
Montessori Foundation and International Montessori Council
Montessori
Connections
The International
Montessori Index
Books:
Montessori: A Modern Approach by
Paula Polk Lillard – This book offers the clearest and
most concise statement of the Montessori method for educators,
childcare professionals and/or parents.
The Essential Montessori by Elizabeth
G. Hainstock – An introduction to the woman, the writings,
the method and the movement.
The Absorbent Mind by Dr. Maria
Montessori – Montessori’s philosophy and her belief
in “education from birth” through the “preparation
of the environment.”
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