a child's place
Montessori Schools

            Maria Montessori was the first female physician in Italy, an amazing accomplishment at the turn of the twentieth century.  However, becoming a medical doctor was only the first step in her long successful career.  She began her professional research involving children with observations of mentally retarded children, and was greatly influenced by the work of Itard and Seguin.  In 1901 she seemed to be at the high point of her medical career, yet she felt a need for further study and re-enrolled in the University of Rome to study philosophy, psychology, and anthropology.  In 1906 she was 36 years of age, an educator, writer, lecturer and medical doctor.  She started a school for underprivileged children in the San Lorenzo district of Rome.  Since funding allowed only office style furnishings, she contracted a carpenter to make smaller, child-sized furniture and equipment of her own design.  She began this trial school with 60 deprived children under the age of six.  As she worked, she observed and modified, modified and observed.  Within six months, her results were phenomenal.  She began attracting countrywide attention.  The children displayed self-discipline, preferred learning materials to toys, and worked with a profound concentration and joy.  They had a love for order, respected their environment, and enjoyed working in silence beside their friends.  The children would carry on “business as usual” with or without the teacher’s presence.

            Gradually, her work became known and practiced world-wide.  She refused to patent her name or work because she wanted to see it grow freely, and it has, for better or for worse.  Sometimes the name “Montessori” has been used in schools where the method is practiced incorrectly.  Regardless, the books she wrote, the materials she developed, and the discoveries she made have greatly influenced the early childhood programs of today.  There was wisdom in her decision to allow the method to evolve.

            Maria Montessori believed the child’s mind from birth to six years is quite different from the adult’s and labeled it “an absorbent mind.”  The child effortlessly soaks in everything in his culture and environment.  Modern scientists are now, almost a century later, finding scientific data to support her discoveries.  She saw a tremendous need for the child to have respectful and intelligent help during this absorbent mind stage.  She saw the child as constantly unfolding and developing himself, and saw the adults that were trying to train him as obstacles to his progress.  Her life’s work could be summed up as defining the nature of the child and the role of the adult in helping him, thus easing the tug-of-war that exists when two completely different natures meet:

...The child loves concentration - the adult entertains, distracts or interrupts him.  The teacher in this prepared environment respects his concentration and allows him to complete an inquiry or exploration.  This involves everything from watching a bug on the window sill to drops of water on a table.

...The child loves repetition - the adult becomes bored with it.  Montessori allows this freedom, with respect, as the child perfects his movements.

...The child loves order but the adult provides a toy box that can afford nothing but disorder.  (Try keeping your kitchen organized within one large box.)  The prepared environment offers shelves with neatly arranged activities always in the same place.

...Children prefer work (learning) to play (toys) - adults do not.  A child’s “work” is his preparation for life: hopefully when he matures he will enjoy his work, for he has perfected what he likes to do best.

...Children do not need rewards - adults like to think they do.  Accomplishment and creativity are reward enough.  A child is self-motivated at this age and with the right environment will remain so as he grows.

... Children love silence - adults demand it.  The Montessori environment creates an awareness of silence.  “Let me see if you can tip toe away so quietly I can still hear the birds chirping.”

            On and on her discoveries move toward providing a practical way to a peaceful coexistence with children.

            Maria Montessori developed materials for refining the senses.  The materials help the child to discriminate sound, color, size, shape, smell, and touch.  While the manufactured materials are expensive, many can be home-made and get the same results.  The materials in the classroom area called “practical life” address the child’s love of movement, concentration and repetition.  The activities involve pouring, sweeping, dressing, stacking, folding, wiping, polishing, and washing that include care of the environment, care of self, grace and courtesy.  Conversational manners, table manners, and courtesy to others are all part of the activities in a Montessori classroom.  Her math equipment is regarded by many as the most complete available.  Four year olds can have a thorough understanding of the decimal system effortlessly.  Many of the reading exercises are hand-made and can be supplemented at home.  There are also geography, music, art, science and history materials.  The method is adaptable to all subjects.  All Montessori exercises employ movement, manipulatives, free choice (within limits) and a point of completion.  The materials are usually self-correcting allowing a child to discover their own mistakes and truly internalize a concept.  The Directress prepares the environment and is trained to know when to intervene in the child’s self-learning.  This knowledge comes through her practice of the art of observation.  The child is given what is termed as “freedom within limits.”  What are the limits?

... He may freely choose to work only from materials he has been shown how to use.
... He must use the materials properly and return them properly.
... He may not infringe upon the rights of others.

            Within this framework the child develops freely in individuality and self-confidence.  The child is given the opportunity to become independent and care for himself in a responsible way.  He flowers and becomes an inner directed member of his school and family.  All of this will happen to the extent the child is exposed to these ideas.  The more cooperation between the family and directors, the more benefit the child will receive from his Montessori experience.

            Maria Montessori was a wonderfully gifted individual who was ahead of her time.  She unfolded many of the mysteries, not only of childhood, but of human nature.  Her books are read all over the world in many languages.  The significance of her discoveries is yet to be fully understood, as much of her work is still being translated and compiled.  She died in 1952 in Holland, after training directors all over the world.

            Volumes have been written on Montessori philosophy.  An understanding of the thinking behind these educational methods could not be completely conveyed without much further explanation.  In short, Montessori emphasizes that children are not merely little people to be trained as adults, they are the other pole to humanity.  They add the balance.  Adults and children, all over this planet walk hand-in-hand, learning from each other, accepting each other, and providing balance for each other.  The Montessori Method is a universal method that, when practiced correctly, has the potential to guide humanity towards peace.  The practice and the pursuit begins within each individual
 

MULTI-AGE GROUPING
a child’s place classes are grouped according to the Montessori philosophy of mixed ages.  Our communities are structured as follows:

           Mandarin Location:

Infants:           6 weeks - 14 months
Toddlers:       14 months - 3 years
Pre-Primary:  3-6 years (includes kindergarten)

Toddlers:         18 months - 3 years
Pre-Primary:    3-6 years (includes kindergarten)

Both social and intellectual development is enhanced by this method of age grouping.  Learning within this diverse group stimulates greater interest and encourages cooperation.

The Montessori program is designed to allow development at one’s own pace.  It provides for a wide range of developmental needs of the student.  We also provide teachers who are trained specialists in child development in the given age range.  Montessori training enables teachers to present the curriculum in a manner that best fits the student, rather than making the student fit the curriculum.  The Montessori curriculum is a sequential program designed for independent learning.

Each year holds a special significance for the student.  The younger child learns through observation of the older child.  In addition, the older student has the opportunity to become a leader and reinforce their knowledge as they help their younger friends.  This heritage of responsibility and helping others is passed down in class.

Parents sometimes look at the pre-primary level as preparation for kindergarten.  Actually the entire three year span is kindergarten.  From the moment a child enters a child's place, we are concerned with the ongoing development of the “whole child;” intellectual, physical, emotional and social.  We stress that the cycle is completed upon approaching age six, not age five.  If the child leaves before age six, he has not received the full benefit of our program nor has he had time to complete his learning in our curriculum.

In the final year of the Montessori pre-primary classroom, the five year old blossoms.  There is an explosion of learning and intense working knowledge of the advanced materials.  To deprive the five year old of this experience is to deprive him of his year of leadership.  The five year old leads the class with dignity, self esteem and self confidence; three qualities which enable a child to approach new social challenges in life.
 
 

1. respect for the child
2. respect for one another
3. cultural diversity
4. universal adaptability
5. cosmic education
6. individuality
7. independence
8. freedom of choice
9. hands-on learning
10. love of work
11. care of oneself
12. spontaneous concentration
13. self-discipline
14. lessons of grace and courtesy
15. intrinsic motivation
16. initiative
17. prepared environment
18. didactic materials
19. integrated curriculum
20. sense of order
21. heterogeneous grouping
22. refinement of the senses
23. movement
24. auto education
25. teacher as facilitator

Child's Role

• To respect the rights of the group and the other individuals in the environment
• To experience his/her own life and draw his/her own conclusions
• Through play the child will be led naturally to work.  Work being the task of the human being to master the environment and later adapt and transform society
• Through his/her work the child will develop the responsibility that accompanies the freedom to choose his/her own direction

Parent's Role

• To be sensitive to the needs of the child
• To see the child as having infinite possibilities to learn
• To allow the home environment be a learning environment
• To limit negative and/or excessive stimuli in a child's life (such as television and video games)
• To provide a healthy nutritious diet limiting empty "sugar" calories
• To agree to communicate with the teacher on a regular basis
• To be involved with and assist the classroom teacher when and wherever possible
• To nurture and encourage your child to be the best person he/she can be

Teacher's Role

• To follow the child's interest and needs
• To prepare an environment that is educationally interesting and safe
• To lead the child to discover his/her own truth and develop his/her own abilities
• To observe, analyze and provide materials and activities appropriate for the child's sensitive periods of learning
• To maintain communications with the parent on a regular basis

Please note that a large majority of the parent and teacher roles overlap in description.  Therefore it is important to maintain some consistency between home and school to provide the child with the best opportunity for a fulfilling experience.