Montessori Teaching?

[AOPIHottie]

For all the teachers out there, what exactly is Montessori? I did some research on it, and maybe I am just strange, but it didnt seem that different from any other kind of teaching. There is a Montessori school (newborn through 12 years old) around the corner from my house, and they have a position for a toddler teacher open. Before I apply, I wanted to get feedback from anyone who was familiar w/ this. Thanks!!!

[MaMaBuddha]

hey,

i use to think that montessori was a great way to teach a child. it's kind of like the child learning at their own pace. i liked the one on one intereaction but it wasn't enough.

my god daughter recently left a montessori school here in nyc. she attended from the 1st grade until the fifth grade. there was only one teacher with an assistant. she had about 17 kids in the whole school. all of different ages and different levels.

me and her moms started noticing that she was having difficulties in all areas of her homework. the teachings are very nontraditional. when we took her to test for another school, she failed because alot of the material she did not know, the teacher never covered.

So then we place her in a private school and she was very far behind the kids in her grade, which was the 5th. for some reason she could not grasp what the teacher was teaching.

so unfortuately she will be left behind. just last week, we took her to get another assessment test and the test put her knowledge at 3rd grade level and she is 10 years old.


her mom is upset because she feels like the montessori school helped hinder her in her learning.

[WhiteDaisy128]

I'm a 5th grade teacher here in North Carolina...as part of our initial licenture stuff, we have to spend X ammount of time observing in other classrooms. I observed in a "upper (elementary) grades" classroom in a Montessori School. It was VERY different...from a teacher standpoint, I didn't like it at all...but perhaps because it's so different than what I'm used to...here is what it was like...

First off, the school was divided into three levels - 1. Primary (which was Pre-K and K); 2. Lower Grades (1st-3rd grades); and 3. Upper grades (4th & 5th grades). I observed in a 4th/5th grade classroom.

It was Monday morning...the kids came in and were 100% silent during morning time...which appeared to just be center type work doing whatever they wanted...then when the bell rang, the teacher went to the front of the room, turned on some music and all the kids came to make a circle...she then (silently) led them through 10 minutes of yoga. Then they all sat down and had a morning meeting. In the meeting they discussed what they wanted to do that week (in the following format):

Teacher (looking at Johnny): Johnny, what do you think you want to do this week?
Johnny: Umm....something in music.
(teacher writes music centers on the board).
Teacher (looking at Sarah): Sarah, what do you want to do this week?
Sarah: Ummm...how about multiplication?
(teacher writes multiplication on the board)
etc.

Then after she gets 6 or 7 suggestions they write them on their individual calendars. She says they each have to do something in each of the areas they just discussed to turn in by Friday. They were to check off things as they got them done.

THen there were work blocks where students worked on their own thing (for example, Johnny might go to finish his music work first, while Sarah went to a math station).

I saw VERY little direct instruction...kids mostly worked from card files or things like that.

Like I said, not for me...I'm not a traditional teacher at all (I teach on a TOTAL integration team), but that was just tooo far out for me...I don't know how the kids pass the standardized tests...not that we need to teach to the tests...but kids have to get a foundation from somewhere and they can't learn the foundation from a card file of activities...

That's just what I saw...I'm not sure how it'd be in the lower grades...

[whittleschmeg]

I went to a montessori school until I was in 1st grade and from personal experience I can tell you that my chldren will most likely attend a montessori school....

A montessori is a lot different from a regular school in the sense that the children have alot more freedom. I still had scheduled times for reading math writing music art etc. But when doing reading I got to choose what book I wanted to read or if I wanted to do sand writing and practice on my writing skills. Musica and Art were done in a different room and I even had French class. It is a lot of one on one teaching which is good for children at that age and also you are not sitting in one sit all day long you are mocing around which also helps a child at such a young age.

Going into Elementary school I was ahead of most of my peers as were my brothers (one of which skipped two grades) the only problem I had was I didn't like to sit in one place and it took about a month for me to fully understand I had to stay seated etc. I enjoyed montessori school but if you are a traditional teacher then you are going to enjoy teaching in this sort of setting.

Not only did I go to montessori schol but I also did observations their its alot less restricted and once again if you aren't as traditional you will enjoy yourself alot. PM if you want to know more

[bucutie02]

I worked at a montessori school for five years.


The thing about montessori is that is is not for everyone. I mean, some children need direction and need to be told what to do. Other children work on their own, and this is bascially what montessori is all about. You have several children with different ages working in the same classroom. This teaches the older kids to be like role models to the younger ones. They actually often teach, and give them lessons. It is sort of a sense of independence. Of course, not anyone can give another child a lesson, the teachers decides that.

Also, it is not like in public school where everyone in your class is learning the same thing you are. Some children learn faster than others. This allows the children that learn faster to get more advanced and not have to wait for others, while the other children can work at their pace, and if they need more time on something, they have it and have to move on to the next thing because the other students are ready.

It gives children more choices and more independence for themselves. That is why it is really not for everyone. However most of the children at the school I worked at were very well advanced for their age, and they were about 1-2 years ahead.

[kdonline]

Originally posted by bucutie02
Also, it is not like in public school where everyone in your class ...

You mean "regular school" - not all Montessori schools are private. My niece & nephew go to a public Montessori school in Ft Lauderdale:
http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/virginiayoung/

[Lisa Fishman]

I have been teaching in a Montessori sschool for 7 years now. Yes, I think the Montessori classroom is different than traditional schools for many different reasons. The first thing you will notice is that there are not desks lined up in rows. Rather the classroom is set up where children can reach all lessons when they want, so the classroom MUST always be prepared by a teacher at ALL times. Montessori is also about Practical Life activities and sharing "work" in their school community. For instance, provide sponges and buckets so the children can wipe down a table after they finish snack. It is important in Montessori that a child should learn to be independent to do his own self care (Practical Life) such as learning to tie his shoe, and take care of his environment. There is SO much more than this, but it's a start. If you have any specific questions please feel free to private message me here. Also, I am taking my Montessori certification class as I write this. So if I don't have an answer, I do have the resources to find the answer.

[bucutie02]

Originally posted by kdonline
You mean "regular school" - not all Montessori schools are private. My niece & nephew go to a public Montessori school in Ft Lauderdale:
http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/virginiayoung/

Okay- I didnt know that there were public montessori schools. I wonder if they are different in any way from the private ones.

[WhiteDaisy128]

We have public Montessori Schools (as well as every type of Magnet School you can think of) in the county I teach in.

[WLFEO]

I don't know enough to claim to be an expert or anything, but one thing I do know is that a lot of schools call themselves Montesorri but aren't actually certified Montesorri schools. Rather, they just take some of the concepts and try to integrate them. I believe (and Lisa Fishman can probably correct me if I'm wrong), for a school to really be a true Montesorri school, all the teachers must be Montesorri certified and be using Montessori curriculum and manipulatives.

My friend got her certification and she said it was the hardest process she's ever gone through- much more difficult than her Master's degree.

There is a daycare near me that calls itself Montessori, so a lot of parents are impressed with the name, but then when I looked at it, I found out the teachers aren't Montessori certified and they don't use Montessori teaching materials/manipulatives.

When I observed in a Montessori classroom for my education degree, I was really impressed. But, I've been really impressed by traditional classrooms, also.

[Lisa Fishman]

WLFEO is correct, some "Montessori" schools are really not true Montessori. There are two organizations which true Montessori schools affilliate one is AMS- American Montessori Society. Their website is : www.amshq.org/schools.htm for more details. Real Montessori materials include trianomial cube, pink tower, brown stair etc.... Other schools just use the Montessori concepts. Though I suppose that is a bit unfair to true Montessori schools, the name Montessori is not trademarked so it is not illegal for anyone to use. Most true Montessori schools really want their staff Montessori certified.

[Lisa Fishman]

Here is a link to to my school (Creative Montessori School) in (Birmingham) Homewood, AL. www.creative-montessori.net