Susan Dean asked:


As we all know only too well everyone is individual and everyone may need a different educational environment to be able to excel to their full potential. This is where Montessori schools come into play. It is amazing how over the centuries we as societies and communities have just conformed to what the government implies where education is concerned. I mean even though in the usual education sense we are assured that our children are being taught fairly independently but realistically we know this is not true.

How many children get pushed through the system when they are not ready? Loads of them are. This could be for many reasons but the fact still remains that they are. Often one of the reasons is that the child takes longer to understand or needs to be taught a different way and usually the mainstream teaching does not allow for this. Mainstream teaching does not usually have the flexibility in their curriculum for this. Therefore kids are just being shuffled through the system like cattle.

Of course, there is an alternative to this and that is Montessori schools. These schools cater for children from birth to teenagers. Classes combine different age groups, usually spanning 3 years. This works well with older kids helping to teach younger ones and of course the younger ones learning from the older ones. Every child is treated individually and there is no marking of work as this can be a detrimental blow to their self-esteem. If someone is not achieving a good enough standard then the teacher will work out an individual and constructive method for improvement.

You may ask how did Montessori schools come about so I will tell you. Way back in 1907 in Italy Dr Maria Montessori after doing intensive research found that if children were given the proper materials in a nurturing environment they will freely teach themselves. In her school she encouraged children to use all five senses to learn and explore. This method of teaching has proven itself for nearly 100 years now. Since the induction of the first school of this kind many more have opened.

These days you can find Montessori schools all around the world. Even some local schools offer Montessori teaching so if you wish for your child to be educated this way then check out what is available. If you choose for your child to be educated this way then you may need to save some money, as it does not come cheap.

As parents we all know how individual our children are so we should appreciate how different settings are better for some than others. You know your child best so you should decide what would be the best environment for him or her to be educated. The good thing is that there are choices. Take the time to check out the internet for example to find what these choices are.



Courtney

Laura asked:


I am a first year Montessori teacher (pre -k). I have a lot of the Montessori language materials available in my classroom, but I am finding that I need a lot of supplemental activities for the children. If anyone has any ideas, suggestions, things you’ve done in your own classrooms, I would appreciate it.
Thanks

Raul

Dakota Fanning Fan asked:


If they can be taught, does that mean that other special needs people can also be taught using the Montessori method? People have told me that the Montessori method is only used on people without special needs.
I have heard that Maria Montessori have had success with mentally retarded children. If this is true, is the Montessori method better than mainstream schools for special needs children?

Eric

Margarita asked:


I worked in day care for many years and kids coming from Montessori always seemed to have very little structure and were a bit on the wild side. What is your experience with the Montessori program? Would you recommend it or not?

Ella

Peter Legrove asked:


 

Phonics are very easy to learn, they are nothing to be intimidated about. We use phonic sounds every time we speak. When teaching phonics we have to match the phonic sound we say with the written phonic sound. It is that simple. When you are learning how to teach phonics you will need a phonic chart so you can work out the phonic written sounds and how to say them.

If you are new to phonics and what to teach your children I recommend this Montessori program as it explains how to turn phonics into words. Montessori teaching has been around for over a 100 years so it has passed the test of time and it is still used today in Montessori schools around the planet.

With this system you have to spend some time with your children as it is a hands on system. You can’t just show your child and leave them to learn by themselves. I used the program to teach my daughter who was having problems with reading and now she is okay. But I did put the time in.I like the system as it makes use of sandpaper letters and it starts to teach words very early on in the lessons. Even sight words and non-phonic words are made up with sandpaper letters.

Synthetic phonics is another system that has been around for a long time and taught me to read many years ago. But the main difference between the two is with synthetic phonics the child learns all the phonic sounds before starting on words. I prefer to bring in words early on in the learning experience as the child can start to read easy books earlier.

In mainstream schools it can take up to four years before a child is quite confident to read by herself. So don’t expect your child to suddenly start reading but then again with Montessori sandpaper letters miracles can happen. When Maria Montessori started using the sandpaper letters over a hundred years ago she was working in a school for learning disabled children and they were learning to read faster than the children in the normal school in the village.



Jared

concerned mom of two blond boys! asked:


Every montessori school I talk to really believe my son needs to be in a Montessori program from 9-2 or 3pm m-f.
Is this to much?

Danny

Diane Crawford asked:


The Montessori home schooling method was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 1900s to educate children from poor families in San Lorenzo Rome. Dr. Montessori developed a method of teaching children as children, rather than smaller adults. Instead of pigeonholing children into the common institutionalized methods such as grading and testing, the Montessori home schooling method allows children develop their talents, takes note of weaknesses, and encourages children to develop both their weaknesses, and natural talents in their own time.

The Montessori home schooling method is taught to children from as early as birth, and can go as high as year 12 education. Rather than grading, feedback and analysis is usually provided in the form of a list or narration of the child’s talents, and weaknesses. An emphasis on and an approach to improving the child’s weaknesses are then taken, as education progresses.

The wonderful thing that the Montessori home schooling method offers a child is a focus on what the child needs as an individual, rather than pre-set needs for the class as a whole. Learning is done at the child’s own pace, and teachers take the role of a guide rather than a lecturer. One of the main goals that this method uses is to encourage children to keep their natural joy of learning, without pressuring them to compete with each other and learn when they are not yet ready, or mature enough.

Through this method of teaching, children are encouraged to be independent, and are given freedom with some set limits and responsibilities that come with having freedom.

The entire approach used in Montessori home schooling method is that children learn in an entirely different way than adults. Lessons are specially structured to children’s needs, and the natural way that they learn to give children the best advantage in both an academic, and social learning environment.

Montessori Method Lessons

The Montessori method ensures that a child is never given an activity without being shown how it is of use to them. After the activity has been demonstrated, the child is then given the freedom to use this newly acquired knowledge with no limits, other than their own imagination, or when the materials or child has a risk of being a danger to themselves or those around them.

Each activity is carefully selected, and will pave the way for later activities, and concepts. Children are encouraged to repeat an activity as many times as they want to, until they become bored with it. At this stage, it is a sign that the child is ready to start the next activity.

There is never a prescribed time table, or period in which children are meant to learn certain concepts, or lessons, the speed that these are learned will depend entirely on the child, and when they feel ready to move on. However, there is a set sequence of learning activities that are used for lessons. The Montessori home schooling method was originally designed as a schooling system, but it is a very popular method that is often scaled down and used by parents for home schooling.



Brenda

Paul Hata asked:


For many people, homeschooling may call to mind the picture of two or three children sitting at a table and writing feverishly in their workbooks, while mom or dad stands nearby. This is the not entirely true. There are different methods of homeschooling, and the method you choose will decide the curriculum and your style of teaching. The section below will help you to familiarize with some of the better known methods of homeschooling.

The Charlotte Mason Method

Charlotte Mason is known as the founder of the homeschooling movement. A homeschooler herself, she was passionate in her zeal to lay out the foundations for an effective a complete homeschooling program that is fun and educational at the same time. This method focuses on all the core subjects with emphasis placed on classical literature, poetry, fine arts, classical music and craft. Mason used a variety of books from classical literature, which she called ‘Living Books’. Since this method encourages a passionate awareness of literature, the child is read to daily from the ‘Living Books’.

After this, the child is asked to narrate what she has heard. This process begins at the age of six, and by ten the child is expected to write her narrations in her book. Mason also advocated the use of ‘Nature Diaries’. After each short and interesting lesson, the child is asked to go to Nature and draw observations from Nature.Thus the child also gains a sense of respect for her environment. Mason believed that development of good character and behavior was essential to the complete development of the child’s personality.

The Eclectic Homeschooling

This is a mixture of various homeschooling techniques. Here, the innovative parents trust their own judgment and pick out the topics that make the best curriculum for their child. Such parents continuously look out for the best products that will meet the needs of their homeschoolers. Most Eclectic homeschooling curriculums are improvised. This means that the basic curriculum is ready-made. The parents then make changes in the curriculum to accommodate the individual needs and interests of their children. The child’s gifts, temperament, learning style and interests dictate the curriculum. Eclectic programs include visits to the museum, libraries and factories.

The Montessori Method

This method began in Italy, when it was observed that children have acute sensitive periods, during which they undergo periods of intense concentration. During such phases, a child will repeat an

activity till he gains a measure of self-satisfaction. The Montessori method depends on a prepared environment to facilitate learning. All the materials used in this method are designed to satisfy the inner desire for spiritual development of the child. The materials used progress from simple to complex, and are rather expensive.

The Unschooling Method

A Boston public educator name John Holt laid the beginnings of the unschooling method. He believed that children learned best when they are free to learn at their own pace and when they are guided by their own interests. His message was to ‘unschool’ the child. This method is a hands-on approach to learning, where the parent takes definite cues from the children. There is no definite curriculum, schedules or materials. This method is the most unstructured of the various homeschooling techniques.

These are just a few of the methods of homeschooling. Whatever the method, the underlying factor is flexibility and a keen interest in the desires of the child. The secret is to use the child’s desire for knowledge to further his education.

The Waldorf Method

The Waldorf homeschooling method was popularized by Rudolf Steiner in Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Waldorf approach is a holistic liberal arts education where subjects are not separated from one another and education covers the mind, body and spirit. Early education is focused on activities and experiences rather than head learning and in that regard.Textbooks are not used until the children are older and even then,only infrequently.Moral qualities are subtly emphasized through life.Discovery is the focus of the middle years and experiences relating to finding one’s place in the “real world” are the focus of the upper grades.



Ethel

Peter Legrove asked:


Even though the pencil looks like it is going the way of the dinosaur we parents need to know how to teach kids to write. Anyway we learnt to write many years now it is our turn to be teachers. If your kid is having problems with writing it could be as simple as a weak hand. And a few hand exercises will possible cure it. But if you are not so lucky then you need to try a different approach.

I like to use the Montessori Method for teaching writing as with this approach your child is learning to read as well as write. Montessori uses sandpaper letters to implant the shape of the letter and how it should be written on your kid’s brain. Your kid can feel the texture of the sandpaper as he traces the letters and words. Montessori also starts off writing by using scribbling exercises to strengthen the hand and arm muscles. This scribbling also prepares the hand and arm muscles for writing. And with tracing the sandpaper letters the kid knows how to write before even picking up a pencil.

Under this system a lot of kids start writing by themselves without any encouragement from their parents. :Like most learning it all takes time so don’t expect miracles. The more time you put in making up words with sandpaper letters so your kid can trace. And the more controlled scribbling your kid does the sooner he will start to write by himself.

Writing is still very important even though technology seems to be passing by the traditional aspects of the classroom. When you look into the situation you will find that most schools still use a pen and a blackboard. It’s only the kids in the schools in the upper echelons of society that complain about pencils and notebooks. I like the Montessori system of teaching writing and reading and this is the course I recommend



Melanie

Rolf Joho asked:


The development areas covering education in the preschool years vary from country to country. However, majority of the systems incorporate certain common themes such as knowledge and understanding of the world, communication that includes listening and talking, emotional, social and personal development, physical development, and mathematical development and awareness. It is essential to choose the preschool that is suitable to your child so that his or her mind is properly stimulated.

The foundation for developmental learning for preschool aged children is based on these areas. Preschool is for the kids aged between 2-5 years, and during this developmental stage, they learn and assimilate the information quite rapidly. They learn to explore, and express their interest in every new discovery.

Montessori Preschool Program

Montessori classroom for preschool children is like a living room for them where they can choose their work from the self-correcting materials that are displayed on the open shelves. Children work in the specific work areas, and over a period of time, develop into the normalized community working with few interruptions and high concentration. The child becomes ordered, focused and self-disciplined.

Montessori preschool program have five distinct areas that constituting the prepared environments, and these areas are practical life, sensorial area, mathematics, cultural activities and language arts.

Preschool Starting Tips

There is high demand for good schools, and preschools with good reputation may have long waiting list for admission. Parents must register the name of the child as soon as possible for them, and it can be as early as just after the birth. Visit various playschools so that you are aware of advantages and drawbacks of each. Before visiting, talk to your child and let him know the purpose of the visit.

It can be quite helpful to talk to the parents whose kids are already enrolled with the particular preschool you are opting for. You can find out if the children are happy, what is the methodology, how is the general hygiene maintained, how are the children handled in emergency situations and so on. Some centers offer the money-back guarantee or a free day, and some offer discounted fee for the initial month.

Once you are sure about the safety and quality of the preschool, give your child enough time to get adjusted to the place, people and program. The child may initially resist due to hesitance or separation anxiety, but he or she will gradually settle down in the new routine.

Many parents struggle with the issue whether to send their child to the private or public elementary school. If you have a good public preschool in your area, get your child enrolled in that otherwise consider the private school.

Before starting the preschool, it is a good idea to potty train your child, and you can get some great stress-free and successful potty training tips from parenting experts, child therapist and family members. When training your child, never use the force. For any potty training related accomplishment, use the reward system.

Before sending the child to the preschool, find out what all child needs to take in the bag in terms of drinks, food and other personal items. Label child’s clothing and equipment with their name to help prevent the confusion and loss, as it can be upsetting for the child. Be prepared for the accidents, and pack a set of labeled clothes so that children can feel comfortable in their own clothes.

Learning is best when teachers and parents work together, so help the teacher understand your child by sharing the concerns, insights and information about your child. Regular communication can bridge the gap between preschool and home. Keep the teacher informed regarding any changes in the circumstances at home such as moving to a new house, birth of a sibling, death, hospitalization, or divorce.

Make sure to attend the preschool activities, and volunteer to help in the classroom as this reassures the child that the parents are interested in their life.



Tyrone