THE MONTESSORI CURRICULUM

THE MONTESSORI CURRICULUM

Implementation

• When a child enters a Montessori classroom it is usually at a young age.
• the Montessori curriculum focuses on the early development of each child
• all the activities that are planned and presented to the class are focused on teaching the children basic skills and to interest them into learning

Observations

Montessori schools are known to be the fastest growing private schools in the world, with just under 500 Montessori schools in Canada.

• Maria Montessori observed children very closely
• she made sure to document every small detail of each child's development in order to keep preparing for each day
• keeping up with observations makes sure that no child is falling behind and if they are ahead they are being challenged and not just repeating the same concept.

• In 1907, Maria opened the first Casa de Bambini (children's house), in the poorest part of Rome.

• Her goal was to create an education for children that would allow them to be able to reach their full potential

• Most of the children coming from this area, were disadvantaged, and came from families where most of their parents were uneducated.

• First female to graduate from medical school and become a doctor in Italy

• Maria recognized that the first 6 years of a child's life is the most valuable.
• this is why many of the Montessori classrooms are made up of children between the ages of 3- 6.
• by having a more diverse classroom, the older children can teach more to the younger ones and are then able to help in the process of developing their classmates

• Worked in a psychiatric clinic for children

• Believed that education was more important to focus on, rather than health

Following the Child

Implementation

and

Observation

Observation

Correcting the Child

• Do not tell the children what they have to do, but rather present them with choices of different materials/toys.
• Giving the children the freedom to choose what he/she wants or needs to do and to act on their own decisions.
• Children will show you (the educator) what they need to do, what they need to develop in themselves and what area they need to be challenged in.

Founder

Maria Montessori

• Watching children
• Observing their environment
• Used to develop materials that the children needed/are interested in.

• the observations made in each classroom help ensure that the teacher is giving enough attention to every child and that each child is developing alongside the rest of the classroom
• by recording thorough observations the educator will be abel to notice certain trends or interests within the classroom as well as keeping up with the needs of every individual child

• Giving the children freedom and choice, supporting them in their choice by making sure they are safe.
• Feeding their inquiring minds in a way that they can understand.
• Observing their needs and fulfilling these can be the key to helping your children develop their full potential.

KEY BELIEFS

The theory of Human Nature is believed that every person has a sense of inner teacher for example “Montessori considered a newborn child as a “spiritual embryo”

“The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences.”

-Maria Montessori

• The model was created to build on the entire personality of a child
• This Curriculum was developed based entirely on Maria's beliefs
• The first 6 years of a child's life is the most valuable
• Believed that children learn through their own curiosity
• The ‘Theory of Learning’ is that children posses subconsciously the ability to absorb information.
• The educator’s position in the classroom is only to assist the young children in using the classroom materials, but to also allow the child to learn how it works using all five senses.

"Early child development sets the foundation for lifelong learning, behavior and health."

Independence

• Children are placed in mixed-aged groups based on their developmental stage
• Children need to acquire a certain skill before moving onto a new one

Prepared Environment

Three Period Lesson

"The main thing is that the groups should contain different ages, because it has great influence on the cultural development of the child. This is obtained by the relations of the children among themselves. You cannot imagine how well a young child learns from an older child; how patient the older child is with the difficulties of the younger."

-Maria Montessori

Goal to make the child be independent, and be able to do things for themselves within the classroom

Is a step-by-step method used when an educator is teaching a new concept to a student

Assessment

• Naming: When a child is taught the name of an object (This is a dog)

• The link for a child to learn from adults.
• Rooms are child sized with activities set up for success and allow freedom of movement and choice.
• The environment has to be safe for the child to explore freely.
• The environment has to be ready and beautiful for the children so it invites them to work.
• The development of the child is dependent on the environment she/he is in, and this environment also includes the parents.

• Recognizing: Recognize and find the object (Show me dog)

Characteristics of Play

"Partnerships with families and communities strengthen the ability of early childhood settings to meet the needs of young children."

"Knowledgeable and responsive early childhood practitioners are essential to early childhood settings."

• Remembering: Asked to name the object - to test their knowledge from they've learned (What is this?)

The term is used to describe the process of when educators gather and record information about a child knows, and is able to do

Absorbent Mind

1) Play is self-chosen and self-directed; players are always free to quit.

2) Play is an activity in which means are more valued than ends.

3) Play is guided by mental rules.

4) Play is non-literal, imaginative, marked off in some way from reality.”

5) “Play involves an active, alert, but non-stressed frame of mind.

• Families are encouraged to participate and engage in activities and events because children learn from their environment
• Serves as link between school and home to track child's progress

• Montessori schools specially train teachers to accurately and successfully implement the curriculum
• Teachers are responsible for preparing an attractive environment
• Responsive to students' needs, especially when further support is needed to successfully complete a task

• Children under the age of three, do not need to have lessons in order to learn.
• They simply absorb everything in the environment by experiencing it, and being a part of it.
• Therefore it is important that the environment set up is good, nice and positive since this is what the child will absorb whether he chooses to or not.

Early Learning for Every Child Today

ASSESSMENT

&

PLANNING

Role of Documentation Strategies

• Recognizes the impact of family, culture, and community on a child's development through 6 main principles
• Relates to the 5 basic principles represented in the Montessori curriculum.
• Respect for the child
• Absorbent mind
• Sensitive periods
• Prepared environment
• Teacher roles

Goal Setting

• To evaluate on-going learning and subsequent opportunities to understand a child's development
• Plan and develop the curriculum based on a child's development and interests
• Montessori leans more towards informal/anecdotal since they are more naturalistic and narrative

"Play is a means to early learning that capitalizes on children's natural curiosity and exuberance."

"Demonstration of respect for diversity, equity, and inclusion are prerequisites for optimal development and learning.

According to Maria Montessori ....

Engagement: the environment of a Montessori classroom is designed for children to explore and engage themselves in a variety of creative, physical, psychological, and emotional activities in order for them to develop skills such as problem solving and creative thinking which are essential skills for learning in school and in life.

Expression: Good communication skills are very useful in the long run. As part of the Montessori curriculum, educators are responsible to teach their students different forms of communication such as body language, words, basics of sign language.

Formative vs Summative

• Montessori classrooms not designed to plan daily lessons
• Focus more on discovery-based learning
• Children are taught to be independent through play
• Incorporating nature is found to:
• Aide physical and psychological development
• Boost self-confidence and creativity

• Supports the needs of every child
• Understands that every child learns at their own pace and may have some learning disabilities
• Supports and respects student's abilities and accomplishments

* Educators are responsible to help and encourage with goals such as: helping the children develop a positive attitude towards school, help develop their self-confidence,

assisting the children in building a habit of concentration, fostering curiosity and fostering a sense of order.

* Goals help children develop in terms of self-discipline, morals, respect for others, long and short term motivational skills and more!

* Learning these goals at a young age is very beneficial for children in the long run.

• Formative Assessment: Everyday assessment that is done to observe and monitor a child's progress.
• Used to provide feedback on how well a student can process info and understand the lesson

PLANNING

The overall goal of the Montessori Method is to teach children about the world around them through practical life skills and sensory learning. To plan such learning, teachers are required to set up a prepared environment; this includes child-sized furniture and materials presented in a designated order.

• Is an important element of any student’s motivation and achievement in a learning environment.

• Setting goals can have many benefits on a student’s sense of accomplishment and effect their growing process.

• It is important for children to be able to set goals for themselves and to have an understanding of creating reasonable goals.

"A planned curriculum supports early learning."

Planning is when educators gather information from their assessments and observations to create lesson plans.

Their planning is based off of what they have noticed with the children in regards to their abilities, interests, and development

• Summative Assessment: The final product
• How much a student has learned throughout the year (tests, quizzes)

• Prepared environment allows children to acquire practical life skills and sensory learning
• Classroom materials are laid out in sequential order for easy to follow instructions

Montessori educators will make observations of children and add new material once figuring out if the children are able to move to the next level.

They teach them practical life skills and sensory learning

To plan this - they set up the prepared environment

Four Foundations of HDLH

Belonging: In a Montessori classroom, children are constantly surrounded by other children and educators who give them the sense of belonging by building stable and dependent relationships.

Well Being: The Montessori program is designed to help support every child that is in the classroom and give them the opportunity to grow and develop to their full potential, while helping them shape who they are becoming.