J650 Independent Study

 As I was observing in the Montessori school today, I began wondering more about the modern adaptations that I was seeing in the work that the children were doing; children creating crystal snowflakes using a microwave to heat the water and how Maria Montessori might feel or think about that.  I assumed, in my notes, that surely she would have had to account for the evolution of new skills that would need to be learned as technologies developed beyond what she would have known during her time.  I wondered who gets to be the "official" one person to decide how modern day life gets translated into work for the children.  Enter, chapter 5 that I began reading when I arrived home today.  The first page of chapter 5 gave me the answer to a question, I had not considered until today. Chapter 5 opens by speaking to Montessori's desires to avoid pre-determined work for each child, a prescribed list of work that each child should be able to accomplish.    ...

 This chapter was very interesting to read as both a parent and a teacher, so I could identify with both roles.  The ideas that Montessori wants to impart on parents is that they should allow their children the space and freedom to explore the world around them, safely of course.  Even in 1924, Montessori read American parents as one of two types; those who over encourage their child and those who are over anxious about their child.  She advocates for parents to let their children guide them, asking the parents to concentrating on relaxing and just being with their child, taking walks with them (and a hands-lens) and just being part of the world with them.   Also, in this chapter Montessori discusses how parents should not give their children an over abundance of toys.  Instead, the parents should observe their child and what holds their interests and focus on and prepare special activities for that.  Montessori says that, "The parent must observe...

 I noticed that the art work had two distinct branches, paper work and painting work.  I want to share about painting work and fine motor work in this post.  It was interesting to watch the work progress from vertical, on a table top, to horizontal, on an easel.  Also, children get to work with different mediums within the painting work: painting with tempera paint, painting with watercolors, sculpting with a paint/flour mix, and painting on an easel. The fine motor work that children do helps them be successful at the painting work and other kinds of work (sewing, piercing, more academic work).  This website has been helpful in learning more about the art work:  https://montessori-art.com/ultimate-guide-to-montessori-painting/ Painting Work: Painting work: 3 small jars of tempera paint (one tray had red, orange, and yellow and the other tray had green, blue, and purple) paint brush (full sized brush) laminated pictures of natural items to paint (mainly flo...

 Each time I visit the school, I am so interested in the work that the children are doing.  Knowing that this is a summer program I am observing, there are far fewer work options that are available, however, there are enough that I can get the idea of how the work flow time happens each day.  I am only observing in the morning work flow time, but I do know there is a work flow time that happens in the afternoon too. During each observation, I have been paying close attention to the items on each work tray and watching the children engage with them from across the room.  The teacher who is in this room let me observe for 2 weeks and then so kindly asked if some of the children might be able to teach me their work lessons.  Of course!! So she let me shadow her for two work lessons and then the children will soon be teaching me some of their lessons. I thought in this post, I would share two types of the work, art work and sewing work, that I have observed and the ...

 Chapter 3 describes in detail about the Montessori methods.  There are quite a few pictures included, however, they are all black and white, so some details are hard to infer from them.  It has been wonderful for me to read about the work that the children will engage in and why the methods are structured the way they are and then to go see that in a classroom, makes it come to life! I was excited to read this chapter the most out of all the chapters as it describes the reasons for following Montessori's methods. The Montessori system is based on being open-minded and not having a fixed system of steps or activities.  The two essential parts to making this all work are the environment and the teacher.  The teacher prepares the environment in such a way that it is inviting to the child and to help them construct their own independence, removing as many obstacles as possible that could inhibit the growth of the child.  The teacher must also be open to growth...

 As part of observing the last two days, I noticed lots of ideas that were new to me.  When I really think about it, many of these ideas are obvious, but I think they have gotten lost (for me anyway) in all the day to day curricular things I am expected to teach my students.  I made a list in my notebook, so I thought I would share them in a bulleted list and then share any comments I have about each in a sub-bullet.  outside the children were able to sit at child sized picnic tables the outside classroom is set up so that there are various work stations, all child sized and 4-6 children can work at each station I am so conflicted here, as I know what I am seeing in this Montessori school is what is best and right for children, but in my own school district, our buildings and grounds department head is having us take out any furniture or elements that do not meet her vision.  I am wondering how to do some major pushing back on her furniture plan, but also use wh...

 When I visited the Montessori school today, the directress that was there let me know that today would be more of a normal work cycle day.  They would be more flexible as some of the children are enrolled in the summer camp and do not normally attend. When I arrived, the lead teacher was preparing the daily snack as the children entered the room and the assistant was greeting children as they entered.  After hanging up their belongings, the children quickly moved into choosing an apron from one of the three piles that had been placed on mats on the floor.  They would need to wear these aprons as they moved through their work cycle today.  Several children had gathered on the large rug to listen to a story about using their 5 senses and other children joined them quietly as they finished getting ready.  Again, there was no announcement that a story was happening, the children just observed other children gathering and joined in.  There was background n...

 As I observed the children playing during their water day, I could easily tell the difference between the children who regularly attend school at this location and those who were visiting for the summer camp.  The differences became more obvious when I was able to observe the children at play.  Those who attend the Montessori school came right into the play area and almost immediately engaged in some sort of pretend or imaginative play.  Those who were there for the summer camp program wandered around as if they were checking everything over before deciding what play to engage in.   As I shared in my last post, there is a large area of tall grass in the center of the play area and all the children who attend this Montessori school through the year knew what their boundaries were in relationship to it.  They knew they could run around the outside of it, but not through it and they knew they could stop wherever they wanted around the outside area to obs...

Today was my first visit at the Montessori school where I will be observing for the next two months.  I will be observing the summer camp program, as the school is open during a traditional school year. The staff were lovely and welcoming and found me the perfect spot to sit where I could observe the happenings in the class space.  There are 4 classrooms in this center and each were divided with walls, however the room that I was in had a closet/storage area where staff could pass between two of the rooms.  Right away, I noticed how open and calm the entire space was.  There was minimal art on the walls with the exception of photographs from nature (birds and flowers).  There were a variety of plants around the space as well.  The ceilings were high and two entire walls were filled with floor to ceiling windows and doors that all could be opened to outside working spaces.  In the classroom that I was observing in, everything was child height with the e...

 I was most eager to read chapter 2 as it shared more about the Montessori philosophy.  I have studied a little about Montessori philosophies, but had not read much in depth about them.   The idea of a "spiritual embryo" was something that was new to me.  The idea that before birth, a child must have a pattern for psychic unfolding within them.  The spiritual embryo can be developed through the relationships the child has with their environment and the amount and type of freedom they are allowed.  When studying this idea in children, Montessori began to identify two aids in a child's life when the spiritual embryo can be developed.  They are the Sensitive Period and the Absorbent Mind.  During the Sensitive Periods, a child is focused on one aspect of their environment and excludes most all others.  A child will repeat an action until after many repetitions and then a new function appears.  If a child is prevented from following the...