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Author: Foothill Montessori

Praise – Parenting Connection

Written by Foothill Montessori on . Posted in Blog.

Praise is a pretty controversial topic and one could easily find plenty of research that supports both its pros and cons. What do we think about praise in the Montessori environment? Simply put, we believe in supporting intrinsic motivation and that is done through the recognition of hard work, appreciation of natural curiosity and helping a child recognize the internal joy that comes from success.  One study, Dweck, C. S. (2006) Mindset. NY, NY: Penguin Random House) showed us that students who were given praise for things that were out of their control (ie; being smart or naturally good at something) were less willing to try hard things and even went so far as to inaccurately share their successes and failures (ie; they lied about results because of their embarrassment of failure). Those who were given recognition for their willingness to work hard, do hard things, try new things despite potential failure, etc. were overall more successful and, better yet, they believed that they had the potential to grow and develop new skills and talents.  Want to know more? I recommend the book Mindset by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D

Promoting Kindness – Parenting Connection

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This amazing article in The Atlantic, written by Adam Grant, gives powerful insight to the value of prioritizing kindness and concern for others over achievement as a way of supporting children’s life-long success.

“Quite a bit of evidence suggests that children who help others end up achieving more than those who don’t. Boys who are rated as helpful by their kindergarten teacher earn more money 30 years later. Middle-school students who help, cooperate, and share with their peers also excel—compared with unhelpful classmates, they get better grades and standardized-test scores. The eighth graders with the greatest academic achievement, moreover, are not the ones who got the best marks five years earlier; they’re the ones who were rated most helpful by their third-grade classmates and teachers. And middle schoolers who believe their parents value being helpful, respectful, and kind over excelling academically, attending a good college, and having a successful career perform better in school and are less likely to break rules.”

FMSL has proudly celebrated #KINDNESS week, where random acts of kindness have boosted our community throughout this week. We invite and encourage you to promote similar acts of kindness as a way of supporting your child’s efforts.

Behavior – Parenting Connection

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I appreciated this article from Parents.com where Francyne Zeltser, Psy.D. explores with us which aspects of our children’s behavior we typically get caught up in compared to those which *should* be taking our attention.  With so many things to worry about, it’s nice to have some direction as to where our energy should be going. As Dr. Zeltser says, “While there’s no right way to parent, it’s possible to feel confident that you’re making the best parenting choices for your little ones.”

Flu Prevention and Safety

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It has been an especially bad year for respiratory infections, especially influenza, and many of our students have been ill. We are working hard here at school to encourage healthy practices and a clean environment, but we need help from families as well. There are a few things families can do to help prevent spread of these viruses.

Flu signs and symptoms usually come on suddenly.  We thank you for keeping your child home if they experience any flu-like symptoms. Students are not permitted to return to school unless they are symptom-free for 24 hours.  In some cases, parents may be asked to provide a doctor’s note before their child will be permitted to return to school. Students experiencing flu-like symptoms will be sent home from school immediately.

STAY HOME IF SICK
Please have your child stay home if they are ill. These signs and symptoms include:

 fever over 100˚F (38˚C)  For many adults and teens, a sudden high fever is the earliest symptom of the infection.

 muscle aches

 fatigue

 loss of appetite

 chills

 vomiting

 headache

 stuffy nose

 Remain home until at least 24 hours after the fever or fever symptoms (chills, feeling very warm, flushed appearance, or sweating) resolve without fever reducing medicine such as Tylenol or Motrin.

 You and your child can shed influenza for up to 5-7 days, so an extra day or two home is also encouraged if you are known to have influenza.

 Children who have been vaccinated for influenza do not generally develop symptoms as severe as others, so may only have low grade fever or mild cough and it could still be influenza.

 Although most people will recover fully without complications, antiviral treatment may be helpful if given in the first 48 hours of illness. This can prevent serious complications and shorten duration of illness. Contact your healthcare provider to discuss this if you or your child are sick.

WAYS TO PREVENT INFLUENZA
Help us with health habits to prevent spread of illness:

 We encourage everyone to get a yearly influenza vaccine. It is not too late if you have not received one. Even if you get the flu, your symptoms will be less severe and shorter in duration thus helping the spread of influenza.

 Even if you get influenza, you should still receive vaccine as there are several strains circulating.

 Students and staff should cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or their bent arm.

 Put the used tissue in a trash can and wash their hands right away.

 Students should avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

 We will provide supplies that are easily accessible for everyone.

 Luckily influenza does not live on surfaces more than 24-48 hours, but enhanced cleaning measures in classrooms are being implemented. Influenza will respond to any general cleaning method at home as well. Soap and water or products such as Lysol are effective.

SOME KIDS ARE AT ESPECIALLY HIGH RISK FOR INFLUENZA
These children may need antiviral prophylaxis if they have a known influenza exposure. If your child falls in one of these categories, please contact their healthcare provider if there has been an exposure in the classroom.

 Children younger than 6 months old

 Children aged 6 months up to their 5th birthday (especially those less than 2)

 American Indian and Alaskan Native children

 Pregnant women are at very high risk for complications. Please contact your Obstetrician if you or a family member/close contact are ill.

 Children aged 6 months old through 18 years old with chronic health problems including asthma.

 Children who are taking aspirin or salicylate-containing medicines.

 Extreme obesity, which has been associated with severe flu illness in some studies of adults, may also be a risk factor for children. Childhood obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile, for age and sex.

Here is a link to the parent information from the CDC website:
The Flu: A Guide for Parents

Thank you for reading this guidance and helping us keep our school healthy! Let us know if there are questions.

13 Habits for Raising Well Adjusted Kids – Parenting Connection

Written by Foothill Montessori on . Posted in Blog.

Parenting can be exhausting, especially after looking at a list of 13 more things to do with your children! The most important thing, however, is to find the routines and habits that work for you and your family and focus on those. And don’t forget to follow your instincts. You are the most qualified to know what your child needs to become who they are meant to become.

The Capstone Year…What Every Montessori Parent Deserves to Know

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What is the Capstone Year and why does my child deserve to have one?

 

We often refer to the 3rd Year a child is in a Montessori program as the Capstone Year. But, what is it really that makes that year so special/important? While the reasons to leave can be compelling and are worth every consideration, we believe the reasons to stay are worth your careful and thoughtful consideration.

Below is a list of 24 reasons we recommend keeping your child in Montessori for the Capstone Year:

  1. Does your child look forward to attending school? If so, consider yourself lucky. Why tinker with a winning situation when so many other families are frustrated or disappointed with their child’s school experience.
  2. Your child has waited for two years to be a leader in their class. The third year students are looked up to as role models for the younger students, and most children eagerly await their opportunity to play this role.
  3. The third year is the time when many of the earlier lessons come together and become a permanent part of the child’s understanding. An excellent example is the early introduction to addition with large numbers through the Bank Game. When children leave Montessori at age five, many of the still forming concepts evaporate, just as a child living overseas will learn to speak two languages, but may quickly lose the second language if his family moves back home.
  4. As a leader in the class, your child has many opportunities to teach the younger children lessons that he learned when he was their age. Research proves that this experience has powerful benefits for both tutor and tutoree.
  5. Third Year Montessori children normally go on to still more fascinating lessons and more advanced Montessori materials. The natural process of abstraction or critical thinking around familiar concepts materializes naturally and gears the child up for more advanced skills.
  6. The Montessori curriculum is more sophisticated than that found in traditional programs.
  7. Having spent two years together, your child’s teachers know her very, very well. They know her strengths and areas that are presenting challenges. She can begin the year strong, without having to build a relationship of trust with her teacher.
  8. Your child already knows most of her classmates. She has grown up in a safe, supportive classroom setting. She is learning appropriate social boundaries and interactions with a group of familiar peers.
  9.  If your child goes on to another school, he will spend the first half of the year just getting used to the new educational approach.
  10.  Montessori math is based on the European tradition of unified mathematics. Montessori introduces young children to basic geometry and other sophisticated concepts as early as kindergarten. Our spiraling curriculum means students will revisit these skills and build on them throughout their elementary experience.
  11.  Third Years have a real sense of running their classroom community, an important leadership skill that goes on with them.
  12.  In Montessori, your child can continue to progress at her own pace. In traditional education, she will have to wait while the other children begin to catch up or will be forced to move ahead before she is ready.
  13. Beginning as early as kindergarten and continuing through elementary, Montessori children are studying cultural geography and beginning to grow into global citizens.
  14.  In Montessori, students work with intriguing learning materials instead of preprinted work books, allowing a student to work on a skill for the right amount of time for their own understanding and not by a predetermined timeline.
  15.  Emphasis is given to the arts, movement, and outdoor education. Exploration and creativity in these areas are continuously accessible and are encouraged.
  16. In Montessori, your child has been treated with a deep respect as a unique individual. The school has been equally concerned for his intellectual, social, and emotional development.
  17. Montessori schools are warm and supportive communities of students, teachers, and parents. Children can’t easily slip through the cracks!
  18. Montessori consciously teaches children to be kind and peaceful.
  19. In Montessori schools, learning is not focused on rote drill and memorization. Our goal is to develop students who really understand their schoolwork.
  20. Montessori students learn through hands-on experience, investigation, and research. They become actively engaged in their studies, rather than passively waiting to be spoon-fed.
  21. Montessori is consciously designed to recognize and address different learning styles, helping students learn to study most effectively.
  22. Montessori challenges and set high expectations for all students not only a special few.
  23. Montessori students develop self-discipline and an internal sense of purpose and motivation.
  24. Three, six, nine and twelve years old are natural transitional ages for children. They are the best time for children to move to new classrooms or schools.
Third Year Upper Elementary students sale handmade items at the Montessori Market, a business that supports their end of year outdoor adventure.
This year they will use funds for a class wide river rafting trip to culminate their studies of the watershed.

This Third Year Upper Elementary student creates the square of 19
using a Montessori Math material, the Peg Board.

Creativity at its finest!

If you still have any doubt, spend a morning observing in your child’s class and compare it with a class in the other school you are considering. Sit quietly and take mental notes. The differences may be subtle, but most likely they will be significant. Then project your child into the future and ask yourself how the positive differences you observed in the Montessori classroom might help shape your child to become the teenager, and later the adult, you envisioned for your child’s future.

(Adapted from Tim Seldin’s 25 Reasons to Keep Your Child in Montessori Through the Kindergarten Year, Tomorrow’s Child.)

The Value of the Three Year Cycle – A Parent’s Perspective

Written by Foothill Montessori on . Posted in Blog.

The Capstone Year

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the third year of the Early Childhood three year cycle. We made the decision to keep our oldest daughter in the Magnolias Class to complete the cycle (known as the Capstone Year).

Last year, an article in The Atlantic called “The New Preschool is Crushing Kids” (read here) helped support our decision. In the mainstream setting, Kindergarten has become the new first grade, and Common Core standards have laid out academic guidelines for what should be completed in Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten. Research corroborates that kindergarteners spend more time doing seat work and less time doing art and music.  The net result is 2nd graders who perform worse on tests measuring literacy, language, and math skills. The cause, it is thought, is direct instruction that is repetitive and uninspired which leads to children losing their enthusiasm for learning.

How do we maintain that joy for learning and school that can inspire ongoing discovery? The Montessori curriculum inspires life-long inquiry with a heavy emphasis on social interaction, outdoor experiences, art and music. Communication and dynamic interactions with peers and teachers allow children to be self-reflective critical thinkers.

The groundwork for reading and literacy is language, and the Montessori classroom capitalizes on our children’s sensitive period for language.  Imagine my surprise when my four year old came home recently asking to read a book to me. I indulged her request knowing that she has not quite mastered all the letter sounds, and yet she comfortably read the book.  “Where did you learn to read?” I asked.  “I just know.” she said.  The Montessori curriculum has laid the groundwork so that our children can put it all together in their own time. We only need to give them the freedom and opportunity to do so.

This is exactly why the capstone year is so important. Our children become leaders in the classroom during the third year. They consolidate all the learning that has taken place in the first two years of the cycle. They grow confidence, they enjoy themselves, and they learn new things in a low pressure environment in which they feel very comfortable.

I loved seeing my oldest daughter thrive in her third year. You could see an extra bounce in her step and she loved going to school each day. Her reading and math skills blossomed and her social skills became more nuanced. In short, she thrived.

I was also a little nervous that she would enter her new school behind the other kids who had been in the academic “seat-work” environment for two years already… and I’ll admit that in the first quarter, her reading wasn’t as fluent as some of the other children’s and her performance on timed math assessments was lacking a bit of luster. (Then again, if you know her, you know that anything timed is not of interest to her!)  Interestingly, as the year has progressed, she’s blossomed. It’s as if you can see the cumulative effect of the critical thinking skills and self-directed learning all come together. She’s asking questions about the relationships between different concepts and she’s reading books that really interest her.  I’m not sure she’ll love the timed math tests, but as she says, “that’s just my way”.  The credit for her progress goes to the Montessori Capstone Year.

I’m so glad that we’ve been able to give her the gift of an extra year of play, joy, and mastery. The data and our family’s personal experience support what Maria Montessori knew long ago… The third year of the cycle is a crucial element of the Montessori Early Childhood education.

You are welcome to contact me if you want to discuss the third year in further detail!

Vicki Wilkins – Past FMSL Toddler and Early Childhood parent

Specialty Classes at Foothill Montessori of Salt Lake

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Early Childhood Specialties

Dance

In Dance Class, Early Childhood students are introduced to the main elements of dance: time, space, and energy, so that they can decipher and make choices in their movement. The students learn how to alter speeds, change levels, utilize space, play with quality, move with their whole bodies/being, mirror positive/negative space, as well as shaping and weaving.

Music

In Music Specialty classes, Early Childhood students are introduced to music and rhythm theory as well as vocal skills. They learn to sing and play instruments and to create, respond to, and understand music. In this class students are exposed to many different music styles as well as music from many cultures.

Outdoor Classroom

Early Childhood students participate each week in the Outdoor Classroom with our specialty teacher where they seasonally explore the plants, soil, invertebrates, birds, and weather through hands on activities. The students have many opportunities to practice and master essential developmental skills such as balance, control, independence, focus, and coordination through digging, building with logs, sticks and rocks, and interacting with nature in this class. The purpose of the Early Childhood Outdoor Program is to help students gain an understanding and love for the natural world around them.

Kindergarten Art Studio

The Third Year Early Childhood (Kindergarten) students attend Art Studio at scheduled times throughout the week. First and Second Year Early Childhood students follow an art curriculum in their classrooms. Early Childhood students focus on the technical fundamentals of color, shape, perspective, and shading. All of the students work with many different media, such as paint, pastels, pencil, collage, textiles, etc.

Kindergarten Winter Sports

Third Year Early Childhood (Kindergarten) students are invited to participate in skiing lessons at a local resort during school hours. This event provides students with an opportunity to develop their skiing or snowboarding skills and have outdoor fun in the “greatest snow on earth”. The Winter Sports Program takes place once a week and runs for 5 weeks during the second semester of the academic year.

Lower Elementary Specialties

Movement – Dance & Physical Education/Fitness

The Lower Elementary Movement curriculum includes both dance and physical education units. Students work on dance elements, such as shape, level, direction, size, focus, attack, weight, strength, pathway, locomotor skills, and flow with a specialty teacher in the dance studio. They also learn how to express themselves through dance, incorporate their own style, and how to integrate timing and choreography. The physical education units include learning about and playing a variety of team-oriented physical games, with an emphasis on endurance, coordination, flexibility, strength, agility, and sportsmanship as they work on general fitness.

Outdoor Classroom

Lower Elementary students participate weekly in the Outdoor Classroom with our outdoor specialty teacher where they explore and interact with the garden area throughout the changing seasons and learn about plant identification, functions, and uses, as well as earth history, animal adaptations, and paleo cultures. The purpose of the Lower Elementary Outdoor Program is to help students gain an understanding and love for the natural world around them while engaging in problem solving and creative application.

Art

In the Art Studio, Lower Elementary students practice the technical elements of art, such as line, shape, color, value, form, texture, and space, as well as principles of design, including balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, rhythm, and unity.

Winter Sports

Lower Elementary students participate in a Winter Sports program each winter. The Winter Sports Program runs for five weeks during the second semester of the academic year. This event provides students with an opportunity to develop their skiing skills and have outdoor fun in the “greatest snow on earth”. This annual event also provides opportunities for the students to stretch and develop their social and emotional skills. Elementary students attend ski or snowboard lessons once a week at a local resort during school hours for the five-week span.

Music

Lower Elementary students attend Music Specialty classes with a specialty teacher, where they learn music and rhythm theory as well as vocal skills. The students are exposed to many different music styles as well as music from many other cultures. The students learn to sing and play instruments with a varied repertoire of music. They improvise melodies, variations, and accompaniments. They also learn to analyze, describe, compose, arrange, read and notate music, and to understand music in relation to history and culture.

Spanish

An instructor for the Spanish language spends approximately eight (8) hours a week in each Lower Elementary classroom. The instructor incorporates Spanish into the students’ daily routine by providing lessons in vocabulary, grammar and many practical life experiences.

 

Upper Elementary Specialties

                                                                                                
Movement – Dance & Physical Education/Fitness

The Upper Elementary movement curriculum includes both dance and physical education units with a specialty teacher. Advanced dance elements such as shape, level, direction, size, focus, attack, weight, strength, pathway, locomotor skills, and flow are introduced and taught to the students. They also learn how to express themselves through dance, incorporate their own style, and how to integrate timing and choreography. The physical education curriculum includes learning about and playing a variety of team-oriented physical games, with an emphasis on endurance, coordination, flexibility, strength, agility, and sportsmanship as they work on general fitness.

Music

Upper Elementary students receive formal instruction in music from a specialty teacher. Their curriculum includes music and rhythm theory as well as vocal skills. Using a variety of instruments, the students learn to keep a steady beat, play rhythm rounds with non-pitched instruments, and read music on the staff. They improvise melodies, variations, and accompaniments. They also learn to analyze, describe, compose, arrange, read and notate music, and to understand music in relation to history and culture.

Great Outdoors (GO)

The Great Outdoors (GO) program with our specialty teachers facilitates meaningful interaction with the environment through a three-year rotating cycle involving watershed, Utah native plants, as well as ecosystems and relationships in nature. Students explore habitats through hiking, lessons, activities, projects, observation, note taking, sketching, and researching. The purpose of these expeditions is to give the students a direct, personal connection with their natural world and, through that connection, a better understanding of the world around them as well as of themselves.

Art

In the Art Studio, an art specialist provides the students with instruction and knowledge to refine basic art techniques such as pattern, design, texture, shape and line, and learn more advanced techniques such as perspective, medium, shading, dimension, transparency, overlapping, and printmaking. Art supplies are available in the classroom for students to select as part of their week’s work. In addition, each month, the students study the life and work of a famous artist.

Winter Sports

Upper Elementary students participate in a Winter Sports program each winter. The Winter Sports Program runs for five weeks during the second semester of the academic year. This event provides students with an opportunity to develop their skiing or snowboarding skills and have outdoor fun in the “greatest snow on earth”. This annual event also provides opportunities for the students to stretch and develop their social and emotional skills. Elementary students attend ski or snowboard lessons once a week at a local resort during school hours for the five-week span.

Community Theater

Our Upper Elementary students participate in theater workshops each fall, culminating in a Community Theater production. The purpose is not to produce a Broadway-worthy production, but to give students the opportunity to take part in all aspects of a play. Younger students learn how to memorize lines, follow acting cues, design props, and face the audience. Older students work on projecting their voices, expressing themselves through vocal tone, facial expression, and movement. They contribute to the script, direct the scenes, learn to give and receive constructive criticism, and cooperate with each other to produce a successful play. They also work on costume and set design and the creation of sound effects.

Spanish

The Upper Elementary Spanish Program provides instruction under two main standards: Spanish language lessons and Rosetta Stone, an interactive computer program. Each week students have the opportunity to receive lessons from an instructor that furthers their understanding of the grammar of the language and supports their advancement through Rosetta Stone to practice vocabulary, writing and speaking.

 


Introduction to GO

(Great Outdoors Expeditions Program)

In the Great Outdoors Expeditions Program, commonly known as G.O., the Upper Elementary students fulfill the goals of exploring our environment, learning from our environment, celebrating our environment, and protecting our environment through many ways. The students are responsible for participating in all lessons and activities within our outings as we visit the desert, riparian, urban, wetland, and montane ecosystems of our magnificent Salt Lake region. We also form mentorships with education centers and organizations such as the Red Butte Gardens, Swaner Eco-center, and others. In addition to participation, students are expected to be responsible for their preparedness, hiking skills development, safety, and trail etiquette. To bring mentorship opportunities back to our Montessori community, the Upper Elementary students will be working with the Third Year Lower Elementary students once in the Fall and once in the Spring.

Students can be properly prepared for class if they know where we are going! Checking the monthly calendar will let you know each week’s destination and then they can dress appropriately. When chilly weather hits, even if we are visiting the desert, elevations can vary as well as temperatures, even if it is not snowing. We will be posting clothing suggestions monthly, such as wool socks, thermal underwear, snow pants, water resistant gloves and boots. It is also suggested that the students learn to dress in layers. They can always “peel and pack”, but it is much more difficult to warm up once you get too cold!

Regardless of the destination, students will always need to come to class on time with the following supplies:

  1. Appropriate clothing and footwear for the weather and expedition (sturdy hiking shoes are recommended)
  2. GO backpack with a sack lunch and water bottle (backpacks should be lightweight, durable, waterproof, and large enough to carry all necessary items)
  3. Students must also always have their GO journals (please provide your child with a blank paged notebook, approximately 8 ¾ x 11 ¼ for this purpose)

Students rely upon their GO journals (which we keep at school) for relevant notes, sketches, assignments, and projects; therefore, the GO journal is an essential part of class. Parents, if you ever see a GO journal at home or in a backpack, please encourage your student to promptly return it to school!

In the fall we focus on getting to as many different ecosystems and higher elevations as we can before the snow hits. In the winter we focus on our theme studies including research, writing, and art, which lead into the preparation of our annual Nature Card sale. Our card sale is in the Spring and becomes our contribution towards our over-night adventure at the end of the school year. We will also continue to visit the ecosystems throughout each season.

Considering that GO only takes place every other Friday (alternating between the two student groups) and many of our outings and agendas cannot be replicated or repeated, it is essential that students have a strong attendance record. Your support is welcomed and appreciated in advance!

Admissions Information – An Overview of the Montessori Education

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Multi-age Classrooms: Each of our programs offers multi-age classrooms. “Montessori encourages learning from peers in part by using three-year age groupings. This ensures that as children move through the classroom they will be exposed to older and younger peers, facilitating both imitative learning and peer tutoring… Dr. Montessori was quite clear about the need for this mix of ages” says Angeline Stoll Lillard, author of Montessori, The Science Behind the Genius. Multi-age classrooms also allow each child to move through the curriculum comfortably with little regard for how their peers are performing in comparison to themselves. A Montessori multi-age classroom affords children daily opportunities to teach a skill or share information with others. Further, because every child is particularly good at something, this opportunity exists for every child, every day.

Prepared Environment:  All the materials are easily within the child’s reach and placed on shelves at their levels. The tables and chairs are sized appropriate for the children to sit comfortably while the pictures and decorations are placed at the children’s eye level. Everything is in good order and has a precise location so that students can easily locate their materials and supplies. Thought is given to the arrangement of furniture, shelves, etc. so that children can arrange their bodies comfortably while engaging in their work.

Student Centered Classrooms: Montessori classrooms are student centered. The teacher simply facilitates the students’ learning process but students collaborate, choose freely, and are presented lessons at the appropriate time in their development. They are encouraged to explore the materials and are taught that mistakes are opportunities for learning and growth. An adult does not become the center of attention. The children are not motivated by the teacher, but by the need for self-development. The Montessori teacher, or “guide”, is there to entice and invite the children to explore with the learning materials rather than dictate what to do.

Uninterrupted Work Cycles: An uninterrupted three-hour work cycle each morning allows the child space for creativity and innovation. The purpose of this block of time is to allow children to select materials freely, and to become absorbed in their work. They are absorbed because they have the freedom to choose to work with something that is fascinating to them in their particular stage of development. Children are most likely to choose challenging work when they know they will have adequate time to complete it. Interruptions to the child’s work period disrupt focus, concentration, critical thinking, problem solving, and exploration, which are being developed. The three-hour work cycle has been the standard in Montessori schools for over 100 years.

Movement: Children in a Montessori environment are given the opportunity for movement. They are not expected to sit still for long periods of time, which current research shows inhibits the learning process. Freedom of movement is critical for not only the growing and changing body, but also helps establish choices made by intrinsic motivation.

The Montessori Teaching Method

Holistic Learning Approach: Montessori focuses on the whole child – his/her academic, cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. A well designed curriculum supports development in all of these areas including grace and courtesy, peace curriculum, practical life skills, and enrichment in outdoor studies, performing arts, etc.

Active vs. Passive Learning: Students are active learners. They move, touch, manipulate, create, and explore as opposed to listening to an instructor. Collaborative activities allow them to interact with their peers in a developmentally appropriate environment. Students prepare for “the real world” by being actively engaged in decisions that affect their classroom and school community.

Individualized Curriculum that Follows the Child: Children work at their own pace and are not expected to move on with a group but are given space to take the time they need to develop understanding of new concepts. Teachers are trained to observe the needs and interests of each student so that they can entice the child to work in an area of the classroom that is suited to their current interest and development.

“We cannot know the consequences of suppressing a child’s spontaneity when he is just beginning to be active. We may even suffocate life itself. That humanity which is revealed in all its intellectual splendor during the sweet and tender age of childhood should be respected with a kind of religious veneration. It is like the sun which appears at dawn or a flower just beginning to bloom. Education cannot be effective unless it helps a child to open up himself to life.”

  • Maria Montessori

Individual Assessment: Lesson plans are developed by teachers that are based on individual assessment of each child. Teachers assess students during lesson presentation, observation of their work, and through collaborative exercises and discussions. Montessori schools are committed to teaching children and developing a love and appreciation of learning. Many Montessori schools, including FMSL, avoid standardized tests, which give a snapshot of a child’s understanding at any given moment and often require teachers to teach to test, rather than for knowledge.

Sensitive Periods: Children experience sensitive periods, which is a time or stage in a person’s development when they are more responsive to certain stimuli and quicker to learn particular skills. It is easier for a child to learn a particular skill during the corresponding sensitive period than at any other time in his/her life. The Montessori environment and curriculum are designed to meet these needs and provide activities that support the development of these skills.

Collaborative Learning: Students engage in collaborative learning that is developmentally appropriate. At each level, students meet their social needs within the environment in different ways but this development is supported by corresponding collaborative learning opportunities for children.

The Montessori Curriculum

Integration of Subjects: The Montessori curriculum is organized into a spiral of integrated studies. In the early years, lessons are introduced simply and concretely and are reintroduced several times over succeeding years at increasing degrees of abstraction and complexity. The method uses an integrated, thematic approach that ties the different curriculum areas together into studies of the physical universe, the world of nature, human experience, literature, arts, history, social issues, political science, economics, and science, all complementing one another.

Self-Correcting Materials/Control of Error: The Montessori materials are designed to be self-correcting, meaning that there are limited options for their success. When a child makes a mistake using the material they do not need an adult to point out their mistake, but can recognize it themselves. This teaches the child that mistakes are opportunities for learning and also allows them to explore different ideas surrounding a concept. Children learn to think independently and adjust their work without frustration or embarrassment. The materials are enticing and so completing them successfully is enticing for the child.

Developmentally Appropriate: Dr. Montessori developed The Montessori curriculum after careful observation of children. She determined the skills that children naturally develop during each stage of development and organized the curriculum accordingly. Teachers have the freedom and are trained to make decisions based on what children need developmentally generalized by age and stage, individually, and culturally to make the most of their educational experiences.

Sequence of Skills and Knowledge Leading from Concrete to Abstract: Montessori believed that “what the hand does, the mind remembers.” Initially, each new concept or skill is introduced concretely, giving the student the opportunity to touch, manipulate, or even observe. Concepts are presented using a variety of materials that have been designed specifically to attract the interest of the student, while teaching an important concept. Each material isolates a certain concept that the children discover through exploration with the material. Lessons are reintroduced several times during the following years at increasing levels of abstraction and complexity.

The Role of the Montessori Teacher

Facilitator/Guide: Montessori teachers do not teach in the traditional sense of the word. Instead, they observe the individual child and, with their understanding of the sensitive periods that children of each stage experience, they create an environment suitable for developing a love of learning through productive work and help them develop the ability to find information that interests them and fosters independence. They respect each child as an individual with unique characteristics and interests.

Designer of Environment: Montessori teachers design classrooms that facilitate independent learning and exploration. Materials, activities, and lessons are placed on shelves based on the needs of each developmental stage, as well as activities that might interest or engage specific individuals. Teachers ensure that the environment stays clean and orderly so that children can move with ease and confidence. Students, as active members of their classroom community, share roles of caring for the classroom.

Observer: Montessori teachers are trained to observe children to assess knowledge and achievement. These observations take place during lessons, individual work, collaborative work, lunch, snack, recess, and transition times. These observations are considered when a teacher plans lessons for the students and determines which lessons they receive and at what time they will do so.

Outcomes of Montessori

The Montessori curriculum supports the development of the whole child. In addition to a complete academic curriculum and effective educational experiences, students also develop other equally important life skills such as those listed below.

Montessori students:

  • Develop order, coordination, concentration, and independence
  • Gain the ability to actively seek knowledge
  • Develop dedication to their role as members of a community and achieve social responsibility
  • Gain practical life skills and experiences
  • Are innovative
  • Are intrinsically motivated
  • Develop habits of self-regulation
  • Exhibit creativity and originality
  • Develop self-worth
  • Develop a love of learning and they learn how to learn
  • Focus on and engage in personal interest
  • Have effective research skills
  • Have effective time management skills
  • Collaborate well with others working towards a similar goal
  • Effectively set and achieve goals for long-term projects

What Makes the Foothill Montessori of Salt Lake Unique?

FMSL has been operating since 1985

FMSL has trained and certified Montessori teachers in every classroom

Many of the teachers have been teaching at FMSL from 8, 12, and some over 20 years

We offer extended hours; we are open at 7:30 am and close at 6:00 pm

We offer a variety of Specialty Classes (read more here) 

FMSL is committed to community and parent involvement:

Parent School Alliance – a committed group of parents who actively work for the benefit of the staff and students

Community Builders – families plan fun activities outside of school to nurture relationships

Parent Participation Hours – 10 hours per school year, per child

FMSL is committed to Parent Education: offered by way of monthly classroom newsletters, Parent Education Nights, educational blog posts on our website, and more

FMSL is a community of learners, with students’ ages 18 months through 6th grade, learning and growing together

Healthy Circadian Rhythms – Parenting Connection

Written by Foothill Montessori on . Posted in Blog.

“A growing body of research shows adverse health effects from a disrupted circadian rhythm, such as increasing the chances of insomnia, cardiovascular issues and obesity; also a correlation with neurological problems like anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder.” How can we help keep our kids circadian rhythms healthy and why is it so important?  Maharishi Mahesh Yogi tells us all about nature’s patterns in this article by The Ayurveda Experience.