Tag: Montessori Curriculum

An Overview of Montessori

Written by MCS Admin on June 14, 2023. Posted in Blog, Community News, Parent Education.

Private School Review posted a fantastic review of Montessori, highlighting philosophy, principles, age-range, approach, and benefits. So much of what makes learning through Montessori beneficial can be seen in those who attended Montessori schools. Thinking outside the box, the founders of Google graduated from Montessori schools. Other important aspects of a Montessori classroom can be found here in Salt Lake City, near the University of Utah. Respect for the child, Self-directed learning, Individualized instruction, are just a few core principals which set Montessori apart from other academic driven schools. Ironically, numerous studies show that Montessori students do better on standardized tests than public school students and often more academically focused private schools. Engaged-children prove over and over that kids love to learn and if the classroom and tools are setup for them to do that, in a self-paced, hands-on way, they become successful, global-citizens.

See the full article https://www.privateschoolreview.com/blog/montessori-schools-an-overview

If you are interested in providing an effective way of learning for your child, please contact our admissions team or Request a Tour today.

The Capstone Year…What Every Montessori Parent Deserves to Know

Written by Montessori Admin on January 21, 2020. Posted in Blog.

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

We often refer to the 3^rd 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:

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Montessori curriculum is more sophisticated than that found in traditional programs.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Third Years have a real sense of running their classroom community, an important leadership skill that goes on with them.
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.
Beginning as early as kindergarten and continuing through elementary, Montessori children are studying cultural geography and beginning to grow into global citizens.
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.
Emphasis is given to the arts, movement, and outdoor education. Exploration and creativity in these areas are continuously accessible and are encouraged.
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.
Montessori schools are warm and supportive communities of students, teachers, and parents. Children can’t easily slip through the cracks!
Montessori consciously teaches children to be kind and peaceful.
In Montessori schools, learning is not focused on rote drill and memorization. Our goal is to develop students who really understand their schoolwork.
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.
Montessori is consciously designed to recognize and address different learning styles, helping students learn to study most effectively.
Montessori challenges and set high expectations for all students not only a special few.
Montessori students develop self-discipline and an internal sense of purpose and motivation.
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.)

All School Science Assembly – SCIENCE IS COOL!

Written by Montessori Admin on January 20, 2016. Posted in Blog, Community News.

Wow, what a great morning here at MCS! First thing this morning, our entire staff and student body came together for a wonderful assembly. We began by singing one of our favorite peace songs, Light A Candle for Peace, and then two MCS parents gave a wonderfully exciting science presentation. It was so lovely to see all of our students, from our young Toddlers to our big Upper Elementary students, show excitement and interest in the experiments.

Janis Cantwell, research scientist at the University of Utah, and Holly Sebahar, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Utah, both parents of Early Childhood students, showed the following experiments of chemical reactions; the effects of a catalyst; things that changed from liquid to solid and the formation of stronger bonds; liquids changing colors and bubbling and smoking; how fireworks work; what hydrogen looks like when popping from a balloon as opposed to helium; and for the grand finale, Holly made a cloud!

It was so satisfying to see all of our students enjoying the presentation and we are all looking forward to the upcoming Science Fair on April 7th. After today’s presentation we think our little scientists are quite inspired!

Be sure to visit our Facebook page to see videos from this mornings experiments!

Montessori Equals Innovation, Creativity, Wonder, and so much more…

Written by Montessori Admin on December 1, 2015. Posted in Blog, Parent Education.

“…Most highly creative achievers don’t begin with brilliant ideas,
they discover them.”

Peter Sims, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, April 2011

Enjoy this wonderful video on the beauty and benefits of a Montessori education. Click here.

A Closer Look at Montessori Math

Written by Montessori Admin on October 7, 2015. Posted in Blog, Parent Education.

The Montessori math curriculum is quite unlike the traditional approach that each of us experienced. It is based on developing a strong foundation through concrete experience and manipulation until the time a child reaches the age of abstraction, typically around nine years old. As they engage in the Cosmic Curriculum, children are given a basis for the interconnectedness of all things and encouraged to engage in the wonder and magic of mathematical concepts. Various activities and materials develop the mathematical mind, preparing the child for their inevitable explosion in to abstraction and connection to the power of relationships.

The following was written by Lower Elementary Spanish teacher, Diana Haro Reynolds.

Mathematics is the study of quantity, form, and magnitude. We live among it. It is in the position of the sun and in the shell of a snail. We carry math in our pockets, in our devices. It is what makes our communication possible. We touch and live math, whether we know it or not. It is our responsibility as Montessori guides to help the child discover this framework of mathematical order that makes up our world. This rationale proposes several reasons for teaching math in the Montessori classroom. It will explain the journey the child will take from concrete concepts through to abstraction.

Human beings have a tendency for order. Since the beginning of human origin, math has been used to unlock the mysteries of the world. It began with a man’s need to
keep track of his belongings. Then came early techniques that created the experience
with numbers of counting. After a long time, came comprehension, which led to
improvements and shortcuts. Finally, humankind reached abstraction. This same
process is seen in a child. (Doer, 2012)

Mathematical order leads to a mathematical mind. As the mathematical mind unfolds, it develops capacities such as sensorial interaction among objects, observation
of patterns, and awareness of the physical world, mental classification, abstract thinking, and knowledge of the power of relationships. Math supports understanding by encouraging order, concentration, independence, special relations, patterning, one to one correspondence, combination, difference, and similarity. Additional goals supported by math are predictability, exactness or sense of accurateness, concreteness, logic and reasoning, problem solving, and decision making skills, as well as refinement of the mind and thinking. (Stockton-Moreno, 2015)

Why the need to teach math in a specific Montessori way? There are a lot of aspects that prepare the child for math. These include the prepared environment, giving the child the power of choice. Practical life works build concentration and confidence. The child enjoys practicing a task over and over for the pure pleasure of it. The joy is in the process. This mentality is preparing him for the academic areas. Sensitive periods serve as the specific times in a child’s development where part of their needs include an insatiable thirst for specific tasks. There is a sensitive period for concrete tools of precision. We must capitalize on these sensitive periods. (Stockton-Moreno, 2015)

The aims of Montessori math are to make the child aware that math is a part of her life; to build confidence and prepare the child for life. Confidence comes from the sequential growth in which the materials are presented. It starts with the importance of the Three Period Lesson. The first period being the presentation of the concept. The
second period is where the child practices and shows that which has been presented. In math, this second period is much longer than in other areas of study. This is the time in which the child is practicing, exploring and making discoveries, day in and day out, about the concept presented. The third period is that in which the child shows understanding of the concept through teacher observation or helping someone else.

The main goal of Montessori math is to move the child from concrete to abstraction and helping him form a mathematical mind. In the book, A Way of Learning, Ann Burke Nerbert explains that “the mathematical mind derives from experience” (Stockton-Moreno, 2015). We must not rob the child from forming her mathematical mind. She must have ample time to experience the joy of working with the materials and for understanding and internalizing the processes and concepts. The materials are
multimodal in that they appeal to multiple senses. This aids in the “permanent wiring of the brain that will be available as your child gets older and uses her brain for analytical thinking and problem-solving” (Duffy, 2008). Knowing is not understanding. Montessori math provides the path toward understanding.

According to Michael Doer, the passage towards abstraction is done in four stages. The first is the Concrete stage. This is where the child works purely with the material. No works is shown on paper until the child is nearing the end of this stage. The second stage is Concrete Materials lead to Symbols. This is when the child works with
the materials and records the process in writing. This is the longest stage and requires
that the focus be on the process, not the end result. This is the time in which the child is “internalizing the algorithm” (Doer, 2012). Towards the end of this stage the child may begin to work with charts rather than manipulatives. The third stage is often overlooked perhaps because it is the shortest. This is the stage when Symbols connect to Concrete Material. Essentially it is the reversal of stage two. The child does the work on paper then uses the materials to check their answer. The Symbolic stage is the fourth and final stage. This is where the emphasis is on showing the written work. (Doer, 2012)

Doer also emphasizes mental calculations and mental carrying as the two key elements in reaching abstraction. Mental calculation or memorization requires that the
child know math facts with accuracy and speed. The child should take no longer than
three second to recall a fact, otherwise, memorization has not been reached and the
child is calculating. Accuracy should be no less than 98%. It should be recall only. The
second key, mental carrying, requires that the child be able to keep track of the carrying without making a mark on paper. Having the child work on other forms of memorization, such as poems or definitions, will greatly help achieve this goal.

Math is part of our society. We need it in order to function. But there is also a math phobia. Math in Montessori makes it more than accessible, it makes it real. Whenever possible, real life problems should be presented to the child so as to give her
the context for these new skills. Among with word problems, research in the area of
math is a great way to expose the child to the practicality of math. We must cultivate a love and understanding of mathematics in our children by proving the keys and allowing them to make their own discoveries.

Diana Haro Reynolds – Lower Elementary Teacher/Intern

References

Doer, M. (2012). Numbers: Montessori arithmetic for lower elementary.

Duffy, M. (2008). Math works: Montessori math and the developing brain. Hollidaysburg,

PA: Parent Child Press.

Stockton-Moreno, L. (2015). MONT. 633*01, week 1 notes [PowerPoint slides].

“Go Outside and Play”

Written by Montessori Admin on March 17, 2015. Posted in Blog.

“Children will be smarter, better able to get along with others, healthier and happier when they have regular opportunities for free and unstructured play in the out-of-doors.”
—American Medical Association, 2005

Spring has arrived! I can’t help but be excited by the thought of sunshine, hikes, water and fresh air! This article written by Jane M. Jacobs, M.A., a Montessori Educational Consultant at Montessori Services spoke to me in considering how outdoor time is such a powerful tool for our children. In the article, Jane offers a variety of ideas for making the best of your outside time with your little one.

Enjoy!

Were you told to “go out and play” when you were a child? Now, as a parent, do you give your children the same instructions? Perhaps not, but even for the urban, over-scheduled family, there are ways to give our children more opportunities to explore the outdoors.

For centuries it was common wisdom that children needed several hours of outdoor activity daily. As Dr. Benjamin Spock said, “It’s good for a baby (like anyone else) to get outdoors for two or three hours a day.” Some say we now suffer from “nature deficit disorder.” Children spend more and more time indoors with bright toys, beeping computer games, and flashing screens. A more contemporary pediatrician, Harvey Karp, similarly tells us that “there are exhaustive studies showing that time outdoors, particularly in nature, benefit us in myriad ways… while staying inside is over-stimulating and at the same time boring for children.”

Click here to read entire article.

Silent Journey & Discovery 2015 – With Thanks

Written by Montessori Admin on February 10, 2015. Posted in Blog.

Marcus tongs plastic cubes in the Toddler Suns classroom. This work develops small motor coordination, prepares the hand for writing, and encourages control of movement and independence.

Kenzee places pictures on the Timeline of Life in the Lower Elementary Oquirrh classroom.

Margaret presents the Checkerboard to Rebeka and Mary.

Bobbi engages with the Long Chains, used for skip counting, squaring and cubing work, in the Lower Elementary Oquirrh classroom.

Rebeka and Corey analyze a square in the Upper Elementary Uinta classroom.

Mindy gives husband, Aaron, a knitting lesson.

Melissa identifies and analyzes the Seven Triangles of Reality.

Jeff researches Land Forms as part of the Lower Elementary Geography curriculum.

Margaret shares a lovely extension of the Pink Tower, a very popular and well recognized piece of Sensorial material which refines visual discrimination, preparing the child for further reading and mathematical work while developing a sense of order, concentration, and control of movement.

Dear 2015 Silent Journey and Discovery Participants,

Our staff would like to express our deep appreciation for you taking the time to learn more about the Montessori curriculum and philosophy with us on Saturday. We hope that the experience was meaningful and that your understanding of our program was made more clear. We invite you to ask additional questions as you see fit and to share your experiences with us via email. This event is meant to give an overview of the entire Montessori curriculum but it would be impossible to share the entire curriculum in four short hours. We hope that your observations in the classroom, your participation at additional MCS Parent Education events, and the conversations you have with your child about school will also shed light on the experience we are working to offer our students.

Thank you for your time and efforts.

With gratitude,

MCS Administration and Staff

Please e-mail your experiences to britneypeterson@mcsslc.com.

Silent Journey and Discovery 2015

Written by Montessori Admin on January 28, 2015. Posted in Blog.

The Silent Journey and Discovery is coming up on February 7th from 9:00am – 1:00pm.
Sign up in the office, space is limited. Attendance is free of charge, brunch will be served & child care will be provided to those who sign up in advance.

The MCS Silent Journey and Discovery is an event dedicated to parents to provide the meaningful experience of visiting each of our programs, from Toddlers through Middle School, to experience for yourself the magic of the Montessori materials and discover how the lessons learned in our early programs set the tone and lay important foundations for later learning. This is a wonderful opportunity to gain a sense of how the Montessori Curriculum unfolds through the eyes of a child to guide and nurture the natural unfolding of the whole child to inspire a lifetime love of learning and peace.

Click on the following link to read about last year’s Silent Journey and Discovery and enjoy testimonials from parents who have participated in years past.

http://mcsslc.com/parent-center/blog/entry/silent-journey-discovery

Upcoming Parent Education Night

Written by Montessori Admin on September 25, 2014. Posted in Blog.

Parent Education Night is coming up next Thursday, October 2nd from 6:30-8:00pm. Toddler, Early Childhood and Elementary parents are invited. Child care is provided, free of charge, but must be signed up for in advance in the office.

Scroll down for more information about each programs presentation details for the evening.

This is a great way to earn Parent Participation Hours AND stay in touch with your child’s Montessori experience!

TODDLER PARENT EDUCATION NIGHT

EARLY CHILDHOOD PARENT EDUCATION NIGHT

ELEMENTARY PARENT EDUCATION NIGHT

Creativity in Montessori

Written by Montessori Admin on September 18, 2014. Posted in Blog.

Montessori parents have often voiced concerns about creativity in a Montessori classroom. They just don’t see it. The concern is very similar to the fact that they also see few “academic” papers coming home. They don’t receive many brightly painted pictures to adorn their refrigerators. And so naturally wonder if a Montessori classroom is giving their child an opportunity to express their creative side.

As concrete and hands on as a Montessori classroom and a Montessori learning experience are it requires a good measure of faith to await the outcome of a Montessori experience. Every Montessori teacher (and parents too) for the last one hundred years have often held their breath waiting to see the fulfillment of this amazing process. And then they exhale with great relief and satisfaction. After a while you no longer hold your breath because you know it is going to work – and even better than you imagined – because you see your children learning and growing.

So how does this apply to creativity which seems to be in short supply as far as “art work” is concerned? The creative experience in Montessori is an internal experience. The great creativity is focused on the child creating their own personality. They are forging who they are to become by internalizing all of the experiences of both home and family with their experiences of discovery and exploration in the classroom, mixing these with the intangible aspects of their own DNA, their talents and gifts, inclinations and proclivities. They are taking in these seemingly random elements and creating the uniqueness of who they are.

Their great creative work is themselves.

In a traditional classroom environment children are forced into a mold; fairly standardized and compartmentalized. Doing what everyone else is doing, becoming what everyone else is becoming; rushing headlong to achieve external goals that are set without regard to their personality, character, ability or interest. And from this their only escape from this standardization is the occasional art work sent home.

In a Montessori classroom this unique creativity of their personality is an ongoing daily occurrence as they discover the world about them, as they discover the joy within them that rises as they discover the joy of all the creation about them. They are not rushed from subject to subject but get to explore and enjoy the mystery of how numbers work or the mystery of how their language is put together. They discover animals and leaves, science and art. They develop their senses. And it is those senses that create in them the wonder and the enjoyment of the learning that is all about them. They are creating within themselves reservoirs of joy and fascination, interest and passion. (They will learn the names of all the dinosaurs or rock formations or a hundred different avenues of learning because they have created a passion for it out of their daily experiences and discoveries.)

This ongoing creative experience blossoms within them as they are introduced to music and art, color and form. They become experienced (and passionate) observers of all that is around them. Their early experiences with what the Montessori classroom labels the “sensorial” materials heightens and trains their senses. Those pink cubes and the red rods, the circles and squares, the colors and sounds are laying the creative foundation within the child preparing them physically, psychologically, aesthetically and intellectually for a creative response to all of life that is around them.

The real music they learn to sing, the real art they learn to create in their life will arise out of the great work of creating their own personality. Their creativity in Montessori will not only be an escape from the drudgery of traditional learning and conditioning but will be a magnificent expression of the joy they find in learning and the world all around them. While you may not have many pictures to put on your refrigerator you will have a living portrait of a child full of joy and wonder. Now, that is a creative marvel!

Edward Fidellow