Importance of PRE KG: July 2014

Sunday 13 July 2014

Choosing a Best School

Choosing a School

The parent of a Montessori student will have an opportunity to be involved in the Montessori program. Parents learn more about Montessori by: Attending orientation meetings to explain the program.

Attending meetings where the unique aspects of a particular classroom as well as the specifics of Montessori curriculum are presented.

Attending open houses where the children, as the host / hostess to their parents and siblings, present their favorite activities.

Attending parent discussions groups dealing with aspects of child rearing, home environment and child psychology.

Observing the class and discussing any observations with their child’s teacher. Receiving a regularly published newsletter which includes a calendar of events information on major developments at the school, books reviews and a list of needs and requests for help.

In addition to Parent Education, which is designed primarily to orient the new parent and keep the returning parent informed, parents may form Parent Associations which coordinate volunteer activities, plan and carry out fundraising programs and lend support to school staff.

Parent Education

The parent of a Montessori student will have an opportunity to be involved in the Montessori program. Parents learn more about Montessori by: Attending orientation meetings to explain the program.

Attending meetings where the unique aspects of a particular classroom as well as the specifics of Montessori curriculum are presented.

Attending open houses where the children, as the host / hostess to their parents and siblings, present their favorite activities.

Attending parent discussions groups dealing with aspects of child rearing, home environment and child psychology.

The Montessori Classroom

Montessori stated that children have a natural tendency to learning; that stages of learning exist for which there should be corresponding educational environments and appropriately trained teachers to “prepare the environment.” The child learns independently using the components of the environment: the teacher guides and observes the child who chooses his activities. The teacher is the link between the child and the environment. The learning environment cultivates individualization, freedom of choice, concentration, independence, problem solving abilities, social interaction, interdisciplinary breadth and competency in basic skills.

Infants Classroom (2 to 14 months)
The Nido is an Italian word meaning “nest.” The Nido protects and provides learning experiences for babies from two to fourteen months. A Montessori infant environment can be considered an adapting continuum between two basic needs of the developing infant. At one pole is the bonded relationship between adult and child, while at the other is support for a growing sense of self and independence. The prepared environment is characterized by order, simplicity and beauty which meet the needs of the child.

The Nido is divided into five areas: movement, eating, sleeping, physical care and outside. The focus of the infant environment is on fostering basic trust in the child. Foremost in the environment is the adult whose caring, respectful response to the infant’s needs, both physical and psychological, conveys the message of unconditional love and acceptance.

Toddler Classroom (14 to 36 months)
The toddler classroom offers very young children a unique year of self development in a tender atmosphere of special understanding, respect and support. They are unique in that they provide a very specific structure which fulfills the social, physical, emotional and psychological needs of each child.

In these environments, there is space for movement, space for individual work and space for group activities. The eating area and the sleeping area are separate from the other areas. Everything in the environment is proportionate to the child’s size and is designed to be safe and aesthetically pleasing for children. The toddler classroom is simpler an slower paced than the early childhood (three to six year old) classroom.

Toddlers are given opportunities to work in the development of language skill, art, music sensorial and practical life. The practical life area is particularly emphasized as the activities in this area give children the chance to develop skills to care for themselves and their environment in the following areas: control of movement, grace and courtesy. Practical life activities are simple and can be accomplished by each child. They offer repetitive cycle, which helps the child establish patterns of order and sequencing. Due to the fact that these are very real activities, each child becomes grounded in reality, building the child’s self esteem is the ultimate goal and this is accomplished through repeated successes with these activities.

Through song and dance and freedom of choice, the toddlers have access to a variety of large muscle activities that offer them opportunities to jump, climb, balance, crawl or skip. These exercises as well as creative art activities, are offered for each child to choose. This freedom in a safe space is crucial to the toddler program. However, it is always tempered by two important limits that will be beneficial for a lifetime, respect for others and respect for the environment.

Early Childhood Classroom (3 to 6 years)
The Montessori classroom is a “living room” for children. Children choose their activities from open shelves with self-correcting materials and work in distinct work areas – on tables or on rugs on the floor. Over a period of time, the children develop into a “normalized community” working with high concentration and few interruptions. The classroom includes the following components:

The practical life exercises enhance the development of task organization and cognitive order through care of self, care of the environment, exercises of grace and courtesy, and refinement of physical movement and coordination. The sensorial materials enable the child to order, classify, seriate and describe sensory impressions in relation, length, width, temperature, mass, color, etc. The Montessori math materials, through concrete manipulative materials, allows the child to internalize the concepts of number, symbol, sequence, operations and memorization of basic facts.

The language work includes oral language development, written expression, reading, the study of grammar, creative dramatics and children’s literature. Basic skills in writing and reading are developed through the use of sandpaper letters (loose alphabet letters) and various presentations allowing children to effortlessly link sounds and symbols and to express their thoughts in writing.

The child is also presented with geography, history, life sciences, music, art and movement education.

Virtually every environment will also have an elliptical line on the floor. This is generally used for “walking on the line” activities that help children develop gracefulness and for the “silence game” where children can practice sitting without making a sound. The line is also frequently used for a large group meeting area. It is here, or in some other designated area, where the class meets as a whole. Often a class will have one or two large group meetings each day. One will usually serve as an opening meeting and precede a more individualized work period and another will serve as a closing or transitional group time preceding the next activity (i.e., time out doors, lunch, dismissal, etc.) The group meetings may be used for large group presentations of materials, movement, music activities, group celebrations, snacks, games and discussions.

What Happens After Montessori?

Montessori children are unusually adaptable. They have learned to work independently and in groups. Since they’ve been encouraged to make decisions at an early age, these children are problem solvers who can make choices and manage their time well. They have also been encouraged to exchange ideas and to discuss their work freely with others and good communication skills ease the way in new settings.

To facilitate the transfer, good communication between the Montessori school and the traditional schools in a community must be maintained. Montessori parents and teachers can visit the traditional schools and prepare the child for whatever will be different. Teachers from traditional schools can be encouraged to visit the Montessori classes to observe the level of academic work.

Any good teacher will meet a child at that child’s own level of development and make the necessary allowances for what has already been achieved. It is important for parents to monitor their child’s work in the new academic situation and to keep in close contact with their child’s teachers. Parent and teachers working together can ensure that the child will continue the love of learning acquired in Montessori.

The habits and skills which a child develops in a Montessori classroom are good for a lifetime. They will help him to work more efficiently, to observe more carefully and to concentrate more effectively, no matter where he goes If he is in a stimulating environment, whether at home or at school, his self-education – which is the only real education – will continue.

Research has shown that the best predictor of future success is a sense of self-esteem. Montessori programs, based on self-directed, non-competitive activities, help children develop good self images and the confidences to face challenges and change with optimism.

The Community of Children

An essential part of the learning environment is the other children in it. The Montessori classroom provides ample opportunities for making friends, interacting with others, developing consideration for others, learning how to cooperate and fostering a sense of interdependence.

In the prepared environment, cooperation and a sense of community are stressed. individual differences are easily accepted and appreciated while each child is treated and taught as an individual. Children of different ages are together in the same group. This provides abundant opportunities for learning and helps to create a sense of family while everyone contributes and takes responsibility for the functioning and maintenance of the environment.

Because of the multi-aged group, the classroom has a heritage. The older children provide leadership, guidance and act as models for the younger children. The older children also benefit by helping younger children, reinforcing previous skills and knowledge and benefiting from the satisfaction of helping others. The mix of ages also provides opportunities for a variety of safe, lasting and meaningful friendships.

The social life of the children is a vital aspect of the Montessori classroom and curriculum. Assisting the social skills, development and abilities of children is vital to the implementation of an effective Montessori program. It is important that the complexities and ups I downs of relationships are supported and enhanced by adults sensitive to the needs and social development of children.

Introduction of the Materials

The main way children are introduced to the materials in the classroom is through careful presentation. A presentation is a time when the teacher slowly and precisely uses the material in its intended way while an individual or small group of children observe. During such a presentation unnecessary words and movements are avoided and actions are broken into discernible steps in order to increase understanding and the chance for success when the child uses the materials later. A particular point of interest may also be shown to attract the child to the materials.

At times it is appropriate and desirable for the teacher to offer some instruction to the child. This usually occurs at a separate occasion after times of repeated concentrated work with the materials has been observed. The teacher may then re-present the exercise in order to show variations or extensions or to help the child learn the terminology involved.

Discipline in a Montessori School

Ground rules protect the rights and liberty of each individual child and the group as a whole. They promote the internalization of pro-social behaviors and values including: self-control of impulses, consideration of others and a sense of responsibility for oneself and the welfare of the group. Ground rules can help to make life at school easier, make the days run more smoothly, enable children to be more independent and help to develop responsibility. The number of ground rules is generally kept to a minimum, stated and presented in a positive manner with an emphasis on safety, respect for others / environment and the results benefits all members of the group.

Here is a list of some typical, often automatic, ground rules used in most Montessori classrooms:

The child selects a material to use from the shelf and takes it to a suitable table, floor and/or other designated work space.
The child is free to use the material as long as they like as long as it is treated with respect.
After using the material, the child returns it to its place on the shelf, in the same condition in which it was found, for the next person to use.
The children restore the environment, clean up spills and messes, put rugs away in proper order, push chairs in etc., after each activity
The child is free to work alone – no child is forced to share with another materials they have first chosen for activity.
The child has the right not to choose any materials or activity.

Many other common ground rules are established to insure safety if special equipment is used, when traveling as a group, or when staying within supervised areas.

Motivation of the Children

The habits and skills which a child develops in a Montessori classroom are good for a lifetime. They will help him to work more efficiently, to observe more carefully and to concentrate more effectively, no matter where he goes. If he is in a stimulating environment, whether at home or at school, his self-education – which is the only real education – will continue.

Research has shown that the best predictor of future success is a sense of self-esteem. Montessori programs, based on self directed, non competitive activities, help children develop good self images and the confidences to face challenges and change with optimism.

Benefits of the Montessori Method

Maria Montessori saw much need for reform in the educational system of her day, just as we see the same need for reform in our educational system today. Her goal was to develop the whole personality of the child and her system is based on a strong belief in the spontaneous working of the human intellect. Her three primary principles are observation, individual liberty and preparation of the environment. These principles and their various practical expressions with children are gradually becoming part of our educational system. Modem kindergarten classrooms use the child-sized furniture and didactic materials first introduced by Montessori. Such current concepts as individualized learning and readiness programs, manipulative learning, ungraded classes, combined age groups, team teaching and open classrooms reflect many of her early insights.

Parents of young children in the 90′s want to feel safe and secure in leaving their children in an environment that provides for all of their academic, social and emotional needs.A Montessori environment does meet all of the above needs, but it also teaches children an “I can do it” attitude that will ensure their future success in all aspects of their life.

Below are some characteristics and benefits of the Montessori method:

Three year age span of children within the classroom – Older children teaching younger children, sense of community and builds self esteem.
Self correcting materials within the environment – Children learn through their own errors to make the correct decision versus having the teacher point it out to them.
Individual learning takes place within the environment – Montessori recognizes that each child learns at a different pace and allows that growth to take place.
Children are quiet by choice and out of respect for others within the environment – The Montessori classroom allows children to return to the “inner peace” that is a natural part of their personalities.
There is an emphasis on concrete learning rather than on abstract learning – Children need to experience concepts in concrete “hands-on” ways
It is a child-centered environment – All the materials are easily within the child’s reach and placed on shelves at their levels. The tables and chairs are small enough for the children to sit comfortably while the pictures and decorations are placed at the children’s eye level.
The children work for the joy of working and the sense of discovery – Children are natural leaders or “sponges” and delight in learning new tasks. Their interests lie in the work itself rather than in the end product.
The environment provides a natural sense of discipline – The “ground rules” or expectations of the child are clearly stated and are enforced by the children and the teachers.
The environment is “prepared” for the children – Everything in the room has a specific place on the shelf. Children are orderly by nature and having the room set this way allows them to grow in a very positive way.
The teacher plays a very unobtrusive role in the classroom – The children are not motivated by the teacher, but by the need for self development.

The items found on the shelves in the classroom are “materials” rather than “toys.” The children “work with the materials” rather than “play with the toys.” This allows the children to gain the most benefit from the environment by giving them a sense of worth – the same sense of worth adults experience as they go to their jobs and do their “work.”

Goals of a Montessori School

The main purpose of a Montessori school is to provide a carefully planned, stimulating environment which will help the child develop an excellent foundation for creative learning. The specific goals for the children who attend a Montessori school are presented below.

Developing a positive attitude toward school
Most of the learning activities are individualized: i.e., each child engages in a learning task that particularly appeals to him…because he finds the activities geared to his needs and level of readiness. Consequently, he works at his own rate, repeating the task as often as he likes, thus experiencing a series of successful achievement. In this manner, he build a positive attitude toward learning itself.

Helping each child develop self confidence
In the Montessori school, tasks are designed so that each new step is built upon what the child has already mastered, thus removing the negative experience of frequent failure. A carefully planned series of successes builds upon inner confidence in the child assuring him that he can learn by himself. These confidence building activities likewise contribute to the child’s healthy emotional development.

Assisting each child in building a habit of concentration
Effective learning presupposes the ability to listen carefully and to attend to what is said or demonstrated. Through a series of absorbing experiences, the child forms habits of extended attention, thus increasing his ability to concentrate.

Fostering an abiding curiosity
In a rapidly changing society, we will all be students at some time in our lives. A deep, persistent and abiding curiosity is a prerequisite for creative learning. By providing the child with opportunities to discover qualities, dimensions and relationships amidst a rich variety of stimulating learning situations, curiosity is developed and an essential element in creative learning has been established.

Developing habits of initiative and persistence
By surrounding the child with appealing materials and learning activities geared to his inner needs, he becomes accustomed to engaging in activities on his own. Gradually, this results in a habit of initiative – an essential quality in leadership. “Ground rules” call for completing a task once begun and gradually results in a habit of persistence and perseverance for replacing materials after the task is accomplished. This “completion expectation” gradually results in a habit of persistence and perseverance.

Fostering inner security and sense of order in the child
Through a well ordered, enriched but simplified environment, the child’s need for order and security is intensely satisfied. This is noticed in the calming effect the environment has on the child. Since every item in the Montessori classroom has a place and the ground rules call for everything in its place, the child’s inner need for order is directly satisfied.

What Makes Montessori Education Unique?

The whole child approach
The primary goal of a Montessori program is to help each child reach their full potential in all areas of life. Activities promote the development of social skills, emotional growth and physical coordination as well as cognitive preparation for future intellectual academic endeavors. The holistic curriculum, under the direction of a specifically prepared teacher, allows the child to experience the joy of learning, the time to enjoy the process and ensures the development of self esteem. It provides the experiences from which children create their knowledge.

The Prepared environment
In order for self directed learning to take place, the whole learning environment – classroom, materials and social setting / atmosphere – must be supportive of the child. The teacher provides the necessary resources, including opportunities for children to function in a safe and positive environment. Together, the teacher and child form a relationship based on trust and respect that fosters self-confidence and a willingness to try new things.

The Montessori materials
Dr. Montessori’s observations of the kinds of things which children enjoy and go back to repeatedly, led her to design a number of multi-sensory, sequential and self correcting materials to facilitate learning.

The teacher
Originally called a “directress”, the Montessori teacher functions as a designer of the environment, resource person, role model, demonstrator, record-keeper and meticulous observer of each child’s behavior and growth. The teacher facilitates learning. Extensive training is required for a full Montessori credential, including a minimum of college degree and a year’s student teaching under supervision – is specialized for the age group with which a teacher will work, i.e. infant and toddler, pre-primary or elementary level.

What is the Montessori Method of Education

This system of education is both a philosophy of child development and a rationale for guiding such growth. It is based on two important developmental needs of children:

The need for freedom within limits
A carefully prepared environment which guarantees exposure to materials and experiences.

Through these developmental needs, the child develops intelligence as well as physical and psychological abilities. The Montessori method of education is designed to take full advantage of the childrens desire to learn and their unique ability to develop their own capabilities. Children need adults to expose them to the possibilities of their lives, but the children must determine their response to all the possibilities.

The main premises of Montessori education are:

Children are to be respected as different from adults and as individuals who differ from each other.
Children possess an unusual sensitivity and intellectual ability to absorb and learn from their environment that are unlike those of the adult both in quality and capacity.
The most important years of childrens growth are the first six years of life when unconscious learning is gradually brought to the conscious level.

Children have a deep love and need for purposeful work. They work, however, not as an adult for the completion of a job, but the sake of an activity itself. It is this activity which enables them to accomplish their most important goal: the development of their individual selves – their mental, physical and psychological powers.

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Learning Areas

Areas of Learning

Practical Life

Young children have a strong urge to become independent. Practical Life activities help them to perfect the skills they need in daily life. Whilst learning essential life skills, the children are also developing hand-eye co-ordination and the capacity to focus their attention for the entirety of an activity. Successful completion of such tasks gives children a real sense of their own achievement, and this builds their self-confidence.

Sensorial Exploration

Children are vividly aware of the world, constantly exploring it and taking in impressions through all their senses. The sensorial materials encourage children to order and classify the physical properties of the world they live in. These activities stimulate and develop the senses, refining children’s powers of observation, perception, exploration and communication.

Mathematics

Montessori mathematics materials enable even a very young child to achieve a natural appreciation of mathematical concepts through his or her own efforts. This avoids the mental blocks which so often occur in children faced with purely abstract concepts. Specially designed equipment helps children to grasp concrete ideas along with sensory experience of numbers, quantities and mathematical operations. Gradually children can move confidently to complete abstract mathematical problems. Many Montessori educated children leave the Children's House with a genuine love of numbers and mathematics.

Language

In the Children’s House children learn to express themselves. The freedom offered to the children creates many opportunities for them to communicate with their peers and the adults. We emphasise the development of vocabulary based on real experiences and the early preparation required for reading and writing. Advanced activities take the child well beyond the basic skills into reading and writing for interpretation, creativity and pleasure.

Cultural Exploration of the World Around

The Montessori approach covers a wide range of subjects which reflect the broad interests of young children. The Montessori environment stimulates these interests and extends knowledge and understanding of art and crafts, geography, history, music and science and the natural world. Cultures from around the world are explored and celebrated.

THE IMPORTANCE OF KINDERGARTEN

THE IMPORTANCE OF KINDERGARTEN

Children’s early learning experiences have a profound effect on their development. These early interactions directly affect the way connections are made in the brain. Early learning experiences are crucial to the future well-being of children, and establish the foundation for the acquisition of knowledge and skills that will affect later learning and behavior. Before they go to school, children have been learning in a variety of environments – in their homes and in childcare and community settings. Children arrive at school with different backgrounds and experiences and at different stages of development. Positive early experiences with school are of paramount importance to young children. Children thrive within classrooms that meet their physical and developmental needs and that provide a secure, respectful, and nurturing environment.

Even though kindergarten is not a mandated program believes it should be included within the scope of the common core standards. This means students in kindergarten must be taught English Language Arts standards under the following areas: reading, writing, listening, speaking and language. In Mathematics, the following standards must be addressed in kindergarten: counting and comparing numbers, the concept of addition and subtraction, number and place value, measurement and classification of objects, and identification and analysis of different shapes. According to Commissioner King, the educational expectation for kindergarten is the same as every other grade within our school district. As a community and a school, we should have this same expectation.

To give each child the best start possible, it is essential that The Village School Kindergarten Program continue to be a part of the culture in our district, providing a variety of learning opportunities and experiences that are based on assessment information and the strengths, needs, and interests of the children. Although Kindergarten programs are critical in laying the foundations for success in learning, the Kindergarten years are also an important time in children’s total development. Teachers, early childhood educators, members of the community, and families should work together to provide challenging and engaging learning experiences that will build children’s confidence, encourage them to continue to see learning as both enjoyable and useful, and provide a strong foundation for their future intellectual, physical, and social development.