Montessori A to Z: P is for Peace

Peace education is something that is unique to Montessori schools. In addition to teaching our children how to become academically smart, we work on teaching them to become socially smart. If we want to have a peaceful society, we have to start with its youngest members.

Peace education in the Montessori classroom isn't some kind of funky hippie idea, as many people mistakenly believe. We teach children how to be respectful to each other and to both the indoor and outdoor environments. This is a key part of functioning in daily life. They use the peace table to practice communication skills. They are responsible for caring for their environment as a way of learning how they are connected to it and how they can impact it.

Peace education includes learning about different cultures around the world. To have a better understanding of your fellow man, you need to understand from where he comes. Education arms you with knowledge. With knowledge you get understanding. With understanding comes peace.

Peace education also includes learning how to control your self. Children learn how to relax and to be confident in who they are. They learn to be independent. Those who lash out at others are rarely at peace with themselves, so they take it out on everyone else. Children learn how to recognize their own emotions and how to properly deal with them. When they can handle their own emotions, they can empathize and sympathize with others. Again, they can understand others and with understanding comes peace.

To some people, this sounds ridiculous at such a young age. The sooner you start teaching the concept, though, the sooner the child starts to internalize it and to instinctively use it in his every day life.

Here are some related articles I have written in the past:

Teaching Conflict Resolution

Calming Movement Activities for Children

Peaceful Education Activities for Home

Peaceful Education At Home: Activities for Families in Nature

How to Use a Peace Table at Home

Montessori A to Z: O is for Observation

Observation is a topic that can never be discussed enough. It is so beneficial for everyone involved. The child observes demonstrations by the teacher as well as the work of the other students, to learn how to properly use the materials. I cannot tell you how many times I have had a child who appears to be doing nothing but watching other children for several months. Then all of a sudden, he is replicating the lessons on his own. I still love to tell the story of one little boy who was barely four years old. He never seemed to want to do anything but build with the sensorial materials. One day, I was teaching a child how to put together phonetic sounds to make a word. The child was having some difficulty figuring out what the word said. From out of nowhere, the little boy yells the answer from across the room! He was also able to pull out the letters and do it on his own after that. And here I thought he wasn't paying attention to anything!

That also means that adults need to be on their guard at all times and to be conscious of their every word and movement. You think that you are not being watched. But there are eyes and ears on you at all times! They will mimic you when you least expect it!

Observation is also key for the teachers in the classroom. You have to observe the children to figure out what is working and what isn't working. You have to observe a child who seems out of sorts, to figure out what is going on so that you can help him. You have to observe the individual work of a child to determine if she is ready to move on to the next level. Simply "testing" a child is not enough.

We never take enough time out of our day to observe our children. I miss my loft in our old building. I could go sit up there and observe my children with an eagle eye view. I could observe the traffic patterns and see more interactions. I could closely watch a child without him realizing I was doing it. I was unable to bring the loft to our new location and it has been hard to readjust to a different way of observing my children.

I do have a tendency to observe a lot while doing something else. I am a multi-tasker. However, I also like to make it less obvious that I am watching what you are doing. It may look like I am doing the dishes, but really I am listening to how the children are speaking to each other. I have done summer gardening work at some families' homes. Sure, I may be focused on pulling those weeds, but I am also listening to the interactions in the family, which gives great insight into a child's personality and reasoning. If everyone knew I was actively observing, they wouldn't necessarily behave in a normal fashion. I know that I tend to alter my movements and actions when I know I am being watched. It is an uncomfortable feeling. That is why I try to mask it somewhat for the children.

Observation skills are somewhat innate to each individual person. You can, however, develop your skills with more practice. Write down exactly what you see. Don't worry about making judgments based on those notes while you are in the middle of observing. Review your notes and ponder those ideas later. The more you do this, you will find that it starts to happen simultaneously and you pick up on things much faster.

Here are some links to other articles I have written about observation:

10 Tips for Choosing a Montessori School

The Montessori Child as Observer

The Montessori Teacher's Role as Observer

Montessori A to Z: N is for Nomenclature

Nomenclature is a fundamental part of language. It simply means to properly name things in the environment. The actual activities that go out on the shelf consist of three-part cards. For some, it is simply learning the names of things. For example, I may have a set of cards that teach the names of different types of fish. My other sets of nomenclature cards for fish name the different parts of the fish body. Each part is highlighted on a black and white drawing.

Three-part cards are two identical sets of cards with the picture on the top and the name on the bottom. One set, known as the control set, is left in tact. The other set has the picture and the word separated. For younger children who are learning how to read, they can match the the picture and word cards to the control card. For children who are able to read, they can label the pictures with the words and then check themselves with the control card. Each lesson has to be adapted to fit each child's needs and learning level.

My nomenclature cards have been the most popular this year. I downloaded many of the sets from the ABC Teach website. I have been using them for years and helped start ideas for the Montessori section of the website. There is a lot of good stuff there! In addition to the cards, there are printable outlines so that the children can create their own sets or cards or make their own booklets to go with the cards.

To learn how to make your own sets of cards, you can read my article here.

Montessori A to Z: M is for Maria

Maria Montessori has long been one of my heroes. If it weren't for her, I would not be who I am today. Because of her, my parents sent me to an amazing Montessori school that helped me to broaden my horizons and experience the world in a way that I never would have in traditional school. Because of her, I found my calling as an educator, using her methods. I do not work well in other educational environments, and I have tried them. Montessori just naturally speaks to me, as it does to many who give it a shot.

Maria was an inspirational woman in her life, beyond just developing this educational method. She was the first female engineer in Italy. She was the first female doctor in Italy. She was a pioneer of her times and believed that you could do anything you set your mind to. When I was in the third grade, we put on the play "You Can Be What You Want to Be." I desperately wanted to play Maria, but alas, I ended up with the role of her mother. In a way, I would still like to be Maria. I like to learn everything I can and read everything I can get my hands on. I strive to be the best teacher for each child's individual needs. If I can't do it myself, I ask for help. I want to teach the world about the philosophy and how to implement it into daily life. It is such a natural way of being. My parents were natural Montessorians, only they didn't realize it until I was taking my training and could identify it for them. To them, it was just mimicking how they were brought up.

As we are having discussions at school, we often ask ourselves, "What would Maria do?" We look to her for guidance as we make decisions about how to bring Montessori to the next level, 100 years later. How much of it stays the same and which pieces can be updated? We strive to preserve her teaching and ideas, while simultaneously adapting to today's society, much as she did during her career.

My father deeply believed in helping me stay in touch with my Montessori roots. There was one special Christmas soon after my training was complete and I was working in my own classroom. He had done a lot of research and purchased some antique Montessori books for me. A couple of them, including The Montessori Method, were first English editions. This, however, was my most prized gift:

It says "Maria Montessori - Roma, Italia" and then something about San Diego in 1918. In theory, this is an authentic Maria Montessori signature/autograph. I cried like a baby when I opened it. I had my parents store it for me when I was in the middle of moving. I didn't realize they had sent it to me in a box several years ago. When Mom moved into the nursing home and Dad died last year, we quickly had to empty out their house. Several boxes were left in storage and went to auction. I was convinced that this was in that storage unit and thus lost to me forever. On the anniversary of my father falling ill and going into a coma, I located this in that box in my attic. I again cried like a baby.

Somehow, I feel more spiritually connected to Maria when I handle this and my older books. The more in touch with her I feel, the better I am for my kids.

Montessori A to Z: L is for Language

Language is one of my favorite areas of the classroom. I learned how to read when I was 2, so that aspect of language has always been a big part of my life. I love to teach children how to learn their sounds and get just as excited as they do when they finally put the words together and read. I have books all over the classroom, in every area. I take my children to the school library about once a week, so that they can choose their own books to bring back to the classroom. I have developed a class of readers and I hope that love of books stays with them for their entire lives.

Language enters into other parts of teaching in Montessori, though, beyond reading. Language is important in how you speak to the children. Model proper usage of words and proper grammar. Use proper names for everything in the classroom. Children are in their sensitive period for language and will quickly pick up vocabulary and speaking patterns. I love when I hear my big words coming back out of children's mouths and being used appropriately. It is not necessary to talk down to children. Yes, you need to make sure they understand you, but you don't need to resort to baby talk.

My other favorite part of language is foreign language. When I was in Montessori preschool and kindergarten, we learned both French and Spanish. In first grade, you had to choose one, so I chose French. I studied it all the way through high school and into college. When I got to college, I also started taking Spanish again. I knew I would be using it more frequently in the real world than I would my French. After college, I started to study some Italian, German, Portuguese and a bit of Chinese on my own. (Remember that knowledge post?) I love how foreign words roll off of my tongue. Children love to use them, too. Laying the foundation at an early age helps them continue to learn new languages as they get older.

You can read my introduction to my Montessori language album here.

Montessori A to Z: K is for Knowledge

In Montessori, we arm the children with knowledge. We feed their sensitive periods to satisfy their cravings, yet keep them wanting more. We teach them how to find information for themselves, so that they can independently continue their quest for knowledge. It is something that will stick with them for the rest of their lives.

I know that Montessori is responsible for my continued self-directed learning, even as an adult. If there is a topic I want to better understand, I research it on my own. I exhaust all resources, both online and offline, until I feel satisfied with my newly acquired knowledge. I try it on for size in the real world, as practicing something helps it to become a part of you. I will never tire of teaching myself.

I think to be a good Montessori educator, you need to continually arm yourself with knowledge. Every school year, we get new students who present a new set of challenges. We have to continue to learn how to work with issues like sensory processing disorder or reading difficulties. We need to revisit the words of Maria Montessori to remind ourselves why we do what we do and how we should be doing it. We need to keep learning more about the topics we teach the children. Someone always has a question to be answered and we want to provide accurate information. Plus, demonstrating the hunt for knowledge to your students will often inspire them to maintain their quest, as well.

Montessori A to Z: J is for Justification

When I was taking my Montessori training, I had the honor of studying under Sister Anthonita Porta. I miss her a lot. All of these years later, I can still see her and hear her voice in my head. One of the lessons I remember most is justification.

When you are presenting a new activity that you have developed, can you justify its benefit? We live in a world where millions of lessons and activities are available at our fingertips on the Internet. That doesn't mean they are always appropriate. Make sure you have a good reason for using something that falls out of the traditional materials in the classroom.

The same is true for children when they are using materials. We teach process, not product. Sometimes, however, a child finds another way to use the material. Does that make it wrong? Not necessarily. This is when those observation skills come in handy. Watch how the child is interacting with the material. Is there some kind of learning going on? It will be obvious if the material is being handled in a destructive fashion. But sometimes, children can discover a new lesson within an older material that we have never thought of before. Perhaps it is being used in a way that makes sense to the child, to help her organize it in her own mind.

I wish I still had the picture of how one of my little girls was doing cards and counters one day. We teach the children to line up the numerals at the top of the rug. Counters are placed in a vertical line under each numeral. This child, though, did her work in a circle, almost as a spiral. She placed the 1 in the center of the rug, with one counter next to it. She placed the 2 on the other side of the counter and added two counters. This continued in a circle around the rug. Your first instinct is to show her how to lay it back out in the more linear style. After all, math is linear. As I thought about it more, though, this method of laying out the counters fit the child's thinking patterns, her personality, and how she operates in her daily life. She was still getting the concept of counting the quantities. She was just exploring a different way to look at them. She has also never repeated that layout again as she has worked with that material.