Studies have shown that when applied properly, the Montessori method develops students
that are more socially and academically prepared than their counterparts who have
been fostered in a non-Montessori environment. Della Terra Montessori School was
founded by an American Montessori Society (AMS) certified instructor and follows
the AMS teachings closely.
Visit the AMS website for more information about AMS.
During the minimum three hour work period of each day, students have the oppurtinity
to use materials from the five major areas of Montessori curriculum:
Maria Montessori at work
Practical Life - Materials and lessons which help to develop hand-eye
coordination and build an appreciation for the child's environment, including cleaning,
washing, pouring, scooping, grace and courtesy, and food preparation.
Sensorial - Materials which allow children to engage in and experience
the natural order of the physical environment and learn about size, color, shape,
and dimension. Famous examples include the pink tower, broad stair, and knobbed
cylinders.
Mathematics - Introductory materials teach such concepts as numerical
order, addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication. Advanced materials illustrate
the concepts of fractions, geometry, and algebra.
Language - Materials which aid in the physical and coordination
development needed to hold and write with a pen or pencil, along with materials
that aid children in associating letters with phonetic sounds, leading to reading
ability.
Culture/Geography - Materials which show the child appreciation
for the many diverse areas within the world, as well as materials which help teach
about the solar system and beyond.
The Montessori method has been analyzed and described by countless authors, child
psychology experts, child learning experts, and interested parents. Detailed descriptions
of Maria Montessori and her work can be found on numerous websites, so we have chosen
to show exerpts from two excellent online variations here. Credit for, and a link
to each can be found below the citations.
Montessori is a comprehensive educational approach from birth to adulthood based
on the observation of children's needs in a variety of cultures all around the world.
Beginning her work almost a century ago, Dr. Maria Montessori developed this educational
approach based on her understanding of children's natural learning tendencies as
they unfold in 'prepared environments' for multi-age groups (0-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12,
and 12-14).
The Montessori environment contains specially designed, manipulative 'materials
for development' that invite children to engage in learning activities of their
own individual choice. Under the guidance of a trained teacher, children in a Montessori
classroom learn by making discoveries with the materials, cultivating concentration,
motivation, self-discipline, and a love of learning.”
From: North American Montessori Teacher's Association. "Introduction to Montessori
Education." North American Montessori Teacher's Association, 9 Feb. 2010. http://www.montessori-namta.org/NAMTA/geninfo/whatismont.html
The Montessori method is an educational approach to children based on the research
and experiences of Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori (1870–1952).
It arose essentially from Dr. Montessori's discovery of what she referred to as
"the child's true normal nature" in 1907, which happened in the process of her experimental
observation of young children given freedom in an environment prepared with materials
designed for their self-directed learning activity. The method itself aims to duplicate
this experimental observation of children to bring about, sustain and support their
true natural way of being.
Applying this method involves the teacher in viewing the child as having an inner
natural guidance for his or her own perfect self-directed development. The role
of the teacher is therefore to watch over the environment to remove any obstacles
that would interfere with this natural development. The teacher's role of observation
sometimes includes experimental interactions with children, commonly referred to
as "lessons," to resolve misbehavior or to show how to use the various self-teaching
materials that are provided in the environment for the children's free use.”
From: Wikipedia contributors. "Montessori method." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 3 Feb. 2010. Web. 9 Feb. 2010. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_method