The Secret of Montessori

New Blog is up! Montesecrets: An insider's guide to Montessori

2009-03-05T12:04:00.000-08:00

www.montesecrets.com

Sorry I haven't been blogging for a while...but there's a good reason. I have my new blog up and running! It's not 100% complete, but I couldn't wait much longer to share it with you all!

On my new blog, you'll find activities to download, videos made by *yours truly*, parenting advice, online classes, monthly contests and much more! I'm still in the initial phases, but I invite all of my loyal readers to check it out! Montesecrets: An insider's guide to Montessori

Tell all your friends!

You can also follow me on twitter. Click here.

Parts of a Flower

2009-02-23T19:25:00.000-08:00

Make your own Parts of a Flower!

This is an easy work to make, and the best part is you don't have to be a Crafty Cathy to make it! It's simple and fast! All you need is different color felt and sharp scissors!

Cut out 4 RED shapes that represent the corollas (petals).

Using GREEN felt, cut out the calyx

Using the YELLOW felt, cut out the stamen pieces.

Finally, using the rest of the GREEN felt, cut out the pistil.

Make labels for each of the parts, including a label for the Flower.

Ta-da! Parts of the flowers!

There's not doubt that children absolutely love nature. Once you have presented them the parts of the flowers, go outside (if appropriate) and find examples of each of the parts. If you have a microscope, have the child examine the different parts closely.

OPTIONAL: USE THIS WORDING WHEN PRESENTING TO THE CHILD

THE FLOWER IS USUALLY BRIGHTLY COLORED. SEEDS DEVELOP WITHIN IT.

THE COROLLAS (OR PETALS) ARE THE BRIGHTLY COLORED OUTSPREAD PARTS OF THE FLOWER.

THE STAMANS SURROUND THE PISTIL. EACH STAMEN BEARS A LITTLE POLLEN SAC.

THE PISTIL IS IN THE CENTER OF THE FLOWER. IT HAS AN OPENING IN THE TOP AND A TUBE TO CARRY THE POLLEN DOWN TO THE OVARY WHERE THE SEEDS DEVELOP.

THE CALYX IS THE GREEN PART THAT HOLDS THE FLOWER ALL TOGETHER.

Famous Montessorians....food for thought...

2009-02-18T11:04:00.001-08:00

Here are just a few of the many influential people who attended Montessori school.......

Julia Childs
Late American chef, author, and TV personality famous for Introducing French Cuisine

Sean "P Diddy" Combs
American Record Producer, Actor, Fashion Designer, Entrepreneur, Dancer, Rapper

Prince Harry and Prince William
Heirs to the British Throne and sons of late Princess Diana

Larry Page and Sergey Brin
Founders of the every popular Google

Jeffrey Bezos
The Genius behind Amazon.com

Jacqueline Onassis Kennedy
Former First Lady and Book Editor

Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Columbian novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, and journalist. Awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature.

Anne Frank

Famous for writing a diary documenting her experiences during World War II

Making Bubbles

2009-02-16T09:59:00.000-08:00

My daughter absolutely loves this activity. You'd be amazed to see how children concentrate so hard while making bubbles. I personally like this activity for selfish reasons- it gives me about 15-20 minutes of "Me" time. I usually can read a book or do some other random thing around the house that I had been neglecting! LOL

This activity is simple and easy. All you need is a clear bowl, a pitcher for water, some liquid soap**, a small egg beater, and food coloring (optional).

**If your child is a little bit older, you can use hard soap, and teach them how to use a grader.

1. Have the child set out the clear bowl, soap, and beater on the table.
2. Show the child where the water is, and have them fill up the pitcher.
3. Take the pitcher with water, and pour it into the clear bowl.
4. Allow the child to squirt some soap into the water.
5. Give the child the egg beater, and let them beat away!
6. Optional: If you have some food coloring lying around, add some color to the water and see what different color combinations you can make.
7. When finished, show your child how to clean and put the materials away.
8. This completes the work cycle!

Enjoy!

Happy Valentines Day!

2009-02-14T14:41:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

I must say, I've never been a fan of Valentine's Day. I always ended up breaking up right before and would always end up alone. (how depressing?) But, this year, things are a bit different. I'm still alone, in the romantic sense, but I have many special Valentines-my daughter and my students.

My daughter has brought so much joy into my life, and I'm so fortunate to be her mother. My students all have a special place in my heart. (even the one's that drive me crazy!) They all surprised me when they brought the teachers personal drawings, valentines, chocolates (yummy!) and even flowers! I honestly wasn't expecting anything! I can't even begin to describe how that made me feel. The small little gestures meant a lot to me.

One of the projects we did for Valentine's day was create a poem that described what "Love is...". After reading their responses, I was touched. I realized that children find joy in the smallest things. I wish adults were like that. Sometimes we tend to let life take over, and forget to appreciate the smaller things in life. Who would of thought a bunch of preschool age children would teach me a very valuable lesson. I learn something new everyday.

Well here is the poem. Enjoy!

A poem for Valentine's Day, 2009

Love is hot chocolate with double marshmallows.
Love is my mother, love is my dad, love is jumping.
Love is monkeying around.
Love is my book.
Love is Maurice, the bear who I sleep with.
Love is.
Love is my abuela.
Love is my stuffed animal monkey-her name is Chloe.
Love is getting a Star Wars Lego set.
Love is having fun with my brothers, wrestling.
Love is Disney on Ice.
Love is making a great birthday for my mom.
Love is going on a walk with my dogs.
Love is my sister.
Love is when my brother gives me hugs and I give him hugs all the time.
Love is getting new shoes.
Love is backpacks.
Love is eating food, except noodles or macaroni and cheese.
Love is playing with Kallen, my little brother.
Love is growing up.

Stay Tuned & Recommended Reads

2009-02-10T18:46:00.000-08:00

I wanted to give you an update about the plans I had mentioned earlier on in the year.

I have been taking an online class that teaches you how to build a blog! So far, I've been learning some amazing things, and hopefully in the next couple of weeks, I'll have a new and improved blog! My sister is helping me out by retyping all of my Albums into PDF format , and they will be available on my site for anyone to download! (hopefully the $50 bucks I bribed my sister with, will motivate her to complete it soon!) I'm also preparing some Introductory to Montessori Online courses, that I will be offering to my loyal readers! I think the class will be an amazing opportunity for Montessorians all over the world to get together and discuss ideas and share stories! With this online classroom, we'll be able to talk live, face-to-face with video, and/or speak via microphones. There is also a chat feature, and the option to upload videos, powerpoints, and documents! I'm so excited for this! Every since I got into Montessori, I knew that I wanted to spread the word! Thanks to the beauty of technology, I can do just that!

So far, things have been going pretty well, and I can't believe that my Internship is a little more than half over! It's been a long 6 months! I have learned so much and I am so thankful that I was able to take this course! The past couple of weeks, I have been reading up on Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). When that one child in my class had a breakdown the other day, I felt so helpless. I didn't know what to do to help him. I think as an educator, it's important for me to read up on all types of developmental delays and learning disabilities in order for me to better serve the child. If I am better educated on this disorder, I'll be able to help my students and be prepared for various situations in the classroom.

A great book, that I highly recommend is "SENSATIONAL KIDS" by Lucy Jane Miller. She does an extraordinary job of breaking down the disorder into terms that everyone can understand. Not only does she go into the neurological aspects of this disorder, but dives into the emotional and mental affects as well. She offers valuable information to parents, and guides them through the process of the initial diagnosis to treatment. This book is great for teachers as well because it offers different ways we can deal with Sensory Integration Disorder in our classrooms. I'm not done with the book yet, but already I'm beginning to understand more and thinking about ways I can change my reaction to things.

When time permits, I'll share with everyone what I've read so far. It's interesting stuff!

Well, it's getting kinda late. I'm getting kinda sleepy and another day awaits! I must get my beauty rest! Till next time!

Color Box Continued

2009-02-07T13:32:00.001-08:00

Montessori materials can be extremely expensive. But don't fret! You can still teach your child the same concepts simply by using everyday items. I was blog hopping the other day , and I came across an idea about using Paint strips instead of the actual color box. (I don't remember who's blog it was...sorry :( but as soon as I figure it out, I'll definitely give you credit!)

Materials: Paint strips
Glue
Clothes pins

Go to your local paint store, Home Depot, ect. and grab a bunch of those paint sampler strips. Make sure you get two in each color. (Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue, Green, Purple, Pink, Gray, Black are great ones to start off with!)

Once you have all of your colors selected, separate them into two piles. The first pile of colors, you will leave alone, and keep them the way they are. In the second pile, cut the colors out separating each shade.

Once you've completed this step, attach a clothespin to each separate color, gluing the colored piece on the top of the clothes pin.

The first pile will be your control. Have each child pick up one clothespin, and try to match it with it's appropriate pair on the paint strip card.

I hope this all makes sense, and as soon as I create this at home, I will share pictures!

Good luck!

Update: One of my readers found the blog that I was referring to! Check out Chasing Cheerios!

Click HERE!!!

Color Box

2009-02-05T12:57:00.000-08:00

SENSORIAL AREA

This is one of the Color Boxes activity found in the most Montessori classrooms.

The color box contains 9 individual sections each with a different color shaded from darkest to lightest. The purpose of this activity is to grade each color starting from the Darkest. The above picture is an extension. A color wheel is placed in the middle of the rug, and the child attaches the graded tablets to the correct colors.

For more advance children, you can invite them to find objects in the environment that matches the colors on that are on the tablets.

Super Brain Yoga

2009-02-04T15:21:00.001-08:00

I'm going to try this on my students...and myself! Check it out!

The Jumping Circle

2009-02-04T11:56:00.000-08:00

In our Montessori classroom, we have a very interesting bunch of kids. Each of them have a distinct characteristics and it's amazing to watch them grow. There is no such thing as a perfect Montessori classroom, and we do have our "challenging" kids.

What I love about Montessori is we look at every INDIVIDUAL child and address their needs and nner idesires. We have a couple of children in our class who have been diagnosed with Sensory Integration Disorder. I had never heard of this term before, let alone knew it even existed. As far as I understand (although I need to do more research) some children receive too much input from their senses and others receive too little. Depending on each child's situation, various outcomes can occur. One of our students who is very sensitive will begin to loose control when he receives too much stimulation, and it's very hard for him to process things at a "normal" rate. He doesn't like to be touched, and is very particular.For example, if the classroom is too loud and there is too much going on, he'll run to the corner and put his hands over his ears and completely shut down. Another student of ours, who also suffers from Sensory Integration Disorder constantly craves attention and needs to stimulate his senses which in turn makes him disruptive. For example, while we are in a reading circle, he'll roll around on the floor and touch the other kids to get attention.

I really respect my Supervising Directress. She could of handle the situation like a lot of other teachers: yell, scream, time out, ect. But she has taken a different approach. She created the "jumping circle". We used some color tape and created a circle in the corner of the room. Any time a child feels like they need to move or let go of some energy, they can go to the jumping circle and let off some steam. It amazes me how well the children have responded to this. One of the little boys in my class was on the verge of a mental breakdown, right before he was about to let it all go, we reminded him about the jumping circle. His eyes lit up , and immediately he went over and began to jump away. After about 5 minutes, he was back to his normal self.

Time-out chairs are soooooooo OLD SCHOOL! Really, what are we teaching the children?? Half of the time, when they get out of time-out, they don't remember what they were in there for! They say an empty "SORRY", and are off! I think that if a child is modeling incorrect behavior, we need to sit down and talk with the child, and give them opportunities to let their frustrations out. Offer them an outlet to unleash their frustrations. If you have space in your house or classroom, create a quiet corner with peaceful objects (crystals, pictures of peacemakers, flowers, ect.). If you do want to give your child a "TIME OUT", have them go to the quiet corner. Let them read a book, meditate, whatever! Afterwards, TALK TO THEM. Explain to them why their behavior was wrong. If you look at the situation differently, you'll see new results!

Cultural Landforms

2009-02-03T11:50:00.000-08:00

Land Formations:

The child learns the basic landforms found on Earth- bay, cape, straight, isthmus, lake,and island. The above materials were bought, but parents and teachers can easily make this using hard clay and some empty containers! Check out your local dollar store for ideas! I recommend to start off with Lake and Island. (They are the easiest). You can even buy land animals or water animals to add to the presentation. (CHILDREN LOVE THIS!)

Example

Teacher: Today we are going to learn about the different types of landforms found on earth.
(Point to the Lake). This is a lake. A lake is a body of water surrounded by land on all sides. (Pour water into the lake portion of the tray) Have you ever gone to the lake before? What did it look like?(Teacher can place the "fish" in the lake, and a "bear" on the land)

This is an island. An island is land surrounded by water on all sides. (Pour water into the tray) Have you ever been to an island before? What did you see? (Teacher places the animals in the appropriate place)

To test the child's understanding ....try the 3 period lesson

1. This is an island. (Point to island) This is a lake. (Point to lake)
Move on to the next step.

2. Can you show me the island? Can you show me the lake?
If the child is having trouble showing you which is which, you may have to do the presentation again. If not, move on to the 3rd step.

3. What is this? (Point to island with out saying island) What is this? (Point to lake without saying it's a lake) If the child is having trouble telling you what each are, repeat steps 1 or 2 as necessary.

Once the child has shown an understanding of these two landforms, you can move on to the next two.

2 down...1 more to go!

2009-02-02T20:13:00.001-08:00

So, this weekend was my 2nd Institute. On top of spending 6 grueling weeks over the summer (10 hours a day), our training center requires 3 weekend institutes. It's pretty intense, and if you miss 1 day, you have to make it up the following year! Yikes! So, you better believe that I wasn't going to miss it for anything. It was really nice to see familiar faces and share experiences. Some stories were good, some were really bad, and others just made ya laugh. It's great going through this experience with other people because they understand where you are coming from, and appreciate your stories.

Anyways, I'm still busy like always, but I have some free time and will try to keep up with this blog! I have so many cool ideas to share with you guys. I have to update my classroom pictures, and introduce you to new works we've put in our classroom.

My birthday was a couple of days ago, and my mother bought me a.....LAMINATOR! (Every teachers dream!). I created a beautiful time line of the earth. I will share it with you all soon.
I also created a felt parts of the flower, and parts of the tree. (I've been feeling very crafty lately)

It's getting kind of late, so I'll leave you all with some updated pictures of my daughters playroom. I showed a few of my classmates, and they think I'm absolutely nuts. Honestly, I'm not a neat person at all. You should see my room. It's a pigsty. But, for some reason, I've managed to stay on top of things, and create an environment for my daughter that is precise, orderly, and attractive. I am very proud of what I've done for her, and I know that she will benefit from it in the long run. You guys can tell me what you think! Honest opinions welcomed!

Album Update

2008-12-31T22:03:00.001-08:00

First off, thanks for all of your words of encouragment. I need it! I just wanted to give you an update on my status. I have about 3 more illustrations to complete- the Bankers Game (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division!). I'm working on my essay and about 3/4 finish. I'm just so easily distracted! Rather than blogging, I should be writing! :)

I completed my Math Quiz and 10 Math line activities. All that's left is my original write ups which I have already handwritten, so all I need to do is type them up. So, I'm slowly crossing the finish line. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish up the Cultural album as well.....wishful thinking? We'll see!

I just want to wish everyone a prosperous new year. The last couple of years have been extremely rocky for me. Having a baby, going through a divorce, losing a job and moving back in with my parents (AHHH!) has really taken a toll on me. Right before I discovered Montessori, I really didn't have any direction in my life. I always knew I wanted to teach, but became really discourage after I taught in a public high school and middle school. I didn't feel rewarded and I felt that the education system was a joke. Honestly, I am soooo happy that I found Montessori. (or it found me) This is a philosophy that I stand by, and for once in my life, I feel like I'm accomplishing something. I wish I would of studied this sooner, but as they always say, "everything in life happens for a reason.". Perhaps if I would have studied Montessori, I wouldn't have appreciated it the way I do now, especially having a child and all. I really feel that every school should change its curriculum to resemeble that of Montessori because I believe this method changes people's lives. Not just the children, but the directresses as well.

In the upcoming year, my goal is to keep on spreading the message of Montessori. (gosh, don't I sound like a preacher...lol). I have a bunch of great ideas that I hope to achieve (even with my busy schedule.)

So, I leave this post with my goals.

1. To develop E-books of my albums to share with other aspiring Montessorians
2. Develop online classes where parents/teachers/anyone from all over the world can come together to share and discuss their ideas on Montessori (This is in the works! Check out www.edufire.com . It's an online learning platform that is soooo supercool! I recommend anyone to try it!)
3. Develop a business plan for my future Montessori school/homeday care
4. Take more care of my emotional and physical well being.
5. Pay off some debt!
6. Travel
7. Start living life to the fullest

Take care everyone, and HAPPY 2009!
7. Start living life to the fullest!

Montessori Albums

2008-12-28T20:31:00.001-08:00

If you ever plan on becoming a Montessori teacher, be prepared to spend a lot of time on your albums!

Most training centers require teachers to complete comprehensive albums on each of the curriculum areas in the Montessori classroom. (Practical life, Sensorial, Math, Language, and Cultural). These albums are considered to many as their bibles. Each album contains a step by step guide for all of the works in that particular subject along with illustrations diagraming the set up.

My training center gives us our write ups (thank God!) but we have to illustrate each of the works ourselves and digital pictures are not allowed! Today, I think I illustrated about 50 diagrams! (I'm going crazy here!). I decided to use my computer to create the pictures. The only downside of that was it took me FOREVER! Im very happy with the results, but my hands are cramping from clicking on my mouse! Besides the drawings, I have to write up 4 original works from scratch. There is a take home quiz I have to complete and insert in my album. I have to develop 10 line activities with a Math theme. (I'll write more about "line time" in another post). Oh yes, and on top of all of this, I have to write a 5 page paper (with quotes) explaining the philosophy of Math in the Montessori classroom! Yes, I have a lot on my plate. My next institute is January 27th and this is when my albums are do. I still have to work on my cultural album which I haven't even touched. I don't even know where it is! My cultural album requires even more things! (I'm taking a deep breath right now!)

Anyways, I'm going to go back to work. Today I accomplished a lot. As I mentioned before, I plan on finishing these albums before Winter Break is over. Cross your fingers for me!

Cultural Materials

2008-12-23T14:09:00.000-08:00

Cultural activities for children 3-6 years old

This is Magnetic vs. Non Magnetic work. (very easy to make!) You need a giant magnet, and a bunch of objects. Have the child test each object and classify them into two groups-magnetic and non-magnetic.

The above picture is a fun activity teaching the children the difference between sinking and floating. Select 4-6 objects that sink, and 4-6 objects that float. On the tray have a small pitcher that the child can use to fill the bowl up with water. Have the child drop the objects one by one and categorize them into "sink" or "float.

Every teacher loves to hear those two little words...."WINTER BREAK". Yes, the time has finally come. After days of working long and hard hours, I now have 2 weeks to sit at home and do absolutely nothing. Well, not really. I actually have a lot to do with my albums. In a month, my Math album and Cultural albums are due! Let's just say, I have to wipe off the dust from them! I haven't touched my albums in a while! There is so much going on, and it's hard to find time to work on them. But, my goal is to finish both of them by the end of this break. The thought is there...I just hope I can actually talk the talk.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy this post. I've been enjoying everyone's comments. It gives me motivation to keep on blogging some more. My long term goal is to create a website where parents and teachers can exchange information. I also plan on having my albums available for anyone to download (I know...isn't this great!) and last but not least, I plan on conducting online classes offering parents advice and tips on how to Montessori-fy their homes. But for now, ONE step at a time. So, for now...it's just bloggin!

Care of the Environment

2008-12-17T19:52:00.000-08:00

Montessori isn't just about academics. It's a way of life. Children in Montessori classrooms learn things beyond math and reading. They learn how to take care of themselves, each other, and their environment.

Table Scrubbing:

This activity is very simple, yet it teaches the child something that will stick with them for the rest of their lives; the importance of taking care of their environment. Get a bin, and fill it with at least a bar of soap, sponge, and a sturdy brush. Demonstrate the correct way to scrub a table using a big circular motion. I was taught to wipe from left to right (this is the direction of the eye when reading, with the exception of some countries). You'd be surprised how children respond to this activity. It's like they are meditating and in the zone. They really seem to enjoy it! Try it out!

Montessori Materials

2008-12-13T18:43:00.000-08:00

Maria Montessori devoted her entire life to creating materials that specifically coordinated with the natural development of the child. She got a lot of her ideas from her studies of Seguin and Itard, who were known for working with mentally handicap children. I recently read an article talking about Montessori materials, or the lack of, in Montessori schools. The article, which was written by Angeline Liliard (author of The Science Behind the Genius) brought up some very interesting points. I can't say that I agreed with her 100%, but I did feel like she did bring up a very good argument. Basically, she stated that many students are neglecting Montessori materials because the shelves in the classrooms are filled with a lot of non-Montessori materials. I do agree, this is true. In my classroom, the children tend to stay away from the Montessori works, and it's like pulling teeth trying to get them to work on the bead stairs or pink tower. But, a lot of the non-Montessori works found in classrooms around the world, in my opinion have great value, even if they weren't designed exclusively by Montessori herself. After reading the article, I got a feel that the author felt that the non-Montessori materials were useless and pointless, and did not belong in the classroom. It sounded to me like she was a die-hard.

There are two types of Montessorians. We have the die-hards, and the liberals. Die hard Montessorians follow Montessori to a T, without taking consideration the changes that have been made since the time Montessori was created. Liberals (which I consider myself) respect the Montessori philosophy, but believe that times have changed and are more likely to adjust their curriculum without straying far away from the original pedagogy. For example, there are some schools that gasp at the site of computers in the classroom. They believe that computers have no business being there. I take a different stance. While I do agree that computer usuage among children is becoming quite ridiculous, I still think that children should be trained and taught how to use a computer. There is no denying it. Computers are everywhere, and more and more companies are doing EVERYTHING on the computer. I believe that if Montessori was still living today, she would embrace technology. She was a scientist! Die hard Montessorians are the one's that tell you if you place the spoon on the right side, as opposed to the left side, it will be detrimental to a child. OH come on! Give me a flippin break! I believe that as long as you are consistent, it doesn't matter what freaking side you put the damn spoon. So to some it up in a nutshell, underneath the Montessori Umbrella are two very different types of Montessorians. Although they may differ in many aspects, the one important thing that unites them is their love for children and their passion towards helping them unleash their potential.

In conclusion, I believe that even though schools are adding more non-Montessori materials in the classroom, children can still learn and benefit from these works. Teachers have to use their discretion. When choosing a work for you students, analyze it. Ask yourself what is the purpose, and what are the goals. If you can give yourself some sound solid reasons, then go ahead and use it. That's just my opinion. I would love to hear yours!

Chloe's new playroom

2008-12-12T20:34:00.000-08:00

I decided to things up a bit, and moved my daughters playroom downstairs to give her more space. I am sooo proud of how I transformed the room, and I wanted to share it with the rest of the world. Keep in mind, my daughter is 18 months. I tried to put works in the room that were age appropriate. Enjoy! More to come!

Flower Arranging

Opening Containers

Learning to Set the Tea Set (Real clay-not plastic..I hate plastic)

Some shelves

Language (left) Sensorial (Right)

Creativity in Schools

2008-12-10T18:56:00.000-08:00

I stumbled across a website called www.ted.com.
It's a series of lectures by many interesting people with life changing messages.
A particular video that caught my attention was the lectures by Ken Robinson. He talks about how schools "kill" creativity. He examines the traditional schools in todays times and explains how many education institutions fail to recognize the importance of children's creativity.

Take a look at the video. It's very interesting! Enjoy!

Magnetic Vs. NonMagnetic

2008-11-24T18:38:00.000-08:00

More cultural works.....enjoy!

This is a very simple work that is typically found in the Cultural area of a Montessori Classroom.
Gather two baskets. Find a few objects that are magnetic, and a few that are nonmagnetic. Mix them up together. Find a large magnetic, and have the student seperate the objects into two piles-magnetic and non magnetic. Children absolutely love this!

Another activity, similiar to this is SINK or FLOAT.
Same set up. Find objects that sink and objects that float. Mix them up together. Get a bowl and fill it up with water. Have the student test each object and seperate them into two piles-sink and float.

The Honeymoon is over....

2008-11-22T19:40:00.001-08:00

Land Water and Air
Cultural Presentation

You don't have to go out and buy the fancy shmancy materials for the Land, Water, and Air Presentation. All you have to do is get three empty baby food jars. Fill one with dirt. One with colored blue water. The other with air! Voila!

Extention activity: Find old magazines and cut out pictures of land, water, and air. Mix together in a small basket. Have the child get a brown, white, and blue sheet of construction paper. Encourage the child to choose a few pictures and cglue them on each sheet.

Brown-land
Blue-water
White-Air

I have been working 3 months at my intership site, and I'm kind of over the whole internship. I know I'm learning a lot of things, but I wish I could just have my own classroom all ready. It's really hard for me to take direction from other people. I'm so used to having my own classroom (when I was working in the public school), with my own rules. There are many times I would like to do things a certain way in the current classroom I'm working in, but I can't because I have to respect my supervising directress's rules. When you are an intern, you really have to grow thick skin. Sometimes you have to learn to bite your tongue. I'm very lucky because my supervising directress is great and allows me to explore and encourages me to do presentations. I've heard crazy stories of interns who weren't allowed to leave the Practical Life area! That's crazy!!! All in all, I'm very happy that I am learning about Montessori because I think it is an awesome philosophy.

2008-11-04T19:23:00.000-08:00

Montessori Your Home!

Tip:

Montessori Schools can be super expensive and most Parents who would like to send their children to a Montessori school simply can't afford the high price tuition. My suggestion to you, is if you can't bring your child to Montessori, then bring Montessori to your child. There are a plethora of books out there that teach you how to make your home more "Montessori friendly".

The above picture is a snack table in our class. Everyday, we cut up pieces of fruit and set up snacks that the children are allowed to have any time during class. The snack table is very low so the children do not have a hard time serving themselves. If you have space in your kitchen, create a little area where your child can pick and choose snacks by themselves. Be sure to include a small plate, a small jug with water, napkins, and serving bowl. On the last shelf, in our class, we have a small garbage and recyling can. We also have a table brush that the children can use to clean up after themselves. Designate an entire cabinet to your child if space permits. This encourages your child to make their own choices, and promotes independence.

Caveat Emptor Part 2

2008-10-27T15:01:00.001-07:00

Here is a great video I saw on Youtube explaining the differences between Montessori schools.
Enjoy!

Montessori in the Home

2008-10-26T17:59:00.000-07:00

I am so fortunate to be going through the Montessori Training right now. I feel that I am understanding my 16 month old so much bettter. I know what needs to be in her environment in order to make her spirit grow. Often, parents feel that they need to bombard their children with loads of toys and many times I walk into playrooms that are filled to the brim with (useless-in my opinion) gadgets and things. I have to admit, that when I first had my child, I went to Toys R Us and went crazy buying toys. This was BEFORE I was trained in Montessori. Now, I look back at all the money that I spent and I wish I would of invested in more attractive and educational toys. I have a new appreciation for wooden toys- I think they are so much nicer looking. In the beginning, my daughters play room was filled with random toys. There was no order and things were place basically wherever. I decided to give the playroom a makeover, and took out a substantial amount of things. Now our playroom looks very peaceful and my daughter isn't overwhelmed with all of the junk that is inside. I have selected a few works that I felt were important and placed them in baskets neatly on a shelf that she could reach. I wanted to share with you a few pictures of one of the shelves that is in our room. Hopefully this gives you some ideas.

Amen to the Weekend!

2008-10-25T14:19:00.001-07:00

This week at school went fairly smooth...for the most part. The child, that I like to refer to as "John" had a really rough couple of days. His aggression is getting worse and worse, and we caught him biting another student. My Head Teacher really wants to help him out, but she feels that his condition is far beyond our reach. He might need to go to a special school that has better resources for children who act like him. It's sad, but at the same time, it needs to be done. Everyday, we are walking on eggshells, because we don't know what's going to happen next. I feel like the other students are missing out because we are devoting so much attention to him.

After working just a couple of months with these kids, I realize that a lot of them have deep problems. It is so sad to see 3 and 4 years old with emotional issues because they are soooooo YOUNG! Parents don't realize how much of an effect they have on their children. A lot of times, parents leave it up to the schools to raise their children. They don't have a clue on how to be a parent, and therefore they expect the teachers to raise their kids. If parents knew how to do their jobs, our lives as Montessori Teachers would be so much easier. Because I have a background in Education, I am able to apply what I've learned into my parenting skills. I know that I have to be firm, but at the same time, allow my child the freedom to grow and explore the world around them. There needs to be a balance. I see far too often, parents who want to have every bit of control over their child. They do everything for them because they don't realize that their child is capable of doing many things. This damages their spirit! Then there are parents who are laid back and "too" relaxed, and allow their child to do anything they want. This also damages their spirit. BALANCE is the key word! Montessori defined the ages 3-6 as being the MOST critical age in a humans life. This is the time where spirits are being formed, personalities are taking place, and characteristics are being instilled. If a child is being hindered, then the repercussions are devastating! It is during these years that the child is forming the man! Therefore as parents, we need to do everything we can to create an environment which gives the child the opportunity to grow physically and spiritually! We shouldn't underestimate our children! Just because they are smaller than us, doesn't mean that they are inferior to us!

If I didn't have that one kid in my classroom.....

2008-10-22T12:47:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you have a child in your class who refuses to listen? What do you do when you have a child who disrupts the class on a consistent basis, and basically makes your life a living hell? It's so hard to deal with those types of kids because you want to help them out, but at the same time, you want to be able to manage your other students and not have them suffer on the behalf of that one child. This is what I'm dealing with right now. We have this one child in my class, who I'll call John (this is not his real name). There is not a single day where we don't talk to John about "keeping his hands to himself" or "controlling his body". Our words, unfortunately, have no meaning to him. He continues on harrassing the other students and is very aggressive towards them. He hits them, punches them, kicks them and a bunch of other horrible things. We have tried every technique regarding discipline, but nothing seems to register. We even created a "jumping circle" where he can go to anytime he feels he needs to relieve some of his energy. NOTHING WORKS. He just doesn't get it. It breaks my heart because John has the potential, (every child does), but it's coming to the point where the Head Teacher may ask his grandmother to remove him from the program. The safety of the children are at stake. John has had a very rough life and he is only 4 years old. His mother had him when she was only 15 years old and his grandmother was given sole custody. He see's his mother on the weekends, and his father occasionally picks him up one day a week to spend some time with him. John has been in daycare ever since he was 6 weeks old! It's so sad to see all of the trauma he has been through in such a short period of time. I understand why he is so angry and frustrated. He is hurting inside.

I just need to know, how can I help him? What can you do to help a really troubled and damaged soul without troubling the classroom enviroment?

Please help!

Caveat Emptor! Montessori does not always mean Montessori

2008-10-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

Parents beware! Not all schools that call themselves "Montessori" are really Montessori. The name was NEVER copyrighted, therefore any Joe Shmoe can open up a school and add Montessori to the name. This really urks me because true Montessori schools that do follow the pedagogy are getting a bad rap!

My older sister has a very energetic 3 year old son who was just recently diagnosed with having a minor case of autism. He is delayed in his speech and often has outbursts when he is frustrated. She was afraid that when he started school, he would fall behind the rest of the students. I suggested that she check out a Montessori school because the teachers look at each children individually and every child is allowed to work at their own pace. I sparked her curiousity and she found a local Montessori school in her town. I was really excited for her to see the miracles of Montessori first hand. The day she took her son for an observation visit, I waited anxiously for her call. I knew that the minute she stepped into the classroom, she would be sold. Boy, was I wrong. She was extremely turned off by the school and had nothing but bad things to say. First off, when she walked in the class, the teacher was extremely cold with her. The children were roaming around aimlessly. She heard a teacher yelling at a child outside in the hall. Needless to say, everything went sour from there. I was soooo bummed out after what I heard. I told my sister that I was completely shocked and apawled to say the least. I explained to her that the school she went to wasn't the typical Montessori school, and she should give it another go. I knew deep down in my heart that a true Montessori school would be a positive experience for my nephew, but after what my sister saw, there was no way he'd be attending. I did some research, and found out that the school that my sister checked out, was NOT affiliated with AMS or AMI. It's a shame that schools like that exist! People think that if they add "Montessori" to their name, it will make their school look more presigious and attract more families. Unfortunately, it ruins the credibility for true Montessori schools.

To become affiliated with AMS or AMI is very costly and time consuming. These organizations have strict guidelines and policies to ensure that the schools adhere to the true Montessori Method. The only real test of determining whether a school is really "Montessori" is if they are accredited. There are some great small Montessori schools that aren't affiliated with AMS or AMI, but unfortunately their credibility is at question because they don't have the official credentials to prove their "Montessori-ness". A solution to this problem could be to lower the cost that is required to become affiliated with AMS or AMI. As mentioned before, affiliation can put a huge dent in a schools wallet. For the small schools that are just starting up, throwing out thousands of dollars might not be feasible. In my opinion, in order to encourage more schools to become affiliated, perhaps a decrease in price and amount of time might attract more people.

But for now, stick with schools that have credentials. If you are planning to send your child to a school that doesn't have it's credentials, don't panic right away. Visit the school. Talk to the teachers. Talk to parents of children that are currently attending. You need to do your research and get a feel of the school. Be sure to enter any situation with an open mind.

A message for the schools who call themselves "Montessori" when they really aren't:

You should be ashamed of yourself! It's called false advertising and it's unfair to the students, and the rest of the Montessori community. Dr. Maria Montessori devoted her entire life to perfecting the Montessori method, and to have someone come and tack on her name to their school that is no different then traditional school is really sad and upsets me. You are giving the real Montessori schools a bad reputation, and ultimately are hurting the children who really could benefit from this form of education. So, think twice before you use the name.

Edison's Day- A MUST SEE MONTESSORI DOCUMENTARY

2008-10-17T17:17:00.000-07:00

Photo taken directly from NAMTA website

A must see Montessori Documentary!

EDISON'S DAY

(2006, 29 minutes)

Today at school we had a meeting for all of the assistant teachers. My school conducts meetings once a month to discuss ways we can improve ourselves and our classrooms. I personally think meetings are a GREAT way to open up the lines of communciation between faculty and staff.

Anyways, during the meeting, we were shown a video called "Edison's Day". Let me tell you, my jaw was open the whole entire time! I couldn't believe my eyes. The DVD documented a day in the life of a 20 month old boy named Edison, whose parents practiced the Montessori philosophy. At his age, he was able to dress himself, feed himself, express himself verbally, go to the bathroom and a bunch of other things, I would have never expected a child his age be able to do. It was truly a remarkable thing to watch. His parents were so patient with him, and encouraged him to be independent. They created an environment for him in which he could explore his world, and be self-dependent. The boy was extremely bright and very confident in himself. I HIGHLY recommend anyone to check out the video. It just confirms why MONTESSORI is such a great philosophy. The video is a beautiful revelation. It's a shame that more schools don't implement the Montessori practice! What a different world we would be living in!

For more information on "Edison's Day" check out the North American Montessori Teachers' Association website. Under the "DVD's/Videos Parents Education" you should find the DVD there.

Till next time,

Montessori Materials

2008-10-16T17:07:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone...

I don't know if it's something in the air or water, but today was just one of those crazy days. I found myself staring at the clock waiting for it to hit 11:30am. (the end of class...lol). We had a psychologist come in our room to observe one of our "troubled" kids, and when she left she told us we had a very "interesting group" to say the least. I thought that was an understatement. Lol. Anyways, the week is almost over and I'm looking forward to a very quiet weekend with my bambina.

I wanted to talk today about Montessori Materials and how you can cut costs if you know where to look. In my opinion, Practical Life is one of the areas where you can make materials with out spending a lot of money. (check post on my trip to the dollar store). On the otherhand, most people spend fortunes when it comes to Math and Sensorial because the works found in those areas are carefully designed.

A very popular work found in the Math area is the Sand Paper Numerals. If you were to get them at a Montessori Store, you could pay up to $30!! I found the same type of material on the Lakeshore website for $12.95! That's 40% cheaper! They have a huge selection of math counters children can manipulate while learning numbers. (bears, pigs, frogs,dinosaurs, you name it!) As I mentioned in my previous post, children like it when you switch things up. It grabs their attention! Lakeshore also has a variety of Montessori appropriate materials and I strongly encourage you to check it out! Their prices are very reasonable.

Another good place to find bargains on Montessori materials is Ebay. You're not guaranteed to find a great deal all the time, but if you are lucky, you could pick up some used or even new materials from an old or retiring teacher who's willing to sell way below the market price.

Craigslist is also a place to look for items, but I warn you, it's a hit or miss. It can be tedious going through each and every "for sale item" looking for Montessori goodies. Some ways I bypass this is googling "Craigslist Montessori For Sale" or "Montessori Materials For Sale Craigslist" and the search engines usually it picks up on the current items that are being offered for sale in every state. You can also look for particular items in your specific state by selecting your location, clicking on "for sale" items and then searching for "montessori".

I found another website http://www.montessori-materials.com/ that sells materials super cheap. They are located in China so I'm a bit hesitant dealing with overseas suppliers. But because the prices are incredibly low (and I'm on an Intern's budget), I'm tempted to check them out. If I do end up buying from them , I'll definately let you know of my experiences.

I hope I gave you some useful information. So, in conclusion, don't be intimidated by the cost of Montessori Materials. I assure you that there are some great alternatives out in the cyber world, you just have to be creative and know where to look!

Till next time
Montessori Secrets

Making your works attractive in Practical Life

2008-10-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

If you don't know, a Montessori classroom is divided into 5 major areas:

Practical Life

Sensorial
Mathematics
Language
Culture (Art is sometimes combined into this catergory, but some schools devote an entire separate section)

My Head Teacher emphazies all the time that PRACTICAL LIFE is crucial towards success in the other academic areas in the Montessori classroom. I can't agree with her more. The skills they gain from this area (order, concentration, coordination, and independence) will be instilled in them for the rest of their lives! A solid grasp of the works in the Practical Life means a solid foundation!

After talking to several of my classmates, I came to realize it wasn't only me who was having trouble keeping certain kids in the Practical Life area. It is important, especially for the first-year students to spend time there because the things they'll learn from the works are invaluable, needless to say it will help them to move on to more challenging works in other areas. So, the question is, How do you attract kids to the Practical Life area? I've learned that you need to SWITCH THINGS up! As adults, we get bored seeing the same old thing, over and over again. So, it's not surprising that kids are the same way too! Some teachers switch materials out too soon because they feel that they need to add "new materials" on the shelf. You can add "new materials" but they don't have to loose the concept.

Every week, the assistants switch off covering a different area in the classroom. This week was my week in the Practical Life area. (oh lucky me!) Today, we switched up a few works, and let me tell you, I was bombarded with children today. Everyone rushed to the Practical Life area to see all of the "new" works. (wink wink!) It was great, although I must say, we had a bunch of spills.....but it didn't bother me because I was just so happy to see everyone fascinated!

Take a look at the first picture. This was our original sorting activity. Here you'll see a bunch of bears (red, green, blue, yellow colors) in the middle bowl. There are 4 empty bowls which the children use to sort the objects out. This was a hit for the first few days, and then after, the kids were just bored. I knew that even though some kids were no longer attracted to it, they still needed to practice. So, what we did is change the basket, bowls, and objects. The second picture you'll see that the children are now suppose to sort out different sea shells! Let me tell you, WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Once we did this with a few different work in the Practical Life area, did we begin to see a lot of traffic in this area!

Here are some more examples

This is a tweezing activity. As you can see, it's the same concept, but with a small facelift.

This is dry pouring with handles. We switched it up to have a more seasonal theme. Children are pouring little baby pumpkins. THEY LOVE it!

This is wet pouring with handles. If you saw this work on a shelf, wouldn't YOU want to check it out?

This is a spooning activity.

So, take my advice! Switch up the baskets, the bowls, and utensils you use in each work, and you'll notice how many more children will come to the Practial Life area. Let me know your experiences!

Till next time

Montessori Secrets

Fun Practical Life Activity

2008-10-14T20:32:00.001-07:00

Practical Life Activity

This is a really fun work that can be found in the Practical Life Area. What you see is a big bowl filled with red beans. What you don't see are the cool objects that are hidden inside. The purpose of this activity is to build fine motor skills. Children learn how to use their fingers to grasp objects out of the bowl. In our classroom, we usually change up the objects once a week. (It makes it more interesting!) You can add any objects: shells, fruits, vegetables, stars, balls, you name it! Be creative!

Have Fun!

Montessori Secrets

Montessori Madness at the Dollar Store

2008-10-13T13:19:00.000-07:00

I think I found the Jackpot.....the Montessori Materials Jackpot! I didn't realize how many cool things you can get from the DOLLAR store that are Montessori appropriate! I went crazy!! I bought so many things, and it barely put a dent into my wallet. In fact, I think I spent a total of $35 dollars and was able to create 5-6 solid works!

I wanted to share pictures of some of the things I made...I hope you like!

This is a basket which I purchased for a whooping $1. I found "fake" fruits and veggies which look so real you almost want to take a bite out of them! They cost me $1 buck each. This activity is good for building vocabulary. A fun game you can do with your child is select 2-3 fruits or veggies and line them up in a row. After you go over the names, have the child close their eyes. Remove one of the fruits or veggies from the row. Have the child guess which fruit or veggie is missing. THEY ABSOLUTELY LOOOOOOOVE THIS GAME! Cost: $10

I bought a vase and a bouquet of fake flowers. (If you have the resources, I would recommend using REAL flowers instead!) This activity is a simple flower arranging. My daughter loves this. (she's only 16 months!) By allowing children to work with flowers, they will get a new found appreciation for the flowers they see outside. So, maybe the next time you take your child out for a walk, their first instinct won't be to rip out everything from the ground. Cost: $2

I almost had a heart attack when I found these! They are PERFECT for wet pouring and dry pouring. The great thing about it was they are acrylic! Montessori prefers you use glass in classrooms, but I have a very rambunctious toddler, so I thought I'd play it safe. When you first look at them, you think they are made of glass so it works for me! The most important thing is that they are attractive and very nice looking. Cost: $2

I bought two packs of colored wash clothes and put them on a tray. The goal of this activity is to teach matching and the language for colors. Cost:$3

I made a few other materials that I'll post up later.

Montessori Schools....only for the elite?

2008-10-12T11:01:00.000-07:00

In this day and age, children who attend Montessori schools come from affluent neighborhoods whose families who are well off and financially sound. When my girl Maria was alive, the children who attended her schools came from the slums and had parents who were hardly making ends meet. It's quite ironic to see an education that was originally introduced to the poor and uneducated now become an upper class privilege.

It is no doubt in my mind that Montessori is a type of education that works for all types of children, no matter what background they come from. It just breaks my heart to know that children who would of definitely benefited from this form of education, not be given a chance because their parents just can't afford the high price tuition.

On the other side of the coin, business is business. I understand that as the owner of a school, you need to adjust your tuition accordingly so you can operate the school and PAY YOUR BILLS! Especially in this economy, everyday it's a struggle to make ends meet. The question is, how can you open up your doors to the less fortunate and still operate your school?? Hmmm...something to ponder about.

Some ideas I thought of:

Campaigning in your community. Ask your neighbors to donate.

Barter with businesses. Tell them if they donate, you'll offer free advertisement for them.

Sell items such as gift wrap, chocolates, whatever!

Find a graphic designer, and sell T-shirts and Bags on Cafepress.com

Contact local officials in your city and see if they want to donate.

Create a Diverse Campaign Comittee at your school and create a clear mission statement that outlines what your goals are. (ie. to give less fortunate families a chance to offer their child an exceptional educational experience.....)

I think it's sooooooooooooooo incredible important for children to attend diverse schools. Not only socio-economically diverse, but culturally diverse as well. It brings a whole new perspective into their lives and they realize that the world is such a huge place at the same time very interconnected. I know that there are some areas where there is only a majority of one culture. If that's the case, work with what you have. Introduce children to different cultures through books, pictures, videos, songs, and artifacts. You'll be surprised to see how much they LOVE to learn about other people.

Parents...PLEASE READ!

2008-10-11T09:08:00.001-07:00

Parents, this post goes out to you!

I'm sure I speak for all preschool teachers, Montessori or not, when I say....

PLEASE, PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE...

POTTY TRAIN YOUR KIDS BEFORE SENDING THEM OFF TO SCHOOL!

If I have to clean another poopy diaper (or even worse-underwear) that isn't my own child's...I think I'm going to scream. (not really, I'm just being dramatic)

Parents don't truly understand how much of an inconvenience it is to a teacher, to have a child in their classroom who still craps in their pants. It's no fun! Imagine, being in charge of a room with 20 or so children, ranging in ages 3-6years old. You are constantly on your feet, and there isn't a minute of rest. At the same time you're trying to make sure Bobby isn't cutting off Sally's hair, and Luis isn't climbing on cabinets, you are constantly monitoring the bathroom for any evidence of "bowels" that have been left on the floor (eww gross!) Things like this are inevitable in the beginning of the year and to have children who aren't potty trained just adds more drama to the mix!

As a Montessori Intern, you are at the bottom of the totem poll. You have to work your way up to the top, to get your respect. That's the unspoken rule, So, when a child takes a massive dump in their pants, and it gets all over the floor (I know this is graphic, but hey, it's the truth!) guess who most likely is going to clean it up? The INTERN! It's part of the initiation process! As an INTERN, you have to prove your Montessori-worthiness, and if that means getting down on all fours and scrubbing some poop off the ground, then scrubbing it is! In all fairness, there are some great Head Teachers that don't always put the grunt work on their interns. God Bless their souls. But, on the other hand, there are Head Teachers who have developed a nasty case of Internship Amnesia, and will dump anything on the intern, just so they won't have to deal with it. Beware! These are the teachers who have forgotten what life was like as an intern! (write ups, albums, materials, diagrams, oh my!)

So Parents. Please, hear me out! If you know your child is going to be going to school, take action! Start the potty training process BEFORE your child enrolls, not during. Don't let him/her, be known to all of the teachers as, "that kid who still isn't potty trained (eyes rolling)". Don't let your kids be the subject of conversation amongst the teachers during break time! Parents need to step up and start raising their children, rather than counting on the schools to do it for them.

There are plenty of resource guides on the internet that can give you tips on how to have a stress free potty training experience. I know it takes a lot of energy, but all hard work pays off!

My daughter is only 16 months old, and I know I might be jumping the gun, but I bought her a little potty. She clearly isn't ready to be potty trained, but it's there. I got her to poop a couple of times, but it wasn't any miracle. It was just a case of right place, right time. Even so, I still was jumping up for joy and running around showing the "goods" to everyone in my family. Little by little, I will work with her and teach her to recognize when she needs to go to the bathroom. I know it's not going to happen overnight. Heck, it might take a year. But, the bottom line is, if I have to be consistent, and persistent! Sooner or later, she'll learn.

Montessori Intern

2008-10-10T21:23:00.000-07:00

“The greatest sign of success for a teacher... is to be able to say, "The children are now working as if I did not exist."

-Maria Montessori