Montessori education is structured on a multi-age basis and a three-year cycle, where teachers get the opportunity to really get to know the personalities and abilities of each of the children.  A learning community is formed by the interactions between all of the children and their different levels of social and academic growth.  In addition to teacher instruction, we depend upon our seasoned students to model behavior and use of the Montessori materials to their younger peers.

Independence is the ultimate goal of any Montessori classroom, and there are numerous steps and reinforcements that must be done on a daily basis to establish this foundation.  Consistent process and repetition are key to building the muscle memory for a student to know what to do, and how to do it in a way that is effective for the individual child, and for the overall experience for the class as a whole.  For example, we ask that children put their work away when they are finished using it.  The work or job goes back in the same place that they got it from, so that the material is ready for the next child to use.  We reinforce this lesson over and over again, until the children are able to do this independently and it becomes part of the process of the classroom. 

Dr. Montessori began her work in the slums of Italy working with children who had never experienced school, let alone a school that was focused on communicating with the children in a practical natural way.  Her intent was to give her students an environment that was interesting, “sized for children,” and directly addressed their status as developing, individual people.  She revolutionized the perspective that these young children could learn academically along with developing their social skills of becoming productive, independent thinkers.  This is a tradition we continue in our classroom today.  

“Normalization” is a Montessori concept which describes a time when students are truly engaged in the work of the classroom.  It is best experienced as a quiet, focused hum in the room.  If a person were to walk in at that moment, it might take them a while to spot the teachers giving lessons on the floor, as every student is engaged in meaningful activity.  How does that happen?  It all begins with the prepared environment.  P4 is organized into areas including language, math, sensorial, practical life, science, cultural, and art.  Each one of these areas is defined by the shelves holding specific materials. Work is placed on the shelf in a manner that is useful and interesting. The introductory (easiest) work is on the top of the shelf going from left to right, with the most challenging work positioned on the bottom of the shelf.

The children are given specific lessons using the work on the shelves, and they are also taught to return the materials in the exact manner they found it.  This system allows students to move independently around the classroom working with a large variety of jobs.  Since the primary classroom is multi aged (3-6 years old), materials are visible and available for a range of ages and abilities. It is common to see younger students observing larger works being done by their older peers.

Dr. Montessori observed in her classrooms (over 100 years ago):

Normalization comes about through “concentration” on a piece of work. For this we must provide “motives for activity” so well adapted to the child’s interest that they provoke his deep attention. Their success in this is dependent on the use of the objects for the purposes they are designed to serve, a thing which is also conducive to the child’s “mental order.” If they are used with care and precision, this leads the child to the “coordination of his movements.” 

~ The Absorbent Mind, Dr. Maria Montessori, pg.206

Welcome to our new school year, like no other before it!  As we navigate through our new reality of dealing with the effects of Covid 19 we continue to stand behind the foundation of the Montessori philosophy, creating a prepared environment where the children have freedom to move around the room using materials and returning them to their shelves.  Tailoring individual lesson plans to the specific needs and abilities of the student and by creating a shared sense of community within the classroom for each student to not only be responsible for themselves but to have an eye out for caring for others in the room.  This may seem like a tall order, but it truly works when the guidance is clear and children experience the satisfaction of participation.

We will begin this year with an insider’s view of the classroom.  It is essentially organized in six areas, with Math and Language being the anchors, and Sensorial, Practical Life, Cultural and Art rounding out the experience.  Most lessons are given one on one, some are small groups and there are always daily whole group interactions.  

As we go through this school year, we will be highlighting different areas of the classroom. This first blog will give you the overview. Please enjoy!

“The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.” ~ Maria Montessori

P4 teachers would like to take a moment to let you know you, as parents, are doing an amazing job; whether you are sticking to a strict schedule or offering a little more freedom, your child is and will continue to thrive. Be patient, be calm, and know that you are doing exactly what your child needs. Maria Montessori said, “Education is a natural process carried out by the human, and is acquired not by listening to words, but by experiences in the environment.” Whatever environment your child is in, they will adapt and they will learn. All you must do is guide them. Maria Montessori also said, “One test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child.” Is your child happy? Yes!  All will be well. 

We wanted to showcase a few of the wonderful opportunities your child has had at FMS over the last month.

We are lucky to have the opportunity to take field trips to wonderful places, as we did to the Children’s Discovery Museum. The children had a blast, and we had the best parent chaperones that allowed the children to have a safe and fun time. 

The first part of March brought us lots of learning about dinosaurs, Asia, reptiles and amphibians, and of course the opportunity to celebrate Dr. Seuss Day. 

The English and Spanish Immersion kindergarteners have been joining together every Monday for gardening. Students have gained new friendships as we get to know each other during these meetings. We conduct experiments, take trips to the park, practice partner talking, and clean up leaves on the ground of the outdoor classroom. Our latest experiment was to see if we could grow beans inside a bag with wet cotton balls. Each child got two beans and two wet cotton balls. We placed the bags on the window and waited to see what would happen. Unfortunately, the children were not able to see the end result, but these pictures prove that it is possible to sprout a bean in a bag! 

We also have the privilege of having a farmer visit our kindergarten students from Green Our Planet. She allows them to learn, explore, and take part in planting to help create a beautiful garden for our school.

We miss you and the opportunities of being together in the thriving learning environment we strive to create at FMS. We look forward to the day our doors reopen and students can return to class. For now, we remind our families that we are here for you whenever you need us, and we are working hard to provide your children with new opportunities to connect and learn. 

“The development of language is part of the development of the personality, for words are the natural means of expressing thoughts and establishing understanding between people.” ~Maria Montessori

The development of writing skills is a two-fold process. First, the child must remember what the shape of the letter is with the corresponding sound and they must also develop the muscular skills necessary for using the pencil.  In an earlier blog post, we discussed the sensorial area of the classroom. In the sensorial area, the children are using the materials which helps prepare them for writing. When a child is expected to listen carefully to perceive differences in the sound cylinders, they are developing strong listening skills to hear the difference between the letter sounds. Vocabulary is growing as the children are introduced to more words. The various materials in the sensorial area help to develop the muscles required for writing, as well.

The Montessori materials in the language area help the children to first learn the shape and sound of a letter, and then develop the motor skill to move the pencil with control. Within the classroom, the children are learning to write by performing purposeful activities to prepare them indirectly and directly for handwriting.

The sandpaper letters are the very first step in learning the shapes of the letters and the sounds. The child is able to feel the shape, see the shape, and hear the sound the shape makes. The children are asked to trace the shape, which is an important step and will help to fix the shape of the letter in the child’s muscular memory.

The children are invited to perfect their motor skills with the use of metal insets. They are learning control as they trace the different metal inset shapes and learn to fill in the outline with a colored pencil. It is interesting to watch the progression of the lines the children draw within the shape. At first, they are erratic and don’t stay in the lines. As time progresses, the lines become more intricate and controlled.

Once the child has worked with the metal insets and the sandpaper numbers extensively, they are then ready to begin writing. Students learn they are able to make words and numerals with a pencil. Maria Montessori calls this the “explosion into writing.” When the children develop writing in this progressive way, they are spared from many tedious hours of forced effort.  Maria Montessori believed learning should be a natural process and all the materials within the Montessori classroom promote the natural process of learning, which in turn, instills a love of learning within the children.

Important Dates:

Monday, March 2nd: Dr. Seuss Day

Thursday, March 5th: Kindergarten Field Trip to Estes McDoniel Marine Lab

Monday, March 9th: Rainforest Animals Assembly

Saturday, March 14th: Middle School Charity Parking Lot Sale

Friday, March 20th: No school; Parent Teacher Conferences (sign-up sheet available on Monday, March 2nd)

Friday, March 27th: Clark County Wetlands Field Trip (P3 and P4)

Saturday, March 28th: PTO 5k Fun Run 8-11am