Rewards...

"Trying extrinsic rewards to learning- such as giving high grades for doing well on a test or rewarding children for getting good grades- tends to backfire.  Students tend to lose their motivation to engage in that activity once the reward is no longer offered.  Montessori cultivates children's self-motivation; our assessment approaches are holistic, and students don't compete against each other for grades".

Well said!

"Children learn better when they are interested in what is being taught.  Montessori teachers follow their students' interests and nurture their curiosity and imagination, while ensuring that essential skills are learned".

Thought of the Day again...

"Children tend to learn more and become more emotionally mature and well-balanced when they have a sense of freedom, choice, and control over their daily lives.  Considerable freedom of movement and choice of activity are basic aspects of Montessori class is peaceful and based on partnership and respect".

Montessori Moment

"Children learn best when they are allowed to move, manipulate, and do things, rather than simply watch and listen to lessons".

Montessori Madness!

As many of you know, the school I was a lead Montessori teacher at recently closed it's doors.  I was hoping to work "summer camp" but have been blessed with the opportunity to stay home with Giuseppe and Giuliana for one more summer.  We have been keeping really busy!  Many parents of my former students have reached out to me and invited us over for play dates.  Yesterday some of my now mommy friends asked me what I thought about sending their children to a public school next year since the Montessori school closed.  I referred them to this video to think about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcgN0lEh5IA

Women are Amazing!!

 
Maria Montessori was the first woman in Italy to become a physician.
After completing medical school in 1896, Dr. Montessori was assigned the task of caring for the inmates of the insane asylum in Rome. Housed in this asylum were children who were considered unteachable, unreachable. While caring for their physical needs, Montessori realized that these children needed more than just basic care; they needed an environment and a teaching style that would meet these needs. After five years of working with Dr. Montessori, the children in the insane asylum in Rome were formally tested. The test scores were the same as or higher than the scores of the school children in Rome

What is Montessori education?

Montessori education concentrates on the specific needs of the child. Children are taught on a one-to-one basis in a prepared environment. Montessori believed that ‘there cannot be only one way to learn, any more than there can be only one way to teach.’ The Montessori method has successfully been in existence for over a century.

View on Montessori Education from Mr. Google

Today I Reflect on My Teacher Training...

I love this quote by Dr. Maria Montessori, "The training of the teacher who is to help life is something far more than the learning of ideas.  It includes the training of character; it is a preparation of the spirit"

Weekend Thoughts...

Dr Montessori says, “ the training of the senses is … of the utmost importance” because “the higher development of the senses actually precedes that of the higher intellectual faculties.”

Remember the Ideals of Maria Montessori....

Dr. Maria Montessori wrote many things about observation and "following the
child." The child's natural home environment, especially for a
infant/toddler is where she believed the child should be. You are trying to
recreate a classroom where the classroom environment is designed to recreate
the home. Take a step back, relax and think about what you child is doing
and needs to do.

Quote of the Day...

"It is the child and no one else that, guided by the inner directives that nature gave him, by himself steers the boat of his life, turning it towards a destination that expresses the maximum possible achievement".  By Dr. Maria Montessori

How to Unroll a Rug

Hello! Today I was working with a three-year-old in the classroom. Did you know that a perfect first lesson is "How to Unroll a Rug?" Check it out here....enjoy!http://www.youtube.com/user/AtHomeMontessori#p/a/u/2/oF9PWvY9uJU

What Dr.Montessori said about Her Method...

“From such a system there comes forth a school where the children work for themselves - that is, they are free. In this freedom they work much more than heretofore has been customary in school...
and they attain culture more rapidly and more efficaciously... This educational problem, which today science propounds, is solved, though it was considered among the insoluble questions such as the fourth dimension, perpetual motion, and the squaring of the circle. The problem is to lessen effort and at the same time increase output.”

Words of Peace....from Gandhi to Montessori...

Did you know that Maria Montessori was loved by Gandhi?  Yep!  In fact, I read today that he once said this to her at a conference in London (1931).  I slowly read these words today before starting my day. I share peace with my students.  "You have very truly remarked that if we are to reach real peace in this world, and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with children and if they will grow up in their natural innocence, we won't have to struggle, we won't have to pass fruitless idle resolutions, but we shall go from love to love and peace to peace, until at last all the corners of the world are covered with that peace and love for which, consciously or unconsciously, the whole world is hungering."  I am blessed to have found such lovely words today...

What Maria Montessori said about, "At Home Montesori"

When I think of what it means to conduct "At Home Montessori", I think of this quote by Maria Montessori, "The human personality, or the care of it, is broken up.  On the one side is the home...on the other side is the school...There is no unity of conception."  Taken from "The Absorbent Mind."

Inspiring YouTube Video...

Okay...I HAD to post this.  I am so inspired by this girl and her video.  I do not know her name, but I do know that she is a SAHM who is not Montessori trained (like me) yet she had the motivation to read a few books by Maria Montessori and implement what she learned into her home.  She is very gracious to allow the audience into her home and show other families that they too can do "At Home Montessori!"  THANK!

1-11-11

When I used to be a SAHM (stay-at-home mom) I had days where I got stuck on what to teach my two young children.  I needed some kind of beginning or inspiration to get me going.  Trust me, I drink plenty of coffee, but when there was no adult interaction I needed a bit of an "a-ha" moment.  Well, that happened today in class with my 21 beautiful friends (students).  We were doing our daily job board and when the calendar date was shown I was so excited (when I realized it) that today's date reads 1-11-11.  I always abbreviate the date on the board so that the older friends can write the date next to their name on their art work.  Today's discovery gave me so much energy- we missed 15 minutes of playground time!  Don't worry, we did make up for it later...the beauty of Montessori.  My friends were amazed that this date will never happen again in their lifetime.  Remember to look at the little clues in life....I know big and valuable lessons naturally appear as a result.

Maria Once Said...

 ‎"The secret of good teaching is to regard the child's intelligence as a fertile field in which seeds may be sown, to grow under the heat of flaming imagination."

Cutting Lesson...

Fold a 3 or 4 inch square of duet paper in half diagonally.  Make 2 or 3 diagonal (slanted) cuts on the fold.  Then, open the paper and fold the triangular shape formed by each cut back and press.  Glue to a background.  I like to wait until the child glues down the square and then have him or her fold the points back.  Remember to just glue around the edges.

Early Morning Mosaic Art...

Today as my two beautiful children woke up early on a Saturday, I quickly put this lesson together for them.  Here, the child can cut 1/2" wide strips of various colors in to "snips" and glue the snips into either a free form shape that the child draws or use a shape traced from stencils (cookie cutter) creating a mosaic.  See the attached picture for how I set it up in our home. Enjoy!

What is Montessori?

I sometimes get asked the question.  I believe that, Montessori offers children a Prepared Environment, completely set up for them by the adult.  The children learn to respect the classroom environment, their peers, the materials that they get to work with and the world.  Children work with the materials in the classroom--they are exposed to beautiful items, breakable things, cooking opportunities, methods of grace and courtesy, learning how to take care of the environment (from putting their chosen work away, to cleaning up after spills, to recycling), and academics!

An art thought...

When my students are done with an art project I always ask them, “Can you tell me about this art you created?”  They then go on to tell me a story about it.  If it is a water color or painting, I take a pencil and write exactly what they said on the drawing with quotations around it.  For example, they may say “This is a city in the sky”.  I smile because some of their words are incredible.  Like, “This is my mom…do you see…she is an angel”.  The Montessori directress never corrects or adds to a student’s art work.

January

The month of January always makes me think of winter.  Today I wondered the classroom in peace while my 20-something students buzzed about doing "their work". I got inspired to take pictures of our classroom.  We are studying everything cold, winter and Antarctica.

Thought of the Day...

This is such an inspiring quote by Maria Montessori, “Whoever touches the life of the child, touches the most sensitive point of a whole which has roots in the most distant past and climbs towards the infinite future.”
When I write my emails to parents, I often thank them for the "opportunity to serve their children".  I consider it such a gift to be with each of them daily.  Luckily for me, I get to take two of them home with me each night!  What a blessing!

Happy New Year!

As the holiday break quickly comes to an end I am reminded of the many blessing I have.  It's a new year!  With a new year I am anticipating exciting conversations tomorrow when I see my students (friends) as they return to class.  I remember how last year they all looked bigger! 

Tonight I sit with a cup of coffee and reflect on lesson plans.  We will be discussing 2011, January and the theme of winter.  I shared this video with my own two kids in preparation of that conversation.  Peace.