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Educating the Whole Child in the Montessori Environment

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Since it has been seen to be necessary to give so much to the child, let us give him a vision of the whole universe. The universe is an imposing reality, and an answer to all questions. —Maria Montessori To Educate the Human Potential, p. 5. Montessori education is not segregated by topic, curricular area, or grade level. Because we teach the whole child, the method we employ must be that of a generalist rather than a specialist. We must become proficient in all subjects not just isolated disciplines. The mind of the child is not compartmentalized, so we should not teach as if it is. Montessori Is About Teaching the Whole Child My initial training was as a French and English teacher. When I accepted my first position in an upper elementary Montessori classroom, I was told that I would be responsible for teaching math and science as well as language and social studies. I will admit, I was nervous. I had not studied math since high school, and I certainly was not a “math” teacher. Howev...
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Music Education in the Montessori Early Childhood Environment

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Dr. Montessori determined that young children experience a sensitive period for music development between the ages of 2 and 6 years old. There are many benefits to developing a child’s musical ability. In addition to fostering a love of music and the arts, developing musical abilities builds skills related to math and language. It has been shown that music development helps children build pattern recognition and spatial reasoning, both of which are important math skills. Current research also shows that music skills share neural pathways with language development. Building music skills helps develop auditory abilities and phonological awareness, which are necessary for reading development. As well, children who are actively involved with music from an early age are more likely to speak clearly and develop a strong vocabulary. Speech functions are also improved though music. For instance, singing has been known to aid children who have speech impediments such as stuttering. Music Educat...
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Montessori Five Great Lessons: A Catalyst for Learning

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Meant to inspire and ignite the child’s imagination, the Five Great Lessons are a catalyst for the Montessori elementary curriculum . Told too quickly, the lessons become meaningless, causing the children’s imaginations to jump from one concept to another. When we imagine, we are using abstract thought to think of things that cannot be seen. The follow-up lessons that come from each of the Five Great Lessons are used to materialize these abstractions. In other words, the children prove the existence of the wonders of the universe through concrete exploration. Exploring the Universe Concretely in the Elementary Classroom In the beginning… Isn’t that a great way to start a story? I get chills every time I start a story that way. And when you pause for dramatic effect, with the children gathered all around you, making eye contact with each child before you continue, you are making a personal connection and building the anticipation of what is to come. I like to present the First Great Les...
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What’s the Rush? When Presenting the Five Great Lessons, Slow Down

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The Five Great Lessons are thought to be the catalyst of the Montessori elementary cultural curriculum. From the origins of the universe to the story of human communication, the Five Great Lessons provide the keys to learning about science, history, geography, and economics in the Montessori elementary environment. If these lessons are so important, why then, do we often rush to get through them? A Case of Semantics Perhaps a name means more than we think. In modern educational terms, a lesson is finite. It has a beginning and end, with the purpose of instructing. In short, a lesson is the amount of learning done at one time. If this is our definition of a lesson, then it is logical to think that the Five Great Lessons should be told quickly so that we can move on to more important activities. Some Montessorians call all presentations “lessons.” NAMC intentionally uses the term “activities” instead, to indicate that children are actively participating in their learning rather than pass...
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Talking to Infants the Montessori Way

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“Oh, I know you!” Those were the very first words I said to my newborn son, just moments after giving birth to him almost 22 years ago. I held him in my arms, looked him in the eye, and realized that I really did already know this beautiful tiny baby. Throughout our two days in the hospital, I found myself talking to him: asking if he was hungry, singing a nonsense made-up on the spot song when I changed his diaper, telling him how his little clothes were presents from his grandpa and grandma, and reassuring him that I was there with him when he was crying. Talking to him just came naturally. He had heard the sound of my voice for nine months, so I knew that he knew me, too. When and How to Talk to Babies Some people wonder when and how to talk to babies. The answer is simply to talk to babies as you would talk to anyone else. Even if the conversation is one sided, your baby is listening and absorbing your words, your actions, and your tone of voice. There are everyday tasks such as fe...
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Montessori Away From Home: Family Theme Park Vacation

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Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children. —Walter Elias Disney Going on a family vacation is an exciting prospect, especially when the destination promises to be the “happiest place on earth.” When planning a visit to a theme park like Disneyland, remember to think of the trip from your child’s perspective. It is a thrilling, high-energy, and stimulating experience — and a very different environment than your Montessori child is accustomed to at home or school. Consider how you can make your theme-park adventure fun for everyone in a Montessori way. Here are some tips to get you started, using Disneyland as an example. Montessori Away From Home: Family Theme Park Vacation — Following the Montessori Child at Disneyland Adjust your pace. You may have a detailed and down-to-the-minute plan on how to ride every ride in the park, but your child might decide that the carousel is the only ride he wants to try. Stop and look at the experience through your child’s eyes. The th...
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Parenting With a Disability

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NAMC is happy to welcome a guest writer for this edition of our blog. Ashley Taylor is a freelance writer, photographer, and advocate for people with disabilities. She created DisabledParents.org to provide information and resources to other parents with disabilities. When she isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. Congratulations! You are having a baby. It’s exciting and wonderful — and a little bit scary, too. Don’t worry, because every new parent feels that way. The fact is, at least 4 million Americans with disabilities are raising children (Through the Looking Glass). Whether your disability is visible or invisible, it is going to impact your parenting, and you are going to have questions and concerns — but put your fears to rest, because you will be an excellent parent no matter your circumstances. What to Expect When You Are Disabled and Expecting People are going to ask rude and intrusive questions. This actually isn’t limited to disabled pa...
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