I) Good Afternoon. Today I’m going to inform you about educational evolution. It is common knowledge that our public school system evolves much slower than private or charter schools. There are so many choices for parents these days. And, the competition outside of public schools is increasing dramatically. Today, I want to introduce you to one particular avenue of education, The Montessori Method. At the end of my speech, I want you to have a little more knowledge about where The Montessori Method came from as well as being able to recognize a Montessori classroom (TH). A) I will start with the history of The Montessori Method, then I will talk about how it evolved in the early 1900’s, and lastly I will dive into some specifics of an actual Montessori classroom in terms of design as well as functuality (MPs).
II) Main Point 1 – The Montessori Method was created by a woman by the name of Maria Montessori. She was born in Italy in 1870. According to The North American Montessori Center website, which I accessed in March of, 2013, Maria Montessori was “ahead of her time.”
A) Her father, Alessandro, was more traditional and wasn’t too comfortable with his daughter becoming a doctor. However, her mother, Renilde [REN-IL-DUH], was the person who pushed her toward her dreams. Renilde [REN-IL-DUH] knew how much Maria loved learning and the fact that she was a natural teacher. Renilde [REN-IL-DUH] helped Maria throughout her entire college career and helped to create the Montessori Method.
B) Maria Montessori was the first woman to study medicine in Rome. She entered the University of Rome in 1892 and graduated with honors in 1896. Maria Montessori’s first year in medicine was spent as a surgical assistant. She also worked in a women’s and children’s hospital (according to Montessori. edu, accessed in February of 2012. Maria’s career path quickly changed as she was offered a job to work in one of Rome’s asylums. She was directly responsible for treating special needs children. During this time, she used her pediatric and psychiatric training to help her build a learning program for the children she was in charge of. She started by using observation. She watched every child and each habit before she dove in head first. She realized that the children not only learned at their own pace, but were interested in different things at different times. She slowly introduced equipment and toys into what would become a classroom, based solely on each individual child’s interests.
III) Main Point 2 – Now that we have pulled back the first layer of Maria Montessori’s education and career beginning, I would now like to introduce you to her next major career move.
A) In 1906, at the age of 36, Maria Montessori opened a school called Cases Dei Babini, (according to casamontessori. om accessed in March of 2012. ) Her method encouraged children to learn at their own pace. The children were not forced to do projects if they did no show enthusiasm for the subject. However, when a child did show enthusiasm and interest for a subject, Maria Montessori made sure her classroom was well equipped with everything that child needed to stimulate their senses.
IV) Main Point 3 – Prior to researching this subject, I had the opportunity to observe and participate in two different Montessori classrooms. Although unique in their own way, they both stayed true to The Montessori Method and classroom set up.
A) The classroom set up must be structured in a certain fashion in order for the methods developed by Maria Montessori, to actually work for the child. I will now give you some very specific ways in which the classroom must be set up to be successful. When visiting both Cameron Park Montessori Pre-School and Julie’s Buttercup Montessori Pre-School, I noticed many parallels in the classrooms. The first thing I observed was the low shelving. The shelves are low in order for children of any age and height to access jobs by themselves. Simply speaking, this gives the child the independence of gathering material without having to ask for help. Independent thinking is key within the Montessori Method. Just as a little side note, any project in a Montessori classroom is actually called a “job” and this terminology is used by the instructors, parents and children. Each “job” is set up in an orderly fashion and each includes a beginning and an end. The child chooses a job at his or her own will, picks up the job and brings it to any unassigned group table, a single desk or even on the ground. To protect the child’s space as well as learning speed, most jobs are individual.
In a Montessori classroom, the child is the center of the room, not the teacher. In the public school system most of us are use to, the teacher is the center of the classroom.
B) Maria Montessori created her own curriculum based on her close experiences with the children. Montessori. edu also informed me of the specific subjects taught in the classroom. These subjects are: practical life, sensory, language, math and culture. A few examples of these things would be: Practical including, but not limited to sweeping, pouring, sorting, sewing, and washing. Sensorial learning may include things like using rough sandpaper to trace numbers and letters. And, math may include putting together a trinomial cube in preschool, and later perhaps in fifth grade, actually using this job to learn the algebraic equation of a trinomial cube. There are so many details of the Montessori Curriculum, it would be impossible to list them all here right now. However, I hope I was able to gift you with some new information today. Also, I must say that choosing an educational program for your child is one that takes a lot of research. Hopefully you will find one that fits your child’s needs and one that you are comfortable with.
V) Lastly, I hope I was able to inform you about The Montessori Method, the history of Maria Montessori and what you may find in a typical Montessori classroom (RTH). Children are a blessing and they deserve an education that fits their individualized needs. Whether you choose a Montessorian school, a Waldorf school, or even a public school, it is important to be informed about each curriculum before making a decision. Each child is special and has their own destiny aside from what the parent wants them to be. The best gift would be to give your child an education in which fits them best. THANK YOU!
