This past week has been a busy week, and since my last post, I've learned and observed more than I have room or time to convey. I look back on my notes, which are filled with priceless quotes that still make me smile; the progress and activities of various children; answers to questions I have asked the teachers at Montessori; and things I have learned just through conversation. Beaucoup, beaucoup d'information!
I begin with a quote from a child at the Montessori school, who had just finished painting his masterpiece. I asked him if he could tell me about what was in his picture, at which he replied, "They live near the savannah rainforest in Africa." I don't know if anyone else understands or appreciates the humor in this statement like I do, but if you did get a kick out of it, do me a favor and let me know.
ANYWAYS, this week I had the opportunity to meet and talk with the Montessori school's curriculum coordinator, who kindly and patiently took the time to answer all my questions and provide me with lots of interesting information; for example, how the attendance of children and the participation of parents have changed since the seventies and have been a factor influencing curriculum design. I also learned how testing works at the school, which is a charter school in this case. All students are required to take the standardized tests required by the state, in addition to the Albanese (pronounced Alban-eezy)test, which serves as a benchmark test for math and writing, taken at the beginning and end of the year. The general thinking behind test-taking is that while it is practical skill that needs to be learned considering the modern emphasis on testing, tests cannot always accurately demonstrate how much a child knows or understands a certain topic or subject. In some research studies I have been reading, an interesting point is made: sometimes Montessori students score lower on mathematics on standardized test than students in traditional schools, because the Montessori method focuses more on helping students to gain a "concrete and sensorial aspect to math at a critical period in the learner's life" (Manner 18).
I also had the chance to observe the lower elementary grades at the school. The classrooms are multi-aged at the elementary level as they are at the primary level, so first through third graders work together in the same class. They do different level work, of course, but they learn and work together. As soon as I walked in the class, all heads turned and the children looked at me with eyes full of curiosity. One third grade girl, whose brother I have actually been observing at the primary level, enthusiastically took it upon herself to answer any questions I had related to the classroom or student's work, as well as show me and explain her work as she did it. I had asked to observe an elementary class because I was curious as to how Montessori played out in the higher grades, and what I saw was how the children are responsible for tracking all their work . Each child has a binder in which they keep some of their work as well as work logs and assignments. The students are responsible for managing their own time throughout the week; they have all week to finish a given list of works, but it is up to them to decide when to do it during independent work time.
The room was structured in a similar fashion to the primary classroom, with more materials dedicated to mathematics, reading and language. To be honest though, there was such diversity of materials, ranging from zoology, botany, to geography and practical life, that I wanted to do join them during work time! I sat next to the girl who had adopted me (in a sense) as she did her work on a mat on the floor; she had to identify the parts of a leaf using pictures, name labels, and cards with a short paragraph describing the part of the leaf. She laid out the cards neatly and gently, in some instances making the best educated guess she could having never completed this work before. How happy she was when she looked at the answer key afterwards to see that she had labeled all the parts correctly!
At one point I asked her if she liked the fact that the classrooms were mixed age and whether or not she ever helped the younger students. "Yeah, we are supposed to be like role models and stuff," she said clearly and matter-of-factly; it was obvious in the way she said this that she had embraced the role of "role-model."
Another, younger girl I spoke with had something to say about tests--something which took me aback. She was telling me about how second graders didn't have to take a certain test like the first and third graders had to take, and she was actually disappointed, being a second grader, that she wouldn't get to take said test. "I love tests!...it's a Montessori thing."
During independent work time, which lasts around two hours or so, the room was filled with a productive hum with the only noise being a movement of a page, writing, or whispering. All the students were very focused as they worked busily away. I am in love with the idea that students have the freedom and are encourage to study what interests them. They have certain works and requirements of study that they have to complete and meet, of course, but they have the time and opportunity to spend time studying those things that genuinely fascinate them. How many times did I have to push aside my own interests because I was forced to prioritize a test? This is one of the many reasons I am so ready for college...
Now for a bit of humor:
What is one of the fastest ways to get a universal, emphatic "Ew!" from a classroom of elementary students?
Answer: the definition of the word "smitten." :P
Manner, Jane Carol. "Montessori vs. Traditional Education in the Public Sector: Seeking Appropriate Comparisons of Academic Achievement." The Forum on Public Policy (2006): 18. East Carolina University. Web. 1 April, 2015.
I begin with a quote from a child at the Montessori school, who had just finished painting his masterpiece. I asked him if he could tell me about what was in his picture, at which he replied, "They live near the savannah rainforest in Africa." I don't know if anyone else understands or appreciates the humor in this statement like I do, but if you did get a kick out of it, do me a favor and let me know.
ANYWAYS, this week I had the opportunity to meet and talk with the Montessori school's curriculum coordinator, who kindly and patiently took the time to answer all my questions and provide me with lots of interesting information; for example, how the attendance of children and the participation of parents have changed since the seventies and have been a factor influencing curriculum design. I also learned how testing works at the school, which is a charter school in this case. All students are required to take the standardized tests required by the state, in addition to the Albanese (pronounced Alban-eezy)test, which serves as a benchmark test for math and writing, taken at the beginning and end of the year. The general thinking behind test-taking is that while it is practical skill that needs to be learned considering the modern emphasis on testing, tests cannot always accurately demonstrate how much a child knows or understands a certain topic or subject. In some research studies I have been reading, an interesting point is made: sometimes Montessori students score lower on mathematics on standardized test than students in traditional schools, because the Montessori method focuses more on helping students to gain a "concrete and sensorial aspect to math at a critical period in the learner's life" (Manner 18).
I also had the chance to observe the lower elementary grades at the school. The classrooms are multi-aged at the elementary level as they are at the primary level, so first through third graders work together in the same class. They do different level work, of course, but they learn and work together. As soon as I walked in the class, all heads turned and the children looked at me with eyes full of curiosity. One third grade girl, whose brother I have actually been observing at the primary level, enthusiastically took it upon herself to answer any questions I had related to the classroom or student's work, as well as show me and explain her work as she did it. I had asked to observe an elementary class because I was curious as to how Montessori played out in the higher grades, and what I saw was how the children are responsible for tracking all their work . Each child has a binder in which they keep some of their work as well as work logs and assignments. The students are responsible for managing their own time throughout the week; they have all week to finish a given list of works, but it is up to them to decide when to do it during independent work time.
The room was structured in a similar fashion to the primary classroom, with more materials dedicated to mathematics, reading and language. To be honest though, there was such diversity of materials, ranging from zoology, botany, to geography and practical life, that I wanted to do join them during work time! I sat next to the girl who had adopted me (in a sense) as she did her work on a mat on the floor; she had to identify the parts of a leaf using pictures, name labels, and cards with a short paragraph describing the part of the leaf. She laid out the cards neatly and gently, in some instances making the best educated guess she could having never completed this work before. How happy she was when she looked at the answer key afterwards to see that she had labeled all the parts correctly!
At one point I asked her if she liked the fact that the classrooms were mixed age and whether or not she ever helped the younger students. "Yeah, we are supposed to be like role models and stuff," she said clearly and matter-of-factly; it was obvious in the way she said this that she had embraced the role of "role-model."
Another, younger girl I spoke with had something to say about tests--something which took me aback. She was telling me about how second graders didn't have to take a certain test like the first and third graders had to take, and she was actually disappointed, being a second grader, that she wouldn't get to take said test. "I love tests!...it's a Montessori thing."
During independent work time, which lasts around two hours or so, the room was filled with a productive hum with the only noise being a movement of a page, writing, or whispering. All the students were very focused as they worked busily away. I am in love with the idea that students have the freedom and are encourage to study what interests them. They have certain works and requirements of study that they have to complete and meet, of course, but they have the time and opportunity to spend time studying those things that genuinely fascinate them. How many times did I have to push aside my own interests because I was forced to prioritize a test? This is one of the many reasons I am so ready for college...
Now for a bit of humor:
What is one of the fastest ways to get a universal, emphatic "Ew!" from a classroom of elementary students?
Answer: the definition of the word "smitten." :P
Manner, Jane Carol. "Montessori vs. Traditional Education in the Public Sector: Seeking Appropriate Comparisons of Academic Achievement." The Forum on Public Policy (2006): 18. East Carolina University. Web. 1 April, 2015.
