Last day of school

Today was the last day of school for the children at my Montessori School. It was a day of cleaning up and graduation ceremonies, culminating with a family picnic in the classroom because of the stormy weather outside.

Although I am leaving on my own accord, a choice in which I am confident about, it was still a sad day of goodbyes and farewells. I will miss the families and children at the Montessori School. One thing I really like about working with younger kids is the involvement of the families. In the older grades children take the bus and from school and you can go all year only meeting the parents once or twice. With young kids you see parents (or caregivers) daily. In the Montessori program children stay in the same classroom for three years so you truly form deep bonds with them. Families are also very committed to the program and generally send all of their kids through. As I leave this year I said goodbye to the children in my classroom, the parents, and also the younger siblings that I see each day and who will be attending the school next year. One graduating boy was very sad that I was leaving because he had told his incoming sister all about me and she was excited to have me as her teacher.

I know I will find something even better for next year, but I will miss the connections I have made. I promised everyone that I would be “out and about” this summer, hitting up all the playgrounds with my kids, so maybe we’ll see each other again. It is a small community we all live in.

(I still have a few in-service days of cleaning and preparing for next year, so I’m not entirely done, but it was the final day for the children.)

Shots

"I got my flea shot, Miss Tessa.  Did you get your flea shot?"

Flu shot, my dear boy, I think you mean flu shot.  :)

Fidgeting

I reread a great article today about why kids fidget in school.  Fidget, move, bounce, pace, fall out of their chairs, flick things, and do all the other little things that make a teacher say (with more or less patience depending on the time of day) "Please just SIT STILL!" 

According to Angela Hanscom, a pediatric occupational therapist, in her article "Why so many kids can't sit still in school today," published in The Washington Post on July 8th of 2014, the up-tick in ADHD diagnosis can be attributed to the decrease in free play time children have these days.  She says that children today, compared with children from the 1980s, have decreased core strength, decreased balance, and underdeveloped vestibular (balance) systems - all due to the restricted movement children face these days.  She writes:

"The problem: children are constantly in an upright position these days. It is rare to find children rolling down hills, climbing trees, and spinning in circles just for fun. Merry-go-rounds and teeter-totters are a thing of the past. Recess times have shortened due to increasing educational demands, and children rarely play outdoors due to parental fears, liability issues, and the hectic schedules of modern-day society."

This makes sense to me and I see it daily in my family and my classroom.  My own children are constantly flipping over, hanging upside down in their chairs, bouncing around, moving in odd fidgety ways, and just moving their bodies significantly more than adults do.   Sometimes it drives me crazy, but I try to be patient and remind myself that they NEED that movement.  They need to develop their balance and core strength.  Probably the adults could benefit from more of that as well!

In the classroom the kids often fall out of their chairs, run, skip, hop, and move in ways traditionally considered not appropriate in school.  At the Montessori school the children have extended recess time and go out in most any weather.  They are allowed to roll, climb (on the play structure), and run.  In the classroom we do expect them to move quietly and in control of their bodies, which some children can do and others definitely struggle with, but the Montessori philosophy incorporates movement naturally into many of the materials and children are rarely asked to sit for extended periods of time without movement. 

In a follow-up article published in The Washington Post on October 7th, 2014, Hanscom touches on the many ways teachers are trying to incorporate movement into the classroom, including yoga balls and movement breaks.  She says that while these small steps don't hurt, they really don't address the ultimate problem either.  Children need extended periods of time to move freely, as their minds and bodies dictate. 

The solution she seems to be getting at is more and longer recess time.  Many schools struggle with this solution because while it seems obvious, it is difficult to fit extended recess AND extended academic and test preparation into the same day.  There are only so many hours.  It can be argued that children can have higher quality learning in a shorter period of time (quality of quantity) if allowed more time for movement.  I haven't seen published data supporting that, but it's probably out there.


If you take a look at the map in her article you'll see there are significant differences in the rates of ADHD between states.  I wonder if schools that do have more recess time have lower rates of ADHD diagnosis.  I wonder if communities that promote healthier living (safe, quality playgrounds, bike baths, "walk to school" programs, etc.) have lower rates of ADHD diagnosis.  I wonder if communities could make the case for increased recess time, but also I wonder if more parents made free play a priority if we could together reduce the rates of ADHD diagnosis.  Instead of driving kids from one organized activity to another, instead of giving them iPads in the car and game systems in the house, instead of worrying about all the dangers of the world... if we just sent them out to play.  Or at least organized extended playground time with friends.   (All of my questions could probably be solved with some quality time on Google, but I don't have that time right now so for tonight they will remain questions.)

In the meantime, I think we can incorporate more movement and more understanding in the classroom.  Perhaps the kids can stretch our their legs or lay down during circle time.  Perhaps more walking around the room, or somersaulting, or skipping could be allowed.  I know it depends on the child, the teacher, the class, the room, and the school, but I also know that we can make steps in the right direction if we try.

I think we as parents, teachers, and caring community members need to work together to support our children's biological need to move, to develop their own bodies, to grow, and to thrive.

Ideas for Any Classroom

I've been in the Montessori classroom for over four months now and there are many aspects I really like. There are also many elements of the Montessori philosophy that can be applied in a general classroom, elements that I think would help a classroom run more smoothly and promote community and kindness in the classroom.

For example, in the Montessori classroom the teacher is quiet and should not be "the main event" or the central figure. In our classroom we speak in hushed voices and encourage the children to do so as well by teaching them about volume control and practicing silence.  When the teacher requires full group attention she will ring a small bell and, if appropriate, sing a short song, such as "It's time to put your work away and come to the rug."  When I first started here I was amazed at how quickly the quiet bell drew the children's attention.  The older children know to listen for it and the younger ones quickly learn. 

This could be implemented in other classrooms by using quiet voices, teachers and students, which requires people to move their bodies instead of just using their voices. Instead of a call across the classroom to a student, the teacher walks over and talks quietly to the child. Children are encouraged to do the same with their classmates and teachers.  A friend of mine, who teaches in a public school, recently said, "I wave my arms, dance around, raise my voice... what more can I do to get their attention?!"  I thought, hmm... maybe there is a better way.

The Montessori classroom is about building independence and self reliance in children.  Materials are placed at child-accessible heights, sinks and toilets are small, and children are encouraged to be as independent as possible.  This could be replicated in a public school setting by thinking through each request a student makes and deciding if that could be done more independently.  Do the students really need to ask to use the bathroom, get a tissue, or get a drink?  Do students know where to put their papers or find materials without assistance?  Of course it depends on the school and the children's age.  I think it is worthwhile to make the classroom as accessible as possible to promote confidence and independence in the students.

In the Montessori classroom the students have a lot of responsibility for themselves and others.  Each child has a job that they are responsible for completing each day.  We rotate the jobs every few weeks so the students get the opportunity to learn all of them.  Students also have more independence in group settings, such as show-and-tell where they chose who goes next, and lining up where one child may be asked to line the others up when they are ready.  The students offer their assistance to one another in the coat room when they are zipping coats and tying shoes.  These behaviors are encouraged and may could be replicated in any classroom setting, building both the child's independence and the overall sense of community.

Students in a Montessori classroom do much of their work on mats on the floor. This works well as they are each working on individual tasks.  The mats also help the children contain their work and define their work space.  Children are taught to keep their work on the mat and to be respectful of other people's mats.  In a public school classroom the children generally work at desks or tables, but perhaps in some situations working on mats would be helpful.  During free play time, keeping work (or toys) on the mats can help the child stay focused, and during work time some students may benefit from working on the floor instead of at a table or desk.  Having the mats available and the procedures defined promotes flexibility and independence.

At the core of the Montessori philosophy is that young children are rooted in the real, the "here and now" and learn best by doing practice, real-life activities.  Magic and fairies and stories are all fine for the older children, but for the young ones they need to be grounded in the real world.  Much of the materials or "work" in the Montessori classroom is focused on developing those real world skills.  Classrooms often have material focused on individual skills, such as buttoning, zipping, tying, snapping, polishing, folding, and washing.  These materials, while teaching individual skills, also build eye-hand coordination, encourage wrist and hand movements, and set the stage for successful writing movements later on.

While a public school classroom may not have the budget for all of the fine Montessori materials, much could be done with specific, targeted materials to help children develop the skills they need to be independent and confident, thereby setting them up for continued success in school.   

Ears

"Ms. Tessa, can you tuck in my ears?"   


Winter can be hard for bundled up four year olds! :)

Montessori workshop - day two

On the second day of the Montessori workshop we focused on mathematics in the morning and science and history in the afternoon.

I love the Montessori mathematics curriculum!  Montessori starts by teaching quantity. Using teen beads and bead stairs and more, the children get lots of practice with counting. Then they are introduced to the symbols with teen boards.  The child is shown various numbers and told their name.  At this point the child has heard the number names before during all their counting practice and now they are starting to see symbols, another way to represent the numbers they have been practicing.  As the final step the child is shown the number and the correct beads together, thereby linking the quantity with the symbol.  At each step the child is allowed ample time to practice and learn the work.

The children go on to learn about "squared" and "cubed" using bead chains, decimal places using number cards and tangible materials, and then to addition and subtraction with the same materials.  Using individual units, the ten beads, and the 100s and 1000s wooden blocks (I need to be better at remembering the names of these materials!) the children get a very clear understanding of numbers, counting, and mathematics.  One of the workshop participants was amazed to see the "five cube chain" and learn that five cubed is just 5 x 5 x 5.  She had always thought that "cubed" meant multiplying the number by six because a cube has six sides.  Being able to see the tangible materials made the concept clear to her.

In the afternoon we talked about science and history.  The science curriculum includes the study of flowers, land and water, continents, and more.  She showed us many activities and tools that could be used and how to adapt them to different learning stages.

The Montessori history curriculum, she told us, is the study of the Earth's history and the passage of time.  They don't focus on human history (politics, wars, etc.) at this level.  She talked about demonstrating for students what a second feels like by asking them to jump or clap or perform some other task for one second. They do several repetitions with different actions to get the feeling of a second.  Then they discuss "collecting 60 seconds" to make a minute, repeating the activities for one minute each.  Then collecting 60 minutes into an hour, at which point she sets a timer for an hour and tells them to go off and do their work.  When the timer rings they regroup and discuss what they were able to get done in an hour.  Again, activities focused on making the intangible tangible.

She also showed us two cool materials she uses to discuss time and location.  The first is a months mat that shows the months, with a tangible item related to each one, in a circle around the sun, to reinforce the cyclical pattern of the months and seasons.



The second is a nesting box to show place.  The largest box represents the universe and then they come apart to show the galaxy, solar system, planet, continent, country, state, town (not in hers but should be!), school, and you.  The inner most piece is to represent the child. She used a small toy, but you could also use a photo or a mirror or some other representation.



Each box is painted in the theme of what it represents, such as stars, planets, flag, state bird, etc.

I don't want to rush summer vacation, but I'm excited to get into the classroom and see all of this with real students in real situations.  It almost sounds too good to be true,  but the instructor insists the students will get it.  I'm eager to explore the materials we have in our classroom as well.

As with any good workshop I came away with my initial questions answered, but so many more on my mind.  There are many things I'm going to ask my lead teacher and many other things I'm going to research on my own. A big one, that I will have to talk to the teacher about because it is teacher specific, is just how to keep track of it all!?  With so many presentations to make, most of them part of a series that scaffolds on a previous one, and each child working at their own pace, it seems like a challenge to keep track of who has been presented what, who has mastered and who is still working, and what presentation does each child need next.  I see a complex spreadsheet being necessary, but my teacher says she keeps it in a pretty little journal.  I'm going to have to study that!

We ended the day with a discussion on listening games, silence games, and the importance of supporting your fellow teachers.  It sounds like Montessori will be a wonderful place to work.

Montessori time

I'm excited to say I took a position as an assistant teacher at a local Montessori school.  I love the pace and philosophy of the Montessori curriculum and I'm excited to learn more about it.  This week I am at a Montessori Advanced Assistants course.  

Today's agenda covered the Montessori philosophy, the adult's role in the classroom, and a demonstration of practical life, sensorial, and language materials.  It was interesting to see all the different materials and learn how to present them, the Montessori version of a lesson.

One of the primary parts of the Montessori philosophy is the idea of allowing children uninterrupted work time.  Children are allowed to chose their activity and then work on it until they are done, without an adult interrupting with additional instruction or conversation.  This uninterrupted work time helps children develop their focus and extended attention span, something I think many of us are lacking! (I say as I type this blog, watch TV, and browse for a new audio book all at the same time!)  I think people these days have so much going on in their worlds that it's no surprise the rate of ADHD is on the rise, among kids and adults alike.  Montessori says to be respectful of a child's work time, a meditative time for the child.  

Another thing we discussed is the idea of modeling a complete lesson, from initial naming of the materials on the shelf ("this is the binomial cube") to proper transport, usage, cleanup, and replacement.  One participant said she can recognize Montessori graduates by their automatic completion of tasks, including returning materials to the appropriate places, something I've noticed most kids need frequent reminders about.  It is also important for the adult in any classroom environment to make it easy for a child to complete their task by having an organized and well prepared environment.

As part of the sensorial demonstration she showed us several triangle boxes consisting of flag triangular pieces that you use to create squares, rectangles, and more.  As I watched her modeling the presentation I started thinking about my time in 5th grade last fall and how so many of the students had trouble seeing the shapes within other shapes.  When calculating area and perimeter the teacher was asking them to break apart irregulars shapes and form them back into an easier shape to calculate. For example, you can "cut" a triangle off the end of a parallelagram and "move" it to the other side to create a rectangle. So many of the 5th grades struggled with seeing that, but children working with the Montessori materials in the primary years will have early exposure and will be able to understand the math concepts better when the time comes.

As I persue this Montessori path I'm going to have to work on my own attention span.  The instructor today emphasized the need for slow, distinct, and deliberate presentations.  She said to minimize discussion during presentations because if you are talking and do-ing at the same time, children, especially the very young ones, will tend to look at your face and not pay attention to your actions.  I had never thought of that, but it's so true.  Children do tend to look at your face while you talk, a habit that people seem to outgrow unfortunately.  I have the habit of narrating everything I do, which I believe is why my kids have very string vocabularies, however I'm going to have to work on quieting myself, focusing my efforts on clear, non-verbal modeling, and allowing the silence. 

Tomorrow we learn about math, science, and cultural studies.

Random fact: did you know that Matt Stone and Trey Parker, creators of South Park, are Montessori grads?