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MONTESSORI MATERIALS &
LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
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THE
ENVIRONMENT
The Montessori learning environment is much different than the traditional model. Instead of information passing from the teacher to the student, the teacher is skilled in putting the child in touch with the environment, and helping him learn to make intelligent choices and to carry out research in a prepared environment. The teacher then protects the student's concentration from interruption. This fosters a love of lifetime learning in the student. Keep in mind a triangle: the student, the parent or teacher, and the environment. It is the role of the adult to prepare, and continue to prepare, the environment, to link the child to it through well-thought-out introductions to books and materials, projects, and lessons, which nurture the child's exploration and creativity. Children thus taught often surpass both the level of education of their peers, and the knowledge of the adult in all areas -- then they learn to find answers for themselves. The Montessori school environment is arranged according
to subject area -- cooking, cleaning, gardening, art, caring for animals,
library corner, etc. -- children always free to move around the
room instead of staying at desks. There is no limit to how long a child
can work on something she has chosen. At any one time in a day all subjects
-- practical work, math, language, science, history, geography, art,
music, etc. -- will be being studied, at all levels, by children of
mixed ages learning from each other, facilitated by careful observation,
individual lessons, record keeping, and help of the teacher.
Kaybee Montessori,
LL Maitri Learning APPLY TO BECOME A "MONTESSORI MATERIALS" MEMBER OF WWW.MONTESSORI.EDU: Educational materials suppliers of interest to Montessori teachers or parents who are interested in using Montessori philosophy at home are welcome to apply for www.montessori.edu membership. Acceptable companies should be overseen or approved by a certified Montessori teacher or trainer or have a good reason for applying for membership. For an application for membership click here: APPLICATION. EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS AND MATERIALS - BIRTH TO AGE 12+ A sparse environment of carefully chosen materials calls the child to work, concentration, and joy. A crowded or chaotic environment can cause stress and can dissipate a child's energy. As Montessori education becomes more popular more materials
are produced which are labeled "Montessori" and one must be more and
more careful in selection. Too many materials, or inappropriate materials
can be worse than too few.
At all ages, since the adult's special interests usually lie in one or two areas of study, we must be sure to introduce him to materials and lessons in all areas, all kinds of experiences, and not limit him to our own interests. In the words of the famous music educator Dr. Shinichi Suzuki, "What does not exist in the cultural environment will not develop in the child." MONTESSORI AT HOME & HOMESCHOOLING Many families are using Montessori principles at homes to provide to provide supportive environments for infants, to supplement the schooling of their children, to make their school studies more vibrant, to teach independence, or sometimes even to completely homeschool their children. Often these parents mistakenly think that they need expensive materials which have been produced for many years for Montessori schools. These materials are made to withstand the constant use of many children over many years and their cost reflects this durability. It is quite possible to provide a Montessori environment without these materials. Montessori Homeschooling
- Web Site: http://www.montessori.edu/homeschooling.html
Of course these are valuable tools for education, but we must keep them in balance with other experiences. In support of this balance, here is a quote from the July 1997 issue of The Atlantic Monthly: "Sesame Street" . . . has been around for twenty years. Indeed, its idea of making learning relevant to all was as widely promoted in the seventies as the Internet is today. So where's that demographic wave of creative and brilliant students now entering college? Did kids really need to learn how to watch television? Did we inflate their expectations that learning would always be colorful and fun? . . . . and finally I see a parallel between the goals of "Sesame Street" and those of children's computing. Both are pervasive, expensive and encourage children to sit still. Both display animated cartoons, gaudy numbers and weird, random noises . . . both give the sensation that by merely watching a screen, you can acquire information without work and without discipline. Television . . .Is an anti-experience and an anti-knowledge machine because it separates individuals from themselves and from the environment and makes them believe they are living while they are only observing passively what other people decide to make them see. - Dr. Silvana Montanaro, MD, Psychiatrist, Montessori Teacher-Trainer The primary danger of the television screen lies not so much in the behavior it produces as the behavior it prevents... Turning on the television set can turn off the process that transforms children into adults. - Urie Bronfenbrenner, Professor of Human Development, Cornell University
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