Sometimes, progress at school can seem slow, or even non-existent. Maybe your child doesn't articulate what she does at school all day. Or you wonder how he can spend all month just learning about apples. While those academic skills are important, students in a Montessori classroom also practice many social and emotional skills. They practice socialization through getting to choose with whom to socialize and how. They have ample opportunity to navigate conflicts with their peers, with direction from teachers as necessary. They practice decision-making through choosing their own work. They practice time-management through taking the time they need to finish a project. They practice the skill of practice through repeating work as they want and need throughout the whole school year. They practice communication through the expectation that they express their wants and needs to teachers and peers. (We want them to talk!) They practice personal responsibility through the expectation that they will clean up after themselves. They practice community responsibility through classroom jobs, in which everyone contributes to keeping the classroom clean and prepared. In a Montessori classroom, we strive to know every child as a unique person, so that their individualized curriculum can be designed toward their needs. It takes time, but the more we know a student, the more meaningful lessons become, and we find that learning comes more easily. This is also why the three-year learning cycle is popular (and important) in a Montessori classroom. When a student stays with us for more than one year, the teachers already know them and they already know the teachers and our expectations. We can "hit the ground running!" The second, and third, year also gives a student even more opportunity to practice being a role model, who can guide the younger children, through modeling appropriate behaviors, and even giving lessons! As you might imagine, this is such a confidence boost!
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Ms. Teresa is just one of the three fantastic teachers in St. Mary's Montessori Children's House! |