Montessori Education

Maria Montessori's research summarizes four distinct planes of development that each individual progresses through to reach adulthood: birth-6, 6-12, 12-18, and 18-24. In each of the planes, she believed that children and youth gravitate toward different skills and activities and make extraordinary progress if opportunities align with these preferred skills and activities.

• The First Plane of Development: Birth to Age 6 - Montessori Philosophy
• The Second Plane of Development: Ages 6-12
• The Third Plane of Development: Ages 12-18 - Montessori Philosophy
• The Fourth Plane of Development: Ages 18-24 - Montessori Philosophy

How to support your child in owning how well they are learning at home

• Montessori Educators
• 5 Ways Montessori Teachers Are Different

• Mixed Ages in the Montessori Environment

• The Montessori Uninterrupted Work Period
• Applying the Montessori Principle of Child Directed Work (at home)

• 10 Common Montessori Learning Materials and How They Help Your Child

"Montessori Secondary programs respond to the adolescent’s need to exhibit creativity, to problem solve, to take responsibility, and to claim independence. Ultimately, the programs support each student in finding a place in the community and in becoming a respectful, responsible, and ethical contributor to society." (American Montessori Society). Learn more at the links below.

Montessori Secondary Programs

The Seven Pillars of a Montessori Secondary Program

The Importance of Concrete Materials

• Sensorial Learning: Young children learn best through their senses. Montessori materials are designed to be manipulated, touched, smelled, seen, and even heard, providing rich sensory experiences that build a strong foundation for understanding abstract concepts.
• Physicalizing Concepts: Abstract ideas like quantity, size, shape, and even mathematical operations are made tangible through concrete materials. For example, the Number Rods help children understand the concept of numerical value by associating each number with a physical length.
• Active Learning: Children are actively engaged in the learning process, manipulating materials and discovering concepts independently. This hands-on approach fosters deeper understanding and retention compared to passive learning methods.

Why start concrete?

As children work with concrete materials, they gradually internalize the underlying concepts. This allows them to move towards more abstract representations:

• From Objects to Symbols: Children might start with Golden Beads to understand place value in mathematics. Later, they might use symbolic representations like numerals on paper.
• From Physical Manipulation to Mental Operations: Initially, children might physically combine bead bars to understand addition. Eventually, they can perform addition mentally, visualizing the process in their minds.
• Building a Solid Foundation: The concrete experiences provide a solid base upon which children can build more complex abstract understanding in various subjects like math, language, and science.

Examples of Concrete to Abstract Progression in Montessori

• Mathematics:
  • Concrete: Golden Beads (representing units, tens, hundreds, thousands)
  • Abstract: Written numerals, mathematical equations
• Language:
  • Concrete: Sandpaper Letters (tracing the letter shapes)
  • Abstract: Writing letters and words on paper
• Geometry:
  • Concrete: Geometric Solids (holding and examining 3D shapes)
  • Abstract: Geometric theorems and formulas

By providing a carefully designed sequence of concrete experiences, Montessori education helps children develop a deep and lasting understanding of abstract concepts, preparing them for future learning and intellectual growth.

Additional Resources:

• Article: Montessori Philosophy: Moving From Concrete to Abstract
• Video:

  From Concrete to Abstract: The Montessori Math Approach

In the Montessori method, children typically learn to write before they learn to read, meaning writing comes first in the learning sequence; this is because writing is considered "encoding" (creating words from sounds) while reading is "decoding" (breaking down words into sounds).

Key points about Montessori reading and writing order:

Writing first: Children are introduced to the sounds of letters and begin writing words using movable alphabet pieces before they start reading full sentences.

Sandpaper letters: A key tool in the early stages is sandpaper letters, which children trace with their fingers to learn letter shapes and sounds.

Focus on phonics: Montessori emphasizes a phonetic approach to reading, where children learn the sounds associated with each letter to decode words.

Building confidence: By starting with writing, children can build confidence by creating their own words before attempting to read others' writing.

Resources:

• Video: Learning to Write Then Read

• Montessori Large Moveable Alphabet (video) (Primary, LEL)
• Movable Alphabet Sentences and Stories

The most traditional Montessori approach to introduce the alphabet itself is through sandpaper letters, which allow a child to trace the letter, feeling its pattern and hearing or making the sound. There are different opinions about which letters to start with but often it’s m, s, t, and a. These are all used frequently and can easily form words when combined together. Letters are introduce in lowercase first, as that is seen much more frequently than uppercase.

Resources:

• Article: A Montessori Introduction to the Alphabet
• Video: Montessori Language - Introducing formation of letters using sandpaper letters and sand tray.

In Montessori schools around the world children are introduced to cursive, as well as print. Montessori schools teach cursive writing for several reasons:

1. Improved Handwriting:

• Fluidity and Speed
• Fine Motor Skills

2. Enhanced Cognitive Development:

• Pattern Recognition
• Brain Development

3. Cultural and Historical Significance:

• Preserving Tradition
• Appreciation for the Written Word

4. Montessori Philosophy:

• Child-Centered Approach
• Sensory Learning

While the prevalence of digital technology has reduced the need for cursive in everyday life, many Montessori schools continue to value its educational benefits and incorporate it into their curriculum.

Resources:

• Video: Teaching Cursive Using Sandpaper Letters
• Article: What Is the Rationale for Cursive Writing

Your MPA Teachers Are Discussing Math Fact Fluency

The first article listed below states, "fact fluency is important because it frees up students’ working memory. When students can retrieve math facts with little effort, they can learn new skills and devote more time to advanced problem-solving."

Here is some further learning about the why and fun ideas for practice at home:

• How Fact Fluency Boosts Math Success for Students
• Making Math Facts Fun