Montessori’s Brain-Based Approach

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Steve Hughes, PhD, LP, ABPdN is the Director of the Center for Research on Developmental Education and a board certified pediatric neuropsychologist. He is a scientist who speaks about brain development and educates parents about academic, social, and executive functioning. In his talk, “Good at Doing Things”, Hughes highlights Montessori’s brain-based approach to education and it’s benefits.

A few highlights include:

  • More of the brain is dedicated to controlling your hands than any other part of the body
  • Human beings learn best through hands-on exploration of the world, especially in childhood
  • Montessori’s hands-on education philosophy is based on the idea that the hands are the tools the mind uses to discover the world

What Does That Mean?

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Planes of Development. Normalization. Cosmic education.

If you’ve ever heard these terms in your child’s Montessori classroom, you might be curious about their meaning. The American Montessori Society has posted a Terminology glossary on their website that’s extremely helpful in clarifying some of the names and phrases particular to the Montessori environment.

Understanding these terms provides deeper understanding of the classroom culture and work cycle, which in turn equips you to effectively engage your child in conversation about his day.

The Peaceful Classroom 3

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Today, we conclude our exploration of the Peaceful Classroom. In our previous posts, we examined the principles of Preparing the Environment for Peace, Making Room for Peace Education, Peace through Nature and Peace through Creativity; today we discuss Peace through Giving and Making a Difference in the World..

Peace through Giving

“The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.” Albert Schweitzer

Children need direct experiences with giving, joining the heart and hand. Children love to make things, small and large, and share with family, friends, and neighbors – they naturally want to share and help. Montessori addresses this desire with mixed-age classrooms where older students help the younger.

Practical life in Montessori is practiced at every level with the purpose of preparing children to take excellent care of themselves, our planet, and the people on it. Children are engaged in gift giving projects and works of charity throughout the year. The art of giving from the heart builds empathy and compassion, two essential ingredients of a peaceful person.

Make a difference in the world (Elementary and Middle School)

Help young people find active ways of working for peace, the preservation of the natural world, the relief of human suffering, or other concerns through organizations like Kids Can Make a Difference, Free the Children, Roots and Shoots, or Peace Jam, in which students work directly with Nobel Peace Laureates.

The Peaceful Classroom 2

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Today, we continue our exploration of the Peaceful Classroom. In our last post, we examined the principles of Preparing the Environment for Peace and Making Room for Peace Education; today we discuss Peace through Nature and Peace through Creativity.

Peace through Nature

“Nothing is more beautiful than the loveliness of the woods before sunrise.” – George Washington Carver

The beauty of nature is a great balm to the soul. Children often seek out their own secret outdoor spaces, even if it’s only a corner of the backyard. Respect children’s need for private exploration and inner reflection that nature inspires. At our school, the outdoor environment is rich in peaceful garden spaces to work the soil with our gardener. Outdoor seating arrangements are comfortable places to spend with friends.

Peace through Creativity

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve had and synthesize new things.” – Steve Jobs

Children need plenty of time for unstructured creative play and artistic endeavors. Unstructured creative time invites children to express their inner most personality and make profound connections between what they have learned and how they feel about themselves and others. During this time, adults keep a watchful eye, but remain unobtrusive to allow children to explore and develop the powers of problem solving through creativity.

Join us on next Tuesday as we conclude our look at the Peaceful Classroom by examining Peace through Giving and Making a Difference in the World.

The Peaceful Classroom 1

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Today, we take a deeper look inside the Montessori classroom, beginning with the importance of peace.

Prepare the Environment for Peace

“Peace is what every human being is craving for, and it can be brought about by humanity through the child.” – Dr. Maria Montessori

Montessori begins with the prepared environment for each plane of development as aesthetically pleasing and inviting space for the child to grow up naturally. Classrooms are clean, simple and orderly, yet rich in age-appropriate materials that aid in independence of body and mind with lessons in care of the self, care of the environment (physical and natural), and care of others. Children have a better emotional response in a serene and beautiful environment that is organized for their unique sensibilities.

Make Room for Peace Education

“Peace is always beautiful.” – Walt Whitman

Outer peace begins with inner peace. Children need special places that give them a sense of privacy that can serve as a soft refuge for times when hurt or angry feelings might lead to violent words or actions. Decorated humbly and lovingly, each of our classrooms has a peace corner, table, or shelf where children go to work through unsettled feelings. Peace quotes, art, journals, books, natural objects, or perhaps a sand garden give the child a place to reflect and restore calm. Older children learn to use the peace area for conflict resolution by modeling peaceful communication practices. Learning to use the peace area is a process that takes time, and is nurtured with positive adult guidance.

Join us on Friday as we continue our look at the Peaceful Classroom by examining Peace through Nature and Peace through Creativity.

When “I Don’t Know” Is the Best Answer

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Have you ever struggled with how to reply to your child’s curious questions when you don’t know the answer? The Value of Not Knowing, a recent insightful post at mariamontessori.com, explains why not providing an immediate answer creates a great opportunity for the child.

Traveling with Children

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Traveling in itself is no easy feat. Traveling with kids is on a whole other level, it’s not for the faint of heart. But by no means should this keep us from packing up and heading out for an adventure, especially in the summer. It just takes a little planning and patience.

Looking for some guidance on how to make traveling with children as easy as possible? Take a look at this great article on the top 20 tips for traveling with children.

 

Happy Independence Day!

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Happy Birthday America! This year marks the 238th Birthday of our nation. There are so many ways to celebrate this special day from family BBQs to community firework shows.

Check out these interesting facts that you may or may not already know about the 4th of July.

If you’re looking for a few July 4th, montessori centered, at home activities and crafts to do with your children take a look at these ideas:

Beat The Heat

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Let’s face it, summer is amazing, but summer is also really hot and being outside for long periods of time is not always the most comfortable or safest thing for you and your family. For those days that you just need to stay indoors here are some fun activities that should inspire you and your child.

Enjoy and stay cool!

Revolutionary Learning

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In renowned creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson’s TED talk, “Bring on the Learning Revolution,” he speaks about the crisis of human resources, poorly used talents, and a life that people endure versus enjoy. Across the world, educational systems are seeking reform. Sir Robinson believes that “reform in no use anymore. Because that’s simply improving a broken model.” He calls for arevolution in education.

Many elements of the revolutionary environment Robinson describes are found in a Montessori classroom, which begs the question, “Shouldn’t every school be a Montessori school?”

Sir Ken Robinson’s TED talk