Montessori

[Etharia]

Does anyone have information or thoughts on Montessori?
I'm not quite sure what it is but have been hearing a lot about it lately and I need some information.

 

[HeatherJay]

It's a teaching method that allows children to learn through hands on activities, self discovery, and play. Classrooms are set up so that children are guided through individual activities and learn at their own pace as opposed to learning in the traditional group setting. Here's a link if you want to read more :

www.montessori.com

Love, Heather

 

[Etharia]

Wow, montessori.com, why didn't I think of that?


Thank you very much.

 

[Crofter]

If you choose Montessori for your children you need to read up on this... different children respond well to different methods... while the mass majority of children will thrive in any good school.

I like Montessori in theory... bur some schools use this label to attract pupils but the ethos within the school is not always in keeping with the ideology... and so can be confusing to some children.

To my surprise my own children actually were better in a more formal environment... not what I had expected as a teacher who believed very much in hands on child centered learning.

We have a Montessori school very near me... and for those who can afford it it seems to be a good school... but does not seem to promote high achievers. another Montessori school further away is better for more gifted pupils. But here also the state schools offer superb education... lol... and for free!

 

[I'ddie4him]

My best friend from high school put both his kids in a montessori school and they did wonderfully. They are both very well adjusted, extremely bright, and talented children.
My son is going to be 2 soon and my wife and I are planning on putting him in a parochial school when he gets school age. As far as right now, he is getting his learning skills from being with Daddy everyday, all day. I read to him, play with him, he plays with other kids his age at church every week and seems to very well adjusted socially for his age.

 

[Crofter]

I'ddie4him... is the avatar your son..? He looks a lovely happy little chap! So cute!

 

[nova5233]

For years I have tried to explain Montessori education. It wasn’t until I understood the Holy Spirit and the Spirit’s function that I truly understood Montessori education fully. A Montessori teacher gives presentation after presentation to the child about this piece of work and that piece of work. That is almost all she does at the beginning of the year. Each presentation ends with the comment that the piece of work is kept here on the shelf and that any time the child wants the child is free to use the piece of work. The teacher then waits for the Spirit to call to the child and the child’s spirit to be led to the appropriate work for that particular child. There is only one set of each work- so patience is also taught along with observation - students observing students.



Everyone can talk about the prepared environment and the wonderful Montessori materials, but the miracle in the classroom is the Teacher the Montessori teacher steps aside for, the Teacher that speaks silently to the spirit of the child. The movement that results in the child is called spontaneous activity. And as the Spirit calls out to each child the classroom spontaneously generates a perfect society.



I recently was given a copy of the booklet, God Guides. The booklet was written by Mary Geegh, a missionary from 1924 to 1962, and presented by PrayAmerica. There is a story on page 30 about a little boy named John. He was repeating third grade for the third time. He refused to study or pay attention to the teacher. The teacher, Raji, decided to bring John to the Lord.

John had been quarreling with some boys on the playground. Raji called him. He came to her. She looked at him and said, “John, did you do your homework?”

John looked surprised; he thought she was going to punish him for quarreling.

“No teacher, I hate arithmetic,” John answered.

“Yes, I know John. I have tried to help you, but I have failed.”

John looked puzzled.

“John, I don’t know how to help you, but I know Someone who can help you,” said the teacher.

“Who?” asked John.

“God. If you listen to him. He will tell you what to do.”

This was a new idea to John. And, indeed, the Holy Spirit was at work in John’s heart.

“Let us go to the office and there we will listen to God.”

When they got to the office door, John suddenly said, I’ll go in alone.” He went in and closed the door.

Raji stood outside the closed door. Doubts began to assail her for a moment. Then she prayed the prayer, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.’

After a few minutes, she felt guided to open the door and quietly go in. There sat John on the floor with his back against the office desk. He was looking very serious.

“What did God tell you, John?”

“He told me to listen to you, teacher,” said John earnestly.

“Will you do it, John?”

“Yes!” said John firmly, “because God told me. But if you tell me, I won’t do it.”

How well the teacher knew that!



John became the pride and joy of his home, and, indeed, of the school. He went from the bottom to the top.



The missionaries learned to work with the spirit. Home school teachers learn to work with a child’s spirit. The public school systems are learning to work with the child’s spirit. Thirty-seven states have at least one public Montessori program. Several states have many Montessori programs. It would be nice to have more. I am a firm believer that the Holy Spirit will lead people to Christ and through Christ the world will change for the better.

I hope this helps clear up any questions.

 

[nova5233]

Does anyone have information or thoughts on Montessori?
I'm not quite sure what it is but have been hearing a lot about it lately and I need some information.

For years I have tried to explain Montessori education. It wasn’t until I understood the Holy Spirit and the Spirit’s function that I truly understood Montessori education fully. A Montessori teacher gives presentation after presentation to the child about this piece of work and that piece of work. That is almost all she does at the beginning of the year. Each presentation ends with the comment that the piece of work is kept here on the shelf and that any time the child wants the child is free to use the piece of work. The teacher then waits for the Spirit to call to the child and the child’s spirit to be led to the appropriate work for that particular child. There is only one set of each work- so patience is also taught along with observation - students observing students.



Everyone can talk about the prepared environment and the wonderful Montessori materials, but the miracle in the classroom is the Teacher the Montessori teacher steps aside for, the Teacher that speaks silently to the spirit of the child. The movement that results in the child is called spontaneous activity. And as the Spirit calls out to each child the classroom spontaneously generates a perfect society.



I recently was given a copy of the booklet, God Guides. The booklet was written by Mary Geegh, a missionary from 1924 to 1962, and presented by PrayAmerica. There is a story on page 30 about a little boy named John. He was repeating third grade for the third time. He refused to study or pay attention to the teacher. The teacher, Raji, decided to bring John to the Lord.

John had been quarreling with some boys on the playground. Raji called him. He came to her. She looked at him and said, “John, did you do your homework?”

John looked surprised; he thought she was going to punish him for quarreling.

“No teacher, I hate arithmetic,” John answered.

“Yes, I know John. I have tried to help you, but I have failed.”

John looked puzzled.

“John, I don’t know how to help you, but I know Someone who can help you,” said the teacher.

“Who?” asked John.

“God. If you listen to him. He will tell you what to do.”

This was a new idea to John. And, indeed, the Holy Spirit was at work in John’s heart.

“Let us go to the office and there we will listen to God.”

When they got to the office door, John suddenly said, I’ll go in alone.” He went in and closed the door.

Raji stood outside the closed door. Doubts began to assail her for a moment. Then she prayed the prayer, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.’

After a few minutes, she felt guided to open the door and quietly go in. There sat John on the floor with his back against the office desk. He was looking very serious.

“What did God tell you, John?”

“He told me to listen to you, teacher,” said John earnestly.

“Will you do it, John?”

“Yes!” said John firmly, “because God told me. But if you tell me, I won’t do it.”

How well the teacher knew that!



John became the pride and joy of his home, and, indeed, of the school. He went from the bottom to the top.



The missionaries learned to work with the spirit. Home school teachers learn to work with a child’s spirit. The public school systems are learning to work with the child’s spirit. Thirty-seven states have at least one public Montessori program. Several states have many Montessori programs. It would be nice to have more. I am a firm believer that the Holy Spirit will lead people to Christ and through Christ the world will change for the better.


I hope this info helps.

Cathy