![]() Infancy: Infancy occurs from age 0-6. From birth to 3 “the child has a type of mind that an adult cannot approach” (Montessori, 1995, p. 30). It is not our responsibility, nor is it within our capability, to change the child at this age. However, by age 6 the child begins becoming susceptible to adult influence, and is “sufficiently intelligent to go to school” (Montessori, 1995, p. 30). In this stage, the unconscious mind is formed by the environment and impressions shape the newborn brain, “impressions do not merely enter his mind, they form it” (Montessori, 1995, p. 36). Where in ages 0-3 “the child absorbed his world through his unconscious intelligence, merely by being moved around in it, now” in ages 3-6, “he takes in consciously, using his hands (Standing, 1998, p. 112). The absorption of language and other knowledge occurs primarily through the senses as a means of interacting with the environment. Infants hold within them an instinctual creativity which makes them adept at “building up a psychic world at the expense of his environment” (Montessori, 1836, p. 37). We had knowledge of the physical development of the child, “but until Montessori spoke … the psychic development of the child was not available to us” (McDermott, 2011). This process of growth is one which “goes on independently of us (the adult), & we can only help by providing the best conditions” (Standing, 1998, p. 110). Furthermore, the mother does not teach her child to talk, walk, or speak, “it is not the mother, but the child himself who spontaneously does these things” (Montessori, 1946, p. 3). The child maintains their absorbent mind in this period, and can work tirelessly, and without fatigue. Sensitive periods begin this motivation for tireless work to create themselves, but “it is useless to try to catch the sensitive period after it has passed” (Standing, 1998, p. 136). Sensitive periods of order, refinement of movement, language, refinement of the sense, sensitivity to small objects, grace/courtesy, aesthetics, independence, and concentration occur in this time period. Childhood: Childhood occurs from age 6-12. By ages 6-12, the child is mentally “in a state of health, strength, and assured stability” (Montessori, 1995, p. 30). In this stage, direct help impedes growth. Although the child is ready for instruction and impressionable by adult interaction, it is most advantageous to step back and allow the child to interact with the prepared environment. Where the stage of infancy contained growth with transformation, ages 6-12 exhibit growth without much transformation. The new growth of the child nods a directress towards informing her instruction by her students’ developmental stages. “Successive levels of education must correspond to the successive personalities of the child” (Montessori, 1973, p. 1). This second level of education which occurs from 7-12 includes a “veritable metamorphosis” (Montessori, 1973, p. 2). Sensitive periods of cosmic order, moral order, analytical thinking, peer or herding association (social) occur in this time period. Adolescence: Adolescence occurs from age 12-18. Dr. Montessori describes this stage as “a period of so much change as to remind me of the first” (Montessori, 1995, p. 30). This stage includes “the creation of a socially conscious individual” (Standing, 1998, p. 116). This third level of education, the period of adolescence, includes “all these traits – physical as much as psychic – constitute the links of the chain which is the metamorphosis of the child” (Montessori, 1973, p. 2). Sensitive periods for service and justice occur in this time period. Maturity: Maturity occurs from age 18-death. After 18, a human is “fully developed, and no further marked changes occur in him. He grows only in age” (Montessori, 1995, p. 30). Where the child was constantly changing, the adult has “reached the norm of the species” (Montessori, qtd. in Standing, 1998, p. 106). While the child’s mind may be unconscious, whereas the adult’s mind conscious, it is not to imply that an unconscious mind is an inferior mind. There is no more transformation in this period, only aging. Adults may find that if a sensitive period was missed in their child that they are missing certain essential developments and understandings. “Man is the ultimate synthesis containing within himself all the natural phenomena of lesser beings” (Montessori, 1936, p. 204). Adulthood or maturity is the culmination of the stages in which we can examine the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of younger instruction. Maximizing the growth which occurs in the sensitive periods of earlier stages, as is suggested by Joosten, ensures a well-rounded adult. This time period is characterized by a sense of calm and spiritual and moral independence. References Joosten, A.M. (2016). Observation. The NAMTA Journal. Vol. 41 (No. 3), pp. 199-213. McDermott, M. (2011). Four Planes of Development. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/19437369 Montessori, M., & Carter, B. B. (1936). The Secret of Childhood. London: Longmans, Green and Co. Montessori, M. (1946). Education For A New World. Amsterdam, the Netherlands: Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company. Montessori, M. (1973). From Childhood to Adolescence. New York: Schocken Books. Montessori, M. (1995). The Absorbent Mind. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, Inc. Standing, E. M. (1998). Maria Montessori, her life and work. New York: Plume.
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I entered the Xavier University Montessori Lab School (XUMLS) eager to make connections with students and help them grow. I sat with a crying child, helped a struggling student with their work, and loved on students with differing abilities. I was immediately interested in helping the other students love learning as much as I did. All this and more occurred on my first day as a preschool student.
I attended XUMLS’ 3-6 and 6-9, and Mercy Montessori’s 9-12 and Jr. High classrooms. My exuberance and high energy was celebrated, my ADHD and anxiety accommodated without ostracization. My directors fostered an unmatched passion and craving for knowledge. Even now, when asked my favorite college course, I gleefully respond, “It depends on which one I’m sitting in at the time!” Xavier University Montessori Institute’s Montessori Teacher Education Program was the only college program I applied to, and with a 32 on my ACT, I could have had a full-ride many places. Despite critique from family and friends, I knew if I had accepted them, it wouldn’t be authentic; it wouldn’t be my calling. I had to make a decision: attend a local community college or chase my dreams. I took four jobs, made financial cuts, and ran in the direction of my passions, trusting that God would provide the pathway to which he had called me. I want to promote love and curiosity and peace. I believe that Montessori education is the only lasting way to ensure these ideals. Mainstream education often trades an intrinsic desire to obtain knowledge for a reward. Without an internal locus of control, entering the classroom becomes less about curiosity and more about a fear of punishment. Children learn what their world is in the home and in the school. Both must cohesively promote higher stages of moral development for a child’s optimal success. In a Montessori school and home, my students will learn to be curious. The nurturing of curiosity is produced most effectively in a Montessori setting where the absorbent mind can flourish. By removing the quantification of intelligence at large, creative solutions have room to grow. The modern world no longer necessitates factory bred children infinitely capable of sitting still and memorizing equations. While there is room for the neuro-typical mind in a Montessori environment, there is also room for the movers and shakers, the problem solvers, the ‘Picassos’ and the ‘Einsteins.’ In a Montessori environment, the ingenuity derived from classroom diversity is celebrated and promoted; children learn to love. Furthermore, a child who experiences the joy of learning and growth in an environment where it is safe to fail and ask questions is more likely to remain in a state of life-long learning and love. With this idea of the absorbent mind comes the opportunity to discuss conflict resolution with our young global citizens. Peace, however, is not the same as passivity. In a world often thought to be too harsh for little ears, let it be the teachers who fearlessly explore the realities of racism, the truth about sexism, and who present an example of what it means to take ownership of your own bias. The seeds of lasting peace can only be found in the classroom because it is there that our youth can learn that it is safe to question their own truth. In a Montessori classroom, my children will learn to be peace builders and agents of change. Loving, curious, and peaceful children are ultimately resilient children. Life is difficult, and looks different for every person, but regardless of where life takes our students, the successful ones are the resilient ones. As a teacher, I see myself helping to build my students’ resilience through inspiring rather than controlling, facilitating rather than restricting, aiding in growth rather than criticizing. I am interested in exciting my students and helping them arrive at their full socio-cognitive potential. As a Montessori educator, I will have the opportunity to bolster my students’ resilience through love, curiosity, and peace for life-long success. My Montessori journey began in 2001 when a gracious principal opened up an extra slot in her pre-school program after seeing I had assembled a binomial cube at age 2. My curiosity has thrived under Dr. Montessori’s guiding principles ever since. I eagerly anticipate the day I am equipped to bless other children with the gifts I received.
This is a flipped lesson on rabbits for Kindergarteners based upon Ohio Learning Standards (2015). Subject: Science Grade: Kindergarten Theme: OBSERVATIONS OF THE ENVIRONMENT: This theme focuses on helping students develop the skills for systematic discovery to understand the science of Ohio Learning the physical world around them in greater depth by using scientific inquiry. Standards Strand: LIFE SCIENCE (LS) Topic: Physical and Behavioral Traits of Living Things: This topic focuses on observing, exploring, describing and comparing living things in Ohio. Content/Standard Statement: Living things have physical traits and behaviors, which influence their survival.
Flipped Lesson Plan Script
Hi class! Today we are going to be learning about rabbits! Rabbits can be domesticated and kept as pets, or found in the wild. In the wild, bunnies are prey animals, which means they are eaten by larger animals. This is why you will only find grey or brown rabbits in the wild, because they use their fur as camouflage. White rabbits are albino, a genetic disorder where the rabbit has no pigment, or melanin, in its body. Today we will be making a white bunny cake to learn about the parts of a rabbit. Bunnies have soft fur to keep them warm. Some humans choose to use rabbits for their fur and make clothes out of it, but there are other options that don’t hurt rabbits. Rabbits have eyes on the sides of their face because they are prey animals! Eyes on the side, time to hide! Bunnies have long floppy ears to hear and scrunchy noses to smell. They also have strong legs and feet that help them jump! Jackrabbits can hop as fast as 45 miles an hour! Wow! Rabbit habitats include meadows, woods, forests, grasslands, deserts and wetlands. The European rabbit lives in a rabbit hole. Our rabbit is sitting in green grass! Bunnies have fluffy tails that bounce when they run! A rabbits teeth never stop growing! Rabbits are herbivores, which means they only eat plants. Most rabbits prefer grass, but many domesticated rabbits love the carrots their owners buy for them. Work Cited Elora, Grace. Bunnies. Gareth Stevens Pub., 2011.
Lesson Plan![]()
![]() This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Over the course of the last semester I have had meaningful online interractions and created a Personal Learning Network. I created professional accounts on Twitter and Pinterest, joined the National Science Teacher Association, created a Common Sense Education account, and started a professional blog. My Personal Learning Network is as vast as I choose to make it, I discovered. Online interactions on Twitter are fast paced. One Twitter tool I enjoyed utilizing was the video feature. I reached out to my Personal Learning Network to ask about professional attire and updated them at the end of the semester with my final thoughts, practicing the Ignatian Value of Reflection. Additionally, I reached out to Dwayne Reed and asked “what role does Social Media/technology play in the classroom?” Mr. Reed responded, “1. Don’t try to say/do too much; paraphrase/generalize. 2. Respect everyone who gives up their time to communicate w/ you. 3. Have fun and try not to take yourself so serious.” This online interaction with someone with over 6,500 followers left me feeling awesome! I also created a Pinterest account with boards such as Digital Citizenship, Classroom Inspiration, and Parent Resources. Social media was by far my favorite portion of my Personal Learning Network project. The National Science Teachers Association proved an auspicious choice. I was initially hesitant, seeing as I am not bent towards science, nor do I intend to teach science, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that that would allow for greater growth. It is one thing to capitalize on your strengths, but it is also important to work on your weaknesses. After experiencing Virtual Reality Field Trips I wondered precisely how capable Virtual Reality was of replacing traditional field trips. I asked “what has or what do you anticipate being some limitations of VR? Can it replace live dissections or enhance it as an introduction to the concepts? Does it qualify as a field trip?” Pamela Dupre, a STEM Master Teacher for grades 3 -5 responded that “it would be a virtual field trip without having the hassle of getting permission, buses, and lunches. The things that would prevent us from using it would be lack of equipment!” I learned that without enough headsets or iPads, however, that schools may still be limited. My time on the National Science Teacher Association helped me feel more prepared to teach science and math, something I never would have previously imagined. ![]() My Common Sense Education account allowed me to review 3 learning applications. I felt that I would use Minecraft “to teach young students to design,” however, I feared “that students would get too sucked in and do more playing than learning.” After experimenting with Evernote I felt that it “would be a great tool for students to take and share notes. I specifically like the tag tool. I frequently use OneNote and they have a similar feature, but Evernote has a much more integrated and easy to use user interface.” Finally, I tried Montessori Math Challenge, calculate better, faster! This product made math fun, and “with variation in knowledge presentation, it forced me to think through my methodology for solving problems. For example, one question showed ___+5=13, but with a fun ball graphic that helped illustrate the problem and engage the player.” I also engaged with my Personal Learning Network and received 42 likes and 5 retweets, including Valerie Touze, the Co-founder of Edoki Academy, and the Edoki Academy Twitter Account. Finally, I created a blog using Weebly. The theme of my blog is privilege in the classroom. I developed a lesson around the book My Brother Martin as my first blog post. I felt that the book was a “phenomenal primary source to introduce your students to the idea that they, too, can be agents of change.” Additionally, I created a free printable bookmark (inspired by https://pin.it/k3xplmdu44kzba) where students can write what their dream to turn the world upside down is and draw a picture of it.
My Brother Martin: a sister remembers growing up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a children’s book written by Rev. MLK’s elder sister, Christine King Farris. Unlike any other account of MLK’s childhood, this one is first-hand. This book serves as an excellent introduction to the life of MLK and inspired children that they, too, can have big dreams. The story opens with his sister narrating his first waking moments. It is important to Farris that she detail the physical environment as well as the socio-economic climate they were born into. Their home housed 3 generations, including their aunt. She characterizes her two brothers as mischievous and personalizes their childhood.
Farris goes on to explain the political climate of segregation and its history rooted in slavery. She describes her ancestors as having been “captured in far-off Africa and brought to America as slaves.” This rhetoric purposefully holds no punches, while still being comprehensible for children. A relatable MLK is painted without white washing, a feat in itself. The beginning of the book is largely blissful and shows Martin playing with white neighborhood boys. This is contrasted by the end in which those same boys told the young Luther brothers that they couldn’t play with them because they were negroes. Understanding what aspects of MLK’s childhood shaped him inform our historical picture of his fight for equality. That night all three siblings had their mother explain the racism they were inundated with. Historical details to the black experience such as being forbidden from streetcars, elevators at City Hall, parks and museums, turned away by museums, hotels, and theaters. WHITES ONLY signs marked their childhood. It is essential to mention, too, that their mother’s words “also gave (us) hope.” It is after this experience that Martin utters the phrase “Mother Dear, one day I’m going to turn this world upside down.” MLK went on to be a passionate, justice loving preacher like his father. The book draws to a close with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dreaming a dream “that turned the world upside down.” This book is a phenomenal primary source to introduce your students to the idea that they, too, can be agents of change. Below is a free printable bookmark I created, inspired by https://pin.it/k3xplmdu44kzba. Students can write what their dream to turn the world upside down is and draw a picture of it. ![]() This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. |
AuthorHi! My name is Brittany Wells, and I am a Montessori 6-9 major. I was born and raised in Cincinnati and attended Xavier University Montessori Lab School, Mercy Montessori, McAuley High School, and now Xavier University! Archives
May 2020
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