Montessori

Make it a Montessori

 

It’s child based and encourages creativity. Could Montessori nursery be the right fit for your nursery-aged child?

 

by Glynis Kozma

 

Choosing the right nursery setting for your child is never easy. Ella Browne began nursery when she was just six months old. Her mum Fran visited several before reaching a decision, but in the end their

local Montessori nursery was the clearcut choice.

 

‘It stood out for its hands-on and creative approach,’ says Fran. ‘Each child is given freedom to develop at his or her own pace, and they move children on to the next stage when they are ready, not based on age as some mainstream nurseries do. We loved the creative approach. Even from a young age they use paint and

enjoy messy play with things like shaving foam.

 

‘Ella loves nursery and has never been reluctant to go. A lot of people comment on how confident she is and I believe the nursery has played a big part in this. From the age of two they are given a great deal of freedom to select what they want to play with, what they’d like for their morning snack and so on.

 

‘Until recently she went for just two days a week, but I was amazed at how much she’d learn in that time. She always comes home singing a new song and has an amazing imagination! She now goes three-and-a-half days a week and most days she wants to

stay and play!’

 

Educating the whole child

 

Maria Montessori, an Italian doctor, developed the child centred

approach to learning after working with children with learning

difficulties. She found these strategies worked well with all children. The first Montessori school was opened in Rome in 1907.

 

But Montessori education is not just about how things are taught. There is a philosophy behind it. A Montessori nursery allows children to gain experience through all their senses, by using carefully chosen materials. The aim is to educate the whole child, whilst enabling them to learn independently. Respect for each child as an individual is fundamental.

 

Children are not measured against their peers, so there are no grades or a sense of success or failure or comparison with anyone else. Children of mixed ages learn at their own pace, as well as being taught together. The idea is to give them freedom of choice and movement in a structured environment to pursue their own interests and enjoy their own achievements.

 

The philosophy is based on key stages of learning, the first stage being up to six years old. For this reason, most Montessori nurseries encourage children to stay right up to the age of six.

 

Key areas of learning

 

Montessori nurseries follow the key areas in the Early Years Foundation Stage of the National Curriculum, which became mandatory in 2008. A Montessori day incorporates these areas of activity:

 

 

• PRACTICAL LIFE

• SENSORIAL

• COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

• MATHEMATICS

• CULTURAL ASPECTS OF LIFE

• CREATIVITY

• PHYSICAL

 

At Barnes Montessori in south-west London, the six key areas are represented by a range of materials on open shelves and the children select which they want. This is part of the Montessori ‘work cycle’.

 

The work cycle

 

The work cycle is usually for two hours. Children are not disturbed, and they choose their own activities. The idea is that this creates independence, confidence and self esteem.

 

Unlike other nurseries where the teacher decides on the activities, often for the whole class, in a Montessori nursery the teacher observes what each child is doing. Each activity develops a particular skill, for example:

 

Practical Life can include polishing, pouring and cutting.

 

Communication skills begin with the acquisition of

pre-language activities and build on talking and listening.

 

Physical activities focus on developing fine motor skills

such as the pincer grip, then gross motor skills. Children can do activities outdoors when they choose, rather than having a structured PE time.

 

There is no break or playtime mid-morning as this would disturb the work cycle. But children are allowed to help themselves to a snack and a drink from the snack table when they want to. Anne Marie True, head teacher at Barnes Montessori for 25 years, explains: ‘Children learn social and practical skills through all the activities. If they want a snack and all the places at the table are taken, they learn to wait. If they want a piece of fruit cut up, they do it themselves. When they have had their snack they have to wash their plate and glass and put them back in the right place.’

 

Children learn to take it in turn to use any equipment they might want. Key to the philosophy is freedom of the individual, but respect for others. There are no rewards and no punishments. If children are unkind or hurtful towards others, their teacher will explain to them gently and calmly why this is not acceptable.

 

How do teachers handle children who choose to focus on some activities but not others. Given complete freedom, how can you be sure they are fulfilling their developmental needs? ‘Children are usually very good at selecting a range of activities,’ says Anne Marie True. ‘If they aren’t, then the teacher can encourage them to try something different by showing enthusiasm for it. The

teacher observes every child very carefully to make sure that they do engage in all of the six key areas of activity.’

 

Monitoring progress

 

Every child has a record book, or learning journal, in which their teacher records their development. This is more detailed than in other nursery settings and is very useful when discussing a child’s progress with parents. The diary can contain photographs of the

children, taken with parent’s permission.

 

One noticeable difference between Montessori and other nurseries is their approach to art and creativity. Children are not expected to do the same art project or produce the same art work. Instead, they are encouraged to use their imaginations, drawing whatever they choose.

 

Thalia, whose daughter attended a Montessori nursery, found the record keeping very reassuring: ‘As anxious first time parents we found the diary, filled in by the key worker, very detailed. My

daughter loved the calm atmosphere and was very happy there.’

 

 

 

Choosing a Montessori nursery

 

There are over 600 Montessori nursery schools in the UK. More are in the south, but most parents should be able to find a school not too far away. Currently, anyone can open a school and call it a Montessori school, but around 120 have

now been accredited. The Montessori Schools Association run an accreditation scheme to maintain standards.

 

The Association suggest that parents read the accreditation report along with Ofsted reports, and choose a nursery where at least half of the teachers are Montessori-trained. Montessori teacher training takes a year and many teachers

who work in schools are mums whose children enjoyed their Montessori experience. Training courses are run by the Association.

 

Montessori schools are private and fees vary. Children aged three to four have 15 hours of free nursery education funded by the government which can be used to off set the fees. If your children are younger or older, you should find the fees on a par with many privately run nurseries. Most schools offer full days, or a mixture of half days and full days. Some have additional activities such as languages for which you pay extra.

 

There are only four Montessori primary schools for children above the age of five in the UK. These are state schools which are following Montessori teaching methods as part of a drive to improve standards within the schools.

 

Visit the Montessori Schools Association at www.montessori.org.uk

 

 

 

Steiner Waldorf Schools

 

If the emphasis on creativity, independence and self motivation in the Montessori philosophy appeals to you, you might also be interested in finding out more about Steiner Waldorf Schools. These cater for children from three to 18 years old. Steiner schools educate the whole child, and do not focus purely on academic

results. Teaching is in mixed ability classes, with children having the same class teacher from the age of seven to 14 years old. There is no head teacher: instead, teachers work together to get the best out of the children and assessment is by observation rather than by written tests. Arts and the imagination are at the heart of learning and the aim is to educate the children as

individuals. Visit www.steinerwaldorf.org.uk

 

 

 

November/December 2011

All information is correct at time of publishing

 

Education