CURRICULUM

“Our sensorial material provides a kind of guide to observation, for it classifies the impressions that each sense can receive: the colours, notes, noises, forms and sizes, touch-sensations, odors and tastes. This undoubtedly is also a form of culture, for it leads us to pay attention both to ourselves and to our surroundings.”
The Absorbent Mind, p 167, Chap 17

Young children learn through their senses. Montessori developed a range of materials which give children the opportunity to explore size and dimension; colour; touch; sound and smell. The sensorial materials provide a concrete experience for children to be able learn through spontaneous exploration, using each of their senses. The sensorial materials also provide an introduction to mathematical concepts such as size and dimension, geometry and grading. Language is developed through the use of one to one teacher child interactions which help children to learn the names of shapes and colours.

“This system in which a child is constantly moving objects with his hands and actively exercising his senses, also takes into account a child’s special aptitude for mathematics.” The Discovery of the Child p 279, Chap 19

Montessori believed that children are born with mathematical minds. Both AEL and Sensorial activities are indirect preparation for later mathematics and problem-solving skills. The materials in this area are graded from simple to complex. Children gain a greater understanding from concrete experiences. Therefore, we teach the children to count using number rods (fixed quantity), Spindles (loose objects). Written symbols are introduced using sandpaper numbers, this allows the child to have a concrete impression of the number as well as recognising the symbol visually. Children are taught individually and are introduced to more complex experiences depending upon “readiness”. If a child is continuing to show an interest and is focused, we will move onto the next stages. This could be: Introduction to the decimal system; addition; subtraction; multiplication and division. Using all of the specially designed materials, children gain a deep understanding of numbers.

“…it is certain that if our method is applied at the normal age, that is, before the age of five, a little child will write before he reads, whereas a child who is already too far developed (five or six years) will read first, experiencing difficulties in adjusting his clumsy mechanisms.”
The Discovery of the Child p 215, Chap 15

Language and communication skills are supported throughout the Montessori curriculum. Babies and young children learn by watching and listening to the adults around them. Montessori teachers are trained to use rich, appropriate vocabulary and well structured, grammatically correct sentences. Books are introduced at an early age in preparation for reading and writing. Songs, stories and rhymes are an important part of the daily routine. The materials in the literacy area are designed to continue to foster the child’s curiosity and exploration. The insets for design are a set of geometric stencils, designed to promote pencil control. This continues to promote the development of the pincer grip which started with the indirect preparation using the AEL and Sensorial materials. Sandpaper letters are used to introduce children to the “sounds” of letters. Once again, the materials progress from simple to complex, concrete to abstract, introducing the child to three letter word building, blends, graphemes and phonemes (for later reading skills)

“Children have an anxious concern for living beings, and the satisfaction of this instinct fills them with delight. It is therefore easy to interest them in taking care of plants and especially of animals.”
The Discovery of the Child p 70, Chap 4

Knowledge and Understanding of the World creates an opportunity to introduce science, geography, history and biology. Montessori believed that children have an innate interest in nature and stressed the importance of being able to access the outdoor environment. This area should be utilised to reflect the interests of the children. Traditionally it would house a nature table, materials to introduce the solar system, the Earth and its continents, an introduction to the concept of time. The learning opportunities are endless and as well as Montessori purpose built materials, this area also contains many teacher made materials which reflect the culture and interests of the children attending the setting.

“We call our system for teaching how to draw and write an ‘indirect one’. When they are taught in this way, children become more and more capable of expressing themselves. They make hundreds and hundreds of drawings, producing at times ten in a single day with that same freedom from weariness that they manifest in writing.”
The Discovery of the Child p 282, Chap 20

Everyone has the ability to be creative in their own way. Our adult perception of creativity can sometimes undervalue the effort that children put into their creations. We must remember that for a child, the important aspect is “doing”. They do not necessarily set out to create something specific, they may just want to put glue onto paper, or dab paint onto a box. It is about the process not the end result. Montessori realised the importance for children to be able to be creative. However, she felt that they needed guidance to be able to use tools effectively to achieve this. Once again, the environment is full of opportunities to experiment and practice with indirect activities that will help children to develop their fine motor skills to be able to master cutting, sticking and painting. Children also enjoy the freedom to express themselves in other creative ways such as dancing, singing, music and movement and listening to and playing instruments.

“The greatness of the human personality begins at the hour of birth.”
The Absorbent Mind p.4, Chap 1.

Montessori did not design materials specifically for babies. However, following the philosophy “Help me to do it myself”, our baby room is designed to allow the “movers” the freedom to crawl, cruise and walk in a safe and prepared environment with a variety of equipment for them to access and play with. The room is spacious with enough room for children to experiment and develop their gross motor skills. We try to keep the materials as natural as possible to give the babies the chance to explore their world. Babies learn from mouthing, touching and exploring the objects and the environment around them. Treasure baskets and heuristic play form the foundation for learning in the baby room. We also have daily messy play experiences which help young children to explore, taste, touch and make marks with a variety of materials.

We aim to give each child a happy, positive experience when they come to Norman Court. A Key Person is allocated to support you and your child in your transition from home to nursery. The role of the Key Person is to make sure that we have a good understanding of your child. Young children need to have someone available to support and comfort them when they are upset. It is important that they form a bond with their key person to enable a healthy detachment from the main carer. Children will have a better experience at nursery if they feel that their emotional needs are met.

“The undisciplined child enters into discipline by working in the company of others; not by being told that he is naughty.”
The Absorbent Mind p.224, Chap 24

By setting and implementing clear boundaries, we help children to have a clear understanding of our expectations. Children often display “bad/inappropriate” behaviour when they are unsure of their environment. We are role models – if we are orderly in our daily actions, children will follow our example. We need to prepare an environment that demonstrates order and structure. This will help children to know what to expect and when and where to expect it. Consistency is the key to a child’s understanding of what is expected of them.

Positive, age appropriate, behaviour management strategies will always be used to help children to deal with their emotions:

“Conscious will is a power which develops with use and activity. We must aim at cultivating the will, not at breaking it.” The Absorbent Mind p.231 Ch25

“The directress of the ‘Children’s House’ must have a clear idea of the two factors which enter her work – the guidance of the child, and the individual exercise. Only after she has this concept clearly fixed in her mind may she proceed to the application of a method to guide the spontaneous education of the child and to impart necessary notions to him… In the opportune quality and in the manner of this intervention lies the personal art of the educator.”
The Montessori Method p 176, Chap XII

The role of the Montessori teacher is to observe the child and prepare the environment to facilitate their interests. The Montessori environment gives the child the freedom to explore and learn without constant adult intervention. The child needs to be able to choose and work independently to develop a high level of concentration and involvement. This in turn leads to a happy, confident child. The teacher is there to “direct” the child by supporting and scaffolding their learning, giving them the time and structure that they need. As adults, we are unable to take in information if we are “stressed” or under pressure. This concept also applies to children. The Montessori teacher recognises that each child has a different learning style and will therefore accommodate this when planning and organising the environment.