Video: Blueprint for the classroom: A Way to Move Forward

How do we encourage peacefulness and respect in the Montessori classroom? Together with the children, we prepare a blueprint for our classroom community!

We invite children to share their vision for a wonderful classroom and then ask them: “What do we need to do to achieve that?” Using their ideas and beliefs, we help them define ground rules, from “listening to the person who is talking” to “being gentle with one another”. By engaging them in the process, the children feel heard, take ownership of the rules and feel personally responsible for the classroom community. Check out this video to see how we do it!

Want to learn more? Read our next article:

VIDEO: COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT

Comments

Další články

Mindful Walks and Experiential Learning in Elementary

Maria Montessori used to walk through the forests in India pulling leaves from trees to teach about their function and structure, digging in the soil to demonstrate the ubiquitousness of life, examining root systems and connecting them to academic ideas.

Staff Interview with Lindsey Taylor

Lindsey is originally from Texas, where she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Women’s Studies at Southwestern University. She discovered her passion for working with children while teaching English as a Second Language in Costa Rica. After that she started working as an assistant in a Montessori school in the US. Her dream was to move to Europe to continue teaching and after 3 years of hard work her dream came true. Since that time, Lindsey has completed her Montessori training and is now leading up the Toddler classrooms at IMSP as Senior Teacher.

Tidy Up! An Activity Your Toddler Will Love

Looking at our Toddler classrooms, even a casual observer will notice that half of the children’s time seems to be spent cleaning. They’re busy sweeping, wiping, mopping, scrubbing and brushing; even almost antiquated activities, such as washing laundry by hand or polishing wood and metal objects, have their place.

Embracing the Multi-Age Group

It is no surprise to hear parents expressing doubts about a multi-age classroom, and questioning how children of different ages could work together harmoniously in the same environment, and if there are any benefits to this approach.

Benefits of Practical Life for Toddler Development

“The first thing to realize about these exercises of practical life is that their aim is not a practical one. Emphasis should be laid not on the word “practical” but on the word life. Their aim is to assist development.” E. M. Standing, Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work