Goals
The goal of the Cedar Tree Montessori elementary program is to develop a love and enthusiasm for learning. Curriculum areas include reading, language, spelling, handwriting, composition, math, science, social studies, art, music, technology and Spanish.
The Montessori method encourages independent learning through goal-setting, self-pacing, problem solving, time management and responsibility for individual work. The social development of the child is just as important as academic progress. We teach, model and role-play appropriate expression of feelings and conflict resolution strategies.
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Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum
You may see a shift in your child from preschool to early elementary age. Elementary-aged children are ready to develop greater concentration, longer attention spans, more complex organizational skills and more self-direction. They seek challenging work and take pride in mastering a new concept. This is the age when children typically learn to read, opening up a world of print material. They love stories and appreciate colorful language. In math, they move with ease from concrete concepts to abstract. Socially, they are fiercely interested in fairness and friendship.
Elementary children become more aware that not every one looks or lives as they do. They may compare themselves with others, whereas preschoolers are often oblivious to these issues. For this reason, elementary school is an ideal time to address physical, ethnic, and religious differences in a positive manner.
Preschoolers usually are more interested in names for objects and won’t sit through long explanations. Elementary age children generally want to know “why” and are eager for explanations. This is the ideal age to present science topics and research strategies.
Preschool children may spend a long time doing a project and feel very satisfied whether they take it home or not. Elementary age children generally have a goal for their work, such as making bracelet for a friend or object for play at recess. There are many opportunities in a Montessori classroom to create or build things.
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You may hear your child refer to “works”. Works are the learning materials you see on the shelves of a Montessori classroom. These are hands-on materials designed to teach a specific concept. Usually they are self-correcting, meaning that the child can tell whether or not he or she has completed the task correctly. Some works are teacher-corrected. Some are open-ended and are evaluated only by the child’s comparison of his or her intent with the outcome. Art or construction materials are examples of the latter.
Each work requires a “lesson” before the child may use it. Some works are presented to the whole class at one time. Other lessons are planned for your child each week by the teachers. In addition, your child can request a lesson on a particular work he or she is interested in.
A lesson will include a quick assessment of the children’s readiness for that work, a demonstration how to use the material and instructions on how to clean it up or get it ready for the next person. Children are not expected to replicate a teacher’s lessons exactly. If they understand the concept and use the material purposefully and safely, then creativity is encouraged.
Unlike a traditional classroom, the Montessori teacher mostly gives individual or small group lessons to present language and math instruction. In this way, the curriculum is custom-designed to fit the pace and interests of the students.
Most of the morning is spent on individual worklists and lessons. Children have the freedom to work with their friends or work alone. Often children will switch from working with others to working alone several times a morning. Children learn to balance socializing with work, pace themselves and manage their time in a well-run Montessori classroom.
Do the children ever get whole class time together? Yes! We have at least one circle each morning. During this time, the teacher presents works or information on the current unit of study in science or social studies. Afternoon whole class time is reserved for classes in art, music, physical education and creative writing. We end our day with a circle for sharing, reading aloud and songs.
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A key concept in Montessori education is “freedom with responsibility.” Each child has a worklist tailored just for his or her group. Kindergartners are expected to complete at least one activity in reading and math each day. Older students may complete as many as five curricular areas each day. At the beginning of the year and for younger students, the work is mostly teacher-chosen. As the students gain more skills, they can plan more of their own work.
We spend most of our mornings on worklists. All work is checked by a teacher each day. When the worklist is complete for the day, the child may choose any work in the classroom he or she has seen presented as a lesson. We photocopy and file the worklists for our records, then the worklist goes home the following week.
The worklist is your record of your child’s work for the week. You can see what lessons in which curriculum areas he or she completed. You can also check to see which spelling unit your child is on. You might set aside time each week to discuss your child’s work with him or her. What did he or she like the best? The least? Which work was hardest? What did he or she do for choice time?
The worklist allows children the freedom to make choices. They move freely about the classroom during work time. They may choose to work at a table or on a mat on the carpet. They may choose to work alone or with a friend. They also choose the order in which to complete their tasks. Older children choose which days to complete which tasks. And when the worklist is complete, children choose work from the shelves. Children often pick pleasure reading, art, music, educational games or construction materials during choice time.
What happens if a child cannot finish his or her worklist for the day? For kindergartners, the worklists are deliberately kept short. Kindergartners are given lots of time for free choice and the development of social skills. During this time, they are developing the independence, concentration, eye-hand coordination and classroom skills needed for more advanced work.
When worklists are longer and children are older, sometimes a child may not finish. The teacher and the child discuss the situation. Were there too many tasks? Did one work take a particularly long time? Was there not enough time to finish due to a classroom visit, a visitor or other special circumstance? If so, the teacher and student make changes so students can successfully finish.
There are occasions when a child does not finish because he or she hasn’t managed time wisely. Usually the teachers are very aware of this and have been giving the child encouragement and redirection throughout the morning. The natural consequence is to let the child finish at recess, P.E. or during a special class. In these cases, the teacher and the child make a plan to help the child finish on time the next day. If this happens repeatedly, the parent(s), teacher and the child may come up with a long term strategies such as fixed seating, frequent check-in, use of a timer, advance organizing, working with a buddy, etc.
Loose papers will still be sent home the day they are completed. Most work, however, will be kept in notebooks at school. The teachers or parent helpers will make the notebooks from lined paper. We will keep the notebooks at school until first conference. After that, we will send the notebooks home when they are finished. You are always welcome to look at your child’s work here at school.
When you look at your child’s work, you will note that not every error will be corrected. A teacher reviews every bit of work produced by your child. The teacher may help your child make two or three corrections as a reteaching device. However, if it seems the child does not understand the concept itself, the teacher will make a note to present a new lesson to the child the following day.
