How Can a Montessori Education Help Your Child?

 

Giving your child a Montessori education will prove to be one of the smartest decisions you ever could have made for your child's future. This fundamental teaching method was created in the early 1900s by Maria Montessori and was made for children of younger ages who are on the level of elementary teaching. The essence of this method is to enable children to teach themselves with a sense of independence while the teacher is merely there to observe and make certain that the child's time is never wasted. They understand that the child's learning area should not confine the child to a certain avenue of learning, but should instead provide them the ability to create their own learning avenue.

Learning Material

The material covered is usually taught with tactile, more physical activities so that the student gets a hands-on feel for what he or she is learning. At this school's beginnings, Maria Montessori was researching the mental capacity for the mentally challenged students trying to learn new things for a research paper. The goal of her paper was to find a proper environment for these children to learn in where they intellectually develop in a more efficient manner. She was very successful with her studies and started applying her research to those who did not have any mental challenges or disabilities.

The Rate of Learning

The method she founded was very beneficial to children who had a natural desire to learn and she found that her technique allowed students to learn and retain new knowledge at an alarming rate. The approach taken by Montessori is effective in that the children are more focused on what they are trying to learn because there is no teacher attempting to force certain curriculum on the students.

Experienced Gleaned by Children

This method of learning is based upon the assumptions that children are not only capable of learning by themselves, but that they are also able to teach, review, and maintain what they were assigned to learn. When a teacher serves to observe the learning process rather than take a huge part in it, the child is able to establish what can be their own strengths and weaknesses in order to find the perfect study habit. Teachers believe there is a window of opportunity between the ages of four and seven that a child can learn as much information as possible and that in this period, the child is not prone to accepting authority. This is why the teacher remains detached from the learning so the children can experience this concept themselves.

They also realize that once a child becomes interested and focused on a concept, there is a period of concentration that follows where the child can retain a myriad of information. The Montessori Method recognizes these periods and makes sure to give the child enough time to pursue and act on that concentration. The Montessori Method of education is perfect for any child who wants to be able to set their own standards for

 

The Importance of Uniform to Your Child's Education

Some people believe school uniforms are the only way to go when discussing a child's education. Others believe they hamper a child's self expression and should not be forced upon children. Regardless of the opinion, the use of uniforms in today's schools as long been an intense topic among parents and faculty alike.
Experts say that violence in schools is often caused by differences in style among the students, and that uniforms have been proven to drastically reduce violence by removing the differences. The wearing of uniforms makes for a less stressful learning environment, which in turn lessens the tensions that lead to fighting.
Kids can be cruel. If one does not possess attire the wealthy student population considers 'cool', they will bully the poor kid, reducing his or her self esteem to terrible lows. This is usually the root of most violence and other teen tragedies, such as suicides and drug use. These disastrous results need never occur, and one way to deter them is the use of uniforms.
Sometimes, gangs crop up in schools. When they do, uniform clothing can help keep gang activity in check. By putting members of different gangs into the same clothes, you eliminate some of the hostility and gain some measure of peace.
Students can have their sense of self worth and self confidence impacted by the use of uniforms. When students wear uniforms, some schools make them act in a civil and respectable manner everywhere they go. This can raise a student's opinion of themselves by showing them that respect can be gained by conducting yourself correctly.
Regular clothing causes far too many distractions. A student who worries about the logo splashed across his chest or jeans is not worrying about his next test. Fashion can mess up a student's priorities and cause their studies to suffer.
Of course, uniforms are much easier to manage than regular clothes. A bunch of uniforms are much easier to organize than a lot of different clothing. Plus, they make a closet look nice and organized.
When kids grow out of uniforms, they can donate them to other kids or recycle them within the family. Uniforms are meant to instill a sense of sameness in children; they make kids focus on what's important and not what's popular. Doing this makes for a happier kid and a more successful student.

 

How to Find the Right Child Care Setting 

Or Preschool For Your Child

 

Your child is going to school for the first time. What an emotional time this is! There is so much on your mind. How he or she will adapt? How he or she will be treated? Will he or she eat or drink enough? All these questions can be summed up in one: How do I find the right preschool or child care for my child?
What kind of child care is there available?
Home-based care:
Listed family homes: People who must list with the division are those who are compensated to provide regular child care (at least four hours per day, three or more days a week, for more than nine consecutive weeks) in their own homes for 1-3 unrelated children.
Registered Child Care Homes: Registered Child Care Homes provide care in the caregiver's home for up to six children under age 14; they may also take in up to six more school-age children. The number of children allowed in a home is determined by the ages of the children. No more than 12 children can be in care at any time, including children of the caregiver.
Licensed Child Care Homes: Provide care for less than 24 hours per day for 7-12 children underr 14 years old. All types of licensed facilities have published standards they are required to follow and are routinely monitored and inspected.
Center-based care:
Licensed Child Care Centers & preschools: are any operation that cares for 13 or more children under 14 years old for less than 24 hours.
Do not make the mistake to choose a facility based on proximity or cost alone. The closest school to your home might not necessarily be the right choice for your child. Also, keep in mind that the highest cost doesn't always guarantee the best teacher and facility. Likewise, the least expensive rates do not necessarily mean poor teachers and facilities.
Since I'm a former preschool teacher, I thought I knew exactly what to look for when I had to make this decision, and even for me it was a little tricky. I visited a few preschools that were the closest to my home with the hopes of finding the right one for my son among those. I decided to try one that presented itself very attractive, even though I was a little uneasy about this one school: It was so close to home and it look so good as far as appearance goes, that I decided to give it a chance. To make a long story short, I was right about "my gut feeling" I had about this school. My son only lasted there two weeks, and he was miserably unhappy for the whole time.
And that is why I think "your gut feeling" is so important, and the first thing I would recommend when looking for the right school for your child is to pay attention to your instincts.
1. Pay attention to your instincts
You know your child best. Pay attention to any feelings of uneasiness you may have experienced during site visits or interviews. Could you picture your child in this setting? Were the toys and activities you observed the kinds your child would enjoy?
2. Look and listen
You can tell a great deal by observing and listening to what is going on in the classroom. Did the children seem happy and were they enjoying activities? Did the teachers seem to be loving, nurturing and responsive to all children in their care? Were problems handled promptly and appropriately? Did the teacher seem like the kind of people you can trust with the health, happiness and well being of your child? Is this a place where you would feel good about your child spending many hours each day?
3. Professional Qualifications
What is the lead teacher's level of education? Research shows that children whose teachers have more education have better outcomes. Increased education and specialized training in early childhood education produces higher quality programs and positive child outcomes. Formal education plus annual in-service training equals higher quality levels.
Every state has mandatory hours of training required for childcare givers to attend, for teachers and helpers as well. For instance, in Florida, there is a 30-hour-childcare training that is mandatory for all childcare workers, teachers and helpers to attend, and then a 10-hour-Age appropriate-training thereafter. You may inquire whether your child's teacher and/or helper have completed this mandatory training. The number of hours varies from state to state. To find out more about this you may visit your state's DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY & PROTECTIVE SERVICES or CHILDREN'S SERVICES Website.
4. Curriculum & Daily Routines
Do they use a curriculum? What curriculum do they use?
A curriculum based on developmentally appropriate practices should be utilized and teaching staff should have been trained in implementing this curriculum. This is extremely important if you are interested in your child being educated and not just being watched. Implementation of a developmentally appropriate curriculum is a strong predictor of children's success in school.
Not only that, you don't want your child in an environment where there is nothing planned to do. He or she is going to be bored out of his or her mind after he or she is done playing with toys, and most likely will engage in misbehavior and disorderly conduct due to lack of organized and planned activities. This is when children begin to hit and push each other and become aggressive to one another due to lack of planned activities. The day has many hours. We can not expect children just to play for 8 hours. And I'm a teacher, I know all about children learning by playing, but even play needs to be planned and guided by the teacher.
The following is what Broward County in the State of Florida requires on this aspect:
DAILY ROUTINES and PROGRAMS
1) Infants:
Infants shall have planned activity periods of play suitable to stimulate their interest, opportunities for talking and cuddling with staff members and ample opportunities for exercise outside their cribs on mats or on a clean floor surface. All infants should have a daily outdoor period, weather permitting.
2) Other Age Groups:
The facility shall have a daily schedule of activities posted in a place accessible to the parents. The activities shall be appropriate to the developmental age of the child. The daily schedule shall include, but is not limited to, the following:
o Broad blocks of time for activities in art, language development, music, block building, creative and dramatic play, science, manipulative play, active play, indoor and outdoor play periods
o Time period for providing meals and snacks
o Quiet time or nap period
Activities for both indoors and outdoors shall be provided by a flexible daily schedule of regular routines in order to give the children the sense of security they need to help them become self directing and independent, and to develop a positive self image. There shall be a sufficient amount of play equipment and materials available for the licensed capacity of the facility.
3) Each child three years of age or under shall have a daily rest period of at least one hour on a cot, mat, crib, bed or playpen.
5. Ratio and Group Size - research strongly suggests that smaller group sizes and more staff with children lead to better outcomes for children. Lower ratios and smaller group sizes allow teachers to give children more individual attention, a key to success.
I think this is the same for all the states, but again, you should check your state's Children Services Website to be sure. Bellow is Broward County's, Florida, student/teacher ratio rules. And I using Florida as an example because I completed my Early Childhood Education/Child Development studies there and I'm must familiar with the rules and regulations of this particular state pertaining to this subject.
RATIOS OF PERSONNEL TO CHILDREN
Age of Children
Ratio
Under 1 year of age
1 staff member for 4 children
1 year of age
1 staff member for 6 children
2 years of age
1 staff member for 11 children
3 years of age
1 staff member for 15 children
4 years of age
1 staff member for 20 children
5 years of age and older
1 staff member for 25 children
6. Family Engagement: The program recognizes that children's chances for success increase when families get involved in their child's early care and education program. The program promotes ongoing family participation in a variety of ways.
7. Program Administration: A strong set of management practices including record-keeping, financial management, staff hiring and retention practices, and emergency planning are key to a successful program.
Signs to look for:
What to look for:
Do the children look happy, involved in activities and well-cared for?
Do teachers get on the child's level to listen, talk and play with children?
Do teachers give individual attention to each child?
Are teachers warm, kind, calm and patient?
What is your child's reaction when he first sees his teacher in the morning?
Are there sufficient materials such as blocks, books, puzzles, art supplies and toys for all the children and are they available throughout the day?
Are well planned activities such as music, painting and dress-up play provided for children?
Does the facility seem cheerful, clean and safe with equipment in good repair?
Is hand washing and diaper changing done frequently?
Is there adequate indoor space for play, naps, meals, belongings?
Is the outdoor play are fenced, safe, well-equipped and supervised at all times?
Questions to ask
(You will probably receive an information packet that will answer some of these questions for you, but if you don't, here are some important questions to ask)
Is the program licensed? Accredited?
Private accrediting agencies perform an important quality assurance function by accrediting or certifying early care and education programs that meet their standards. Accredited child care programs have a strong interest in quality and have met a set of standards higher than licensing standards set forth by the particular Early Childhood Agency or Association they have cared to join. Some of the well known National Early Childhood Associations are: NAEYC, ACEI and NAFCC, and there are many others.
Are references and background checks conducted on staff?
How many of the teaching staff has been employed in this facility or home for more than one year?
Does the person who will be teaching your child have training in early childhood education, First Aid and CPR?
How many children are there for each adult? (adult to child ratio)
How many children are in your child's group? (smaller group size is a quality indicator)
Are there written policies/information regarding: philosophy of education for young children; discipline; on-going staff education/training; illness and injuries, napping; and toileting habits?
AND ALL OTHER QUESTIONS YOU FEEL THE NEED TO ASK. DON'T HESITATE...
Once you have made a choice. It doesn't all end there. You will want to talk to your new teacher often and make occasional visits to ensure that your child is safe and happy- that your decision was the right one.
I sincerely hope this information was helpful to you and that you find the right Preschool or Child Care setting for your bundle of joy like I finally did for mine. When one's child is excited and looking forward to going to school every time, one realizes that making the right choice makes a whole world of difference, and it will show...
If you would like to add your own thoughts or comments to this post, please feel free to do so below.

 

A Reflection on Developmentally Appropriate Practice

 

 

Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) has been seen by many as the cornerstone of Early Childhood education since the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) published the guidelines in 1987. The guidelines have been used widely in educare settings such as preschool and schools, with many educators accepting DAP as best practice for educating young children. Whilst DAP has been an highly successful approach for some educators, other alternative approaches to educating young children have recently been identified. Also, many criticisms of the DAP guidelines as they were originally written have been published. Two alternative discourses to Developmentally Appropriate Practice will be considered in this paper. These alternative discourses include an academic approach to early childhood education and the identified cultural bias of Developmentally Appropriate Practice.
NAEYC's Position Statement (1987) suggests that children learn most effectively through a concrete, play oriented approach to early childhood education (p36). A child-oriented, play based program should address the physical, social, emotional and cognitive needs of the children enrolled in the program. This type of program has been recognised by many as best practice in the education of young children. In practice, this may mean that children spend much of their day engaged in active, meaningful play with toys, their peers, craft materials, blocks, paints, adults, outdoor equipment, books and other useful equipment. Play can be seen as beneficial in terms of children's learning as it challenges them to create, collaborate, problem solve, predict, reflect and enhances their ability to communicate (Education Queensland, 2003).
Alternatively, there are educational programs for young children consisting of direct instruction that do not view play as a valid form of learning. These programs focus primarily on academic achievement (Spodek, Saracho, & Davis, 1987, p178). Academic programs may focus on skill and drills, learning of basic isolated facts and completing worksheets. Kessler (1992, p21) suggested that the increasingly academic nature of early childhood programs is due to their inclusion within school campuses. Academic programs are teaching children the concepts and skills that were previously taught in the first year of formal schooling. Play is often used within these programs as a form of relaxation after the children have completed their set work, rather than as valuable and meaningful learning experiences.
Elkind states that children learn best through direct encounters with their world rather than through formal education involving the inculcation of symbolic rules (1986, p1). These symbolic rules may include writing and number systems, which are extensively taught as part of academic programs. The children enrolled in these programs may have little opportunity to construct knowledge or understandings for themselves. Letters and numbers may be taught in rote like fashion, rather than construction of concepts (Kessler, 1992, p29). Teachers within these academic contexts may provide too much highly structured formal education for young children. Teaching methods can be too formal and are generally considered inappropriate for young children (Cotton & Conklin p1). These formal, content-centred teaching methods may involve a lot of seatwork and children will regularly engage in whole class activities. Less time will be devoted to play due to its apparent lack of educational value (Grover, 2001, p1). Play based, child centred programs provide a more open and flexible curriculum which should be more suited to meeting the educational needs of young children.
The type of program that teachers implement, either play based or academic may be impacted by many things including expectations of the school community. Given the context of the learning environment, different approaches to teaching and learning may be expected. My experiences have been impacted by the expectations of the centre and school administration and the parents of the children enrolled in the programs.
During my time as a preschool teacher working in a long day care centre, I was expected to implement a child centred, play based program based on DAP principles. A developmentally appropriate program was expected and encouraged by centre staff, administration and parents. Parents were encouraging of this approach and none requested a more formal, content based approach.
Alternatively I had a very different experience teaching a combined Preschool/ Transition class in a state school within a remote Aboriginal community. The school administration, staff and parents expected that the Early Childhood programs would be content based using formal teaching methods. A play based, developmentally appropriate program was actively resisted by the parents and they believed that the children were wasting their time engaging in play based learning experiences. Eventually I implemented a more formal academic style program, whilst still incorporating as many play based activities as possible. School learning, for this community meant children sitting at desks, completing worksheets, and learning the English writing and number systems. It also involved in whole class learning. Play was seen as a reward for working hard on academic tasks, not as a meaningful and engaging way of learning about the world.
I found it very challenging to teach using what I believed to be inappropriate pedagogy for young children. It was my experience that an academic program may encourage children to recite rote-learned facts. An academic approach failed to encourage the children to become active, engaged, questioning learners. It was also my experience that the inclusion of early childhood units within school campuses impacted on what the school community viewed as appropriate for young children. As most schools are academic in nature, one might expect similar to be occurring in the early childhood units, however inappropriate this may be.

The curriculum that I was encouraged to implement was very similar to that of a Year One class. This was challenging in itself as most of these children had no spoken English and were of a spoken tradition. The first years of schooling were used to maximise the children's English language acquisition and to learn expected school behaviours. Parents judged my effectiveness as a teacher by how well the children were able to recite basic number facts or the alphabet for example, rather than if the children had developed pre-reading skills and basic mathematical understandings. These children were encouraged to be quiet, passive learners, usually engaged in whole class or table work, not actively engaged in meaningful play-based learning experiences. Another challenge in implementing a quality program which met the needs of the children was related to the cultural bias inherent of the NAEYC's original guidelines.
Developmentally Appropriate Practice was promoted by many universities and teacher education courses as best practice for educating young children. It was assumed by many that it would meet the needs of all children within most educare contexts. This was not the case as the child development theories which underpin DAP were based on white middle class males and therefore have a cultural bias (Jispon, 1993). Due to this cultural bias, DAP may not meet the needs of all children, particularly those who do not share the monocultural values reflected in the guidelines. Goffin states that traditional reliance on white middle class norms should be re-examined in light of the cultural diversity of the children who participate in early childhood programs (1994, p195). Recent research has shown that developmental milestones and expectations vary from culture to culture (Nissani, 1993). What is valued and viewed as normal in one culture may not be reflected in any other culture. Therefore educators need to develop broad and meaningful understandings of their students' cultural backgrounds, goals for socialisation, beliefs about the nature of the child and various child rearing techniques (Nissani, 1993). These beliefs about children and how they develop may differ from culture to culture.

Teachers may need to establish wide networks and meaningful relationships with families and members of the community so they can develop sensitivity and understandings of their students' culture. By developing these understandings and working closely with community, educators are able to prepare a more effective and appropriate educational program. Implementing a curriculum which addresses the cultural heritage of children will certainly be more developmentally appropriate than using curriculum guidelines which are culturally exclusive and reflective of monocultural norms. It has been stated that DAP as curricula knowledge base failed to acknowledge multiple perspectives, tacit knowledge, subjective knowing and personal cultural involvement in making meaning, thereby reflecting a particular cultural worldview (Jipson, 1993, p128). It is important that curriculum is developed using many sources including relevant child development knowledge, individual characteristics of children, subject knowledge, the values of the culture, parents' desires and the knowledge children need to function competently in society (NAEYC, 1994, p23).
Educational programs aim to teach children the skills necessary to function as an active citizen within society. The skills, knowledge, beliefs and attitudes taught should reflect those that children experience within their home and community life. It is believed that children's learning is enhanced when they perceive a connectedness between home and school and when what is valued in one system in honoured in the other (Kostelnik Soderman & Whiren 1993, p48). DAP guidelines (NAEYC 1987) as they were originally published ignored the cultural impact on learning and did little to emphasize the importance of strengthened home-school-community links. DAP emphasised autonomy and focuses on the individual which may be in direct conflict with the ethos of other cultures, which may emphasise family groups and community over individuals. According to Jipson critics have identified major problems with trying to establish universality in child development theories to cultures which do not share the same worldviews, languages or social orientations (1993, p128). Jipson goes on to state that by redefining the interests of the child in terms of the traditions and expectations of his/her culture and by reconnecting the experiences of the child to the context in which he/she lives and the cultural patterns and values which she/he experiences, teachers could undermine the bias seemingly inherent in DAP. The concept of DAP could be transformed to become culturally appropriate practice (1993, p134). The issue of culture has had a huge impact on my practice over the course of my career and have used the DAP guidelines with varied success.

I found DAP guidelines to be an effective basis for curriculum whilst working as a Preschool teacher within a long day child care centre. My students were all white middle class English first-language speakers. I did not encounter any difficulties or feel that I was unable to address the children's needs and interests. I was of a similar cultural background and the program reflected the children's life experiences. My experience working in a remote Aboriginal community was very different. I did not share these children's cultural background. Nor did I speak the same language, or share the same child rearing beliefs or world view. Implementing DAP as I knew it proved to be ineffective and difficult, and was also met with resistance from community and school staff, as previously discussed. My challenge was to develop some basic understandings about the children's culture, day to day life, their interests and past times and world view. I also needed some information about expectations for normal child development and expectations regarding acceptable behaviours. Information about child rearing techniques was also valuable. Most of the approaches, expectations and practices by the Anindilyakwa people were very different from mine. What I knew to be 'true' about how children develop, behave, speak and spend their day was not reflected within this culture. For example, some of the children enrolled in the preschool program were still being breastfed through out the school day and their mother (or aunty or grandmother) was expected to attend school with their child to support their learning. The differences in child rearing techniques and expectations about how children develop were vast. A curriculum based on white, middle class mainstream norms did not address the needs, interests and life experiences of these children. So, I developed a program which was reflective of these children's realities, in conjunction with parents, a local language specialist, departmental advisors and representatives from the community who had education backgrounds. Eventually a program, although based on a more academic approach was developed and implemented with the help of members of the community. This program was sensitive to and actively addressed the cultural heritage of these children.
The new program demonstrated an understanding and responsiveness to the cultural and linguistic diversity of the students and could be considered developmentally appropriate as identified within the revised guidelines (NAEYC, 1997). The new program recognised the significance of family involvement and was based on a jointly constructed, meaningful and contextually relevant curriculum (NAEYC, 1997). The socio-cultural relationships with the classroom had to be considered due to social responsibilities and avoidance relationships. This type of social impact on learning was not addressed in the DAP guidelines as they were originally published. Although, social impact and cultural sensitivity are highlighted in the revised document.
It was my experience that there are stark differences in the expectations child develop, between those which form the basis of DAP and that of the Anindilyakwa people. Many Anindilyakwa children were dependant upon their mother or female carer for emotional support and nurturing. Mothers, grandmothers and aunties regularly attended school with their children. Yet, the children also were afforded a lot of freedom and were encouraged to make many choices for themselves. Many behaviours were accepted as long as everyone was happy. This approach to child rearing and development differs from that of the dominant Western culture, which was reflected in the original DAP guidelines. The program that was implemented reflected culturally specific expectations about how the children would develop and behave.
These understandings were developed through forging relationships with members of the school community, which included parents, and community elders. It is though meaningful connections with the wider community that teachers are able to develop educational programs that address the interests, culture, language, emotional social, and physical needs of the children they teach. The revised Developmentally Appropriate Practice guidelines do much to highlight the need for educators to be sensitive and mindful of the cultural impact on children's learning. Also, that a child-centred, play based approach to educating young children appears to be the most successful and still represents best-practice. An academic approach to educating young children perhaps meet the needs of parents and school administrators, but does not represent the best approach to educating young children.

Samantha is a qualified Early Childhood teacher with 10 years experience. She is currently studying Master of education. She is the mother of 2 young boys. Although parenting is her main focus, furthering her understandings about how children learn and develop is something of great interest to her. She is interested in parenting, as a teacher, as a mother and a member of a wider community.