EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY AND CURRICULUM
Educational Philosophy and Curriculum
Martin Luther King Montessori School bases its curriculum on the teaching philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori. Dr. Montessori believed that no human being is educated by another person. He must do it himself or it will never be done. A truly educated individual continues learning long after the hours and years he spends in the classroom because he is motivated from within by a natural curiosity and love for knowledge. Dr. Montessori felt, therefore, that the goal of early childhood education should not be to fill the child with facts from a pre-selected course of studies, but rather to cultivate his own natural desire to learn.
In the Montessori classroom this objective is approached in two ways:
- By allowing each child to experience the excitement of learning by his own choice rather than by being forced;
- By helping him to perfect all his natural tools for learning, so that his ability will be at a maximum in future learning situations. The Montessori materials have this dual long-range purpose in addition to their immediate purpose of giving specific information to the child.
A Montessori classroom consists of the five core areas: Practical Life/Everyday Living, Sensorial, Language, Math, and Geography/Science. It is in these five areas that children, regardless of age, economic background, color of skin or religious affirmation, learn all skills to assist them in and out of the classroom.
Montessori classrooms are “prepared environments.” Teachers select and display materials that produce a classroom environment that meets the needs of each individual child in order to promote exploration and discovery. Through presentations and demonstrations of carefully selected Montessori materials, the teaching staff directs children to specific activities which lead to self-discovery. They let the child feel the excitement of understanding a problem and conquering it. They allow the children to build their own self-image, confidence and independence. Continual observation by the teachers is the key to being able to understand each individual child and as a result, prepare the environment based on the needs observed. The teacher gets to know each child very well and clearly understand his or her needs and development.
Montessori Education vs. Traditional Education: A Comparison
Montessori children are extremely adaptable. They have learned to work independently and in groups. Since they have been encouraged to make decisions from an early age, Montessori children are problem-solvers who have learned to make appropriate choices and manage their time well. They have been encouraged to exchange ideas and discuss their work freely with others. Their good communication skills ease the way in new settings.
Research has shown that the best predictor of future success is a positive sense of self-esteem. Montessori programs, based on self-directed, non-competitive activities, help children develop strong self-images and the confidence to face challenges and change with optimism.
|
Montessori
Emphasis on cognitive structures and social development |
Traditional
Emphasis on rote knowledge and social development |
| Teacher has unobtrusive role in classroom activity; child is an active participant in learning | Teacher has dominant, active role in classroom activity; child is a passive participant in learning |
| Environment and method encourage internal self-discipline | Teacher acts as primary enforcer of external discipline |
| Instruction, both individual and group, adapts to each student's learning style | Instruction, both individual and group, conforms to the adult's teaching style |
| Mixed age groups | Same age groups |
| Children are encouraged to teach, collaborate, and help each other | Most teaching is done by teacher and collaboration is discouraged |
| Child chooses own work from interests and abilities | Curriculum structured for child with little regard for child's interest |
| Child formulates own concepts from self-teaching materials | Child is guided to concepts by teacher |
| Child works as long as he/she wishes on chosen project | Child generally given specific time limit for work |
| Child sets own learning pace to internalize information | Instruction pace usually set by group norm or teacher |
| Child spots own errors through feedback from material | If work is corrected, errors usually pointed out by teacher |
| Learning is reinforced internally through the child's own repetition of an activity and internal feelings of success | Learning is reinforced externally by rote repetition and rewards/discouragement |
| Multi-sensory materials for physical exploration | Fewer materials for sensory development and concrete manipulation |
| Organized program for learning care of self and environment (polishing shoes, cleaning sink, etc.) | Less emphasis on self-care instruction and classroom maintenance |
| Child can work where he/she is comfortable, moves around and talks at will (yet disturbs not the work of others); group work is voluntary and negotiable | Child is usually assigned own chair; encouraged to sit still and listen during group sessions |
| Organized program for parents to understand the Montessori philosophy and participate in the learning, not participants in understanding the learning process | Voluntary parent involvement, often only as fundraisers, process |