Interacting with Your Home Environment the Montessori Way

From KNILT

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MontessoriSensorialJM.jpg

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Course Introduction

  • The Purpose
  • The Process
  • The Design
  • The Objective

Unit 1: Introduction to the Montessori Approach

Essential Questions:

  • Who is Maria Montessori?
  • What is the Montessori approach to learning?
  • How does the Montessori approach differ from the traditional approach to learning?

Unit Objectives:

  1. The learner will define at least four key principles of the Montessori approach to learning using the Key Principles Activity form
  2. The learner will compare and contrast three elements between a traditional learning experience and a Montessori learning experience
  3. The learner will use a journal to reflect why and how they might introduce aspects of the Montessori approach into their home

Activities/Assessment:

  • Watch Living Montessori: The Parent Perspective video: https://vimeo.com/86032465
  • Use a journal to reflect on the following questions: "What aspects of the Montessori approach appeal to you?" and "What questions do you have that you hope to address through this course?"
  • Watch The Light in His Eyes video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PC0x9xYpN4&feature=youtu.be
  • Click and Drag simulation to match various images to an appropriate Montessori or Traditional category
  • Complete the Key Principles activity where participants describe four out of eight key principles of the Montessori approach.
  • In the simulation, participants will compare and contrast at least three key differences between a traditional schooling approach and a Montessori approach to learning.
  • Use a journal to reflect on the following questions:
  1. What aspects of the Montessori approach do you find most valuable in a child’s learning?
  2. Why might you introduce some of these concepts into your own home?

Unit 2: The Sensitive Periods and Materials

Essential Questions:

  • What are the sensitive periods in a child's life?
  • How can parents use appropriate learning materials to make the most of those developmental stages?

Unit Objectives:

  1. The learner will define the sensitive periods outlined by Maria Montessori
  2. The learner will defend the importance of the early years of a child's life and how it affects the child's motivation and abilities for future learning
  3. The learner will differentiate between Practical Life Skills, Sensorial Skills, Language Skills, and Math Skills
  4. The learner will describe four Montessori learning materials/activities and classify them according to skill type using the Four Skills Activity form
  5. The learner will reflect on what they understand of the sensitive periods and Montessori materials by describing what they can do to facilitate new age-appropriate learning

Activities/Assessment:

  • Click and Drag the sensitive periods to a matching behavior scenario
  • Describe in your own words the importance of the Sensitive Periods and how they affect a child's motivation and ability for future learning
  • Explore the Encyclopedia section on the Montessorium website (https://montessorium.com/encyclopedia)
  • Write a summary of at least one material/activity featured in the Montessorium's Encyclopedia section for each of the following skill type: Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, and Math.
  • Use a journal to reflect on the following questions:
  1. What are the sensitive periods in a child's life?
  2. How can you use appropriate learning activities and materials to make the most of those developmental stages?

Unit 3: The Environment

Essential Questions:

  • How can materials, activities, and environment help to support learning in the home?

Unit Objectives:

  1. The learner will use a journal to reflect on the importance of routine, order, and simplicity in the home environment
  2. The learner will create three developmentally appropriate home activities that align with the Montessori approach using the Home Activity Template form

Activities/Assessment:

  1. Why is routine, order, and simplicity so important in the home environment?
  2. What concepts or big ideas were new to you? How might you incorporate those ideas into your home?


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