SYLLABUS OF MONTESSORI THEORY & METHODS UNIT 1 MONTESSORI METHODS DAY 1 – 3 - National Child Development Council

SYLLABUS OF MONTESSORI THEORY & METHODS UNIT 1 MONTESSORI METHODS DAY 1 – 3

Pre Home Assignments

Learning Activity 1: Book Reading & Review Writing: Read the book of Dr. Maria Montessori- ‘The Absorbent Mind’ during this theory paper & write review about that book in 3 A 4 pages in your Theory Assignment Book.

Learning Activity 2: Reading passage & Meditating: Should read the passage in this unit minimum 3 times. After reading each paragraph, close your eyes & think about the paragraph content for a few minutes. Also do the preparations for the Live Class Lesson Activities.

Learning Activity 3: Learn through Wikipedia and write an Essay: Search in Wikipedia regarding Dr. Montessori, her methodology and collect all related information and prepare an essay in your own words in 4 A4 pages in the Montessori Theory Assignment Book.

Learning Activities for Live Class Session:

Learning Activity 1: Pair TV Interview: The Montessori Method recognizes three agents of education for children between 2.5 to 6 years of age- The prepared Environment, The Learning Materials & the Montessori Directress. Two pupils sit face to face and talk on these points. One acts as Dr. Montessori.

Learning Activity 2: Speech: Write all 10 specialties of Montessori Method written in this unit in small pieces of paper. Fold or roll them and keep together. Let one trainee pick one from the lot as a lotto pick and deliver a speech about that number specialty in 1-2 minutes. Then remove that number from the lotto and continue the process with remaining students.

Learning Activity 3: Group Discussion: “Freedom is the birth right of a man, especially of the learner-child”. Discuss this subject by forming trainees into 5 or 6 members group. One student can be the moderator of the Program.

Learning Activity 4: Pair talk & share experience: Two pupils sit face to face and talk about their experience regarding materials/ practical / lab facility they got during their school days and the benefits they got from that materials/ practical’s/ lab facility.

Learning Activity 5: Group Discussion: Arrange a Group Discussion like in TV. All students are participating in the discussion.
Round 1: Purpose and objectives of learning and practicing the content in this theory unit
Round 2: How to apply the knowledge and the ideas in this unit in your life, career and in society.

Learning Activity 6: Practice an Imaginary Activity with closed eyes: Sub: 10 specialties of Montessori Method written in this unit, by using all the five imaginary senses.

Learning Activity 7: Panel Discussion: Conduct a panel discussion regarding effects of Montessori Methodology in preschool children. Participants stand in Podium just like TV shows and participate in the discussion. One student can be the moderator of the Program.

Learning Activity 8: Learning activity as per students’ choice. Conduct a learning activity as per the choice of lesson activities coordinating group.

Self-Home Assignments & with classmates:

Learning Activity 1: Self Speech in front of Mirror: About 10 specialties of Montessori Method written in this unit. Talk about each specialty in 1-2 minutes.

Learning Activity 2: Pair TV Interview: The Montessori Method recognizes three agents of education for children between 2.5 to 6 years of age- The prepared Environment, The Learning Materials & the Montessori Directress. Two pupils sit face to face and talk on these points. One acts as Dr. Montessori. Faculty prepare the list & put it in the group.

Learning Activity 3: Pair talk & share experience: Two pupils sit face to face and talk about their experience regarding materials/ practical / lab facility they got during their school days and the benefits they got from that materials/ practical’s/ lab facility. Faculty prepare the list & put it in the group.

Individual & pair learning activities as Post Home Assignments:

Introduction:

The core of the Montessori Method is the belief that children want to work and will do conscientiously on condition that the work is quite suitable to their age and growth. Letter cards are one of the items of Montessori Materials. Before learning to read and write children trace the letter forms which are in glass paper on a glossy background, and so commits them to memory through the sense of touch.
According to Maria Montessori children should get real life activities to carry out, not to make believe ones. They should be responsible for their environment. In Montessori’s House of Children, domestic works such as preparing food and drink, sweeping, cleaning, washing, planting, watering and weeding are important tasks which children do playfully and cheerfully.

The Montessori Method recognizes three agents of education for children between 2.5 to 6 years of age.

The first is the ENVIORNMENT. There should be sufficient room, space and scope to work. Children must have freedom to move about. The prepared Environment should provide stimulation to choose.

The second agent is the MATERIALS or the means of development. All the materials are to be displayed within the reach of hands and the eyes of the child. They should be displayed in developmental succession. They should physically and psychically proportionate.

The third agent is the ADULT or the Montessori Directress. She should be a trained, pleasant person. Her duties are: to establish contact between the child and the materials, to ensure freedom for children to work to choose, to repeat to observe children objectively and to offer assistance considering the past achievements, present needs, and future requirements.

The basic principles of Montessori Methods are: help is offered indirectly through three agents:

The Montessori School – The prepared Environment
The Learning Materials – Apparatus
The Montessori Directress – Teacher – Adult.

The most important basic principle is: Freedom is the birth right of a man, especially of the learner – the child. The teacher should ensure the freedom for the child to follow his inner drives. She must always bear in mind freedom and its limitations.

Specialties of Montessori Method

1. The Montessori Method is an approach to education which emphasizes the potential of the child.
2. It attempts to develop this potential by means of a prepared environment utilizing specially trained teachers and special teaching materials.
3. The areas of child development include the physical, cognitive, social, emotional and spiritual needs of the child.
4. The method is activity oriented. These activities are simple and easy to understand from the start to finish. This is not a play way method.
5. The method gives equal importance to the activities of social behavior.
6. Children are motivated by their own needs and desire to learn rather than by external rewards and punishments.
7. The Montessori education aids a harmonious development of the mind and body.
8. Children are helped to be in charge of their learning and also themselves.
9. Children are also helped to see, understand and respect differences. They appreciate one another, value the qualities of other and generous to each other.
10. Montessori does not present knowledge to the child but rather creates an environment which allows children to discover knowledge for themselves.

Edited & his Methodology applied by: Baba Alexander, New Delhi