Fraser Woods School Marks Montessori Week

With Non-Specific Activities

By Larissa Lytwyn

Fraser Woods Montessori School recently marked national Montessori Education Week, a recognition of Montessori educational philosophy, from February 28 through March 4.

“There isn’t a whole lot of activities or things we do specifically,” said Fraser Woods Head of School Myriam Woods. “It is basically just a highlighting of what we already do.”

Montessori education encourages children to learn principally from their environment and each other. The teacher is not the ultimate source of knowledge. Rather, the role of the teacher, or “guide,” is to be the children’s director toward the knowledge inherent in the carefully constructed Montessori classroom environment.

Montessori can benefit a range of different kinds of children, from the mentally challenged to the gifted. School can be provided for children as young as 18 months to high school age and are divided into “lower” and “upper” school age groups.

Ms Woods said there are a growing number of public Montessori schools across the United States. “It’s the idea of empowerment,” she said.

Pat Schulze, a lower school teacher, agreed. “Montessori education encourages children, even at the youngest ages, to be independent, building more confidence in themselves and their abilities,” she said.

Montessori’s founder was Italian physician Dr Maria Montessori, who came of age in the mid-19th Century. In 1870, she developed an interest in children’s development while working at the University of Rome’s psychiatric clinic. At age 28, she became the director of a school for mentally challenged youth.

Under her tutelage, these children, previously determined to be impossible to educate, passed a “normal” level exam. The children’s success was celebrated in academic circles, which considered Dr Montessori’s skills revolutionary.

Soon thereafter, Dr Montessori returned to university life to study anthropology and psychology, to help her reach her goal: to enable students to be permitted to educate themselves. She believed that young students able to self-initiate learning would grow into more confident, natural learners.

In 1907, Dr Montessori took charge of 50 children from Rome’s San Lorenzo slums. Using the different “works” available in their environment to acquire various skills from a number of integrated academic topics, the children rapidly developed into able and enthusiastic learners.

Fraser Woods is an independent school with students ranging from 18 months to eighth grade. It currently serves more than 200 students.

There is even Montessori furniture and materials, which include child-sized cooking equipment and utensils, chairs, tables, blocks and other items. Other features of the Montessori classroom are mixed age groups and generally small student-to-teacher ratios.

The largest groups are at the preschool age, generally ranging 25 students to two teachers, said Ms Woods.

At Fraser Woods the groups are divided as follows: toddlers, ages 18 months to 3 years; preschool, age 3 to 6; lower elementary, age 6 to 9; upper elementary, age 9 to 11; and middle school, age 11 to 14.

There is also an “enrichment” program, comprised of foreign language, creative and performing arts, computer science, physical education, and after-school activities including sports and organizations including the arts, computers, and a chess club.

Foreign language is introduced to children as young as 3. While French is the primary language studied, Spanish is growing in popularity in Montessori schools across the country.

“At Montessori, there is a great emphasis on respect; respect for themselves and respect for others,” said Ms Woods.

The American Montessori Society specially certifies American teachers, some of whom are regularly certified teachers.

“The [Montessori training program] is the equivalent to a master’s degree in education,” said Ms Woods, who holds both Montessori certification and a regular master’s in education. “It is very intensive.”

While the Montessori environment is ideal for some children, it is not for everyone. Families whose children may need a lot of specific structuring may find that Montessori is not quite the perfect fit. But elements of Montessori can be practiced at home or in a public school setting.

According to the International Montessori Index website, “Help me do it,” is the life theme of the preschooler. Parents are encouraged to allow their children to help participate in everyday household routines, including meal preparation, gardening, caring for clothes, shoes and toys, and cleaning.

Allowing children to become involved in these practices, asserts the Montessori method, “is the surest way” to build their self-esteem.

For more information on Fraser Woods, visit www.fraserwoods.com. For more information on Montessori philosophy, visit the American Montessori Society at www.amshq.org or the International Montessori Index at www.Montessori.org.