Issue 88
July – September 2008
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MONTESSORI
INTERNATIONAL published by the Montessori St Nicholas Charity
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MONTESSORI
Issue 88
July – September 2008
INTERNATIONAL published quarterly by Montessori St Nicholas, London
Editor: Amanda Engelbach Editorial enquiries Tel: +44 207 493 8300
MONTESSORI
e-mail: amanda@montessori.org.uk Advertising enquiries Catherine Bunbury on +44 207 493 8300 e-mail: catherine@montessori.org.uk Job advertising enquiries Stephanie Ilo, e-mail: stephanie@montessori.org.uk Subscription enquiries Stephanie Ilo on +44 207 493 8300 Annual subscription rates, incl. p&p (4 issues): UK £19.95; Europe £29.95 / €45.00; Rest of World £33.00 / US$65.00 Students (incl. p&p): UK £15.95; Europe £23.00 / €36.00; Rest of World £28.00 / US$56.00 The views expressed in Montessori International are not necessarily those of the publisher and editorial team, nor are advertisements endorsed by them.
Address: Montessori International, 18 Balderton Street, London W1K 6TG Fax: +44 207 493 9936 Montessori International is designed by Stuart O’Neil, Design for Print (UK) Ltd, www.dfponline.com Printed by The Manson Group, St Albans, Herts ISSN 1354-1498
welcome from
the editor T his issue looks at food not just from a
healthy eating perspective but also from an educational, social, cultural and aesthetic
point of view. What is the experience of eating like for
the child at school? How can we create more harmony during family mealtimes? One of the ways to make meals more enjoyable is to encourage children to cook. Activities in this issue include pictorial recipe ideas on page 21 and cultural food preparation exercises including Bento boxes from Japan in our bright ideas section. Lunch time in many nurseries means more than children just being fed. Food is meant to be enjoyed and lunch becomes an important social activity demonstrated by the Italian nurseries of Pistoia on page 18.
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Marlene Barron, PhD. Professor, Education, New York University, NY, NY; recently retired Head, West Side Montessori School, NY, NY; past President, American Montessori Society. Sue Briggs, BA (Hons), Mont Dip and Advanced Mont Dip, 18 years teaching experience. John Clarkson, BA BSc(Hons), MEd, AdvMontDip, FLS MIBiol AASM LIHP, Registrar, Kent & Sussex Montessori Centre L-MD, Montessori Assessment & Education Ltd. Wendy Ellyatt, MA. Consultant, writer and researcher in holistic education systems. Founder www.F2be.com Wendy B. Fidler, Mont. Dip(Hons) MCMI DMS AI RgNI CCI CMed. Montessori and Special Educational Needs Research Consultant and Expert Witness, Dyspraxia Foundation Trustee. Sighle Fitzgerald, International Montessori Consultant, Dublin, Ireland. Lynne Lawrence, BA, AMI, Mont.Int.Dip. Director of Training Maria Montessori Training Organisation, London. Margaret Loeffler, PhD, past Director, Montessori Teacher Education, Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City, OK, USA.
Eating is also a holistic process which encompasses the 5 senses. Fred Sedgwick suggests creative strategies to encourage children to get in touch with their taste buds on page 40 and Jackie Maclean outlines some tasty ideas for lunch boxes on page 10. Our new Health and Wellbeing section features nutritious and energising recipes for busy teachers. The front cover image featuring Tana Ramsay was taken at Paint Pots Montessori during the filming of the new Montessori DVD produced by Montessori St Nicholas. On page 14, I interview Tana who talks about her experiences as a former Montessori teacher as well as her philosophy on bringing up her own four children. In September 2008 the Early Years Foundation Stage will become
Shirley Maxwell, MA Lecturer, University of Surrey, Roehampton, London, UK.
statutory. Our Education Update answers reader’s questions on the EYFS
Mairi Maciver Clark, Dip Pr Ed, Dip SW, CQSW; MD of Mulberry Bush Montessori Killearn & Glasgow, Chair of MSA (Scotland) & Director of SINA.
on page 38.
Helen Prochazka, PhD, Director Montessori Partnership. June P. A. Rowlands, Cert. Ed, Mont. Dip, International educational consulting in UK, US and Far East. Aline D. Wolf, Co-founder of 3rd US Montessori school, international lecturer and author of 26 Montessori-related books.
I hope you all enjoy the summer, whatever the weather! Amanda Engelbach, Editor
Website: www.montessorimagazine.com JULY – SEPTEMBER 2008
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contents PHOTO: © DEIRDRE ROONEY
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22 20 44
Feature articles
Regular departments
11 Food for thought
33 Research Watch
Jackie Maclean outlines ideas for lunch boxes
12 Learning off the land Rachel McKinney explains how the students at Hershey Montessori Farm School connect with their food sources
14 An interview with Tana Ramsay Tana Ramsay talks about the influence Montessori has had on her life
18 The Pleasure of Eating Donnatella Giovannini reflects on the social and cultural aspects of lunch in the schools of the Italian city of Pistoia
20 Cooking ‘all by myself’
John Clarkson comments on research findings
36 Health and Wellbeing Martina Watts offers teachers quick and easy nutritious ideas for meals
40 Sensory Issues in the Montessori Classroom Wendy Fidler shows how we can support a child who has difficulty with sensory processing
43 Work and Play Sandra Morris-Coole evaluates what play means in a Montessori environment
Michelle Wisbey describes how she set up a Forest School
34 Impact of the Electronic Media Sally Goddard Blythe explores what impact TV has on young children
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News
16
Parenting
26
Bright ideas
30
Reviews
38
Education & Special Needs and Disabilities Update
56
Global Links
Classified Advertising 48
Teaching opportunities
54
For Sale/Seeking to purchase
55
Teacher Training
44 Taste
A student project idea by Karin Bernard
22 A classroom without walls
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Fred Sedgwick offers creative ideas for exploring the sense of taste
46 Touring Nienhuis Amanda Engelbach visits the Nienhuis factory in Holland
47 Working with the media Nathan Archer suggests tips for promoting schools
Cover Photo: Paint Pots Montessori, Hyde Park, London
news Tana Ramsay cooks up a Montessori storm TANA RAMSAY is the down-toearth wife of famous Chef, Gordon Ramsay. What she’s perhaps least known for, is her association with Montessori. She studied at St Nicholas Training College in London (now Montessori Centre International) and worked as a Montessori Teacher at Caterpillar Montessori Nursery in Chiswick. Montessori is a cause close to Tana’s heart and she’s participated in the making of a DVD with Montessori St Nicholas charity. Tana says: “I was approached by Montessori St Nicholas charity to
collaborate with them on a DVD to promote a better understanding of Montessori and was delighted to take part. In the UK Montessori is relatively well-known but little understood.
students and a trained Montessori teacher, was able to support us so positively in the production of the DVD.”
My own family has benefited massively from Montessori and I want to raise awareness of what I consider to be the most encouraging and nurturing form of education there is.”
Paint Pots Montessori School – a private nursery school. Gorton Mount Primary, the first state school to adopt Montessori at Foundation Stage, and Rainbow Montessori Junior School which offers Montessori education up to 12 years.
delivers on all areas of the Early Years Foundation stage. Tana also interviews children, teachers, parents & students to find out what Montessori means to them.
The film highlights fundamental aspects of a Montessori education and shows how Montessori
It is now available to download and order for free at www.montessori.org.uk
Philip Bujak, Chief Executive, Montessori St Nicholas charity says: “We are delighted that Tana Ramsay, as one of our former
Filming takes place in a range of diverse settings.
Centenary Book Launch OVER 150 Montessori Heads and guests of the St Nicholas Charity enjoyed a wonderfully fun evening as guests of the City of London at the Guildhall to launch the 1907-2007 Montessori Centenary Book – ‘Around the World in 100 Years’. Book sponsors SONY kindly provided digital cameras which were sent out to Montessori schools in countries all round the world. The images taken by the schools were then gathered into this stunning book to celebrate the centenary of Montessori and
show how the Montessori approach transcends political, geographical, religious and cultural boundaries. After 14 months of hard work it was fantastic to see the finished product at the book launch where
thanks was expressed to all the sponsors – Sony, Shin Kong Life Foundation, Nienhuis Montessori and Community Playthings. The charity would also like to thank the schools from the 45 countries who contributed. To order a copy of the book please visit the charity website www.montessori.org.uk or contact Sharron on 020 7493 8300 Top: Over 45 countries contributed to the book Above: (left to right) Mairi Clark, Emma Gowers and Sarah Rowledge Left: Philip Davies, MEAB and Stephen Vickers, BAC.
Denis Nyuydzewira from the Cameroon Embassy, Andrew Parmley and Theresa Lewis, wife of The Lord Mayor of The City of London. JULY – SEPTEMBER 2008
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news Montessori Assessors undergo training TWENTY Montessorians, selected for their experience and knowledge, gathered at the end of April to be trained as Montessori Assessors at the offices of the Independent Schools Inspectorate in London. There was a buzz round the room as Martin Bradley, the MSA National Chairman, explained the new MEAB accreditation scheme in detail and introduced the assessors to the forms and paperwork they would be dealing with. He kept the mood light with anecdotes from his many years inspecting Early Years settings with Ofsted and said that the ultimate aim is to ensure that the country is full of genuine Montessori schools to protect the Montessori brand. Steve Bristow from the British
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Accreditation Council spoke about the meaning of accreditation. He pointed out that accreditation benefits many people – the accredited organisation (in this case the individual schools), the accrediting organisation (ie MSA), the consumer/service user (ie the children and parents) and the wider society as a whole. On the second day the emphasis was on the Montessori side of the accreditation led by Barbara Isaacs, the Senior Accreditation Officer, and Kim Simpson of Studio Montessori, Kew. The assessors participated in discussion groups, learnt techniques for feeding back information during visits and put their IT skills to the test. By the time they left after an
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2008
intense two days of training and team building, the group of assessors had formed a good bond and were fired up and ready to begin visiting the first schools in the pilot scheme. Twenty schools from round the UK were chosen from over fifty who applied to be pilot schools. Accreditation visits are taking place during the summer term and plaques will be presented to
successful schools at the MSA/Montessori Europe Conference in Oxford in October. If you are interested in becoming an assessor when the scheme rolls out in September, or if you would like to put your school on the waiting list to be accredited, please contact Philip Davies at admin@meab.co.uk or 020 7493 8300 for details and an application form.
mcinews Introducing VOICE to the Montessori Community
IN APRIL and May two groups of students benefited from advice for Michael Sadler, a representative of VOICE, the union for education professionals. Originally known as Pann and Pat, this organisation is based in Sheffield and provides support for all education professionals, from classroom assistants to teachers and lecturers. Michael explained the importance of representation for all Montessori teachers and assistants and the benefits his union has to offer. Students had an opportunity to ask him questions and found out that as students, they are able to join free of charge. In this rapidly changing early years world the benefits of belonging to a professional organisation include networking and in realising that most early years colleagues are experiencing similar challenges. VOICE also produce advice for practitioners such as the recently published leaflet on administering medication in daycare, nurseries and schools. Why not find out more about this organisation by accessing their website www.voicetheunion.org.uk
BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies THE EARLY years profession has now entered a new era, and from 2015 all early years practitioners must hold a relevant degree. London Metropolitan University has been running the Early Years Childhood Studies Degree for many years and has a proven history in supporting early years practitioners. It was the first
Easter workshops at MCI
Montessori Centre International
ONCE AGAIN the MCI college at Balderton Street was a hive of activity this Easter.
Facebook blog. See more about this below.
Distance learning students gathered to take part in the Apparatus workshop. Many of them saw the Montessori learning materials for the first time and spent long days at the college preparing for the practical examinations at the end of the workshop.
The truly international nature of the college was evident in the make up of the Trainers workshop where we had representatives from five countries spanning from Nigeria and South Africa, Saudi Arabia via Canada, Poland via Kuwait and China via Ireland. The Montessorians attending this workshop were preparing to become Montessori trainers and were challenged to revisit, review and rethink their approach to delivering Montessori teacher training. Their workshop culminated in presentations to the group where they were expected to reflect on the two weeks of learning.
The Infant Toddler Study Circle students attended the School management workshop and learned not only about the legal requirements for setting up a Montessori nursery but also explored marketing techniques, and dreamed about furnishing the ideal nursery as they prepared their first business plan. They were also introduced to issues of classroom management, looking both at management of the curriculum as well as of staff. They wrote their first school policies and examined ways of effective working with parents and families. This year, the students benefited from the students study room where they had access to computers and the internet (see above). As they were looking to find the best Montessori materials they came up with the idea of setting up MCI London university to offer flexible opportunities to study for a degree while working. London Metropolitan University is now pleased to announce that LMC &MCI graduates will be exempt from the first year of the early childhood Studies Degree, equivalent to eight modules. To qualify for this exemption, graduates will have been awarded the International Diploma and have at least three years’ experience of working with children.
As always the college hosted a lunch for the students and Berhane Dory also prepared a delicious Ethiopian vegetarian feast to raise funds for the children of an Addis Abiba school. We raised over £250 so a big thanks to all who contributed. As the summer is approaching MCI are preparing for their Summer workshops, to find out more please see our website www.montessori.uk.com
time or through distance learning. Entry: September and January. If you are interested, please contact Admission Office London Metropolitan University
166-220 Holloway Road London N7 8DB Tel: 020 7133 4200 Fax: 020 7133 2670 Email: admission@londonmet.ac.uk
Find Montessori Friends via MCI London on Facebook IF YOU are an owner of a Facebook profile, why not visit the MCI Facebook entry established by the Infant Toddler students during the Easter workshop. We hope this will become an opportunity for MCI students around the world to have ‘conversations’. Why not find out by searching for the group name: Montessori Centre International, Balderton Street, London. Let us know how you get on!
Students can study either partJULY – SEPTEMBER 2008
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msanews Montessori Europe Congress Town Hall, Oxford, 10th – 12th October, 2008 Including the MSA National Conference on Saturday 11th October
CONGRESS THEME:
Observation and Education – Montessori’s Approach
THIS YEAR the MSA are delighted to welcome the Montessori Europe Congress to the UK. It will be held at the Town Hall in Oxford from 10th to 12th October and the theme will be "Observation and Education - Montessori's
Approach". Maria Montessori had a special reverence for the use of observation in education. She believed that it was the key to giving the child the right stimulus at the right time without
About the Speakers Sally Goddard Blythe Opening speaker, Friday 10th October 2008 16.00 – 17.00 “Observing and Identifying Physical Readiness for Learning” Sally will speak on “Observing and Identifying Physical Readiness for Learning”, and examine the significance of primitive and postural reflexes as reflections of the maturity of the central nervous system. This at first may seem very theoretical, but Sally will go on to show what Montessori teachers can do to help children with these problems, and how activities in the classroom can be modified to provide further help and aid the child’s development. Sally is Director of The Institute for NeuroPhysiological Psychology (INPP) and author of several books such as “The Well Balanced Child” and her latest book “What Babies and Children Really Need” (Hawthorn Press) is reviewed in this edition of Montessori International.
Professor Christine Pascal Saturday 11th October 2008 “Capturing the Unique Child: Principles of Observation and Assessment of Learning.” Christine will be giving the third annual Oxford Montessori lecture as part of the Annual Montessori Schools Association Conference (this year to be held in Oxford rather than London) and Montessori Europe Congress. She will be talking on “Capturing the Unique Child: Principles of Observation and Assessment of Learning.”
Montessori International
Montessorians are invited to join colleagues from around Europe for the weekend – either attending the entire three day congress or by coming as a day delegate for the MSA’s National Conference on
In her presentation she will talk about the importance of the Unique Child in the new Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum, and what this means for practice, and will move on to talk about how we might use observation to capture and assess children’s competencies in their learning. Christine is Director of the Centre for Research in Early Childhood based in Birmingham and was leader of the national research project “Effective Early Learning”. Currently she is working on the Baby Effective Early Learning Programme and the Children Crossing Border Project. Christine helped to found the European Early Childhood Research Journal, for which she is a trustee and co-ordinating editor. She is also an adviser to the U.K. Government on education. In 2001 she was awarded the OBE for her services to early years’ education.
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Saturday 11th. With many eminent speakers lined up for the occasion, this looks set to be an event not to miss. Book early to secure your place – see right for details. Deadline for registration is 22 September 2008
Lynne Lawrence Saturday 11th October 2008 15.30 – 16.30 “Observation: the Cornerstone of Montessori Education” Lynne is director of training and school at the Maria Montessori Institute in London, and General Secretary of AMI and is well known as an engaging speaker in the Montessori world. Lynne is also the author of “Montessori Read and Write” and many other articles on Montessori. Her video/DVD “Montessori in Action” has been invaluable for parents, trainers and students as an observation of, and insight into, a true Montessori classroom.
Professor Catherine McTamaney
Sue Palmer
Saturday 11th October 2008
09.30 – 10.30
14.00 – 15.00
“What are our Children Watching? The problem of Growing up in an Electronic Global Village”
“A Lens Inward – Self Observation and the Montessori Teacher” Catherine is the author of the well known book “The Tao of Montessori”, and will be coming from Tennessee.
11.15 – 12.15
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interfering in the right to free choice and spontaneous learning
The title of her talk is “A Lens Inward – Self Observation and the Montessori Teacher”. Catherine is Professor of Montessori School Leadership, Vanderbilt University, co-director of The Christopher Montessori Institute, and was a practising Montessori teacher for several years.
Sunday 12th October 2008
Sue, who is a writer, broadcaster and consultant on the education of children, will be the final speaker at the congress. The title of her talk will be “What are our Children Watching? The problem of growing up in an electronic global village”. Sue’s concerns about our children’s lifestyles led her to write “Toxic Childhood: how modern life is damaging our children…and what we can do about it”, followed by a practical handbook for parents “Detoxing Childhood” in 2007. Her forthcoming book “21st Century Boys” looks in depth at the effects of modern life on boys, from birth to the teenage years.
Workshops Morning workshops are only available to European delegates as they will take place at the same time as the MSA meeting and Christine Pascal’s talk. A choice between Lynne Lawrence’s talk on “Observation: the Cornerstone of Montessori Education” and a wide variety of workshops (repeated from the morning choice), will be available to MSA members in the afternoon.
Workshops include: “Using Drama to Observe Children’s Imagination” Chris Manville, lecturer and Montessori consultant who has had many years of experience in the Montessori classroom.
The spires of Oxford
Booking Your Place at the Congress All bookings need to be made online via the Montessori Europe website – www.montessorieurope.com/Congress_08_ Oxford.117.0.html. Telephone and postal bookings will not be accepted. Day Delegates – if you wish to attend on Saturday only the cost is £50 for MSA members, £85 for non MSA members. (Please note that the day delegate price does not include the dinner on Saturday evening). MSA members who are day delegates must book online on the Montessori Europe website! After your registration Montessori Europe will forward your data to Caroline Harraway at MSA, who will issue an invoice for £50 rather than £85. Please note: MSA will provide a subsidy of £35 per day delegate to Montessori Europe, making up the price of £85 in all. Non MSA members will be invoiced by Montessori Europe. The payment can be paid into the Montessori Europe account or by Credit Card.
member of Montessori Europe if you wish to attend the full congress, as membership is only 40 euros. Therefore Early Bird Members pay only 240 euros in total. Only online booking on the Montessori Europe website is accepted and you will be sent an invoice by Montessori Europe. Please note that full attendance includes a drinks reception on the Friday evening, and a sit down dinner on the Saturday evening at either Somerville College or St. Cross College. Please note that the use of the colleges is as a venue only and does not imply any official endorsement by the colleges or Oxford University. Reservations are necessary and must be made at the time of registration. Please note: Information about the congress is updated regularly on the Montessori Europe website, www.montessori-europe.com
Wendy Fidler, Montessori Consultant, Ofsted Inspector and author of “Montessori Meets the Early Learning Goals” and many other articles. Wendy has a special interest in special needs and has written many articles on Autism, Aspergers and Semantic Pragmatic Disorder.
“Implementing the Work of the Early Learning Project in Your School” Barbara Isaacs, Director of MCI and author. This will be a follow up to Christine Pascal’s talk, and will look at putting aspects of the EEL Project into practice in a Montessori school.
“Introducing Positive Discipline into Your Classroom” Serena Gunn, Head of Meadowbrook Montessori School, Bracknell, Berks and lecturer in Montessori Education. Serena’s school has taken on board an approach devised by Jane Nelsen to cope with discipline problems in the classroom, which is compatible with Montessori philosophy and has achieved great success.
“Exploring the Montessori Bells” Elina Rautascalo This workshop is suitable for all who are interested in introducing music to children through the Montessori Bells, not just musicians. Elina studied for her 3 – 6 Diploma at Maria Montessori Institute (AMI) in London. She started her own Children’s Houses, and worked as a directress for many years. Currently she is a teacher trainer at the Maria Montessori Institute in London.
“Introducing the Biome Maps and Materials into Your Montessori 6 – 12 Classroom” (Biomes include rainforests, deserts etc) Sharon Duncan director and founder of Waseca Learning Environment U.S.A. Sharon has 20 years experience with both 3 – 6 year olds and children over 6 years of age. The exciting new biome maps will be on sale at the conference.
“Grace and Courtesy Exercises for the Young Child” (2½ - 12 years)
Full Attendance - if you wish to attend from Friday to Sunday lunchtime you need to book online as a full delegate. There is no MSA subsidy for this. The price of the congress up to the 15th August, 2008 (Early Bird Price) is 200 euros if you are a member, 280 euros if you are not. It is beneficial to become a
“Observing and Identifying the Special Needs Child”
Pam Crisman. Pam is director of the Santa Monica Institute, California and Vice President of the International Association for Montessori Education (IAME)
Punting is one of the many activities on offer in Oxford
This is just a sample of the workshops. There is a choice of 11 workshops altogether, plus Lynne Lawrence’s talk on “Observation: the Cornerstone of Montessori Education” to choose from. Please note: you can either choose Lynne’s talk or a workshop, as they are on at the same time. Workshops and Lynne’s talk will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
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msanews The MSA Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in Montessori Settings Conference Wendy Fidler reports ON 18 April over 250 Montessorians convened bright and early at The Institute for Education to attend a groundbreaking conference. This happy occasion resulted from the good relationships which have developed between the Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) and Montessori teachers, lecturers and students. The conference was opened by Dr. Martin Bradley, Chairman of the Montessori Schools Association (MSA) who welcomed the opportunity to work with government departments to demonstrate how the Montessori approach to education shares the underlying principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and supports the welfare and learning and development requirements. Martin also updated delegates on progress towards the MSA school accreditation scheme. The first speaker was Ruth Pimentel, National Director of the Early Years National Strategies. Ruth outlined the key elements of quality Early Years provision in terms with which Montessorians are very familiar. Ruth highlighted the links between
Over 250 Montessorians attended the EYFS Conference
Ruth Pimental, National Director of Early Years
quality phonic work, letters and sounds, supporting boys’ achievements and supporting children learning English as an additional language. These can be downloaded from the Standards website: www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/primary/ publications/literacy/letters_sounds
Barbara Isaacs showed how the new guide complements the existing EYFS publication
the EYFS and the National Curriculum and encouraged us to dip into resources designed for the Primary Strategy, including high
Our second speaker was Barbara Isaacs, Academic Director of the Montessori Centre International, whose presentation, ‘A Guide to the Early Years Foundation Stage in Montessori Settings’, provided a much needed pat on the back for Montessorians by reminding us that our philosophy and practice underpin the principles of the EYFS: G
that each child is unique;
G
that positive relationships form the basis for personal respect supporting learning;
G
that the learning environment has a key role in extending
learning and development, G
that children learn and develop in different ways and at different rates.
Barbara emphasised that the Montessori approach, which seeks to provide organised play as a means of promoting specific skills and concepts, is at one with the EYFS view of learning. In particular both see observation of children as central to promoting children’s learning and development. In essence, we follow the child. Delegates were each treated to a copy of a new publication, cowritten by Barbara Isaacs and Ruth Pimentel and funded by the DCSF, which shows how the Montessori approach to planning, to the areas of learning and to assessment meets the requirements of the EYFS without compromising Montessori principles. The EYFS supports these Montessori approaches, which we have used for over a hundred years, and we can demonstrate how this supports the requirements from September 2008. After a delicious lunch and lots of networking, delegates moved on to workshops which focused on the new Ofsted inspection arrangements, completing the EYFS Profile, EYFS outdoors, Play in Montessori Settings and Role of the Keyworker before a final plenary Q and A session and a rousing vote of thanks for the MSA conference organiser, Caroline Harraway.
Martin Bradley, MSA National Chairman, updated delegates about the new accreditation scheme.
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To download a free copy of the Guide to the EYFS in Montessori Settings please visit www.montessori.org.uk
msanews Who should be Montessorian of the Year 2008? NOMINATIONS are invited for the Montessorian of the Year Award 2008. This award will be presented at the MSA National Conference (being held alongside the Montessori Europe Congress) in Oxford on Saturday 11th October. The purpose of the award is to celebrate the work of a practitioner and their contribution to the lives of children and adults in the Montessori world and to promoting Montessori actively and effectively in ways which have not been publicly celebrated already. If you would like to nominate someone for this award, please
send your nomination to Martin Bradley, National Chairman, MSA, 18 Balderton Street, London, W1K 6TG by 31st August. Applications should include contact details for both the person making the nomination and the person they are nominating. Applications must show how the nominee fulfils the following criteria: 1. The quality of their work as evidenced by other practitioners both within their own setting and from outside. 2. The range of their work: impact on children’s learning and lives. 3. The range of their work: impact on families’ lives. 4. The range of their work: impact on other practitioners in their setting. 5. The range of their work: impact on other practitioners outside their setting.
Roz Payne of Clifton Children’s House, Bristol received the award in 2007
The Balanced Mind THE MSA Primary Group, together with Region 8, welcomed Dr Frank Belgau, the inventor of Balametrics, and his wife to their Spring term meeting at Bickley Manor. Back in the 1960s, Dr Belgau had noticed that pupils in the lower sets were less co-ordinated than their peers. He suspended a ball in the classroom and encouraged pupils to hit it while tracking its movement with their eyes. Every morning they practiced exercises together, throwing a bean bag, standing on a balance board and slowly Belgau started to notice an improvement in their written work and discovered that precise physical activity permanently changes the brain. This led him to develop his system of Balametrics. After a brief introduction about the
6. Candidates should have been active in Montessori work over a period of time and in fields which extend beyond their paid employment. importance of balance and the inner ear, attendees were treated to a quite amazing demonstration. Two of the audience, one a Montessori teacher and the other a dyslexic student, bravely volunteered to be guinea pigs. Before the session they were each recorded reading a previously unseen passage from one of Montessori’s lesser known books. They then followed a simple series of exercises for 15 minutes balanced (with feet spaced very precisely which is very important) on a rocker board. They then read a second passage from the same book. The difference was amazing! Both subjects agreed
Philip Bujak visits Rose Hill Montessori Rose Hill Montessori Nursery School is based in a beautiful modern extension of St Georges Church in Forest Hill, South London. Founded and led by Dawn Nasser, Rose Hill is a wonderfully quiet and ordered environment. The staff are committed and well qualified and the children happy and focused on their work. Dawn not only runs this school but also another in Croydon as well as being a central part of the MEAB school accreditation working party. Rose Hill is a wonderfully warm and receptive school and a pleasure to visit. that their minds were clearer and that they could scan ahead to what was coming which made their reading better phrased.
A teacher demonstrating the balametrics equipment.
Following lunch attendees watched a presentation of some of the other beneficial effects of Balametrics which include physical co-ordination, writing etc. Physical activities are a vital part of the curriculum for the whole child and this scheme is an interesting and valuable approach. Further detailed information about Balametrics can be obtained from www.balametrics.com/theory.htm An example of children balancing on rocker boards appears in Wendy Fidlers article on page 40.
Examples of writing before and after balametrics JULY – SEPTEMBER 2008
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lunchbox ideas
Food for thought The Village Montessori Nursery School in Bradfield involved parents and staff in compiling a booklet for Packed Lunches. For many parents, preparing a packed lunch was a new experience and the booklet offers imaginative ideas while encouraging the use of a wide variety of healthy ingredients. Jackie Maclean outlines some of the ideas.
HANDY TIPS I It is important to keep lunchboxes cool as warm conditions encourage the growth of bacteria. For summer months use an ice pack or cool bag. I Being able to open their own (named) lunch box will encourage the children’s independence. Rigid sided plastic ones are easier to clean – but insulated ones with a zip/Velcro fastening are easier for little fingers to open. I It’s a good idea to place sandwiches in a small plastic container so they don’t get squashed I Keep salad dressings in a separate container so the salad remains crisp - they love opening little pots and pouring the salad dressing themselves. I Children like to discover what is in a LITTLE POT – potato salad, rice salad, pasta salad etc. Salads also make a nice change from sandwiches. I Avoid processed foods – instead prepare wedges of mango, melon, papaya, Kiwi and pineapple – pack them in a separate container with a lid. Children tend to give up on fruit that is difficult to eat – so peel where appropriate, remove any ‘bad’ bits and wrap the fruit in film. I Try offering Twiglets or toasted seeds instead of crisps although avoid nuts – a little packet of raisins is a good alternative.
Lunchtime at The Village Montessori Nursery School
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t The Village Montessori Nursery tables are set out with decorative cloths, china plates and tumblers. Each child finds his/her named napkin ring from a tray, collects their lunch box and chooses where they will sit On average we have about 20 – 25 children staying for lunch. The children help themselves to water from small jugs placed on the tables; lunch time is a perfect time for encouraging good table manners and positive social interactions. They carefully select the food from their boxes to put on their plates, a little at a time. The boxes stay by each child on the floor as we don’t want meal times to resemble a picnic. When it comes to clearing away, the children have easy access to a small waste bin for composting and other bins for paper, yoghurt pots etc. They fold their napkins, replace in the napkin holder, return it to the tray and clear their plates, tumblers and cutlery. Any soiled napkins are placed in the laundry basket. They return their lunch boxes/bags … and then it’s Rest Time!
Ideas for baking Quiches – cook in mini muffin tins (half a muffin) spread with tomato puree, topped with finely chopped onion/peppers/mushrooms etc. (caramelised red onions are really tasty) then add cheese and finally grill. Mini samosas / spring rolls, mini pasties (vegetables, cheese and onion, baked beans) Pesto pinwheels (buy ready rolled puff pastry, cover with pesto – roll up and slice) Marmite & cheese twists (again ready rolled puff pastry – cover with diluted Marmite – sprinkle with Parmesan cheese – fold in half and roll. Slice very thinly and twist each strip before baking. Savoury scones and muffins can be made in batches and then frozen. Keep portions small. If crusts are not being eaten make ‘roll-ups’ from tortillas. Make your own cakes – so that you control sugar and additive levels.
Innovative Sandwich Fillings
Breadsticks
Mashed avocado, cottage cheese, lettuce and cream cheese Mashed banana 100% fruit spread honey Cream cheese toasted sesame seeds & cress/sprouted seeds Egg mixed with mayo & yogurt & sprouted seeds Cream cheese honey & raisins Grated cheese grated apple & sultanas Grated cheese and mango chutney Cream cheese and chopped apricots
Dried Fruit – apricots, sultanas, peaches.
Jackie Maclean, The Village Montessori Nursery School, Bradfield, Berkshire.
Let’s look inside Vegetable sticks such as carrot, peppers and cucumber and cherry tomatoes are great with dips such as avocado and yoghurt. Oatcakes and cheese (diced or in small portions) Home-made pop-corn (no sugar or salt is added to the natural variety) Cold new potatoes
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international
Learning off the
Land
Thoughts about food are central to some people, while others rarely give a thought to the food that nourishes and sustains their lives. Rachel McKinney explains how the students who attend the Hershey Montessori School Adolescent Program in eastern Ohio know a little bit more about their meals than the average supermarket shopper.
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ocated approximately one hour east of Cleveland, the Adolescent Program at the farm is a boarding and day school for students ages 1215. A program of Hershey Montessori School in Concord Township, Ohio, an Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) school established in 1978, the Adolescent Program at the farm is guided by Maria Montessori’s vision of a farm-based community in which students, through participation in surrounding rural life and commerce, experience practical roles that integrate and engage academic studies, while building a greater connection to society and the world. The school serves approximately 50 local, national, and international students in grades seven through nine and works to reflect the words of Maria Montessori that “education should, therefore, include the two forms of work, manual and intellectual, for the same person, and thus make it understood by practical experience that these two kinds complete each other and are equally essential to a civilized existence.” The farm at the Hershey Montessori School has a work and study process that emerges from direct contact with the land. The 97 acres of woods and farm provide a rich setting for both
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work and study. Activities within these habitats lead the students toward a limitless study of science (land management, ecology, biology, chemistry), mathematics (accounting, geometry, algebra), civilization, economic systems, physics, energy, environmental issues, and technology. Activities on the land are the points of departure for formal studies, but the educational syllabus goes well beyond immediate academic extensions that arise out of this work on the land. The farm is an exercise in social independence; it teaches lessons of selfsufficiency while, at the same time, providing goods and services to the community. It provides the highest expectations of challenge in both academic and social development, appealing to the very different contributions each individual adolescent has to offer. Students attending the program are in charge of the practical life and maintenance of the farm, house, and grounds. They cook all the meals, have daily cleaning chores, and maintain the barns and grounds of the property. Within this course of study, students become more familiar with cycles of nature and connections to food. The answer to the question, “What’s to eat?” might begin in the spring when
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Students cook all the meals
seeds are planted in the wood-heated bioshelter, an ecologically diverse, yearround greenhouse habitat. As the sun rises higher on the horizon, seedlings for the approximately 1-acre of organic garden are planted and cultivated, producing a wide variety of tomatoes, beans, squashes, peppers, greens, onions, garlic, and other vegetables, all of which are grown in soil that is nurtured and improved using composted animal manure from the barns and cover crops. A flock of sheep, a few dairy goats, a dairy cow, a beef cow, several hives of honey bees, a flock of chickens, and
pigs also live at the school. The cow and goats provide milk for cheese and milk-based soap, and the sheep provide wool that is spun into yarn. The chickens provide eggs, the bees help pollinate the gardens and provide honey, and the pigs and beef cow fill the freezers after appropriate free-range growth. Students often refer to the meat that they raise themselves as “happy meat” because the animals have experienced a well-loved, wellcared-for, “happy” life. Prior to filling their plates, it is common for these young adults to ask if the meal was prepared using meat that they feel was raised in humane conditions. Some students choose to eat only meat that they know is “happy.” While the program strives toward self-sufficiency and sustainability, there are limitations to growing all your own food for a community of sixty people. To help supply the home-grown larder, additional meat and cheese products are purchased from local sources.
Shared harvest As summer approaches, some students look forward to managing the abundant gardens. The harvest is shared with local families in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Families help take care of the summer gardens and, in return, share some of the diverse abundance for their own kitchens. Students and participants share recipe suggestions and freezing and canning tips. In addition to the CSA program, students also manage a stand at the local Geauga Fresh Farmers Market in South Russell, which provides a unique
Above left and above: Students share the farm with a flock of sheep, goats, cows, chickens and pigs. Above right: The 97 acres of woods and farm provide a rich setting for the students.
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opportunity for community involvement as well as lessons in economics. In addition to vegetables and eggs, students sell other handmade items from the farm such as wooden cutting boards, note cards, goat milk soap, and maple syrup. As the first frosts arrive in the fall, the gardens are put to rest for winter. Cover crops are planted to help improve the soil as the snow begins to fall. The focus of food turns back toward the bioshelter where greens are grown for fresh winter salads. The last of several
The farm at the Hershey Montessori School has a work and study process that emerges from direct contact with the land.” cords of wood is split and stacked— wood that will help heat the bioshelter and fuel one of the sweetest productions of the year—boiling maple sap. When the sap begins to flow in the sunny days of late winter, the students stay busy boiling some of the finest maple syrup in Geauga County. Students prefer this syrup for their breakfast treats and also host pancake breakfasts to share the flavor with the local community. The lessons learned by students at the Hershey Montessori School’s Adolescent Program are relatively simple and can be incorporated into almost any lifestyle. One does not have to raise one’s own meat or boil one’s own syrup to be involved in the production of food. Simply ask the question, “What’s to eat?” and consider
the sources of your own food pantry. Visit local farmers’ markets. Grow a tomato. Ask questions. Think about food. While studies suggest that many people believe that milk comes from a carton and hamburger from plastic wrap, it puts a more urgent focus on the phrase “food for thought.” At the Hershey Montessori School Adolescent Program at the farm, students think more about their food, and as a consequence, more about their own connection to human activity on the planet. 쮿
Rachel McKinney teaches maths and science for the Hershey Montessori school Adolescent programme. She has lived on, worked on and managed a variety of sustainable farms since childhood. Hershey Montessori Farm school is the only adolescent programme in the world that has developed a complete prepared environment as described in Maria Montessori’s writings (the appendices to her book From Childhood to Adolescence) with a full boarding component. The Farm School is the only existing Montessori adolescent project with an “Erkinder prepared environment” including a youth “hostel”, a bed and breakfast, an operating farm, and a functioning micro-economy with a community farm shop. The Farm School model proved that the Montessori syllabus is workable and able to provide structure that is comprehensive and uniquely connected to the psychological characteristics of the adolescent.
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interview
An Interview with
Tana Ramsay Tana Ramsay, food writer and broadcaster speaks to Amanda Engelbach about her experiences as a former Montessori teacher and busy parent explaining why she was keen to support the St Nicholas Charity in producing a DVD on Montessori. She is the wife of Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay and mother to Megan, nine, twins Holly and Jack, eight, and Matilda, six. independence at home...
I know you did your training at St Nicholas now MCI - What inspired you to train as a Montessori teacher?
It was, especially when they were little. The more they could do themselves, the more fun we could have I guess.
I had always wanted to work with children and after reading about Montessori and deciding I really liked the theory behind it, I looked into doing the course and realized it was the right thing for me. I liked the ethos of learning through practical life and putting that little bit of independence and trust into children.
You mentioned having pegs at child height at home. Are there any other Montessori techniques which you use with your children? Routine – the stability of the children knowing how the day will be structured. Giving them responsibilities to help from emptying the dishwasher to making sure they take their own clothes down to the utility room. Obviously as they get older there is more that they can do for themselves.
What aspect of the course did you enjoy most and where did you go onto teach? I loved making all the materials such as the pink and blue language materials and having to perfect my Montessori handwriting! I remember sitting with a friend of mine late into the evening making materials being very particular. I went onto teach at Caterpillar Montessori nursery in Chiswick.
You recently collaborated with St Nicholas on our new promotional DVD - What was your motivation behind this?
Are you still in contact with anyone from the course? I’m still in contact with Sam who is now acting head of Mouse House nursery in London. I was her bridesmaid and she was mine and we’ve both got children of similar ages so we’ve always kept in touch.
How has your parenting style been influenced by your Montessori background? Really through making my children independent from quite a young age, to the extent that some people were quite surprised at what they could do. I encouraged them to put on their own
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coats and had pegs put up at the right height. Rather than having brightly coloured plastic utensils I gave them slightly more adult looking ones but in a child size. I didn’t over-parent them by doing everything for them. They lay their clothes out at night, dress themselves and help themselves to breakfast cereals - just simple things they can do on their own.
I presume having 4 children so close in age it was almost a necessity to encourage
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Filming took place at Paint Pots, Gorton Mount and Rainbow Montessori Junior School
I think Montessori nurseries are fantastic places for children to start off and get a really lovely introduction to school life. I was very keen to help promote this and since I’m not teaching anymore it was really nice to be in a classroom again and to see how it had come on.
You visited a variety of different settings whilst filming the DVD – did you feel anything had changed since you were teaching? No, it hadn’t and I don’t think it needed to. It was all exactly as I remembered. I think it’s such a solid foundation. The schools I visited were so well presented it was fantastic.
What was the key message you hoped to get through to parents? The importance of how well rounded the children are when they leave a Montessori nursery and how children learn in such a tactile, hands on way.
You have used your experience as a mother and Montessori teacher to help families resolve parenting issues – since this edition of the magazine is focusing on food and eating, do you have any tips for parents with children who are fussy eaters? With children, you have to persevere. With my own children we all sit down as a family - mealtimes when they are very young can be quite demanding (to say the least!). Basically don’t give in. We were quite strict in the way that if they didn’t want to eat the savoury part of the meal, there was no dessert. If you do that at a young age, children realize that this is the right way to be and then you are not forever fighting a battle later on in life.
Making fruit kebabs during filming for the DVD
He was so proud of himself and now he’ll eat peas without even thinking about it. It’s about presenting food in another way which helps break the mould of not liking a particular food. Children can very quickly put up barriers about not liking certain foods which you need to find a way around without it becoming a big drama.
I like your idea of having a section on ‘trying new tastes’ in your family cookbook, what was your idea behind this section? The recipes in this section give ideas for a table full of a selection of different foods. The food was presented in this way to teach children to help themselves to the right amount of food and to encourage them to try new foods. When food is laid out on a table and it’s in front of them, they are more likely to try it.
You mentioned that your son never liked peas but adored pea puree...
When it comes to food and healthy eating, what is your philosophy?
Whilst filming Tana spoke passionately about how she applies Montessori to her own family life
me, having mealtimes together as a family is important and talking to your children. Obviously if you’re a working parent it can be difficult as it’s not always practical to sit down for every meal but always make time for them whether it’s at a weekend or at the end of the day. Always have your family meetings around the table with lots of good food.
I like your idea of encouraging the children to ask and listen to your news as well as telling you about theirs...
Certainly in our house we always cook very simple freshly prepared food. Of course there are always corners that can be cut. I don’t always make my own pastry or when making pizzas I don’t always make my own dough but the toppings are always fresh. It’s also less expensive when you shop for fresh food which people don’t always realize. There is less waste which is something we are all very focused on at the moment - using up everything in the fridge and not throwing food away. You realize how easy it can be once you get into the habit.
Whenever I pick them up, we always ask about each other’s day however I usually find it’s once we’ve got home as I’m preparing supper that you begin to hear their news as they are usually too tired on their way back from school. If you are working and can’t be around at teatime, the other nice time for a chat is when you lay on their bed with them as you put them to sleep or when they are sitting in the bath. Sit on the bathroom floor with a cup of tea and have a chat. It doesn’t have to be rigidly around the table. I just think it’s really important to give them that time if you can before they go to sleep.
In summary, what would you say is the key to bringing up happy and confident children?
Have you any plans to go back into Montessori teaching?
It’s all one big learning curve. For
Never say never!
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Montessori International has a number of cookery books by Tana Ramsay to give away. If you would like to receive one put your name and address on a postcard and send to Montessori International, Cookery Competition, 18 Balderton Street, London, WIK 6TG
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your montessori child
Harmony at Mealtimes Barbara Isaacs suggests helpful strategies to ensure family mealtimes are relaxed and enjoyable.
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have been prompted to write this article by the recent Unicef report which looked at aspects of children’s wellbeing. It appears that children and young people in the UK and Europe share many experiences of life, but there is one major difference - not many children in the UK sit down to share meals with their families. I began to explore cultural difference regarding mealtimes. Traditionally young children in the UK would have their high tea at about 5pm and parents would have their evening meal later, when the father arrived home. The working day starts later in the UK and tends to finish later and currently the expectation of long working hours is becoming the norm rather than an usual event. Sally Goddard Blythe in her book “What Babies and Children Really Need” recognises the difficulties of establishing family mealtimes. This can be a particular challenge if both parents work, or if parents “long for a short time each day when they can be grown-ups together”. She identifies several benefits of family mealtimes before children start school such as: developing important social and conversational skills, as well as manipulative skills in learning to eat with knife/spoon and fork and absorbing table manners. She also highlights the fact that family meals tend to take longer and may be one of the contributory factors for reducing the development of obesity. She justifies this statement by pointing out “that it takes up to 20 minutes for the hypothalamus (the satiety centre in the brain) to register when the body has eaten enough. She also states: “I see an increasingly large number of children in my practice who only sit down to a meal with their parents when they are on holiday or when they eat out. The first clue I have that this is probably the case is that these are the children who
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Involve children in food preparation
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2008
constantly interrupt and cannot wait for a pause in the conversation without demanding attention. When parents start to include them regularly in adult mealtimes the behaviour improves markedly within a couple of months” Significantly this has been recognised as point of interest at Gorton Mount Primary school, and was addressed last summer when the long tables in their dinning room were replaced with circular tables. Seven children share their meals with an adult and teachers now eat the same food and interact with the children during their lunch. Carol Powell, the head teacher, recognises the benefits both from the point of view of the children’s behaviour and having the food eaten by children and staff. I have also noticed that the increase of fast food, frozen meals and eating in
front of the television has meant that children’s food preferences are catered for more readily, with children snacking rather than waiting for a freshly cooked balanced meal, which takes time to prepare. Involving children in food preparation can be an answer for some families, as this will show them not only what they need to do but also how long it takes to prepare a meal. Cooking together also gives an opportunity to talk about why the ingredients are good for us, where they come from, and explore varied approaches to preparation of food. Parents often complain that their children are “fussy eaters” who eat very little, or only certain kinds of food. Meal times for these families can become a stressful experience rather than one of harmony. I have also witnessed children coming to nursery with their mums and nannies feeding them their breakfast as they are walking through the front door. G
Try to make time so everyone sits down at breakfast and for an evening meal. If not every day then at least on alternate days or at weekends.
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Try to make this a relaxed occasion, both in terms of time spent eating and what is put on the table.
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Rather than serving children with food, why not put the food in serving dishes and encourage children to help themselves. Then if would be fair to expect that most of what the children put on their place should be eaten.
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Try to cook something that the children are likely to enjoy along side introducing new foods or including less favourite dishes. Encourage children to take a taste. Children’s taste buds change as they grow up.
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Try to avoid confrontation.
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Do not insist that children eat up everything on their plate.
Try some of these strategies; they may bring calm to your table and enjoyment in sharing food with your children. After all, sharing food is one of the traditions of humankind. 쮿
your montessori child
The summer season has officially begun and although most of us would encourage children to play outside, the lure of the television or computer can cause friction in even the most relaxed household. Arlene Harris suggests activities to keep children entertained and outside for longer.
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Every child loves gardening. Depending on the amount of space you have; allow your child to have his own garden. This could involve an allotment, a vegetable patch or simply a few herb pots on the window ledge. Sowing Cress is a good place to start as it comes up very soon after sowing, usually in about 3 days. It also gives a continuous crop. Cut it with scissors and it will grow again – enjoy it in sandwiches or salads. Practise sowing seeds inside – draw your child’s initials on a large sheet of paper and show them how to shake the seeds gently out of the packet onto the pattern on the paper.
Encourage him to take responsibility for planting, tending, watering and most importantly harvesting his crop. This gentle activity is something you can do together and it evokes an interest in both gardening and cooking as the end result can be eaten or used to enhance flavours. #
it will also encourage a love and respect for nature.
No matter how old your child is, he is bound to love nature hunting. This involves writing a list (or drawing pictures if the child is very young) of items to be discovered outside. These could include twigs, flowers, insects, worms and different types of stones or leaves. Children are naturally drawn to small objects and will find great entertainment and wonder in discovering what inhabits their local environment. Not only will this activity keep them amused for hours,
Animal tracking – This can be done either at home if you live in the countryside or in the park if you are a city dweller – it involves careful scrutiny of the environs, searching for tell-tale clues about the resident wildlife. Hairs, fur, droppings, possible habitats and even markings. You will be amazed what you can find if you look hard enough and as we all know, children are fascinated with detail, so can unearth the tiniest things.
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hen they are fed up with the swing set and tired of the paddling pool, use these ideas to keep your children amused and entertained.
“If you want the children to go outside and they are reluctant to do so – pack up a picnic (let them help with the choosing and preparing of their feast), a blanket, a couple of books and games. Summer is also a fantastic time for art and craft activities. Leaves, cones, flowers, shells and even stones can be the basis for many an artistic project. #
Collect leaves from different trees. Identify, trace and dry within the pages of a scrapbook.
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Gather seed heads from wild flowers and plant either in a pot or a designated area of the garden.
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Set up a nature table. There can be lots to find at this time of year. Apart from plants and flowers, you may also find feathers, unusual stones, shells from the beach, bits of nest – anything goes. Whatever the children find interesting let them include in their set.
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Create a garden on a plate. Objects found in the garden or beach can be used to make either a desert garden or seaside scene. For the desert use: sand, tiny stones, a sprouting pineapple top, small cactus or household leek and a piece of wood. For a beach scene you could use sand, shells, seaweed, driftwood and stones. Adding a small mirror suggests a rock pool or the sea edge.
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Collect fir and pine cones. They can be used to tell the weather. If it is going to rain they will close up! They are also great for art work. Great sculptures can be created by sticking cones of different sizes together and colouring them.
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Sticks and stones are also great objects to paint. The children will love transforming smooth flat rocks into various animals or bugs. Eyes and ears can be made separately (or even bought from a craft shop) and tails or fins can be added at the end.
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Sturdy twigs can be spray painted in different colours and used to decorate a den or play area.
And if all else fails, there is no surer way to a child’s heart than through his tummy! If you want the children to go outside and they are reluctant to do so – pack up a picnic (let them help with the choosing and preparing of their feast), a blanket, a couple of books and games and they won’t be able to get out fast enough. The summer months are likely to be changeable, but with a bit of imagination, you and your children can make the most of the great outdoors before the autumn leaves begin to fall once again. 쮿
Arlene Harris is a Montessori teacher and parent of three. JULY – SEPTEMBER 2008
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international
The pleasure of eating Donatella Giovannini reflects on the social and cultural importance attached to lunchtime for children in the nursery schools of the Italian city of Pistoia.
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unch is an important social and convivial occasion in daily life. Looking after mealtimes every day for a community of young children is neither simple nor unimportant. Parents know this very well, at least Italian ones; they often tell us about their child’s refusal to come to the table or remain seated, or of chasing the child, spoon in hand, to get them to eat a mouthful. The nursery school (scuola dell infanzia) has the same problems – but multiplied by the number of children. So there needs to be a well thought out and organised approach to create an environment that is rich with meaning, a pleasant atmosphere devoid of anxiety and haste, and a positive approach to food for children. For our nursery schools this awareness means dealing with lunch not only from the point of view of the furnishings and the quantity and quality of the food, but above all from a social and communicative perspective. It is essential to assign a clear role to this period of the school day when organising the daily timetable since it’s an important social occasion in the children’s daily life which links children to adults, creating a feeling of belonging. Attention is therefore given to everything that is considered a necessary accompaniment to the food itself: the eating area, the beauty of the table, good company, pleasant conversation, the rules to be respected, good manners and the rituals involved in the children’s participation in this aspect of community life. A good community life requires respect for and recognition of the needs
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of the individual child and the group of children, balancing individual needs against collective ones. And lunch, in this sense, is a prime example of this difficult process of reconciliation: between the slow eating of some and the speed of others, between voracious and small appetites, between the wish of some to be active and of others to do nothing. We have attempted, with commitment and care, to reconcile social and cultural values with satisfying individual physical and psychological needs: eating and resting after a day that is often demanding,
Drawing the name – One child on each table draws a name out of a box. Today it is Duccio’s turn to draw the name of who will wait on his table: it is Alice. Alice, like the others is excited each time her name is picked out to play an important role
Laying the table – Giving children a sense of responsibility helps to encourage autonomy.
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receiving care and attention, but also expressing emotions. We have attempted to ensure that a routine situation, one that is repeated every day, does not lead to a trivialisation and loss of meaning that prevents us from realising its social and cultural value.
Recognition and predicting the social situation Giving lunchtime value has required the design and construction of a social situation with a strong identity. To do this we have made an effort to give lunch a precise structure – the before, the after and the actual lunch – making what will happen predictable, communicating the rules of community to the children and giving them the possibility of taking part in this community. But we have also made efforts to make this time a pleasant time, paying careful attention to all aspects – to the cupboards containing plates and tableware, to posters and photographs of lunchtime, to the decorations for birthday parties and to the articles used to decorate the tables such as fabric tablecloths, pottery tableware and glass drinking glasses. The attention paid to these more fragile and more personal items helps the child to behave with greater care and in a more considerate way. There is more awareness of what can be broken and, at the same time, having his or her own personal items makes the child feel that he or she is seated at the table in his or her own place. We have also had to take great care over various other aspects and make certain choices. The first of these may seem the most trivial. Where to sit at
Time to eat - The children are encouraged to do things for themselves - If anything is missing from the table the children knock on the kitchen door
After lunch there is a series of rituals created by the group to mark the end of the meal. They light a candle, have a “pretend coffee” and sing a song”
Adults sit at the table and eat with the children to encourage participation and conversation
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table as the children, thus becoming fellow diners, sharing this important occasion with them. The adult is asked to stimulate the children in expressing feelings and the tastes of the food, and discovers the flavours, aromas and colours at the same time as them. The adult can bring out the best from each child, but is also committed to ensuring that each child pays attention to others at the table and asks and encourages the children to talk. The adult must encourage both independence and interpersonal
Children become more aware and respectful of the rules needed for being happy together if they recognise and share in the practices and meanings of various social situations. relationships and must not, therefore, take over from the children but, instead, stimulate their participation.
Rules and rituals Washing hands and brushing teeth. This is the last act: hands are washed and teeth brushed again.
the table and who with? We decided that the children should not sit at random but all should have a set place at the table. This is a message that gives the child a feeling of calmness and trust at lunchtime. Moreover, having a set place at a table, around which are sitting a small group of friends you have been playing with all morning, creates a relaxed and affectionate atmosphere that stimulates a convivial situation. And it is thanks to this conviviality that conditions are created for listening, sharing feelings, of having time without any need to hurry, because everyone is happy and it is a pleasure to be together. The adults sit and eat at the same
Conversation – The emotionally relaxed and warm atmosphere encourages conviviality.
Children become more aware and respectful of the rules needed for being happy together if they recognise and share in the practices and meanings of various social situations. We are well aware that if children are treated as
responsible members, able to give their contribution to the group, they will become responsible. At lunchtime this means, for example, giving the children the possibility of laying the table, waiting on the other children in turn, clearing up, serving themselves from the dish in the middle of the table, passing the cheese, water or bread, going in small groups to wash their hands and brush their teeth and putting their napkin in the dirty laundry basket. All these components not only assist the lunch to proceed properly but also underline the value of the children in group life. Within this social framework, the purpose of introducing rituals at lunchtime is to reinforce the sense of participation during a period of group life. As well as creating a situation of greater emotional intensity, rituals are a great help in linking individual behaviour to group behaviour because they become moments for sharing practices and meanings, around which the group identity of the children is defined. This is why a series of rituals, linked to the history of each specific group, are included as part of lunch. Songs to be sung, candles to be lit and put out to show the start and finish of lunch, the imaginary coffee at the end of lunch, a fantasy person who knocks at the door and leaves a bag of sweets behind: these are just some of the rituals, recorded by various groups, that help create a very calm climate and, at the same time, a fruitful emotional and communicative environment for all present – both adults and children. 쮿
Donatella Giovannini is education coordinator for the Municipality of Pistoia. This article first appeared in the magazine Children in Europe, published in 12 languages by a network of European magazines and is reprinted with their kind permission. www.childrenineurope.org JULY – SEPTEMBER 2008
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classroom activity ideas
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Cooking ‘all by myself’! A pictorial recipe idea by Karin Bernard, a part-time student at MCI introduced by Barbara Isaacs
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hen I visited Montessori schools in Sweden I noticed children had many opportunities for individual food preparation activities. Classrooms had child sized areas equipped for food preparation and children often contributed to preparations for snack or lunch. Although it is difficult to reproduce this kind of facility in the UK, where most nurseries operate from church halls, I wondered whether it would be possible to set up “cooking activities” ready for individual use? The advantages would be the same as with any other activity available to the child in the favourable environment. Children could select it spontaneously and get involved in the whole process from the
Other ideas for photo book recipes: Fresh lemonade Pizza Vegetable dips Muesli Honey –Banana-Yoghurt Fresh fruit cups beginning to the end without waiting to have their turn. For the past five years we have encouraged students at MCI to prepare a recipe in pictures presented in such a way that a four year old could follow and “cook from it” . The following is an example of Karin Bernard, part time student who joined the early childhood course in February and this recipe is part of her practical life file.
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Strawberry and Banana Sticks The Strawberry and Banana Sticks are a colourful, tasty and healthy cooking activity that can be done individually by very young children in the nursery. Always aiming for independence the children will be grateful to prepare their own snacks. This simple recipe requires the child to have developed some coordination and fine motor skills from first experiences with practical life activities. It is necessary that the child has already practiced pouring water from a jug into a bowl and knows how to thread beads following a pattern.
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The recipe is presented in the form of a photo book and each photo represents one particular movement. The child can only see one picture at a time. Turning the page to see the next step helps the child to structure the cooking process by doing one step after the other. The activity might be prepared by the teacher and presented on a table as illustrated in picture 1. Another option is for the teacher to make sure that all ingredients are available in the cooking/snack area. The first step of the activity is then for the child to prepare his/her own personal cooking area by assembling all necessary utensils and fruits.
The recipe above is presented in the form of a photo book.
The sticks can be made with any fruit. However, for young children strawberries and bananas have several advantages; they can be prepared without the use of a knife, they are soft and therefore can be put on the stick quite easily, and last but not least children usually love these fruits, and they look very decorative on the stick! 쮿
If you have pictorial recipes which you have tried with children why not share them with the readers of Montessori International? Email the editor, amanda@montessori.org.uk A selection will be published in forthcoming issues.
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Montessori International
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forest schools
Above left: The sticks in the circle were used to represent a camp fire to allow the children to get used to it before a real fire was created. Above centre: Enjoying a colour matching activity. Above right: How do I feel today? The emotion tree is another activity the children enjoy in the woods.
A Classroom Michelle Wisbey describes her experience of setting up a Forest School and suggests activities which can be adapted to a variety of outdoor settings.
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hen I set up Westwood Montessori 2 years ago, we were lucky enough to have ‘West Wood’ behind the school which is managed by the Wildlife Trust. With their permission we began taking the children for regular nature walks up to the wood, working in partnership with the warden studying the wildlife. A few months later my staff and I were lucky enough to attend an MSA training day at Cherry Trees School in Bury-St – Edmunds where we experienced Wendy Compson’s forest school and quickly decided that this is what we wanted to develop in our own wood. We now run Westwood Forest school in partnership with Stebbing Primary school and Great Sampford Primary school in Essex, giving children from both these primary schools and my 3 pre-schools the opportunity to experience the wood. We have also managed to secure a grant from the Forestery Commission to enable teachers from the schools and the preschools to train as forest school leaders.
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The primary schools visit weekly and the pre-schools fortnightly with each session lasting between 2 – 3 hours. With each visit to the forest school, children learn a new skill linked to the survival of man and caring for the environment. In the Montessori primary curriculum children learn about the fundamental needs of man; the need for food and water to grow and develop, the need for oxygen to breath and the need to have the ability to reproduce and produce off-spring. With all this in mind we teach them where to find food and water, they gain a concrete impression of how plants produce oxygen and why we need to care for them and they learn first hand about plant and animal re-production.
Setting up camp When the children arrive for their session, the first thing they do is help set up the woodland toilet which comprises of a sheltered area, a small spade and a hole. They also help put flags around the edge of the area they are allowed to work in as we limit the working area to help protect the wood,
ensuring we do not over use it. We then come together in the main camp area and sit around the camp fire. This time is used to remind the children to only pick up things that have fallen - in West Wood for example there are protected Orchids. One of the first activities the children embarked on during our first session 5 weeks ago was creating an identity tag. The children sawed their own small piece of wood from a fallen branch,
without walls What are Forest Schools? Forest schools originated in Scandinavia in the 1950’s as a way of learning about the natural world. By the 1980’s they had become an integral part of the Danish Early Years programme. In 1993 the first forest school was set up in the UK and there are now forest schools in existence up and down the country. To find out more about forest schools visit www.forestschools.com
drilled a hole through it, decorated it and created a necklace which they now wear for the duration of the forest school session. Real tools are always used in a traditional woodland manner and are introduced gradually with a structured safety base that the children will become familiar with. The use of tools in the wood promotes trust and self-confidence within those taking part and develops both gross and fine motor skills.
Above and left: Shelter building is one of the children’s favourite activities.
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We run a variety of different activities which are planned to meet the development needs of the children involved in the session. Listed here are just some of the activities we do, many of which can be adapted for use in a variety of outdoor settings.
The use of tools in the wood promotes trust and self-confidence within those taking part and develops both gross and fine motor skills.”
Activities
Creating mud faces
Art Hunt
Colour matching
The children collect objects and materials from the wood which they use to create pictures or make sculptures. They are given the choice as to whether they would like to work on their art individually or as a group. We start by collecting mud which the children then use to create mud men and mud faces on the trees.
The children do colour matching activities using tablets from the colour boxes. They either find as many objects as they can in a defined area which match their chosen colour tablet or they are given a piece of card with 4-5 colour blocks cut out from paint sample cards and encouraged to find a variety of objects to match the colours.
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forest schools
Continued from previous page
Ourselves The children take Earth Walks in the forest where they use all their senses to help them discover more about themselves and the world around them.
Camp Fires They learn to build camp fires using both natural and man made materials where they discover and learn to identify which materials are best for burning and why. The children also learn to identify berries and fungi which can be cooked and eaten and enjoy warming marshmallows.
Fungi Walk The children love finding out about these mysterious and highly successful life forms, how to identify them, the folklore surrounding them and how they appear from no-where.
Tree Trail The children create ‘Tree Scrapbooks’, by collecting leaves, buds, blossom, bark and making bark rubbings. They then use terminology cards, identification cards and the leaf cabinet to make identification notes on their trees.
Plants and Animals The children examine animal habitats, plant life-cycles and seeds. They record data and discuss and compare plants and animals. Lots of the work that comes back from the forest helps create a nature table in the classrooms and learning continues in class.
Alphabet Trail We pin the sandpaper letters around the wood in interesting locations and the children then write down or talk about the things they can see or hear in that area beginning with the sound they find.
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The groups who were assisted by an adult (who couldn’t resist helping) struggled, and their shelters were not only less creative but would not have been as efficient at keeping the occupants dry.”
Above: Anna Rule, Essex Wildlife Trust forest school leader shares a moment with the children. Right: Building a camp fire.
Map Stick Every so often the children take a journey around the wood collecting natural objects which are tied to a stick with wool. The stick then makes a lovely reminder of their forest school experience. The map stick helps them recount their journey either verbally or in writing when they get back to class.
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Shelter Building The last time we ran this session I was lucky enough to observe. We begun by splitting the children into small groups with one adult assigned to each group. The children accompanied by an adult, who directly followed the instructions of assisting the children only on request, built very successful shelters; some included seats and in other cases separate rooms. The groups who were assisted by an adult who couldn’t resist helping struggled, and their shelters were not only less creative but would not have been as efficient at keeping the occupants dry. This exercise really proved that children are more productive if allowed to develop their own creativity.
Conclusion Having the opportunity to be involved in this positive outdoor experience inspires all the children. By participating in the engaging, motivating and achievable tasks in a woodland environment, they benefit from the philosophy of learning and caring about the natural world that we endeavour to teach in our Montessori schools. 쮿
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bright ideas A Musical Journey around the World www.putumayo.com
Images from the new conceptual gallery relating to happiness and to the environment. Top left: Cuban Portrait no.10, 1996 (acrylic on canvas) by Weiss, Marjorie (Contemporary Artist). Private Collection/ The Bridgeman Art Library. Nationality / copyright status - American / in copyright. Above left: Madame Henriette de Gaulle and her son toboganning at La Boisserie, 1944-60 (b/w photo) by French Photographer, (20th century). Archives de Gaulle, Paris, France/ Giraudon/ The Bridgeman Art Library. Nationality / copyright status - French / copyright unknown. Above right: Pollution I (acrylic on board) by Powis, Paul (Contemporary Artist) Private Collection/ The Bridgeman Art Library Nationality / copyright status: English / in copyright
New online Gallery launched
www.bridgemaneducation.com
Bridgeman Education, one of the UK’s leading online resources for teachers, academic tutors and their students, has recently launched a unique online gallery that gives teachers access to huge amounts of the very best kinds of educational materials drawn from galleries all over the world. Art can be used as a springboard to teach a variety of subjects. One of the discs from the new conceptual gallery, for example, focuses on 'strength' and includes images ranging from old fashioned strongmen and comic book characters to labourers and Greek Gods. A key factor of the site is the cross-curricular nature of the material - which is easy to browse and is enriched by useful keywords. Putumayo is the world's leading children's record label with distribution in over 100 countries. The idea is to introduce children to culture through traditional and popular music styles and to inspire cultural curiosity. The 12 Playground CDs are created for interactive, cultural learning and parents and teachers can now download free learning guides and maps from the Putumayo website. The learning guides provide cultural/historical information, musical terms, activities and extension ideas for exploring each country’s rich musical culture. These CD’s would make a great addition to the cultural boxes and would enliven and inspire any music and movement session. Each CD is priced at £12.95.
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A free one month trial of the subscription service, including the Conceptual Gallery, is available to teachers and lecturers through the Bridgeman Education website.
Class Act Agency
Talk Pod
www.classactagency.co.uk
www.talk-pod.com
Class Act Agency is a booking service for schools with a large database of children’s authors, poets, storytellers and illustrators.
TalkPod is an original tool to help children develop their speaking and listening skills – the pods allow you to record and playback your own voice messages, music or sound effects.
Teacher and founder Kate Collier knows all about the stresses of organising literary events, but also understands the educational benefits of having quality performers and workshop leaders into school. Class Act only work with recommended artistes. Artistes who are good at what they do and are good with the children.
Children can express and record ideas in a very simple way promoting the development of oral confidence and fluency. A comprehensive classroom activity book is also available to buy to use with the Talkpods. Why not create an interactive art display or nature table?
Teachers who are looking to enliven their book week or add interest to their literacy lesson can call on Class Act Agency which has been created to support teachers who already have a busy work load.
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2008
A 30 second tin is priced at £5.50. The activity book is priced at £28.
TO SUBSCRIBE call: +44 207 493 8300 or visit www.montessorimagazine.com
JULY – SEPTEMBER 2008
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bright ideas READERS OWN
Bento Boxes Bento boxes are common in Japanese cuisine. They made their appearance during the mid 1500s and were eaten during a hanami, or tea party. Their portability made them popular among travellers, and their use later extended to teachers and school children who bought their bentos along for lunch.
Maseca Tortillas Offering culturally specific food preparation exercises is a wonderful way to make the child feel a part of the school, family, and culturally communities to which she belongs. In Mexico, we prepare the Practical Life shelves with this in mind. Our Practical Life curriculum includes the following culturally-specific food preparation exercises: Removing Corn Kernels from the Cob, Milling Corn, and Making Tortillas.
Material: apron, mat, tray, bowl, glass pitcher with a marking to indicate 1 /2 cup measurement, a jar with Maseca (a tortilla mix common in Mexico), a container with a marking to indicate 1/2 cup, coffee maker or teapot for heating water, spoon, tortilla press, plate or tray for carrying the press, plastic bags
Above left: A ‘caterpillar’ Bento. Above right: ‘Rainy season’ Bento Left: ‘Sorry you’re leaving’ Bento
cut in circles to the size of the tortilla press, a small bowl for adding a bit of water, a 1 oz. dropper bottle with cooking oil, a metal spatula for flipping the tortillas , paper napkins, tabletop or small camping stove, matches, a “comal” or other flat pan for cooking the tortillas, child-sized oven mitts, a “tortillero” (or a folded hand towel in which to place the tortillas after they have been cooked.)
Recipe Ingredients: 1
/2 cup Maseca, 1/2 cup warm
water and a bit of oil for the pan where the tortillas are cooked.
Instructions: Fill the container with the 1/2 cup marking with Maseca. Empty the Maseca into the bowl. Take the glass pitcher and fill it with 1/2 cup of water. Warm it either in a teapot or coffee maker. Add the warm water little by little to the Maseca while stirring constantly. Form ping pong-sized balls of moist Maseca with the hands. Put a very small amount of water into the small water bowl. Dip a finger into the bowl and touch both sides of the tortilla press, dampening it
The potential of bento boxes for children seems astronomical – a delightful, fun presentation of fresh, healthy, unprocessed food. It would also be a fun way for the adult and child to collaborate in meal preparation. Text by Meg McElwee, Mexico and Bento box ideas from Jo Ebisujima, Japan www.jojoebi.blogspot.com slightly. Place a circle of plastic bag on each side of the press. Place a ball of Maseca in the center of the press – press, remove the tortilla, and place to one side. Once all of the Maseca balls have been pressed, take them to the stove. The Guide will help the child cook the tortillas, adding a bit of oil to the cooking surface with a paper napkin and helping the child flip the tortillas if necessary. Adriana de la Vega, Casa de Ninos, Rakara, Creel, Mexico www.montessoricreel.blogspot.com
Moving from group to individual snack IF YOU are wondering how to move from group snack to individual snack, why not try Michelle Wisbey’s idea from Westwood Montessori? After months of experimenting they are now very happy with their system. Most importantly, the children love it! Each child brings in a piece of fruit on the days they attend. Fruit and drinks are prepared by the children themselves, who take it in turns to be responsible. They either prepare the fruit straight onto a large plate on the snack table and the children use individual plates to serve
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themselves, or they prepare each child’s portion in individual bowls. The bowls and glasses are personalised with glass paint by the children when they first join Westwood Montessori. They also have their names painted on, so both children and teachers can tell whose they are. Drinks (milk & water) are poured by the children from a large jug on the snack table. Children usually sit in a group of up to four, any time during the work cycle with the directress ticking the children’s names as she sees them having snack.
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Individual snack is a great opportunity for Communication, Language & Literature experiences as well as for Personal, Social & Emotional Development.
Obviously, the children do their own washing up! Reviewed by Thea Bredie, Horsham Montessori School, UK
WHAT’S NEW ON
www.montessorimagazine.com Buying or selling a school and purchasing both new and second hand equipment has been made easier with the introduction of a FOR SALE section and a BRIGHT IDEAS and EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE page. Book reviews and a list of educational publishers are now available online as well as a new parents section.
Visit www.montessorimagazine.com for further information JULY – SEPTEMBER 2008
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reviews Natural Wicker Hut The Wicker Hut was purchased from eibeplay as a fun and natural way to provide an outside playhouse. To begin with we had it in the garden without digging the stabilizing legs into the ground so we could move it around the play area. It was used both on the grass and patio area and worked well on either surface. We have now secured it into the ground to make it into a more permanent structure. The children love playing in the hut and have used it in many different ways. At one point a group of boys made their own canvas covering, decorating a sheet with their own hand and footprints and putting it over the top to create a wigwam. The children like to call it ‘a stick house’. It is expensive with a price tag of just under £500, but it is a beautiful natural addition to an outside area with a long shelf life. Reviewed by Michelle Wisbey, Westwood Montessori School To order contact eibeplay on 01483 813834 or visit www.eibe.co.uk
Land and Water Forms We had a set of landforms delivered to our school in February. The landforms were an immediate hit and the children took to them straight away. Unlike other landforms I have used in the past these are both sturdy – unlike the plastic ones on the market – and durable. They are much more presentable than the kinds of landforms that a Directress would make herself and, because they are made of solid wood, are very user friendly. The finish is smooth and easy to clean. Used as the physical manifestation of the landform classified cards, these new materials have transformed the meaning of landforms for the children. I have observed as the children feel the water and land with their fingers and get a real sensorial impression of what the landforms are by doing so. Priced at: Set of 6 – £75.00. Set of 4 – £55.00 10 Landform Cards (sandpaper) – £45.00 with stand. (Prices ex VAT) Available from www.artfuldodgers.co.uk To order call 0845 458 2588 Reviewed by Tiffany Clutterbuck, New Park Montessori. These carefully crafted landforms make discovering this aspect of geography a great adventure. There are two sets. The first comprises six landforms: island/lake, strait/isthmus and gulf/peninsula. The second has four landforms: cape/bay and group of lakes/archipelago. In addition, there is a set of ten sturdy matching cards with sandpaper representing the landforms. A stand for the cards is included. The landforms themselves are crafted from hardwood, coloured and then sealed to ensure that water will not damage the wood. When filled with water they provide children with a tactile learning experience.
Special Offer to Montessori International Readers Play to Z ltd is offering a fabulous 10% off their entire Playscope range – including the new Playmat designed with outdoor use in mind, the selection of Treasure Baskets, Activity Cards, Mini Stories and Fidget Floor Mats. Simply quote Montessori International on all telephone or email orders only. Offer available until 31st December 2008. Tel; 01206 796722 orders@playtoz.co.uk
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Editors Note: In the Jan-March issue 2008 we included a review on the Treasure baskets by Play to Z. The price of the complete set which was omitted from the review costs £150 plus p&p. This consists of a British organic Treasure Basket of 50 items (many environmentally friendly and ethically made), a hessian and fleece Sensac, 2 sets of 20 activity cards, reusable contents list and Guidance notes.
Come Rain or Sun, Zedbugs® are Fun! The ZedBug® is a ‘mini-trike’ for 3-11 year olds which creates forward movement simply by swinging the handlebar from side to side with hands and feet giving the exciting sensation of speed. They are robust and ideal for school, preschool and nursery, holiday club and toy library use. The energetic but rhythmic swinging of the handlebars exercises the whole body and assists in motor skills development. Suitable for some children with special needs.
SPECIAL OFFER TO MONTESSORI MEMBERS £ 30.00 £ 28.00 + £ 4.00 delivery + VAT
visit: www.zedbugs.co.uk to see how they go Tel: 01884 255507 e-mail: info@zedbugs.co.uk Zedbugs Ltd., Coydon, Bolham,Tiverton, Devon EX16 7RL JULY – SEPTEMBER 2008
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reviews What babies and Children Really Need By Sally Goddard Blythe Sally gave the first Annual Oxford Montessori Lecture and those who were fortunate enough to be there will need no reminder of her commitment to the cause of childhood, or the depth of her knowledge. In her new book she has surveyed the latest research, in a readable and approachable way, which relates to parenting – particularly of the very young infant. Starting with pregnancy, she surveys the wide variety of factors that can affect normal development (including the birthing experience). As Sue Palmer notes in her introduction to the book, it is not easy being a twenty-first century baby! Sally Goddard Blythe then goes on to discuss some topics in detail;
why breast is best; why early movement is crucial to later learning (and here she includes a succinct summary of her work on the early reflexes) and how language develops out of a primitive sense of music. These chapters are, in a sense, the meat of the book and, like all the chapters, end with a summary in a nutshell and then an authoritative list of references and suggestions for further reading. After a brief summary of current knowledge of the neurological basis of the regulation of our emotions, we have three chapters on practical things that parents can do to improve their childrens’ life chances. Sally is not afraid to grasp controversial nettles, and discusses why parental discipline is critical (and which type works),
why eating together as a family is so valuable, why children need fathers, and so on (including a brief look at the teenage years). These are practical, down-to-earth and commendably brief summaries of how parents really can make a difference. Finally the book has an appendix by the editor of the Hawthorn Press ‘Early Years’ series, giving the background to the series and describing the work of OpenEYE in drawing attention to the very real dangers inherent in much of the EYFS
published by Hawthorn Press
ISBN 1-903458-76-5 £16.99
Reviewed by John Clarkson
'What Babies and Children Really Need' is available as a special offer of £14.99 plus p&p, saving £2 off the normal retail price. To order please telephone Booksource on 0845 370 0063 quoting 'Montessori International' to receive your discount. Payment can be made by credit or debit card and p&p will be charged at £2.40.
Baking bread with children Warren Lee Cohen The author’s introduction to this delightful cornucopia extends an invitation to share the magic of baking bread with children of all ages. “ this book offers an abundance of information and inspiration to make baking a satisfying a rich experience” And so it does. Bread stories from around the world, songs, poems and blessings to celebrate bread, fabulous recipes for fun and festive breads; roman army bread (barley and spelt flour) dragon bread (pumpkin and dried fruits and imagination!), St Lucia rolls as well as recipes for chapatti, pitta, pretzels, bagels, Challah and hot cross buns which would enliven any festival celebrations and cultural projects. All breads children would love to make and eat. Information about the seven different grains, wheat sensitivities, allergies and coeliac disease is presented clearly. Bread projects and educational activities includes 12 steps to building and firing your own earthen bread oven! Warren Lee Cohen is an
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experienced Steiner/Waldorf teacher and this book reflects the many insights gained from teaching children of all ages. The chapter entitled ‘What baking bread brings to children’ shows that the process of making bread together has the potential to weave together many of the important aspects of life – not just where food comes from and the need for healthy eating but the satisfaction of patiently following through a process, co-ordinated movements, enlivening the senses, providing nourishment for
says that ‘seeds are pure potential, like children waiting to give their gifts to the world’ something which would resonate with all Montessorians. Reviewed by Sue Briggs 2008
others and an awareness of the interconnectivity the world. He
Baking Bread with Children is available for £12.99 (£2 off the normal retail price) plus p&p. To order please contact our distributor Booksource on 0845 370 0063 quoting 'Montessori International' to receive your discount. Payment can be made by credit or debit card and p&p will be charged at £2.40.
Food for the Brain Conference Friday 10th-Sunday 12th October The link between food and the brain and the role of nutrition in children’s learning and behaviour is one of huge importance. The Food for the Brain Conference explores these vital links with experts from around the world guiding attendees through the latest research. Dr Natalie Sinn, from Australia, talks about her findings from school trials testing the impact of improved nutrition on learning and behaviour. Dr Madeleine Portwood from Durham updates on trials on essential fats, school performance and behaviour; and Michael Ash, a leading clinical nutritionist, talks about how gut health directly affects the optimal working of the brain. “The Food for the Brain Conference brings together the latest research on the effects of nutrition on pupils’ learning, behaviour and general well-being. This is a topic that will be of interest to many who are involved in education, and who want to know more about the significance of diet on the mental and physical health of children and young people.” Dr Rona Tutt OBE, former President of the NAHT. The Food for the Brain Conference will be held at Mary Ward House, 5 – 7 Tavistock Place, London WC1.
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reviews Bubbles, Wings & Sparkly Things Teaching dance to young children by Mandy Fouracre ARE you ever tempted to introduce dancing in the nursery but lack the courage because you don’t know where to start? This slight booklet could be your beginning! Its aim is to enable early years’ educators to consider the possibilities of sharing dancing with young children. After the introductory chapter the booklet offers advice on ‘Getting Started’ including how to prepare the space available for dancing. The chapter called ‘in the classroom’ guides you to ensure you make good use of eye contact, use an appropriate voice and provide adequate personal space for dancing children. Most of Mandy’s suggestions are common sense and obvious, however, I have been reminded of the importance of preparation
for all lessons, if we want to help children enjoy all their activities. Mandy guides the reader in the use of positive praise, using props and offers advice on what to do if things don’t go according to plan. If you enjoy this booklet you may be tempted to investigate the dance syllabus prepared by Mandy. You might also use her guidance and advice when you do music and movement, yoga, folk dancing or any other form of movement. I have found it a helpful reminder of a common sense approach to sharing movement with children, which respects their individuality and recognises the need for courtesy, self-discipline, consideration and respect for others. To order the booklet priced at £5.95 visit www.lafourprimadance.com or call Mandy Fouracre directly on 01344 466017 Reviewed by Barbara Isaacs
RESEARCHWATCHRESEARCHWATCHRESEARCHWATCH Children like to be allowed to complete their work in their own time, to find answers for themselves, to be active in their learning and to be taught by well-organised and fair teachers. This could come from a Montessori teacher’s manual, but it is the conclusion of some research at Bishop Grosseteste University College in Lincoln (Hopkins E. (2008) ‘Classroom conditions to ensure enjoyment and achievement’ Education 3-13). She also found that children appreciate being recognised for their achievements. False or incessant praise is recognised by children for what it is, and Montessori teachers do not use praise as a means of rewarding children - but it is important not to lose sight of genuine appreciation. Now and again the press trumpets that scientists have found the gene for, say, intelligence or musicality or something else. Usually, when you look into it, they have found a gene that is present in many (but not all) people who share a particular characteristic. However, gradually more and more of these are turning up and there is an increasing impression being given that human nature is largely a matter of genetics. Similarly, analyses of brain function have sometimes been used to support the same view. It has been known for some time, for example, that musicians’ brains actually react physically to music in a way which is different from the rest of us. The conclusion has usually been drawn that they are somehow born differently. However recent scan analyses, by Elizabeth
John Clarkson Margulis’s team at Arkansas University, have shown (see www.newswise.com/p/articles/ view/537352) that the difference is enhanced when musicians hear their own instrument. They argue that this is much too specific to be an innate characteristic, so it must be a result of training or of the musician’s own early environment. It may perhaps be the case that a small genetic difference has been greatly influenced by the musicians’ environment and training. However, we should never forget that whilst our children may come with varying genetic endowments, this can be vastly enhanced by a good, prepared, environment. Sometimes a piece of research, whilst having nothing ostensibly to do with Montessori, unwittingly reveals the poverty of mainstream education. One such piece (Belton T. & Priyadharshini (2008) Boredom and Schooling: a cross-disciplinary exploration E. Anglia University Press) explores aspects of why children often find school boring. They suggest it may be either under- or overstimulation. But they see boredom as valuable, as, they suggest, it gives space for creative thinking! Part of their final conclusion is worth quoting though; “It is one of the most oppressive demands of adults that the child should be interested, rather than take time to find what interests him.” The American Montessori Society organises annual prizes for the best Montessori research
doctoral thesis, and masterate dissertation, each year. They have just put up a number of these onto their website. This year’s winner is entitled ‘Guides & Pilgrims’ by Linda Gatewood Massey (see www.amshq.org/research/dissertations.htm). This thesis does not read like academic philosophy. The opening paragraph commences “There were two Montessori classrooms at Oak Hill Middle School, tucked away in the furthest corner of a rambling public school building. Our classroom windows looked out onto a field enclosed by tree-blanketed hills, at the field’s edge an underground spring surfaced, creating an oasis in the midst of suburban streets for brownbacked geese, soft-eyed deer and lone eagles. The classroom, too, created a kind of oasis...” and it continues in a similar vein. To be sure there are some arcane passages, but one does not need to know what ‘hermeneutic phenomenology’ is to understand and be moved by the account of the author’s own pilgrimage, as she moved to an older age-group, finding herself out of her comfort-zone and dogged by the demands of tests and state curricula. Eventually she found her way back and much of her thesis is based on conversations with other Montessorians, who tell of their own personal transformations and the “goodness of work that calls children to concentrate their energies and grow into active, caring and responsible people.” If only there were more research of this ilk! JULY – SEPTEMBER 2008
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child development
Impact of the Electronic Media What impact does watching television have on young children’s developing brains? Sally Goddard Blythe explores this controversial topic in an extract from her latest book.
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are useful in primitive environments where danger could come from any source, they are not good for processing individual elements of a narrative or remembering detail, as many of us will know if we have had too many interruptions when trying to complete a task at work. Frequent shifts in attention give an overall impression but do not improve recall. Interviewers and presenters of children’s programmes do not help. While the former frequently interrupt their interviewees or are forced to cut them short to fit into the time constraints of programming, the latter tend to shout, despite the fact that children’s hearing is more acute than adults’. Is it surprising that children
This article is based on material extracted from 'What Babies and Children Really Need' by Sally Goddard Blythe, published by Hawthorn Press, 2008. © Sally Goddard Blythe.
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efore the invention of radio or television, for those who had the luxury of leisure time, they had to occupy the mind in other ways: outdoor pursuits, reading, drawing, music-making, socializing, and discussion. The negative side of leisure technology is not in what it does provide for us, there are many benefits; it is what it does not provide, or what it prevents us from doing. On average, American children spend four hours a day in front of the television, and British children are not far behind. This accounts for more time in a single activity than anything else we do except work and sleep. Based on these figures, by the age of six, a child has already spent a whole year of his life watching television. Hours spent in front of the television, computer or play station are sedentary hours. They arouse the brain to various states but they do not exercise the body. There is no physical experience or social interaction. The television is not interested in what a child thinks or what he or she has to say. The way in which television programmes are produced has also changed over the last 50 years. No longer do TV dramas and stories require sustained attention for the duration of the programme to follow a story line from beginning to end. Scenes are presented in bytes of up to 40 seconds juxtaposing different elements of the narrative, scenery, and characters so that several parts of the story must be held in the memory at one time. Whilst this may be good for multi-tasking, it also encourages rapid shifts of attention and discourages sustained attention on a theme, necessary for sequencing information in an orderly and chronological fashion. While rapid shifts of attention
“Hours spent in front of the television, computer or play station are sedentary hours. They arouse the brain to various states but they do not exercise the body. find it difficult to wait their turn and continue to follow a conversation that lasts for more than a few seconds? Jane Healy, an educational psychologist and author of two books, Endangered minds: Why children don’t think and what we can do about it and Your child’s growing mind: A guide to learning and brain development from birth to adolescence, said that over-use of television, particularly at a very young age when a child should be actively engaged in language development and manipulative play, can affect development in a number of ways: “Higher levels of television viewing correlate with lowered academic performance, especially reading scores. This may be because
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television substitutes for reading practice, partially because the compellingly visual nature of the stimulus blocks development of lefthemisphere language circuitry. A young brain manipulated by jazzy visual effects cannot divide attention to listen carefully to language. Moreover, the ‘two-minute mind’ easily becomes impatient with any material requiring depth of processing.”2 A longitudinal study investigated whether early television exposure (ages 1-3) was associated with attentional problems at age 7.3 Using data from 1,278 children aged one and 1,345 aged three years, 10 per cent had attentional problems at age seven. In a logistic regression model, hours of television viewed per day at both ages one and three was associated with attentional problems at age seven: ‘For every hour of television watched daily, toddlers face a 10% increased risk of having attention problems by the age of seven.’ Dimitri Christakis, author of the report, argued that “the newborn brain develops very rapidly during the first two to three years of life. It’s really being wired. We know from studies of newborn rats that if you expose them to different levels of visual stimuli, the architecture of the brain looks very different…. the truth is, there are lots of reasons not to watch television.4” 쮿
Endnotes 2 Healy, J.M., Endangered minds: Why children don’t think and what we can do about it, Touchstone, Simon and Schuster, New York, 1990. 3 Christakis, D.M., Zimmerman, F.J., DiGiuseppe, D.L., and McCarty, C.A., ‘Early television and subsequent attentional problems in children’, Pediatrics, 113/4, 2004: 708-13. 4 Lister, S., cited in: ‘Ban TV to save toddlers’ minds say scientists’, The Times, 6 April 2004.
health & wellbeing
Naturally nutritious Martina Watts, a nutritional therapist offers quick tips for teachers to maximise energy and concentration
obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Consider that refined carbohydrates and sugar also undermine mood, immunity, digestive and dental health.
Water as a body energiser
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eachers are increasingly aware of their own dietary requirements now that healthy eating is on the agenda however it’s so easy to succumb to cheap, processed carbohydrates when tired and stressedout. Food items such as biscuits, crisps, confectionary, most breads and breakfast cereals upset blood sugar levels in the body. They make us feel drowsy and, when consumed on a daily basis, cause permanently high levels of insulin. Such chronically
elevated insulin levels promote inflammation in the body and contribute to the development of
We are two-thirds water and this strange fluid is our most precious resource. Each cell in our body depends on water carrying nutrients and oxygen around the body, aids in the digestion and absorption of food and the elimination of waste. However, our bodies’ requests for water are often mistaken for hunger and many of us are mildly dehydrated, even where water is easily available. Common symptoms are fatigue and loss of concentration. Did you know that a
Easy lunch ideas to maximise energy, concentration and motivation Fruit and vegetables contain plenty of water, valuable amounts of fibre, as well as antioxidant nutrients and plant compounds such as flavonoids. These offer protection from the effects of toxic substances known to speed up ageing. Here are some quick tips how to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Combining them with a protein source helps you to stay alert: G
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If you’re too busy to prepare breakfast in the morning, do it the night before! For a super healthy original Bircher muesli, mix 1 level tbsp porridge oats with 1 tsp runny honey and 2 tbsp milk. Add 2 small grated apples, juice of half a lemon and 1 tbsp of chopped almonds or hazelnuts. Cover and leave overnight in the fridge. This muesli is deliciously creamy and easy to digest. Fruit salads are wonderful revivers and can be prepared in minutes: use tinned fruit salad or pineapple cubes as a base (in fruit juice rather than syrup), add a chopped apple or pear, red grapes and the juice of an orange. Buy or pick fresh, seasonal fruit and top with live yoghurt, almonds or pecan nuts. Throw an apple, some carrot sticks or dried apricots into your bag to stock up on energy. The humble apple has an excellent nutrient profile and was one of Hippocrates’ favourite remedies. If in need of a quick detox, just eat apples for one day – it’s a cheap and easy
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way of clearing out your system. G
Get your daily mineral fix and create a delicious instant mood booster by combining a handful of dried goji berries, cranberries, sultanas, raw chocolate nibs, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. You’ll find all these in healthfood stores.
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Enjoy one of nature’s superfoods at break-time: the creamy avocado. Just slice in half and dig in with a teaspoon. Avocados are a good source of vitamins K, C, E, B6, folate and rich in the cardioprotective oleic acid.
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Combine cubes of chilled watermelon and feta cheese for a refreshing summer snack.
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Instead of buying prepackaged sandwiches for lunch, prepare your own tasty and nourishing salad with a few shredded lettuce leaves, grated or diced vegetables, leftover pasta, rice or quinoa, a source of protein (hardboiled egg, chicken, tuna, tempeh, hummous) and drizzle with french dressing and seeds. Keep well chilled. G
For dinner, add a variety of seasonal vegetables to casseroles or serve two different vegetables with your main meal rather than one.
G Desserts can be delicious as well as healthy: blend a handful of frozen berries, a fresh mango and a few tablespoons of live yoghurt to achieve an ice-creamy consistency. Sprinkle with raw chocolate nibs.
health & wellbeing
mere 2% drop in our internal ‘water supply’ affects shortterm memory, focus and basic maths? More serious is chronic dehydration which contributes to a number of diseases, including high blood pressure. Drinking around six glasses of water between meals is generally sufficient under normal conditions. 쮿
To download a free booklet on healthy lunchbox ideas for schoolchildren produced in partnership with the Brighton & Hove Montessori School please visit www.thehealthbank.co.uk Martina Watts is a Nutritional Therapist with special experience working with children and adults suffering from digestive, behavioural and immune problems. Martina runs a private practice in Brighton and works as an independent Nutrition Consultant for schools and local government (for further info visit www.thehealthbank.co.uk).
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education update summer 2008
Education & Special Needs and Disabilities Update Focus on the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) After the summer holidays, i.e. September 2008, the EYFS will become statutory. This means that all settings, including childminders, with children aged from birth to the end of their Reception year are required to plan for and assess children’s progress in learning and development against the criteria set out in the EYFS documentation. there is any spare capacity, reinspection of some providers judged as satisfactory.
Q. Have we got everything we need to prepare for the Early Years Foundation Stage? A. The final documentation has now been published: The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) published a revised, final version of the ‘Early Years Foundation Stage – Setting the Standards for Learning and Development and Care for Children from Birth to Five’ on 19 May 2008 . Much of the information on the paper documentation and CD Rom remains the same, but there are important revisions, including the rebranding to reflect the change of government department (DFES to DCSF). Copies (one per setting) of the revised, final version are available from the DCSF on 0845 60 222 60.
Q. What happens with Foundation Stage inspections between now and September? A. In the period between now and September, Ofsted will continue to carry out inspections under the current framework, although the main inspection programme finished at the end of March. Ofsted will inspect those providers where there is a prompt to inspect inadequate judgements, change of manager, complaints, postregistration inspections and if
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Q. What are the arrangements for EYFS inspections from September? A. Ofsted has developed a set of common judgements for inspections of the EYFS wherever it is delivered. These common judgements link directly into the requirements set out in the Childcare Act for inspections of registered provision and into the current Section 5 Schools Inspection Framework. So wherever Ofsted inspects, the EYFS parents and others will be able to see common judgments. And underpinning those judgments is common Benchmarking, so that inspectors consider practice against the same criteria when making judgments. These arrangements also apply to children’s centres. Any different inspection of children’s centres is still subject to discussions with the Minister and will not start until September 2009 at the earliest.
Q. Will the expected outcomes for children change? A. Inspections will continue to have at their heart ‘what is it like for a child here’ but with an increased focus on the whole development of children, including their learning and how experiences for a child across the different settings which deliver the EYFS, complement each other. There is a continued focus on
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outcomes for children, including for the first time judgements on economic well-being. This judgement focuses on how well settings help children develop skills for the future: it mainly concerns how children are helped to become independent learners, how they are helped to develop literacy and numeracy skills and how well their personal, social and emotional development is promoted.
Q. Will the way inspections are carried out change? A. No. Inspection methodology that is, what inspectors do remains the same. Inspectors will consider a range of evidence obtained mainly from first hand observation of children and how adults interact with them; discussions with managers and staff members; discussions with parents; talking with children and considering documents, including planning and assessment records.
Q. Will the inspection grades remain the same? A. The inspection grades will remain the same, but with two types of inadequate based on willingness and capacity to improve: • Outstanding = exceptional provision which is way above the norm. The standard of care is exemplary. It is highly effective in making sure children make significant progress given their starting points. Practice is worth disseminating and inspectors will make very few if any recommendations • Good = strong provision where
children are well cared for. It is successful in making sure children make good progress given their starting points. Practice is worth reinforcing and developing. Inspectors will make recommendations for further improvement • Satisfactory = sound but could be better. The standard of care is acceptable. Children’s progress is steady but slow, given their starting points. Practice has scope for improvement. Inspectors will make recommendations for further improvement. • Inadequate 1 = weak provision where the standard of care is not good enough. One or more of the learning and development requirements or welfare requirements are not met. Children make too little progress and there has been too little improvement since the most recent inspection. The quality of provision gives cause for concern but is likely to improve without external help and support. Inspectors will issue a notice to improve and we will reinspect in 6–12 months. • Inadequate 2 = poor provision that needs urgent attention. The standard of care and/or early education is unacceptable. One or more of the learning and development requirements or welfare requirements are not met. Children may not be adequately safeguarded and make little or no progress. There has been too little improvement progress since the most recent inspection. The quality of
provision gives cause for concern and is unlikely to improve without external help and support. Inspectors will issue a notice to improve for learning and development requirements and/or take enforcement action such as issuing a compliance notice. Ofsted will monitor progress and re-inspect when the provision becomes satisfactory (or take action to cancel registration).
Q. Will settings have more notice before inspections? A. Notice of inspection will continue with the principle of little or no notice.
Q. How important will each setting’s self evaluation of its provision and outcomes be? A. The focus of inspection of the EYFS will be on a setting’s capacity for improvement and in particular the ability of all settings to carry out robust self-evaluation. Ofsted inspectors will use the setting’s Self Evaluation Form (SEF) to set a number of inspection hypotheses that they will test out during the inspection and in their discussions with managers. Inspections will include a judgment on: • capacity to improve as well as the effectiveness of selfevaluation which goes wider than progress with actions or recommendations set at the most recent inspection • how providers meet the needs of the children by reporting on any groups which are disadvantaged by race, gender or ability • working in partnership with parents, local authorities, EY professionals and other settings who work with a provider to give children full EYFS provision • providers must be able to demonstrate their partnership arrangements and how planning, assessment and the activities provided complement the provision children have received elsewhere • there will be a greater expectation that all providers, not just those delivering the free entitlement, will plan for and assess children’s progress;this
will involve some form of written planning and assessment recording especially where they work in partnership with others and to support transitions for children • all of this is underpinned by a crucial inspection judgement on the quality of leadership and management. Inspectors will make this judgement for all EY registered providers, including childminders • feeding into the leadership and management judgement is a sub-judgement on how well providers safeguard children, taking evidence from outcomes on staying safe, but also from the arrangements for staff recruitment.
Q. Will the inspection report format change? A. Inspection reports will look different. Inspectors will convey inspection judgements in a table called a record of judgments at the end of the report. This will not contain explicit judgements in the text. Instead the text will convey the quality of the outcomes for children, the organisation of the provision and the reasons for the judgements. As now, inspectors will share the judgements with providers at the end of the inspection, normally on a laptop computer. Ofsted will publish all reports on its website as it does now. One big change is that Ofsted intends to publish the letters arising from monitoring visits on its website so that parents can see any progress made.
THE FOUR MAIN EYFS INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS • How effective is the provision in meeting the needs of children in the EYFS? • How effectively are children helped to learn and develop? • How effectively is the welfare of children promoted? • How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?
Registration of childcare providers from September 2008 Ofsted will be using two new childcare provider registers from September 2008. An introductory document, explaining the new arrangements for registration and highlights exemptions to registration is available to download from the Ofsted website: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/ assets/Internet_Content/Shared_C ontent/Childrens/files/reg_ccp_sep 08.pdf
What else is happening in education
Generation Green is an environmental project with resources and project plans to support science and geography. Sign up online at www.generationgreen.co.uk BBC Breathing Places gets children outside, having fun while they learn and create a breathing space for nature in their school. Everything needed is provided free of charge. Visit www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/ teaching/breathingplacesschools The Countryside Foundation for Education provides high quality educational resources and access to outdoor learning through visits to farms and country estates throughout the UK. The CFE specialises in unique courses for children with Special Needs. Find out more at www.countryside foundation.org.uk How does your garden grow? Celebrate the effort you are making in your garden. What changes you are making, what is growing, how you are using any produce and how is your school garden is
benefitting the rest of your school and community? Closing Date 1st September 2008. Entry forms are available on line at: http://www. gardenorganic. org.uk/schools_ organic_network/competitions/how _grow.php Putting Group Safety on the Map Keeping tabs on where children are during field trips is paramount. Venture Tracker™ by MemoryMap® allows teachers to see group locations of Ordnance Survey Maps, either back at school or in the field using mobile or internet links. It’s compatible with Google maps for world-wide coverage. http://www.venture-tracker.com/ The Learning Skills Foundation From September 2008, primary-age children (10-11 year olds) from around the UK will be invited to join the search for Britain’s rising memory stars. The Learning Skills Foundation provides all the materials they need to develop powerful memory strategies and to start putting them into practice. Run through the schools themselves, the Junior Memory Challenge will focus on the educational benefits of a trained memory, allowing the children to show just how much more they can achieve when their memory skills are under their control. Find out more at: http://www.learning skillsfoundation.com/jmc.html
Conquer Maths! This on-line maths course gets pupils, parents and teachers enjoying maths and helps to reverse negative attitudes towards maths. Everything up to GCSE maths is here: http://conquermaths.com/ Keeping Pupils IT Safe The DCSF is running off another batch of the ‘KnowITAll’ CD ROM designed to get the most out of the internet whilst keeping children safe on line. Produced by ChildNet with government support it has practical advice and resources aimed at parents plus a section for pupils and teachers. Tel: 0845 60 222 60 쮿
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special needs
Sensory issues in the Montessori classroom Wendy Fidler gives us insights into the amazing web of sensory integration.
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ore than 80% of our nervous system activity involves processing and organising sensory information. Some children with central nervous system dysfunction have undamaged areas of their brains ‘waiting’ to be stimulated through a sensory integrative approach. These children can benefit greatly from occupational therapy, and there is much we can do ourselves as practitioners in the Montessori class.
“Sensory Integration can be defined as the ability of the central nervous system to organise and process input from different sensory channels to make an adaptive response. Ayres, 1979. We collect sensory information from our environment using the ‘receptors’ found in our special sense organs, such as the retinas in our eyes, the taste buds in our tongues and the cochleas in our ears. We also have internal receptors in our muscles and joints. Each receptor is attuned to a particular stimulus, for example a wavelength of light or a vibration of sound, which causes it to fire when excited.
What causes Sensory Issues? For example: we hear a noise, we recall what the noise is and what it means, and we respond accordingly. Sensory issues arise when the information we receive fails to be processed in the normal way. This might because of too much or too little stimulation of the senses, or a failure to
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Students at Origins School, Orlando, Florida balancing on rocker boards – balancing activities enhance vestibular development.
Sensory Processing is the ability to take in, sort out, process and make use of the sensory information received from the environment. For example: we hear a noise, we recall what the noise is and what it means, and we respond accordingly. When we process sensory information effectively we make a prompt and appropriate adaptive response to meet the demands made of us by the environment. process or integrate the different sensory perceptions coming our way. Many children with learning
Pictured left to right: 1.What do you notice about this child’s back and his tripod arm position? 2. Poor muscle tone impacts on this child’s ability to sit without propping himself up. 3. Boys often perform better out of doors. 4. What do you notice about this child’s pencil grip? 5. This child has made his arm into a prop between his leg and head. Why?
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difficulties and disabilities (LDD) have sensory issues arising from malfunctions in sensory processing.
The Seven Senses
I smelling bottles and food preparation
for the olfactory sense (smell) I activities to match sweet, sour, salt
and bitter, the gustatory sense (taste) I colour, shape, size and form activities
to develop the visual sense (sight). I rough and smooth boards to develop
the tactile sense (touch) In addition to the active touching we do with our hands and fingers, the skin covering our bodies registers basic sensations, such as touch, pressure, pain and temperature. It is what separates us from the rest of the world, giving us body boundaries that help us tell ‘me’ from ‘not me’. Some touch, like a hug, massage or back rub feels calm and comforting. Other touch is irritating or alerting like a tickle or strand of spider’s web across the skin. Dr Montessori designed other sensorial materials so that children could combine and integrate vestibular (balance) and proprioceptive (body awareness) stimuli.
The Vestibular Sense: controls our sense of balance and plays a vital part in: G information about the position and
acceleration of our head and body and how it is moving in relation to gravity G ocular movements (e.g. peripheral
vision – what we can see at the edges of our vision whilst looking straight ahead)
PHOTOS COURTESY OF EAGLE PEAK MONTESSORI
Dr Maria Montessori designed sensorial materials to help children isolate and develop the five senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. For example, there are: I sound boxes and bells to develop the auditory sense (sound)
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Climbing trees is great for developing vestibular and proprioceptive sense.
Children with poor vestibular processing often have deficiencies in posture and in the movement patterns that stable posture supports. The vestibular system has connections to most areas of the central nervous system; these enable us to respond with bi-lateral (both sides of the body) changes in balance and posture, make eye movements which compensate for head movement, and experience a range of sensations in response to movement. Children with poor vestibular processing often have deficiencies in posture and in the movement patterns that stable posture supports. Balancing activities such as walking on the line, bouncing, sliding, spinning, swinging, dancing and
moving the head in all three planes – vertically, horizontally and diagonally all enhance vestibular development. Throwing and catching involve coordination of head, eye and hand, and of jumping and diving movements. Working and playing out of doors generally provides more vestibular stimulation than being indoors. All the Montessori sensorial materials work for the vestibular sense; by the very nature of moving and looking towards the material, picking it up, turning, walking to the chosen place of work and moving the eyes and the head side to side and up and down in accordance with the demands of the activity. Working with the material on a floor mat involves good downward head movements. Babies who miss out on pushing up from a tummy down position, who do not creep (commando crawl on elbows) or crawl on all fours often have undeveloped vestibular systems. ÍÍ
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Continued from previous page
The Proprioceptive Sense: proprioceptive receptors in our muscles and joints provide us with:
SENSORY DIFFERENCES
G information about where our body
parts are
Needs a lot of stimulation to respond
G motor development and
coordination G the means to control our movements
without looking The proprioceptors lie primarily along muscle fibres and in the tendons and ligaments that connect muscle to bone. The more muscles contract or elongate and the more joints are compressed, stretched or jarred, the stronger the sensory input. The proprioceptive system supports three main sensorimotor functions: muscle tone, body image and control of effort. These three functions provide the foundation for learning motor patterns which become skilled movements or coordination. Conversely, children with proprioceptive dysfunction often have clumsy and poorly coordinated movements. Children develop good proprioceptive sense through ‘grazing’ movements which teach them by very small gradations, how hard to press. So, for example, when children pick up the largest cube in the pink tower, they learn to press harder in order to hold the cube steady than when they pick up and carry the consecutively smaller cubes. It’s the same with the broad stair, long rods etc. Very small children who miss out on heavy work, such as pulling out and sorting pots and pans from low cupboards, pushing and pulling carts of bricks, rough and tumble, climbing trees and pedalling uphill often have proprioceptive issues. Scrubbing tables, polishing brass and cleaning shoes are favourite repetitive activities in Montessori schools but there is much to be gained by adding activities which cause children to use their muscles more, such as woodwork, bread making and gardening. 쮿
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Balancing activities such as walking on the line, bouncing, sliding, spinning, swinging, dancing and moving the head in all three planes – vertically, horizontally and diagonally all enhance vestibular development.
Bibliography: Ayres, A.J. (1979), Sensory Integration and The Child Berger, D.S. (2002), Music Therapy, Sensory Integration and the Autistic Child. Jessica Kingsley, London Goddard-Blythe, S. (2007), The Well Balanced Child: Movement and Early
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HYPERSENSITIVE (over-sensitive)
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HYPOSENSITIVITY (under-sensitive)
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Learning, Hawthorne Press, Stroud, Gloucestershire Grandin, T. (2005), Emergence: Labeled Autistic – A True Story, Warner Books, New York Kurtz, L.A. (2003), How to Help a Clumsy Child – Strategies for Young Children with Developmental Motor Concerns, Jessica Kingsley, London Resources: www.balametrics.com : balance boards, bean bags www.amazon.com : wobble boards http://www.nintendo.com/wii : wii balance boards To comment on or discuss this article, contact Wendy Fidler at wwoodmontessori@aol.com or 0208 858 4368/07710 433 994 Wendy Fidler is an independent Montessori education consultant. She leads courses on learning differences and disabilities (LDD) and special educational needs (SEN) throughout the world. Right: The Wii Balance Board attached to a Wii Fit demo at the Leipzig Games Convention in August of 2007.
Left: Balance board
Sensation avoiding
Top Sensory Tips for the Montessori Classroom: I
avoid or fit diffusers to fluorescent strip lights which distract children by flickering many times per second I avoid high ceilings, large spaces and hard floorings which contribute to echoes and tinny sounds (in low stimulation environments children’s noise making behaviours diminish markedly) I adopt a non-perfumed body products rule I avoid detergent/fabric conditioner overload (smell and sensitivity issues) I consult with parents about foods, fabrics and other materials to avoid I use divided plates to separate foods with different textures I consult with parents to prepare for change, e.g. trips from or visitors to the class I provide ice-cold wet wipes (keep in the fridge) for the toilets for better sensory feedback I keep walls clear of displays and the wall coverings light and uncluttered I provide coping strategies such as regular movement breaks I provide squidgy or beany fidgets for children to squeeze I allow heavy jackets, or pockets with weights – they can have a calming effect I encourage all children to read, knit or sew while standing on balance boards I plan daily catching and throwing activities using graded weight bean bags and balls for all children
montessori revisited
Work and Play Sandra Morris-Coole evaluates what we mean by work and play and examines whether the positive aspects of play can be linked to the benefits of work in the Montessori environment.
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his is contentious area for Montessorians, but with the forthcoming implementation of the Early Years Foundation Stage with its emphasis on play, it is perhaps an opportune time to evaluate what we understand by work and play. So work and play. Is it a question of semantics, or are these two concepts really at the opposite ends of the spectrum, and, therefore, irreconcilable? You will, of course, have your own opinions. I am of the opinion that work in Montessorian terms means the act (work) of self-construction. This is borne out by referring to Montessori text "The work he has to do is build the man he is making."” The practitioner is seen as a facilitator whose role “does not consist in teaching, but in helping the infant mind in its work of development.” This then is the child’s task. If we acknowledge the child’s task, then have we misunderstood the role of work and begun to consider the child’s work from the adult’s perspective? Adults consider work (generally) as a chore to be undertaken, as opposed to the joy of leisure (play). This perspective is exemplified through the language we use in the nursery, ‘Find some work to do’, ‘Finish your work and you can choose something else.’ Instead of self-construction, work now takes on the meaning of an activity that has to be performed in order to attain an outcome, a goal, or the approval of an adult. Children are imbuing a very different view of work than Montessori meant. So what do we mean by work? Concentrated engagement on activities accompanied by work of the hand. What do we mean by play? Is it less valuable than work? Do we believe that play is just letting off steam, or engaging in a fantasy world of make believe, or using toys instead of real objects? I think it is these general
misconceptions that need to be addressed. Just as children engage in high quality work as evidenced in a mature curve of work, so children engage in high quality play. Sylva and Lunt in their book on child development looked at the quality of children’s play, determining that more cognitive based play such as puzzles, construction, and creativity was high yield, whereas rough and tumble play was relegated to the low yield category. Play has value in all areas of development, although no-one would argue against the importance of cognition in play. Piaget stated that during the preoperational stage from 2-6 years play was symbolic. This means that the child is now able to hold an object in mind – a major cognitive development. The child is able to use any object to represent something else, which shows amazing cognitive creativity. The young child initially needs to determine what the object is – this process is called assimilation – this is the serious aspect of play. Once assimilated the child begins to discover
Is it work or play?
I have linked some of the qualities of play in the Early Years Foundation Stage document with some of the qualities of work within the Montessori environment
Work
Play
At times structured (presentations)
At times structured (adult supported)
Spontaneously chosen
Spontaneously chosen
Enables exploration
Enables exploration
Enables experimentation
Enables experimentation
Deep engagement (serious)
Deep engagement (serious)
Joyful
Joyful
Mind and body working in harmony
Physical manipulation of concepts
No extrinsic goal – process, not product
No extrinsic goal – process, not product
These I think show that work and play are closer in nature than some of us will admit!
what s/he can do with the object – this is a period of accommodation and is usually the joyful period of play. Even when we provide real objects in our nurseries, we cannot stop children for using material symbolically. As children interact with their environments, they gain knowledge. Vygotsky stated that through play children achieve their own zone of proximal development (the ability to achieve at a higher cognitive level). Erikson went so far as to call his third stage of psychosocial development (initiative versus guilt) the play stage. This is because the child can make purposeful choices and try out things that s/he could not be allowed do in real life. Play facilitates social development as it enables children to make choices of friends, and activities, choose how long to play and begin to understand the rules of each microsystem they become part of. During play children learn to defer gratification by sublimating their will, negotiate and share as well as learn the mores of their culture. I think it can be argued that these aspects of play can also be considered the benefits of the work within the Montessori favourable environment. The environment should be challenging and there should be no coercion upon the child – the child has the right to be. The child has freedom of choice and freedom to repeat activities, is allowed to make mistakes and attempt to rectify them, and the Sensorial materials enable creative thinking through exploration. 쮿
Sandra Morris-Coole, Chief Internal Examiner, MCI
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literacy
Taste Fred Sedgwick completes his series on the 5 senses with creative ideas to encourage children to explore the sense of ‘Taste’.
Grab me please, grab me, unpeel me quick,
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‘In France, we take eating very seriously’. Not so in England, I said. We have no equivalent of ‘Bon appetit’.
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here are obvious, but rarely examined, differences between our perceptions of each of the senses. Sight, hearing, feeling, smelling, taste. There they are, in a neat little list, and that is how, mostly, they are taught as though each mattered as much as the others, as though they were unrelated to, and unaffected by, each other. Taste, at the bottom of the league, is considered by many to be trivial. But my hero Dr Johnson was on the ball when he said that ‘a man who does not care about what he puts into his mouth will not care about anything’. I met a ten-yearold boy who was half French. I talked to him about memorable experiences in Parisian restaurants. ‘In France, we take eating very seriously’ he said. Not so in England, I said. We have no equivalent of ‘Bon appetit’. Official attitudes to children’s diets have turned almost full circle in a generation. I do not recall much fruit as home when I was a child: now school canteens are bedecked with glossy pictures of everything from the homely apple to the kiwi fruit, and there are salad and fruit bowls in all schools. (Unintentional humour by a government minister: ‘We are rolling out fruit in schools …’) All this is good, of course. And it is right that children should explore the geography and science involved in what they eat. But I wanted to find another angle, and I asked a group of children to get, as it were, inside the skin of a piece of fruit. One girl (8) wrote ‘Banana song’:
I asked the children “What’s it like when you first bite into a blackberry?”
And let me take a dip In your ghost cave. I am warm in this skin. And I want to take a dip In your ghost cave, QUICK. And another (also 8) wrote ‘Apple song’: Waiting waiting waiting Waiting is all I do. I want you to grab me, Hold me fast. My sweet taste will make you blink. I will roll like the world in your head. I will whisk you around until I am tired. Waiting waiting waiting All I do is wait. These poems are based on ‘The Apple’s Song’, by Edwin Morgan, Collected Poems, Carcarnet. In the same school, I worked with six-yearolds. I had stopped at the greengrocer’s on the
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way. At the time, I just wanted the children to think about fruit, to look at it, to explore their feelings about it and reactions to it in vivid sentences. Now I think that this kind of writing backs up our modern more enlightened thinking about healthy eating. Some of these sentences were scribed by staff. Some, though, were written by the children themselves: The blackberry is ripening. The autumn is on its way. The blackberries are on their way. It sends people with buckets and they pick the ripe blackberries. They are green and gradually change to red and then to glossomy purple, the thorns bite you and the juice is a sticky as honey and when you cook them the juice runs out. My instructions had been: • What’s it like when you first bite into a blackberry? • What does the skin of the blackberry remind you of? • Close your eyes and imagine the path where the blackberries grow. • Look at the fattest, darkest blackberry that’s just out of your reach. What would it taste like if you could put it on your tongue and crush it? I had read the children Seamus Heaney’s poem ‘Blackberrypicking’ (in Death of a Naturalist, Faber). I know that this poem wasn’t written for children; I know
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or when I see our stereo left unattended in a corner or a clean shirt just out of the wash. As a visiting writer to a school recently, the literacy co-ordinator told me that the children (all white) were ‘doing a project on the sub-continent’. And indeed all around us are Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi images: maps, artefacts, religious pictures. Here are photographs from a mosque, here’s a Buddha. These children live in a middle class village on the outskirts of a large, bustling multicultural town, and it occurs to me later, as I drive home, that the most powerful way to teach something about the subcontinent would have been to have teamed up with a school in the city a mile away. Then, much of the teaching would have been done by the children themselves, as they met unfamiliar faces, and as they encountered differences and similarities in other lives. I bring in a flat packet of poppadoms with chillis in them and a large carton of milk. I heated the poppadoms on a Baby Belling – they take no more than a few seconds. I warned the children: they are spicy, and we have put cartons of milk around the room for you to sip from. They all took a bite, and expressed contentment. (‘Hot? Hah!’) Then, with one breath, they exhaled and grabbed the milk and slurped. And wrote::
PHOTO: IVERNA GARDENS MONTESSORI, LONDON
that the most people might expect from it in primary schools would happen with ten-year-olds. But I also know that most teachers underestimate what children as young as six can get from a poem. I find that this poem’s sensuous imagery (‘glossy purple knot … thickened wine … summer’s blood …‘) combined with its unrelenting rhyming on ‘knot’, and its alliteration, seduce anyone with an ear that isn’t made of tin. Children do not have such ears. Many adults, however, do. Much domestic science today focuses on issues like the packaging of foods. (‘Design a pizza box’ and the like. Why? I want to yell). The taste of food rarely comes into the equation, and neither does the fact that most food is part of a sacrament, a sharing, a time when a family comes together to talk about the day beginning or the day just past. I asked these children to think of someone they love, and to think about what foods they associate with them. A ten-year-old wrote: The taste of my great-aunt’s sausages, they were so herby, and her chips that tasted of potato, it takes me back to when I was five, it makes me think of when she was alive. And a boy of eight wrote a few years ago (I own up, it is my son, now 28) wrote a poem about his father I taste your taste when I taste a thick-topped mushroom pizza. it reminds me of me and you in Egypt looking at the pelicans. I listen to you When I hear keys jangling down on to the sideboard where the phone is or when I hear jazz swing on a radio. I see you in a book of WH Auden poems
I felt there was an explosion in mouth … my tongue had caught fire … there were flames everywhere … the milk softened my mouth … I felt calm again … ‘ Finally, a poem of mine that uses all the senses except hearing. I have often used this with children as they hold a stone in their hand. What does it feel like? Can you smell it? What would happen if you could feel it? And what if you could taste it?: 쮿
Much domestic science today focuses on issues like the packaging of foods. The taste of food rarely comes into the equation, and neither does the fact that most food is part of a sacrament, a sharing, a time when a family comes together to talk about the day beginning or the day just past.”
Stone It’s a cool weight in the palm of my hand. It smells of pink earthworms coiled on rainy mornings. Hurled through the air it would hurt me badly. If I tasted it, it would taste of earth. That wouldn’t be so bad, perhaps, to taste the earth. (from Stone Happy Dragons Press 2007)
Fred Sedgwick has written over thirty books about education. He is currently writing FROM AARDVARK TO ZIGZAG: WHERE WORDS COME FROM (Continuum 2009). He is available for work in schools at fredsedgwick@btinternet.com
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montessori materials
Touring Nienhuis Have you ever wondered about the design and production of the Montessori materials? Amanda Engelbach visited the Nienhuis factory in Holland which offers a fascinating insight into the creative process involved. During the 1920’s the founder of Nienhuis Montessori, Albert Nienhuis, collaborated with Maria Montessori to produce learning materials in Holland. As with her relationship with Philip and Tacey, who produced her learning materials in England, Dr Montessori supervised as Nienhuis selected the best woods, glues, paints and hardware. Unlike in England, where the Montessori relationship ended in 1939, the relationship with Montessori and Nienhuis continued with Dr Montessori’s son, Mario. Today Nienhuis is an international company with distributors all over the world.
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lthough I have always admired the quality of the Nienhuis materials it wasn’t until I saw what was involved in the
To prevent shrinking and cracking the cylinders are varnished all over, except for the bottom.
Spray painting requires a very precise hand movement as the material needs to have the same amount of paint on each square milimeter.
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Each cube and prism need to be of a very precise dimension to form a perfect binomial cube.
unique production process that I could understand and appreciate their cost and durability. Each part of the process was explained by our host, Christian Willemsen who guided us through the different areas of the factory. It was fascinating to watch the binomial cube painted by a silk screen printing process where the colours are printed directly onto finished wood, a method which has been developed through years of experience. We were told that each single side has to be screen printed individually to achieve the desired quality – this is such a labour intensive process that one production series will take about two and a half weeks to screen print, approx 96 hours of labour. After explaining how the beech wood used for all the materials is carefully selected and milled on site, Christian explained why the Knobbed Cylinders used to be a difficult material to manufacture. Because of the purpose of the material, it is crucial that the cylinders fit perfectly. However because they are made of natural wood this can sometimes prove problematic in humid classrooms where the wood can shrink or crack. To get around this the wood is
dried on site to an extremely high level of 8% humidity. Apparently most woods only reach a 14% humidity level. We were then shown the computerized machine capable of making a whole cylinder block in one run. It creates the holes and the shape of the block ready for another machine to sand and then another to varnish. After a piece of material is painted, it is sanded again before being re-painted, a process which can happen 2 to 3 times, creating a thorough layer of paint on one piece of material. This goes some way to explain why customers have had their pink tower for 40 years and not only is it still pink but it is still being used by children in the classroom. We ended the tour by watching a series of animal puzzles being laser cut, a process which means that every piece can be bought as a spare part. Although some of the materials are still cut by hand, many of the parts are now laser cut and as a result, Nienhuis has about 1,500 spare parts in stock. Upstairs we visited the Montessori museum where many of Dr Montessori’s original materials were displayed including drawings of some of her first designs. We were reminded of the fascinating history between Nienhuis and Dr Montessori and marvelled at the quality of the workmanship involved in producing the materials so many years on. 쮿
The Nienhuis Montessori materials factory, showroom and Montessori museum is open to the public in Zelhem, Holland. For more information contact Nienhuis at info@nienhuis.nl or visit the website www.niehnuis.com
school management
Working with the Media Nathan Archer explores the most cost effective and successful method of conveying what we do.
“The world is made up of stories, not atoms” Muriel Rukeyser
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questions. Gather your group together at a meeting and have fun with a brainstorming exercise. 1. What is uniquely different about our school?
n a sector which has seen unprecedented change in recent years, it is more important than ever to spread the word about good Montessori practice.
2. How would you explain what we do and why we do it?
Public Relations
5. Could their needs be met in other ways?
Public relations is an all encompassing phrase but in terms of promoting your service, a useful starting point is to think about the networks you and your team are involved in personally and professionally. For example do you have links with: I Early Years Officers/Members of the local authority I MPs I Local and national associations such as MSA, NCB, Early Education I Sector magazines I Business Link/Enterprise Agencies I Learning and Skills Council I Local Learning partnerships I Urban/Rural Regeneration partnerships I Job Centre I Local schools I FE/HE colleges I Health Visitors/Community Nurses I Parish Councils Once these groups and networks have been identified it is important to establish a common understanding and shared set of values among the team about your nursery or school. A unified voice and consistent message is a pre-requisite to productive networking. The shared voice might include parents, teachers, prospective teachers and trustees and it is important to ask your ‘voice’
3. Why would someone select our school over others? 4. What benefits do we offer families?
6. How could our school serve them better?
Media In her book ‘Business as unusual’, Anita Roddick comments:
through gaining free editorial coverage. Local weeklies, community newspapers, local press and radio are always looking for news. Increasingly run on tight budgets with limited staff resources, local media will be pleased to know about exciting, out-of-the-ordinary news or events. County magazines, parish magazines, community newspapers and radio are all seeking good news stories which are celebratory, communityfocussed and relevant to local families. It is worth forging good relations with local journalists such as the Education Correspondent and News Editors.
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Staff Qualification achievements
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External Funding/grants secured
Useful resourses
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Expansion of places
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Open Days
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OfSTED reports
Business as Unusual by Anita Roddick, Thorsons; 1st edition. ISBN 978-0722539873
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Social events
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Quality Assurance success
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Charity support
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Website development
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Inspection reports
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Unusual activities: children’s yoga, ICT projects, good practice
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Local/national awards
Consider promoting
Against this backdrop, the notion of ‘telling stories’ through PR and the media becomes a more potent idea. Good stories are not just recounting events, but have feelings attached to them and make us feel as well as think.
Conveying not just the features, but the benefits of Montessori education, must be one of our most enduring challenges. In a sense, we have to ‘unknow’ what we know and come at the philosophy with new eyes, as many parents will. We need to convey the merits of the philosophy in every day language.
Press In this way, far more effective than advertising, albeit time consuming, is telling stories
To maximise on this free publicity it can help to do some of the reporters work for them. Although it takes time, being proactive in contacting the media and compiling a well-structured press release can result in great coverage. Good luck with telling your story. 쮿 Nathan Archer is Development Manager for Lincolnshire Montessori School
“Customers are hyped out…they are becoming cynical about the whole advertising and marketing process. We have learned that to educate and communicate in the contemporary business climate you have to be daring, enlivening, different and willing to take risks”
Perhaps, most importantly, is the need to talk to the wider world about Montessori, debunking some of the myths as we go.
they are keen to use telephone interviews.
Keep the picture desk number handy, but always take your own photos at events in case the photographer doesn’t show and send a copy to the paper with a caption.
Radio Local radio stations, particularly small independents are frequently run on a shoe string and rely upon stories being sent to them rather than sending reporters out. This makes them an easier outlet for you to manage. They will often read out a news release verbatim if they are well constructed. Often
Marketing your Childcare Service, DfES Publication. Email: dfes@prolog.uk.com Telephone: 0845 6022260 Fax: 0845 6033360 Marketing your Childcare Services. Building Links with Employers, A Guide for Providers. By Alison Clark and Peter Moss. Published for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation The National Children’s Bureau 020 78436028/29 Buzzmarketing: Get People to Talk About Your Stuff (Hardcover), by Mark Hughes Portfolio (1 Aug 2005) ISBN 978-1591840923 Your Essential Guide to Marketing your Day Nursery. National Day Nurseries Association. Featherstone Publications Tel 01858 881212. www.ndna.org.uk Marketing your childcare business, Team Steps for Success – Sure Start. http://www. surestart.gov.uk/_doc/P0001658. pdf
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classifiedads Montessori Teaching Opportunities
NORTH LONDON French? Mars Montessori School is looking for a native French speaking Montessori nursery teacher to start (ideally) in August or September. We have 24 children who are between 2 and 5 years old in our small and happy school in Angel, Islington. You would be working in a strong team with English speakers. We are eager to hear from anyone suitable – email us now: marsschool@btconnect.com Qualified Teacher required with minimum 2 years experience for a full-time position with immediate start. We are a fully equipped school with a beautiful outdoor space in North London. Competitive salary offered with continued professional development. Please send CV and covering letter to contact@montysmontessori.co.uk Sunrise School (www.sunrise.org.uk) North London requires a qualified full or p/time class teacher with at least 3 years experience for our 5-7 and 7-11 year olds to start ASAP. Salary £9-£11,000 depending on qualification and experience. We are a lively small school (2-11 years)
www.montessorimagazine.com/jobs.htm
established for over 20 years with a special interest in Yoga and Meditation and a lovely garden. For further information please call Meeta on 020 885 3354 or Didi on 020 8806 6279. The Gower School, Islington, London has job opportunities in our happy, friendly and beautiful 0-11 schools. We require committed, Montessori qualified teachers with sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage, and recent relevant experience to work with 3 to 6 year olds. We are particularly keen to receive applications from 6-9 or 912 teachers, as well as from Senior Montessori teachers. Term time only positions as well as all year round available, as well as teaching practice placements. Our children use the full range of materials as they progress through the school. Our schools are well resourced and we take a high quality approach to children's education. If you are passionate about using the Montessori approach with young children then please send your CV and covering letter to the Principal by email to info@thegowerschool. co.uk
‘Baxter Brothers have provided excellent service and reliability for Montessori St Nicholas and MCI for the past 12 years.’ Philip Bujak Chief Executive Montessori St Nicholas
Montessori Teacher required, London N1. Our Accredited Montessori School is dedicated to providing an excellent, carefully planned and structured environment for children aged between 2 ½ and 6 years. We require a sensitive, flexible, enthusiastic and dedicated individual to join our friendly team. Montessori Diploma essential, commence September 2008, term times only. Excellent salary offered according to experience and qualifications. Please contact Norma O’ Flynn 0207 7002961.
NORTH WEST LONDON Fountain Montessori - Edgware HA8 7LG seeks a competent Directress to run class of 2-4 year olds to start ASAP. Must have proven experience and qualifications; commitment; a sense of humour and love working with children. Student volunteers looking for placement are welcome. Fountain Montessori also require a Manager starting in September 2008 or ASAP, thorough knowledge of EYFS, Montessori philosophy, employment law and OFSTED
BBBS
Baxter Brothers
Building Services Limited
Are you looking for a reliable tradesman? • Schools / Office Refurbishment / Private Dwellings • Electricals • Plumbing • Painting & Decorating – Internal and External • Tiling • Fitted Kitchens Anywhere within the M25 area
SPECIAL DISCOUNTS WHEN YOU MENTION THIS ADVERT. Contact Baxter Brothers on 0845 452 2460 / 07957 310 328 Email: baxterbrothers@hotmail.co.uk 48
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Montessori Teaching Opportunities requirements. Call for further details. Apply to Arike 0208 905 6202 or 07803 183321 or send CV to office@fountainmontessori.com Start September, 2008. Broadhurst School London, NW6 (near Finchley Road Tube station). We are a long-established large nursery school taking children aged 2.6 to 5.11 with a teaching staff of 17. We are looking for an enthusiastic Montessori Teacher/NNEB or NVQ to work as a Teaching Assistant. School is term time only – staff paid throughout the year. Please telephone 020 7328 4280 during school hours or email CV to db@broadhurstschool.com Details of school on website – www.broadhurstschool.com Crickets Montessori Nursery School NW6 is looking for an enthusiastic and experienced Montessori teacher to join our team in September 2008. The position is full time, term time only. Duties include record keeping, curriculum planning and maintaining a stimulating environment. To apply please send your CV and covering letter to Celia Stephenson, Crickets Montessori Nursery School, c/o 37A Streatley Road, London, NW6 7LT or telephone 07811102085 for further details. Woodentots Montessori School, Camden. A unique opportunity has become available for an experienced Deputy teacher to join our team in September 08. Possible opportunity to move into a Management position. We are looking for a dedicated, creative Montessorian with a love for the outdoors. Montessori qualification essential, Degree an advantage. Woodentots is a small friendly environment of 20 children. Must be passionate, committed and sensitive to the individual needs of children. In return the school offers a beautiful working environment, a committed team and professional development. OFSTED recently gave the school an “outstanding” and we will be amongst one of the schools to be assessed for the pilot Montessori Accreditation Scheme. We are open term time only and offer a full years
negotiable salary. Please send your CV to paula@woodentots.co.uk Living Spring Montessori – Cricklewood/ Dollis Hill NW2. Qualified Montessori Teachers and Assistants required for our Children’s House working with children 3-6 years & for our Infant Community working with children 18 months to 3 years. Nursery Nurses and Assistants required for babies from 6 months to 18 months & for toddlers from 18 months to 3 years. Excellent salaries, performance bonus & relocation allowance. Please send your CV and covering letter stating clearly which of the positions you are applying for: info@livingspringmontessori.com or call 0208 8307331/ 07944608959.
WEST LONDON Little Cherubs Nursery School, Kensington W8. Positions for Montessori qualified Teacher and Teaching Assistant for morning session from September/ October 2008. Full-time basis may be available in the future. A loving, caring disposition is essential, together with motivation, enthusiasm, initiative and the ability to work as part of a team. Must be fluent in spoken and written English. Term-time only. Tel: Mrs Colvin on 07810 712 241 or email: little cherubs@tiscali.co.uk attaching CV. Vacancy for a fully qualified Montessori Directress, West London, Ealing Broadway, W5. This small and friendly Montessori school is looking for an enthusiastic person who holds the Montessori Diploma and has experience in a pre-school setting. The school has an excellent reputation with good staff to pupil ratios. Term time from 8.30 – 3.30 pm. Competitive rates of pay. Please call Sarah on 07956 228 959 for an informal chat or email your CV to info@stmatthewsmontessori.com A small nursery school in Shepherd’s Bush, W12 require two Montessori Teachers from September 2008. These are mornings only, part-time, term-time positions. Duties include record
www.montessorimagazine.com/jobs.htm Upbeat, dedicated, caring, Montessori trained daily nanny needed for lovely 8 month old boy for shared care and sole charge at times. Mother pregnant and very busy. Nice well looked after Kensington household with small back garden and in between two parks. Main Tasks:
• • • •
Encourage development through play Plan a variety of interesting, creative and fun activities to engage and stimulate Prepare healthy fresh meals (using minimal meat) Nursery duties (inc all clothes washing and ironing related to child)
You will need • A fluent English speaker with French speaking an advantage. to be: • A non smoker • Have 5+ years experience, especially with babies. Some travel and driving will be required. September start – long term position and good package for right candidate. Position is live out. Please send details and CV to jacqui@goekjian.com keeping, curriculum planning and maintaining a safe and stimulating environment. To apply, please call Nicola on 020 8811 8099 or send your C.V. to enquiries@jackintheboxmontessori.c o.uk Howard House Nursery School W6. We require a qualified teacher, with at least three years experience, to oversee teaching of children aged 25 years. This is a full-time, termtime post with a competitive salary. The working hours are 8.30am to 3.30pm. Good promotion prospects are available for the right motivated candidate, to managerial level. Must have Montessori International Diploma or NVQ3 with some knowledge of the EYF Curriculum and good communication skills. Professional development will be encouraged. Howard House school is a small, friendly, family-run nursery, with 24 children and high staff to child ratio. Email: jonezhoward@googlemail.com Excellent Modern Montessori PreSchool in London, W10, are seeking to recruit a manager. Successful applicant will have: - Minimum 5 years experience (2 year managerial) - Excellent communication and organizational skills - Motivation and enthusiasm to develop and expand the school. Generous 12 weeks paid holidays. £26-28k p.a. dependent upon qualifications and experience. Starting ASAP or in September 08. Please contact Sejal on 07908039006 or email your CV to montessorijob@hotmail.com Qualified Montessori Teacher needed: Tara House Montessori, located in West London W4, is looking for a dedicated, efficient and caring teacher to work mornings only, Monday to Friday, 8.30 to 1.00. The position is available from September 2008. Salary negotiable. Please contact Nadia Ramsahoye on 07721 679 049. From September 2008: Wanted a qualified Montessori teacher for a term-time Montessori school in W5 area with excellent transportation links. The school is extremely well equipped, and is highly committed
to Montessori. We have an opening for a person with good communication skills, enthusiasm and commitment. Competitive salary offered with continued professional development. If you are interested in this position please forward your CV ASAP to Montessorischool@hotmail.com Head Teacher/Manager required for Nursery School in West London. Must hold Montessori Diploma or level 3 qualification and have a minimum of two years teaching experience. Applicants should be caring and enthusiastic with management and people skills. This is a full time position starting as soon as possible. Good salary and excellent training opportunities. Please telephone Beverly on 020 7371 4848. Nursery Teacher Vacancy. Qualified teacher required for our established, happy nursery school in the Knightsbridge/ Chelsea area. You will be working with friendly, enthusiastic colleagues in our well equipped school. This position is for mornings only at present, starting in September 2008. Term time. We offer a good salary and excellent training opportunities. Please telephone 020 7371 2306. Windmill Montessori Nursery School, 62 Shirland Road, Maida Vale London W9 2EH. Tel 020 7289 3410. Full-time/ Part-time i.e. Mon to Fri 8.30am to 12.30pm. Qualified Montessori Teacher required September 2008. Applicants must be highly motivated and enthusiastic with team spirit to work with children 2 to 5 years old. We offer a nonsmoking working environment. Please send CV to the above address.
SOUTH WEST LONDON Sinclair House School, Fulham are seeking a Montessori Teacher with experience from September 2008. The post is part-time, term-time only & working with children between the ages of 3 & 4. Contact Mrs Carlotta T.M. O’Sullivan on 020 7736 9182 or email info@sinclairhouseschool.co.uk Part-time Teacher Required from
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Montessori Teaching Opportunities September 2008: Well-established nursery school by Wandsworth Common requires a Montessori teacher to join our friendly team. We need a committed and enthusiastic teacher for a group of eight children, aged 2-3, who can work individually and as part of a team. Hours: 8.15 to 12.45. Please call Tamsin Millington-Drake at Red Balloon Nursery School on 020 8672 4711 tamd@rbns.co.uk Dawmouse Montessori School in SW6 is looking for a full and parttime teacher for September. The applicant should be Montessori qualified and able to work well in our vibrant team of teachers. The position is termly and your C.V. and letter of introduction should be sent to miss.emma@dawmouse.com or by calling Miss Emma on 020 7381 9385. Wimbledon Park Montessori require: an enthusiastic, committed, caring, full/part time experienced Directress from September 2008 to join our friendly team. Please email your CV to Clare Collins: clare@wpms.co.uk www.wpms.co.uk Paint Pots Montessori School, Chelsea. Excellent opportunity for Montessori Teacher at Paint Pots Montessori School, Chelsea. Part Time Position and Full Time Position to start ASAP (September 2008).
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Montessori Qualification essential, Degree an advantage. Contact Georgina Hood, London House, 266 Fulham Road, London, SW10 9EL or email office@paint-pots.co.uk
SOUTH EAST LONDON Halfmoon Montessori Nursery. We require a committed and enthusiastic Montessori teacher to join our team in September 2008. This is a full-time post, 40 weeks per year. Applicants are invited to view the school, and should apply in writing with a copy of C.V. F.A.O Miss A. Meehan, Halfmoon Montessori Nursery, Methodist Church Hall, 155 Halfmoon Lane, Herne Hill, London SE24 9HU. 07930 460 670. Montessori Teachers required for Montessori Nursery School in Bromley, Kent (South East London area - situated 15 mins from Central London) for September 2008 start. Montessori qualification essential, Degree an advantage. Hours of work between 8am - 4.30 pm, term time only. Starting salary between £15,000 -£18,000 according to experience. Apply with CV to LotusMontess@aol.com Telephone: 020 8464 5431. Full & part time teaching roles for Cator Park Montessori Preschool to start in September 2008. We are an established Montessori setting, with a team of 7 Montessori Directresses. We are registered for
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www.montessorimagazine.com/jobs.htm 44 children, with two classrooms set in the middle of a delightful park in Beckenham, Kent. We are looking to fill one full time and one part time role for qualified Montessori Directresses. Full time hours are 8.30am - 4.00pm 38 weeks per year. Please contact Richard Baxter on 07802 458 015 or send your CV to richard.baxter@channel yourenergies.com
EAST & CENTRAL LONDON Green Gables Montessori School E1, requires enthusiastic and dedicated Montessori teachers for September 2008. Opportunity to work in an attractive and well established school in East London, close to Tower Hill. Successful applicants will contribute to creating a happy Montessori atmosphere and environment for children from 21/2 to 3 years and 18 months to 21/2 yrs. Previous experience is essential along with a cheerful personality and creative approach. This is a full-time contracted post with a competitive salary and 8 weeks holiday per year. Please contact Grace Ivory on 020 7488 2374/76 or Email: info@greengables.org.uk www.greengables.org.uk Buttercups Montessori Nursery Chingford. Qualified Montessori teacher with at least one year’s experience is required for a full time
position (Mon-Fri between 8:30am to 6:00pm) to work with children between ages of 2 – 5years. The successful candidate will contribute to creating the Montessori atmosphere and environment. Dedication, enthusiasm and a team spirit is needed for this role. We offer a salary of £12,000-£16,000 depending on experience. Starting ASAP. Contact Helen on 02085272902. Prestigious Nursery School in Islington requires Montessori Classroom Assistant or Teacher. Hopes and Dreams is open all year. Full time position is offered at a Nursery School with excellent facilities and several awards for its approach to childcare. Qualifications relevant to this position would be an advantage, but training can be offered if required for an enthusiastic candidate. Salary of £15-20,000, depending on experience, together with excellent benefits. Please send a letter of application, and CV to Susan Bingham, Hopes and Dreams Montessori Nursery School, 339341 City Road, Islington, London EC1V 1LJ. Tel: 020 7833 9388 Email: city@hopesanddreams.co.uk
REST OF UK Berkshire Children of the World Montessori School require a Montessori Teacher to work in a
Montessori Teaching Opportunities happy and friendly environment in a well resourced Montessori school in the heart of Windsor, Berkshire. (Near Junction 6 of M4 and Windsor Central train station) Excellent OFSTED inspection must be dedicated to the Montessori philosophy. Contact Cheryl or Alexis on 01753 833 771. Buckinghamshire High Wycombe. Opening September 08 – a brand new Montessori full day care nursery. Open 51 weeks 8am5.45pm for babies to 5 year olds. (This is a sister nursery to our heavily-oversubscribed term-time only nursery). We are looking for full and part time, experienced and trainee Montessori and NVQ practitioners to join our small, happy, supportive staff team. Beautiful location. For job description and application form phone 01494 442 057 or rodensunshine@tiscali.co.uk Channel Islands Montessori Teacher for private school in Guernsey Channel Islands. Children aged 3-7 years one year contract. Attractive salary package. Please contact: Caroline Blondel, Principal on 01481 725 791 or email info@monkeypuzzlesy.com Cheshire Full-time Montessori Teacher required to work with children aged 2 - 5 years in a small Montessori nursery established for 16 years in Macclesfield, Cheshire. We require someone to join our small, friendly and dedicated team, the successful applicant will need to be highly motivated and assist with the daily care and education of the children. Further details; telephone 07932 759379 or email info@ steppingstonesmontessori.co.uk Cheshire Alderley Day Nursery Montessori. We are a newly established purpose built Montessori School looking for a Deputy Manager. Candidates must be motivated and conscientious; be confident in managing staff, partnering with parents and fully acquainted with OFSTED’s requirements. Candidates can be Newly Qualified or Experienced Montessori Teachers - Part Qualified candidates with relevant work experience are also welcome to apply. Depending on experience, salary £16,000-£22,000. Tel: 01625 860660 or email: jobs@alderleydaynursery.com Essex Full-time qualified Montessori Teacher required for nursery set in a tennis club, in Ilford, Essex. We are a sessional nursery, term time only. Must have a good sense of humour and work well in a team. You will be a keyworker, working with a small group of children. Position to start in Sept. 08. Please contact Sue on 020 8554 6685. Essex Experienced (2-3 years) qualified full-time Montessori Teacher required for Loughton Montessori Day Nursery, 1 Church
Hill Loughton Essex IG10 1QP. Open all year 8 am - 6 pm Mon - Fri. 37 1/2 hour week. Applicants are invited to apply in writing accompanied by a CV. Salary dependent upon experience. Tel 0208 508 1617 for further information. Essex Orchard Cottage Montessori Nursery School, Alresford, Nr. Colchester, Essex. Requires a Montessori teacher to start ASAP. Five days per week term time only to teach 21/2 to 5 year olds in the nursery and assist with the daily running and planning. Small nursery school in a semi rural area, established for 11 years lovely warm and friendly environment with lots of happy children. Contact: Mrs. Jacqueline Ward on 01206-825607 for further details. Kent Passionate about Montessori? Join our team at Shining Stars, a new Montessori Pre-School. We have a rich and varied curriculum firmly based on Montessori philosophy enhanced with the ideas and experience of our team. Our comprehensive range of Montessori equipment provide a great prepared environment for an enthusiastic Montessorian to be a Shining Star! 5 days a week, 8.30am to 1.00pm. Contact Cima on 07957 324 314. Email CVs to cima@shiningstarsmp.co.uk Kent Full-time qualified Montessori Assistant required in Chipstead near Sevenoaks, Kent at small day nursery which is extremely well equipped, has excellent reputation and is highly committed to Montessori. We are open 51 weeks in the year. For more details and an application form, phone 01732 452 931 or email: moniquepurdy @hotmail.com Middlesex Julia’s Montessori Nursery in Hampton are seeking a Montessori Teacher with experience from September 2008. Duties include record keeping, curriculum planning and must have knowledge of the EYFS Curriculum. The post is part-time, 24 hours a week, termtime only and offers a competitive salary. We are a small, friendly, dedicated nursery with high staff ratios. Contact Caroline on 07939 838 991 or email juliasmontessori@aol.com Middlesex Family in Northwood seeking an experienced Montessori trained teacher to spend three hours per day, five evenings per week in our home with our bright and active twenty-one-month-old son. In accordance with the Montessori Method, we are looking for someone who can introduce materials and activities to stimulate our son’s intellect and enthusiasm for learning, fostering an environment of orderliness, responsibility and exploration. Please contact Shaista on 01923 832 397. Norfolk Norwich. The Norwich
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Montessori School requires an enthusiastic, caring Montessori Teacher (or training towards) to join our friendly team. This is a permanent part-time position starting in September 2008. The school is open term time only, with a maximum of 26 children aged 21/2 5. Please contact Sarah Johnson on 01603 452 522 or email CV with covering letter to crouch.johnson@ntlworld.com Surrey We are a small part time Montessori Nursery based in Claygate in Surrey. We are looking for someone to join us as a classroom teacher from September 2008. Hours are Mon to Fri 8.30am to 1.15pm – wages to be discussed at interview. Job details include reports and organising some classroom activities. Please contact Michelle MacKrell on 020 8398 8104 or e-mail: chadsworth@dial.pipex.com Surrey Position: Experienced Montessori Teacher to take on headship responsibilities. Minimum of 2 years experience required. Location: Surbiton, Surrey. Salary: Good rate of pay for the right candidate. Contact: Liz Wild 07962 054585. Surrey Qualified Montessori Nursery Teachers required urgently Gatwick/ Horley area in Surrey, by Montessori full daycare, Full/ part-time. Vacancy
1: Montessori Teacher/ Room Leader full-time 9am to 6pm 1 hour lunch, babies/ toddlers aged 6 months to 3 years. Can be shared on 2 part-time shifts of 5-6 hours: 9am to 2pm and 12am to 6pm. Vacancy 2: Montessori teacher, full-time 8am to 4pm with 1 hour lunch, children aged 6 months to 5 years. Join a friendly, enthusiastic team who love being with children. Contact David in our office to find out more: 01293 820 887 or 07795 322 688. Email: davidbrows@aol.com Yorkshire Wharfedale Montessori School and Training College established in 1990, with a reputation for top quality provision in both Children’s House and fully Montessori Primary, in glorious location in the Yorkshire Dales. We have an urgent vacancy in our Children’s House for 1 experienced directress. Excellent salary for the right applicant dependent on experience. Assistance with relocation within the UK if needed. Contact: Mrs Jane Lord, Principal on 01756 710 452. Email: jane.lord@wharfedale.montessorischool.info
EUROPE Bosnia Bilingual Montessori School of Sarajevo. The first Montessori School in Bosnia and Hercegovina will open its doors in September 2008. We are looking to recruit a
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Montessori Teaching Opportunities trained Montessori teacher, holding an AMI diploma or equivalent, to set up the primary levels (6-9 and 912). There is a competitive salary and benefit package offered, including accommodation and airfare to and from home base every year. Please contact: Maelys de Rudder, Hadziristica 2, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Hercegovina. Email: maelys@gnet.ba Tel: +38733446123 or +38763792960. France Ecole Internationale Malherbe, located near Paris, France, is seeking a dynamic, qualified Montessori Teacher for a class of 2 to 4 year olds beginning Sept. 2008. Full-time position with
possibility of housing. Only native English speakers with working papers considered. To apply please send CV and cover letter to Rose Mary Dupuy at principal@ecolemalherbe.com or telephone +33 (0)1 39 76 47 37 for further details. Latvia Montessori trained child carer wanted in Latvia. A prominent Latvian family based in Riga are seeking native English speaking Montessori trained carer for their 2 year old daughter to work alongside nanny already employed. Great salary and benefit package offered, including self contained accommodation, car and airfares. Interviews in U.K. Please send CV.
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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Palm Springs Montessori School Openings for Toddler, Pre-school & Elementary 6-12. Trained Montessori teachers – experience preferred. Mature, stable, open-minded, flexible, positive, creative, team-oriented teachers dedicated to Montessori philosophy. Competitive salary and benefits. Please fax resume to +1 760 322 8725 or send resumes to:
Montessori School of Palm Springs, c/o Chris Wicks, 2792 Fyler Place, Los Angeles, CA 90065, USA Phone/Fax: +44 (0) 1 202 701 002, Mob. phone: +44 (0) 77 8623 0098. E-mail: info@educationalplacements.com Switzerland Work in Zurich/Switzerland from August 1, 2008. Native English as well as native German (AMI) Directresses for age group 0–3/3–6 and Elementary teacher 6–12 who love to work in an expanding bilingual school. Competitive salary and social security package. More information on www.montessori-zuerichsee.ch Contact us via admin@montessorizuerichsee.ch
REST OF THE WORLD Australia Principal. Exceptional leader required for progressive Montessori School. Retirement of our current Principal has presented a rare opportunity to lead and be part of a dynamic environment, focused on best practice and
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excellence in primary education in Melbourne, Australia. Interested candidates, please visit the employment section of our website at www.pvms.vic.edu.au for further information. Belize Unique opportunity for a Montessori directress (2 years+ experience) to join dedicated, friendly team at Liberty Learning Centre, a pre-school in Belize, Central America for disadvantaged children. This challenging role involves building upon existing Montessori environment and providing support to other teachers $15,000US per annum, accommodation provided. Please send CV to work@libertyfoundation.org.uk For more info please visit www.libertyfoundation.org.uk British Virgin Islands Casa Teacher 3-6 and Elementary Teacher 6-9 required for CHMS in the British
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global links Montessori continues to grow in Southern Africa
international diary Europe
MONTESSORI Education in Southern Africa is growing. We have a very active association, SAMA which holds regional, termly meetings and annual conferences. Last year we were very lucky to have Barbara Isaacs as our International Speaker, and this year we will have Tim Seldin joining us in April. The association has done a great deal to promote Montessori to the Education Department and to develop strong relationships with the Independent Schools Association and The South African Council of Educators. The Montessori Curriculum has also been fully aligned to the National Curriculum. Lucy Watson has been representing MCI in Durban for the past 17 years and coordinates
Oct 11th 2008 MSA Annual National Conference, Oxford, UK in conjunction with Montessori Europe congress
USA 13th – 16th November AMS 2008 Fall Conference – Montessori, Excellence in Action, California Children at Ocean View Montessori – the MCI training venue in Durban
The Durban Study Circle. The Study Circle has recently been recognized as an accredited provider of a Level 5 Diploma in ECD. This is similar to an NVQ qualification. Students who enroll for, and successfully complete, the MCI Early Childhood Course will also receive a Level 5 Diploma that is registered on The National Qualifications Framework. The accrediting body is The ETDP SETA, The Education, Training and Development Practices branch of
The Sector Education Training Authority. We are very proud to achieve this recognition for Montessori and for MCI and are glad to be able offer our students an International Montessori qualification that has a strong local relevance Lucy Watson Useful contacts: SAMA, www.samontessori.org.za MCI in Durban, www.montessorisa.co.za
News from Thailand SINCE 2004, with the help of international volunteers (contacted via occasional articles and adverts in Montessori International), Khom Loy Foundation has been running a program to convert hilltribe village child care centres in Northern Thailand into Montessori kindergartens. The programme uses local materials to make a selection of Montessori materials and has translated a range of standard textbooks into Thai for training purposes. Some of the materials have been localised to reflect the way of life (chopsticks feature a lot!). The focus of the programme is to teach preschool children (36) from ethnic minority groups to speak, read and write Thai before the children attend Thai government school at age 6. So far the programme has converted 19 such centres and is starting work on a further 5 this year. As part of the conversion process, the local childcarers or
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The childcare centre of the Lahu village of Jataw, near Chiang Rai, Thailand, showing the room before (left) and after (right) Montessori transformation by Khom Loy Foundation."
teachers at the centre are given a one year training course based on the Western models. Funding for the programme comes from private donors and the Foundation’s founders, Paul Hancock and Patricia Solar. For more information, see our
website at www.khomloy.org/ montessori.html and for a video on the project, see www.khomloy.org/media.html. If you are interested in supporting or working with the project for a few months, email Paul Hancock at pmchancock@gmail.com
India 5th – 8th January 2009 Celebrating 70 yrs of Montessori in India – 26th International Montessori congress, Chennai, India
The Power of Play MONTESSORI Centre International Denver presents an evening Montessori with David Elkind, Centre International Ph.D on September 25th 2008. He is currently the Professor Emeritus of Child Development at Tufts University in Massachusetts. He has contributed greatly to the field of early childhood, including being former President of NAEYC and AMS and is best known for his popular books The Hurried Child, Miseducation and his newest book, The Power of Play: Learning what comes natural. The first seminar of the evening is called Teaching with Heart, Mind and Body which describes the role of play, love and work. The second is called The Power of Play. Registration Fees $50 each seminar or $90 for both seminars. (Registration begins at 4 pm) The event takes place at St. Cajetan’s Centre, Auraria Campus, Denver, USA. Contact MCI Denver email pb@mcidenver.edu
New Zealand Montessori 101 September 29 - October 3, 2008 THE Montessori Association of New Zealand is delighted to offer early childhood educators and parents a five-day workshop in Lower Hutt. If you are interested in learning more about Montessori and gaining an overview of Montessori for three to six year olds then this workshop is the perfect opportunity for you to gain a deeper understanding of this humanistic approach to childhood. The workshop will be lead by Amy Kirkham, an Association Montessori Internationale teacher trainer from Melbourne. Go to http://www.montessori.org.nz/professionaldevelopment.shtml for more information.
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