Author: Mardie
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Former ‘No Child Left Behind’ Advocate Turns Critic
When education places the emphasis on testing the result is detrimental. Who pays the cost of test-driven education? The children http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124209100
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The Lack of Creative Thinking Leads to a Lack of Ingenuity
Is creativity really critical? If so, can education foster creativity? Explore these questions as you read this Newsweek article from July 10th of this year: http://www.newsweek.com/2010/07/10/the-creativity-crisis.html
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What’s the Value of Creativity?
Adults often seek to nurture creativity in children. Interestingly, young children often refer to themselves as creative. Slowly, over time this notion is devalued by adults and children loose their self-perception of creativity. What happens to creativity? View Sir Ken Robinson’s humorous explanation of what might be the biggest factor in loosing creativity: http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
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Myth #13: Montessori discourages cooperation and creativity.
During these very early years the child’s brain absorbs everything around them, without filters or censors. The scientifically designed Sensorial materials fine-tune the senses to orderly receive information bombarding the child. Once collected, the sensorial impressions can be named and utilized to express ones thoughts. Skills are built to develop hand control for story-writing, drawing…
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Myth #12: Montessori schools apply undue pressure in learning academics.
Due to the dynamic quality of the brain, young children can absorb vast amounts of knowledge including one’s mother tongue. Dr. Montessori noted this absorbent mind quality and applied it to an educational approach which satisfies the young children’s interest in writing which later develops into reading.
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Myth #11: Montessori is not for all children.
Montessori’s philosophy of child development is timeless and inclusive of all children, regardless of where or how they live. Parents are drawn to Montessori for its many outcomes but are disillusioned by the full three or four year cycle commitment: parents want to see immediate results. Education of the senses precedes educating the intellect: this…
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Myth #10: Montessori classrooms have homogenous populations and don’t embrace cultural diversity (lack diversity in backgrounds and socio-economics).
Some are private some are public but all Montessori schools reflect the population of the community it exists in. Geography folders depict the people, places, monuments…the culture of within each region.
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Myth #9: Montessori children are not socialized and don’t play because children “work” and lessons are given individually.
Self-disciplined Lessons of Grace& Courtesy develop a sense of community and respect 3-year age groupings decreases transitions &fosters. Part of Dr. Montessori’s legacy has been promoting peace and citizenship. Dr. Montessori observed that during a person’s life, children under the age of 7 learn at the most rapid rate. Thus it is the task of…
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Myth #8: I never hear about famous people who attended Montessori.
Here are a couple of Montessori graduates you might have heard of. Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Co-Founders of Google, Julia Child, Chef, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs Musician Jeffrey Bezos, Founder of Amazon.com Prince William and Prince Harry, English royal family, Helen Hunt Actress, Anne Frank, World War II Author of The Diary of Anne…
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Myth #7: Without testing and grades there is no measurement for the child’s knowledge acquired.
Individual lessons. Observation Peer-learning among the mixed ages reinforces previously acquired knowledge. Children freely repeat activities working towards mastery at their own pace. A preparation for life includes a love of learning, positive self image, creativity, self motivation, independent thinker…how do you measure these important qualities?