3 Reasons to Celebrate Art!

“Imagination does not become great until a person, given the courage and strength, uses it to create.”

—Dr. Maria Montessori

The Montessori educational practices are founded on the premise that learning occurs when children interact with their environment. Exploration and discovery are at the heart of each curriculum area in the Montessori classroom, where children are encouraged to experience, create and discover—which in essence helps them to construct the very person that they are becoming.

Art is essential in the environment of the child and also plays a special role in the classroom. Art is one of the many ways that children can express themselves. Art helps children to communicate their feelings, develop their fine motor skills and of course, explore and use their creativity.

Usually, as with most things in the Montessori classroom, art is integrated with another area of study for the children. For instance, after planting and watching a seed grow, the art area might feature materials to inspire a watercolor or pastel rendition of a plant, leaf rubbings, or sculptures. The classroom may embark on a study of renowned artists whose landscapes and natural sceneries inspire the artistic process. And it is through this process that children derive satisfaction, confidence and inner joy.

Here are three great reasons to incorporate art into the everyday experience in the classroom and beyond:

(1) Art is beautiful and inspirational: Children can explore something new without a fear of “not doing it right”; each creation opens the door to new possibilities. 

(2) Art is good for you! Art benefits the right brain and the whole brain; it can increase focus and concentration, develop hand-eye coordination, and can encourage different ways of thinking.

(3) Art makes you feel good: Children can explore their feelings and moods through the art they create; the act of creation can engender joy and satisfaction.

Because of the feelings that both art and music** can evoke—joy, inspiration, curiosity, wonder, happiness, awe—they are integral and indispensable to life and work in the classroom and in effect, to human existence.

**see next week’s blog for more on music

#Art #Music in the #Montessori #Classroom #Create #Creativity

Our Shared World- Earth Day 2016

“We have much to learn by studying nature and taking the time to tease out its secrets.”
David Suzuki

Happy Earth Day! This year at Westmont we are enjoying some outdoor planting with the children, the observation of lady bug chrysalis, making bird feeders and hatching chicks! 

Earth Day reminds us of the beauty of the cultural curriculum in the Montessori classroom which is a window into the universe at large. The same water that we use in our daily lives has been on our planet since its formation. It is the essence of life that has connected all living beings on this planet, as is the air and the soil. We invite children to develop an awareness of how their world came to be and cultivate an appreciation for all the things, big and small, which coexist in it. Learning about our natural resources (land/air/water; sink or float; parts of a plant; how to grow a plant), the seasons (seasons sorting cards), the elements on our planet (magnetic vs. non-magnetic), the flora and fauna (vertebrates vs. invertebrates; extinct vs. non-extinct), the vastness of our world (the solar system; the colored globe; the continent maps) as well as the concept of time (calendar; telling time) –these are all ways we help children to discover our natural world.

By exposing each child to the cultural area of the classroom—Geography, Science, Botany, Zoology, and History—we invite them to explore the universe at large, using their own curiosity and drive. We learn about different cultures and about how we have a shared world. Through this hands-on exploration, children are on a path to discovering the world around them.

Dr. Montessori believed that there is a purpose and an order to the universe—it is a “gift” to mankind to be treasured and protected. Each of us is responsible for protecting the environment upon which we depend for our existence.  Our classrooms are a place where we foster this awareness in children. And thus, they create the beautiful possibilities of a more peaceful world.

What is Montessori--in just one word.

When you work in a Montessori School, the question “Just what is Montessori?” does come up quite often in one’s social circles. And for those of us who have studied the philosophy and pedagogy that Dr. Montessori put into practice over 100 years ago, it’s difficult to put into words, succinctly, all the benefits of this educational approach that took the world by storm back in the early 1900’s.

“Dr. Montessori was truly a woman ahead of her time. She saw the potential in every child. As a physician and a scientist, she used observation and a brilliant understanding of child development to figure out how to best support learning for life.”, remarks Colette Cross, Head of School at the Westmont Montessori school in #Mendham, NJ.

Indeed. But just what is this educational approach all about? Today, we will try to answer this question with one word (well…we might need to use a few “one word” answers):

• #Respect for self
• #Respect for others
• #Self-confidence
• #Independence
• #Integrity
• #Academic Excellence (coupled with a joy for learning)
• #Cultural appreciation
• #Love of #learning

Learn more @AmericanMonstessoriSociety as well as our other #Montessori #blog articles here.

What do these people have in common?

The foundation of a Montessori education.

Flash forward a year from now, a decade from now…what will the children pictured here have in common with today’s most remarkable innovators, such as the Google co-founders and the creator of Amazon.com? The foundation of a Montessori education.

Starting February 28 through March 5, 2016, we celebrate the 109th anniversary of Montessori Education during Montessori Education Week. Dr. Maria Montessori believed that each child learns at his own pace and in his own unique way.  This innovative thinking shaped a new type of learning environment designed to kindle the individual interests of each learner. When asked by Barbara Walters in a television interview what they felt was a major factor in their success, Google co-founders credited their early childhood Montessori education: “We both went to Montessori school,” Mr. Larry Page said, “and I think it was part of that training of …being self-motivated, questioning what’s going on in the world, doing things a little bit differently.”

As articulated by these alumni, the Montessori Method fosters independence and critical thinking skills in young children—skills that ultimately enable them to respond creatively to new challenges, resolve conflicts effectively, and understand and relate to others.

On March 19th at 10AM, we welcome the community to help us celebrate children and learning. Join us at our Open House Social at 10AM (at the Westmont Montessori School, 577 Rt. 24 in Mendham (908)879-6355). Children–come ready to have some fun!

Seeing the World through the Eyes of a Pre-schooler

In a couple of days, we will begin celebrating Montessori Education Week. Dr. Montessori was a physician, a scientist and a child advocate. She remarked how, to the young child, the world is wondrous place, filled with an endless collection of mysteries. The child is life’s little scientist, constantly sleuthing to make sense of the natural world around him.

Over 100 years after Dr. Montessori, yet another child-development specialist stresses the importance of observing children. "Adults often have trouble understanding young children’s needs and inner lives—but paying closer attention to the way they experience the world can be valuable." Read more about what we can learn from and about young children in this article.