Montessori Teachers Chatboard

Join Teachers.Net

Chatboards

Recent Groups

Montessori

MEMBERS

5 Members

+ Join Group

Pinned Posts

ALLAll Teachers

Teachers.Net LIVE CHAT Support group - Tues eve!

Featured Jobs

Full-timeMontessori Teacher

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

TemporaryTeachers, rural schools

Peace River North School District

Full-timeHead Teacher: 2nd/3rd Grades – Mills College Children’s School

Mills College

Teaching Jobs on Teachers.Net

Featured Job special only $39!

https://teachers.net/jobs

Become a Teachers.Net sponsor!

Montessori Teachers Chatboard

Teacher/director

by Ashland Community Preschool

Jun 12, 2014

Seeking teacher/director for small Montessori based parent cooperative in Ashland, Va. Email: [email removed]

Comment

report post

balanced school calendar

by susan

May 27, 2014

Does anyone have experience with a "balanced school calendar?" This is essentially, year-round school. Does it have a positive / negative / no impact on the early childhood group (3 - 6yr olds)? Our school is in the very early stages of considering this approach. We do have a before and after school childcare program that would be made available du...See More

Comment

(6)

report post

view previous comments

susan On 5/28/14, Susan wrote: > On 5/27/14, maureen wrote: >> Our public schools tried it for a few years and the >> teachers, students and staff all LOVED it. The only >> problems I recall as to why they dropped the balanced >> school calendar were these > two: If >> the students had siblings in other schools that di...See MoreOn 5/28/14, Susan wrote: > On 5/27/14, maureen wrote: >> Our public schools tried it for a few years and the >> teachers, students and staff all LOVED it. The only >> problems I recall as to why they dropped the balanced >> school calendar were these > two: If >> the students had siblings in other schools that didn't >> have the balanced calendar it was hard on those families >> and the other > BIG >> reason "Oh, we didn't see any major changes in test >> scores so > we >> are putting those schools back on the traditional >> calendar". Of course, that second reason shouldn't have a >> thing to do with Montessori. That same district opened an >> alternative

> school >> and put it immediately on the balanced school calendar. I >> have > a >> couple friends who teach there and again, they love it. >> The way it works is I think the children go for a 6-8 >> week stretch, then have two weeks off in between those >> weeks. There was still a 6 week "summer break" which >> allowed families to have vacation > time. >> >> I pretty much offered a balanced school year with my > preschool, >> but the summer was optional. I had "theme" weeks during >> the summer to make it look like it was a "summer camp". >> However, > my >> students went full day just like in the school year and >> all the Montessori materials were out. Many of my >> friends' summer programs do not have most of the >> Montessori materials out. I liked doing it this way >> because there are many children who could enter a >> sensitive period during those three months normally "off" >> or not being offered appropriate materials to meet their >> needs. I would close one or two weeks after the last week >> in May, close the week of July 4th and sometimes the week > before >> the fall semester started. I enrolled students throughout >> the year instead of only in the fall or maybe January. >> >> So my vote for balanced school calendar for Montessori is >> a > yes >> for the very reason it takes advantage of sensitive >> periods. I enrolled by the week during the summer so some >> families > came just >> one or two weeks a month. >> >> I notice Erika mentioned having to 'review" for a couple >> months in the fall. Even when I didn't offer summer >> programs, I don't recall reviewing being an issue. As a >> class in the fall we would review the ground rules to >> sharpen those and introduce to the > new >> students. I would address the misuse of materials due to >> not knowing how or remembering how just like I would all >> year > round >> per individual student. When I added summer programs and > always >> keeping the Montessori materials out during the >> summer,there really wasn't a need to review any more then >> any other > material. >> We spent more time outdoors with a very well supplied >> outdoor environment with woodworking, gardening,etc. but >> indoors > which >> was usually the afternoon due to the heat, it was >> business as usual with three hour work cycles. >> >> I hope I addressed some of your concerns. I would be >> happy to answer more specific questions if I know the >> answer!

Maureen and Erica, Thank you for your responses. I think one challenge that our school must take on if indeed we decide to do a balanced calendar, is to amend the current childcare set up that would still be opened during the non- school times. It seems to fine for the elementary age children, but too unstructured and ultimately too frantic, for the younger children if the time spent is beyond a couple of hours each day. Your input is much appreciated and thanks again.

May 28, 2014

report post

maureen br> > > Maureen and Erica, Thank you for your responses. I think > one challenge that our school must take on if indeed we > decide to do a balanced calendar, is to amend the current > childcare set up that would still be opened during the non- > school times. It seems to fine for the elementary age > children, but too unstr...See Morebr> > > Maureen and Erica, Thank you for your responses. I think > one challenge that our school must take on if indeed we > decide to do a balanced calendar, is to amend the current > childcare set up that would still be opened during the non- > school times. It seems to fine for the elementary age > children, but too unstructured and ultimately too frantic, for > the younger children if the time spent is beyond a couple of > hours each day. Your input is much appreciated and > thanks again.

Susan: I don't know in what part of the country you live, weather wise, but for the younger children, I would structure the child care in a way that there was more outdoor environment time. In inclement weather, open gym. There would also be "theme" days or weeks.

When I offered "before and after care" I had a very large storage room that the children had access to during these times. It was full of games, puzzles, all sorts of manipulatives, cars and trucks, etc. The children still took the materials to a table or rug and all typical ground rules were expected. Something like that could work with pre school age - different choices but with the same ground rules. Of course, I always "ran" any additional programs and having a trained Montessorian makes a huge difference on that success.

At one school, we had a woman who ran the "day care" and over time she was able to adapt to Montessori. It helped that she eventually got moved to her own space instead of sharing the Montessori material room. Before that it was frustrating to come in the morning only to find the materials in non pristine position. Sharing the room was a challenge for anyone who shared with a traditional program.

It sounds like your school is within reach of making this work. It's too bad that you didn't get more responses on your question. I know I observed several schools over the years who did what you want to do. I just wasn't looking for that at the time so any details on how they worked it out just aren't with me. I was thinking some of those schools were in all year warm weather like Florida and California.

May 29, 2014

report post

Montessori Primary Head Teacher

by resumemontessori.com

May 27, 2014

Looking for a Montessori Primary Head Teacher starting in the fall 2014 for private Montessori school in Fairfield County Connecticut. Teacher must be AMS trained and certified. Send resumes to [email removed].

May 23, 2014

Does an

Comment

report post

Looking for an assistant

by Honeybee Montessori

May 19, 2014

Looking for an experienced assistant

Comment

report post

Looking for a 3 to 6 or 0 to 3 AMI position

by Yvette

Jan 4, 2014

Looking for a new position as a Montessori teacher in September in an English speaking country such as Australia, Canada, America or New Zealand in a city.

I would need a school to help me gain a visa.

I have been working in the Casa for 5 years and 0 to 3 for about a year.

If there any any questions please send me an ...See More

Comment

(3)

report post

view previous comments

M.hass On 3/11/14, Nikki Hatcher wrote: > On 1/04/14, Yvette wrote: > >> Looking for a new position as a Montessori teacher in >> September in an English speaking country such as Australia, >> Canada, America or New Zealand in a city. >> >> I would need a school to help me gain a visa. >> >> I have been work...See More

May 9, 2014

report post

Maria Eych On 3/11/14, Nikki Hatcher wrote: > On 1/04/14, Yvette wrote: > >> Looking for a new position as a Montessori teacher in >> September in an English speaking country such as Australia, >> Canada, America or New Zealand in a city. >> >> I would need a school to help me gain a visa. >> >> I have been work...See More

May 9, 2014

report post

Computers in Montessori

by Harpreet Singh

Aug 13, 2009

Hi, One of our school's ([link removed]?

Regards, Harpreet Singh

Comment

(1)

report post

Mary On 8/13/09, Harpreet Singh wrote: > Hi, One of our school's ([link removed]

I believe both AMI and NAMTA have references for articles on computers and Montessori.

Aug 13, 2009

report post

Parent Information Form

by Lysa

Aug 13, 2009

I live in a very conservative Christian area. Last year a family in our program was really upset by the fact that their children were being exposed to scientific concepts and learning that there were other cultures and religions in the world. When we told them that this was actually a part of the Montessori curriculum, they wanted to know why they ...See More

Comment

report post

binomial, trinomial and power of two

by cm

Aug 14, 2009

Does anyone have the algebraic formula for these? I'm trying to find the problem written out for each, along with the answer to the equations. Any assistance would be highly appreciated!

Comment

(4)

report post

view previous comments

Bridget On 8/14/09, cm wrote: > Does anyone have the algebraic formula for these? I'm > trying to find the problem written out for each, along with > the answer to the equations. Any assistance would be > highly appreciated!

Aug 30, 2009

report post

CD The formulae can be most easily seen through the expansion presentations (aka: the parade). When you are relating the cubes and prisms to the formula, designate a colour to a letter - red for a, blue for b, etc. Please note that when typing these formulae here, I had to capitalize the variables and type the words 'squared' and 'cubed'.

Un...See More

Sep 3, 2009

report post