I want to share with you portions of an article published in the journal Science. Dr. Angeline Lillard along with several other researchers compared children aged 3 to 12 at a Montessori school in Milwaukee with those at other schools in the same area. They were tested for mental performance, academic abilities, and social and behavioral skills. Here are some of their findings:
- Five-year-old Montessori pupils were better prepared for reading and maths, and 12-year-olds wrote significantly more creative essays using more sophisticated sentence structures.
- Some of the biggest differences were seen in social skills and behavior.
- Montessori children displayed a greater sense of "justice and fairness", interacted in an "emotionally positive" way, and were less likely to engage in "rough play" during break times.
- The method discourages traditional competitive measurements of achievement, such as grades and tests, and instead focuses on the individual progress and development of each child.
- Not only were five-year-old primary school children better prepared for the "three Rs" at elementary level, they also had higher scores in tests of "executive function". This is the ability to adapt to changing and complex problems, and is seen as an indicator of future school and life success.
- Older Montessori pupils were more likely to choose "positive assertive responses" when dealing with unpleasant social situations, said the researchers.
- The scientists concluded: "Montessori education fosters social and academic skills that are equal or superior to those fostered by a pool of other types of schools."
Dr. Lillard plans to continue the research by tracking students from both groups over a longer period of time. She also hopes to repeat the study at other Montessori and traditional schools, and assess specific Montessori techniques.
IDEAS FOR THE HOME:
MATH...............
Ask your child to help you match and count socks when folding laundry.
LANGUAGE.............
Read to your child everyday. Point out things within the pictures or text that you find interesting to encourage discussion.
PRACTICAL LIFE.................
Have a small area on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator with a small pitcher of water and snacks. This way they can pour themselves a drink and get a snack whenever they are thirsty or hungry.
SENSORIAL..............
Expose children to a wide variety of experiences, especially outside. Give names to different textures, sights and sounds which give language to sensory experiences
Several of the children are so close to reading, it is so exciting! This past week we have been working so hard on the Moveable Alphabet with these children. At Circle Time we explored the science behind Sink and Float. They were able to choose objects from the classroom for the demonstration. It also became a math work by graphing who believed the object would sink and who believed the object would float. The children were pretty much right every time. We also learned about our five senses this being introduced by way of a book. With a discussion afterwards. Your children are such a joy to be around we really love being with them.
Out of the mouths of babes...........
Nayvi, Sage and Dakota were sitting on the bench. Nayvi and Sage were fighting over who was going to marry Dakota. Dakota said "don't worry girls I can marry both of you."
