The Montessori Method

Dr. Montessori wrote,
"A child's work is to create the man he will become.
An adult works to perfect the environment,
but a child works to perfect himself."

Some Important Characteristics of the Montessori Method

• 3 period lesson
  • 1st - teacher names the object (Sandpaper letters - teacher starts by saying "a" (using the letter sound not name) and traces the letter with two fingers)
  • 2nd - child finds the object (Child would then find the "a" and trace it with two fingers while saying "a")
  • 3rd - child names the object (Teacher will ask "What is this? - Child says "a" and traces the letter again)
  • Move on to the next learning stage only after the first is mastered through these three levels
• teach letter sounds not names (to aid in phoentic awareness)
• isolate one skill at a time
  • red rods, pink tower, etc
  • don't confuse the child with extra information - many stacking blocks have lots of colors or numbers or letters but Montessori blocks are just one color so the child doesn't get confused by all the extra information and can concentrate on mastering the skill
• teach lower case letters using the Zaner Bloser not D'Nelian letters