Montessori Parent Education - Grumble Services, LLC.

Why is Montessori Parent Education a Critical Component to your Child’s Success?

Montessori Parent Education is an integral part of each child’s academic success. As we all journey down this virtual-hybrid-physical school path together, I have rediscovered a few important truths. For me, the most critical of these is what we call parent education. I believe this is more critical now than ever before!

The Montessori Method is a unique educational approach nurturing a child’s intrinsic desire to learn. Montessori focuses on the whole child—their cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.

Montessori Parent Education Blog Grumble Services Blog elementary Montessori materials and learning resources — When Pegs Fly: Peg Board
Montessori Math Material

*GadZooks!* Literary Devices –
Montessori Language Game

Montessori children are taught similar content to their traditionally educated counterparts. However, the classroom environments and philosophical approaches look very different from one another. Therefore, Montessori schools and Montessori teachers have a lot of myths to set straight.

What makes a Montessori School Unique?

Parents should know what is meant by the Montessori Method, what makes a Montessori school unique and how it meets the unique social and intellectual needs differently at each stage of development. Because what we offer your child is often times very different from what you (or I) experienced during our school years, we will help you learn how to support your child’s Montessori experience.

When having a deeper understanding of the Montessori materials and philosophy, you are better able to support your child’s growth and development.

Ideally, if a school represents itself honestly and commits to Parent Education, then parents will continue to choose the Montessori approach because it is what they will naturally want for their children.

I will be posting Montessori discussion topics and tips to help parents better understand why we do what we do as Montessori Educators at Fernwood. These blog posts are not to appear arrogant, superior, or snobbish. Instead, they will hopefully provide a window for you to look into, to empower you to continue to ask more and more enlightened questions and to encourage you to participate in the Parent Education Program at your Child’s Montessori school.

What is Cosmic Education?
(or the interconnectedness of all things)..

Cosmic Education is the underlying difference to a traditional elementary education. It is during the elementary years children will begin to see the interrelatedness of all things having to do with the universe. This includes the dramatic creation of its furnishings such as the plants and animals, the arrival of human beings and their continuing story throughout time.

Our purpose – our goal – is for children to come to a full understanding of this. Cosmic Education – the interconnectedness of all things – tries not to teach subject matter within separate subjects as is done in traditional school settings. Instead subjects are interlinked as best as they can be. Moreover, children are broken down by their grade levels. Instead they are a part of a 6 to 9 class (lower elementary) or 9 to 12 class (upper elementary).

Syllabus? What’s a Syllabus?

At this level the Elementary Guide’s job is not to teach a syllabus. Instead they use presentations and stories to open up a new field of exploration to the children. It opens exploration carried out through the reasoning mind and the use of imagination.
It also means, under ideal circumstances, the assignment of worksheets, workbooks, or spelling lists to be memorized should be limited. Unrelated items are not of interest to children of this age. Montessori children do not receive a lesson and then immediately take a quiz or test. These ideas are not part of Cosmic Education.

The Elementary Guide might instead give a presentation and follow up with suggestions of where to get more materials or give ideas for further research. Children might do more work on this topic. They might not.

Why is Self-evaluation so Important?

Another key life skill Montessori children develop is learning to evaluate themselves; to become consciously aware of what they are good at and what they could improve on. This is a part of finding their place in society and the world. If they can learn to honestly and objectively critique themselves, they will know what their strengths are and will be able to share those strengths with others. They will also be able to ask for help when they need it.

Allow me to make one point very clear: This does not mean children receiving a Montessori education should or will feel a superiority over others. Along with key life skills comes the understanding of responsibility, care, and respect for all humanity. As Dr. Montessori put it –

A compassionate attitude of service.

Do you have thoughts on Montessori Parent Education? Do you have a suggestion for another blog topic? Please send me an email with your ideas or experiences at grumble.services@gmail.com.

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