A Must Share

Montessori teachers are often labelled as garbage pickers. Unfortunately, it's true. The best Montessori teachers I've met so far are the ones who are consistently taking other people's trash and turning it into educational treasures for the classroom. I've seen old DVD players become really creative destruction centers for children to learn about technology and the parts of a machine. Old buckets and lampshades become part of practical life areas, and broken down cribs are repaired and put into the roleplay area. It just takes a little imagination. What's important is that our love for recycling, repairing, reusing is transferred to our children, and they too become environmentally conscious and creative citizens. What a beautiful thing.

That being said -- I must share this. 35 Lifechanging Ways to Use Everyday Objects. Things you have lying around your house will suddenly become your new magical friends, and then YOU TOO can be part of the Montessori trash troving family :) Enjoy!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/35-lifechanging-ways-to-use-everyday-objects

Did You Know?

Marlene has presented this video nearly every time I've seen her speak in China. To be fair, that's only 5 times. But still -- she's in love with this video, and she showed it again today to end another Saturday class and a long week at EMTTA.

It's a really interesting video, which shows us in an honest way how fast our world is moving, and in many ways how competitive the people of the world are. It was put together by Karl Fisch, a high school teacher and director of technology in Colorado. He has a really interesting blog (click here for it -- The Fischbowl) I enjoy reading, which always makes great commentary on the state of education in the world, particularly in the U.S.

I want to share this with everyone, and I would really love to hear your reactions upon seeing this video. I'd like a more global idea on how people feel about this rapid pace of modernization and informational adaptation -- do you think it is good for our future generation, or are we letting it get out of hand? All ideas, criticisms, commentary welcome here freely...

Until the next time...

Peace Education

Why I love Montessori.

Because when I talk to people, they tell me peace is a dead concept.
But when I teach Montessori, I feel it inside of me.
And I know there is a group of us, Montessorians, out there, who are working together to achieve this for the whole world, and I can be nothing but proud that I am slowly becoming part of that.

Sometimes, we need to remember just how rich we are. A reminder of where our roots came from -- the same place that every other person came from, from the ground, from a human, from love. And amidst all that stuff, all these things, all this junk -- we are all just humans deep down inside, no matter the color of our skin, the size of our paycheck, or the place we come from.

From James Mollison's new book Where Children Sleep.

http://twentytwowords.com/2011/03/10/10-photographs-of-children-from-around-the-world-and-their-bedrooms/

Functions of Language.

In Module II, our focus in the EMTTA training is on Language, the components of language, and the language curriculum in the Montessori classroom.  There are many areas which are included in this, so it's been a lot to take in. I can't imagine what it's been like for the Chinese students who are studying from the second-language angle, as most of our information has been focused on the teaching of English curriculums.

Today, we looked at the concept of function in language. I had never really thought about the various functions of language, and how most people use functions in different conversations. What I learned, though, was that most of our words flow in one directional function.

Go back. Incase you're not aware of the different functions of language, I will go through them quickly:

a. Instrumental Language: Used for getting things, for satisfying one's needs.
                                           "I want the color pink."


b. Regulatory Language: Used for controlling the actions and behaviors of others and yourself.
                                         "Don't do that!" // "Can you please be more quiet?"


c. Interactional Language: Used for maintaining and establishing relationships with others.
                                           "Will you play with me?"


d. Personal Language: Used to identify and express personal feelings and attitudes.
                                     "I want to be a doctor when I grow up."


e. Heuristic Language: Used to discover, seek information, solve problems and explore.
                                     "What makes it run? Why?"


f. Imaginative Language: Used for imaginative purposes, as a means of creation a world of one's own.

          "This is the caterpillar, and he is going to eat a lot of purple strawberries."

g. Informative Language: Used for conveying information to someone who doesn't know, to formulate propositions about the world.

"This is black."

We went through a few different common dialogues a teacher might overhear in the classroom, and there was a lot of tension between classmates and Marlene over the function of several sentences. It was hard for many of us to believe that what we consider as polite remindings could really be seen as strict, regulatory, controlling language.

For example, in the central conversation we looked at, three children are building a bear together and discussing how to do it. At one point, one child says, "The head is too small. If you stuff more newspaper in it, maybe it will fill out some."

Several students said that the statement, "The head is too small" should be considered as informational language, as the child is seeing something and remarking on it. However, Marlene noted that this would be considered regulatory language -- the child has one opinion, that the head is too small, and is forcing the idea on the other children working. The child continues using regulatory language when he/she says, "If you stuff more newspaper in it, maybe it will fill out some." It's like saying, "If you wore dresses more often, you'd find a boyfriend." When you say something like this, you're not asking for anyone else's opinion -- you're telling them what you think is the right thing to do. That, in essence, then, is regulatory language.

In fact, when you walk in to a classroom, more than likely 90% of what you hear both children and teachers saying is used in a regulatory functional way. It just may be shrouded in a veil of politeness. But saying please and thank you doesn't mean that you're not trying to control a person.

As teachers, we need to allow our children to understand and use the different functions of language within the environment they are adapting to. And the only way children will be able to understand the functions of language is when TEACHERS MODEL the functions of language.

It's all about the modeling. So we need to look at the way we talk -- to each other, to ourselves, and to the children we teach -- and try to use as many functions as we can on a regular, shifting basis.

How do you use language?

Until the next time...

A Thought Today.

"We desire the old because we fail to understand the new, and we always look for past grandeur without recognizing in lowly simplicity the new stirrings of a germ that must develop."

-- Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child 
     (Chapter 14: Written Language, pp. 200)

I thought this was just so...so very Montessori.

Saw this today on Facebook. 

I can feel exactly where this person is coming from.

"The Whale"

I have always been a worrier.

From a very young age, my mom used to chide me for my worries. I would always ask her, 'But what if...?' and she would say, "What if the world ends tomorrow? Then what are you going to do?" I never had an answer for that one. I always thought she was silly one, and had no understanding of me. 

It's hard not to worry. It's become such an integrated part of our culture to think long-term, make the right decisions, consider your actions and worry for the best. And I've found, in life, that it is only when I stop worrying that the best things happen. If I had worried my way to the moon and back, I would never have made it here to China, and had this wonderful opportunity to study Montessori.

I was shown a beautiful commercial today from Japan, that focuses on the negative impact of worry in a classroom. One of the biggest concerns teachers have focuses on the issue of worry -- When should I worry? Do I worry too much? Do I worry too little? We feel so responsible for our children, they are OUR children, in so many ways. And so we worry. But sometimes, we need to step back and look at the bigger picture. 

Parents are always looking at the little things, and worrying about what the little things mean. I believe that's inherent in becoming a parent, for many. But as teachers, we need to be able to look at both. We need to be able to understand the little things, and piece them together into the big picture, to give the parents a better understanding of their child. This video highlighted that message perfectly, and I hope it means as much to you as it meant to me.

Until the next time...

Marshmallows Anyone?

"The Marshmallow Experiment" (as it is now commonly known) was a famous research project done in 1972 on the effects of delayed gratification in young children. Put together by Walter Mischel, of Stanford University, the experiment consisted of a child sitting in a room in front of one big marshmallow. Before leaving the room, the scientists would tell the child that they had 2 choices:

They could either eat the marshmallow RIGHT NOW.

                Or.

They could wait until the scientist returned, and IF they had not eaten the marshmallow already, 

they would be given 2 marshmallows instead to eat. This would be a wait of about 15 minutes.

This experiment has been many times since it's first trial in 1972, but it was Mischel's results that were hailed as "one of the most successful behavioral experiments". Mischel's main goal was to try and discover at what age the control of delayed gratification develops in children. 

As you can see in the video above, children find many different ways to keep themselves from eating the marshmallow. They cover their eyes (If I don't see it, it's not there!), they jump around, they pull their hair -- all the same things we do to keep ourselves from eating another chocolate cookie, buying more useless pieces of clothing, or doing whatever it may be that our weaknesses lead us to. 

Mischel worked with over 600 children, and found that only a minority of the children actually ate the marshmallow immediately after the researcher had left the room. 

For anyone who has ever met a child aged 4-6, 15 minutes is an INCREDIBLY long time. The fact that any of the children chosen were able to resist eating the sweet treat in the period of 15 minutes deserves lengthy applause in my opinion. Most children these days are raised hand in hand with instant gratification, promised that if only they ask, they shall receive. Then again, it just goes to show that some children have stronger roots within then they choose to show to the adults kneeling down. 

What was even more interesting, though was the follow-up Mischel was able to do with the children who had participated in this experiment. As Mischel's daughters had been friends with many of these children, he was able to find out more about them as they grew up through casual conversation. Children who were able to delay gratification were significantly more competent in the classroom,  and did much better on the SATs as well. This ability to think things through, to understand cause and effect, and to delay gratification became a strong trait which children were able to hold on to throughout their life, and this of course led to lower rates of drug use, higher grades and more successful outcomes through and through. 

An interesting step in learning more about children and their markers of development. And of course, the video is an interesting one to watch!

Until the next time...

New Environments

One of the things I love about Marlene is that she is constantly challenging us to push our limits and think new, think 'I'. In presentations, she shows us pictures of schools all across the world she has visited, worked at, learned about, and discusses the different environments.

Montessori changes, in every way. In one of her articles, Marlene captured this in a completely eloquent phrase: "Diversity of practices, essence of Montessori". A Montessori school in South Korea will be much different from a Montessori school in New York City. A Montessori school in Kenya will be much different from a Montessori school in Brazil. And a Montessori school in France will be much different from a Montessori school in China. Each country has their own culture, and this will be infused into the Montessori classroom. The units we teach will reflect the practices we have in each culture -- perhaps a tea ceremony wouldn't be found in schools in the U.S, but it's common here in Beijing as tea ceremonies are a natural part of Chinese culture.

But the one thing that does connect all of these schools is the philosophy of Maria Montessori. That children love work, that childhood is independent of adulthood, that children must be given opportunities for real life experience, for independence and adaptability. In our own ways, according to our own cultures, we are each passing on this same message to the next generation. This global message is so beautiful.

Today, Marlene took us to visit a really fantastic Montessori school built up by one of her students from NYC, Yinnan. She has set it up in an apartment, and it really just goes to show you what you can do with a space if you have the passion and the dream. I was so impressed, and can only imagine the kind of creative innovation and work that goes on with the children there.

AnRic Little Montessori Room

Practical Life Shelves -- So bright.

The reading room -- Beautiful natural light source.

Art shelves.

Language materials.

Geography Lessons.

Classroom rabbits live peacefully here.

Sensorial area.

Dramatic role-play area, complete with a toy baby.

Beautiful sand/water table, this time incorporating sponges.

Metal inset work for refinement of small motor skills in hand.

Note the beautiful drawings of how to hold a pencil at the back of the table.

The amazing gymnasium at the back of the school!

If you're in Beijing, I highly suggest this school for your child. Yinnan seems like a fantastic teacher, and she has such a great setup in the school. I was so impressed. 

School website: http://www.anricedu.com/

"Theories of Childhood"

Book 1 read for the class was "Theories of Childhood" by Carol Garhart Mooney. Excellent book. Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in children, early childhood development, or just how to be a better mentor for children in general. It really explains well, in easy terms, classic theories on children's learning styles, behavior attributes, and relationships to society through the 5 major theorists in this area of education: John Dewey, Maria Montessori, Erik Erikson, Jean Piaget, and Lev Vygotsky.

We had to put together a mindmap that sorted out the ideas mentioned in this book. I, of course, got lost in all the interesting tidbits, and my mindmap ended up being 4 pages stuck together with one of the GREATEST pieces of technology ever made -- scotch tape. 

I could only bear to show you two because you might cringe 

at the amount of OCD perfectionist writing. I, however, love it.

So, Mindmap 1 down. Who knows how many more to come.

Until the next time.

The Power of Expectation

Roy Rist in the Harvard Review

This is Ray Rist. Another important name when looking at the state of education in the U.S.A. 

In the 1970's, Ray Rist made an extraordinary contribution to the field of research in education. His thesis centered around the idea of 'The Power of Expectation'. 

Ray Rist began to visit a kindergarten class for African-American students. The teacher as well was African-American. In the classroom, the teacher had assigned students to specific seats and tables, according to their ability. This meant that those students who had better results in the classroom sat close to the teacher, while those who had poorer results in the classroom sat at the furthest table away from the teacher. These seat assignments, unfortunately were only based on the teacher's perception of the student skills. There had been no prior testing to verify their actual skill level. 

In examining these students more closely, Rist found that the students who the teacher had identified as 'better learners' were students from higher social classes, while those who were considered 'weak' were from lower social classes.

Risk stayed in the classroom and monitored the children for a year, finding that the students who sat close to the teacher received the most attention, and therefore performed much better. The students who sat far from the teacher, however, performed much more weakly. The further the student sat, the worse they did. The study was continued for several years after that, and Risk found that the labels the children had been given in kindergarten continued with them throughout their schooling.

So what's the point? 

If you tell a teacher that your child is 'bad at math', your child will probably end up doing poorly in math. This isn't because your child is actually bad at math. It's most likely because the teacher will treat them as though they are bad at math, and will never challenge them in this subject. 

Although no teacher would openly admit it, it's difficult these days in the educational field to believe that all children have the power to succeed. We'd like to think so, but we are warped by news of cultural, socio-economic, gender, intelligence issues that are challenging our children in different ways and making our future generation unequal and unstable. We would never blame the teachers...but it might just be the teachers fault.

As a teacher, you MUST look at all children equally as having the power to succeed. When you believe in a child, they believe in themselves. Challenges arise and they are ready to come to the line. This is how we can empower generations to come. This is what we must enforce in the field of education from now. Thank you Roy Rist.

Until the next time.

Outdoor Schools

I love the rain. But only when I'm inside a cozy room, reading a book.

No. That's not true. I love rain when I'm standing in the middle of a green mountain forest. I love rain when I'm drinking hot coffee somewhere with a friend. I love rain when it's loud and bright after a hot summer day. I do love the rain.

But I can't imagine going to school....in the rain.

I watched a video today about preschools in Northern Norway, where the children go to school nearly all day, all year round, outside. These children are some of the toughest, strongest children I've seen. These children are exploring their environment in the rain, the snow, the sun, the ice, and loving it. For the most part.

The woman who runs these schools is brilliant. She has such adept, intelligent ideas on children and the major issues with education these days, and I can only imagine she is a force to be reckoned with. As she so wonderfully says, "There's no such thing as bad weather. There are only bad clothes."

There are people out there who would object, I'm sure, saying that in some way or another this is torture to a child. But the thing is, the children love it. And their activities allow for some of the best motor development to be seen. The children walk through different terrains of all kinds, including a rocky beach down to the water. It's been found that children who engage in walking on different terrains like this have better developed motor skills, better coordination and better balance than children who play on smooth, artificial playground surfaces.

Perhaps one of the things I really took out of this short documentary, though, was the tribute to the idea of danger that we are constantly pressing on our children. Everything is dangerous. I hear mothers always saying, 'Don't do that! It's dangerous!' But for a child, 'dangerous' is a very abstract concept. What is dangerous? They don't understand. Children need to go out and learn how to develop their motor skills (both large and fine). We need to let our children take chances and develop themselves, motivate themselves through stretching their limits. It's scary, and I understand that, but if you never give your child a chance, they will never be able to learn.



Until the next time...

Edison's Day

I was shown a short video today, called 'Edison's Day'. It focuses on two Montessori teacher parents, with a young son named Edison. They have set up their entire house in order to allow Edison to be a part of the family in the most Montessori way possible. It is a testament to the idea that truly, Montessori is everywhere.

In the video, Edison does most things for himself. He spreads his own peanut butter and toast for breakfast, he helps to wash the dishes, he picks out his own clothing and puts it on. He is responsible for his own learning, and one can truly see how this style works in the child's best interest.

I can't find the video now. It's offered by NAMTA (North American Montessori Teachers' Association), so you can look for it there. I suggest everyone who has an interest in early childhood education, or just children in general, to watch it. It really is amazing.

One of the best moments, for me, was when Edison's father said: "We don't live around him. We live with him." Edison is included in activities and decisions in the household, and knows that he has a role in the family. This is so important to me. Too often I see parents telling their children to Hurry up!, Walk faster!, Don't do that! Parents often forget that children are people too, and that they must adjust their pace of life to the child as well. Watching this video really put that into place in my mind, something I will never forget.

Until the next time...

I can.

Important Point 1:

Montessori looked at children and thought about what they can do. Parent's always look at their children and think about what they can't do. ("My child can't write! My child can't read!").

The best kind of research out there looks at what children can do, and goes from there. When you want to make good decisions about the development of a child, think about what they can do.

This kind of positive thinking is what we need to change the world.

Cookies and Cupboards Mean Humming.

Lev Vygotsky

This is Lev Vygotsky. A handsome man, for a Russian childhood educator at the turn of the century, right? Vygotsky remains today as one of the more important contributors to ideas in early childhood development to this day, despite his sad, early death of T.B in 1934. 

Vygotsky had one experiment, which I learned about today and thought was quite fascinating. One of his main theories was that development could only occur through social interactions with others. To explore this idea, he went through the following experiment. 

Vygotsky first invited a group of children into a room that held one large cupboard. On top of the cupboard sat a cookie (maybe more), and two large sticks. He told the children that they could eat the cookie, if they could figure out a way to use the two sticks to get it. Then, he would leave the room, telling the children he had to make a call but would return shortly. The children were quite smart. Together, they talked about different strategies, and eventually they were able to use the sticks to get the cookies down. 

The second time Vygotsky went through this experiment, he again left cookies and two sticks on top of the cupboard. He told the children the same thing, that they could eat the cookies if they could figure out a way to get them down. He left the room, telling them he had to make a call but would return soon.   However, this time, when the children began to talk about what to do, they would suddenly hear a loud thump on the door. Vygotsky told them there was a sick baby in the next room and they weren't allowed to speak. Each time they spoke, they would hear the knock. By the time Vygotsky returned, the children had still not figured out how to get the cookies down.

What's the point?

When you stop children from talking, they are not able to learn.

Too often, when you walk into a kindergarten classroom, you find the teacher rushing around, telling the children 'Shush! Shush!' (What does shush even mean?? When did we begin to make that sound and associate it with an order to be quiet?) Classrooms should be humming. We should allow our children to ask questions, to talk out loud, to make noises and explore with their bodies. That's how we know they are learning. 

Until the next time...

Transmission vs. Constructivism

A brief background on the two major paradigms of learning which one should know before teaching:

1. Transmission Paradigm

When you walk into a classroom, with a teacher who follows the Transmission Paradigm of learning, the learner is always the most passive one in the room. The teacher, standing at the front, is most likely repeating a mantra within their mind that follows along the lines of, "I am the teacher, you are the student. I will transmit the information to you....I am the teacher..." When using the transmission style, emphasis is placed mainly on the work the student produces and brings home. Learning is an individual activity, and often, paired work or group work is discouraged. Those who follow the Transmission paradigm, particularly in early childhood education centers, believe that there must be a strict distinction between work and play; Work is hard and boring, but leads to education. Play is meant for fun, and to be done outside of the classroom. The belief, then, is that children would rather play. Therefore, the role of the teacher is to maintain order and control children and the curriculum being taught. Learning, is of course, hard work. Children must be persuaded to work, and this is eventually what leads to rewards and punishments in the classroom. Complex processes, like reading, can be best taught by building up from the smallest parts (the sounds of the letters), to the larger wholes (the sentences themselves). This is a MICRO --> to MACRO environment. The big picture comes last.

2. Constructivist Paradigm

When you walk into a classroom with a teacher who understands and adopts the Constructivist paradigm, you will find the learner is the most active member of the environment. The learner is always creating and formulating new hypotheses by doing things within their environment. The teacher, then, is what we will call the facilitator, who creates a prepared environment, filled with structured activities that will provide the learner with opportunities to direct his/her learning. In this classroom, the emphasis is on the process, rather than the product. Learning becomes a social activity, where collaborative learning between students is highly encouraged. There is no distinction between work and play. In fact, children are introduced to real life activities in many different areas -- teachers emphasize these meaningful, relevant ideas and activities. Teachers must observe children constantly without interruption, and recognize children's errors, using these to make accurate assessments on their level of development. Learning in this kind of classroom becomes an effortless process that goes on continuously without our even trying. Under the Constructivist paradigm, complex processes like reading can best be learned by moving from the whole to the parts, and in seeing parts in the context of the whole. This is a MACRO --> MICRO environment, where the big picture and the small picture and integrated together. 

I have experienced both, I have seen work for different ages. However, at this point in my life, I believe that teachers who understand and adopt the Constructivist paradigm within their classrooms will find much greater creativity and exploration -- but this is just my belief.

Your thoughts?

Until the next time...

Creating Categories

I really want to read this book. It looks so fascinating, and was mentioned in our class today when talking about our beliefs, and how we categorize our beliefs into different areas. The way in which we categorize objects, people, ideas is often incredibly abstract, based on beliefs we have created for ourselves that we often spout out as knowledge. I'm not too confident, however, about this entire subject, which is why I'd really like to read this book -- just looks so fascinating. Anyone read it before?

Doe a Deer

We have been struck with Flashmob Mania, and we are to learning how this is educational.

Marlene showed us this video, today -- and even did some of the moves, which was so fantastic. Before watching it, however, she asked us this:

How...No, why is this an ideal Montessori classroom?

Montessori Hits Antwerp

How can a flashmob be an ideal Montessori classroom? I was struck for a few moments. When I have thought of Montessori in the past, it has been placed in a box of educational philosophy and jumbled up with some real life experiences and kept in that consortium within my brain. Now I suddenly had to think outside of the box (which was exactly what she wanted). With the help of the other students in the classroom, we came up with the following ideas:

1. The dancing begins slowly, and as you watch the people around the square, they look confused, if not even irritated by the sudden distraction. However, as the music continues, they start to tap their feet, shake their shoulders, and the next thing you know -- they're dancing. In a Montessori classroom, this process happens each and every day. Children watch other children in a state of confusion, wondering what they are doing with all of these strange materials. However, slowly, as they start to gain a sense of order and understanding, they join in and in time, your Montessori classroom becomes a humming, buzzing world of learning.
2. Flash mobs are so enthusiastic and exciting! Watching all of the people dance incites a powerful feeling within! And guess what? Montessori classrooms are exactly the same. When visitors come in and see children preparing their own food, cleaning their own messes, working on high level manipulative mathematics and sorting and matching items in hundreds of different ways, they are filled with the same feelings of excitement and enthusiasm that we feel watching this video.
3. The flash mob is self-regulated. They are doing the dancing on their own, keeping each other going, without a conductor at the front telling them what to do. A Montessori classroom runs the same way. The children help each other, and regulate themselves. The teacher is instead a guide, who is available to help when children choose to ask for help.
4. This is an orderly event, done neatly with everyone joining in -- again, like a Montessori classroom, where there is an order which children are aware of and are able to regulate on their own.

I could go on. But I'd like to hear other ideas from people who know about Montessori and who enjoy this video as much as I do -- what do you think?

Until the next time...

Day 2: The Power of Names

We began the day today by doing a mini-workshop on names. We wrote out our names on large pieces of draft paper and discussed how we felt about our names, the stories behind our names, and the challenges we may or may not have felt our names presented us in our lives.

When living in a growing bilingual country, you notice how much or little emphasis is put on names. In China, many people have both Chinese names and English names. This is an expanding trend which is grounded in popularity, love for Western culture, and as well a desire to make it easier for foreigners to remember their names -- or so I've heard from my Chinese classmates. For the most part, though, an English name is just a nickname. When the Chinese students in my class had to really connect with a name, they went back to their Chinese name.

Going through the stories of many of the Chinese names, it struck me how many of them have a background in beauty. Many of the women are named 'Beautiful Sunset', or 'Beautiful Country', when translated. There is a passionate nationalism infused in several of the names I came across today, as well. While some may see this as a negative, I find it very fascinating that humans have created such a strong connection to their own country through the power of a name.

The power of a name. Names are powerful, when you get right down to it. My name is Charlene -- but throughout my entire life, every person who has held any kind of position in my life has always called me Charlie. That's who I consider myself as. Charlie. When you call me Charlene, it makes me feel very formal -- I straighten my shoulders and sit right, prepared to be called upon to speak. Two names with two very different personalities. That's the power to my name.

When a child first enters your classroom, it is essential to help them to remember their name. They need to know who they are in order to begin creating their personality and learning about themselves within your classroom. If they don't know their name, they can too easily lose themselves in the distractions. It is the first step, then, to play name games, hand out name cards, and exercise the power of a name with the children in your classroom.

Marlene asked a very interesting question to the students at the end of this discussion, which I am still puzzling over at this moment. Often, children come into our classes, and they have three different sets of names -- Their Chinese name might be Wang Jia Yi, but their nickname might be Jia Jia, and their English name might be Jackie. So what should you call them? If you had to make a school policy, which name would you make children use in the classroom? Their Chinese name? Their English name? Their nickname? Why? 


I'm still not sure. I'm under the belief that children should know their whole name, as that's the family name given to you -- but sometimes children identify more with nicknames as they are easier for all to pronounce. Any thoughts? Would love to hear feedback on this subject.

Until the next time...

Day One of EMTTA Training: OVER.

Exhausted? Check.

Spent entire wad of money on 7 books all about children? Check.

Thrilled to be on one of the most important transformative changes of my life? Check.

The first day of class is always the introductory class, but this was unlike any group introduction I've ever had. We shared names, and stories of names, and views on names, and the importance of names. Then we moved on to beliefs and knowledge, asking each other whether our beliefs stem from our knowledge or whether our knowledge stems from our beliefs.

Think about this for a moment. What about you? Is the knowledge you hold separated from the beliefs you hold? Do you integrate them in your mind? Or does one stem from the other?? 


So interesting.

I could go on, but honestly, I'm beat. I'll share one interesting idea I've taken from today. We were watching a beautiful video of a Montessori classroom in Japan, children ages 1-2. They were making cookies together, collecting chicken eggs, watering vegetables, and using all of these things to make a lunch which they then set the table for and ate together in peace and harmony. Such a beautiful, hopeful vision of the world.

I noted that in the video, the teachers were very rarely speaking. Most of their teaching was done with hands. Marlene talked about how from birth, children begin as visual learners. They watch everything and take in understandings from what they see. She asked us which part of the body children will draw first, and usually draw the most.

Do you know?

Typically, it's the face. Children will draw the face because this is the first thing they see and something they see often -- the face, when mothers are bending over them and changing their diapers. Children become very familiar with this, and it is translated through their drawings.

Fascinating, right?

So much more to come. Off to bed.

On Erikson.

Required Reading #1: Erik Erikson, Childhood and Society

  I really enjoy reading Erikson, so far. His ideas on child development revolved mainly around these major stages of 'Psychosocial Development', ranging from birth to old age, each of which feature certain patterns that influence a person's actions/interactions throughout life. 

 I've focused mainly on the stages that cover children ages 2-5, as that is the main age range I will be teaching. Erikson writes that children go through two major stages in this age period;

• 2-3 Years Old: Automony vs. Shame and Doubt: These are the years where children begin to acquire a sense of independence without suffering shame. Toddlers struggle throughout these years between both holding on to their loved ones and as well letting go. It is when a child is able to develop a strong sense of self control without the loss of self esteem that they will begin to feel proud and confident in themselves.

• 4-5 Years Old: Initiative vs. Guilt: The main goal of a child at this age is to acquire a sense of purpose. Children begin to initiate and work through activities in order to get things done, rather than for the sake of individual control. With the help of good teachers, preschool children should be able to use their energy in active ways, allowing their confidence to grow. If this doesn't happen, if teachers focus on the mistakes of children who are on their way towards developing new skills, the child's sense of initiative can turn into guilt and discouragement.

It's quite interesting looking at the role of the teacher, and how much influence they really can have in the future of a child's life. Erikson serves to remind me of the incredible power that is held in the role of the teacher -- and shows poignant reminders of how that power can be abused. 

One thing I picked up on was the common use of rhetoric in preschool language employed by teachers when talking to children. I don't think I noticed this as much when actually working in school, but it's something I'm definitely going to be more aware of in the future. As Carol Garhart Mooney writes in the book I'm reading now, An Introduction to Dewey, Montessori, Erikson, Paget & Vygotsky: 

"Many teachers make the mistake of offering toddlers a choice when there really isn't one. It's very confusing for a child who is trying to learn how much control they really have to be asked a rhetorical question. Adults and school-age children can understand that "Would you like to do the dishes?" is a request or the polite phrasing of an expectation. Toddlers cannot distinguish between this kind of question and a real choice. For this reason, teachers are sometimes surprised when they ask, "Would you like to go out to play now?" and the child who thought she had a choice wails at being thrust into her jacket against her will."

She goes on to note that it's better to rephrase questions like this, so as to offer a choice of how, rather than whether, the task will be accomplished. Provide limits for the child, but still with options of independence. For example, "We are going out now. Would you like me to help you put on your jacket, or do you want to do it yourself?". This states that you are going outside, but still allows the toddler freedom to incorporate his own choice.

These are such interesting things for me to take into the classroom!!

(One day left of freedom -- then onto AMS training...Still so much reading!)

If I Was Marx, I'd Wear a Pink Bow Too...

https://www.facebook.com/agirlsguidetotakingovertheworld

Thanks to "A Girl's Guide to Taking Over the World" on Facebook for this beautiful portrait of our friend Marx. The pink really suits his well-done hair.

Tree Notes.

I liked this one a lot. Good advice from a tree.

I think there's a lot more out there we need to learn from nature.

Flowers in a Boot!

When winter ends, I always see people throwing their once-fancy winter boots out into the garbage, who knows where they will end up next. I've always wondered if there's some way I can recycle them into something better, as I really hate to see more of China become a garbage dump (so much garbage here, it's ridiculous). Not sure if all the Uggs would hold up as well as the boots in this picture, but I'm kind of thinking it might be worth a try. Any suggestions?

Creative Open Doors Aren't Cheap

One of the things that I love about a Montessori classroom (and I haven't even been certified yet!), is that you can be so creative with it. From time to time, I wander around the classrooms at my school and pick through all of the interesting things teachers have made, purchased, borrowed, created in order to inspire a child's own motivation. One of my favorites is Ali, a wonderful Russian friend of mine who opened the first International class at our school. She finds these amazing little doll sets that children can use for matching activities, she incorporates these beautiful magnets with traditional Chinese art paintings which children can use for inspiration, and she has all kinds of great practical life works set out -- from beads to cloth washing work, and so much more. She's a fabulous teacher, and I'm so lucky to have her supporting me from the get-go.

This open door creative policy, however, can be a littler overwhelming. At times you find yourself peering through the cricks of a grocery store, poring over every little piece wondering if you might be able to use it for your classroom. Like today. I went to buy some ingredients for dinner, just a few quick things, and I walked out with this.

I'm hoping to use this wonderful little heart ice-cube tray over Valentines Day -- which is, yes, nearly 8 months away. Planning ahead much? I think it'll make a great Practical Life activity, maybe tonging small pom-poms in the work, or perhaps some kind of water work.

I just loved these! They're so colorful. I'm just getting into the whole cooking thing (Thank you Masterchef TV). I find that all the kitchen utensil fas can be either overwhelming, or boring. So I bought these. Kids can use them for so many different things - of course, for cooking purposes, but also for measuring all different kinds of mediums. Then we can do contrasts and comparisons, maybe some graphing, maybe some play-dough making....I'm getting ahead of myself, again.

So this is what it's like. I both love it and hate it, because where I once used to be the fastest one in and out, I'm now the one lingering, the one everyone's shouting at and waiting for...

I'm just hoping this will make me the best Montessori teacher I can be :).

1 Week Countdown.

It's my last week working in a Chinese kindergarten as an English Specialist. The feeling is good. I get to put all of the dry, boring textbooks away in the cupboard, pull out my notebooks and prepare for the next step to something better.

Next week, I'm going to begin my AMS Certification training here in Beijing, China. AMS as in American Montessori Society -- incase you were thinking of some other acronym. I've heard both the best and the worst reviews of this certification program. I've seen teachers sleep on classroom couches for weeks, too overwhelmed by homework and observational records to return home. While a few finish in a year, most struggle through 2, sometimes 3 years to complete all of the homework, the essays, the records, the materials, and everything else they may ask of you. Then again, I've been told Marlene's a genius (Marlene Barron, former professor at NYU, Head Lecturer of the AMS 3-6 year old program here in Beijing), Montessori is the way of the future, and my accreditation will be the best choice I've ever made. Take the bad with the good, then, I suppose.

I'm determined to keep a record, for myself, and for others -- of daily life in the world of an in-training Montessori student and teacher. I've gone through the books, listened to the stories, heard how much people have gone through in order to create the beautiful classrooms they now thrive in today. No promises I'll have the same experience. Mainly, I want to observe myself. Observation is at the core of the Montessori philosophy, and we must watch ourselves, judge ourselves, and learn to adapt ourselves. 

Plus, one day in the future when I think I'm having a bad day, I really want to have something to look back on to remember that it is strife that makes you a better person.

Shoot for the moon - - fluent Chinese and Montessori certification, starting in 1 week. Wish me luck!