Dr Maria Montessori Method at Transformed Education

Teaching to the Spirit of the Child: Thank You Maria Montessori by Jill Dianne Bittinger

Consider Dr. Maria Montessori.

Over one hundred years ago Dr. Maria Montessori instituted the Montessori Method, a teaching method based on the developmental capacities and sensitivities of a child, a prepared environment, and the spirit within. This method is as relevant now as it ever was. The philosophy is one that can offer benefit in public schools if only given the time to be understood. It is a method that focuses on the whole child, allowing freedom to develop his or her physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual sides. The Montessori approach provides high quality hands-on materials, individual and small group lessons, freedom of movement, and freedom to develop at one’s own pace. Further, rich curriculum includes the wide range of scaffolding for support in the form of sensorial material crafted to challenge children within their range of proximal development. The wealth of language and math curriculum is balanced with lessons in Practical Life, Grace and Courtesy, Peace, Environmental and Cultural studies, and a term she coined Cosmic Education— designed to spark wonder in the world. The stimulating and age-appropriate prepared environment is well-ordered, clean and harmonious. Teachers cultivate peace within in order to live what they teach. Care for the environment and one another creates a feeling of well being for all. The multi age grouping allows older children to develop their leadership through modeling and assisting the younger children.

The Montessori method honors the fact that children learn in different ways and at different paces. In recognition of the uniqueness of each child, education best serves as aid in unfolding an inner calling, providing the means to attune to the Spirit within. Fundamental to this process is the respect for the child. Maria Montessori held the view that her legacy of education should be as an “aid to the spirit of life as it finds expression in the human species.”

Maria Montessori trusted in the innate spiritual wisdom of children. She believed that they had human rights for freedom that needed to be asserted and protected. She found fault with rigid methods of instruction, assessment and testing, seeing such schools as tools of industry, a place to force compliance, enslave a child’s soul and train workers for the future. She was a revolutionary force that called us to reflect deeply upon the purpose of schooling, the role of educators, and the rights of children.

In her book, The Discovery of the Child, Maria Montessori discusses how the use of rewards and punishments and the model of desks set up in rows to educate large numbers of children simultaneously, rigid schedules and testing was an artificial act aimed towards control and having children become accustomed to this control. The outdated teacher-centered model of schooling, set up by industrialists, is unquestioned in many schools still to this day. While it can create great rule-followers, it can stifle the inner calling of one’s spirit. Montessori and Transformed schools are modeled on a belief in crafting freedom to express an innate creativity, wisdom and intelligence. A belief that if young people are given a safe, ordered, harmonious environment, they will unfold in a self-disciplined and organized fashion on their own. Montessori states: Too often a teacher commands because he is strong and expects a child to obey because he is weak. Instead of acting in this way, an adult should show himself to a child as a loving and enlightened guide.

Montessori’s philosophy recognizes that movement is essential to healthy children. In addition to sports opportunities, welcome in dance and the arts. Transformed education honors children to have choice in their work, which the teacher acknowledges as important as adult’s work is to them. They are encouraged to take pride in their works and in their projects, from start to finish, being given featured time to share completed works with their classmates.

The questions Maria Montessori asked, the remedies she proposed and her strong critique of the authoritarian structures of factory model schooling are still highly relevant today. What is the purpose of education? What are the deeper goals, understandings and values in mind? We now have decades of research in fields such as developmental, cognitive and motivational psychology that lend support to her model of child- centered education and her core hypotheses about children’s natural ways of self direction and learning. We need not be life-time Montessorians to benefit from this understanding.

Let us thank the wisdom of this pioneer that has provided us a trail to grow from as we now cultivate a path beyond it —one that can fully include the level of technology of our present day society. We allow her words to speak for themselves in this excerpt from an English translation of a French radio interview, in which Montessori speaks of the rights of children and the need to protect the “health of the spirit” in each child. She encouraged every nation to make these rights into laws, and to design educational systems accordingly.

“Education is a help for the formation of man. I believe that this critical time urgently requires individuals whose personalities will be morally strong and well-balanced.

I consider it very important nowadays that the rights of the child are recognized by society. The child should be considered by laws as a human being, a citizen who has more rights than the adult.

Education should really start with the adult. It is necessary to awaken the public conscience. The entire world should rise in defense of the child because he will be responsible for the good or bad in tomorrow’s society.

Bibliography:

Chase, Christopher. Let a Child’s spirit be free to unfold.

https://creativesystemsthinking.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/let-a-childs-spirit-be-free-to-unfoldm-montessori/

Giesenberg, Anna. Spiritual development and young children. Pages 23-37 | Published online: 15 Jun 2007.
https://doi.org/ 10.1080/13502930085208551

Miller, Debi. Developing the spirit of a child in a Montessori Way.
https:// www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/4910/developing-the- spirit-of-a-child-in-a montessori-way

Dr. Maria Montessori and Mindfulness

The importance of being Fully Present, without domination, is the art form of a true educator. – Jill Dianne Bittinger

Being fully present is the expectation of the Montessori Guide. You can find her, or him, in the environment where children work from their own volition. The teacher becomes the guide on the side rather than the sage on stage.

As a Montessorian, I am devoted to this wisdom of a steady, calm, Presence that invites children into self-directed learning. Concurrently, I realize that its benefit can surpass the boundaries of the Montessori classrooms alone.. At the heart of this education is a training in mindfulness. Choose work, take it carefully, enjoy exploring it, place it back carefully—All with a quiet intentionality.

In considering the bridging of Montessori concepts into public school settings, we must begin with the recognition that the training and materials of all educators to become fully certified Montessori classrooms is unrealistically expensive in terms of both time and money. However, there is some middle ground and useful tools that can easily build bridges of appreciation and understanding. A good entry point is Mindfulness.

Being Present means being fully aware. Paying attention. Being engaged and engaging, emotions are in union with the intellect and language. They have been managed so as not to be distracting. Instead, they are empowering: Intrigue, curiosity, wander. Teachers that understand the significance of emotions also recognize they need to be dealt with authentically.. If the emotions can be valued and validated like the intellect, then learning deepens and becomes more personally significant. A profound gift that Maria Montessori gave us was the value in understanding the need for occasional silence in this journey to unify the emotions and mind. By practicing “Making Silence” routinely, a calm pervades the room, and children routinely learn self-management. Listening to a beautiful tonal bell at the end of the meditation leaves a lasting peace.

Preparing for
Silence:

I cross my legs
I place my hands on my knees
I make my back very straight
I tell my body to be still
I tell my mouth to be quiet
I take a deep breath
I close my eyes
I make Silence
And feel my love.

Noam Neta

Jill was a ray of light in our lives! We all fell in love with her genuine passion for teaching and loving kids. Our daughter had so many wonderful experiences with Jill as her teacher

Daniel Shapera

My son's love of learning, to us, is a direct product of Ms. Jill’s Montessori classroom, and reflective of his teacher who is always encouraging him and challenging him to do and be his best. He finds rigor and accountability while also knowing he is supported, accepted, and cared for by his teacher and his peers.

Gwendolyn Butler

Ms. Jill is an inspiration to young and old alike! She taught my sons at Montessori Day School and inspired them with Cosmic Education and Montessori value. Her high regard for the spirit of the child within gave them a lifelong love of learning. She also created a strong sense of community among students, parents, and teachers.

Joni Long

Joni Long Jill was my daughter's teacher at Montessori. She is amazing! She is compassionate and truly connects with the children at their level. She provides them with academic and emotional guidance. We are so lucky to have had her as a teacher!

Stephanie Eley-Yahjian

Associate Program Director, Arts Horizons

From her Teaching and Performing Artist work:

Jill developed programs in the classroom as workshop series in the New York City School Districts. Her style as a teaching artist has always demonstrated the highest caliber of teaching skills by addressing the learning standards, bringing a certain level of focused quality and joy to the children, and sustaining the program through solid lesson plans and support material. She has provided curriculum development/staff development for teachers so they may enhance their lesson plans through her vision. ... Jill’s achievements as a teaching artist in Early Childhood Development and Special Education has made her one of the most sought after teaching artists in the area. Her strength as an assembly/performing artist providing a full spectrum of diverse/cultural dances has added to her demand.

Wildon Rodriguez

PS 38 Principal

Ms. Jill provided PS 38 with her expertise in the Arts as it relates to Dance Movement, helping the children to reach their highest potential. She is compassionate, responsible and above all, dedicated to helping children succeed.

Staton Island, NY

Carolyn Malone

Kindergarten Teacher

As a Kindergarten teacher in NYC Public School, I was lucky to work with Ms. Jill and her residency in multicultural dance. Jill is a talented artist but also a wonderful teacher. She connects well with the young children. She has great ideas and is well-prepared. Jill is generous with her time and is willing to do more than expected. If you could have seen the faces of the children in my class during our dance sessions, you would have seen pure delight, joy, and pride. All of us, teachers and students, benefitted from these classes.

PS 38
Staten Island, NY

Lori Bertin

Reading Teacher

Ms. Jill’s Multicultural Dance Residency was excellent. Children participated in dances from around the world. They learned some background culture that helped to connect them to the dances.. Ms. Jill brought music, percussion instruments, props and costumes. She had a gentle, soothing manner. The dances were interesting yet not too difficult. The children’s final performance in the auditorium was successful. The focusing techniques and bridges to poetry and culture helped to develop literacy strategies.

PS. 46
Bronx, New York

Theresa Averill

Director, Montessori Day Schools

From her Montessori- teaching supervisors:

Ms. Jill is a creative, motivated and talented teacher.

She has:

—developed a Multicultural Arts Curriculum age appropriate Pre-K to 6th grade

—shows strong accountability towards all aspects of the classroom.

—writes lesson plans aligned with State Standards with ILLP’s to support ELL

students.

—communicates well with parents through emails and Newsletters

—is creative in lesson presentation, weaving in her background in the arts with song,

movement, culture and the spirit of play that are in line with Montessori curriculum.

—brings a strong peace curriculum and peace area to her classroom environment.

Jill is a team player that works with others to share ideas to create a better

environment for the school. She brings joy to all areas of her work.

Judith Alter

From her UCLA professor:

Jill is highly qualified, a fine teacher, and an excellent role model for her students. …. She is curious, open, receptive, responsible, and capable. She works steadily combining her keen intelligence with personal sensitivity which is alert to ethical and emotional issues. ….Jill cares deeply about teaching, loves it, and conscientiously improves on yesterday’s successes. She is a natural giver but understands that students must make their own discoveries to benefit from their learning experiences. She is patient, kind, friendly, demanding, supportive and has a gentle sense of humor which enables her to see many sides of a situation.