I Love Montessori http://ilovemontessori.com Life, Love, and Motherhood with Montessori. Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:36:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en ILoveMontessorihttp://feedburner.google.com Just a Few Words http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ILoveMontessori/~3/md1WNKGBhHI/ http://ilovemontessori.com/just-a-few-words/#comments Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:36:46 +0000 Miss Norma http://ilovemontessori.com/?p=54 I have been going through a lot lately so I have not had time to blog. My relationship with my co-teacher has taken a toll on me. So I have had some issues at work and I actually resigned and my last day at work will be Wed, February 18. I hope I land a new job soon. I can’t believe that this actually came to the point of me losing my job. I gave it my all to make it work but when things are not meant to be there are not.

I just can’t believe that sometimes some employers don’t value their employee as much as they should. I gave my school and my profession 200% and went beyond the call of duties and they would not consider supporting me. That is why I had to leave. I decided that you cannot give your job your all because in the long run they will only look at what would benefit them. But this experience has taught me a lot and made me a stronger person.

So from here i will move on to bigger and better things.

Post from: I Love Montessori Just a Few Words ]]> I have been going through a lot lately so I have not had time to blog. My relationship with my co-teacher has taken a toll on me. So I have had some issues at work and I actually resigned and my last day at work will be Wed, February 18. I hope I land a new job soon. I can’t believe that this actually came to the point of me losing my job. I gave it my all to make it work but when things are not meant to be there are not.

I just can’t believe that sometimes some employers don’t value their employee as much as they should. I gave my school and my profession 200% and went beyond the call of duties and they would not consider supporting me. That is why I had to leave. I decided that you cannot give your job your all because in the long run they will only look at what would benefit them. But this experience has taught me a lot and made me a stronger person.

So from here i will move on to bigger and better things.

Post from: I Love Montessori

Just a Few Words

]]> http://ilovemontessori.com/just-a-few-words/feed/ http://ilovemontessori.com/just-a-few-words/ Happy New Year http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ILoveMontessori/~3/HjBkaF-PJjk/ http://ilovemontessori.com/happy-new-year/#comments Thu, 22 Jan 2009 04:25:44 +0000 Miss Norma http://ilovemontessori.com/?p=53 Hello and Happy New Year,
It has been a good start to the New Year. I am planning on writing more often, keeping you updated with my classroom experiences. My classroom has been going smoothly and the children are happy to be back in school. This weekend I brought home my Language and Math albums. The children are moving along quickly and I have a few in depth lessons to give so I wanted to study them so that I can feel comfortable giving them to the children. I also noticed that quite a few of the children need a lot of fine motor skills and pencil grip practice. So I also need go back to the basic Practical Life and Sensorial.
Now, I need to do my planning for next week so I will leave it here for now.

Post from: I Love Montessori Happy New Year ]]> Hello and Happy New Year,
It has been a good start to the New Year. I am planning on writing more often, keeping you updated with my classroom experiences. My classroom has been going smoothly and the children are happy to be back in school. This weekend I brought home my Language and Math albums. The children are moving along quickly and I have a few in depth lessons to give so I wanted to study them so that I can feel comfortable giving them to the children. I also noticed that quite a few of the children need a lot of fine motor skills and pencil grip practice. So I also need go back to the basic Practical Life and Sensorial.
Now, I need to do my planning for next week so I will leave it here for now.

Post from: I Love Montessori

Happy New Year

]]> http://ilovemontessori.com/happy-new-year/feed/ http://ilovemontessori.com/happy-new-year/ Montessori Parts of Sea Animals or Sea Life http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ILoveMontessori/~3/gKVnECycTgA/ http://ilovemontessori.com/montessori-parts-of-sea-animals-or-sea-life/#comments Sun, 21 Dec 2008 17:01:55 +0000 Miss Norma http://ilovemontessori.com/?p=41 Here are a few Montessori Parts of Sea Animals or Sea Life cards that I use in my classroom. I actively use them when I teach the Sea Life unit, but you can use it as a compliment when studying the ocean or the fish. Feel free to copy these and use them for your classroom. To download them, click on the images below, which will open up in a separate window. Then you can download the large, high resolution image by saving it to your computer. You can also print each one out.

I have included the following sea animals: Jelly Fish, Lobster, Manatee, Sea Horse, Shark, and Star Fish.

This first photo is an example of how I put them together. I make 3-part cards and a booklet for each of the different sea animals.

Post from: I Love Montessori Montessori Parts of Sea Animals or Sea Life ]]> Here are a few Montessori Parts of Sea Animals or Sea Life cards that I use in my classroom. I actively use them when I teach the Sea Life unit, but you can use it as a compliment when studying the ocean or the fish. Feel free to copy these and use them for your classroom. To download them, click on the images below, which will open up in a separate window. Then you can download the large, high resolution image by saving it to your computer. You can also print each one out.

I have included the following sea animals: Jelly Fish, Lobster, Manatee, Sea Horse, Shark, and Star Fish.

This first photo is an example of how I put them together. I make 3-part cards and a booklet for each of the different sea animals.

Post from: I Love Montessori

Montessori Parts of Sea Animals or Sea Life

]]> http://ilovemontessori.com/montessori-parts-of-sea-animals-or-sea-life/feed/ http://ilovemontessori.com/montessori-parts-of-sea-animals-or-sea-life/ The Math Environment in a Montessori Classroom http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ILoveMontessori/~3/Vfp5ZwzbHGo/ http://ilovemontessori.com/the-math-environment-in-a-montessori-classroom/#comments Sat, 20 Dec 2008 23:54:37 +0000 Miss Norma http://ilovemontessori.com/?p=30 The math environment is one of the most inviting areas of the classrooms. The beads and counters call the childrens attention. This area is so enticing! When I was going through my training I was so amazed with the math materials. Every presentation they gave me made me want to learn more and more. It gave me an opportunity to learn and understand some of the things I did not understand when I was learning in the classroom. I got to see and understand the logic of certain math theories.

All the math materials are concrete and/or clear for the children to understand. The presentations have smooth transition from one to another and the children are able to work with different materials that teach different skills at the same time. The children are able to work independently and be successful.

Post from: I Love Montessori The Math Environment in a Montessori Classroom ]]> The math environment is one of the most inviting areas of the classrooms. The beads and counters call the childrens attention. This area is so enticing! When I was going through my training I was so amazed with the math materials. Every presentation they gave me made me want to learn more and more. It gave me an opportunity to learn and understand some of the things I did not understand when I was learning in the classroom. I got to see and understand the logic of certain math theories.

All the math materials are concrete and/or clear for the children to understand. The presentations have smooth transition from one to another and the children are able to work with different materials that teach different skills at the same time. The children are able to work independently and be successful.

Post from: I Love Montessori

The Math Environment in a Montessori Classroom

]]> http://ilovemontessori.com/the-math-environment-in-a-montessori-classroom/feed/ http://ilovemontessori.com/the-math-environment-in-a-montessori-classroom/ Just a Quick Post http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ILoveMontessori/~3/-SfeKFCUDa0/ http://ilovemontessori.com/just-a-quick-post/#comments Sat, 20 Dec 2008 02:53:40 +0000 Miss Norma http://ilovemontessori.com/?p=40 It has been a tough few weeks. I have a lot going on in school with the holidays and all we also had International Day. It was on Friday and it was a success. The children did beautifully and the parents were so happy with the performance.

I am working really hard and enjoy it. My husband tells me I need to take a brake and enjoy my little princess. But it is really hard to because I am devoted to my profession.

Post from: I Love Montessori Just a Quick Post ]]> It has been a tough few weeks. I have a lot going on in school with the holidays and all we also had International Day. It was on Friday and it was a success. The children did beautifully and the parents were so happy with the performance.

I am working really hard and enjoy it. My husband tells me I need to take a brake and enjoy my little princess. But it is really hard to because I am devoted to my profession.

Post from: I Love Montessori

Just a Quick Post

]]> http://ilovemontessori.com/just-a-quick-post/feed/ http://ilovemontessori.com/just-a-quick-post/ It’s Been a Long Time http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ILoveMontessori/~3/_VIC83q-uF0/ http://ilovemontessori.com/its-been-a-long-time/#comments Mon, 08 Dec 2008 04:58:14 +0000 Miss Norma http://ilovemontessori.com/?p=39 It has been a rough few weeks. I had no time for myself or anything else. I never thought that having a lead teaching position would be so demanding. It’s been hard for me to adjust to my assistant. It has been a long and hard journey that I am still going through.

For the last few months my profession has taken my entire life. I have not had any family or personal life. It was taking a big toll on me. I finally decided to limit how much work I do at home and how much I think about it. I have been reading books about anxiety and stress because I could not stop thinking and talking about work.

Post from: I Love Montessori It’s Been a Long Time ]]> It has been a rough few weeks. I had no time for myself or anything else. I never thought that having a lead teaching position would be so demanding. It’s been hard for me to adjust to my assistant. It has been a long and hard journey that I am still going through.

For the last few months my profession has taken my entire life. I have not had any family or personal life. It was taking a big toll on me. I finally decided to limit how much work I do at home and how much I think about it. I have been reading books about anxiety and stress because I could not stop thinking and talking about work.

Post from: I Love Montessori

It’s Been a Long Time

]]> http://ilovemontessori.com/its-been-a-long-time/feed/ http://ilovemontessori.com/its-been-a-long-time/ American Montessori Society (AMS) Certification Papers http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ILoveMontessori/~3/QYP530oPCm0/ http://ilovemontessori.com/american-montessori-society-ams-certification-papers/#comments Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:13:42 +0000 Miss Norma http://ilovemontessori.com/?p=38 Hurray! I finally got my certification. Everything has been approved and I am officially a certified primary Montessori teacher. I am certified by the American Montessori Society (AMS). It feels great to be able to say I am finished with my training. It was hard and intensive work, but it is all over now. Now it is time to put it into practice and enjoy doing it. I am certified as of September. I am considering undergoing more training for a different level, but that is a while away.

I cannot believe it is over. I thought that this day would never get here with all the papers and materials I had to write and put together. It was such hard work! Now I have to work on my next big milestone, which is to become a successful and effective teacher.

My certificate was all I needed to become an legitimate Montessori teacher.

Post from: I Love Montessori American Montessori Society (AMS) Certification Papers ]]> Hurray! I finally got my certification. Everything has been approved and I am officially a certified primary Montessori teacher. I am certified by the American Montessori Society (AMS). It feels great to be able to say I am finished with my training. It was hard and intensive work, but it is all over now. Now it is time to put it into practice and enjoy doing it. I am certified as of September. I am considering undergoing more training for a different level, but that is a while away.

I cannot believe it is over. I thought that this day would never get here with all the papers and materials I had to write and put together. It was such hard work! Now I have to work on my next big milestone, which is to become a successful and effective teacher.

My certificate was all I needed to become an legitimate Montessori teacher.

Post from: I Love Montessori

American Montessori Society (AMS) Certification Papers

]]> http://ilovemontessori.com/american-montessori-society-ams-certification-papers/feed/ http://ilovemontessori.com/american-montessori-society-ams-certification-papers/ Adjusting To and Accommodating An Assistant Teacher http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ILoveMontessori/~3/0fAnQ2QSwnM/ http://ilovemontessori.com/adjusting-to-and-accommodating-an-assistant-teacher/#comments Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:39:53 +0000 Miss Norma http://ilovemontessori.com/?p=37 I had a couple of rough weeks. My computer broke down and I was having difficulty with my assistant teacher.

It has been really hard adjusting to being a head teacher and delegating duties to my assistant. I was having difficulty with the way she works in the classroom. I am also used to having someone free to watch the classroom and help the children that need assistance. I felt she was constantly down while I was giving lessons and had too many disruptions since there was no one for the children to just go to and ask for help.

I think she does not give the children enough freedom to choose their work and to be independent. I was expecting to go into the classroom with the children having the freedom to watch other friends at work or observe the classroom and choose work independently. But I was seeing it differently than my assistant teacher. She has been with the children for a couple of years so she new them more then I. I felt she took that to an extent where she was not allowing the children to make their own choices. I do agree that sometimes you need to make choices for them but that is only if they are not choosing any work and are being disruptive. I also felt that even though some children were not challenging themselves to their full extent we did not need to push them so much, since they just came back from summer break and needed an adjustment period.

So I have had to get used to some of her ways and try to get her to understand my ways. This week is going much better with her. She is more open to my changes and ways. We are planning together and agreeing on things together so that is so much better than having to feel like you are alone and having to convince someone to do things your way.

Aside from all of that I love my group of children. They are so smart and eager to learn and that makes it so much easier on me. I have a few children who are in the period of just constantly vocally communicating everything so that classroom at times can be noisy.

This week I have been trying to have the children get used to being responsible for their self and their choices. I want them to be able to realize that they are in control of themselves and the decisions they make. So we have been talking about making good choices and worrying about one self.

It has been a couple of weeks of getting to know myself, my assistant teacher and my students. It has been a bumpy, but a knowledge full, roller coaster.

Post from: I Love Montessori Adjusting To and Accommodating An Assistant Teacher ]]> I had a couple of rough weeks. My computer broke down and I was having difficulty with my assistant teacher.

It has been really hard adjusting to being a head teacher and delegating duties to my assistant. I was having difficulty with the way she works in the classroom. I am also used to having someone free to watch the classroom and help the children that need assistance. I felt she was constantly down while I was giving lessons and had too many disruptions since there was no one for the children to just go to and ask for help.

I think she does not give the children enough freedom to choose their work and to be independent. I was expecting to go into the classroom with the children having the freedom to watch other friends at work or observe the classroom and choose work independently. But I was seeing it differently than my assistant teacher. She has been with the children for a couple of years so she new them more then I. I felt she took that to an extent where she was not allowing the children to make their own choices. I do agree that sometimes you need to make choices for them but that is only if they are not choosing any work and are being disruptive. I also felt that even though some children were not challenging themselves to their full extent we did not need to push them so much, since they just came back from summer break and needed an adjustment period.

So I have had to get used to some of her ways and try to get her to understand my ways. This week is going much better with her. She is more open to my changes and ways. We are planning together and agreeing on things together so that is so much better than having to feel like you are alone and having to convince someone to do things your way.

Aside from all of that I love my group of children. They are so smart and eager to learn and that makes it so much easier on me. I have a few children who are in the period of just constantly vocally communicating everything so that classroom at times can be noisy.

This week I have been trying to have the children get used to being responsible for their self and their choices. I want them to be able to realize that they are in control of themselves and the decisions they make. So we have been talking about making good choices and worrying about one self.

It has been a couple of weeks of getting to know myself, my assistant teacher and my students. It has been a bumpy, but a knowledge full, roller coaster.

Post from: I Love Montessori

Adjusting To and Accommodating An Assistant Teacher

]]> http://ilovemontessori.com/adjusting-to-and-accommodating-an-assistant-teacher/feed/ http://ilovemontessori.com/adjusting-to-and-accommodating-an-assistant-teacher/ The Week of Presentations http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ILoveMontessori/~3/dy19cUi0d8w/ http://ilovemontessori.com/the-week-of-presentations/#comments Thu, 09 Oct 2008 23:39:32 +0000 Miss Norma http://ilovemontessori.com/?p=35 I never thought that I would be giving so many presentations in one day. The last two weeks I have spent most of the day giving presentations, although the children have been adjusting really well. I need to give refresher presentations since the children have been off for two months. They have forgotten a lot of what they have learned. The mornings go by pretty quick and before I know it it’s usually circle time. I have been working on circle lessons and songs. I plan to start singing song for the International Day Celebration that goes on at my school.

I have a great group of children: they are hard working and respectful. All the parents I have met so far seem very supportive and have volunteered for different things in the classroom.

Post from: I Love Montessori The Week of Presentations ]]> I never thought that I would be giving so many presentations in one day. The last two weeks I have spent most of the day giving presentations, although the children have been adjusting really well. I need to give refresher presentations since the children have been off for two months. They have forgotten a lot of what they have learned. The mornings go by pretty quick and before I know it it’s usually circle time. I have been working on circle lessons and songs. I plan to start singing song for the International Day Celebration that goes on at my school.

I have a great group of children: they are hard working and respectful. All the parents I have met so far seem very supportive and have volunteered for different things in the classroom.

Post from: I Love Montessori

The Week of Presentations

]]> http://ilovemontessori.com/the-week-of-presentations/feed/ http://ilovemontessori.com/the-week-of-presentations/ The First Two Weeks Back to the Montessori Classroom http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ILoveMontessori/~3/N0wxHK3J4Ik/ http://ilovemontessori.com/the-first-two-weeks-back-to-the-montessori-classroom/#comments Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:09:17 +0000 Miss Norma http://ilovemontessori.com/?p=36 I have enjoy so much being back to school.  I have a lot of energy and excitement towards my daily day with the children.

It is amazing how children adjust to their daily routine.  The children have gotten right into their daily activities.  They all have their way of saying I am here and I love that.  I enjoy so much getting to know them and seeing how they work and communicate with each other.

The children are great and my year is going so well.  I hope that I can keep all my energy and excitement all year, so that all the children are happy and learning with my excitement too.

I love that now I have more chances to observe the childrens work.  This is when I feel that I have succeeded in having a true Montessori classroom.  I love to observe the children at work.  I get to see another side of them when I stand back and see what they are interested in and what they are really capable of doing. 

The first weeks has been hard since I been giving a lot  of presentations and not been able to observe them work as much I would like to.  But like I mentioned before it is getting better since now have I am  getting more chances to observe them.   I feel a great sense of pride when I can just stand back and let them be “just like it should be, the children working where they want to work and with what they want to work.”  These are the times when the teacher can really see where a child is and how and where she/he should be working with the child.

I have been so busy with the daily school planning that I have not had a chance  to write on the blog more often.  Hopefully I will get in the rhythm of things and write more often and longer posts.

 I will leave you with this  from Maria Montessori, which I strongly agree with “The Teacher, …., must have a kind of faith that the child will reveal himself through work” (Montessori, 1967, 276).

 

Post from: I Love Montessori The First Two Weeks Back to the Montessori Classroom ]]> I have enjoy so much being back to school.  I have a lot of energy and excitement towards my daily day with the children.

It is amazing how children adjust to their daily routine.  The children have gotten right into their daily activities.  They all have their way of saying I am here and I love that.  I enjoy so much getting to know them and seeing how they work and communicate with each other.

The children are great and my year is going so well.  I hope that I can keep all my energy and excitement all year, so that all the children are happy and learning with my excitement too.

I love that now I have more chances to observe the childrens work.  This is when I feel that I have succeeded in having a true Montessori classroom.  I love to observe the children at work.  I get to see another side of them when I stand back and see what they are interested in and what they are really capable of doing. 

The first weeks has been hard since I been giving a lot  of presentations and not been able to observe them work as much I would like to.  But like I mentioned before it is getting better since now have I am  getting more chances to observe them.   I feel a great sense of pride when I can just stand back and let them be “just like it should be, the children working where they want to work and with what they want to work.”  These are the times when the teacher can really see where a child is and how and where she/he should be working with the child.

I have been so busy with the daily school planning that I have not had a chance  to write on the blog more often.  Hopefully I will get in the rhythm of things and write more often and longer posts.

 I will leave you with this  from Maria Montessori, which I strongly agree with “The Teacher, …., must have a kind of faith that the child will reveal himself through work” (Montessori, 1967, 276).

 

Post from: I Love Montessori

The First Two Weeks Back to the Montessori Classroom

]]> http://ilovemontessori.com/the-first-two-weeks-back-to-the-montessori-classroom/feed/ http://ilovemontessori.com/the-first-two-weeks-back-to-the-montessori-classroom/