Montessori for Everyone - Montessori Blog

Comparing Beginning Phonics Readers

2009-07-06T04:28:13Z

My daughter, age 5 ½, is currently using phonetic readers. Because I like to try different things to see which works best, I’ve ended up purchasing quite a few different sets for her in addition to the ones I already had.

The nice thing about most phonetic readers is that they follow the Pink, Blue, and Green Series pretty closely. Most begin with 3-letter, short vowel words (Pink Series). They usually progress to short vowel words with consonant blends (Blue Series), and then lead to “phonemes”, which are all the other letter combinations that make sounds in English (Green Series).

Even though most phonics readers have many of the same elements (cute pictures, fun stories, words that become steadily more challenging), there are also many differences too. Some books do a better job than others at leading kids down the path of reading.

I’m going to take a look at a few different phonetic readers in this post. I had fun putting this together! (Note: I’m not going to link to specific websites; if you’re interested in any of the books mentioned, Google their names and you’ll find them available at many places, sometimes used but in good condition, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and eBay).

Sound Out the Word Phonics Readers from Scholastic – I bought Sets 1 & 2 of these after seeing that they were “based on recent research on how children learn to read”. Each set comes with an audio CD featuring all the sounds used in each story.

The child listens to a phonetic sound on the CD, and then says the sound while looking at the letters. Each book also shows a picture of what your mouth looks like when saying the sound, so the child can imitate it.

The books themselves feature cute, easy-to-read stories that progress very systematically. The first set is mostly short-vowel words, and the second set moves into blends.

I would highly recommend these books for a child who was needs some additional help with hearing, learning, and understanding sounds. A child could use a mirror and use the pictures of what your mouth should look like as a guide when making sounds.

My son had some difficulty forming certain sounds early on, and we used these sets quite successfully. I like that they combine hearing and seeing the sound. These books would be a nice companion to speech therapy.

Itty Bitty Phonics Readers from Creative Teaching Press – Most teacher stores have a carousel display featuring these cute books. They are written by a teacher with over 20 years of experience. Each book focuses on just one phonetic sound. The drawings are very simple but cute.

I have used these with my daughter and we do like them. I sometimes feel that the stories are too simple, and that too many of the words on the pages are phrases, not whole sentences.

Also the focus is more on a specific sound (say, “short a”) than word difficulty, which means you might find a longer “short a” word in the “short a” book that is too difficult for the child to read. While sight words have their place too, it can break the rhythm of the story to come across a word like that.

Sight Word Readers from Scholastic – These books are exactly as described: they teach sight words rather than phonetic words. I like them because they introduce only 1-2 sight words per book, making them ideal for new readers. The stories are short and fun, and the pictures are engaging.

They also include little flashcards at the back of each book that can be used to review the sight words or for a matching game. Rather than using these books alone, I think they would be a nice companion to a set of true phonetic readers.

“Character” Readers from Scholastic – The title of these books isn’t actually “character readers”, so don’t search for it! I’m referring to all the beginning readers from Scholastic that feature children’s favorite characters: Dora the Explorer, Clifford the Big Red Dog, the Backyardigans, and so forth.

Books like these are usually fun, although the story quality is not necessarily high. I would recommend them for a reluctant reader who has an interest in the particular character featured. Giving them books with their favorite character may inspire them to read.

However, using them does promote the character in question, which seems commercial in nature. Unless you inherit these from someone else, I’d go for a different type of phonics reader.

BOB books – these books are considered classics in the field of phonics and reading, and have established the standard for beginning readers that includes simple drawings, engaging stories, and easy-to-read text.

I find that the stories appeal more to some children than to others (my son liked them more than my daughter), but they are certainly a good choice for any child who is learning to read. I do feel that Set 1 is the best of the BOB books; after that, the story quality declines somewhat and the characters are not as appealing.

Dick & Jane – I’m including Dick & Jane books here even though they are generally more about sight words than phonics. Written in the 1930s, they were used in schools to teach reading up until the 1970s. They rely heavily on repetition, but there is also a progression of phonetic words used as well.

These books have been re-issued in newer editions in recent years, and someone happened to give me a few of them so I used them with both of my kids. I found that my daughter, especially, adores the drawings which are really quite cute.

Far more of the story takes place through the drawings than the text; for instance, one picture may show Jane falling down the stairs while the text says “Oh, Jane! Oh, Jane!”. The text (while applicable) is not actually describing what happens in the pictures, which I think makes for strange reading sometimes.

If you do use them, which I think is perfectly fine, they should be in addition to a phonics-based series and not in place of it.

Now I’m Reading! by Nora Gaydos – I kept seeing this series at Barnes and Noble and was a bit turned off by the wild colors and designs on the covers of the books. It seemed distracting. But one day I picked up a set and quickly realized that they are quite well done.

More than any of the sets I’ve mentioned so far, the author does a fantastic job of writing a coherent story using a limited selection of words. The stories and pictures are quite entertaining, and the vocabulary progression is excellent.

The books come 10 to a set, and include stickers so a child can mark their reading progress. If it seems like these are my favorite, I think I will have to admit that they are

If you know of any other quality phonics readers, or have experience with any mentioned here, please share!

Join Me on Facebook!

2009-07-02T14:41:19Z

As I mentioned in my email newsletter, I now have a Montessori for Everyone page at Facebook.

I plan on keeping things light and fun, and sharing links, ideas, and lots of pictures there. Of course I’ll keep blogging here - the blog and the FB page will be complementary rather than overlapping.

I’d love it if you became a fan!

Looking Closer at the Fundamental Needs Card Sets

2009-07-01T18:05:35Z

I have a lot to share about the new Fundamental Needs of People Card Sets, but it seemed like too much to put in the description of the item.

So, I thought I’d blog about it!

Here are some possible questions:

1. Who are these cards intended for?

These cards are intended for a child who has worked with both the Fundamental Needs of People Chart (including an introductory lesson, objects, and possibly reading a story like Robinson Crusoe).

As well, it’s important that they work with the Fundamental Needs of People Nomenclature Cards, since those give a definition for each of the 13 needs of people.

Since those lessons are usually given starting in first grade, and the child needs time to work with those materials and master them, I recommend these new card sets for 2nd grade on up. The reading level is age 8-11.

2. Why can’t I buy just one set individually?

I thought of listing them individually, but that would be a lot of extra work for me (13 items instead of just one!) And, any child who has worked on the Fundamental Needs Chart needs to learn about all the needs - not just one or two.

Also, to your benefit, if I listed them separately they would have been $4.99 each for a total of $64.87. So doing it this way means savings for all of you.

3. What exactly is included in this set?

This set is really 13 individual sets of cards. There is one set for each of the fundamental needs of people: religion, culture, social acceptance, legal system, health, money, tools, transportation, clothing, food, defense, shelter, and communication.

Each of the 13 sets has 12 pictures, labels, control cards, and definitions. It’s actually 91 printed pages all together!

4. Can you list the terms for each set?

Sure, here they are:

Clothing: wedding gown and tuxedo, kimono, firefighter equipment, sweater, sari, cheongsam, jeans and t-shirt, lederhosen, kilt, space suit, sports uniform, scrubs
Communication: signs, talking, mail, cell phone, body language, writing, praying, Braille, email, sign language, meeting, fine arts
Culture: holidays, language, manners, monuments, learning, agriculture, fine arts, diversity, art gallery, books, museums, customs
Defense: fortress, walls, castle, safe, military, self-defense, fences, boulders, lock, weapons, security camera, police officer
Food: shish kebab, casserole, soup, dessert, pasta, salad, vegetables, dim sum, bread, burger, sandwich, fruit
Health: exercise, strength training, nutrition, hospital, aromatherapy, supplements, hydration, yoga, sports, check-up, doctors and nurses, play
Legal System: laws, law library, capitol building, law enforcement, courthouse, incarceration, marriage, village council, judge, legislature, courtroom, legal document
Money: coins, paper money, piggy bank, allowance, charity, credit cards, bank, checks, shells, bartering, trading, ancient coins
Religion: holy book, meals, idol, ceremonies, prayer, meditation, rosary, temple, rituals, mosque, cross, church
Shelter: house, igloo, cave, cottage, hut, yurt, farmhouse, camper, log cabin, teepee (tipi), apartment, condominium
Social Acceptance: handshake, mother, team, friends, study group, community, celebrations, family, role models, marriage, father, grandparents
Tools: art tools, gardening tools, farming tools, simple machines, woodworking tools, cutting tools, utensils, writing tools, construction tools, fire, drawing tools, medical tools
Transportation: car, horseback riding, double-decker bus, train, boat, bicycle, horse and carriage, recreational vehicles, walking, hot air balloons, airplane, motorcycles

5. How did you choose the terms?

There are dozens of potential terms for each category, but we had to narrow it to 12 each. We tried to make them cover as much ground as possible. As we always do, we made every effort to include as many countries and cultures as possible, and the definitions are written in a way that does not favor any specific country or culture.

6. Is there some overlap?

A few of the terms are included in more than one set. We felt that was necessary, because some are very important to more than one human need.

When we did include a term twice, we made sure that the pictures and definitions in each set were very different, so that the result is complementary information rather than repetition.

7. What if the child wants to know more?

We tried to make every word count when writing the definitions, but at a few sentences per term, there’s certainly lots more to learn. If a child shows interest in one of the types of needs, be sure to encourage them to do some additional research. These cards should be a springboard.

Hope this helps you understand the Fundamental Needs of People Card Sets!

Leading Children to True Discoveries

2009-06-30T21:58:18Z

My sister Lisa is back with the last post in our science series. Thank you so much for all of your thoughtful comments! This has been a great learning experience.

To cap off this series, I’d like to talk about the way we generally learn about (and then teach) science. Maybe you’ll find that my experiences are similar to yours.

The Pitfalls of Science “Experiments”

I loved my high school physics class, but looking back, we didn’t do physics in a very scientific way. I remember learning about “g” – the acceleration of any object due to gravity, which is 9.8 m/s² – and then doing an experiment in which we dropped objects from various heights and used stop watches to see how long it took them to hit the ground.

My lab partners and I quietly fudged the data so that our results would match those found from the mathematical equations we had already learned. In fact, I admit that we frequently fudged data from our experiments to fit the framework of scientific fact that we had already studied. I now call this “verification science.”

We weren’t scientists; we weren’t even posing as scientists. We spent our days trying to verify something we had already learned, rather than experimenting, observing, and contemplating to try to reach the truth – the way real scientists do.

It might be tempting for you to approach experiments, demonstrations, and activities the same way: explain a concept, define some terms, and then do the activity to try to illustrate or recreate what you have already explained This is not real science!

For example, you might teach your students that seeds need water, soil, and sunlight to grow. Then you might plant seeds in two different pots, placing one in a closet and the other on a window sill, watering them every day and observing their progress.

Is the child discovering anything? Will she come to her own conclusion as a new thought? Or will she simply be verifying that what you told her is true?

What Is the Purpose of Science Experiments?

Whenever possible, use experiments and activities to help them reach conclusions and concepts about the natural world, rather than using them to verify what you have already told them.

In the case of the example I mentioned (growing plants), the entire activity would be different if you didn’t tell the children what plants need to grow ahead of time. Instead, have them put seeds in cups and do different things with them (put one in a dark place, and one in sunlight) and let them observe what happens.

Some might already have heard that plants need sunlight; tell them that they can learn whether or not that’s true through this experiment. Don’t affirm their statements one way or they other; let the experiment do the affirming.

Yes, you will need to lead them; give them the background information that they need; ask them specific questions to guide their thought process. And then help them reach conclusions and concepts as discoveries that they have made – just as the scientists who came before them.

This article shows you how to lead a child through the scientific method and gives great tips on helping children to become great observers and scientists: Let’s Investigate! Spark Interest in Science with these Seven Steps to Successful Studies.

Questioning Rather Than Telling

In traditional forms of instruction, the teacher is often perceived as a fount of knowledge who pours her information into the empty vessels called students. These students are not active inquirers engaged in learning, but rather are passive recipients of the information.

In this paradigm, students will find it almost impossible to wrestle with and resolve the contradictions that exist because of their misconceptions about the physical world.

In Montessori, teachers are thought of as “guides”; they try to lead students to knowledge rather than handing it to them. But in the area of science, it’s easy to fall back on the old model.

One way to help students become actively involved in the construction of knowledge going on in their minds is to ask them questions that will lead them to specific conclusions – questions which bring the students to the place where they can grasp the concept for themselves.

Using the Socratic Method

Teachers can also encourage the students to be inquirers – questioners – as well. The process of asking and answering questions to stimulate rational thinking and to illuminate ideas is called the Socratic Method, named after the Greek philosopher Socrates who engaged in such discussions about moral and philosophical issues.

The questions you ask your students can range from simply seeking information to explaining “why,” asking them to clarify or even asking them to extend beyond this specific situation to a general principle. Here is a limited list of questions to get you started¹:

What is it?
What happened?
What does that mean?
Why does it work that way?
Which is the most important?
Which came first?
How do you know that?
What would happen if…?

Give the students time to think through your questions. Don’t give up if they cannot give adequate answers right away. Perhaps you need to ask in a different way or back up a step and make sure they understand what is going on.

Such questions should lead a student to confront and work out the contradictions that exist because of his misconceptions.

To illustrate this, consider the persistent misconception mentioned in the post Shattering Science Myths. It’s the misconception that we experience seasons because of the Earth’s changing distance from the Sun (closer in the summer, farther in the winter).

Rather than telling the students that the Earth’s changing distance from the Sun produces negligible changes in temperature and that of course it is the tilt of the Earth on its axis which causes seasons, you could find a contradiction that exists in the misconception and lead them to confront it.

The answers may vary, but here’s a possible list of questions:

“Why do we experience seasons?”
“How does this work?”
“When it is summer in South America, what season do we experience in North America?” (If they don’t know, have them look it up and find out!)
“If we experience summer because the Earth is closer to the Sun sometimes, would it be possible to have two different seasons occurring at the same time on Earth?”
“Why not?”
“Let’s take a step back and look at the way the rays of the Sun strike the Earth. Why is the equator hotter than the North and South poles?”

Then you can go back through the Geography Impressionistic Charts and review the effects of vertical and oblique rays from the Sun. Lead them to the idea that the tilt of the Earth on its axis causes different areas of the Earth to have more vertical or more oblique rays during certain times of year.

This example can be applied to many different science concepts. Once you get used to the Socratic Method, it will become second nature to lead children to their own answer through questions rather than giving them the answers yourself.

When students reach conclusions by thinking through well-crafted questions, rather than by simply being told something, they have been given the chance to dissolve their misconceptions forever.

Conclusion

Children have already formed their own ideas of how the world works. Sometimes these ideas are correct, but often they are not. The result is that fundamental gaps are formed in their thinking which hinder scientific concepts and lines of reasoning.

Most students can close those gaps. Through repeated exercises, experiments, and challenging questions, students will begin to not just repeat back ideas; they will begin to believe them.

Reference:

1. Questions taken from Engaging Students (PDF)

Two Terrific Tools for Teaching Science Successfully

2009-06-22T23:47:02Z

Hopefully you’ve been following our series on science in the classroom. We’ve covered Shattering Common Science Myths, and The Challenge of Teaching Science Correctly. In this guest post (the first ever guest post at my blog!) my sister Lisa will take a look at some helpful approaches to science.

So, you’ve managed to face up to your misconceptions of science. You’ve acknowledged that you need accurate information in order to teach kids correctly.

Good for you!

Now the question is, how can we actually help kids learn about science in a way that doesn’t lead to their own wrong conclusions?

How can we lead them to challenge their misconceptions and move towards an accurate view of the natural world?

I’m so glad you asked! Two of our best tools are language and experiments.

The Language of Science

“The terms are so familiar and frequently invoked that the student has lost all sense of the fact that he or she does not really know what they mean.” - Arnold B. Arons

When studying science, we take the same words that we use in daily life and give them a greatly modified and specific scientific meaning. This new meaning is only vaguely connected to their normal usage. Examples of such words would include force, weight, mass, acceleration, and energy.

Unfortunately, teachers sometimes assume that the students already know the scientific meaning of the term because they know its everyday meaning!

The truth is, the students do not know about the shift in meaning unless we point it out explicitly many times. We must remind them that the words remain the same, but they have taken on a new scientific meaning.

PS Montessori left a comment on a recent post which illustrates this perfectly. He wrote, “I had an experience with third graders who were very confused by the definition of energy. I came to the conclusion that no one had used the term ‘energy’ around them to refer to anything besides the movement of children, i.e., ‘You kids have a lot of energy!’”

This kind of misunderstanding is quite common, and can be difficult to overcome.

I suggest this approach: rather than introducing a new concept with the word or term first, lead students to the idea first – either through experimentation (if possible), explanation, and/or dialogue – and then give it a name.

This follows a wise saying, “Idea first and name afterwards.” The idea is more significant than the name.

Making Sure They Understand

When you do introduce a term, make sure you state the definition clearly and in words the children can understand. Ask them to tell you what it means in their own words. Write it down on a dry erase board or paper so they can see the definition.

Make sure they understand the meaning of the words used in the definition. Ask them to tell you the meaning of the term after some time has elapsed (like later that day, or a week or two later). Keep reviewing terms and definitions so that they take hold.

Choose Experiments Wisely

Sometimes we are tempted to do the most dramatic experiments and demonstrations in the name of fun or getting kids interested in science. But even if we give a truthful explanation for the idea we are illustrating, the students may abandon our words for the sake of their own form of logic if their minds are not ready for it.

Let me use a common gravity experiment as an example.

If you are talking about gravity, you might drop a rock and a feather at the same time to observe the fascinating difference in the way they fall to the ground. Because the feather takes longer to reach the ground, the casual observer (the students and maybe some adults too) might conclude that lighter or smaller objects fall at a slower rate than heavy ones.

It doesn’t matter if you carefully explain that the reason the feather takes longer to reach the ground is because of air resistance. The image of the rock hitting the ground almost instantly while the feather wistfully takes its time will engrave itself in the child’s mind.

[Note - in the original Geography Charts & Experiments, the feather experiment was the first gravity experiment done. And, centripital force was presented before gravity, when really it is much more easily understood after gravity has been discussed - Lori]

Because the air around us doesn’t alter the outcomes of most of our daily experiences, “air resistance” is a complex concept whose explanation is far less powerful than the image of the rock and the feather.

Slow and Steady Wins the Science Race

The best way to approach air resistance is not to approach it at all – that is, not until the fundamental principles of gravity are already ingrained in the students’ minds, and until they are ready to understand the sophisticated concept of air resistance.

Start with experiments that teach the gravity in the simplest way before showing them the more complicated situation. Drop different objects together that are not as affected by air resistance – such as coins, balls, pens, rocks, books, toys – so that they will form the correct conclusion that all objects, regardless of weight and size, fall at the same rate.

Once that concept is well established and you are prepared to study air resistance, then you can bring out the confusing example of the feather and the rock.

At that time, you must thoroughly explore the concept of air resistance – and perhaps do other experiments about air and air resistance. Explain the concept of a vacuum (the absence of air) and tell them that in a vacuum, all objects do fall at the same rate.

Show them a video of an Apollo 15 astronaut dropping a hammer and a feather on the Moon, where there is no air resistance! This kind of visual demonstration will go a long way to insuring that they understand gravity and air resistance correctly.

We can apply the same principles to every science concept and experiment we do:

Put the idea ahead of the word
Use words correctly
Define words clearly
Choose appropriate science experiments
Introduce concepts in the correct order
Wait until one concept is thoroughly understood before moving on to the next one

With this approach, we can ensure that children get the most out of science!

Note from Lori: Lisa’s post was pretty long, so I have broken it into two parts. I’ll post part two next week. The information was so good, I didn’t want to take anything out!

A Tribute to My Dad

2009-06-21T04:43:45Z

My dad was raised on a farm outside Regina, Saskatchewan, by his German parents. While there was always food on the table, there was not much else. Everyone worked hard to make the farm successful. My grandparents were devout Christians, and raised their children to love and serve God.

School was a one-room schoolhouse in the middle of the prairie. My dad and his brothers and sisters rode to school in a one-horse sleigh, often picking the teacher up on the way. For several years he was the only child in his grade.

His parents hoped that the children would take over the family farm when they grew up, but my dad had other dreams. He decided to become a preacher. He pursued going to college even though money was tight.

After serving for several years as the pastor of a small church, and then for several years as a professor, he became pastor of Moody Church in Chicago in 1980. I was eight years old. My sisters and I lived our formative years in the spotlight, with many expectations for what a pastor’s daughter should be.

As the oldest in the family, and with a strong-willed and outspoken personality, the pressure on me seemed especially intense. But it was always outside pressure. My parents both gave me the freedom to be myself without making me feel like I had to do things the way other people expected.

No matter what house we lived in, my dad always had an “office”, even if it meant his daughters shared a room. The door to his office was almost always open, and he made sure we knew that if we ever needed to talk to him, we could. Many times I would go in his office, sit down, share my problems, and feel a weight lift as he gave me thoughtful advice.

My sisters and I watched closely to see if my dad practiced in real life what he preached in the pulpit, and he did. We knew we could trust him.

When I think about my dad, these things stand out:

He is a good listener
He gives great advice
He prays for me every day
He loves me unconditionally

Without these four things, I’m convinced that I would not be the happy, successful person that I am today.

This picture of me and my dad is one of my all-time favorites. I was about nine months old, and according to my mom, I had been very sick with a high fever. They had been up most of the night taking care of me. I’ve always liked it because my dad looks tired but he’s holding me so sweetly.

Dad, I love you and thank you for the excellent job you did in providing for our family and guiding us. I am proud to be your daughter! Happy Father’s Day!

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there who work so hard for their families. We salute you!

The Difference a Father Can Make

2009-06-21T13:59:08Z

Fathers have it a bit rough when it comes to being involved in their children’s educations. It’s often the mother who drops kids off at school and picks them up, and many times the mother is the only one who attends the parent/teacher conference.

Speaking generally, mothers are also more likely to help their children with homework and to volunteer at school or with extracurricular activities. And moms are usually the primary educators if the family has chosen homeschooling as an option.

The good news, according to the American Sociological Association, is that the time fathers spend with their children has doubled in the past 40 years. The bad news is that over 50% of fathers report being involved very little or not at all in their children’s education.

All children benefit from having their fathers involved at home and school. The U.S. Department of Education says that children are more likely to do well academically, participate in activities, and have a positive attitude about school when their fathers are involved. This appears to be especially important for students who have learning disabilities.

Divorce can make it even more difficult for a father to be involved. I remember when I was teaching, there were times that I had to schedule two parent/teacher conferences for a child: one with the mother (and possibly stepfather) and one with the father (and possibly stepmother).

And you know what? I was happy to do it, because I could definitely see the positive effects when both parents were involved in a child’s education, even when the parents themselves didn’t get along.

So, is there a way for fathers to be more involved? I think so. Let’s look at a few.

Ways Fathers Can Be More Involved

One of the simplest things you can do is to take the time to ask your child what she learned that day, then to listen and ask questions about it. Children want to know that their fathers are interested in what they think, and fathers can learn a lot about their children when they take the time to listen.
Join a support community or message board for dads involved in their children’s education. Not only will you get ideas about how to support your children’s education, you’ll be a part of a community that values the importance of fathers in their kids’ lives.
Dads can teach incredibly important life skills - how an air conditioner works, how to repair a car engine, how to plant a garden, why a checkbook must be balanced - just by interacting with their children and getting them involved in every day life.
If your family homeschools, try to take a day off of work during the school year to observe their homeschooling so that you know what goes on during that time. Plan some educational activities that you can be a part of.
Go on family “field trips” on the weekends. A fun filled day at the zoo or beach with your children can be a perfect opportunity for you to guide them in hands-on learning.
Read to your children and have them read to you. Set aside a specific time (before bed, perhaps) and make it a daily ritual.
Take your child with you to work. Not only will it give him a visual representation of what you do when you mention “work,” but he’ll have a chance to observe workplace skills like communication, time-management, and teamwork, beyond what he’ll learn about your specific job.
Involve yourself in your children’s formal education. Volunteer at school. Become familiar with your child’s curriculum so that you can support his or her learning.
Tell your child that you love them, and tell them often. ‘Father love’ sustains a child through negative peer pressure and gives them strength to make tough choices and avoid destructive behavior. My dad used to tell me and my sisters that he loved us every day, sometimes running out to the car as we backed out of the driveway to go to school (once we were in high school and driving) to come to the car window and say “I love you!” We were slightly embarrassed but also highly pleased that we always knew our dad loved us.
Help your children set goals for the year, both academic and personal. Periodically check in with them to see how they are doing, and think of ways you can support their goals.
Use time with your children to impart to them something they can’t learn from textbooks: your values. It’s from you that they’ll learn about good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, and hard work.
Take a special interest in an academic area, and create a special time for it with your children. Start a writing club, and spend one Friday night a month researching, writing and revising at a local bookstore with your children. Or start an architect’s club, and use weekend time to build a clubhouse in your backyard.
Build a relationship with your child’s teacher. If they have an email list, ask that you be added so that you can receive email updates about class activities. When you drop off your child or pick them up from school, make a point of saying “hi” to your child’s teacher. Keep the lines of communication open so that you can approach them if necessary. And be sure to attend your child’s parent/teacher conferences.

Take advantage of these helpful resources:

Center for Successful Fathering, Inc. - provides education and support for fathers. They offer online seminars on parenting issues.

Bring Your Fathers to School - this article gives a lot of great info on the importance of father involvement and ways to make it happen (scroll down to see the article).

You Can Do It!

Fathers, your job is of utmost importance! Your child’s relationship with you is the number one factor that influences their academic success, their relationships, their decisions about drugs and alcohol, and their career prospects. Use that influence for good, and amazing things will happen!

My own father was a hugely positive influence in my life. You might enjoy reading my tribute to my dad.

The Challenge of Teaching Science Correctly

2009-06-22T21:23:05Z

In my last post, I talked about Shattering Common Science Myths, and how it can be difficult to understand (and then teach) scientific principles correctly.

I alluded to two ways of analyzing the universe:

Aristolean: In this viewpoint, science is qualitative (based on the observer’s impression), not quantitative (based on gathering data). Conclusions are arrived at based on personal observation, and mathematics is not used to validate deductions. Assumptions are made that are not tested.

Newtonian: In this viewpoint, science is quantitative (based on gathering data), not qualitative (based on the observer’s impression). Conclusions are verified by using the scientific method: data is collected through observation and experimentation, and is subject to rigorous testing and the scientific principles of reasoning.

Without scientific training, most of us take the Aristolean approach: we base conclusions about our lives on what we see from our perspective, and we do not subject our conclusions to rigorous scientific testing.

We are the products of the fuzzy science education we received. Our textbooks contained errors, and our own teachers often did not completely understand the concepts they explained to us, so it’s easy for the cycle of misinformation to continue. In order to teach science correctly, we must be willing to drop some of our long-held beliefs about the interworkings of the universe.

How Can We Be Sure We Teach Science Correctly?

1. Make Sure Our Source Material is Accurate

My sister and I discovered that it’s surprisingly hard to find textbooks that are completely accurate. In Montessori, we have a bit of an aversion to textbooks anyway and prefer to use teacher-made materials, but those can have errors as well. If you are teaching physics to children (at home or at school), I recommend these resources:

For Adults:

1. Mountain Motion: The Free Physics Textbook - This amazing textbook covering every aspect of physics can be downloaded for free. At over 1600 pages, it’s a long read, but you can certainly use it on a section-by-section basis. It is geared towards modern physics, not classical, but it definitely a good resource.

2. The Physics Classroom Tutorial - For a firm foundation in classical physics, we’ve found that this website contains accurate information explained clearly, and includes activities and diagrams that are very helpful.

3. Six Easy Pieces: Essentials of Physics by Its Most Brilliant Teacher - This landmark book by physicist Richard Feynman is a great way for you to educate (or re-educate) yourself on basic physics principles. It’s not meant for children, but it can be a resource that you turn to while teaching them. It’s intended for the general reader, so it’s light on mathematics and easy to understand.

For Children:

Physical Science materials from Montessori for Everyone - my sister and I have worked very hard on these, and you can be sure of their accuracy. We plan on making more as time allows!

2. Verify the Information

When it comes to science, the Internet is full of misinformation. Well-meaning people post experiments and illustrations that at the most are outright inaccurate, or at the very least, poorly explained and misleading.

If you are using the Internet to find the answer to a science question, or to find a fun experiment, be sure to consult more than one source. Wikipedia can be a good starting point, but should never be the sole source of information.

3. Make Sure We Understand What We’re Teaching

For some lessons, we can sit down with the material and present it with little or no preparation beforehand. Science should not fall in this category. We should read (multiple times, if necessary) the information and make sure we know the meanings of all the words used.

The author of the Mountain Motion textbook linked to above recommends reading information aloud, and stating it in your own words for complete comprehension. It’s also advisable to perform science experiments ahead of time, before doing them with students, to make sure that you understand how the experiment is to be done and what the desired result is.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Challenge Your Own Preconceptions

In teaching science correctly to children, you may find yourself letting go of things that you have always believed to be true. Especially when it comes to Newton’s Laws, you will have to work through each one to make sure that you truly understand it.

I went through this process while working on the Forces Set 1 – Classical Physics material with my sister. She wrote the initial text, and then sent it to me for editing and formatting. As I read what she had written, I had to admit that I truly didn’t understand why no force is needed to keep an object in motion once it had been set in motion. I think I called her and said, “But what keeps it going?!?”

She laughed and told me that Aristotle was still in my head – in other words, I was viewing Newton’s Laws from my own limited perspective. Since friction and other forces keep objects from moving forever in our everyday world, I wasn’t able to correctly imagine what would happen to an object when removed from all outside forces.

That night I decided to tell my husband what I had learned about Newton’s Three Laws of Motion. As I explained each one, I felt a light bulb go off in my head. An object stays in motion without the application of a continuous force because a force would be needed to stop it!

Maybe this sounds obvious, but it was a breakthrough to me. I was able to “kick Aristotle out of my head”, and understand inertia like never before. As I continued working on the Forces material, there were several other ideas that had to crumble, including my understanding of centrifugal force, balanced and unbalanced forces, and circular motion.

My sister helped me to understand that when studying Newton’s Three Laws of Motion, everyone must reach a crisis point in order to understand them. They seem to contradict our own observations and experiences. In fact, it’s not too much of a stretch to say that if you haven’t wrestled with Newton’s Laws, you don’t yet understand them.

The Importance of Clear, Correct Information

In scientific study, one principle builds on the next one. So, if a child is given erroneous information (or draws the wrong conclusion based on incomplete information), they will have a difficult time understanding whatever concept comes next. From childhood up through adulthood, fundamental gaps are formed in their thinking which hinder scientific concepts and lines of reasoning.

A student who ventures into science as a major in college, or pursues a profession in the sciences, will have a huge head start over other students if they have been taught scientific principles correctly. They won’t have to undergo a “reboot” to wipe out the incorrect ideas like other students will.

Giving a child correct information ensures the development of their own critical thinking skills. They quickly realize that they cannot trust their own assumptions when it comes to scientific discovery; they must rely on the scientific method to arrive at explanations for natural phenomena.

Where Do We Go From Here?

I hope you haven’t been frightened away from teaching science, but it’s good to have a healthy respect for scientific accuracy when you approach science lessons. Let’s jump in with both feet and be students as well as teachers!

Please come back at the end of June for the last part of this science series - where my sister takes on the pitfalls of science experiments. Next week we’ll be talking about fathers and education in celebration of Father’s Day.

Helpful News and Links About All Things Montessori

2009-06-06T02:52:59Z

I don’t do this too often, but I thought it would be nice to share some Montessori-related news and helpful links from around the web. Enjoy!

Nienhuis launches their new website - we all know the quality of Nienhuis materials, but their older website was a bit confusing and hard to navigate. They’ve just launched a completely new site, and it looks fantastic. You’ll see it after you choose your language and region.

Michael Olaf (another longtime favorite Montessori supplier) now has ordering available from their website. I’m not sure all products are available that way, but many are. I still love their catalogs but it’s nice to be able to order online, too.

I just discovered the Wikisori project a little while ago - it’s a place where parents and teachers can come and add or edit information about Montessori (similar to Wikipedia). Tons of great stuff: albums, parent and teacher resources, and lots of helpful links.

Trevor Eissler has authored an interesting book called Montessori Madness: A Parent to Parent Argument for Montessori Education . What I like about his book (besides the fact that it’s a fun and interesting read) is that he approaches Montessori from an outsider’s point of view; just why would a parent choose Montessori, anyway?

He encourages parents to accept the fact that traditional schools are failing students, and challenges them to observe a Montessori classroom to see the difference. This is a great book for a reluctant spouse, grandparents, or other family members who might not be convinced that Montessori is the best educational option.

As you plan for this next school year, you might be in need of some music for your classroom. A couple of Montessori teachers have put together a new CD called Songs for a Practical Day. It includes lively songs that teach the months of the year, continents, and planets as well as music for walking on the line and circle time.

I mentioned this in my email newsletter, but in case you missed that, please take a listen to this audio interview I did with John Shepard of the United Montessori Association. You’ll hear me talk about my business, Montessori, and lots of other interesting stuff.

Have a great weekend!

Shattering Common Science Myths

2009-06-22T21:32:17Z

My sister, Lisa, majored in physics in college and then taught physics at the high school level before her children arrived. Together, we have just completed a very exciting new material called Forces Set 1 – Classical Physics. This set of charts and activities is meant to be an introduction to Newton’s Laws of Motion for children ages 9-12.

As we worked on this project, we were both struck with how many misconceptions exist about science; children and adults alike seem to struggle with understanding the physical world. We decided to collaborate on a series of blog posts about this topic, beginning with this one.

Humans are always looking for explanations. From infancy onward, we are drawing conclusions about the things we see around us. The trouble is, our conclusions about how the world works are often wrong.

A baby lying in a crib may kick her legs and see the curtains flutter in the breeze. The baby makes a connection between the two, and assumes that the curtains fluttered because she kicked her legs. If the baby kicks again and the curtain doesn’t move, the baby may become frustrated because reality isn’t matching the pattern she thought it would—but the baby concludes that the curtains aren’t working correctly, not that she herself has made an error.

A child may notice that the Sun sinks below the horizon when it sets, and conclude that it disappears for the night. Based on their observation, this seems like a logical explanation. If you didn’t already know why the Sun sinks below the horizon, would you ever leap straight to the understanding that the Earth is a sphere, and that a light can only shine on one side of a sphere at a time?

The Greek philosopher Aristotle taught that the natural tendency of all objects is to come to a rest position. When an object was at rest, it was in a “natural state.” Aristotle taught that a constant force was required to keep an object moving with constant speed or it would naturally stop moving.

This is not true.

However, it was taught for centuries before Isaac Newton came along and showed that an object in motion will remain in motion unless acted on by an outside force (Newton’s First Law of Motion). Why had Aristotle been so wrong? He relied on his own observations and assumptions rather than logic and empirical evidence. Sadly, many of us still do that today.

Why Do We Have So Many Misconceptions About Science?

1. Casual observation of the natural world can lead to wrong conclusions.

Common misconceptions are rooted in everyday experiences. Simply observing the motion of objects around us is not enough to lead us to correct conclusions. Too often, we go by what “seems” to be happening rather than figuring out what is actually happening.

Humans are hard-wired to seek explanations for the things they see around them, but often, we sacrifice logic in order to arrive at an explanation. One common logical fallacy is “After it, therefore because of it”. We often assume that if B comes after A, then A caused B to happen. The baby kicks her legs and the curtain flutters; the baby assumes that one caused the other.

Aristotle noticed that when he stopped pushing a book on a table (A), the book stopped moving (B). He assumed that it stopped moving because he stopped pushing, when really it was the force of friction that caused the book to stop moving. It requires a deeper look at physical phenomena in order to truly understand them.

The reasons why the planets and stars behave like they do are complicated; that’s why it took humans so long to figure them out. Each person will have to work through the original obstacles that Galileo and Newton did in order to reform their thinking. As one physics teacher says, “Aristotle lives in your head and it’s my job to kick him out!”

2. Experiments aren’t explained, or are explained incorrectly by teachers who do not truly understand it themselves.

Parents and teachers sometimes sacrifice correct information on the altar of fun and excitement. They may help kids perform a science experiment but not explain the concept that is being demonstrated. Or, they may give an explanation that is misleading or incorrect.

A perfect example of this is the idea of centrifugal force. How many of us remember a teacher taking the class outside and swinging a bucket full of water in a circle? I do. We were told that there were two forces acting on the bucket: centripetal force, which was pulling it in, and centrifugal force, which was pushing it outward.

This is not true.

Centripetal force does exist in the bucket experiment. It is the force needed to keep an object moving in a circular motion, and is provided by the tension in the string. But nothing is pulling the bucket outward. When you let go of the string, the bucket flies away because of an object’s tendency to move in a straight line unless another force is acting on it. With the centripetal force (the string) removed, the bucket flies away in a straight line.

3. Concepts are portrayed incorrectly in drawings or pictures.

If you show children a picture of the Earth (in order to explain its rotation) and you make the Sun smaller than the Earth just to save room on the page, they may come away thinking that the Sun is smaller than the Earth even if you tell them some other time that the Earth is much smaller than the Sun. The mental picture they have formed of the Earth and the Sun cannot be swept away by words and explanations.

What Are Some Common Science Myths?

Take a look at this website, Children’s Misconceptions About Science, and you might be surprised at how many of these are things you’ve heard or believed; here are a few:

Stars and constellations appear in the same place in the sky every night.
We experience seasons because of the earth’s changing distance from the sun (closer in the summer, farther in the winter).
The moon does not rotate on its axis as it revolves around the earth.
An object at rest has no energy.
If an object is at rest, no forces are acting on the object.
Objects float in water because they are lighter than water.
Objects sink in water because they are heavier than water.
Air and oxygen are the same gas.
Gravity increases with height.

Sound familiar? You may have been told some of these things when you were in school or erroneously drawn your own conclusions based on poorly explained experiments or diagrams.

Where Does That Leave Us?

Sadly, this is one of Montessori’s biggest failings. Because of our desire to be true to the “Montessori method” and to use Maria Montessori’s original materials, we have often used materials that are out of date or scientifically incorrect. I am aiming to rectify this, but it is a big task and outdated materials still exist in many classrooms.

Here are some recent corrections:

1. The Parts of a Fruit – for decades, Montessori materials have used an apple as an illustration of the Parts of a Fruit. A botany expert emailed me a few months ago and mentioned that an apple is an accessory of the fruit and actually doesn’t contain the three parts of the fruit as traditionally taught.

I have re-done the Parts of a Fruit with a peach, which is a correct illustration of the parts of a fruit. If you have purchased the Fruit from me at any time (as a PDF, printed, or on a CD), please email me to get a free PDF of the new Parts of a Fruit.

2. Geography Charts and Experiments - this material was well-intentioned, but sadly embodies every scientific misstep we’ve mentioned so far. Concepts were poorly explained, incorrectly explained, or not explained at all. My work on this material turned into a total and complete revision; if you are still using the old Geography Charts in your classroom, it is imperative that they be replaced with updated materials.

Our Challenge

I think we have a huge challenge before us, but one that is exciting rather than scary. We have the chance to help children become critical thinkers when it comes to analyzing the “whys” and “hows” of the world around us.

We can help them look beyond casual observations and illogical thinking, and instead lead them to a deeper (and correct) understanding of scientific principles. In helping children form correct ideas, we have a chance to dispel some of the science myths that we ourselves have held for so long.

Stay tuned for the rest of this series; Part 2 will deal with the challenge of teaching science correctly, and Part 3 will be a guest post by my sister Lisa on the potential pitfalls of science experiments.