Posts Tagged ‘teacher training’
- Circle, “Walking on the Line”:
- A teacher must always be present to keep the walking time creative and controlled. She gives verbal and bodily cues for the children as she and they walk. The children should be spaced out by putting out their hands ahead of them while they walk at the beginning of walking time. This can be done by following the teacher’s actions.
- Bodily control and setting a quiet atmosphere is especially important at first circle so that the class can begin quietly and peacefully. Use the “Walking Music”, not “Marching,” for first circle. Do not use the Marching music unless you are ready to go outside.
- Make your circle a lovely, peaceful ceremony with a community spirit.
- Circle Line: A diameter of 8’ will give a circumference of 25’. This usually fits 18-20 children, with one teacher. The children and teacher must have space for their elbows when they put their hands on their waist and wiggle their elbows.
- Musical Cues: Sing gently and softly, “Please sit down,” and “Please stand up,” and “Please turn around just one time,” with a short pause between each word.
- Circle Manners:
- Speak slowly and enunciate carefully to the children.
- Show the children how to walk behind the circle, not “cutting” through it. This means that you will have to leave room between your line and the shelves for them to walk.
- Show the children how to raise their hand, not talk out without permission, by asking them a controlled question: “Please raise your hand if you know…”
- If you have something disciplinary to say to the children, say it from your own heart, not a child’s or another teacher’s: “When you all talk at once, I am sad because I cannot hear.”
- Songs: Teach them fun songs with actions, but songs that they can also sing.
- Getting Work Rug: Get your own. It is a demonstration and calms them down when you get your own rug.
- Showing a work: Since you have a “captive audience,” be polite and arrange the work on the tray so that everyone can see it. You can decide if you should show it upside down to you, or not?
- Calling out to a Child Across the Circle: No, get up and go to speak to the child. It is best if there is a second teacher there who can do that for you.
- Children’s rules at circle:
- They must sit up straight with their legs crossed. Don’t say “criss-cross, applesauce.” That makes no sense. Don’t say, “Criss cross your body.” “Please cross your legs” is fine.
- They may not change places once they are on the line and then sit down.
- They may not push in to sit by their friend if that space is taken.
- They may not lie down nor place their legs out front at circle.
9. Show and Tell:
- Book: Ask the child to stand in his place and open it to his favorite page. Ask him to say why it is his favorite page.
- Other items:
-> No toys, please, because the children will want to hold toys during class and this can cause an unhappy child, even if you kindly ask them to put their item into the cubbie.
-> If you have a small circle, each child can stand and show and then tell about his item. If the item is small and the circle is large, then the teacher can ask the child to pass around the item for the other children to see.
-> The child does not take it along to show as that wastes precious time.
- Praising Children:
- Find some other way to comment on something said or done at circle or during work time besides “Good job!” “Beautiful!”
- Notice if children come up to you frequently to ask you to comment on their work. It may be that you are flattering them or praising them without realizing it.
- Do not hold up one child as the model and say, “I really like the way that… is sitting at circle.” We do not compare children in a Montessori school.
- Making yourself the Important Person: “Show me!” “That’s a very nice book.”“Can you get a rug for me?” “Good idea!”
- Departure From Circle: Plan a song or game to allow the children to depart individually and quietly.
- Solving a Problem rather than Listening to the Child: Child reports on another child. Active listen, “You’re worried about her,” rather than explaining or telling him not to worry and why.
- Taking Over a Child’s Work: If a child begins a work and a teacher judges thatshe is not doing it correctly, she should watch, wait and write notes. If the work gets out of hand, unsuccessful or could be dangerous to the child or material, then you can intervene. Do not take over the work, especially without asking permission, and begin to use it.
- Children misusing work: If two children are misusing work, go to the second one who did not get it out and request and take him to another work.
- “Put that into Your File”: If a child shows you his work, smile and shake your head. Say, “Mmm” or “You’re proud of your work.” Don’t interpret or judge the work. Don’t remind them to put it into their file. That raises its importance and is an unnecessary command.
- Don’t Call Across the Room to a Child: Instead, get up and go over to whisper in the child’s ear.
Who:
Sharlet J. McClurkin:
- Director of Montessori Plus School and Teacher Preparation of WA for thirty-six years.
- Former president of the Montessori Institute of America and current MIA Board member;
- MACTE commissioner for three years.
- International trainer in China, Taiwan, Korea, the Philippines and Sri Lanka;
- Current director and trainer for over seventy teachers-in-training in Kent, WA.
What:
Five-hour lecture, with “question and answers”
Sharlet McClurkin will paint a picture of joyful learning and respectful speech in this seminar. She will show in words, songs and actions how to rise above the challenges of the Montessori classroom and keep one’s calm and vision for the children.
The Montessori Language of Respect seminar will show the non-conventional language and methods of the Montessori teacher while working with children in a group activity or in the open classroom. Mrs. McClurkin will also show adults how to present transition and songs of respect and self-confidence to children. She will discuss the impact of negative words and phrases, as well as ordering and questioning, in the young child’s life.
The adults will learn how to listen to children with empathy and how to phrase a deep concern or feeling in a positive way. They will also see special lessons in “grace and courtesy” that encourage an atmosphere of love and respect in the classroom.
Mrs. McClurkin will present problem scenarios, discuss “whose problem it is” and how to respond to the children in an authentic and human, yet respectful manner.
STARS’ hours available upon request.
When:
Upon request. Suggested timeframe: 9 am to 12 noon; 1-3 pm
Where:
Montessori schools, upon request.
Cost: To Be Arranged
Montessori Plus School 