tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1117296640129926884.post7710319214024167843..comments2014-06-04T17:45:53.849-07:00Comments on Montessori Insights: FOSTERING CREATIVITYAline D. Wolfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00954653958449905670noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1117296640129926884.post-76520682483287219682011-05-01T14:21:02.058-07:002011-05-01T14:21:02.058-07:00Yes, I loved the Montessori classroom (K,1,2). It...Yes, I loved the Montessori classroom (K,1,2). It was such a shock when I was suddenly thrown into a traditional christian school at the 3rd grade level where they were using antiquated teaching techniques. Montessori sought to find and nourish the inspiration in the child, the natural zest for learning. At the parochial school we had to sit still in wooden desks all day listening to the teacher. Students spoke only when called on by the teacher. It was so odd. We did so much more in the Montessori school. Kids were teaching other kids how to count, how to match colors, how to spell. The information spread faster through the group. The teacher could not predict from day to day what the children would get excited about. A book perhaps, a big counting project, pouring water, planting seeds, painting. There were lots of choices, and the kids weren't tied to any one set of tasks. I saw a similar thing when I was taking martial arts. Some days the black belts would work with the white belts, some days the green belts worked with the white belts, etc. The sensei would go from group to group during the class to check in and help. By mixing things up this way it kept it interesting for the kids, and again, the knowledge spreads faster for 2 reasons. One, you seem to learn something better when you teach it to someone else, and two, the teacher isn't the only one teaching, so it opens the format. I can't see inside every classroom in the country, but I would hope the techniques are improving with each generation.grass-hopperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07444067157731310244noreply@blogger.com