Some of the earliest Montessori Schools were developed in Rome in 1907. They was called the Children's Houses of San Lorenzo. The “Montessori Method” was considered by some to be scientific, liberal, and revolutionary. (2) Today's schools often use many of the original theories of Montessori but adopting slightly different approaches.
Clay in the Montessori Classroom:
Claire Willis did a study on using clay in the Montessori classroom, and she presented these results to a group of people and called it, "clay table." Many Montessori classrooms have incorporated the "clay table" into their classrooms. (10)
Clay Table:
-
Helps children with their sensory needs.
-
Kids are able to connect the environment to the clay.
-
Gives children a sense of freedom to be creative.
-
Helps children who have special needs because it can used as a self-calming technique.
-
Children are able to connect clay making with everyday life, because they are able to create objects like bowls or mugs.
-
Children also are able to connect the clay to science because they look at how the clay was physically made. (10)
McDowell Montessori Features
-
A prepared, orderly environment in which students have freedom to work on their own or in small groups.
-
Self-correcting, sequenced learning materials which help the child develop a strong foundation in reading and mathematics skills.
-
Development of self-discipline and independence built around respect for each other and the school environment.
-
Parent sessions on the Montessori philosophy and methods, with a strong emphasis on how parents can support the program.
-
Belief that learning is a life-long process. The importance of developing a love of learning is central to the Montessori Method of Education. (6)
For a close to home example of a Montessori school, we can look to MacDowell Montessori School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This school "promotes concentration, practical life and problem-solving skills as students apply knowledge in all subjects". The school uses project based, self-discovery and focuses on integrating practical life skills into the classroom. In a truly Montessori fashion, there is no mention of play. (6)