 
Last modified
12/17//2007
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Montessori Overview
In the early 1900s Maria Montessori established an educational model based on her own scientific observations of how children learn. Her educational theory is grounded in the belief that children could teach themselves and benefit from a natural learning process. The Montessori philosophy is an alternative to traditional education. There are number of key traits that characterize the Montessori philosophy and the type of environment that is conducive to a natural learning process. These traits include but are not limited to:
- Multi-disciplinary, integrated curriculum includes language, mathematics, geography, history, writing, sciences, and cultural arts
- Emphasis in teaching respect and courtesy within a peaceful learning environment
- Active "hands on" lessons with specialized materials
- Self-paced individualized learning
- Multi-age classrooms
- Parents as equal partners in education
The Springbrook Elementary Montessori Program is able to incorporate these elements into classrooms in a variety of ways. The teachers create multidisciplinary projects and activities that weave together the core subjects of Language, Math, Science and the Arts. Teachers emphasize a positive tone in class and model respectful behavior. Montessori instructional materials are used for small group instruction and student activities. Many of the Montessori classes are multi-age and instructional assistants support the implementation of the rigorous curriculum. |
Links to Montessori Affiliations |
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| Centenary of the Montessori Movement |
www.montessoricentenary.org |
| Centenary of the Montessori Movement: Champion the Cause of All Children celebrates the Montessori Movement which began 100 years ago when Dr. Maria Montessori opened the first Casa dei Bambini in San Lorenzo in Rome, Italy. |
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| The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) |
www.montessori-ami.org |
| The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) was established in 1929 by Maria Montessori and was guided for more than 50 years by her son and close collaborator, Mario M. Montessori. Located in Amsterdam, AMI's objective is to uphold and safeguard the quality of Montessori training and the passing on of Maria Montessori's heritage through her educational philosophy and methodology, including the materials and their presentation. |
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| The Association Montessori International—USA (AMI/USA) |
www.montessori-ami.org/amiusa/amiusa.htm |
| The Association Montessori International—USA (AMI/USA) is the United States branch of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). It is located in Rochester, NY. |
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| The AMI Elementary Alumni Association (AMI-EAA) |
www.ami-eaa.org/index.html |
| The AMI Elementary Alumni Association (AMI-EAA) is a community of Montessori teachers who support one another in their professional development. All members hold an elementary diploma issued by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). |
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| The North American Montessori Teachers' Association (NAMTA) |
www.montessori-namta.org |
| The North American Montessori Teachers' Association (NAMTA), an affiliate organization of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), Amsterdam, Netherlands, was founded in 1970 as an organization of Montessori teachers, administrators, and interested parents throughout North America. Its purpose is to maintain Montessori traditions and, at the same time, to be on the cutting edge of innovative education. The website offers information about Maria Montessori, Montessori schools, and the curriculum at all levels of Montessori schools from infancy through adolescence. NAMTA provides publications, an audio-visual collection, electronic communications, conferences, and research and service projects throughout North America and the world. NAMTA is a membership organization open to anyone interested in Montessori education. |
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| The links above are cited at http://www.ami-eaa.org/links.html (AMI-EAA Links web page from AMI Elementary Alumni Association, Copyright © 2005. All rights reserved. Site by Wildwood, Inc.) |
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| The American Montessori Society (AMS) |
www.amshq.org |
The American Montessori Society promotes Montessori education in AMS accredited schools, publications, conferences and supports teachers trained in AMS teacher education programs. |
Montessori Elementary Entrance Procedures |
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Incoming first grade students:
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Montessori Elementary Program Interest Cards may be filled out only if the student is currently enrolled in a kindergarten program and currently of kindergarten age. We will not accept interest cards of students that do not qualify based on the above criteria.
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For grade and age appropriate students, we will collect Montessori Elementary Program Interest Cards throughout the school year until the fourth Friday of February.
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On the first Friday of March we will then perform a lottery process selecting a number of potential students from the collection of applicants to participate in an on-site evaluation process (same as in the past). From this process, we will select the students that will be offered placement in the first grade program.
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Students that are offered a place, must either accept or decline at the time of the offer. If accepted, we will process all paperwork through the office staff. If the place is declined, that student will no longer be on the waiting list for future consideration. Parents have the option of completing another interest card for future years.
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Consistent with previous years and policies, we hold a small number of evaluated and accepted students, called alternates, in case of placement declines and family relocations. This will stay the same and these students fill the first slots in the event of any opening. If all alternates are called and have been placed or decline, we will then go to the waiting list as determined by the lottery.
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Students that are evaluated and not accepted have the option to become part of the waitlist, but will be added at the end of waiting list of all students that have not been evaluated.
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Once the complete waitlist for incoming first grade students is complete, that list will be carried over to the next grade level in the exact order it is in when created, repeating this each successive year.
All other students 2nd-6th grade:
If you are currently on the waiting list for the program in one of these grades (2nd-6th), we ask that you fill out an interest card today and give it to us. We will follow up by making phone calls to those parents that are not able to attend the Parent Information Night and create grade level waiting lists using the same lottery process described above.
In any case, if your child is offered placement and that invitation is declined, he/she will have to re-apply to the program for future consideration.
GENERAL SELECTION CRITERIA
All classes will reflect the Montessori elementary philosophy of multiage classes. The Montessori program will strive to maintain heterogeneously mixed classes, based upon gender and ability, in order to provide children with enhanced learning opportunities. All students will be evaluated on an annual basis for continued enrollment in the Montessori elementary program.
SPECIFIC SELECTION CRITERIA
All students must demonstrate the ability to function well both socially and emotionally in a Montessori multi-grade classroom. The student's parents must submit the following documents to Springbrook Elementary within two weeks upon request by Springbrook:
- Current progress report with literacy level noted.
- Language work sample
- Math work sample
- Personal interest work sample
- Confidential Recommendation Form, signed by the student's current teacher,
indicating that the prospective student demonstrates independence, motivation to work and learn, willingness to work collaboratively and cooperatively, ability to make responsible academic and social choices, and behavior which is both respectful and supportive of others.
- Letter to Springbrook Elementary giving permission to provide the parents' address and telephone number to the Montessori Parent Support Committee for fundraising and volunteer efforts.
Upon receipt of the above requested information, and based on student placement as a result of the lottery process and/or position on the waiting list, the student may be scheduled for an in-class visitation in a Montessori elementary class. The visitations will begin in March and may continue through May. Parents will receive written confirmation of their child's status in June.
PARENT COMMITMENTS
An effective Montessori program requires a significant parent commitment to become informed and to participate fully in both the Springbrook Elementary School and the Montessori elementary program. Parents shall:
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Provide on time transportation for their children to and from Springbrook in order to ensure continued enrollment in the program, because Springbrook does not provide after school playground supervision.
- Encourage and support their children in the fulfillment of schoolwork.
- Give their enthusiastic support to the implementation of recognized Montessori practices such as:
§ Students remaining with one teacher for two years and are in a multi-grade classroom.
§ Students fulfilling national, state, and district requirements through work with Montessori elementary materials.
Give their full support to the PTA parent projects and activities of both the Montessori elementary program and Springbrook Elementary School.
Give their full support to the fund raising activities of both the Montessori elementary program and Springbrook Elementary School. |
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