Program Model Reflection Paper

Debra Zamot

4/14/04

Program Model Reflection Paper

Earlier in the semester I visited the Millhopper Montessori School. I went early in the morning and was able to see the children engaged in academic activities. The children first sat together in a circle on the rug and did their morning routine. It consisted of several songs and a calendar activity. After the morning circle the teacher called some children to meet with her and dismissed the rest of the children to work on their own. The teacher gave her students a brief lesson and sent them out to work on their own.

While the students worked independently the teacher met with small groups of children at a time to review specific lessons. She pointed out to us that there was a wide range of abilities and age between the children. She explained that the children paced themselves and worked at their own level. Her role while she was not teaching was to walk around and assist students. Sometimes she even interrupted students. This part of her behavior was not true to the Montessori model because in the original Montessori the teacher played a more background role. She praised the children a lot for their efforts and motivated them. One thing that she did that was consistent with the original Montessori was to walk away from a child and not tell him when he got an answer wrong. I thought that was odd because the child went on thinking he was doing it correctly.

One of the main characteristics of Montessori is the use of specific materials. The classroom was filled with a wide variety of materials. This school has tried to remain true to the original set of materials by ordering from a company that specifically supplies to Montessori schools. The materials were color-coded and appealing to the children. For example, they had color-coded counting beads that were used in addition and multiplication. The children knew their ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands by the color of the beads. The materials also allowed for only one correct answer in order for the children to be able to work independently.

While I was there the teacher had to address behavior a couple of times. I was amazed because the children were working well with such little supervision. Most children worked in groups. When a child got too loud the teacher would ask the child to move to another activity or work by his or her self. The original Montessori ruled that if a child became disruptive the teacher should change their environment and if they did not calm down they would be sent home. The teacher said that at this school they do send children home because they realize that the Montessori setting was not for everyone and some children cannot perform well under such little supervision.

I enjoyed my visit to the Montessori school because it was different from anything I had seen before. I was surprised when the teacher spoke to me about parents who drop off their children before dawn and pick them up after 6pm. She also mentioned that some parents do not understand Montessori but simply enroll their children as if it was a daycare because they offer extended hours of service. Although I enjoyed my visit and I was impressed with the children and the school I was not pleased with this program model. It did not sit well with me that four year olds were reading, writing and multiplying. I do not understand what is the rush to get children into academics at such a young age. I found myself thinking, “this is impressive but, is it necessary?” I feel like children at this early age should be more focused on social development and learning through play and exploration. Montessori does not provide for children to be children.

I also visited the Abacus Learning Center, an autonomous eclectic school in Haile Plantation. The visit to this school saddened me deeply because I think the parents are under the impression that their children are receiving great education but I did not see that. I went on a Friday, which they called “fun Friday.” They were talking about the letter “M.” Some children brought items from home that started with the letter “M” to share with the class. After they shared, the teacher showed each child a flash card and they had to say what number was on the flash card. If they guessed the correct number, they could go to a board and write the letter “M.” After they wrote the letter, they would sit at a table for snack. At 9 o’clock in the morning snack consisted of pretzels, M&M’s and apple juice. The teacher tried to do a math activity with the M&M’s.

I noticed that the teachers were not consistent in their praise. They were also inconsistent with their behavior management. There were four teachers in the room and they seemed to not know what was going on. They did not give the children clear directions and then yelled at them when they did something wrong. The teachers expected the children to behave a certain way but did not establish rules with them.

The room was spacious and equipped with several centers. It was decorated with the students’ work from previous units. It seemed that the children completed a lot of meaningless crafts. The focus of this school seemed to be on product and not truly on process. The teachers used flash cards and repetition. It was obvious that the children were simply repeating information without understanding it. They used a variety of materials that were appropriate for young children but they were not used in a way that allowed the children to explore. Most crafts on display were identical to each other. The children followed patterns are did not experiment creatively with their materials.

I am grateful that I was exposed to both of these program models. I learned valuable lesson from each model that I would use in my classroom. For example, I liked the way the Montessori teacher let her students work independently. I think that children become more responsible for their learning in an atmosphere like that one. The Abacus model involved the family and promoted a sense of community among the children. In my opinion, the best model for teaching includes features from all the program models. All the models we studied in class have their flaws as well as their benefits but ultimately a combination of all the models would work best in any classroom. Teachers must keep in mind that each child is a unique individual and should not be conformed to one model.