flynn088

Dr. Montessori determined that young children experience a sensitive period for music development between the ages of 2 and 6 years old. There are many benefits to developing a child’s musical ability. In addition to fostering a love of music and the arts, developing musical abilities builds skills related to math and language. It has been shown that music development helps children build pattern recognition and spatial reasoning, both of which are important math skills. Current research also shows that music skills share neural pathways with language development. Building music skills helps develop auditory abilities and phonological awareness, which are necessary for reading development. As well, children who are actively involved with music from an early age are more likely to speak clearly and develop a strong vocabulary. Speech functions are also improved though music. For instance, singing has been known to aid children who have speech impediments such as stuttering. Music Educat...

“Oh, I know you!” Those were the very first words I said to my newborn son, just moments after giving birth to him almost 22 years ago. I held him in my arms, looked him in the eye, and realized that I really did already know this beautiful tiny baby. Throughout our two days in the hospital, I found myself talking to him: asking if he was hungry, singing a nonsense made-up on the spot song when I changed his diaper, telling him how his little clothes were presents from his grandpa and grandma, and reassuring him that I was there with him when he was crying. Talking to him just came naturally. He had heard the sound of my voice for nine months, so I knew that he knew me, too. When and How to Talk to Babies Some people wonder when and how to talk to babies. The answer is simply to talk to babies as you would talk to anyone else. Even if the conversation is one sided, your baby is listening and absorbing your words, your actions, and your tone of voice. There are everyday tasks such as fe...

NAMC is happy to welcome a guest writer for this edition of our blog. Ashley Taylor is a freelance writer, photographer, and advocate for people with disabilities. She created DisabledParents.org to provide information and resources to other parents with disabilities. When she isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. Congratulations! You are having a baby. It’s exciting and wonderful — and a little bit scary, too. Don’t worry, because every new parent feels that way. The fact is, at least 4 million Americans with disabilities are raising children (Through the Looking Glass). Whether your disability is visible or invisible, it is going to impact your parenting, and you are going to have questions and concerns — but put your fears to rest, because you will be an excellent parent no matter your circumstances. What to Expect When You Are Disabled and Expecting People are going to ask rude and intrusive questions. This actually isn’t limited to disabled pa...

Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed. —Maria Montessori Words of Wisdom, p. 58. Two headlines recently popped up in my newsfeed, and as a parent of a young university student, I was curious to learn more. Former Stanford dean explains why helicopter parenting is ruining a generation of children Emma Brown, Washington Post Helicopter parents stir up anxiety, depression IU News Room/Indiana University In the first article, Julie Lythcott-Haims suggests that parents, in an effort to protect and shield children from failure, do more harm than good. Over-helping, she says, causes harm by leaving our young adults “without the strengths of skill, will and character that are needed to know themselves and to craft a life.” (Brown, 2015) Although parents may think they are promoting healthy self-esteem when they help their children, research indicates otherwise. Lythcott-Haims cites statistics that demonstrate an increase in depression and other emotional health probl...

All the people on this impressive list of authors, statesmen, scientists, entertainers, and athletes have one thing in common — they are all dyslexic! Learning disabilities include: Perceptual handicaps Brain injury Minimal brain dysfunction Developmental aphasia Learning disabilities are not: Visual, hearing, or motor handicaps Intellectual disability Emotional disturbance Caused by environmental disadvantages Children who have a learning disability have, according to the 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), “a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using spoken or written language, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or to do mathematical calculations.” Montessori Teachers Working to Understand Learning Disabilities: Education for Every Child Learning disabilities cannot be outgrown and they are not a result of laziness, poor academics, or a poor home li...

ADHD is a misunderstood disorder. Many people associate it with hyperactivity or with a child who fidgets, is constantly moving or talking, and has trouble participating in quiet activities such as silent reading time. Conventional classroom settings ask children as young as 3 and 4 years old to sit still, listen, follow directions, and work quietly. Montessori tells us that movement is crucial to learning. Sitting still at such a young age is difficult for all children, but for children with ADHD, it is almost impossible. How do we tell if a child has ADHD or if this is just a child who has a lot to say, has more energy than most, or is less socially mature than his/her peers? And we need to remember that the inattentive subtype (ADHD-I) has very little, if anything, to do with hyperactivity. There are some strong indicators that teachers and parents should be aware of in order to make a referral to a medical professional. Indicators for Referring for ADHD Behaviorally Socially Emot...

My son was diagnosed with ADHD-I (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-Inattentive) when he was 18 years old. In high school, he struggled as math classes became more and more complex and abstract. A true Montessori student, he was able to explain the big picture ideas and theories, but he had difficulty with step-by-step application. After a series of events that led to psycho-educational testing, we were all surprised by the ADHD diagnosis. How could we have missed it? ADHD is a common developmental and neurobehavioral disorder affecting at least 50 genes and affecting the prefrontal and parietal lobes of the brain. (Comings, 2005) In short, this means that the brain cells and neurons have difficulty communicating with each other. Prevalence of ADHD across Cultures (2003) UK 16.6% India 11.2% The Netherlands 9.5% US 9.1% Germany 6.4% Hong Kong 6.1% Canada 5.8% China 5.8% (Faraone, 2003) It is estimated that 5–10% of the global child population (Faraone, 2003) and 1–6% of the glob...

It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put in giving. — Mother Teresa I met a fifth grade boy recently who was happy to share his feelings about the upcoming holidays. “I’ve given up on Christmas,” he said. “I’ve come to realize that, no matter what I ask for, what I really want I just won’t get. I asked for an Xbox last year and got a book. Whenever I ask for video games, my mom tells me to go outside and play. Why doesn’t she understand I just want to be like the other kids?” I have to admit, his cynicism tugged at my heart strings. I know his mother, and I know and respect the reasoning behind her parenting decisions and their family values. I know, too, that she feels guilty at times over values, wants, and needs. Gift Giving as a Montessori Parent In her article “Anger, guilt and spending on kids: 8 questions to ask before buying anything,” psychotherapist and parenting coach Debbie Pincus states that “Guilt and anger are both uncomfortable emotions; and as different as t...

Lately I have been hearing about parents worried about “summer brain drain.” Their worry seems compounded by the plethora of advertising on the web, marketing ploys aimed at keeping children constantly learning. I have also seen signs on telephone poles for all sorts of learning camps, and even the local library’s summer reading series is focusing on retention. From the media, it appears that as soon as students walk out of school on the last day, their brains instantly turn off and the flow of information stops and even regresses. Summer learning loss is a real phenomenon, more often effecting children who are from lower income families. On average, however, the regression is not significant and equals about a month of learning. (Raulerson, 2013) Without formal instruction, mathematics tends to suffer more than reading. (Raulerson, 2013) This makes sense as it is easier for most parents and students to pick up a book than specfically work on math skills. Incorporating Montessori Learn...

We discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being. —Maria Montessori The Absorbent Mind, p. 8. I was recently talking to a friend of mine who has three children under the age of seven.  She told me she had been planning a quiet summer with a daily swim at the pool, a few trips to the library, and maybe a few play dates.  She was felt overwhelmed, then, when her seven year old said that sounded fine, but what he was really looking forward to was doing summer homeschool! Ideas for Parents for Montessori Summer Learning - Follow the Child! What Do I Do? Parents often think that our children need some quiet down-time in the summer to rest and renew themselves after a long school year. But we need to remember that they are in their sensitive period for learning! Adults can turn their brains on and off – I work 8–5, Monday through Friday; I learn when I take specific classes; I res...

" When you hold an infant, hold him not just with your body, but with your mind and heart. " – Magda Gerber In our continuing blog series studying the works of Montessori, we have looked at the first nine chapters of The Absorbent Mind . All over the world, educators and caregivers find common ground in many of Montessori’s ideas– especially so when it comes to the care of infants. Psychologist Laura Berk, like Montessori, states that “knowledge of the world is first gathered through the senses.” Berk notes the physical changes in heart rate and respiration in infants when there is a change in their environment – someone new arrives, there are new pictures on the wall, or mother starts wearing new cologne. (Berk, 2006) Montessori Values Around the World – Supporting an Infant's Development with Conscious Interaction Modern child philosophers also discuss the importance of respectful awareness of children, beginning at birth. Magda Gerber’s RIE philosophy calls for “res...

“Children become like the things they love.” — Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind , p. 101 A carefully prepared environment is central to the teachings of Maria Montessori. We often think of the Montessori environment as the classroom itself. However, the environment extends to all of the conditions that influence the physical and mental growth of the child. Studying the Works of Montessori - The Absorbent Mind, Chapter 9: The First Days of Life Dr. Montessori was very clear about the environment needed immediately after birth. She states that for the first few days the infant should be in direct contact with the mother. The surroundings must not be harsh, since this is infant’s first experience after the moderated, safe surroundings of the womb. “There must not be too much contrast, as regards warmth, light, noise with his conditions before birth, where in his mother’s womb, there was perfect silence, darkness, and an even temperature.” (Montessori, p. 98) The bond of mother and inf...