Montessori Today A Comprehensive Approach to Education from Birth to Adulthood

by LILLARD, PAULA POLK

• ISBN13: 9780805210613
• ISBN10: 080521061X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1996-01-30
• Publisher: Schocken

Summary

Paula Lillard, director of a Montessori school ranging in age from 18 months to fifteen years, provides a clear and cogent introduction to the Montessori program for the elementary and later years. In detailed accounts, Lillard shows how children acquire the skills to answer their own questions, learn to manage freedom with responsibility, and maintain a high level of intellectual stimulation by using the Montessori method. This is an essential handbook for parents and teachers who have chosen the Montessori alternative for the older child.

Author Biography

Paula Polk Lillard is the author of Montessori: A Modern Approach and Montessori in the Classroom. She is cofounder and director of the Forest Bluff School in Lake Bluff, Illinois.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Preface
The Origin and Theory of Montessori Education	p. 3
Goal of Montessori Education
Historical Background
Planes of Development
Human Tendencies of Behavior
Activity Based on Interest
A Plan of Education
Overview of the Primary Years	p. 24
Goal of the Primary Years
Sensitive Periods
Absorbent Mind
Hand and Brain
Education Begins at Birth
Infant Classes
Young Children's Community
Parent Education
Children's House
Sensorial Materials
Language and Mathematics Material
Social Development
Normalization
The Child's Work
Changes at the Second Plane	p. 44
Physical Changes
Intellectual Curiosity
Independence from Family
Social Exploration
A Reasoning Mind
Moral Development
Powers of Imagination
A New Plan
The Great Lessons and Key Lessons	p. 54
A Plan for the Imagination and Reason
Keys to the Universe
The Five Major Stories
The First Great Lesson
The Remaining Great Lessons
A Sample Great Lesson
Team Effort and Discovery
The Key Lessons
A Sample Key Lesson
The Results of Cosmic Education
The Classroom Environment	p. 77
The Prepared Environment
The Classroom as Workshop
The Montessori Materials
A Sample Presentation
Prepared Children
The Elementary Teacher	p. 87
The Prepared Adult
Moral Development
The Teacher as Link
Social Grouping
Non-Interruption
Teacher Qualifications and Training
Freedom and Responsibility	p. 98
A Classroom "Bill of Rights"
Journal Keeping
Individual Meetings
Care of the Environment
An Expanded Environment
Community Service Program
Why Montessori in the Elementary Years
Scenes from an Elementary Classroom	p. 115
A Morning Visit
A Meeting with the Elementary Teacher
The Beginning of a Classroom Day
The End of the Classroom Day
The Planes of Adulthood	p. 152
History of the Adolescent Program
Psychological Characteristics at the Third Plane
Activity Based an Interest
The Prepared Environment
Academic Program
Flexibility of Schedule
Human Social Organization
The Value of Work
Advantages of a Residential Setting
The Prepared Adult
Freedom with Responsibility
Montessori Secondary Schools Today
Results of Montessori Middle Schools
The Fourth Plane: The Years from Eighteen to Twenty-Four
Montessori: Present and Future	p. 177
Appendix: A Student's Reflections	p. 187
Notes	p. 191
Bibliography	p. 197
Index	p. 199
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.