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The Ultimate Elementary Classroom
The ultimate classroom for both boys and girls is a gentle but intense environment. In American education, this is generally a coeducational environment, in which boys and girls learn the bulk of their lessons from teachers and mentors--but also a great deal from each other.
It is widely believed that the brain requires profound person-to-person attachments in order to fully function. To some extent the ultimate classroom cannot exist without the formation of these profound bonds between teacher and students. In other words, the child that tries to learn lessons while lacking secure interpersonal attachments will be unsuccessful, thus inhibiting growth. In some (particularly larger) academic settings, children have trouble learning because they do not feel cared for on a personal level. Therefore, the ideal elementary classroom is a small group of children living together as a family.
In most multi-child families, the children are of a mixed age group. A mixed age structure provides the same benefits in a classroom that it provides in a family: older students can learn by teaching younger students and younger students grow up in the embrace of mentors. The mentors themselves mature because by taking on the elder role they are compelled to take responsibility for their actions. The older child's natural propensity for compassion and service shines when challenged by the reality of a younger student.
In the ideal classroom, everyone learns together. The human brain flourishes when stimulated not only by the teacher (who is of a different generation) but also by multi-aged peers who can help to provide order, challenge, wisdom, direction and intellectual focus. Montessori classrooms are well known for their multi-generational component. First- through third-graders learn together, as do fourth- through sixth-graders.
Another advantage of keeping students in a self-contained mixed-age group classroom is the formation of a socially ordered community. Problems that may emerge must be resolved, a challenge that allows maturity to increase. In a small school, the parents, students and teachers create a community in which they can get to know each other well and work closely toward shared goals.
In the ultimate classroom, there is a ratio of no more than 15 children with one teacher. Other adults in the classroom also provide role models for the children. Last year, a grandmother and grandfather made weekly visits to our classroom to read with the children. They even planned a field trip for the class, provided lunch for students and staff and made heart shaped pancakes for our Valentine's Day party. This year a retired Reading Specialist comes in once a week to work with the children, as does a friend named Theresa. Theresa has cerebral palsy and speaks through a computer equipped with a complex word chart, with which she can read stories and play games with the children. By relating to each other on a one-to-one basis, she and the children have developed a real friendship.
For both boys and girls, I feel that the largest advantage of a Montessori early elementary classroom is the opportunity for free movement. Brain studies show that physical movement can actually stimulate imagination and learning and that a child is actually moving energy through his/her own brain by moving the body. Science has not ascertained how this works neurologically--why movement enhances memory--but one theory is that perhaps hippocampus activity is involved when the child moves, and thus the child develops memory. Whether teaching evaporation, photosynthesis, land forms or dramatic scenes from stories, movement creates memroy and memory makes for learning. A trend in some schools is the decline or elimination of recess. Some schools use staying in at recess--making children stay indoors as a disciplinary consequence or to complete unfinished homework. This often targets the very children that need physical activity the most, and thus leads to problems later in the day that stem from the lack of movement.
Another component of the ultimate elementary classroom is cooperative learning. This year's class has been extremely creative. They have written and performed three successful plays which have involved the entire class. The brainstorming of ideas, and the cooperative writing of the scripts involve a lot of give and take. Rehearsing and directing, making posters, props, costumes, performing the play and finally discussing with the audience and with each other afterward involve many life skills as well as academic skills.
It is important to use a multi-sensory approach within the ideal classroom. Montessory methods provide beautiful and appealing manipulative materials for the children to use in their exploration of language, grammar, math, science and geography. Through use of these materials, children can learn at their own level and pace, and movement helps keep interest high. A quote from the book "Boys and Girls Learn Differently" says:
One of the finest experiential classrooms for teaching math and science is the Montessori classroom. A visit to one, and a look at the number rolls, number chains, and other manipulatives used there, is always edifying for any teacher wanting to help make the teaching of math and science very concrete and manipulative. Furthermore, Montessori's use of group learning and partner learning is also quite successful.
No single pedagogical approach works for all kinds of learning, although much current rhetoric about requirements for accountability tend to mislead us into thinking precisely the opposite. It must be remembered that success in school is conventionally equated with high letter grades and achievement scores. We will not measure success in any other way until we come to realize that problem solving, sensitive human relations, self understanding and the integration of one's total life experience are the produceds of a successful education. Successful schooling is schooling that promotes such traits to the utmost. The evidence for this kind of success is found first in the quality of the educational experience and ultimately in the kind of human being education develops.
When a classroom is conducted with human concern for students, using a variety of instructional modes, when students are involved and excited about what they are doing, when the subject matter stirs the imagination or puts the brain to work at finding new solutions, then excellent learning and accomplishments proceed. Being in a Montessori
elementary classroom is a real gift for a child. It promises the opportunity to become a young adult with individual interests that will provide deep, personal satisfaction for a lifetime.
*Information and excerpts taken from "Boys and Girls Learn Differently" by Michael Gurian.
