In the family channel, we try to touch on many subjects. Education of our children is certainly a priority to us all. In the past, we have delved into the shortcomings of the public school system (as a whole), and examined charter schools. In the weeks to come, we'll be exploring some alternative methods of education. This week, we're focusing on the Montessori method.

Many parents are acquainted with the existence of Montessori schools. They are found throughout the country and in fact, the world. Generally, there is an understanding that Montessori seeks to educate the whole child and often, "Montessori kids" are able to read at age four. Parents concerned with giving their children a good start often choose Montessori because they believe it will give them an educational edge.

Montessori schools are abundant for the preschool years (ages 3-6). In actuality, the Montessori method is one that spans from infant through high school. It is also not merely an educational method, but in fact, a philosophy that can be applied for life.

Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952) believed that each individual has an innate talent. When this is realized, the individual is happy and well-adjusted and can make an optimal contribution to society. Do you as an adult feel that you are "miscast" in your chosen profession? Montessori doctrine would say you were not given the opportunity to discover your chosen path and consequently, you are not doing what could give you true joy.

To discover his or her own talent, each child needs to be exposed to experiences pertaining to all facets of life. To this end, Dr. Montessori designed manipulative materials for all subject areas. Freedom within limits leads children to make responsible choices and develop self-discipline and self-esteem.

If you have visited a Montessori classroom, you may have been surprised that the atmosphere was so peaceful. Children are busy working by themselves, with another child or with a teacher. Free choice is key in the method. Children can take work down from the shelves and work with it for as long as they like. They only call on a teacher if they need help. They are responsible for putting the work back exactly as it was found and in the right location. This is done in consideration for the next child who chooses the work. If a child spills something, he is also responsible for cleaning up his mess and is shown how to sweep and mop.

The independence aspect seems a bit foreign to some. We are accustomed to seeing a teacher as the star around which the children orbit; in Montessori, the children are the stars. The Montessori teacher is more of a guide, trained to respect the child and to help her progress on her own unique path. The child works best when left to his own devices, and interference on the part of an adult only serves to break his concentration.

Teachers do offer presentations on new materials to individual children and provide group lessons to the entire class as a part of circle time, but mostly, they are to be active observers, quietly watching from the background. When children are doing what they enjoy, they are happy, so you don't see the typical fighting and acting out so typical in traditional preschools. The Montessori teacher training is quite rigorous. They must have college degrees and complete extensive graduate work in Montessori, which can take from one to three years, depending on the program and the credential.

Most people don't realize that preschool teachers usually only need to have completed a bare minimum number of education credit units (varies by state) and may not even need to have a college degree.

The Montessori class is designed to serve a broad age range. The primary (preschool) level spans from age two and a half or three to six years old. The lower elementary level is for six- to nine-year-olds and the upper elementary is for nine- to twelve-year-olds.

The younger children benefit in that they are able to learn from the older children and the older children gain maturity as they help take responsibility for the younger ones. Montessori materials have many "layers" built into them, so that the same material that challenges the three-year-old can challenge the six-year-old at a different level.

The Montessori class seems big. The traditional size of a preschool class is 24 children with one teacher and one assistant. The larger size is not to take away from providing the children the attention they need, but to encourage them to work independently and develop patience as they wait to use a material, or for the help of the teacher. Some teachers also like the fact that the class size encourages multiple social relationships.

When visiting a Montessori classroom, you may be intimidated by all the strange looking "stuff" on the shelves. Montessori materials are unique, and it is impossible to know what they are used for unless it is explained to you! All good Montessori schools make sure the parents understand the methods and the materials as fully as possible. This is done through written materials, required reading of Dr. Montessori's books, videos and discussion groups among teachers and parents. Many schools make this is a requirement, which is a good idea for obvious reasons.

The curriculum is a rich and wonderful experience for the children; it is broken down as follows:
Practical Life: This includes cleaning, polishing, self-grooming, pouring liquids and solids.
Sensorial: This applies to exercises that work on developing the senses, through a variety of intriguing exercises that isolate a sense, including smelling, tactile, auditory, visual discrimination, and even taste.
Math: This involves the use of beautiful wooden manipulatives and incorporates sensorial aspects for better comprehension.
Language: This is broken down into a variety of writing and phonics exercises.
Cultural Subjects: This is an enriching and diverse subject area, which includes music, art, botany, zoology, physics, world geography and international culture.

In addition, some, but not all Montessori schools also engage in peace studies. This involves teaching children how to resolve conflict and develop compassion and tolerance for others, including those of other cultures, races and backgrounds. Some I have seen even go so far as to feature a peace table, a designated place where children can go to work out their differences. (All of us could use a little peace work!)

Montessori teachers try to capture and nurture a child's natural love of learning and indeed the children work for the joy of it. They are more concerned with the process of an activity, than the actual outcome-unlike adults.

The children are respected and seen as possessing an unusual sensitivity and intellectual ability to absorb and learn from their environments. In fact, Montessori stressed the importance of the early years, especially the first six years, which she defined as the "absorbent period." Children are able to absorb effortlessly from their environment and learn at a rate unequaled later in life.

Dr. Maria Montessori was the first woman to attend medical school and the first female medical doctor in Italy. She was acclaimed by many as a genius for her work with children and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. She learned about children from children-by observing them.

Dr. Montessori advocated helping children to be independent. She said that children crave independence. This is a dilemma for most mothers-at least it was for me. Essentially, the Montessori philosophy seems to go against the grain of the natural maternal instinct. As moms, we want to do everything for our children and make their lives easier, but in fact, that is holding them back from attaining the independence they desire. Montessori teachers show two-year-olds how to put on their own shoes and coats and insist that they do it on their own. They are encouraged to pour their own juice, make their own snack and clean up after themselves.

The truth is that it is harder to let them do it on their own, isn't it? You stand there, aware of the passing time and become more and more frustrated as your child valiantly struggles with the act of dressing himself. You can't stand it any longer and you jump in to "help" him. According to Dr. Montessori, we are hindering, not helping and taking away from their sense of success and self- esteem. She even implies that it is somewhat degrading for them to be helped. You may have sensed this when your helping was met with sheer antagonism! When you do stand back-in fact, leave the room-and let your child do for himself, you are amazed to see him beaming with pride as he excitedly says: "Mommy, I did it all by myself!"

We've spoken about the preschool level. There are, in fact, not many schools that accommodate the older years. Sometimes, a school will provide for the preschool and lower elementary years. I live in the Dallas area, and there are just two Montessori schools (that I'm aware of) in the entire greater Dallas-Ft. Worth area that span from preschool all the way up through eight grade. Montessori materials are expensive, teachers are difficult to find at that level, and there is also a lack of acceptance for Montessori for older children.

There is a general feeling that it is wonderful for the younger children, but older children in Montessori may not advance as they would in traditional education. My four-year-old has been in Montessori for two years already and is thriving. His school goes through first grade, which is helpful, but I wish it went higher. If such a school did exist in my area, I would definitely check into it. Just as there are good schools and not-so-good schools in the private and public arenas, I would also not assume that a school is first-rate, just because it is labeled "Montessori."

Dr. Montessori created the Erdkinder school (children of the earth) for the high school years. This takes their raging hormones and sets them free on a farm! The students actually run the farm as a business and gain a great deal of responsibility through practical means. Spending time in nature, being very hands-on and taking responsibility for the business, are all integral parts of the program. At this point, I do not know of any Erdkinder schools operating in the U.S.

There are many associations that accredit the schools (eg. AMS, AMI, MACTE), but I would research them just as I would any school. Especially, a school that is targeting elementary students should be able to show some history. A school that has been operating for years and has many satisfied parents and happy kids would be a safe bet in my book. I would also recommend that you ask to observe a classroom in a Montessori school. They will give you many guidelines to follow so you do not disturb the class, but you will be able to learn a lot by observing a few classrooms and comparing in your own mind and heart.

Montessori has been successful for many children, including those who have attention deficit disorder or learning disabilities. The children have freedom of movement, are not confined to sit at a desk all day, are able to use hands-on materials, and can progress at their own pace. Personally, I have not heard of many children who have not enjoyed it - but once again, there is a wide variety among the schools and you need to find the one that is right for you and your child. Where will your child be happy? That is the key question, of course!

For information on Montessori schools, there are many directories on the Internet, including
http://www.Montessori.org/school-directory-index.html
and http://www.montessoriconnections.com/schools.directory.shtml.