In the Montessori classroom, learning materials are arranged invitingly on low, open shelves. Children may choose whatever materials they would like to use and may work for as long as the material holds their interest. Moreover, the materials are self-correcting. When a piece does not fit or is left over, the child easily perceives the error. There is no need for adult "correction." The child is able to solve problems independently, building self-confidence, analytical thinking, and the satisfaction that comes from accomplishment. When they are finished with each material, they return it to the shelf from which it came. The materials themselves invite activity. There include bright arrays of solid geometric forms, knobbed puzzle maps, colored beads, and various specialized rods and blocks.  The classroom is set up in subject areas that include:  Math, language, sensorial, practical life, geography, science, music, and art.

Math

     The Montessori classroom has a wide variety of materials that introduce the basics of math.  This allows the child to become familiar with numbers at an early age.  The idea of quantity is inherent in all of the math materials.  The young child is enabled, through repeated work with the materials, sandpaper numbers, number rods, etc, to learn the names of the numbers as well as to come to totally understand the 'concept' of the number.  ("If I want 5 and I have 3, I need 2 more.")  The golden beads are used to introduce the decimal system; ones (units), tens (ten bars), hundreds (hundred squares), and thousands (thousand cubes).  With the golden beads, he will use the hands on approach to learn operations such as, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. 

Language

     Montessori speaks of the development of language - not the teaching of it. Language development follows fixed laws which are the same in all children universally. Each child absorbs the language of his group, whether it is simple or complex, learning all the rules of syntax and grammar. (speaking 'as if' one knows the rules. i.e. past tense - I parted my hair - I passted 5 and now I'm six.) Language is, of course, an integral part of any Montessori classroom, through encouragement of self-expression, lessons, and freedom of conversation.  Beyond this there are many materials that will encourage writing and spelling.  The metal insets are used for strengthening the child's pencil grip.  The sandpaper letters encourage correct formation of each letter.  The moveable alphabet enables the child to spell words before, perhaps, her pencil grip is strong enough to actually write on paper.  In the Montessori classroom, a child learns to write before she learns to read.  In this way, the child feels a bit like she 'invented' how to write a word.  Once the child learns all of her sounds and starts puting words together (writing) she very soon realized that she can also read!

Sensorial

     The sensorial area of the Montessori classroom is designed to help the child refine his senses, to organize and make sense of the things that he is taking in about the world through sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. Each material in this section isolates one quality such as color, length, texture, sound, etc. In this way, the concept that the child is to discover is isolated. For example, the material known as the pink tower is made up of ten pink cubes of varying sizes. The child constructs a tower with the largest cube on the bottom and the smallest on top. This material isolates the concept of size. The cubes are all the same color and texture; the only difference is their size. Other materials isolate different concepts: color tablets for color, geometry materials for form, red rods for length, and so on. As the child's exploration continues, the materials interrelate and build upon each other. For example, various relationships can be explored between the pink tower and the broad stair, which are based on matching precise dimensions.

Practical Life

     The practical life area in the Montessori classroom is filled with activities to help the child learn real life skills.  These are practical activities such as pouring water or cutting a banana.  The practical life materials are very bright and attractive especially to the younger children in the classroom and they have many added benefits that will help in their future endeavors.  As an example, there are many works that require the child to use a tool such as tweezers which help to develop her fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.  This will eventually aid in her pencil grip for writing.  Many of the pouring works give an introduction to mathematical principles as well.  A child may have to pour from one large container to two smaller ones introducing the concepts of fractions and dividing. A very popular bonus in this area is that the child learns quite a bit about clean up! When some of the water that a child is pouring spills, she goes to the clean up shelf, gets a sponge and the clean up bucket and takes care of her mess.  Clean up is not seen as a chore, rather, as a part of the work (often the most fun part!) 

Check back soon to read more about geography, science, music, and art.