Montessori training is a very important part of moulding educators who can easily handle young children while ensuring they learn independently.
A diploma in Montessori teaching prepares teachers to understand and practice the philosophical approach of Montessori. Moreover, they practice the development of the child; through practical grouping and learning activities.
With an online Montessori course, future teachers can acquire the required skills from any location because it is convenient while providing the needed training in an equally proper way.
What is Montessori Diploma?
A diploma in Montessori teaching is a specialized certification that prepares teachers to use the Montessori method more skillfully in the classroom. Montessori education is a type of education that is focused on children to be independent thinkers, creative and critical through child-initiated activities. It is centred around the idea of learning with your child, where children can develop their learning styles, curriculum and personalities.
The Montessori diploma includes many aspects of this form of education such as child development, curriculum planning and management, and conduct in the classroom. The knowledge, gained within this qualification, qualifies teachers to be aware of children’s learning abilities. Also, it gives them the necessary means to create a challenging outdoor play area for young children to develop curiosity and explore.
The best way to get the diploma without having to attend classes is to join an online Montessori course. However, these online programs offer intense training and realistic experience and are preferable for anyone who has to go along with Montessori education training.
What is EPL in Montessori?
EPL is an abbreviation used in Montessori education to refer to Exercises of Practical Life, which are basic activities used to enable children to exercise freedom of movement, hand, mind, and order. Such exercises include exercises where the child pours water, buttoning clothes, sweeping, and other tasks that the children notice in their immediate environment.
In EPL, children can understand how they work in the environment around them. In this way, they gain confidence as well as can handle responsibilities.
To become a Montessori teacher, an understanding of EPL is an integral part of a diploma in Montessori education. Particularly, many of the online Montessori course has comprehensive sections devoted to the presentation of the individualities. The course includes how to explain and practice these exercises and how teachers should prepare for this step in the Montessori approach.
Overview of the Three-Period Lesson in Montessori Education
This is an important teaching technique in Montessori method of teaching, where children are taught in a three-part lesson to present new ideas and words to them. This approach is very blunt, yet very efficient, as it helps children not only understand but also memorize what has been explained to them. The three periods are:
- Introduction (Naming): The educator shows the learner an object/teaches the learner about something and gives it a name (e.g. This is a triangle).
- Recognition (Identification): The child is required to point or in other ways signal to the object or concept by its name (e.g., Can you find me the triangle?).
- Recall (Cognition): At this last stage of learning, self-recall in the form of prop-word identification is used (e.g., “What is this?”).
The three-period lesson is useful, as it makes the child listen to the new material and actively work with it through repetition and question-answer procedures. They say it is a strong approach to creating knowledge and self-esteem for young students.
The diploma in Montessori teaching comprises of the three-period lesson that is among the most used teaching practices that trainers are trained to implement in class. Educators also learn more general principles and practices of the Montessori approach which includes respect for the child’s freedom within the structure and a prepared environment.
For those who chose an online Montessori course to get the certification, this method is explained with practical examples and ideas on how to apply the Montessori strategy in practice.
Understanding of Sensorial Education in Montessori
Sensorial education belongs to the fundamental principles of the Montessori way of teaching. Its goal is to refine and develop a child’s senses. In this way, children create distinctions, groupings, and concepts of the surrounding reality. They work with sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. This practice also creates sensory knowledge and helps form concepts of what is math, language, science etc.
Objects used in the sensorial area of Montessori education are Pink Towers, Color Tablets and Sound Cylinders. These materials are useful in enhancing the ability to observe, compare and differentiate as well as concentrate and solve problems among children.
A Montessori teacher program offers a deep understanding of using and the importance of sensorial education. They are taught how to display these items as well as how to provide children with learning experiences using these items, in a manner that embraces the development of individual children.
In Montessori, teachers receive training in how to organize a learning environment that is addressed to the senses of children which is very important in the Montessori learning process.
The Importance of Montessori Education
The Montessori learning methodology endorses balanced child development for young students, physically, emotionally, socially, as well as intellectually. To this end, the Montessori method enables children to learn in an independent, creative and critical way with a lot of self-confidence.
Another principal concept of Montessori is the multitude of children’s abilities, which enables each of them to go through lessons as fast as possible, in an environment filled with means for learning and gaining experiences on their own.
The diploma in Montessori way of teaching prepares educators to understand how they can establish this vibrant learning platform. They are expected to monitor each child’s learning style and support them appropriately, to help them maximize their learning, and use different and various kinds of learning materials that are developed to make children curious and develop their sense of discovery.
Why Choose Montessori Over Traditional Schooling?
There is a clear structural difference between Montessori and regular schooling methods, and that is the freedom of the children. In a conventional environment, learning processes are controlled, where generally the teacher plays an important role while students follow a routine pattern.
In contrast, the Montessori method of teaching adopted in this study is characterized by direct observation of the child. The child selects a learning activity he/she wishes to engage in from a set number of available activities.
Also, Montessori classroom organization encourages children to group according to their ages so that they learn from one another rather than the organization of classes in normal schools. These concepts are described in the diploma in Montessori teaching.
This makes Montessori education such a valuable weapon for change that will have a long-term bearing on a human being and his or her academics.
Montessori methods differ considerably from other approaches, as it is focused on individual learning styles for the child and encourage kids to learn on their own.
All in all, training in Montessori is a valuable investment applicable to improving teaching skills.
FAQs
How is a Montessori Teacher Different From a Traditional Teacher?
A Montessori teacher is a leader and an observer who promotes discovery and learning through independent means for children, rather than providing a lesson in a predetermined and teacher-centered manner, which is a traditional way of teaching.
What Are the Main Principles of the Montessori Way of Teaching?
The Montessori approach is based on independence, practical learning, respect for the natural development of the child, and free discovery of the environment around the child.
What Qualifications Does a Montessori Teacher Need?
Montessori teachers get a special Montessori training course and certification, besides normal teaching qualifications.
How Do Montessori Teachers Support Independent Learning?
They offer well-selected materials, monitor the advancement of each child and stand aside to enable the students to make decisions, solve problems and learn at their own speed.
What Age Groups Can Benefit From the Montessori Method?
The Montessori system allows children from the beginning to adolescence, where each stage of development has a specific program.
How Does a Montessori Classroom Differ From a Traditional Classroom?
Montessori classrooms are student-focused that containing mixed-age groupings, learning materials that are possessed by hand, and freedom of movement, in contrast to traditional classes that have rows, lectures and set programs.
Do Montessori Teachers Give Grades or Tests?
No, Montessori teachers do not mark and give grades and tests. The progress can be evaluated by observing, using portfolios and mastering concepts at their own pace by the child.
