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Purpose
The Montessori Planning Committee, comprised of 11 members, convened to prepare an update about Montessori education, provide an overview of the current implementation of the Montessori education method in Guilford County Schools, and make recommendations for sustaining and continuing its successful implementation.
Background
Montessori education is a method of schooling developed by Maria Montessori, a physician and educator, in the late 19th century in Europe. Maria Montessori was a pioneer in the study of child development. She graduated from Rome Medical School in 1896 and applied scientific study to her observations of the academic, emotional, physical and social development of children. She trained a generation of teachers and wrote many books on her theory and practice
Montessori education is different from traditional education methods. It is characterized by multi-age classrooms; a special set of educational materials; individual and small group instruction in both academic and social skills; student-chosen work; and a high degree of independent activities, as well as teacher directed activities that foster students’ desire to learn. In the Montessori approach, students are provided the opportunity to explore and work at their own pace and in their own learning style. Instruction is guided by the teacher. A co-teacher (teacher assistant) assists in the primary and early elementary classrooms. There are more than 5,000 Montessori schools in the United States, including approximately 350 public schools.
Guilford County Schools Montessori Method
Three GCS elementary schools, Triangle Lake, Erwin and Washington, offer Montessori education. This school year, the schools serve a combined total of 1,075 students in grades PreK-5 which includes students from racially and socio-economically diverse populations. The schools have the same focus and mission while distinctive characteristics make them unique from one another. Triangle Lake is a magnet school with an attendance zone. Erwin is a dedicated magnet school and Washington in year one of its Montessori model, is a magnet school for grades PreK and Kindergarten with an attendance zone.
The GCS Montessori schools blend the practices of Montessori education and the North Carolina Standard Course of Study (SCOS) with the state-mandated End-of-Grade (EOG) proficiency exams. They offer a combination of multi-age classes based on the needs of students; competence of the teaching staff in managing multiple levels of students; program and curricula requirements. Teachers are both Montessori-trained and state-certified.
Implementation Issues
The schools experience difficulty in maintaining enrollment and reducing attrition in the upper grades. As an example, an increasingly high percentage of 4th and 5th grade Montessori students qualify for and transfer to the advance learner program at Lincoln Academy. The draw of a new school in an attendance zone may also be a factor in upper elementary student attrition. Unlike other magnet programs, Triangle Lake and Erwin Montessori do not enroll new students who have not had previous Montessori children schooling.
Based on declining enrollment in the upper grades, there may be advantages to increasing the number of Pre-K seats at the three Montessori schools. The additional seats will serve as potential feeders for the Montessori schools. Additionally, GCS staff has consulted with the Department of Public Instruction, Office of School Readiness to explore potential More at Four (MAF) funding for Montessori PreK seats. The additional PreK seats can also result in additional MAF funds that can help support and sustain Montessori education.
Continuous recruitment and training are critical needs for Montessori implementation in each school. A particular need at each school is adding Upper Elementary II training (ages 9-11) for teachers in grades 4 and 5. Lower Elementary I training must be completed before Upper Elementary II training may be offered.
Recommendations
- All three schools will add new students through second grade and provide additional support to transition first and second grade students in to the Montessori learning environment. As approved by the Board of Education last year, Washington Montessori will serve all attendance zone students by also accepting new students in grades 3-5. The three schools will develop a transition plan using existing staff to assist in transitioning new students in first and second grade to Montessori expectations and practices. The schools will also explore the possibility of sharing a transition support position based on available funding.
- Continue work initiated with the Department of Public Instruction, Office of School Readiness in exploring potential More at Four (MAF) funding for Montessori PreK seats beginning this current school year, 2008/2009.
- Increase the number of Pre K seats at the three Montessori Schools. The additional seats will serve as potential feeders for the Montessori programs. As set forth in #2 above, the additional seats can also result in additional MAF funds that can help support and sustain Montessori education.
- Pursue accreditation for Guilford County Schools to serve as a training site for training teachers in the Montessori educational methods and philosophy.
Attachment #1 - Update
Attachment #2 - Report
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