Hello, In this section we would like to encourage you to share your Learning Journey. A learning journey is a story of yourself, I found that the big moments for me weren’t so much qualifications and positions, but unexpected meetings, books and chance encounters. We would encourage you to include any photographs, links or short …
Introduction to Inclusion
The posts here come from my experiences in the classroom when I met children who needed something extra. Some children required me to have a much clearer understanding of specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia and to allow those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to manage their learning in novel ways. I …
Comparing the approaches of Montessori Education and Play Therapy
Is it possible that Play Therapy and Montessori education principles and values make them ideally suited towards each other and simply the way they use the language of ‘work’ and ‘play’ seems to set them apart. Could ‘Play Therapy’ materials be used as Montessori Materials for the troubled child as a way to make abstract …
Listening
We constantly receive a high spectrum of frequencies which we consciously process and some which our ears take in but we do not consciously notice, these frequencies may still effect us. Many harsh sounds in our environment cause us to ‘tune out’ frequencies and noises so we do not listen well. We need to be …
Rhythm
This begins very early in the Nido and Casa. For most of the exercises no material is used, we simply isolate rhythm from the rest of music, by clapping or having simple percussion instruments. The exercises can be given in any spare few minutes, in the same way singing and movement can be given. Clapping …
Singing
Introduction: Sing with the children each day learning a song each week, it is important tho have variety. Have a good music player and sing along, use acoustic instruments to support you. It is possible to sing their names, to sing as a group, with clapping. Begin with rhythm early and add singing so the …
Movement
Introduction: To be able to participate in movement, children must be able to choose to control their movement, they also need motor control and awareness to be able to listen and feel the music. Brain Gym exercises can be used for children who have not developed this naturally to help to connect the two hemispheres. …
Scientific Experiments with Sound
Striking – water glasses Material Description: Two sets of 4 identical straight sided glasses. One set is marked in a graded fashion to indicate the amount of water needed to produce the first 4 tones of a major scale the other set has no indication. Pitcher of water Mallet Bucket Method: Pour water into the …
The Story of the Grand Staff
Introduction: This is not a story of Dr Montessori, but it follows her idea that it is important to teach through stories at the Elementary level. So Kay Baker and Greg McDonald decided that there should be a Story for Music as there is no story for Music and Art. Material Description: Bells or tone …
Tone Bars
A Sensorial Introduction to Tone Bars This is a very sensitive material, it is not easy to fix or replace them, they are similar to the bells but there is only one set so they cannot be paired, there is no external control only the ear. There are twenty-five tone bars, one for each tone …