Share Night: A Glimpse into Your Child’s Montessori Journey
During Share Night at PVMS, your child(ren) will lead their visitors around the classroom, demonstrating the lessons and activities that are part of their daily learning. This is an evening filled with pride as children introduce you to the materials that are special to them and showcase their growing independence and skills.
The Montessori method emphasizes hands-on, self-directed learning, and Share Night provides a perfect opportunity to experience this approach in action. Central to Montessori education are specialized learning materials, or "works," designed to foster curiosity, independence, and critical thinking across all age groups. These materials guide children from hands-on exploration to deeper abstract understanding, building a strong foundation for lifelong learning. As a follow-up to Share Night, here are descriptions of some works and their purpose- so you can recognize and appreciate them if you see them!
Early Childhood (Ages 3-6):
Pink Tower
Description: A series of ten pink wooden cubes, varying in size from 1 cm³ to 10 cm³, stacked to form a tower.
Purpose: Develops visual discrimination of size, enhances fine motor skills, and introduces concepts of dimension and order.
Reference: The Pink Tower is a fundamental sensorial material in Montessori education, aiding in the development of a child's visual and tactile senses.
Sandpaper Letters
Description: Cards with letters made of sandpaper, allowing children to trace them with their fingers.
Purpose: Integrates tactile and visual learning to introduce letter shapes and sounds, preparing children for reading and writing.
Reference: Sandpaper Letters are used in Montessori classrooms to help children connect sounds with symbols, laying the groundwork for literacy.
Elementary Years (Ages 6-12)
Golden Beads
Description: Beads representing units, tens, hundreds, and thousands, used to teach mathematical concepts.
Purpose: Provides a concrete understanding of place value and arithmetic operations, facilitating the transition to abstract math.
Reference: Golden Beads are integral in Montessori math education, helping children grasp foundational mathematical principles.
Grammar Symbols
Description: A set of symbols representing different parts of speech, each with a unique shape and color.
Purpose: Assists children in analyzing sentence structure and understanding grammatical relationships.
Reference: Grammar Symbols are used in Montessori classrooms to visually represent parts of speech, enhancing language comprehension.
Montessori materials are more than just classroom tools- they are carefully designed to align with a child’s natural development, encouraging exploration and mastery at every stage. Whether building foundational literacy and math skills in early childhood, strengthening analytical thinking in elementary years, or applying knowledge in real-world contexts during adolescence, these works create a strong framework for lifelong learning. By fostering independence and a love of discovery, Montessori education helps students grow into confident, capable individuals ready to take on new challenges.
Here are some additional resources as a window into each classroom: