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17/6/2020

Video tour of Rushmore House Montessori preschool

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This video show the class room of Rushmore House Montessori preschool. The video will show you the facilities and explain how they support the Montessori curriculum.

This video was filmed in May 2020, just before the classroom was reconfigured to promote safely measures as we emerged from the Corona virus lock down. This is the normal layout that you will see from September 2020.
Request to visit Rushmore House Montessori preschool

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16/6/2020

Video, Montessori Mathematics

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​Montessori - What Is Math?
My Works Montessori by Kelly and Lisa.
Viewing time: 3 minutes

Kelly explains what is special about Montessori: that children learn concepts before numerals, that one is small, ten is big. Lisa links back to the Sensorial learning area and explains how they prepare your child for mathematics. The Sensorial materials materials in groups of ten and provide the concept of quantities. Kelly continues to tell us that Montessori maths is taught in a hands on way not abstract way, so children can hold the quantities in their hands.
Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ5-LHwxG3I

First Five materials

The Montessori mathematics materials are introduced in a specific order by your child’s teacher. Your child has to be secure in their use of each material before moving on to the next material.
First five materials
  1. Montessori number rods - quantities, no symbols
  2. Sandpaper numerals - symbols
  3. Number rods and cards -  quantities and symbols, quantity fixed, numerals loose
  4. The spindle box - zero, numerals fixed, quantities loose
  5. Cards and counters - odd/even, no control of error

​Montessori number rods

By Blooming Hearts Montessori, Lara Akinmolayan
Viewing time: 4 minutes

Lara shows how the Montessori Counting Rods are presented. These are the first Mathematics material your child is shown. Your child will be familiar with this sort of equipment because the Sensorial area has a Montessori material called the Red Rods which are the same size but in one colour. Using the Counting Rods your child will learn the quantities one to ten. The Counting Rods are sized to impart the understanding of quantity without any number symbols.
​Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4i4DOxf8KI

Montessori Sandpaper Numbers

My Works Montessori, Lisa and Trevor
Viewing time: 4 minutes

Lisa explains how the Sand Paper Numbers are used to teach the number symbols to your child so they can recognise them. Quantities are not taught. Lisa has a child called Trevor to help show how a lesson is performed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Elb4j04tzVs

Montessori ​​Number rods and cards

Montessori Number Rods and Number Cards Random
Montessori Training - Montitute, www.montitute.com
Viewing time: 2 minutes

In this Video a child uses a variation of the Montessori Rods and Cards exercise. The loose numbers (number cards) are matched to the fixed quantity (Counting Rods). This combines what your child learnt in the first two lessons. You should now be able to appreciate how important it is for a child to show confident ability in the previous activities to be able to engage with this activity.
Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yI-ELMcJkc&t=17s

The Montessori ​Spindle Box

My Works Montessori, Lisa
Viewing time: 5 minutes

Lisa shows us how the Montessori Spindle boxes shown to a child.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndWLMFGOLpc

Montessori Cards and Counters

​Kids U Meta Minute: Cards and Counters
Kids U Canada, www.kidsu.ca
Viewing time: 2 minutes

This video shows a child using the Cards and Counters activity. Loose numbers are linked to loose quantities. The child also explores the concepts of odd and even. In the video the term partners is used to describe pairs of counters that make a number even. At Rushmore House Montessori preschool and Orpington Montessori preschool we use the term friends.
Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXuJpv5hoac
Your child has now completed the first five activities. They have learnt:
  • The quantities one to ten.
  • The number symbols 1 to 10
  • How the numbers are linked to the quantities
  • The concept of zero
  • The concept of odd and even

Montessori Mathematics does not end here. Materials and activities are available to teach children up to the age of six.
Related articles:
  • ​Montessori curriculum
  • ​​Video, how Sensorial materials support Mathematics​​

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14/6/2020

Video, How Sensorial materials support Mathematics

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​An Introduction to the Montessori Math Curriculum
Educational Video Publishing, www.evid.com
Viewing time: 5 minutes

This video describes how the Sensorial learning area supports the Mathematics learning area of the Montessori curriculum. It is the beginning part of a longer video which gives an overview of Montessori Mathematics.

The Montessori Sensorial materials form a foundation for maths, developing the mathematical mind for:
  • Ordering
  • Sequencing
  • Precision

The Sensorial materials build concepts of numbers and the ability to concentrate. The activities teach:
  • Sequence
  • Recognition
  • Sequence of numbers 1 to 10

The video continues to describe some of the activities of early mathematics.
Youtube link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLxs2rQlHIs

Related articles:
  • ​Video, Montessori Sensorial materials support
  • Montessori curriculum

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10/6/2020

Video, Montessori Practical Life

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Practical Life activities are also known as the Activities of Everyday Living
Jenny from Sunshine teacher’s training, Jakarta, Indonesia. 
Viewing time: 7 minutes

This video is of a class in a Teacher training college. Jenny is explaining the principles behind the Montessori Practical Life materials to student teachers. She explains how low level shelves enable children to choose activities themselves. On the shelves the activities are arranged in order of difficulty. The materials should be complete otherwise children will become distracted trying to find missing items. Material should be real items that could be found in anyone’s home.
Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq0tlJTxuac
MONTESSORI AT HOME: Practical Life for Toddlers

Ashley, Montessori at Home, Denver Colorado, USA
Viewing time: 10 minutes

Ashley has a 22 month old child. Children can start Rushmore House Montessori and Orpington Montessori preschool after their second birthday, only a couple of months older than Ashley’s child. Ashley tells us that Practical Life activities are the easiest to do because they do not involve special equipment, you just involve your child with whatever you do around the house. This helps your child to feel part of the household. Ashley shows us her daughter contributing to everyday household activities.
  • Laundry and putting away own clothes
  • Loading and unloading the dishwasher
  • Pet care and plant care
  • Cleaning up mess, sweeping and cleaning, tidying up
  • Cooking, preparing food and preparing snacks
  • Setting the table
  • Self care: Washing hands, brushing teeth, putting on own clothes
  • Putting out rubbish and putting a new plastic bag in the bin
  • Replacing toilet rolls

At Rushmore House Montessori preschool and Orpington Montessori preschool we have a special Practical Life area in the classroom that contains many activities that help children develop skills they can use every day in the classroom, and at home. 
Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Uyzls0Xs0U

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7/6/2020

Video, Learning colours with Montessori Colour Tablets

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Montessori Sensorial Lesson - Color Box I & II
By My Works Montessori, Kelly https://myworksmontessori.wordpress.com/

Viewing time: 10 minutes

The Sensorial learning area of our Montessori curriculum refines your child’s ability to discern with their senses and describe what they experience. In his tutorial video Kelly shows you how to present colours to your child. The Montessori materials are called Colour Tablets and this video shows how to use the first two exercises: Colour box 1 and Colour box 2.
  • Colour box 1 Introduces the concept of colour and colour name using the primary colours blue, red and yellow.
  • Colour box 2 Introducing secondary colours to your child:  green, orange, purple, black, white, grey, brown, and pink. The primary colours, blue, red and yellow,  are also included in the set.

Dr Maria Montessori’s original material was made from silk thread wrapped around a frame. In the preschool we have a wooden version of the colour tablets, but, as Kelly says, you can make these at home using a PC printer. Kelly shows you how to do matching games with your child.
Youtube line: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLnu9aMjor8

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6/6/2020

Video, Montessori Sensory materials

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Viewing time 6 minutes
Educational Video publishing, Presented by Anna Perry (Seton Montessori Institute); Content consultant: Pauline Holten-Snider.

Anna Perry is the Executive Director of Seton Montessori Institute and Schools and serves as a lecturer for all of Seton’s academic programs: https://setonmontessori.org/institute/about-seton/administration-staff/

Anna Perry explains the purpose of the Sensorial Montessori materials. The sensory materials help each child refine their sensory awareness, their understanding of the world. The materials extend vocabulary, tying the vocabulary to something they are touching for example rough, smooth. 

The concepts and vocabulary will support studying maths, both at the preschool and much later in Primary school. Anna uses the example of geometry. The vocabulary will help in literacy by expanding your child’s use of adjectives, describing words, For example sweet, sour, and rough, smooth

Materials used in the video:
  • Sandpaper tablets
  • Knobed cylinders
  • Pink tower
  • Insets for design
  • Trinomial cube
  • Bells
  • Constructive triangles
  • Geometric solids
  • Tasting bottles

We have these materials in Rushmore House Montessori preschool and Orpington Montessori preschool in their own area of the classroom. We do not use the Montessori Bells or the tasting bottles. The senses of sound and taste are exercised through different materials.
Youtube link: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0jPh6yDqQc

Related articles:
  • ​Video, how Sensorial materials support mathematics
  • Montessori curriculum

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4/6/2020

Video, How to choose a Montessori preschool

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​Viewing time: 13 minutes
By Montessori at Home, Hapa family, Ashley
Ashley is a mother of two young children from Denver Colorado, USA. She writes a blog and has a video channel about bringing up children using the Montessori method. In this video she gives us her opinion on how to choose a Montessori preschool for your child.
Photo of Ashley from Montessori at Home
Ashley describes the top things you should be looking for in a Montessori preschool.

“A Montessori classroom is very different from a traditional classroom as the children are encouraged to become independent and self sufficient and confident from as early as possible.”

Accreditation
Ashley explains that the Montessori name is not controlled and any school can use the name without being truly Montessori. She says it is best to have tour of the school. Accreditation is a good indicator that the school is applying the Montessori method in their curriculum.

Environment
The classroom and premises should have child size furniture, low shelves and Montessori materials. The atmosphere will be quieter because the children are focused on activities.

Teachers
Most teachers should be trained Montessori teachers. In a tour you may observe teachers working one-on-one or small groups. Teachers acting more as guides rather than traditional teachers.

Children
You should see self directed learning at each child’s pace with children self selecting materials. The children should have a long period of time to work and play without interruption.

​Important differences between the US and UK

Age in preschool
In Denver Colorado children must be 5-years-old on or before October 1 of the year of enrollment to be eligible to start Primary school. In the UK most children start in the September after their fourth birthday. This means that Ashley’s children may spend up to a further year in preschool when compared to our children. This is a significant amount of time in a child’s life. The older American children will be performing at a much higher level that their younger UK counterparts. They may be engaged in different activities and have different needs.

Montessori accreditation
Whilst the Association Montessori International (AMI) does have a presence in the UK of about 30 preschools most of the 700 Montessori preschools in the UK are affiliated to the Montessori Schools Association (MSA), which is part of the Montessori St. Nicholas Charity which has it’s training school Montessori Center International (MCI) based in London. The main accreditation body in the UK is the Montessori Examination and Accreditation Board (MEAB) which is part of the MSA. There are 124 accredited Montessori preschools in the UK and only two of them are in Orpington:
  • Rushmore House Montessori preschool
  • Orpington Montessori preschool

Rushmore House Montessori preschool

Accredited by the MEAB
Show accreditation

Orpington Montessori preschool

Accredited by the MEAB
Show accreditation
Youtube link: ​​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BreeVKxi4Y

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3/6/2020

Video, What Is Montessori and Why Do It?

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By: MONTESSORI AT HOME, Hapa family, Ashley

Viewing time: 11.33 minutes

This video is by Ashley, a mum of two young children in Denver Colorado USA. Ashley has used the Montessori method in bringing up her children. She begins with the story of how Dr Maria Montessori started the Montessori movement with her first Children’s House in a poor suburb of Rome in 1907.

Ashley explains how Montessori is practised. She talks about the prepared environment in her home and shows us the changes she has made to support her children’s learning. She talks about toys and Montessori materials and respect for the child and the environment.

Finally, Ashly explains why she uses Montessori in her home, how this helps her as a parent and the advantages she believes her children will gain.

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2/6/2020

Video, Montessori School Education

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Viewing time: 3 minutes 34 seconds

This video provides an overview of Montessori education. It starts with how Dr Maria Montessori started her first school and what she discovered by observing the children. She observed that children showed episodes of deep concentration and multiple repetitions of the same activity. Dr Maria Montessori created the materials after she realised that children understand better when all their senses are engaged. 

Montessori is used in a variety of settings and age groups. There are some common features:
  • Children are free to choose what to learn
  • Open classrooms that allow free movement
  • Use of specialised Montessori materials 
  • Mixed-age classes so children can learn from each other
  • Uninterrupted blocks of time to engage with the Montessori materials and other activities
  • Highly trained Montessori teachers

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Rushmore House Montessori preschool

Our accredited Montessori preschool in Pratts Bottom village, Orpington

Orpington Montessori PreSchool

Our accredited Montessori preschool in central Orpington

Orpington Holiday Club

Our holiday club for childcare in the school breaks

Orpington 11+ tuition

For older children studying for Grammar school entrance exams

Contact us

rushmorehousemp@gmail.com
01689 856066 (office)
07957 324314

Natural Learners Ltd.
32 Spur Road
Orpington
BR6 0QL
Copyright Natural Learners Ltd. © 2015 - 2020
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