Anyone can achieve Montessori learning in any environment with the right tools, whether in a classroom or at home. Introducing dry erase products encourages your children or students to explore creatively, confidently, and at their own pace.
What is Montessori Learning?
Montessori learning was pioneered by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician, over a century ago. Montessori learning is a child-focused approach developed for educating children and has been transforming schools around the globe. The Montessori Method fosters a rigorous, self-motivated environment to encourage the growth of children and adolescents in all areas of their cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development.
Montessori education is student-led and self-paced but guided, assessed, and enriched by knowledgeable and caring teachers, the leadership of their peers, and a nurturing environment. "When a child is given a little leeway, he will not shout, 'I want to do it!' But in our schools, which have an environment adapted to children's needs, they say, 'Help me to do it alone.' - Dr. Maria Montessori, The Secret Childhood.
Montessori classrooms are designed to create natural opportunities for independence, citizenship, and accountability. Children embrace multi-sensory learning and passionate inquiry. The learning style of a Montessori classroom is immediately recognizable. You will see children working independently and in groups, often with specially designed learning materials, deeply engaged in their work, and respectful of themselves and their surroundings.
Montessori learning encourages children to think critically, work collaboratively and act boldly with integrity. Individual students follow their curiosity at their pace, taking the time they need to understand each concept and meet personal learning goals fully. Given the freedom and support to questions, prove profoundly, and make connections, Montessori students grow up confident, enthusiastic, and self-directed learners and citizens accountable to themselves and their community.
The Montessori Classroom
Montessori classrooms have the same nurturing environment for a child's creative mind, with only slight changes to suit the given age group. The Montessori classroom for very young children gives your infant or toddler the freedom to explore and learn safely through discovery. The classroom setting is calm, inviting, and homelike featuring soft rugs, a rocking chair, books in arm's reach, and toys within baskets.
The classrooms feature muted colors and a peaceful atmosphere; the space is organized, clean and uncluttered. The Montessori classroom is a community in which respect for the independence and character of your child is paramount. Equipment that supports gross and fine motor skills, such as low ladders with railings for children learning to walk, is available for toddlers to try. This can be child-sized furniture, utensils, and other tools that encourage children to make independent choices and complete activities. During these learning opportunities, children will build self-confidence, concentration, and critical thinking skills.
Dr. Maria Montessori believed that learning and moving are inseparable concepts. In a prepared Montessori classroom, children work with specifically designed manipulative materials that invite exploration and engage the senses in the process of learning. Classrooms allow for uninterrupted blocks of work time, typically around two-plus hours, allowing children to work at their own pace and fully immerse themselves in an activity without interruptions.
Dry Erase Tools and Montessori Learning
Dr. Maria Montessori did not develop learning materials for infants and toddlers, leading to the creation of tools designed in the spirit of her work. These materials go far beyond the traditional plastic squeak toys for chewing on and plastic blocks for banging together. Instead, these toys offer authentic and meaningful learning experiences. Montessori learning materials are easily accessible and foster concentration, problem-solving, and a sense of achievement. Children can select the materials that interest them, use them for as long as they like, clean them up, and make another choice.
No matter your child's or student's life stage, there are many ways to adapt dry erase Montessori products according to their interest and abilities. Custom design your student dry erase lapboard, large magnetic dry erase sheets, traditional boards, and more that meet the needs of your classroom. MyWhiteBoards offers a wide range of entirely customizable dry erase products allowing you to create the perfect product for your needs.
You can design and upload your own Montessori board or choose from any designs shown on our websites. Lapboards can be paired with Opti-Rite® MSA Dry Erase covering to create a more interactive and versatile learning experience.
Creativity and Art in Montessori Learning
Doctor Maria Montessori did not believe in the idea of the ability to "teach" a child to become an artist; however, she firmly believed in nurturing children's creative abilities and teaching them to develop "...an eye that sees a hand that obeys, and a soul that feels." In Montessori learning, students are exposed to the world of aesthetics and visual arts daily through various learning experiences: art study and creative expression, themed art projects, science and culture, recyclables, nature, and sensorial expression.
Implementing art into the Montessori curriculum can help children develop propensities that make learning processes flow. Encourage children to explore their creative abilities with art supplies at eye level, giving them agency in their learning. The introduction of Opti-Rite® Self-Adhesive and Magnetic Receptive Dry Erase Wallpaper allows for endless opportunities within your classroom. Opti-Rite® MSA is an excellent option for the school, whether you apply it to the walls, create your magnets, or create dry erase surfaces throughout your classroom.
Anyone Can Implement Montessori Learning
Montessori learning believes that education is not to prepare a child for a job but teaches children to become full humans and members of the human community. Whether you are a teacher at a Montessori school, a parent of a Montessori student, or want to implement a Montessori environment for homeschooling or other purposes, using simple and versatile materials is essential. Many materials used in the Montessori environment can be adapted to each brain and body development stage. The key distinction from a typical toy is that Montessori toys are simple and create minimal distractions.
Implementing dry erase surfaces allows for a minimalist aspect to be introduced into your classroom while encouraging creativity, learning, and thinking. Working on the dry erase feeling can encourage students to practice their fine motor skills, independence, critical thinking, and more.
Montessori Activities With Dry Erase Products
Nature is All Around Us!
Getting Comfortable with Letters
Exploring Colors
About OptiMA® Inc.
We are a woman-owned small business whose products are made in the USA. We specialize in dry-erase boards, dry-erase wallcoverings, portable dry-erase units, high-quality custom-printed whiteboards, fast shipping, and five-star customer service. Over the last three decades, we’ve worked hard to deliver industrial-quality whiteboard solutions that won’t hurt customers’ budgets.
Source:
- American Montessori society. Montessori Resources for Schools, Teachers, Families, and Parents. (n.d.). Retrieved August 31, 2022, from https://amshq.org/
- Juju. (2021, July 14). Art process in Montessori Education. Montessori Academy. Retrieved August 31, 2022, from https://montessoriacademy.com.au/art-process-montessori-education/