ELEMENTARY COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Montessori Philosophy & Child Development

The Montessori Elementary Philosophy course explores traditional lines of Montessori thought and pedagogy in tandem with appropriate contemporary child development theories. Sessions focus on particular components of Montessori principles and issues in developmental psychology. The course utilizes a lecture/discussion/inter-action format. Each weekly topic focuses on particular components of Montessori principles. On most days, one hour class time each day is devoted to elementary philosophy.

6-9	6-12	9-12 (for 6-12)	9-12 credential
21	30.5	11.5	25.5

 

 

Management in an Elementary Classroom

The student will be introduced to models and prerequisite psychological understandings for the following areas of Montessori elementary classroom management:

A. Starting a new class

B. Preparing the physical, spiritual and psychological environment

C. Observing, leading groups, keeping records

D. Planning lessons and schedules: yearly, weekly, and daily

E. Communicating, problem solving, planning with colleagues and parents

6-9	6-12	9-12 (for 6-12)	9-12 credential
56	87	33	47

 

 

Curriculum Design and Strategies

The student will be introduced to various theories of curriculum development, including methods for creating original material and for adapting commercially available materials to the Montessori classroom.

6-9	6-12	9-12 (for 6-12)	9-12 credential
23	32.5	11.5	12.5

 

 

Mathematics

This course presents to students, through lecture, demonstrations, discussions, and supervised practice sessions, the intellectual and historical development of mathematical thinking, the four basic mathematical processes, and competencies appropriate for elementary age children.

6-9	6-12	9-12 (for 6-12)	9-12 credential
68.5	121	52.5	76.5

 

Geometry

This course presents to students, through lecture, demonstrations, discussions, and supervised practice sessions, the historic and intellectual development of the study of plane and solid geometry, and the study of measurements.

6-9	6-12	9-12 (for 6-12)	9-12 credential
35	59	24	34

 

Language

In the 6-9 component, our approach to language is based upon the belief in the integrity of the individual child and adult as contributing members in the Montessori elementary curriculum. Within this environment, opportunities will be provided for the development of the whole range of literacy skills, reading, writing, listening and speaking.

 

The Reading component of this course is designed to be a holistic one combining traditional Montessori phonics lessons with a modernistic whole language approach, within the context of the Montessori elementary cultural subjects. The writing component of the course is centered on process writing, a non-Montessori approach that matches Montessori principles. Both reading and writing are reinforced by a grammar component consisting of traditional Montessori presentations on functions of words and sentence analysis. The course is rounded out by writing-related skill lessons on spelling and handwriting.

 

The 9-12 language course consists of lectures, demonstrations and discussions. Lectures are given to introduce components of the curriculum. Formal presentations are given to model procedures for introducing information and new concepts to children. Discussions and demonstrations are used to explore follow-up suggestions and the work of the child. Specific sessions focus on particular components of the grammar curriculum, and on writing programs.

6-9	6-12	9-12 (for 6-12)	9-12 credential
62	92	30	50

 

Geography

The 6-9 geography course consists of lectures, demonstrations, experiments and simulations. The presentations introduce fundamental concepts in physical, political, cultural and economic geography. A "creation" theme on the formation of the planet is used as a foundation for introducing the physical sciences. The course stresses the "interdependence" of seeming unrelated processes, thus revealing the underlying links within the physical and cultural character of our world.

 

The 9-12 geography course consists of lectures, demonstrations, experiments, and simulations.  The presentations introduce concepts in physical, political, and cultural geography.  A “curriculum integration” theme is used as a foundation for presenting the interrelationships of geographical perspectives.  Students are shown ways to use geography as a significant factor in history and culture.

6-9	6-12	9-12 (for 6-12)	9-12 credential
30	32.5	2.5	19

 

 

History

The 6-9 history course consists of lectures, demonstrations, experiments and simulations.  Methods are presented for aiding children in their construction of the concept of time and its graphic representations.  Chronological and topical approaches are used to show the unfolding of the history of our planet and its inhabitants.  Interdisciplinary studies are used to tie together zoological, botanical, geological and cultural studies.

 

In 9-12, students begin with studies of early humans, which are based upon previous lessons and experiences in biology, geography and the history of human culture. U.S. history is the culminating theme for older elementary students.

6-9	6-12	9-12 (for 6-12)	9-12 credential
21	39	18	24

 

 

Biology

The biology course consists of lectures, demonstrations, experiments and simulations.  Methods are presented to aid children in organizing and classifying information concerning animal and plant life.  Biological studies are presented in an interdisciplinary way so that they may serve along with geological and cultural studies to help children orient themselves in the universe, historically and taxonomically.

6-9	6-12	9-12 (for 6-12)	9-12 credential
30	48	18	24

Physical Science

The physical science course consists of lectures, demonstrations, experiments and simulations and reflective journaling.  Methods are presented to aid children in following the scientific method of hypothesizing, experimenting and observing to make educated guesses about explanations for phenomena observed. Biographical sketches, models and metaphorical stories are used in an interdisciplinary way to introduce fundamental concepts of chemistry and astronomy; and physics/simple machines. We also show students how to adapt Boston Science Museum's KITS to make sequenced, self-contained, exploratory shelf materials.

6-9	6-12	9-12 (for 6-12)	9-12 credential
7	15	8	8

 

 

Physical Education

Physical Education at the elementary level seeks to provide teacher trainees with a repertoire of activities that they can, in turn, use with their students.  The objectives for children of these activities include: increasing agility and strength, building community, learning to cooperate, learning to play fair and with good sportsmanship, and being playful. We recognize that many of our students are teaching in schools which provide a gym or movement specialist, often with a separate space; either indoors or out for movement.

6-9	6-12	9-12 (for 6-12)	9-12 credential
1	1	0	0

 

Visual Arts and Crafts

The Visual Arts course revolves around the session n which our students learn to create arts resources that can be used by their children for artistic creations connected (or not) to curriculum studies.  We recognize that most of our students are teaching in schools that provide an art specialist, often with a separate art classroom.  However, we want to enable our students to facilitate their children's spontaneous - non-scheduled - creative expressions.  We also want to encourage our students to incorporate artistic approaches wherever possible in the context of studies: publishing and illustrating language work, illustrating biology and geography work, extensions to history research, and so forth.  We present various methods for using visual arts as a component of these subject areas.  We also introduce varieties of artistic expression as examples of the range of possible second and third period work in different content areas.

6-9	6-12	9-12 (for 6-12)	9-12 credential
4	7	3	3

 

 

Music

The 6-9 music course consists of one interactive workshop in which students participate in various musical activities appropriate for the 6-9 year old child.  Songs and games, which support the understanding of fundamental musical concepts, are presented. The use of music as a component in interdisciplinary instruction is also presented.

 

In 9-12, the course continues the study of music elements begun in the 6-9 workshops using various performance media. We recognize that most of our students are teaching in schools that provide a music specialist.

6-9	6-12	9-12 (for 6-12)	9-12 credential
2.5	4.5	2	2

 

 

Practical Life

The CMTE/NY course in practical life at the elementary level seeks to enable students to facilitate their children's development of their sense of who they are and what they can accomplish as they begin to experience their expanded world.  Elementary children are moving out into a wider cultural and natural world than the one they have known as preschoolers.  Upper elementary students experiment to see what influence they can have on this broader world.  At CMTE/NY we want our students to appreciate the importance of these expanded horizons, and of the contributions teachers make in helping students learn the skills of negotiating and exploring their world.  We look for opportunities to illustrate this important task, and to model good preparatory lessons.

6-9	6-12	9-12 (for 6-12)	9-12 credential
16	26.5	10.5	15.5

 

 

 

Practicum Phase (Internship)

The function of the Practicum Phase is to provide for the student a supervised teaching/learning experience and a period of observation, and further study, to bring together the theory and practice of Montessori education.

 

The minimum elementary practicum is defined as lasting a full academic year, with the student working at the practicum site for a minimum of six (6) hours a day, five (5) days a week, for nine consecutive months.

 

In addition to the elementary practicum hours, students receive three (3) field consultation visits from a CMTE/NY faculty member, which constitutes the following contact hours.

6-9	6-12	9-12 (for 6-12)	9-12 credential
24	24	NA	24

 

Practicum Seminars (Internship)

Contact hours for practicum phase seminars are included in the schedule.

 

Independent Study

Independent Study (6-9)

Independent study is a yearlong project developing a Curriculum and Management Portfolio (CAMP) – a compilation of documents, observations, planning and curriculum design projects, record keeping/assessment activities, and reflections on those projects through the course of the school year. Each section of the portfolio, Planning, Record Keeping, Curriculum, involve specific, time-sensitive activities which are then submitted and assessed by CMTE/NY faculty and/or field consultants during the internship year to ensure that the experience of managing a 6-9 class is ongoing, meaningful and authentic. Whether an intern is self-directed or supervised, the CAMP experience provides meaningful and organized classroom leadership guidance.

Independent Study (9-12)

Independent study is a yearlong project developing a Curriculum and Management Portfolio (CAMP) – a compilation of documents, observations, planning and curriculum design projects, record keeping/assessment activities, and reflections on those projects through the course of the school year. Each section of the portfolio, Planning, Record Keeping, Curriculum, involve specific, time-sensitive activities which are then submitted and assessed by CMTE/NY faculty and/or field consultants during the internship year to ensure that the experience of managing a 9-12 class is ongoing, meaningful and authentic. Whether an intern is self-directed or supervised, the CAMP experience provides meaningful and organized classroom leadership guidance.

 

For those students who take 9-12 for 6-12, and who completed an internship in 6-9, CAMP activities for 9-12 are also required activities.

6-9	6-12	9-12 (for 6-12)	9-12 credential
16	32	16	16

 

 

 

Academic/Course Hours & Description-All Levels/Elementary