Resources

Teaching Philosophy in the Montessori Class Kaleidoscope Songs Lots to Learn: Nature Video The Children's Awareness Curriculum Montessori Home Timeline Cards Inventors and Inventions Digital History Isabel Of The Whales, New Children's Book   Teaching Philosophy in the Montessori Class We have been speaking about the importance of teaching philosophy and ethics to children at all levels for quite some time. Here are some of our favorite resources. We have worked with the curriculum materials from the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children, and can vouch for their value. Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children http://cehs.montclair.edu/academic/iapc/ "Recognized by the American Philosophical Association for excellence and innovation, the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children provides curriculum materials for engaging young people (pre-school through high school) in philosophical inquiry and provides teacher preparation in the pedagogy of the classroom community of inquiry. The IAPC also conducts philosophical and empirical research in teaching pre-college philosophy and the uses of philosophy for educational objectives including critical and creative thinking, social democracy and ethical judgment. Since 1974 the IAPC and its affiliate centers around the world have been largely responsible for the mutual encounter of children and philosophy."

NOTE: The following explanation of the Philips for Children program was found on the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children website on February 13, 2005: http://cehs.montclair.edu/academic/iapc/whatis.shtml

"What is Philosophy?

This is itself an important philosophical question, not easy to answer; but let us say that philosophy, among other things, is self-conscious inquiry into the meaning of puzzling and contestable concepts. In ancient times philosophy was known as a search for wisdom or meaning, and many of the concepts philosophers have thought about for thousands of years are ones we use to structure our daily experience. “What is justice?” “What is beauty?” “How can I be sure of what I know?” “What is the right thing to do?” “What is real?”

Philosophy is also known for the cultivation of excellent thinking. One of the most ancient branches of philosophy is logic, which includes informal logic, or “critical thinking.” But philosophy is not only an intellectual pursuit. Philosophers have tried to improve their thinking in order to better explore the philosophical dimensions of experience, such as the ethical, political and aesthetic dimensions, and in order to improve their judgments and actions within these dimensions. Philosophy helps us learn to recognize, for instance, the ethical problems and possibilities in our experience, to think through them carefully, to make sound ethical judgments and to take appropriate action. This is why for thousands of years people have practiced philosophy, not only in universities but also in business offices, reading clubs and coffee houses.

Why ‘Philosophy for Children’?

Philosophy is one of the most ancient and prestigious of the disciplines, and until recently it was thought to be too difficult and uninteresting for children (and indeed, for many adults). Yet, consider how many perennial philosophical issues are typically encountered by children as young as four or five:

• I wonder if ghosts are real or unreal.
• When Dad tells me to be good, what does he mean?
• What makes someone a best friend?
• What do people mean when they say they love me?
• That’s not fair!
• Why is time so slow sometimes?
• I think my doll is a person, not just a thing.
• Mom said I didn’t have a good reason. What did she mean?
• My parents say I should tell the truth.

• Where did grandpa go when he died?

The last thirty years’ experience in doing philosophy with children and adolescents has shown us that they are not only capable of doing philosophy but need and appreciate it for the same reasons that adults do. Children think constantly, and reflect on their thoughts. They acquire knowledge and try to use what they know. And they want their experience to be meaningful: to be valuable, interesting, just and beautiful. Philosophy offers children the chance to explore ordinary but puzzling concepts, to improve their thinking, to make more sense of their world and to discover for themselves what is to be valued and cherished in that world.

The advent of Philosophy for Children also coincides with the recognition that emerged in the third quarter of the 20th century that children are capable of thinking critically and creatively, and that a major aim of education should be to help children become more reasonable—the “fourth R”. And as reading and writing are taught to children through the discipline of literature, why not make reasoning and judgment available to them through the discipline of philosophy? However, these benefits don’t come from learning about the history of philosophy or philosophers. Rather, as with reading, writing and arithmetic, the benefits of philosophy come through the doing—through active engagement in rigorous philosophical inquiry.

Philosophy also includes the discipline of ethics and Philosophy for Children has proven to be an ideal program for values education. Children’s experience is replete with ethical concerns and issues, though they may be only dimly aware of this. And through television, the internet and other media, children today are exposed to ideas and images which not so long ago would have been reserved for adults. Like adults, children often perceive the world as a jumble of alternative possibilities. Rather than dictate a set of prescribed values to children, Philosophy for Children seeks to help them strengthen their own capacity to appraise and respond to these beckoning alternatives; to self-correct their habits of thought, feeling and action through sustained ethical inquiry. Moreover, Philosophy for Children’s egalitarian nature, commitment to varying viewpoints and insistence on the inherent value of all participants helps foster empathy and pro-social behavior as an essential basis for values education."

Philosophy for Kids (http://www.mtholyoke.edu/omc/kidsphil/) is another resource developed at Mt. Holyoak College. This site is focused on the sorts of questions that we might ask when we are leading discussion groups centered on familiar children's books.

Northwest Center for Philosophy for Children
http://philosophyforchildren.org
"The Northwest Center for Philosophy for Children is a non-profit organization that brings philosophy into the lives of young people through programs in elementary, middle, and high schools, parent organizations, and other organizations serving young people, with a particular emphasis on reaching children who are at risk and educationally disadvantaged. For teachers, parents, and other interested adults, the Center offers workshops, given by educators trained in philosophy, about ways to facilitate philosophical dialogues with young people."

Kids Philosophy Slam
http://www.philosophyslam.org
"The Mission of the Kids Philosophy Slam is to give kids a voice, and to inspire kids to think by unlocking their intellectual and creative potential through a unique and powerful philosophical forum."

Philosophy for Kids: University of Massachusetts
http://www.philosophyforkids.com
"Above all, I didn't want those kids to say to me at the end of the class, 'Now tell us what the answer is.' And, in fact, they never did that. I think that, by making the problem something that a child character in my story gave expression to, I encouraged them to think that the problem might have a solution, or at least some kind of resolution, they themselves were capable of coming up with." -Prof. Gary Matthews

VisioNaivity (Denmark)
http://home12.inet.tele.dk/fil
A hub of Philosophy for Children resources, including information on different philosophers and philosophical stories.

Philosopher's Island: Middleton Cheney Primary School
http://www.portables2.ngfl.gov.uk/pmpercival/philosophy
"Philosopher's Island is a story which asks questions. These questions are designed to explore different aspects of philosophy. We have been discussing the problems posed by Philosopher's Island."

Philosophy Class
http://www.philosophyclass.com
Provides definitions and examples of different areas of philosophy.

Philosophy & The Enquiring Child (United Kingdom)
http://www.creative-corner.co.uk/schools/tuckswood/Philosophy/index.html
"Philosophy for Children, School Council and Context Drama play an important role at Tuckswood School. The aim of this section is to promote these ideas and to link with other schools and organizations interested in developing them further."

Philosophy for Children: Stanford University http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/children
Addresses the misconceptions that pre-adolescents are incapable of philosophical thinking and that introducing philosophy crowds the curriculum and creates skeptics.

Philosophy for Children: Links (United Kingdom) http://users.ox.ac.uk/~worc0337/phil_topics.html/children
A list of resources grouped by region.

Unlocking Children’s Musical Potential With the Piano

Leave a piano keyboard open and it draws children like a magnet. Even the smallest child responds to the magical possibilities of those 88 gleaming black and white keys. The interest and the potential are there, but how do you unlock that potential?

“The first trial with music at the keyboard should be a happy experience and, by all the rules and regulations of modern education, should deal with music itself and not an approach to it. This can happen if the only reason for touching the keyboard is to bring to life a familiar melody… When tone is the medium what else is there to guide the learning, process, except: How does it sound?”

(Abby Whiteside, Mastering the Chopin Etudes)

According to the highly regarded early childhood education authority Jean Piaget, children learn ‘organically’, moving from simple to complex by adding to and building on the storehouse of information they already have acquired. New information has to be readily applicable to the child’s understanding of their known world, and arise as a natural outgrowth of that understanding.

This process is followed when children learn to speak. They begin by creating vocal sounds and imitate sounds produced by others, move on to understanding sounds and making sounds that are understood, and finally they string those sounds together for complete thoughts and conversation. Beginning readers follow the same organic process: first learning the alphabet and the sound of each letter, moving on to string letters together to create words, and then string words together for meaningful sentences.
When this learning model is applied to the study of the piano we see children play and identify key sounds, arrange those sounds into understandable sequences, and move on to position the sequences into musical expression or songs, creating music that is understandable and meaningful to themselves and others. Following this natural progression forms a strong foundation for future musical growth.

The I Can Do It! Piano Book, First Book of Favorite Songs is based on this learning model. It was developed and first used at a Montessori School in Kailua, Hawaii, with pre-school children who were interested in the piano but seemed too young for the music notation system. The natural learning progression quickly became evident as children first learned key names and keyboard geography, started understanding hand and finger technique, and began playing easy, well-known melodies. Here the groundwork was being laid for learning the ‘new language’ of music notation. The children enjoyed this learning process greatly and had a wonderful feeling of success. Older beginners also enjoyed the easy and fun success the book provided. Rather than focusing on notation, the focus became music and the piano.

A common thread in early music education in the Montessori environment and other movements, including Suzuki, Orff, and Kodaly, is that a foundation in aural and rhythmic understanding is necessary in order to proceed successfully. Aural understanding is dependent upon knowledge of melodic/song material – heard and learned through play and repetition. Rhythmic understanding comes from a body/motion understanding.

Rhythms occur constantly in everyday life - from brushing teeth, eating, walking, running and even breathing. Any repetitive motion has a rhythmic basis. The rhythms inherent in common nursery rhymes and songs become part of a basic musical knowledge for children and are easily and powerfully reinforced by singing and playing these songs and rhymes. Among the most important skills reinforced through the use of this book is this natural understanding of rhythm.
The I Can Do It! Piano Book has been successful in the home and in the classroom environment, and is particularly suited to the Montessori classroom. Students can use the material independently and the teacher, who does not need to be a professional music teacher, serves as a facilitator only when necessary. Musical concepts such as high/low, fast/slow, and patterns, are introduced as an integral part of the book and learned through use and application in the songs. This book is most appropriate in conjunction with other daily musical activities such as singing, dancing and listening to recorded music.

For the professional piano teacher the I Can Do It! Piano Book is a wonderful introduction to the piano for a beginner. By first mastering these early concepts the student is ready for the study of the notation system, which becomes a natural outgrowth of what they have already learned. Students are then able to begin to grasp the relationship of rhythmic values in notation, and move on to learn the notation system in regards to melody and harmony, all with a strong grounding in aural and rhythmic understanding.

In study after study, early childhood education in music has been shown to be extremely valuable because of the high level of absorption that occurs at this age and the impact it has on children’s learning in general. Along with that, the foundation and understanding of music that these children acquire can stimulate a lifetime of love and creativity in the arts. This book is dedicated to promoting these goals.

Christine Bemko Kril
Kapok Press LLC
1712 Augustine Ave.
Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401
540.372.2033/886.445.2765

Kaleidoscope Songs

Music by Alex Mitnick Lyrics by Alan Bell

Alex Mitnick directs the music program for children from infants to eighth grade at the Princeton Montessori School in Princeton, New Jersey. He is also on the faculty of the Princeton Center For Teacher Education where he directs workshops for non-“musicians” who wish to incorporate music into their classrooms. Alex also owns and operates Jaisol Productions, a recording studio and music production company.

Beautifully arranged and recorded entirely by live musicians, the soulful and reflective melodies of Kaleidoscope Songs extend the collective moment into conversations about personal growth and relationships. Have fun and sing together as a way of teaching children about values and the importance of reflection.

Kaleidoscope songs about gladness, sadness, or awareness make growing up real. Real fun with words that are easy for children to sing and relate to. The songs will bring adults and children together through the blending of fun, wit and variation. Look into your Kaleidoscope….
What do you see?

The Children’s Awareness Curriculum

Designed for Youth Education This program offers a series of lessons that teach young children basic techniques of meditation and relaxation designed to decrease stress and anxiety while increasing self-esteem and self-awareness. While it is too cute for my personal taste, this is a simple and easily introduced curriculum that many Montessori early childhood guides may find valuable as part of their Peace Education program. It integrates stories, songs, movement, artwork and visual aids to make it easy to introduce young children to concepts and practices that many of us are anxious to more fully include in our classrooms.

This program can be used alone or as the core curriculum in which you add and build your own philosophies around. There are 4 distinct lessons that begin the moment the children walk in the door to the moment they leave. Lessons can be used in its entirety or broken down into mini-lessons or centers. Variations and suggestions for each lesson are included.

The author, Lori Lite, recommends that each lesson should be taught over and over again. “Children enjoy the comfort of knowing what to expect as they become familiar with the class format. Repetition and practice insure that affirmations, visualizations and breathing are integrated into our children’s lives.”

This curriculum is non-denominational and can be used with any group of children.

Class Format: Each ‘session’ is structured in the following format:

1. Movement: Each class opens with a movement activity. Movement activity and song are provided. The opening activity gets the children interested and lets them see that there is a plan and they will have fun. Teachers actively participate, and pave the way for children to feel relaxed and comfortable in doing the activities. Movement, singing and laughing help children release energy before they shift into sitting and listening to a story.

2. Explanation: Children are given an age appropriate explanation of the technique they will be experiencing in the story. Basic explanations are provided in the lesson plans.3. Story time/Lesson: Indigo Dreams CD and the accompanying books make lesson time easy. The lessons and techniques are woven into each story. The children follow along as they learn life long skills and become active participants in creating their own healthy, heart driven, peaceful lives.

continued below

Here are two examples of the stories:

A Boy and a Bear: The Children's Relaxation Book by Lori Lite, Illustrated by M. Hartigan "Breathing for relaxation and wellness is a basic technique practiced by cultures throughout the world. Children love to follow A Boy and a Bear as they experience diaphragmatic/belly breathing. This self calming technique can be used anytime, anywhere. This easy, yet powerful stress management tool can offset the effects stress is having on today's children. Let’s breathe!" Price: $11.00

The Goodnight Caterpillar: The Ultimate Bedtime Story by Lori Lite, Illustrated by Kimberly C. Fox "Muscular Relaxation is essential to a good nights sleep. Children follow The Goodnight Caterpillar as they learn to unwind, relax and see things more clearly. This easy, gentle exercise relaxes muscles throughout the body as anxiety and tension slip away. Children and parents will fall asleep more easily and experience a deeper peaceful nights sleep. Sweet dreams!" Price: $11.95

Lesson format continued

4. Discussion: Children compare the way they felt before and after listening to the stories. They discuss how they should apply the techniques they have just learned and experienced to their own lives and real life situations. Conversation examples are provided.

5. Art activity: Each lesson includes an art handout to support and reinforce the lesson. The handouts are provided along with additional suggested activities.

6. Chakra Bear/Rainbow Bear: (Chakra Bear is part of the Deluxe Curriculum Package) This is a cuddly teddy bear for your class. The author describes it as being designed to introduce children to the world of color, energy (chakras) and relaxation. Teachers and parents have a tangible tool for children to hold and hug. Chakra Bear activities are incorporated into each lesson.

7. Exit: Affirmations are used as an exit tool for each session. Each child picks an affirmation from the class affirmation bowl as they leave the classroom. Additional ideas are given on how to leave the classroom.

Basic Curriculum Package contains: Awareness Lessons complete with detailed step by step instructions plus $84.00 worth of additional products including 4 books: A Boy and a Bear, The Goodnight Caterpillar, The Affirmation Web, A Boy and a Turtle, plus Indigo Dreams CD/audio book and the Rainbow Flag set, all packaged in a sturdy storage case.

Basic Curriculum package $159.00 plus shipping

Deluxe Curriculum Package contains: Awareness Lessons complete with detailed step by step instructions plus $122.00 worth of additional products including 4 books: A Boy and a Bear, The Goodnight Caterpillar, The Affirmation Web, A Boy and a Turtle, plus Indigo Dreams CD/audio book, Rainbow Flag set, Chakra Bear with Rainbow coloring book and Rainbow Sun Catcher, all packaged in a sturdy storage case.

Deluxe Curriculum package $179.00 plus shipping

Lite Books
Office 770.321.4066
Fax 866.302.2759
www.LiteBooks.net
http ://www.litebooks.net

Lots to Learn: Nature Volume I (DVD)

Age Range: 2 - 5
Price: $19.99
Phone: 516-799-4376

Normally I do not recommend canned videos and such, but this time I will make an exception. This is a delightful video (actually one of many that this small firm has produced) that can serve as an extension of your outdoor hikes, gardening, and nature study with young children from age two through five. It features captivating visuals, engaging and imaginative live-action video, and colorful, interactive animations. Excerpts explore shapes, sounds, colors, exercise, and science in the natural world. Parents can also play memory games with their children. The production includes original, fun and energetic music that will encourage your child to dance along and sing along. The producers of "Lots to Learn" have been creating educational videos for children for nearly twenty years.

http://www.lotstolearn.com
info@lotstolearn.com

Montessori Home

Bringing Montessori Methods from the Classroom to the Living Room
Now Montessori teaching aides are available to everyone, allowing parents to teach their children to read in their own homes.

The company offers several programs. Here is how the producer, Bob Korngold, (Well-known Montessori teacher educator Carole Korngold's spouse), describes them in his own words:

The Montessori Home™ Reading Advantage Program

"The Montessori Home™ Reading Advantage is a hands-on, interactive learning program that empowers parentss to lay the foundation for reading, teach their child to read, and nurture a life-long love of learning.

It includes:

• Parent's Video Actual parents show you how to create rich, nurturing, and rewarding learning sessions with your child.

• Parent's Guide and Video Reference Card Step-by-step instructions ensure your success with your child.

• Insects Appealing, easy-to-hold creatures lay the foundation for reading through playful identifying and matching activities.

• The Moveable Alphabet Sturdy plastic red and blue letters help your child sound out vowels and consonants and learn to build words.

• The Montessori Mat This white cotton mat helps focus your child's attention on the activities.

• Picture Cards Beautifully designed cards build vocabulary and help develop the visual and auditory skills necessary for reading.

• The Phoenix Learning Workbook For decades, teachers have used the Phoenix Learning Workbooks to develop basic reading skills in the classroom. Now your child can use this resource at home.The advantage your child deserves.

The Montessori Home™ Reading Advantage is a hands-on, interactive learning program that empowers you to lay the foundation for reading, teach your child to read, and nurture a life-long love of learning.
With only 10 to 15 minutes a session!

Using this material in refreshingly basic, easy-to-follow learning sessions, you can play an active role in your child's learning and development.
And we are here to help you every step of the way! We invite you to discover the rewards of teaching your child as only a parent can.

Created by a team of Montessori Educators, our series of books, CDs, videos and Internet games are accessible for any parent to use with their own kids.

Special price $49.95

In addition the company offers a range of Montessori Home products developed to teach children from 18 months to 7 years how to read. The system uses books, CDs, Internet games and videos. Unlike many educational products for children, Montessori home avoids the lieutenant trap and maintains educational integrity.

Montessori Home offers parents the chance to be their child's first

teacher. Kids can learn with their parents, offering a powerful bonding experience. After all, a childish learning to read really is a miracle!

http://www.montessorihome.com
Contact: Bob Korngold at guide@montessorihome.com

914.472.9849

World History Timeline Cards

A good source of timeline cards can be found at a small homeschool resource called Homeschool In The Woods. While oriented to Christian homeschoolers, the material is fairly inexpensive and many elementary Montessori teachers may find it quite useful.

http://www.homeschoolinthewoods.com

Inventions

Excellent site with links to wide range of information and other websites about famous inventions and the people who came up with tthem.

http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/inventor.html

Digital History

This Web site was designed and developed to support the teaching of American History in K-12 schools and colleges and is supported by the Department of History and the College of Education at the University of Houston.

The materials on this Web site include a U.S. history textbook; over 400 annotated documents from the Gilder Lehrman Collection on deposit at the Pierpont Morgan Library, supplemented by primary sources on slavery, Mexican American and Native American history, and U.S. political, social, and legal history; succinct essays on the history of film, ethnicity, private life, and technology; multimedia exhibitions; and reference resources that include a searchable database of 1,500 annotated links, classroom handouts, chronologies, glossaries, an audio archive including speeches and book talks by historians, and a visual archive with hundreds of historical maps and images.

The site's Ask the HyperHistorian feature allows users to pose questions to professional historians.The Engines of Our Ingenuity is a radio program that tells the story of how our culture is formed by human creativity. Written and hosted by John Lienhard, it is heard nationally on Public Radio and produced by KUHF-FM Houston. Among other features, this web site houses the transcripts for every episode heard since the show's inception in 1988.

Streaming audio is available on each of the posted episodes.

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/

Isabel of the Whales

A new children's book, Isabel of the Whales, has just been published. The author is a dear friend, Hester Velmans. It's a story aimed at children aged 8-12 and up, about a girl who falls overboard while on a whale
watch and suddenly finds herself turned into a whale. Hester calls it her
"eco-romance," written with the idea of empowering young girls and boys to
think of themselves as mightier and more capable than they may feel. Though
a fantasy, the fascinating behavior and life-cycle of the humpback whale is
thoroughly researched and based on fact.

This is what Kirkus Reviews had to say about it:

"Fantasy and reality merge in this aquatic coming-of-age adventure with a
compelling ecological message. When her 5th-grade class goes on a whale
watch, 11-year-old Isabel falls overboard as a congregation of whales
surrounds the boat. Instead of drowning, Isabel finds herself very much
alive as she morphs into a whale. Adopted by a pod of humpbacks, Isabel
discovers she is their 'Chosen One' who 'will stay long enough to learn, and
to fulfill her task.' Initially, Isabel misses her human family, but gradually the ocean becomes home. The whales teach her underwater survival as they migrate from North Pole to equator. In return, Isabel engineers some
lifesaving tricks of her own. But after a year, Isabel must make a wrenching
choice between land and sea. To Velmans's credit, the improbable seems
probable through the eyes and voice of her down-to-earth heroine. Watch out
Little Mermaid, here comes Isabel." (Delacorte/Random House Children's
Books)