Barbara Gordon Montessori School

The Montessori Method delivers education as an aid to life. This comprehensive approach to the child serves social, emotional and psychological needs in addition to academic development. The Montessori materials are often identified with Montessori education, when in fact they are an essential tool. In previous years we used this column to present some materials used by children in their Montessori classrooms. A version of The Metal Insets was published in January 2005. Physical Geography: The Impressionistic Charts was also published in 2005. We reprint them to give insight into the purpose and use of the materials.

The Metal Insets

Metal Insets are a highly attractive material in both primary (3-to-6) and lower elementary (6-to-9) classes. Ten metal frames each hold a different geometric inset. Each inset is lifted by a knob. The names have been learned from earlier work: circle, ellipse, oval, square, rectangle, triangle, pentagon, trapezoid, curvilinear triangle and quatrefoil. Metal insets are almost always in use, a universally popular exercise.

The purpose is learning to use a pencil. The exercises are so aesthetically satisfying, that the work is almost effortless. The child selects a figure, traces it on paper, then begins filling in the outline with a colored pencil. At first the strokes extend beyond the line and appear rugged. Muscle control is gained gradually, and the work becomes refined and intricate. Eventually the results appear to be artistic. The work is not art, however, and crayons and paint are never used—only pencils. The child’s work may appear to be free form, while in fact there is an elaborate sequence of formal lessons, each lesson explored through the ten shapes. The later lessons are perfected in elementary.

Metal insets comprise a major stage in the flow chart of activities leading to writing. In order to write, two distinct skills are required. The child must learn the shapes of letters, and know their corresponding sounds; second, he must develop the muscular skill necessary for controlling a pencil. Sandpaper letters contribute to both skills—learning the sounds and tracing the shapes. Letter formation may be practiced with the sand tray. Chalk and chalkboard provide exploration. And metal insets are introduced. Meanwhile, numerous activities in practical life and sensorial have guided the little fingers to form a pincer grip. Eventually the child discovers independently that she can shape letters and numbers with pencil on paper, and combine them in meaningful ways. In short, the child learns to write not by writing, but by doing related tasks. The indirectness of the preparations helps the child to achieve the necessary skills with a minimum of frustration. The result is what Dr. Montessori called an “explosion into writing.”

Physical Geography: The Impressionistic Charts

Imagination is nature’s gift to the child of six to 12 years. Where previously the child needed concrete information to form an accurate image of the world, now she is able to grasp the grand reaches of creation. Physical geography is the foundation of science. Geography and science are immensely complicated, however. To aid in the development of the child’s imagination and understanding, large charts are presented. The purpose of these charts is to strike the imagination and interest of the child through vivid imagery. Although they are called Impressionistic Charts, not all are impressionistic. Some are scientific or technical, some are maps of the world, and some offer a simple explanation of physical phenomena being studied. They offer a honing in, an isolation of the difficulty. To bring the lesson home, the point of reference is always human, and specifically the child. After presenting a chart with a “story,” group discussions are held. The child is always the point of departure.

When we say “isolate the difficulty,” we mean treat only one variable at a time. The Earth is explored as part of the universe and the solar system. Then it is explored in relation to the Sun and the energy we receive from the Sun. Next the phenomena of air and water are considered. When considering the Earth, we start from its beginning, as though it were standing still in space. Rotation of the Earth is another lesson. After the details are presented in isolation, they come together to form a grand holistic vision. The picture is complete.

During presentations, only essential information is given. The goal is to spark the child’s interest in making independent discovery. We do not want to overwhelm the child, nor satisfy every question. Far more satisfying to the child, that he should seek the answers to the questions himself, setting about independent inquiry.

The essence of the Impressionistic Charts is a direct connection to natural phenomena. Material is presented in sequence, with strategic points of reference. There are aids and materials to assist in the presentations, assisting the child’s understanding of the real world. Experiments are useful in illustrating scientific phenomena, and they are integral to the presentations. Always, there is a direct connection with reality. The child is brought to a deeper understanding of the mysteries of the universe.

This work is for the child of seven to eleven years. The work takes the child to a new and higher level of understanding of geography and the workings of nature. The Impressionistic Charts are effective because they blend the child’s natural quest for knowledge with newly developing powers of imagination. Yet again, the curriculum is a reflection of the child’s developmental condition.