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Montessori International Issue 119 Summer 2016 Published by the Montessori St Nicholas Charity, London

Editor Philip Davies Welcome Editorial enquiries Tel: +44 207 493 8300 from the editor e-mail: [email protected]

Editorial Address lbeit in a rather hesitant way, summer is nonetheless upon us, and we 18 Balderton Street, can all get more actively engaged with our gardens, parks and London W1K 6TG countryside. And as ever, there will be things to learn from nature as part of our enjoyment of the outdoors. AIn this issue of the magazine the theme articles are by Wilma Grier, Jo Wild, Display & Job advertising enquiries Sameena Wali Claire Warden and Gini Trower. Wilma writes about embedding the natural world e-mail: [email protected] in the environment while Jo – of the Soil Association’s Food for Life project Marketing Address – shares some thoughts on food and sustainable learning. Claire is an educational 18 Balderton Street, London W1K 6TG consultant focusing on children’s connections to the natural world, writing here on

Subscription enquiries ‘nature pedagogy’, and Gini tells us about her nature workshops for children and Sameena Wali on +44 207 493 8300 teachers. Other features include Michele Dows-Miller’s report on the fifth MEAB School Annual subscription rates Leaders Conference, a practitioner’s reflection on teaching practice in Rwanda from Magazine incl. p&p (3 issues) UK £19.95 Janice Yon, Elizabeth Dyke writing about her placement in India, and Julie Europe £29.95 / €45.00 Compton on the promotion of universal human values. Rest of World £33.00 / US$65.00 In addition to all this I’m very pleased to be able to welcome back Amanda Students (incl. p&p): UK £15.95; Engelbach, my predecessor as editor, who will be contributing to the Bright Ideas Europe £23.00 / €36.00 and Reviews sections of the magazine in the future. I’m sure you will see right away Rest of World £28.00 / US$56.00 how this has enriched the range of suggestions for materials and activities, but as E-magazine (3 issues): ever we would like to hear from you as well. So if one of your own activities or UK and overseas £14.95 creations proved particularly popular please let us know – you can contact Amanda The views expressed in Montessori at [email protected]. International are not necessarily those of * * * the publisher and editorial team, nor are advertisements endorsed by them. ver the next year we will be introducing, in stages, a number of changes to Montessori International. So keep an eye out and let us

Montessori International is designed and know what you think. But for now I hope you enjoy this issue as you produced by Stuart O’Neil, Design for Print, start to prepare for the next academic year. Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire 01442 769422 O Printed by Buxton Press, Buxton, Derbyshire 01298 21 2000

ISSN 1354-1498 Philip Davies, Editor www.montessori.org.uk

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Contents Issue 119 Summer 2016 22

16 48 52

Feature articles 16 Montessori outdoors? – Yes! 48 Put the pencil down and go outside – the Wilma Grier writes about how to embrace the challenge importance of nature in the early years of embedding the natural world in the learning Special needs article by Kathryn Solly. environment. 52 My Montessori journey in India 19 From field to fork: helping children connect Inspired by Maria Montessori’s time in India and her own food with the world around them desire to travel that country, Elisabeth Dyke tells us about Jo Wild of the Soil Association on helping children some of her experiences. understand how their food is connected to the wider world. 54 Top ten tips for choosing childcare for 22 A Journey into Nature: international training children with special needs in nature pedagogy Some pointers from Elyssa Campbell-Barr to finding the Claire Warden introduces nature pedagogy, an right childcare for children with additional needs. overarching learning path for children that embraces nature. Regular departments 24 Everybody can learn from nature 3 News 30 Bright ideas Gini Trower describes what happens in her different nature workshops for children and teachers. 34 Reviews 37 Ask the Expert Q&A 28 Grandad Gibbons, or A Portrait of the Editor 45 & Special Needs & Disability Update as a Young 47 Research Watch A short reflection about my grandfather and learning about nature with a member. 61 MEAB Accredited Schools 64 MSA Membership Registration 39 Teaching practice in Rwanda 65 MSA Advisory Council Janice Yon gives a heartfelt account of the nerve- 66 Progression Route wracking at first but ultimately rewarding experience of her teaching practice. Classified advertising 41 Fundamental British values or universal 55 Teaching opportunities human values? Cover picture Julie Compton argues for essential values being taught as Lucas of St Andrew’s Montessori taking part in the Art Squared for all people everywhere. project (see page 12). Photo: Floriane Moore

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charitynews Who should be Montessorian of the Year 2017... Nominations are invited for the fulfils the following criteria: Montessori work over a period of time and in Montessorian of the Year Award 2017. 1. The quality of their work as evidenced by fields which extend beyond their paid This award will be presented at the other practitioners both within their own employment. setting and from outside. next MSA National Conference at the If you would like to nominate someone for 2. The range of their work: impact on Institute of Education, London. this award or for Montessori Practitioner children’s learning and lives. The purpose of the award is to celebrate the of the Year, please send your nomination work of a practitioner and their contribution 3. The range of their work: impact on ’ to Kristine Largo, MSA, 18 Balderton to the lives of children and adults in the lives. Street, London W1K 6TG, or by email: Montessori world and to promoting 4. The range of their work: impact on other [email protected] by 10th Montessori actively and effectively in ways practitioners in their setting. January 2017. Applications should include which have not been publicly celebrated 5. The range of their work: impact on other contact details for both the person making already. practitioners outside their setting. the nomination and the person they are Applications should show how the nominee Candidates should have been active in nominating.

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Linda Madden Susie Norman Jane and Graham Lord Carol Powell Michelle Wisbey ...and Montessori Practitioner of the Year? The purpose of the award 2014 2015 2016 is to celebrate the work of someone who currently works in a Montessori setting and who has made a significant contribution to the quality and work of that setting. Applications should show how the nominee fulfils the following criteria: Angela Euesden Emily ten Kate L-r: Anita Looby, Rebecca Teclemariam–Mesbah and Katarzyna Szewenko 1. The quality of their work with children and within their Outstanding Ofsted setting 2. The range of their work with children Congratulations to Myrtle Tree Montessori Childminding in Wivenhoe, Oaklea Montessori at 3. The range of their work with parents the Windmill Childrens Centre in Harwich, The Pavilion Montessori School in Teddington, The 4. The impact of their work on the Little House in Cheshire, Hayley's Little Explorers (Childminder) in Burwell, Rosewood quality of their setting Montessori Nursery School in Cuckoo Hill Road, Pinner, Leeds Montessori School and Day 5. The impact of their work on their Nursery in Leeds, Willow Park Montessori in Ipswich, Barnes Montessori in London, St Andrews fellow staff in the setting Montessori in Islington, Bix Montessori in Henley on Thames, Lindfield Montessori Nursery in Candidates should have been Haywards Heath, The Montessori People at Highflyers Children's Centre in Thornaby, Rainbow working in Montessori settings (UK Montessori Nursery in Winscombe, Downham Preparatory School and Montessori Nursery in MSA member school or MEAB King’s Lynn, Sitara Toto Montessori in Borehamwood, Le Ballon Rouge Montessori Day Nursery accredited International School) for at in Southend-on-Sea, Prima Montessori Day Nursery in Gillingham, Tiggywinkles Montessori least three years. Nursery in Newport, Little Acorns Montessori Nursery in Bridgnorth, Ladybird Montessori Nursery Ltd, Bosham, Chichester, Rose House Montessori Pre-school Forest Hill, London, Klein Please note: members of the MSA Kinder Montessori in Bath, and the Village Montessori in Kingswood Place London, which have Advisory Council and employees of the all been awarded Outstanding in their latest Ofsted inspections. Montessori St Nicholas Charity or Don’t forget to let us know when you receive Outstanding in your Ofsted inspection so we can Montessori Centre International are not mention your school in the next issue of Montessori International. eligible for any of these awards.

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msanews

Chairman’s update June 2016

Martin Bradley reports that you continue to wait and see what happens over the next twelve months. It is After a fairly quiet period following the important that local authorities realise that election last year, the DfE has begun to the additional 15 hours is an optional produce more proposals and changes which scheme not linked to continuing to be part of will affect us all. The latest update to the current ‘first’ 15 hours. Moreover the ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ additional 15 hours are not aimed at (www.gov.uk/government/publications) was improving children’s chances, but are a ‘work published in May and contains both new incentive’, according to Sam Giymah the requirements and a useful overview of the minister. So when the Universities of Essex current guidance. It comes into effect in and Surrey say that the educational September and although it applies to schools outcomes from the funding are not staff live in flats or houses with several and colleges, the principles are highly likely measurable, that is in part due to children’s occupants and possibly a high turnover of to apply in future to settings registered with education not being the goal of the policy. If such occupants, the system is nearly Ofsted. you are told that to receive any funding you impossible to operate. Also if a care worker DfE also published a consultation in May must take 30 hours or nothing, please let me was themselves the subject of a care order on the proposed 30 hours ‘free’ place know so that we can take the case up with or has adopted children who were subject to funding. Six areas have been identified as the local authority and with DfE. one – they are disqualified. We argue that pilots from September before the proposed Another DfE consultation this summer has the other checks on suitability including DBS national roll-out in September 2017. In one been on changes to disqualification and other employment checks should be local authority, York, many PVI providers were arrangement affecting childcare workers. At adequate, and that the burden on employers reluctant to join the scheme as the funding the MEAB conference on June 10th, is too great. Also the immediate suspension did not meet the costs of providing the delegates helped us to formulate our of staff, as required under the disqualification places. This seems to be the case in other responses to ten questions asked by DfE and and pending any appeal, creates problems areas where local authorities have begun to the results have been sent to the of continuity. sound out providers. As a result, the hourly Department, noting that this was a major In September we shall be publishing rate has been increased to £4 for eligible 3 exercise in participation by leaders of high guidance linking Ofsted’s inspection and 4 year olds. However anomalies remain, quality provision. The issues are that the judgements to the EYFS. The aim is to enable notably in variations between local disqualification by association arrangements MSA members to quickly provide policies and authorities. The rate in Swindon will be £4.41 are far too tight. Two particular cases other information relevant to each judgement an hour. In Hertfordshire it will be £4.88 for potentially affect staff. Thus where someone as well as helping to ensure that you have the additional hours. Northumberland will shares accommodation with a person who is checked all the EYFS requirements. This will pay £4.33 plus extra funding for deprivation. disqualified from childcare work, then the add to the benefits of joining MSA – so watch In Newham the rate is unchanged but childcare worker must also be disqualified. It this space. remains the highest at £5.17 an hour. is the employer’s duty to identify this and Meanwhile, have a restful and enjoyable MSA responded to the consultation making begin the disqualification process. Where summer. three basic points: the funding does not meet costs; many settings, especially in rented accommodation, are not able to access their premises for 30 hours a week, so cannot join the scheme anyway; and the scheme conflicts with other government policies, notably the living wage and improved staff qualifications, both of which are likely to raise employers’ costs. We also noted that unless funding levels are known before the start of the financial year, business planning is impossible. In three of the eight pilots the rate had not been confirmed by mid-June. This is simply not good enough. No wonder that the Social Mobility Commission reported in March that nearly 50% of new parents did not know what support was available. I know that many MSA members are concerned about the possible effects of the 30 hours’ funding and some are even considering closure. However, we suggest

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Shaunagh de Boinville remembered On a windy spring Sunday in April, family, friends, and past and present families and pupils of Grantham Farm Montessori School in Hampshire gathered to celebrate Shaunagh’s life and plant flowers in her memory. It was a moving occasion with a welcome from the Reverend David Barlow followed by singing, recitation of a poem written specially for Shaunagh by Jono Balding (aged 9), whose mother let us know that some help was given to Jono in the creation of his poem “Thank you to a great Teacher”. The school hymn was sung by all and Rory Williams- Burrell (aged 25), as an ex-pupil of Shaunagh’s read “Why God Made Teachers” by Kevin William Huff. The ceremony concluded with a dedication and blessing of the garden and trees. managed to swim the 21 mile English should have to suffer as she did. Shaunagh While some of us indulged in a delicious Channel solo, so my task is monumental. I had far too much more to do in her work as tea in the school, others took up tools and have a swim slot aboard the Viking Princess a Montessori teacher, a mother, a wife and a planted bulbs and seedlings in the blessed boat, to make an attempt to swim the friend. She was an incredible talent, creative part of the garden which had been Channel sometime between September 22 beyond words and someone who inspired so dedicated to Shaunagh’s memory and which and 29 this year, the exact date is many to achieve their full potential and will be nurtured by future generations of dependent on the weather conditions. In the wildest dreams. children attending Grantham Farm meantime the hellish hours of freezing cold “By doing this swim I hope to ensure that Montessori School, under the guidance of the water swim training continues, however this is Shaunagh’ s inspirational sprit and of life teaching team lead by Emma Wetherley. nothing compared to the battle that lives on and that Breast Cancer Now achieve Shaunagh’s family are keen to continue to Shaunagh and many others fought and their ambition that by 2050, no one will die support the charity Breast Cancer Now, to continue to fight against breast cancer. from breast cancer.” whom your donations were dedicated in the “I am swimming for Breast Cancer Now To support Chris’s Trojan effort, please past. In memory of Shaunagh, family friend solely as it is a charity which Shaunagh held donate to Breast Cancer Now through his Just Chris Bond has decided to attempt to swim so very dear to her heart, in her Giving website www.justgiving.com/ the English Channel in September and has determination to ensure that no other woman fundraising/chrisbond-channelswim written as follows: “Earlier this year I lost a great friend, Shaunagh de Boinville, meabnews who I've known for twenty-two years. She wasn't just a friend, ‘Outstanding’ Barnes she was a remarkable The Barnes Montessori Nursery had an woman, inspirational in Ofsted inspection in May and received every way. A devoted ‘Outstanding’ in all areas; this was their first mother and wife to inspection since November 2011, four and a Simon and their three super children (now half years ago. adults) and a driving educationalist at her Anne-Marie True, Principal and owner for Montessori School, and within the Montessori almost 30 years, was absolutely delighted arena. Her loss is huge to many. and praised her committed and dedicated “I wanted to help Breast Cancer Now, a team. As a strong advocate of the Montessori charity she was involved in, as a mark of how approach to learning and development and important this lady continues to be for many MEAB accreditation she was able to tell the people and so I decided I'd swim the English inspector she strongly believed the Channel in the hope to raise a significant accreditation process and on-going practice Akin to the Montessori approach in the amount of money. My mother has also evaluation and reflection contributed to the nursery, one of the key findings, as the battled this tragic disease so I find this as continuing quality care and high standards inspector quoted, was that “… staff close to home as it possibly can be. which are in the interests of the children and enthusiastically motivate all children to be “Only 1,600 people have ever successfully at the heart of everything the nursery does. extremely independent”.

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msachildmindersnetwork Childminding in the city

Dorothy Williams tells us about and match these to our classification cards when we get back to the setting. the ways of connecting with nature These activities also help us show children in the urban surroundings of the evolution of animals and plants; we then Camden, north London go on to introduce the children to nomenclature cards and classification charts ln 2013 I set up my Montessori childminding and ecosystems as is normal in a Montessori business, Busy Bumblebees Montessori setting. Childcare, from my home, an apartment in a The classification cards contain pictures house in Gower Street, at the heart of that represent animals or plants and serve as London’s famous Bloomsbury district. It is in a a foundation to help the children understand great location for children as we have the different characteristics of the animals numerous local squares and gardens, some and plants displayed. All these help the great natural city spaces such as Collingham children to understand themselves as humans Gardens Forest Nursery (which we visit and the relationship they have with the living regularly), so nature is all around us even in world. the centre of London. Through my search for natural nature spots, under fives, and leisure activities through In this article, l would like to share how l we found the local forest nursery and through sport programmes. The children love the incorporate nature in my setting. Living in an networking, they kindly allowed us to use sessions here and it teaches them all about apartment did present some challenges their garden twice a week for an hour. These life cycles, growing and producing food, and when l first started Busy Bumblebees, so sessions have been invaluable and have learning about the environment – they even naturally l went in search of local facilities that enabled me to give the children a small taste have a café where we can eat the produce would promote and enhance the children’s of nature in the city. Here we have seen (for more information go to learning experience of nature in the herbs and vegetables being grown from www.calthorpeproject.org). community. In doing so l found Collingham seeds, watched the birds and animals that There are so many ways of connecting Gardens Forest Nursery, The Calthorpe are encouraged to use the garden, including children to nature in the city as a childminder, Project and Camley Street Nature reserve. As resident foxes, and they have a bug hotel. even if you do not have a garden. We have teachers living in any big city we need to The garden has been designed and adapted also covered lots of Nature activities in the help our children have experiences that come to provide the best facilities for allowing the setting including the typical Montessori from nature so they can develop a children to interact with nature. activities of looking at life cycles of butterflies relationship with it. Parents comments on these sessions have and bees and watering and caring for plants, Dr Montessori believed that nature is in included: which also included growing our own dwarf itself a source of inspiration for learning as all “Collingham Gardens is a little nature beans from seeds this spring. The visits to things natural fascinate children. They are haven in busy central London. My daughter parks allow us to search for new flowers and hungry to learn about nature and wildlife, and enjoyed taking part in Forest activities that look for wildlife. We even set up our own ant their imagination helps to take them out of her childminder organised there on a regular colony this year for a short period so that the their regular routines and places. Children basis. The unique set-up has tremendously children could see them their nest also need to go outside into the world as this helped her physical development and close up. In Richard Louv’s book Last Child in gives them answers to questions like where boosted her confidence. She truly loved the Woods he states that “… when children does the ant live? Why do flowers grow? They spending her time there.” have regular contact with nature, in an are looking for a structure and a relationship “Our girls are beginning to understand unstructured way, they are more attentive, between these things. how important it is to look after nature, and observant, creative and self-confident.” Our setting overlooks a large unused constantly being outside the girls have Ideal Montessori environments usually have garden and we have a resident fox and her gained confidence in climbing, sliding and access to the indoors and outdoors, and cubs, l have window boxes where we grow running which has been great for their Maria Montessori stressed that nature is flowers and herbs and we have our own bird physical development and social interaction imperative for proper physical and feeder which an array of beautiful Robins, skills.” psychological development: “… when House Sparrows and Blue Tits visit every day. We also use the Calthorpe Project on a individuals develop normally, they plainly feel Living in the heart of the city we have to regular basis, which is a local community a love for all living creatures.” (Montessori, encourage nature to visit us. We have a centre and gardens; its aim is to enable local 1972, p.76) children’s room that contains a nature table people and children to improve their quality Montessori and the EYFS have lots of where we grow plants and herbs and of life by developing volunteering similarities in teaching about nature; for vegetables, and our last produce was Dwarf programmes including horticultural training. It example, in the Early Years Foundation Green Beans. We use Montessori life cycles provides a sustainable food growing space Statutory Framework (2014) ‘Understanding materials in teaching about nature, and go on and programmes for environmental the world’ we are advised to get children to daily walks in natural spaces and parks to education, supervised activities for children make sense of the world by exploring and collect leaves, twigs and dropped flowers including a weekly gardening drop-in for encouraging them to investigate materials

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primarynews

using all their senses. Within Montessori settings, we do this by means of the nature table displays, and caring for plants and living things so Perspective the children are quite closely married to nature. of Peace As Maria Montessori so eloquently put it, “The action of educative nature so understood is very practically accessible. Because, even if Earlier this year Sarah the vast stretch of ground and the large courtyard necessary for Rowledge – Principal of physical education are lacking, it will always be possible to find a few Soaring High Montessori square yards of land that may be cultivated, or a little place where and MSA birds can make their nest, things sufficient for spiritual education. Even Chair for the MSA Primary a pot of flowers at the window can if necessary, fulfil the purpose.” Schools group – had the (Montessori, 2008, p118) idea to create a poetry References anthology filled with poems The Early Years Foundation Statutory Framework (2014) written by Montessori Primary School students Gilder, S.A. (2009). Montessori by Nature, Montessori Life, 21 (4), 34-37. from around the UK. With Louv, R. (2008) Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature- fabulous support from a Deficit Disorder. group of Montessori Maria Montessori (2008) The Montessori Method: BN Publishing (p118). Primary Head Teachers Montessori, M. (1972). Peace and education. Madras: Kalakshetra Press. poems started to flood in Dorothy Williams is an Ofsted registered childminder, a facilitator for the – from minimal ‘two liners’ to deep and meaningful works focusing on Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) for the subject of peace. Sarah was overwhelmed with the response. Camden, and gives talks for Camden Council Early Years to newly Reception classes put pen to paper and created some inspired registering childminders on how to set up their own childminding poetry whilst Year 6 used a more mature approach to peace and its businesses. As a Montessori childminder she is passionate about meanings. The poems were then amalgamated and put into the connecting children to nature within her practice. hands of a designer, bound and published. The finished product is one that every student and school should be Chair Jenny McArthur reports proud of – well done everybody. Members were inspired by the MSA Conference in March and afterwards, at our network meeting, we welcomed David Gettman from My Montessori Child and Jawad Al-Nawab outlined the mindfulness course he will be running at a member’s setting. We were joined by Barbara Isaacs, Martin Bradley and prospective childminders. Our next meeting was on Saturday 25 June 2016 with Anne Shiner at Kleinkinder Montessori near Bath. Anne is a childminder who has a very special setting and offers Erdkinder - Flexischool to Primary aged children. As we each work in our homes, we gain vital insight from visiting our members’ settings, finding and sharing ideas for our own development. Future Network meetings: Saturday 15 October 2016 with Sonia Quinn at Red Door Montessori in London: ‘Where does the horme take the child?’ presented by Kati Mencer and Andrea Dalling. Saturday 21st January 2017 will be at Little Explorers, Cambridge. Topic to be confirmed. March 2017 After the Conference date to be confirmed.

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msanews MSA National The Role of the Conference 2017 It is significant that some 70 years after Montessori formulated her pedagogy, Loris Montessori Teacher Malaguzzi, director of the nursery schools in the Reggio Emilia region of , came to re- iterate Montessori’s own belief in children’s capacity to lead us towards a deeper understanding of their learning. In the 1948 introduction to the Discovery of the Child Montessori writes from Poona “… the development of my work and the conclusions reached from the revelations given by the children in our schools have surpassed our fondest expectation.” In 2016 Montessori practitioners continue to learn from children by listening, observing and provoking learning in the carefully prepared environments. This year’s MSA conference gives us an opportunity to reflect on our own learning “…. things about children and for children from the children of today and what it really are only learnt from children ….” means to our practice. We hope to tease out some of the challenges which Montessori (Malaguzzi in Edwards, 2012:30) presents in her writing to our practice today

Our Speakers St Nicholas and London Montessori Centre. She her qualifications while working in a was also a proprietor of Seedlings Montessori Montessori nursery and in 2013 decided to set up her own Montessori childminding provision Jan Dubiel Nursery in Oxfordshire for fifteen years. She is for babies and toddlers. Annamaria studied at What matters to Early Years the Chief Education Officer of Montessori St MCI and is currently completing her Degree in Teachers Nicholas Charity. Early Childhood Studies at LMU. Annamaria Jan trained as a teacher Jeremy Clarke takes great interest and joy in working with specialising in Early Years and subsequently Nurturing the Inner life of the the very young Citizens of our World. taught across the Nursery, Reception and Year 1 child age ranges, as well as leading and managing Katarzyna Szewenko Jeremy has spent 13 years as a teams of practitioners in Bradford, Oxfordshire, Learning with children in school teacher, 12 of which were Norfolk and York. As an Early Years Consultant the outdoor classroom in Early Years classes. He was the Foundation for the City of York he trained and supported Stage Co-ordinator at Gorton Mount Primary Katarzyna Szewenko is the practitioners in the implementation of the during their transition to Montessori practice. He Montessori Early Years Foundation Stage and developed partnership has been delivering seminars for professional Educator at Woodentots Montessori Nature working. Following this, he was appointed as development and to diploma students for six Nursery in Camden. Originally from Poland, Early Years Adviser for the London Borough of years, and in 2013 became the leader of E- after obtaining her Masters Degree in Havering, leading the Early Years team in Learning at MCI. Since 2012, Jeremy has been Pedagogy she decided to relocate to England developing effective practice and provision. working as an assessor for the Montessori in order to continue her professional From 2005 to 2010 he worked for QCDA with Evaluation and Accreditation Board and also development. Katarzyna started her responsibility for the monitoring and delivering CPD training around the country for Montessori training at AMI and at the same development of the EYFS and was Programme several Montessori Schools Association regions. time worked as a volunteer for the National Lead for the EYFS Profile with national He is a regular contributor to Montessori Autistic Society and gained some experience responsibility for its implementation and International magazine, writing both theoretical in working with children on the autistic moderation. He currently works for Early articles and those from the perspective of a spectrum. She finished her Montessori Training Excellence as its National Director. . at MCI and obtained the Montessori Teacher Diploma. After finishing her teaching practice Barbara Isaacs Annamaria Guild she was offered the post of Deputy Manager Work cycle or Zone of Listening to toddlers in a at the newly opened Nature Nursery where Proximal Flow? home based provision she actively links Montessori and Forest Barbara joined the newly Annamaria has been a School philosophy. At the MSA conference, established MCI in 1998 after Montessori mum for twelve years she was named a Montessori Practitioner of training Montessori teachers both at Montessori and a practitioner for eight years. She gained the Year 2016.

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and explore the riches which are offered to Conference Fee MSA National us by children as we guide them in “…the development of the great potentialities of MSA Members £60.00 Conference 2017 the human personality in the course of its Non-members £100.00 Date in March 2017 t.b.a. formation.” (Montessori, 1948) The conference programme aims to Early booking discount: Institute of Education, remind participants of the key tasks of the University College London £46 for MSA members block booking five or Montessori teachers and early years more tickets before 31st December 2016 practitioners today. It will explore the unique Programme features of learning along the planes of £55 for MSA members booking before 31st development as identified by Maria January 2017 10.00 Welcome and Introduction Dr Stephen Tommis Montessori. It will give a voice to Montessori £25 for MCI students booking before 15 Chief Executive Officer, Montessori educators who will share their experience of February 2017 working with the children and colleagues in St Nicholas Charity Late booking fee: their schools and nurseries. It is also vital to 10.15 MSA update hear “the voice of the child”, and we would £125 Bookings received after 22nd February Dr Martin Bradley like to thank the children from Montessori 2017 Chairman, Montessori Schools Primary schools who have agreed to come We will not accept any cancellations after Association and share their views and experiences. the 22nd February 2017. The conference fee Montessori St Nicholas and the 10.45 What matters to Early Years payment is non-refundable, but can be Montessori Schools Association, the Teachers transferred to another MSA member before organisers of the Conference, hope you will Jan Dubiel the 22nd February 2017. enjoy the day and we look forward to National Director, Early Excellence In order to qualify for the members’ seeing you at the Institute of Education, discount you must provide your membership 11.30 Work cycle or Zone of Proximal University College London. number. If making a group booking, please Flow? Barbara Isaacs, Chief Education Officer, list the names and MSA membership The role of Montessori teachers in Montessori St Nicholas Charity numbers of all attendees. seeding children’s learning Barbara Isaacs Chief Education Officer, Montessori Rita Skitt 61 children attending. Through both the nursery St Nicholas Charity Provoking children’s learning and school she has not only cared for many in the Children’s House children, but also works hard to support staff in 12.00 Children from Montessori Primary their journeys and encourages them to continue Schools - Our Montessori Teachers Rita has worked in education for training and develop Montessori in their over 35 years. As a museum’s 12.15 Montessorian of the Year and classrooms in many different ways. Working pedagogue in Germany, Rita worked with Montessori Practitioner of the alongside the National Curriculum with the older schools on stimulating children’s and young Year Awards children has been an on-going challenge which adults’ learning through the interactive use of has developed over the last eight years. She artefacts. All three of Rita’s children attended a 12.30 Lunch/networking/visit to knowing that now many of the Year 6 Montessori nursery, and it was through their exhibitors children who leave to go to high school have experience that she was first introduced to the been in a Montessori environment since they 13.50 Nurturing the Inner life of the child principles of Montessori education. Returning to were babies at the nursery. Jeremy Clarke the UK after living for 15 years in various African countries and working in international schools, Danielle Hignett 14.10 Listening to toddlers in a home she trained as a Montessori teacher. Rita has Learning with the team – based provision run the Oxford Montessori Forest Farm nursery sharing of practice Annamaria Guild since 2002 and has lectured for their teacher Danielle acquired her nursery in training programme. With the Open University 14.30 Learning with children in the July 2015 – she is the owner of she gained a certificate in Early Years Practice. outdoor classroom Holly Tree Montessori Nursery in Stockport. She Rita firmly believes in the pivotal role of a Katarzyna Szewenko studied and Management at prepared environment to support children’s Manchester University, and then went into the 14.50 Provoking children’s learning in development. pharmaceutical industry in various sales, training the Children’s House Sam Sims and management roles. She then decided to Rita Skitt Working with the Great completely change her career and bought her 15.10 Working with the Great Lessons - Lessons - exploring the first Montessori nursery. She is very passionate exploring the curriculum curriculum about performing any job to the best of her Sam Sims Sam Sims has been working as a ability. She sets high standards and teamwork is Montessori Practitioner for 20 years. She very important to her. Danielle embarked on a 15.30 Learning with the team – sharing currently owns a day nursery and Primary Montessori diploma qualification in order to of practice school in Ipswich, Suffolk. She is passionate understand and lead her nursery further. Overall Danielle Hignett about Montessori education and has enjoyed this has led to an improved Montessori ethos 15.50 Closing remarks watching the primary school expand from 8 to and increased the setting’s team motivation. Barbara Isaacs

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msanews

Birts Scholarship. I first joined Paint Pots Region 4 Montessori Schools in September 2011 as a teaching practice student and I am now the and Supporting head teacher at The Boltons. This is a role Boys that I am thoroughly enjoying and one that I find hugely rewarding. I am very keen to work We were so lucky to have a sunny day on for the MSA and relish the opportunity to give Saturday 23 April as many of us were a little back to the Montessori community in some hesitant when it came to participating in small way. some of the water experiments that Jeremy had planned. We huffed and puffed and tried Cosmic Education with to blow houses down, we experimented with rafts to transfer items and yes you have Denys Lyne noticed a theme, our experiments were not disappointed. Veronica Rossi reports based on nursery rhymes. Air pressure, Jane, as ever, proved to be an engaging centripetal force and water resistance were and knowledgeable speaker, giving us clear Attending the spring workshop’s ‘Cosmic all included in this wonderful session, we had information on conditions such as dyslexia Education’ training on 30 January was very a blast. Things became a little more serious and dyspraxia. It is always wonderful to hear significant and inspirational for me as I have when the topic transferred to supporting boys, from people who are actively involved in always been fascinated by the Montessori but we all went home with many ideas. Thank working with children to help support them area of learning known as ‘Knowledge and you to Chapel Grange Montessori Nursery with these issues as they have a real insight Understanding of the World’. School for hosting the day and to Jeremy as into the emotional turmoil that can be I believe that children need to be aware of well. experienced. their position in the Universe, and in the We all had ample opportunity to ask importance of 'interrelating' things and Montessori for 2 to 3 year olds questions and gain an understanding of how encouraging the co-operation of all living these conditions can manifest themselves in beings. As nothing begins in isolation, every The approach to Wharfedale Montessori the classroom and in the home. Whilst some single being plays a fundamental role in the School is utterly delightful, with bluebells and of the discussion was about children in the Universe. wild garlic in the woods, and with Berhane on primary and secondary sector, it was really The Six Great Lessons were developed by her way from London I knew it was going to interesting to learn about some telltale signs Montessori for the primary school children. be a treat for all on Saturday 14 May. We we can pick up on at nursery level and start However, as a teacher in a Montessori explored the needs of this special age group to put the appropriate strategies in place. Nursery School I gained knowledge about and how best to support them; we shared Hearing of their progression into formal activities that could be introduced to children good practice and revisited Montessori schooling really helped us to see how in my classroom. I found the training very principles. The importance of acceptance of important early identification of specific useful and I also learnt new facts about others was high on our agenda along with learning difficulties really is, and how this can Maria Montessori's life. favourable environments, relationships, space, make such a difference in the outcomes for One of the activities that I adored started pushing boundaries, supporting symbolic the child through their school days. with the book titled What's Under the Bed, and the role of the practitioner. Participants After lunch Jo got everyone to put their and it was an inspiration to see the activity welcomed the opportunity to explore the thinking caps on and discuss some case that Denys created from it. It will give children school, nursery and baby unit – what a treat studies with a view to writing a one page a better understanding of everything from the that was, so many thanks to Jane and profile. Whilst we were not all necessarily Earth’s crust to its centre. Graham, who made us so welcome, and to good at putting pen to paper, the discussions The training was a reminder of how Berhane. around the one page profiles were very important it is to impart facts to children Upcoming Training useful and informative. It is always so lovely through storytelling, and use new words to see so many Montessorians coming (astrophysicist for example) in order to Come and explore Science plus Supporting together and I can’t wait to meet up again expand their vocabulary and in turn their Boys at Willows Montessori, Tyne and Wear next term. imagination. The training created an on Saturday, 15 October. Contact opportunity for me to meet new Montessori [email protected] for more information. Region 10 practitioners from different countries of origin and cultures and gave us an opportunity to Region 9 New Region 10 deputy: exchange ideas and experiences. Through Introducing Georgina Scully this we were creating wider connections and Special Educational Needs new initiatives between Montessori with Jane Dupree I am a native Zimbabwean educators. and have been living in the One of the practitioners pointed out at the Sam Cottrill reports UK for nearly nine years. I end of the training that Cosmic Education came over initially to attend could be seen as one of the best way of Those of us who are lucky enough to have University at Durham and teaching as it encourages peace and listened to Jane Dupree before arrived in then undertook further study harmony, its main principles being: respect, eager anticipation of an enlightening talk at at Montessori Centre peace, interrelations, responsibility and love the regional event on 14 May, and we were International in London, having received a for our peers as well as for ourselves.

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msaschoolnews

Local author reads to nursery children

A visit from the fire brigade On a beautiful sunny day in February, the children at Pippins Montessori Nursery in White Colne, Colchester were very lucky to have a visit from a fire engine from the nearby Halstead depot. This was in conjunction with our topic of “Occupations” where the children have been learning about different job roles. The firemen came into the classroom to give a little talk to Local children’s author Christine Roberts the children about what they do in their role and to show the uniform that they have to wear. visited Chalfont St Peter Montessori School The children and teachers were very excited to try on some of the clothes, especially the fire this week to read her new book The Very Shy helmets. Everyone then went outside and took turns sitting in the cab. After that, the children Picture Book and another story that she has sprayed water with the big hose that the firemen use when they go out on a call. Just before waiting to be published about a sleepy traffic they left the nursery, they sounded the horn of the fire engine and flashed their lights leaving light. behind many happy faces. The children were enthralled by both stories, especially the funny voices Christine school for her daughter in her home town of used for the different animals in her first Walthamstow, north-east London. After book. She answered lots of questions from advertising locally on shop message boards, the children and teachers too, explaining she opened her own school with just 26 local what had given her the idea to write a story children and four staff in April 2001. about a sleepy traffic light, which the children Reception, Lower then Upper Prep classes found very funny. grew from this starting point, and the later “The children loved listening to Christine development of Elementary classes now read to them today, and were delighted means that WMS can offer a full Montessori when many of the parents bought signed education to children aged from 2 to 11 copies of the book at going home time,” said years. Debbie Lomax, Deputy Principal. “Christine The school celebrated its 15th birthday at has also promised to come back when her a huge party on April 21st, and three of the new traffic light story is published later this original class of 2001 (now between 17 and l to r: Ross Murdoch, Balfron native and current year.” Commonwealth Games 200m Breaststroke 19 years old) returned for the day to champion; Mairi Clark of Mulberry Bush Walthamstow Montessori celebrate with the school. They sat with Montessori; Colin Mendham, Race Director children during reading classes runners into one of the most popular fixtures School is 15 and participated as aides to the principal on the national running calendar. There were during a whole school assembly on the over 670 weekend and serious runners history of the school. In the afternoon there tackling the challenging course in the was a party with a celebratory cake, and in Campsie Hills, starting and finishing from the the evening Lorna gave a lecture to a large village of Balfron and its cheering residents group of school parents to help them follow and day visitors. Over the years we have Montessori practices in the home. At the end raised over £60,000 for the local Balfron of a very long day, Lorna thanked everybody primary and senior school for much needed for their hard work in organising what was a resources. Action in the Mind will also be a very special celebration. beneficiary this year in recognition of its Racing in Scotland support for the school pupils. The race has grown beyond our wildest Former pupil Josie Cooper takes part in a It was a perfect ten on Sunday 24 April as dreams, and as a local independent reading class we celebrated the Mulberry Bush education provider Mulberry Bush Montessori Montessorian Lorna Mahoney first thought Montessori Balfron 10K, marking a decade is overjoyed to continue to support and be about opening a nursery/kindergarten in of fantastic races in April. The event has the main sponsor of the event over the past 2000 when she could not find a suitable grown from a small village event of 100 ten years.

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msaschoolnews

Popping up in Suffolk As Montessorians we all love and cherish our philosophy and our materials. We talk about how the activities call to the children and how the children are drawn to them. In our classrooms this is evident every day as we observe our children and their joy in exploring and learning. Even knowing this, we were not prepared for the reactions of the children when we were invited to host a Montessori Pop-Up Classroom at the Suffolk Show in June at Trinity Park, Ipswich. On a very cold Tuesday afternoon we set up our classroom in the corner of a large marquee. With fire engines to one side of us, rifle ranges, an abundance of animals in paddocks, stickers by the thousand and more helicopters, food halls and flowers than you can imagine, we wondered how many people would visit us over the next two days. The merry month of May The answer was lots. Back in the spring Woodentots Montessori School celebrated May Day with maypole dancing in the community gardens at Rochester Road, London NW1. The children were introduced to some of the dances and enjoyed dancing around and around and watching the beautiful patterns that emerged from their movements. They were accompanied by the piano accordion and were captivated by the ‘jig ’ dancing to the rhythm of the music. Happily the sun shone on the event, the children made garlands to wear, and all the parents and care-givers joined us as well.

actually represented the Region and Montessori nationally and internationally. We had many enquiries from families in Suffolk and signposted them to Montessori nurseries Lesley and I arrived after a relaxing night in our Region. We had enquiries from other in Felixstowe and braced ourselves for parts of England and Europe too. It was a action, and it’s a good job we had slept well fantastic two days. If you are ever given the the night before. We were inundated with chance to do something similar, grasp it with young visitors all day. Many children told us it both hands. was the best thing they had done. Parents Sandra Copping and Lesley Milmine are the wanted to move on but the children just Nursery Managers at Colourbox Montessori in wanted to stay and work. The proud faces Newmarket and Haverhill in Suffolk. that walked away from our little classroom were heart-warming to see. Every child went Making insects away looking as if they had grown an inch since they walked in. The children at St Andrew’s Montessori be great to get something going in Islington Our activities were aimed at 2 to 6 year recently took part in a local project called Art linked to the Chelsea Fringe, so as a first trial olds but we attracted older children too who Squared. It is a project in support of the go they decided to create a link with local made up their own challenges: ‘Can I do the Chelsea Fringe, which started five years ago schools. spindle box blindfold?’ ‘Can I build those and is intended to celebrate community and St Andrew’s Montessori children have together?’ ‘What else can we do?’ Some guerrilla gardening. It keeps itself completely made some insects to hang on the trees in children insisted on working with every independent from large organisations or the gardens surrounding the school. Each activity that we had with us, be it the Pink sponsorships. child created an insect (bees, butterflies, Tower, Knobless Cylinders, Colour Box 3, There are hundreds of events, from ladybirds, beetles, caterpillars and Puzzles, three part cards, Continent displays, talks, guided walks, demonstrations dragonflies) or spiders and snails. Globe, Cylinder Blocks, Geometric Trays or and workshops. Many events are in London, The insects have been a great source of Nature Table. Every activity was received with but the festival has grown hugely since it adventure as the children helped to put them excitement and delight. started, and events now take place in other up and are enjoying taking their parents After spending nine hours a day for two parts of the UK and elsewhere in Europe, through the gardens to try to find all of the days on our knees we were literally ‘on our Australia and . insects. knees’. Although we were there to represent Several residents involved in caring for More information at Colourbox Newmarket and Haverhill, we public spaces in Barnsbury decided it would www.chelseafringe.com/event/art-squared/all/

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Meadowbrook grit shines more relaxed around young children and, in added: “Soaring High has a close particular, more sympathetic to their association with Marks Hall. The children visit through vicissitudes. weekly for Forest School, and we believe that When spending time with the children at being outside is a natural extension of the St. Edmund's Montessori Pre-School, it was classroom. We have been involved in so re-assuring to think of the founder of this woodland planting at Marks Hall, and we’re movement not only as a physician, but a delighted that the children now have this child carer alle mode Italian, thus giving me opportunity to learn about the importance of the confidence to allow the children licence wild flowers.” to discover for themselves the array of For more information on Grow Wild, visit percussion instruments I provided on the day, www.growwilduk.com. without suffocating them with too much technique or structure. Growing wildflowers Children from Soaring High Montessori On Saturday 19 March the Meadowbrook Primary School aged between 9 and 11 Judo Team took part in their first ISA years old today visited Marks Hall Gardens (Independent Schools Association) and Arboretum to take part in the Royal competition. The level was extremely high Botanic Gardens Kew initiative Grow Wild. and the children fought in some tough This is the UK’s biggest ever wild flower matches. The determination of campaign, bringing people together to Meadowbrook’s team shone through and we transform local spaces with native pollinator- A pig in clover are thrilled to announce that Silke (in Year 4) friendly wild flowers and plants. Creating came first in her section, winning gold and The Meadows Montessori Primary School, Jared (Year 5) came second, taking home a Ipswich (an independent school for 4 to 11 silver medal. (Silke and Jared are both on the year olds) completed their Pig for ‘Pigs Gone left in the pictures.) Wild’ in support of the St Elizabeth Hospice back in the spring. Every child at the school came up with a design, and some of them created miniature pig sculptures of their designs. Sarah Jenkins, the school’s art teacher commented that: “It was important to us that everyone at the school painted our pig. As we are the Meadows School, the pig became food sources for pollinators like bees and a glorious green, if slightly muddy meadow butterflies is very important work: since the and everyone at the school then painted their 1930s, the UK has lost 97% of its wild flower own flower in that meadow meaning that meadows. every child was represented by a flower. Coggeshall in Bloom, which aims to bring ‘Piggy in the Meadow’ is the name of our pig communities together to enhance the local sculpture as the piggy is surrounded by the environment, applied to Kew to receive the love of all the children.” Pick Withers on music and Ready, Steady, Sow kit, which contains The pig will eventually take pride of place Montessori everything needed to create a native wild in the school garden, which has also been flower patch. The pupils of Soaring High created by the children themselves with I spent three years brought their seeds to Marks Hall and everything from a tepee for storytelling to a living in but planted them along a pathway that has sandpit and boards made out of tree travelled extensively recently been extensively landscaped to trunks. throughout Italy, playing improve the path network at Marks Hall. The drums for a group path leads to the newly established Acer known as The Glade, and visitors will be able to walk Primitives, appearing beside the wild flowers planted by the live and on television. I children on this path. immersed myself in the Rebecca Lee, General Manager at Marks culture, learning a new language and, for a Hall noted: “It is fantastic to see the children very introverted, provincial, shy teenager, getting hands on with nature and planting somehow the experience liberated me and, wild flowers. Here at Marks Hall, we are when later becoming a father myself, I delighted to play our part in helping children naturally gravitated to Italy for family to engage with nature.” holidays. I noticed that Italians were much Sarah Rowledge, Principal at Soaring High

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meabnews

Observe, Listen, Provoke! Michelle Dows-Miller reports support and collective progress. in order to elicit their own actions and Lynnette Brock, MCI Lecturer, then animated acquisition of knowledge. This was the call to delegates during the fifth the audience as she shared the findings of Jan Dubiel followed Lynnette by explaining MEAB School Leaders Conference, held on the action research she is conducting with the role of Early Excellence, the organisation Friday 10 June at UCL’s Institute of Education. Professor John Siraj-Blatchford. This focuses on for which he is National Director. With bases The analysis of practice should be second defining schemes of knowledge, which are in Huddersfield and London, it is committed nature for owners and managers of demonstrated by children’s actions, and their to understanding and promoting play-based, accredited settings, but the presentations schemas, which denote their figurative active learning through its innovative work. took this reflection to a fundamental level – knowledge. She looked at how the prepared Jan explained the broad range of the questioning what we provide for the children Montessori environment cultivates schemes of organisation’s activities, which include and why, and looking at ways that we could action, such as seriation with sensorial offering expert advice, bespoke support and perhaps better serve their needs. The materials, and asked what more we could do specialised training, with a clear focus on speakers stimulated delegates’ thinking to support children’s prevailing interests. The inspiring capable leadership. He talked about how we facilitate learning and about true purpose of our interactions with a child, about the familiar triangle of the child, adult adapting to the motivations of the 21st including presentations of the materials, and learning environment, and about the century child. should be to enhance their own creative free- types of resources that cater for both Dr Stephen Tommis, MSN’s Chief Executive, flow play, to scaffold their learning and continuous provision and which match began the day with a warm welcome and nurture their wellbeing. We need to be an children’s particular fascinations, echoing encouragement to engage with the various expert partner for them in their unique Lynnette’s call for settings to offer strands of the Charity in order that it can learning journey. If we are to succeed, we provocations in child-led learning and assist Montessori practitioners through mutual need to really observe and listen to children development.

Dr Stephen Tommis Jan Dubiel Lynnette Brock Michelle Dows-Miller Dr Martin Bradley Barbara Isaacs

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Michael Gibson presented the MEAB certificates The morning concluded with a joyful celebration of the achievement of 20 settings as they received their framed MEAB certificates, presented by the new Chair of the MEAB Board, Michael Gibson. After lunch, Dr Martin Bradley discussed the challenges of the current round of Ofsted inspections and referred delegates to new statutory guidance. He reminded us that leadership and management judgements are overriding, and that these judgements include safeguarding. Ofsted’s criteria for these judgements and its grade descriptors were highlighted, and Martin asked if MSA members would benefit from written guidance on how to provide evidence for these, a suggestion which met with much enthusiasm from delegates. Martin finished with a review of the current government free exploration and symbolic representation, consultation covering disqualification by such as through role-play? She called upon us association. to honestly observe, listen to and provoke Barbara Isaacs then brought us swiftly children’s developing knowledge and back to our Montessori roots. She talked understanding, and in doing so, bring with about Montessori’s definition of confidence what we cherish as Montessori ‘normalisation’ being more than just a child’s practitioners into the arena of modern ability to concentrate. It is the child’s natural pedagogical thinking. path of development, guided by human The MEAB process encourages us to adopt tendencies and sensitive periods. She asked and perpetuate self-evaluative practice. The many searching questions about our daily conference inspired us further to ensure that practice and if, for example, we fully we offer outstanding learning environments in acknowledge the links between the theories which children can truly flourish. Thanks are of Montessori and Piaget in providing the due to Barbara Isaacs and Kristine Largo for environment that best fits the needs and organising this opportunity for reflection and interests of the child. Do we truly appreciate debate, and to the trustees of MSN for their children’s capacity to problem-solve and continued commitment to the MEAB scheme. grow in their creativity, do we allow for their

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feature: learning from nature Montessori outdoors?– Yes! Wilma Grier writes about how to embrace the challenge of embedding the natural world in the learning environment

hroughout the many years that I have been a Montessori educator I have yet to meet a teacher who did not value the benefits of nature in a child’s learning. However, nature often becomes marginalised in favour of ‘inside work’. Government of constraints, preparing a favourable environment for pressureT and parental expectations begin to dictate what experiencing nature is always possible. areas of the curriculum become dominant, such as literacy and Each plane of development has different needs and numeracy. Location, climate, time constraints and difficulties requirements. Where possible the landscaping of a school with supervision are also factors in how an outdoor space is environment benefits from input by the children it serves. used. In other cases, teachers cling to the security of the Young children love to have small hills to roll down, paths to materials and their orderly presentation to the children and do follow and flat spaces to build structures or play games on. not feel confident extending opportunities to explore the Providing loose parts in the form of natural materials for natural environment. moving around allows children to be creative in their play. The Montessori approach is an integrated one and there is Spaces for a labyrinth or reflective garden, terraced spaces to

The availability of a garden is a distinct advantage but an asphalt playground – although presenting a formidable challenge – has possibilities too. Regardless of constraints, preparing a favourable environment for experiencing nature is always possible.

great scope for a fuller exploration of the curriculum utilising grow food (part of understanding living systems), shaded the outdoors. The child is introduced to the natural world using spaces to sit and chat or congregate, all contribute to a all the senses, which are further enhanced by wonderful landscape. the child’s love of classification. Allowing Primary school aged children need to have a sense of children to experience nature is even more agency. They develop the classroom rules together and relish important than in earlier times with so many the opportunity to be involved in designing some aspects of children today becoming either overly- the outdoor environment. For example, the upper primary class programmed or enthralled by electronic at Montessori School Bali, Indonesia, designed and built a devices. protected area for their rabbits to graze and move about So how do we go about embedding freely. They organised everything from initial drawings to the natural world into the daily learning acquisition of materials and building of structure. environment? There are many ways to From a Montessori perspective we are looking at the do this depending on the opportunities and human tendencies and cosmic constraints in any given situation. What is education and how this is feasible in a warm climate may not work reflected in the outdoor in a cooler one. The availability of a environment design. garden is a distinct advantage but an Older children like asphalt playground – although presenting a to explore on many formidable challenge – has possibilities too. Regardless levels and the great

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stories lead to all kinds of exploration and experimentation. As children in the 3 to 6 age group are beginning to classify, Providing a vivarium for breeding butterflies and nesting boxes the moveable shelves on the verandah provide a wide range for birds, for example, is harmonious with cosmic education of materials dealing with parts of plants and animals, life and allows children to observe life cycles at close range. Dry cycles, living and non-living matter, geographical location of stone riverbeds that fill up in the rain, ponds for frogs and animals, and the types of plants we eat, to name but a few. dragonflies, open spaces for fort building, all are part of a There are many opportunities to collaborate and explore the curriculum enhancing children’s understanding of and garden through observation and audits of plant and animal the needs of human beings. Children are little scientists and life evident in the environment. Building geometric shapes and having a rich outdoor environment of plants and animals spirals with the many stones and pebbles under the mango allows for the study of biodiversity and living systems. tree, as well as hunting for special pebbles with individual Focusing on the young child, let us explore ways that the letters written on them are favourite activities. Distance games natural world can be integrated into the daily life of a centre along with art and music are experienced outdoors with great or school. As Montessori educators we know that the enjoyment whether it is painting, clay work, making patterns preparation of the environment is vitally important, first from a and structures with natural materials or playing the rindik view of the whole learning experience and second as to the gamelan. details of what is provided within the learning area. Much Then there is the pleasure of digging, weeding, making

Pictured: opposite page top – Preparing garden bed. Above l to r: Ephemeral Art; Weighing mangoes and petals;, Scrubbing pebbles; Music time thought and planning goes into how the indoor learning compost, moving soil around, potting and planting, nurturing environment is set up and the range of experiences offered to and measuring growth, collecting windfalls from the mango children. The same thoughtful planning can apply to preparing tree, harvesting fruits and vegetables and preparing harvested the outdoors. food to serve. In the rainy season there is the joy of running in For schools and centres with a useable outdoor area there the rain and splashing through the large puddles that form in are many ways to encourage a real connection with the natural the garden (there is always a change of clothing available). world. For example, the Montessori School Bali consists of two The garden is used also for free play and for movement. sites, one for pre-school and one for the primary and Children can run free, climb the mango tree, grapple the adolescent community. Both sites provide ease of access for monkey bars, slide down the slippery dip and swing on the children to work outside. The pre-school has a beautiful garden tyres as well as kick and throw balls. Regular obstacles courses with established trees providing shade and opportunities to help develop large motor skills and agility. climb. Linking the garden and classrooms is a large tiled In Australia, the Farmhouse Montessori School, Sydney built verandah where an outdoor programme, with its own new premises in a U-shape so that children could access the dedicated Montessori educator, is set up to encourage the outdoors easily and still be under supervision. The central area children to more fully explore the outdoors. A sink and tap is was roofed to make it accessible in all weathers. The school installed in the garden, and this in itself facilitates independent also has a very large garden area packed with interesting water play and sink and float experiments, as well as a host of experiences for the children such as feeding and caring for practical life exercises involving water. Tables and chairs are hens, collecting eggs, making mulch, planting and nurturing set up in shaded areas of the garden as well as the verandah seeds, harvesting herbs and flowers as well as creating and children can carry mats out to work on various tasks. The artworks using natural materials. These are just some of the programme serves both classrooms with several children from opportunities available to the children. There are areas for each class being outdoors at any one time. All areas of the curriculum are enhanced by the programme. Continued on next page

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feature: learning from nature

gathering as a group and nooks and crannies to be alone in if As Montessori educators we acknowledge that children preferred. learn through their senses and move through sensitive periods What if the school or centre has no garden, only asphalt? which assist them to experience and understand life. Young Raised garden beds can be developed on asphalt either using children are particularly sensitive to nature and learn by planter boxes or the no-dig method, which gives good results example. They readily absorb the attitudes of people in their (www.communitygarden.org.au); if space is really restricted use environment and perpetuate what they experience. Children pots. In cold, wet weather draw children’s attention to moss need caring adults in their lives who have a deep connection growing on the asphalt and create a small moss garden. In and respect for the wonders of the natural world and who are warmer weather strawberries can be grown in guttering willing to pass this on. attached to a wall. Vertical gardening works a treat. Use a Allowing children the freedom to more fully explore the trellis to grow climbing plants on a wall of a school shed or the outdoor environment, to apply their increasing knowledge and outside of a classroom wall. understanding of the world and how it works, assists not only If there is no access to an outdoor area bring nature an appreciation of nature but also the development of indoors. Create a seasonal nature table or shelf and keep it autonomy and confidence. Our task as parents and educators interesting and relevant. Potted plants and a class pet are is to foster and support a deep connection and understanding opportunities for children to connect with nature. Maintaining a of the natural world so that our planet will be well placed in collection of natural materials such as pebbles, seed pods, respectful and capable hands for the future. chestnuts, pine cones and seashells allow you to provide added points of interest to some exercises such as counters Wilma Grier has been a Montessori educator for over 40 years, working and cards. Visiting nearby parks, wild spaces or community in Ireland, Australia and Indonesia. Her experience covers primary school, pre-school and Long Day Care. Wilma is an advocate for gardens also provide good opportunities for children to integrating the outdoors in daily practice. For more information go to engage with the natural world. wilmasgardentsv.wix.com/montessori

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feature: learning from nature From field to fork: helping children connect food with the world around them In an age where convenience food is king and most food shopping is done in supermarkets, it can be easy to forget how the food we eat connects with the world around us. elping children develop an early understanding of the journey from ‘field to fork’ allows them to learn how the food on their plate can impactH not only on their own wellbeing, but the wellbeing of the natural world and wildlife. Growing, cooking and food-based learning also provides an invaluable means of enriching the curriculum and is a great way of building relationships with parents, carers and the surrounding community. Soil Association’s Food for Life provides schools, nurseries and hospitals with advice and guidance on how to bring food and food education together into a whole setting approach. Jo Wild, who heads up their schools and early years awards programme, shares her thoughts on how you can join up activities to make the most of food and sustainable learning. Sowing the seeds of learning range of expressive arts and design. Here are some ideas for activities that link arts and the garden: An edible garden is an ideal way to help children make the •Exploring garden colours (artist’s palette, rainbow chips). first connection between the food they eat and the world •Drawing and painting plants, fruit and vegetables from the around them. Children of any age can learn to grow food, so garden. why not instil a love for it when they are very young. Growing •Fruit and vegetable printing. food encourages an awareness of healthier diets and allows •Using parts of plants for creative projects e.g. collages, them to experience many new shapes, colours and textures. displays, land art. As well as practical skills, growing can support many areas •Exploring taste, smell and textures of different fruit and of learning including language and numeracy skills. It gives the vegetables (feely bags, scavenger hunts). opportunity for children to build their understanding of the •Exploring smells and textures of compost, sand and soil. world through hands-on activities as well as linking it to wider •Designing and making a scarecrow. learning, such as how food is grown and eaten in different •Making a bug hotel. communities and parts of the world. •Making a musical washing line to deter pests. It also gives both an environment and the materials for a Continued on next page

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feature: learning from nature

Healthy gardening Your nursery or school garden is your own little patch of the world to look after and growing organically is better for the environment, plants and wildlife. Composting is fundamental to good gardening, it recycles waste, saves resources and provides a wonderful end product that improves soil and provides fertiliser. By growing organically and teaching children about composting and controlling pests naturally, you are helping them to develop an understanding of how to keep the world around them healthy from an early age. Linking to the wider community Visiting local farms, food producers, markets or shops helps children make the connection between where their food comes from and how it is produced. It also supports the wider curriculum. A well can progress to different equipment and to simple knife skills organised farm visit can be an exciting setting for fun activities such as ‘bridge’ and ‘claw’. for children, including many that support the early years You will find a range of recipes designed for teaching using curriculum. Storytelling, counting games, treasure hunts and seasonal ingredients at www.foodforlife.org.uk/cookschool learning about animals all fit well into a farm visit session. Completing the circle Connecting the garden to the lunch table The final stage of the journey from field to fork is the food Cooking using produce that children have grown allows that you serve. Even if you are only providing snacks, by them to develop a strong understanding of the relationship making sure they are freshly prepared and well sourced, you between the food they eat and nature. It encourages them to are not only looking after the children you care for but the taste new foods, helps them understand the importance of environment around you. minimising waste and gives ingredients a value, as they have Preparing fresh meals and snacks from unprocessed

Preparing fresh meals and snacks from unprocessed ingredients means that you know exactly what is going into them. Not only does this make it easier to create balanced dishes that meet nutritional guidelines, you can chose ingredients that are sustainably sourced and produced.

experienced the time and care that it has taken to grow them. ingredients means that you know exactly what is going into Cooking activities don’t need a huge amount of expensive them. Not only does this make it easier to create balanced equipment. You can begin by teaching basic skills that dishes that meet nutritional guidelines, you can chose encourage young children to use their hands to: ingredients that are sustainably sourced and produced. •Peel (bananas, satsumas, spring onions, hardboiled eggs) Farm assured, RSPCA assured and organic meat reassures •Tear (salad leaves, herbs) you that it is both traceable back to where it was produced •Mix (salad leaves, dressings, muffins) and good for animal welfare. Not buying fish that is on the •Portion (cheese, fillings, bread dough) Marine Conservation Societies ‘Fish to Avoid’ list supports more •Sprinkle (herbs, pepper, cheese) sustainable fishing practices. Eggs that are from free range or •Arrange (threading fruit onto skewers) organic hens are better for animal welfare. •Scoop (removing seeds from a melon or the soft inside of a Menus that incorporate seasonal produce are not only a jacket potato) great way to reduce food miles, but can make sourcing local •Mash (potato, banana) produce more affordable. Highlighting in-season produce on •Roll (small pieces of dough) your menus is also an easy way to give parents, carers and •Knead (bread dough). staff ideas for seasonal dishes so that learning can be taken As their manipulative skills and understanding develop, they home.

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Menus that show where the ingredients used have been produced show how the food you are serving connects to your immediate surroundings. You could feature them on display Strawberry Wellies boards, newsletters and even on your website. As well as f you have some old wellies lying around, don’t throw reassuring parents about the provenance of ingredients, it them away. They are a fun container for growing offers valuable support to local food producers. Istrawberries and lots of other plants in small spaces. Ask The benefits of a whole setting approach to food parents and carers to bring in some old wellies from home if they have some they don’t need any more. Adopting a whole setting approach to food has many benefits. As well as providing children with an excellent start to What you need: their food journey, you are supporting them to make valuable • Old wellies. connections between the food they eat and the world around • Gravel or stones. them. Food-based activities provide many ways to enrich the • Compost. curriculum and give you a valuable vehicle to build stronger • Strawberry plants (standard or alpine). relations with parents, carers and the wider community. Finally, Introduction being able to demonstrate a whole setting approach to food A brilliant story provides evidence to Ofsted that you are supporting learners to to introduce keep themselves healthy. this activity The Soil Association ‘Food for Life Early Years Award’ with is The programme provides schools and early years settings with Little Mouse, expert resources, support and guidance designed to help them The Red Ripe develop a whole setting, ‘field to fork’ approach to food. Strawberry and Achieving the award demonstrates that settings are providing The Big Hungry nutritious, freshly prepared meals made from well sourced Bear by Don ingredients and that food is enjoyed in an environment that and Audrey encourages healthy choices and good social skills. It allows Wood. you to show that children in your care learn to both cook and TIP: For extra grow food and become better connected with where their food drainage put a comes from. few holes in The Soil Association ‘Food for Life Catering Mark’ provides the bottom of school caterers with an independent verification that they are the wellies. You serving freshly prepared, nutritious and well sourced meals. could also cut Settings who are serving Catering Mark accredited meals a couple of automatically meet a quarter of the wider Food for Life Schools extra slits into the sides of each welly to fit more plants in. and Early Years awards. CAUTION: Some children have strawberry allergies and In a recent national survey of parents of pre-school age come out in a red rash when they eat them children commissioned by Food for Life, over 80% said that they would value independent accreditation of the food quality and 1. Put a few stones or some gravel in the foot of the welly for food education provided by their nursery with over half saying drainage (it also helps the welly to keep standing by that it would be likely to make them select one setting over adding weight to the base). another if all other things were equal. 2. Fill the welly with some potting compost, to just below you To find out more about the Soil Association Food for Life first slit (or the top). Pop a strawberry plant in, add some Early Years Award go to www.foodforlife.org.uk/earlyyears, or more compost to the next slit, add another plant and so for more information on the Soil Association Food for Life on, to about 3cm below the top of the welly. Finally, add Catering Mark see www.soilassociation.org/catering. your last plant. 3. Sprinkle some gravel on top of the compost. This helps to For further information, please contact: reduce water loss in hot weather and stops compost Jo Wild – Communications and Marketing Manager T: 07900 683 956 / spilling when it is watered. By finishing 3cm below the top 0117 987 4590 E: [email protected] you allow space for watering. or Lorna Picton – Communications and Marketing Officer T: 0117 987 4587 4. Watch your wellies grow! E: [email protected] Twitter: @SAFoodforLife

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feature: learning from nature A Journey into Nature: international training in nature pedagogy “Nature pedagogy is my definition of a natural way of working with children that embraces nature. It is all encompassing from the educational environments we create, the process of assessment and planning, through to the Learning Journeys that we encourage children and families to take throughout childhood” Claire Warden (2012)

have increasingly been working to shift the paradigm of books give ideas of what to do outside, and yet they retain an thinking from learning about or in nature, to learning with array of issues to consider. One is the relevance of these nature and I have created a new range of approaches experiences to children. The second is that isolated moments that support this process, so that we can create a new do not necessarily take into account the learning journey of concept for education that embraces nature. In order to progression in thinking and understanding that learners are on. supportI practitioners we need to open up our thinking to When we look at embedding learning in a range of spaces recognising the “river of nature pedagogy” (Warden 2015) that we do need to be aware of how the learning is presented and runs underneath the many models of outdoor learning we find whether it should look and be different in response to that around the world. By focussing our energies on connection and environment. The intentional use of wilder spaces, natural similarity rather than separating into separate silos of practice, outdoor play spaces and then inside more traditional rooms is we can make a positive change for children and families. at the root of Nature Pedagogy (Warden 2015). There is embedded knowledge that is already out there in When we set up the charity Living Classrooms and Auchlone the minds of elders in the communities, and many worthwhile Nature Kindergarten we started with the underlying values that groups that I advise such as Richard Louv and the Children and would guide our work and generate large philosophical Nature Network, the International School Grounds Association questions such as What is ‘nature’? Why does it matter to the or the World Forum Nature Action Collaborative. My research whole child? What is my place in nature? We then took those and international work is currently focussed on two things: values and threaded them through our operational systems to • The foundation of The International Association of Nature offer play and learning experiences to children. Pedagogy. This charitable organisation links educators It is not always a case of trying to be the best because ‘the around the world who are interested in the methods of best’ would be a benchmark set against somebody’s idea of teaching with nature through all facets of their work inside perfection. The reality is that we can be reflective, and effective , outside in the outdoor areas, but also beyond into in what we do. All of the outdoor provision I have seen and the wild spaces. experienced has been on a large continuum, created by the • The design and delivery of a new course in Nature relationship of the four features of time, resources, space and Pedagogy that explores how we can learn from the the adult role. All theories have these elements; the nuance elements of the earth itself (Fire, Earth, Water and Air) to and individuality of the approach is achieved through exploring support children to be strong, sensitive adults who are these features. aware of their relationship with the planet. Consider these operational questions for your setting: How Our children still have very varying experiences in their much time will be spent outside? What resources will you educational settings throughout childhood. In my most recent provide and how will they be presented to children? Where will publication Learning with Nature: embedding outdoor practice the experience take place? How will the adult shape and (Sage 2015) I have suggested that the reason for this is the support the play? How will the learning experiences ‘move’ perception of the challenges, one of which is how you integrate across the physical boundaries of inside, outside and the (and therefore value) the experiences outside. Until now many spaces beyond the fences of our schools? The answers are

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explored within my work as the pedagogy or the ‘science of teaching’ nature rather than any other type of outdoor experience. In order to consider progression in learning, we need to move away from purely activity-driven experiences, to learning dispositions developed through inter-curricular experiences from birth to 11 years old that create a guide for decision making. When children have autonomy and ownership, they have a sense of empowerment that can be used to create learning pathways through some of the now established tools such as Floorbooks® and Talking Tubs™ (Warden 1996). These authentic experiences and observation strategies are an integral part of ensuring that the voice of the child and the natural world are valued and respected as effective teaching and learning aspects. The new Nature Pedagogy course and the Association explores a value based approach to ‘being’ with the natural world. It is flexible, empowering and engaging to work with the adults who want to deepen their professional understanding of how we can engage with nature more fully.

When we look at embedding learning in a range of spaces we do need to be aware of how the learning is presented and whether it should look and be different in response to that environment.

The course was first piloted successfully in the north east of England and is about to be rolled out in full throughout Australia from March 2016, where the course has attracted significant interest, having sold out quickly in Melbourne and Adelaide. It is fed into a series of under- and post-graduate level courses that I have written for Universities and Colleges to support the professional recognition of being a nature pedagogue. I am on a journey with nature, to try to make an impact on the lives of children and families through supporting the adults that work with them. Every step we take, will take us closer to that goal, so join us in a global movement to connect and learn with nature. References Warden, C. (2006). Talking and Thinking Floorbooks: an approach to consultation, observation, planning and assessment in children’s learning (rev. 3rd ed. 2015): Mindstretchers Ltd. Warden,C. (2012) Nature and Forest Schools, Mindstretchers Ltd Warden, C. ( 2015). Learning with Nature – embedding outdoor practice. Sage. Claire Warden is an educational consultant with a focus on children’s connection to the natural world. For more details of her work visit www.mindstretchers.co.uk or call (+44) 1764 650 030. More about The International Association of Nature Pedagogy at www.internationalnaturepedagogy.com

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feature: learning from nature Everybody can learn from

Gini Trower describes what happens in her responded the week before. The children are encouraged to different nature workshops for children and use their creativity. I’d like to give you a good example of this: in the autumn teachers. term some topics we covered were harvest, soil and rosehips. In our session about different soils, the children rolled and ardly a day passes without an article in the press squashed clay collected from a field and then added water to about “getting children outdoors” and “tackling see how it changed in appearance and texture. obesity”. We are told in one survey that “87% of They had the opportunity to get muddy if they wanted by parents would rather their children played painting their hands with the wet clay and making hand prints outdoors than on the or watching TV”. with them on black paper. H(Daily Telegraph 19.9.2012) Next up they were given a selection of natural objects that I The view that children need contact with nature on a daily had collected: rosehips and alder cones and I suggested that basis is championed by David Attenborough and Helena they design a sculpture using the clay as a base. William Christensen and is shared by me and many others. It makes (aged 4) thought long and hard as he was looking at the rose sense that schools make the best use of their school grounds. This will give children a choice of free play outdoors as well as the chance to encounter nature with an enthusiastic adult who is In my workshops with the children I have a there to explain it to them. theme every week, depending on the Holiday schemes such as those organised by the National season and the weather, and these are Trust, Wildlife Trust, RSPB, and a host of other organisations are fantastic, but what children need as well as these opportunities often adapted to take account of how the in nature every day. children have responded the week before. To this end, I have developed a series of nature-exploring The children are encouraged to use their workshops for small children. I have spent the last five years working in different nursery school settings with approximately creativity. 96 children a week doing nature workshops. I’ve taken the experience to primary schools too where we have run hips and decided to make a reindeer using a bright red rose gardening workshops. A snapshot of activities is one where hip for Rudolf’s nose. Each sculpture was very different, and children compare a variety of seeds, from the very large they were taken home to share with their parents. (walnuts) through medium (acorn) to very small (carrots). Many Most of the activities I do with the children involve this of these children cannot name an acorn. That is an element of creating and taking home. The children really like extraordinary fact that needs changing. this, but also it forms part of a discussion about what they have Workshops with children done with me that morning. For this particular lesson the ideal scenario would be that In my workshops with the children I have a theme every the children look in the field themselves for the clay and the week, depending on the season and the weather, and these rosehips but not every setting has the luxury of this resource on are often adapted to take account of how the children have their doorstep, nor the time to fit this in to a busy timetable.

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When the activity is complete I take all the left-over resources useful and interesting to all the teachers who have given up and use them in the next session. (Though I must say, I would their weekend time to attend. much rather leave the materials at school so the children could My mantra is doing rather than listening (just as it is with the continue to use and explore them.) children we work with). So in planning workshops for teachers, It is amazing what a variety of uses can come from the I reasoned that a short PowerPoint about how I got started is simplest of resources from nature. Take those rosehips, for best followed by activities that they could actually use with the instance. We used them in a lesson to compare the properties children. of hard and soft. When the rose hips are soft you can squeeze I choose a selection of nature topics (each lasting the contents out of the case and it looks just like tomato purée. approximately 20 minutes). Every topic is constructed round This in turn can be used as a red paint which the children had objects found and collected for the children outside. I keep an the option of using when we made poppies for Remembrance eye out for anything from nature that is interesting. Day. Cutting them up with scissors, the children discovered that What sort of objects? I’ve earlier mentioned rosehips but the contents are really quite sticky and glue-like and that inside moss is another glorious example. I have collected moss of

are a whole mass of tiny yellow seeds. These seeds were used varying colours and textures, the rich emerald green is so to make the spots of a ladybird. exquisite that anyone would want to touch it especially a child One of the thrills of working with this age group is that the who may not have seen it before. Then there is the shaggy children, so full of enthusiasm and interest, frequently give me creeping moss that covers roof tiles and the tiny pin cushion new ideas. I too, am constantly learning: I must try out that mounds that you find on fences and walls. Lichen covered glue soon and make some rosehip syrup while I am at it. twigs are a good find with their fascinating variety of colour Over the years I have collected many soft toys which I use shapes and patterns on a single twig. to illustrate points. I am unlikely to be able to produce a live The items collected go into a box with its own lesson plan hedgehog or red squirrel but there are opportunities when I do and it is a selection of these boxes that get handed round the take live creatures in to show the children. There is great workshop attendees, now divided into groups. excitement when these appear. Timing the chicks and runner The teachers go through each box and follow the plan, ducklings to be hatched at a suitable time to take to school is encouraged by me to come up with any other ideas of how to a real bonus, and there was an occasion when I took in a extend them. These are all lesson plans that I have used many mouse that I found in my green house. times over the years, not some made up theory which doesn’t Then there is the scary end of the spectrum – many children work. If a lesson doesn’t work because it is too long or are frightened of spiders, even the tiny ones the size of a pin complicated for example, I will change it. head that might suddenly climb out of a teazel head that we When the boxes have been explored we all get together to have been looking at. It is interesting how curiosity beats fear. I share views and discuss the contents of the boxes; some have showed them live American Signal Crayfish with their ingenious ideas come up every time. Then we look at large orange pincers and beady black eyes – this can be resources that I have collected over the years. quite an experience for a 3 or 4 year old. Lastly we come to feedback. This is very useful to me and I have been given some wonderful compliments: “I feel very Workshops with teachers inspired by your brilliant practical boxes, so many creative During the last few years I have been asked to talk to ideas, facts about wildlife …” Montessori teachers at schools all over the UK in order to introduce my workshops. I have put together a morning that is Continued on next page

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feature: learning from nature

Conclusion... I am passionate about nature and learning – in working in Montessori schools and studying conservation I have united these loves. We live in uncertain times, seeing a decline in many species and habitats. It is vital to create a future generation that loves wildlife, and exploring nature on a daily basis should be as necessary as being read a story. If by doing nature workshops with young children I can inspire just one child in those 96, light a spark that will encourage them to be enthusiastic about nature for the rest of their life, then it will all be worthwhile. I am a huge fan of Rachel Carson (1904-1964), a founder of the global environmental movement, so I conclude with her stirring words: “A child’s world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. Many people lose that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring before adulthood is reached .If I had a wish it would be that at birth all children be given a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last through that child’s entire life.” …and a few more words about outdoor August is coming to an end, and farmers will be gathering in organisations their harvests. If any readers would like me to run a harvest workshop with your children please do get in touch: There are many organisations that are doing their best to [email protected] or 07721 751910. get children outdoors. Most people know of the great work of

Chinese Mandarin Resources Ma Ma Chong

www.mamachong.co.uk [email protected] Early years & Primary Learning A fantastic new user-friendly Chinese Mandarin Learning Resource for Schools or After-School Clubs No need to speak Mandarin to teach it 33 excellent and engaging lesson plans, each with minimal preparation time All words spoken by a native speaker, to ensure the correct tone, and pronunciation The course is designed especially for young, and primary school age children, using sight, sound, speech, exercises and games to challenge and engage every child. Colourful worksheets, interactive light consoles, classroom games, and pictorial flash cards, all designed to help children learn in a fun and natural way. Ma Ma Chong aims to provide a complete and easily accessible learning resource to enable schools to provide this vibrant Modern Language

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experiencing green deprivation through lack of access to quality green space due to real or perceived barriers. They estimate that supporting, and developing the skills of our members enables us to improve outcomes for around 250,000 Londoners per annum. Jan White works nationally and abroad as an independent consultant to advocate and support high quality outdoor provision for services for children from birth to five. With 28 years’ experience of working in education, she has developed a deep commitment to the consistently powerful effect of the outdoors on young children. She is the author of Playing and Learning Outdoors: making provision for high quality experiences in the outdoor Environment (Routledge, 2008) and Making a Mud Kitchen (Muddy Faces 2012), editor of Outdoor Provision in the Early Years (Sage, 2011) and she collaborated with Siren Films to make the training DVDs Babies Outdoors, Toddlers Outdoors and Two Year-olds Outdoors (Siren Films, 2011). Forest Schools, the Wildlife Trust, the RSPB and many others so Claire Warden of Mindstretchers is an educational I thought it would be useful to mention a few that may not be consultant with an international reputation for pioneering work so well known. in education and a focus on children’s connection to the I am a member of The London Environmental Educators’ natural world. For more information see her article in this issue. Forum (LEEF; http://www.leef.org.uk/), which aims to improve The Wild Network is an organisation that wants to re-wild the quality, quantity and accessibility of environmental childhood; their Project Wild Thing: (an excellent film) is on education for Londoners. They address problems of urban Facebook, @wearewildthing on Twitter and @thewildnetwork green deprivation and develop citizens’ environmental Creative STAR Learning Ltd was established in 2007 by knowledge and skills to help them make informed choices and, Juliet Robertson to provide Support, Training, Advice and ultimately, take positive action to support global efforts to Resources on almost all aspects of outdoor learning and play. reduce climate change, increase biodiversity and promote Juliet works behind the scenes supporting and developing sustainable urban living. They help Londoners to experience, outdoor learning and play at a national, local and school level enjoy and take ownership of their environment and the mainly in Scotland. These can be small or large scale ventures, challenges of protecting and improving it. such as a half-day school visit to writing national outdoor learning documents over several months. Juliet also works throughout the UK and internationally providing inspirational If by doing nature workshops with young training days: http://creativestarlearning.co.uk/contact/ children I can inspire just one child in those Places to visit re the outdoors: 96, light a spark that will encourage them Cambridge Centre for Curiosity and Imagination, to be enthusiastic about nature for the rest http://www.cambridgecandi.org.uk Countryside Live hold a great day in London at the of their life, then it will all be worthwhile. Walthamstow and Leyton Marshes, Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, London E10 7QL; the dates for 2016 are Saturday 24 September and Sunday 25 September. They achieve these aims by providing support to their members and allied professionals from across the community, Books schools, health, arts, heritage and charity sectors via specialist Nature’s Playground by Fiona Danks training, networking and advocacy services. These Billy’s Beetle by Mick Inkpen professionals work with a diverse range of audiences from pre- Gini Trower has a Montessori Diploma and a degree in Environmental school age children, through school groups of all ages from Conservation and is a member of LEEF (London Environmental Education EYFS to A Level, families, young people, adults and seniors Forum). She has worked with 3 to 5 year olds since the early eighties groups. Many run targeted programmes for harder-to-reach and has run schools in London (the Square School in Holland Park), Hertfordshire (the Cuckoo Clock Montessori School) and Essex, Ugley teenage groups, older adults, refugee groups, vulnerable (The Ugley Duckling Nursery school). She now runs Nature workshops in adults, people with additional support needs and groups nursery schools.

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feature: learning from nature Grandad Gibbons, or A Portrait of the Editor as a Young Child

n issue 104, which had the theme ‘Communication’, I wrote about my maternal grandfather, and how we would sit and talk in the greenhouse at the top of the garden when I was very small. Working on this issue with its theme of ‘Learning from nature’ I couldn’t help Above: With grandma and Ithinking about him again and how, as we made our way grandad up the garden, we would see what we could find under Opposite page: Early days Left: Up the garden path stones and among the plants. Below: That ever popular William Gibbons married Ellen Ada Lester in 1907 pastime – poking things with a when they were both aged 24; he was a journeyman stick horse collar maker, these collars being the part of a working horse’s harness that goes around its neck and Saturday afternoon and he shoulders to distribute the load of whatever it is pulling. was checking his pools Working in this trade he was part of the long tradition of quality coupon). Sadly I have very leatherwork production in Walsall, my home town in the West few specific memories of our time together in the garden and Midlands. Unusually, this tradition has survived into the present the greenhouse, being as young as I was when we toddled day, to the extent that the town has more saddlers and leather there, he because of his arthritic knees and me of course goods makers than anywhere else in northern Europe.1 because I was a toddler, hampered still further in winter by

... the importance of having an adult who was willing to sit and talk with a small child. And the trips to the garden were of course another aspect of that willingness – to take time to explore nature together in the garden

Despite his age he served in the being swaddled in very unstylish woollen later part of the First World War, was gear (as in the photos, though for your sake captured and imprisoned by the and mine I’m not printing the summer photos Germans, and in very poor health of me bathing in a tin tub in the garden). when he was repatriated at the end of The ‘memory’ comes from things my mother the war. Stout son of the Midlands that told me when I was older – how she and he was he recovered his strength and a her mother would watch from the kitchen few years later his third child, my window as we disappeared off up the mother, was born. garden together, poking around here and My memory of him is of an old but there to see what creatures we could find, still vital man, marked by age and his and check on how the runner beans were wartime experience, hands bent by doing. On at least one occasion grandma arthritis, a face dominated by a hawk-like said that she’d “love to know what they nose, and an essentially kind but certainly were talking about” as they watched us ‘stands no nonsense’ nature (woe betide sitting opposite each other just inside the any child who made a racket when the greenhouse. football results were being read out on a One thing that has stuck in my mind

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though is finding the earwig undoubtedly the beginning of my nursery. The common or, indeed, interest in insects and other garden earwig (Forficula invertebrates, something that would auricularia) is one of the few types probably never have come about of insect that show parental care of had it not been for learning from their offspring: the female earwig nature with members of the family. guards her eggs and keeps the * * * newly-hatched nymphs together at Something that Grandad Gibbons least until the time of their first brought back from the war was a moult. Of course, neither of us knew Couvreux 23 French military folding that at the time; what we saw was knife. The family story was that he the mother standing over her young, had swapped some bread for it miniature pure white replicas of with a German soldier in the prison camp; I have no idea herself. We looked on for a little while until she started to get a whether that was true or another one of grandad’s jokey little little agitated at this unwelcome exposure to daylight, and we stories, but in its new life he used this knife around the garden. I gently replaced the stone we had found her under. still have it, and though the blade is much worn down now I still When I last mentioned Grandad Gibbons it was in relation occasionally use it in my own garden for jobs like cutting herbs to the importance of having an adult who was willing to sit and for the kitchen or thinning out the apples as they develop so the talk with a small child. And the trips to the garden were of tree does not become overloaded. course another aspect of that willingness – to take time to 1 “Walsall leather: where to buy the best”, 2016. explore nature together in the garden, explaining about the Read more at http://www.thefield.co.uk/country-house/luxury-country- beans and potatoes growing there and enjoying seeing house/walsall-leather-where-to-buy-the-best- creatures like baby earwigs and Garden Tiger moths. This was 30858#9uZXQf0ULOh7XEAg.99

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brightideas

Ohashi counting the beauty and art in nature with its lines, Easy Arranger palette of colours, symmetry and shapes. Naturally picking up one of the metal insets I love the reinforced my daughter's shape knowledge simplicity of this and helped us to hunt for small details we product which could focus and fit into the frame. So instead could be an of colouring shapes with pencils we decided interesting to do it with nature. A picture is never addition to the complete without a frame, it defines its practical life borders and limits, complements it. The metal shelves allowing insets assisted us in creating art pieces with children to nature, composing it in different shapes. create their own “We also cut out different shapes such as beautiful designs by arranging flowers. The a bird in this case to use as a frame to take hand woven wire grids can be placed over This idea from Carolyn Hadsell of Dundee on our hunt and the camera that we used the top of any container, even a soufflé dish, Montessori in Nebraska makes a beautiful was simple a simple smartphone camera ready for children to express their creativity. extension to the spindle box as part of a that was tough and water resistant.” For ages 3 years upwards project on Japan. File folder corners were www.montessorinature.com used to make the fans that open into pockets including one to contain the chopsticks. These Spielgaben are then counted into the fans while the child counts from 1 to 10 in Japanese. For more ideas visit www.inspiredmontessori.blogspot.co.uk We’re all going on a creative nature hunt

Above: Coliseum from 'Inspiration Card' made with Set #6. Below: Full set These high quality wooden materials designed for children aged 3 to 12 originated from the ‘gifts’ of Friedrich Froebel, and have inspired the likes of Albert Einstein, Charles Eames, , Paul Klee and Piet Mondrian. I came across the www.montessoriservices.com $11.95. materials and company while perusing a Also available from www.amazon.co.uk and blog called Living Montessori Now where ebay. Montessori teacher Deb Chitwood has Silence in Nature created a range of Montessori-inspired extension activities for each curriculum area Materials: Silence Board and three that could be prepared using the Spielgaben minute one sand clock materials. The materials come with inspiration cards, and interactive worksheets that could “The benefits of silence are truly appreciated be used to create hands-on activities and and valued in a Montessori environment. provide endless ideas for extending open When Montessori was describing the Silence ended play. Game she wrote ‘Children are not only The complete learning system costs £323.64; sensitive to silence, but also to a voice which however, they offer the discounted price of calls them … Out of that silence.’ This activity by Anastasia, a Montessori £287.64 for schools who place an order. “The Silence Game is a way to cultivate teacher and home schooler in Australia www.spielgaben.com mindfulness in children through the ability to transforms aspects of nature into works of www.livingmontessorinow.com gain awareness of the sounds surrounding art. I love the fact that it works for every season – if you have a white Christmas, use a black piece of card and make frames from this instead. “At the time we were learning about 2 - dimensional shapes, so we decided to use the Montessori metal insets for our nature hunt. I encouraged my daughter to observe

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them and as an exercise in self-control. In the Montessori classroom children are shown how to ‘create’ silence. “As an individual shelf activity, we have a beautiful picture with the word silence written on it which the child at any time can take off the shelf along with the sand clock. He or she places it on a mat on the floor and sits in silence while watching sand grains fall through. “It is astonishing the level of stress children can experience these days. I cultivate in my child the habit of spending time being mindful – appreciating the moment and observing the world around her. “As a part of our home- schooling we take the Montessori classroom outdoors once a week. This week we took a version of the silence game outside by The Bambajam Pelangi and Symphony - an innovative finding a quiet natural outdoor setting that approach to music teaching that spans EY to KS4 was perfect for sitting quietly without getting Drums for Schools announce the addition of the innovative new Bambajam Pelangi and Symphony Kits to their inclusive Class Ensemble Teaching range.

The Bambajam approach is based on learning by playing and provides a complete teaching and learning programme spanning EY, Primary and Secondary levels. important social skills through teamwork and Richie Baxter, Senior Music Teacher at creative and builds students' Tanglin Trust International School, says: “It's confidence in improvisation, composition and an excellent teaching resource which performance. Each Pelangi and Symphony develops students performing and listening comes with three song packs (each with skills. All the pieces have a great enough parts for most class sizes) and there's range of parts for many also an extensive online different levels of ability. A Bambajam music fun and practical way of library, with more song teaching notation in packs, teaching the classroom for resources, games and juniors and seniors.” backing tracks. distracted. I invited the child to look around The multi-functional The Bambajam Pelangi and tell me what she could see, hear and Pelangi enables children and Symphony were finalists feel. Then I said that we are going to sit aged 2 to 12 years to in the 2016 Music Teacher without making a sound and listen to the connect and develop Awards for Excellence in the UK, sounds around us for as long as it takes all together through musical play. It can be and are available to buy online at the sand grains to drop from top to the played by one, two, three and four children at www.drumsforschools.co.uk. bottom. I also encouraged her to think of a time or be used for musical teamwork Drums for Schools are specialists in something that helps her feel ‘happy’. games with up to 12 players. inclusive Class Ensemble Teaching. We help “It was a beautiful exercise and worked out The Symphony for Secondary pupils, is a schools deliver a high quality music better than I expected. Learning to be in the unique three octave, three frame chromatic education plus life skills, social and academic moment, appreciate what we’ve got and xylophone. As with the Pelangi, each key can benefits to each and every pupil, and we do reflect on feelings – all this takes a lot of be removed and played as a single this by focussing on: concentration and body awareness from a instrument. Keys can also be configured in •world music traditions that are accessible young child.” any order on the frames so students may and which engage all ability levels, cultural Anastasia Rehbein, Montessori teacher and choose only the notes needed for a backgrounds and age groups; parent: www.montessorinature.com particular part, mode or arrangement. •Providing essential support and transferring Editor’s note: if any readers have a bright As well as providing an unparalleled expertise to teachers. idea they would like to share, please introduction to keys and modes, the For more information, please contact Anna contact [email protected] Bambajam methodology helps develop Ruddick, [email protected]

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brightideas

Introducing ‘Cubetto’ Melissa Stockdale gives an account of the robot that helps kids learn to code creatively and without limits

As an owner and head directress of a Montessori nursery school in Suffolk for 25 years, our school invested quite large sums of money on technological toys that professed to aid the children’s understanding of programmable devices and serve as an introduction to IT. Although the brightly coloured, , and often noisy, distracting toys amused the children for a brief period of time, the introduction of such items tended to disrupt the calm atmosphere and the general pattern of the children’s normal work cycle within the Montessori classroom. Through a lack of interest, neglect, or a loss of battery power the expensive objects wirelessly by the children by placing were then removed from the children’s reach coloured instruction blocks into holes on a by the frustrated teaching staff. They were wooden interface board. Each coloured either placed on a high shelf out of the block represents a specific direction of child’s reach, or kept in a box of similar movement, left, right, or forward. The children rejected educational toys, which itself was can program Cubetto by inserting either stored in the overflowing storage cupboard short simple commands, or more alongside yet more abandoned computer complicated sequences of movement. They toys. can plan ahead and predict routes for Providing these devices in addition to the Cubetto to travel across the floor, or on the Montessori materials did tick the box with the introduced Cubetto and invited heads from grid map that is provided with the play-set. EYFS requirements, along with catering for a local Montessori schools who were affiliated The ability to freely program the robot specific area of learning in preparation for to MSA to take part in a field study on this encouraged the children’s individual Ofsted inspections. The presence of such IT innovative new educational . divergent thinking and creativity. As articles in the school environment also Research took place in three schools, Bernadette Duffy aptly describes in her book seemed to satisfy visiting professionals that Sunflower Montessori School, Peacocks Supporting Creativity and Imagination in the the children in our care also had access to Montessori School in Diss, and Foxglove Early Years, “creative learning is about technological programmable objects. Montessori School in Stowmarket. children taking control of the creative However, the appeal of these toys to the Cubetto was an instant success when process and owning it”.1 children and the staff was limited and, shown to several small groups of 4 year olds. After briefly introducing Cubetto and the ultimately, uninspiring. It was fascinating to observe how the interface board to the children, my presence Enter Cubetto. For those unfamiliar, Cubetto children concentrated for long periods of as an adult seemed quite superfluous and it is a brand-new, designed by Primo time; all the groups were totally absorbed for was wonderful to witness the children totally Toys, a passionate team of young Italian nearly one hour in all settings where engaged in “sustained shared thinking”2, technicians and entrepreneurs. Beautifully research took place. Interestingly, with very working together in a real intellectual crafted and made of wood (no plastic or few instructions the children quickly identified capacity to solve problems, to clarify the new garish colours here), this small robot and and categorised the commands of the concepts in their own minds, making joint programming board has been designed to different coloured wooden instruction blocks decisions, predicting outcomes, and teach 3 to 6 year olds of any background, that are used to operate Cubetto’s extending their understanding of abstract language or culture programming logic movements, and every child was able to ideas. To see the children totally absorbed, without the need for literacy. Importantly it successfully program their own sequence to and intrinsically motivated whilst has no screen and so far it has proven to be achieve an end goal. manipulating Cubetto was a very special a great hit with Montessori professionals and Much discussion took place between the Montessori moment indeed. the young children in a selection of children during their exploration of Cubetto. It The benefit of the design of the Cubetto in Montessori nursery schools in East Anglia. was a delight to sit back, observe, and listen plain wood with just a few markings to Following an enthusiastic and inspiring to their laughter and the surprisingly calm represent a face on the side of the cube workshop led by Lynette Brock on and intelligent conversations that took place means that the toy appeals to both sexes, ‘Rediscovering Sensorial’ at an MSA Region as they shared this unique learning and the children are not distracted by the 11 (East Anglia) summer 2015 meeting at experience together. appearance of the robot in anyway. This Sunflower Montessori Nursery School, I The plain wooden robot is programmed allows them to fully concentrate on following

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the actual movements that Cubetto makes. children in an enjoyable way – one that p.121. Open University Press: Berkshire. The simple wooden design also develops their logical thinking in preparation 2 Effective Provision of Pre-school Education complements the Sensorial materials that the for becoming competent and successful ICT (EPPE) (2003) Findings from the Pre-school children are already familiar with. programmers of the future without the worries Period: Summary of Findings. University of After each small move in any direction of being exposed to a screen device. London: London. Cubetto signals completion of the command MSA members and affiliated schools will 3 Montessori, M. (2007) The Absorbent Mind, by quietly bleeping so the children can count be able to order Cubetto for a special offer p.228. Montessori-Pierson Publishing Company: Amsterdam. each move and refer to the interface board price of £119.00 (the RRP being £159.00) by to check that the movements that have been writing to [email protected] quoting MSA Melissa Stockdale has been the owner of Melton Lodge Montessori School and The Park made match and follow the program that Magazine. Montessori School in Suffolk, teaching for over they have created. In a way this acts as the Further information about Cubetto and 25 years as well as lecturing and examining child’s control of error and enables the child other products can be found at: students on the Early Childhood Diploma to check and adapt the program www.primotoys.com and Course for MCI. She is now dedicating her time accordingly. This aspect fits in so well with [email protected] to writing books. Following the attainment of Montessori’s philosophy: “the child must see an MA in Development and Emergency for himself what he can do, and it is Practice, she is also hoping to engage in References improving educational opportunities, as well important to give him not only the means of 1 Duffy, B. (2006) (2nd ed.) Supporting as highlighting humanitarian issues in schools education but also to supply him with Creativity and Imagination in the Early Years, in Africa. indicators which tell him his mistakes.” 3 Teaching staff will be pleased to hear Fostering development of however, that this product does not make irritating unruly sounds that disrupt other citizens of the world children who are concentrating on their own As part of their learning theme ‘giving’, the tasks within the same environment. children of Woodentots Montessori Nature One 4 year boy with severe language Nursery had a Christmas Collection at the end delay and other learning difficulties carefully of last year, in which they gave donations of observed several of his classmates new and very good condition used toys, books programming Cubetto, whilst waiting and clothes for the disadvantaged children of patiently for his turn. He then surprised his Camden so they had something special to peers and teachers as he calmly and open on Christmas day. positively selected the required coloured A huge amount was collected and the blocks and then successfully programmed children worked hard, collaborating in the Cubetto to follow a complicated route. It was preparing, wrapping and packing of boxes, over whelming to see the look of jubilation whilst exercising their scissor, measuring, and self-satisfaction on his face as his fellow listening and critical thinking skills as they classmates acknowledged him and went. Many comments were exchanged as congratulated him on his achievements. This they worked, including “I want to give my blue sudden increase in his self-esteem and self- motorbike", "We need to take these to the post box for the elf to collect, so the children get confidence was remarkable, and he asked them on Christmas", and "They can't open them yet, they must wait until Christmas day". eagerly if he could repeat the exercise again The children decided together which items would be best liked for each age group – babies, and take Cubetto home with him. children and older children – considering for the latter what they would need to feed Another 4 year old child at Sunflower themselves with, such as pans, wooden spoons and cutlery. Montessori School was able to complete The Mayor of Camden paid a visit with her son to meet and thank the children for their several very complicated procedures, and generosity and the children carried the wrapped boxes of donated items to her car, so they after working with Cubetto for nearly an hour, could be transported he excitedly exclaimed “Wow, this is fun!” directly to the receiving Montessori reminds us that in this period of families. the ‘Absorbent Mind’, and particularly in this We are hoping to do ‘social embryonic stage’ between the ages of another collection this year 3 and 6 years, children can be deeply as it generally encourages engaged and have the ability to concentrate the children to think of for long periods of time without becoming others, and with the tired as long as their sensitive periods for youngest – who were more development are being satisfied. interested in cutting and It seems that Primo Toys may have sticking – they will be able succeeded in designing the ideal technology to make links with their first toy, which will not only integrate perfectly into experience and build on it. the Montessori learning environment, but will also meet the requirements in the various Harriet Broadfoot is areas of learning of the EYFS. Above all manager of Woodentots Cubetto will satisfy and encourage young Montessori Nature Nursery

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bookreviews

Story of Life – Evolution Let’s Garden: a step by bucket and planting tomatoes are all on the menu along with a visual guide and glossary Illustrated by Katie Scott step introduction on a few edible plants with the proviso to ask a parent or teacher to check the plants This is another Clara Lidström and Annakarin Nyberg. before tasting. publication in Big Illustrations by Katy Kimbell and Li The fact that the projects are designed in Picture Press’s Söderberg such a way that you don’t need a garden ‘Welcome to the adds to the appeal of the book. Balconies Museum’ series, Even as an adult I and window sills are said to work just as well. which includes can tap into the I lent the book to my nine year old niece, Animalium excitement, Minna, to get her input, who wrote: “I thought (reviewed in freshness and the book was “GREAT!!!! My favourite project issue 115, p.36) energy of the was making heads you could eat from flower and has the projects and ideas pots and I found the instructions easy to same illustrator, included in this understand. I think my friends would like this Katie Scott. Both in her illustrations and the creative DIY too.” production values of the book itself, Story of gardening book for If you’re looking for something to Life – Evolution is of the same excellent children. However encourage children away from the screen quality as Animalium. it’s the fact that it’s and to interact with the natural world, this This is a sort of ‘two-in-one’ publication: you very much a book comes highly recommended. can either turn the concertinaed ‘pages’ or which speaks directly to the child that makes For ages 6 to 12 open them out into a six foot long illustrated it so appealing. Inspired by their own timeline with text on the reverse. On both children’s fascination with nature, Clara Gestalten picture and text sides there is a narrow band Nyberg and Annakarin Lidstrom created the 2016, 48pp., £12.50 Hardback at the top containing the names of the activities to encourage children “to be ISBN: 978-3-89955-747-3 relevant geological ages and their duration confident and do things themselves”, with www.gestalten.com (e.g. Cambrian 541 – 485 million years ago). their ambition being that “grown-up’s should Reviewed by Amanda Engelbach The text presents a clear, succinct overview be almost superfluous”. As a result, all of the of each period and a number of activities are designed with easy to follow I Am NOT a Dinosaur! representative animals and plants, and also step by step instructions, complemented by mentions the mass extinctions that have clear illustrations guiding and empowering Will Lach. Illustrated by Jonny Lambert periodically affected life on earth. children through the process, including those Katie Scott’s detailed and strikingly and who may find reading the text more of a This book could subtly coloured illustrations will provide a challenge. There are only a couple of be seen as a good basis for project work for children 5 to activities in which asking an adult for help is broadening of 6 years old and above, either drawing or encouraged. perspective for modelling as part of research work on past It’s a beautifully designed book, with an air the dinosaur- life forms. My one minor criticism is that of Scandinavian chic coming through, obsessed 4 or 5 nowhere is a sense of scale or relative sizes illustrated with a mix of whimsical drawings year old. given, so that, for example, the Cambrian and stunning photography. Illustrator Jonny Burgess Shale fossils Anomalocaris and The ten projects are fun and creative with Lambert is a UK- Opabinia are illustrated as much the same lots of tips for extending the activities. How based author and size, but in life Anomalocaris was 1m long about creating funny figures with edible hair paper engineer, whilst Opabinia was around 10cm. The and giving them a haircut, making seed and his superb illustrations – constructed from question of scale could perhaps make part of bombs and bird food from coconut fat and coloured and patterned papers – introduce a a lesson or be given as a research project, something a little more unique that I’m sure range of prehistoric creatures, including a though an indication of actual size by each will rouse children’s curiosity – planting rabbit hominid. illustration could perhaps have made relative poop beads. What will spring from the soil? After an introductory single page (“A long, sizes graspable ‘at a glance’. The authors are keen to inspire children long, long time ago, / strange beasts Like the other ‘Welcome to the Museum’ with the idea that there are lots of edible roamed Earth, both high and low, / from books, it is obvious with Story of Life – things in nature. Growing garlic and using it huge to tiny, sky to shore… / but – each was Evolution that a lot of effort has gone into to make cream cheese, growing potatoes in a not a dinosaur!”) the double page spreads making a publication that is a pleasure to are given over to different types of creatures, hold and examine at the same time as it including the sabre-toothed tiger, Dimetrodon, imparts knowledge and encourages curiosity, Plesiosaur and Neanderthal man. and is heartily recommended as such. Will Lach’s short verses complement the Big Picture Press illustrations and add to the fun of learning about these creatures: “My wings are of skin 2015, £12.99 Hardback – stretched finger to calf. / And my size it can ISBN: 978-1-78370-444-6 vary – from wren to giraffe. / High in the sky www.bigpicturepress.net above T. rex I soar… / but – I am not a Reviewed by Philip Davies dinosaur! / I am a pterosaur.”

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the complexities of outcomes for children and young people. litigation and special The book is well written to provide clear educational needs. Both guidance, particularly on the ‘25 Common authors are from legal Problems’. I would like to have seen bullet backgrounds and they points addressing summaries of the key facts specialise in the field of for each chapter in order to aid practical special educational needs signposting for the non-expert. and disability, resulting Jessica Kingsley Publishers from personal experience. 2015, 354pp., £14.99 pbk Originally published for ISBN: 978-1-849055-95-6 the 1993 and 1996 Acts, the book gives clear www.jkp.com guidance written from the Reviewed by Kathryn Solly perspective of a parent, One striking feature is that the eyes of the family member or adviser seeking to support Technicolour Treasure Hunt creatures are expressive and engaging a child with individual needs. The major focus Pattern-tastic Treasure Hunt without being overly caricatured, which may is to provide some self-help for children with well draw in child readers, as will the individual needs who maybe entitled to Nan Na Hvass and Sofie Hannibal appearance of young creatures in the case of support from Education Health Care plans. The authors are founders of the the giant ground sloth, woolly mammoth and Clear guidance via a comparison of the Copenhagen-based design studio early man (“’Caveman’ they call me, but let’s previous system to the current system is a Hvass&Hannibal, and these two titles are the be specific: / I take care of my family, and my central theme of the book. This includes studio’s first books for children. They are tools are terrific! / I’m related to you, which details as to how a statutory assessment for robust board books with tabbed pages that you cannot ignore… / but – I am not a an EHC plan will be good for 2 year olds, along with their dinosaur / I am a Neanderthal.”) The works; how the parents or teachers. inclusion of one of our fellow hominids helps Code of Technicolour Treasure Hunt uses simple, to introduce the idea that we modern humans Practice works bright are also part of the interdependent animal and how the illustrations of kingdom. system provides flowers, There is also some very good ‘extra’ for parents who vegetables and material at the end of the book: two pages of are requesting animals on illustrations of some creatures that were an EHC plan colour-themed dinosaurs (and pointing out that their plus how to double page descendants are still with us in the form of make an spreads to birds); a page of text explaining what appeal. introduce dinosaurs were; three pages of thumbnail Each chapter identifying and information on the featured creatures; and a sets out clearly counting. So, for two page geological timeline from the Late the legal parameters for areas such as: example, on the Devonian to the present to illustrate the •A brief outline of the new system first two pages chronological relationship of all the animals •Identification of children with special we have “Can you find all of these red concerned. educational needs things? 1 watermelon 2 toadstools 3 In short, this is an excellent and attractive •The position of Health and Social Care tomatoes 4 ladybirds 5 maple leaves … “ book that will be a valued addition to any •The Code of Practice and so on. home or nursery. •The Duty to Deliver Education and Choice Pattern-tastic of Schools Reprinted with permission from Sterling Treasure Hunt •Practical Issues in relation to EHC Plans Children’s Books has the same •Preparing a Case and Expert Evidence 2016, £10.99 hbk basic approach, •The Right of Appeal and Mediation ISBN: 978-1-4549-1491-4 but its double- •Appeals and Tribunals Available at all good bookshops or online page spreads •25 Common Problems Reviewed by Philip Davies are devoted to There is a rich array of information in the patterns (spotty, Special Needs And Legal appendices, especially the exemplar expert stripy, spiky, reports, witness guidance for tribunal spiral, speckled, Entitlement: the essential procedures and regulations. wavy) rather than guide to getting out of the The layout clearly provides the core colours, and maze. background and essential information to each set of underpin developing knowledge and patterned things has an odd one out to spot. Melinda Nettleton and John Friel expertise by parents. It would also be useful Thus we have “Can you name all of these to students and practitioners from education, spiky things? Which thing is the odd one out? This book is a disciplined read but one that is health, social care and other professions essential for anyone trying to make sense of working with families to provide the best Continued on next page

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bookreviews

one out? Spiky pineapples spiky icicles spiky Philip and the Homeless Bumblebee cactuses spiky sea urchins … spiral fossil … “. The final double-page spread has a selection David Greaves. Illustrated by Danielle Callaghan of different animals (and a few plants) from You might be thinking the preceding pages with the challenge I’m reviewing this “Can you name the thing you haven’t seen book because it’s got before?” (So that you’re not left in suspense I my name in the title, can let you know that it’s the purple starfish.) but that’s not the case The illustrations throughout both books are at all. charming and bold, introducing young This is in fact a children in a pleasing way to a wide range personalised of things from the natural world, from storybook from speckled gemstones to spotty salamanders. Environmental charity And as a bonus their strong construction Friends of the Earth means that they will be able to stand whose specific purpose is helping children learn about the importance of bees. By logging repeated use in either the nursery or home onto www.homelessbee.co.uk you can select an appropriate avatar and give him or her the environment. name of the intended recipient. Both titles: The narrative, in rhyming couplets by David Greaves, begins when the bumblebee loses her Wide Eyed Editions home when the flower meadow it is in is ploughed under for agricultural use. So she has to set 2016, [14pp], £9.99 Hardback off to find a new home, and that’s when she meets (in this case) a little boy called Philip, who ISBN: promises to help her find somewhere new to live. Their search includes several false starts that help to introduce some of the environmental Technicolour Treasure Hunt 978-1-84780-744-1 difficulties that bees face, including agricultural monocultures, the heedless cutting or Pattern-tastic Treasure Hunt 978-1-84780-743-4 destruction of hedgerows, pesticide residues and roadside littering. And then, as the sun is www.wideeyededitions.com setting and all hope seems lost, they meet the “friendly farmer” of Bumble Farm who keeps a Reviewed by Philip Davies “meadow just for bees” (reflecting good agricultural practice). And here the bumblebee can finally make her new home amongst the wildflowers and “the sound of happy bumblebees, Making Woodland Crafts: and honey bees in hives”. On the final page the young reader will find three things he or she can do to help bees: plant wildflowers, make a small drinking pond, and let some grass in the using green sticks, rods, garden grow long and wild. poles, beads and string. Since my copy of The Homeless Bumblebee came into the Montessori International office two of my colleagues have told me that they know exactly the child this book would suit, and Book one have gone off with the log-in details. It’s worth noting that UK delivery is free, and all profits go Patrick Harrison to Friends of the Earth, who will use the money raised to create bee-friendly places all over the country – an excellent little book The author is an outdoor learning educator serving a very worthy cause, and Forest School practitioner and trainer. and entirely recommended. His aim with this book is to provide some basic knowledge and skills for both simple Use code LOVEBEES to get and advanced woodland craft, and what he 10% off has included comes from many hours Friends of the Earth “messing about in the woods”. He intends it 2015, [25pp], £16.99 Hardback, for “…anyone, of any age, with a modicum of £12.99 Paperback interest…”, www.homelessbee.co.uk and it will Reviewed by Philip Davies certainly be useful The first section is “Choosing your wood”, step ladder or a lantern. for both which briefly introduces the reader/user to The author’s illustrations are commendably parents four types of woodland – hazel, willow, birch clear and well-drawn, giving a good sense of and their and elder – illustrated by black-and-white the possibilities of the woodland activities children photos and with notes on past uses of each you can get the children involved in. and type of wood and how to identify them and, Furthermore the book has a good stout hard teachers with the exception of birch, how to coppice cover that should help preserve it as it is and their them. This is followed by a selection of taken around outside. pupils. “useful knots and lashings”. Divided into sections that the author There are pages on creating things like a Hawthorn Press intends to make the book as useful as hazel mask, a night torch and a staff, and 2014, 115pp, £15.99 Hardback possible, he also provides an introduction, a sections on making frames and simple ISBN: 978-1-907359-37-8 brief note on how to use the book and a two- structures or fashioning a triangle, the latter www.hawthornpress.com page spread illustrating some basic “useful going on to show how basic triangles can be tools”. combined to make things like a tetrahedral Reviewed by Philip Davies

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asktheexpert

Q. In many of the schools and nurseries I have recently visited as potential settings for my 3 years old son to attend, there seems to be a big focus on outdoor education and how it supports children’s learning and development. What are the benefits of outdoor learning and should this be one of the priorities catered for within Early Years education? In answering this question Lauren Colvin details the “social and emotional benefits offered by the outdoors”.

At the heart of every good educational setting should be the focus on the unique child, and working towards understanding and catering for this as effectively as possible. The early years is a child’s introduction to education, it should be an enjoyable experience and nurture a love of learning that they take with them throughout life. The towards meeting confined and more at ease to talk. There are experiences and the different so many sensory experiences to talk about, environment provided by Q milestones of their discussions therefore flow and vocabulary is early years practitioners development in naturally extended. plays a crucial part in AND these prime Playing games outdoors introduces stimulating children towards fostering a deep A areas. Children children to a range of social skills, such as enjoyment and interest in their learning. The seem to lose their how to co-operate, problem solve, follow benefits of children spending time outside inhibitions and rules and work as a team. Children playing in are vast and proven across many areas. It become confident in their abilities to this way and exploring the outdoor offers children first hand experiences of life communicate and express themselves environment are also able to be more active, and growth; provides opportunities to explore outdoors, as restraints, such as using quiet as they have greater freedom to move their imagination and creativity, not to ‘indoor voices’ are lifted. I have observed shy around in a variety of ways. Physical activity

Children learn first-hand about the world around them, such as plant and animal life cycles, weather, seasons, growth and change. The seasonal changes that occur outdoors entice children and instil a sense of wonder and intrigue...

mention the positive impact it has on their and quiet children become confident leaders in childhood is important for many reasons fitness and physical development. The outside, asserting their ideas and thoughts, and a variety of sources indicate a direct outdoors should therefore be seen as a as they take on tasks and think of new relationship between physical activity and natural extension to the classroom. It provides games. A child’s self-esteem impacts all of children’s health. In early childhood physical children with opportunities and a sense of their development and learning; without it exercise helps build strong bones, muscle freedom that cannot be re-created indoors. they will not be at ease and have the strength and lung capacity. The NHS The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) for confidence to explore their environment, take guidelines say, children under five should not 0 to 5 year olds outlines seven areas of part in different activities or interact with be inactive for long periods, except when learning and development. The seven areas others. In the same respect children who they're asleep. Physical exertion to get our are further broken down into three prime demonstrate challenging behaviour inside, heart and lungs working hard is vital for a areas (Personal Social and Emotional can become more relaxed and responsive healthy body. This can be easily achieved Development, Communication and Language, outside whilst exploring the freedom and outdoors through many fun activities such as and Physical Development), which lay the space offered. Where we work and play running, skipping, climbing, digging and foundations for children’s success in all other affects all of our emotions. The natural sense jumping. The physical effects children feel areas of learning and life. Opportunities of relaxation from being in the outdoor and experience on their body whilst provided in the outdoor environment make a environment also encourages children’s significant impact in supporting children communication skills, as they feel less Continued on next page

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asktheexpert

Continued from previous page

exercising, leads to questioning and a deeper understanding about our health. Playing outdoors also helps to develop motor functioning. Several studies show that children who lack proficient motor skills often choose not to participate in physical activities as they get older. In this sense exercise breeds exercise: those who are more confident and capable in their motor skills will be more inclined to engage in and embed physical activity into their lifestyle. Exercise impacts on the mind too and a child’s emotional health: when exercising endorphins are released, giving an overall sense of wellbeing and relaxation. If children are happy, stimulated and feel good about themselves and their environment, they will become engaged in their learning and They are split into three categories, Playing understanding and challenging them confident to explore and take on new and Exploring, Active Learning and Creative accordingly. challenges. This in turn leads to a positive and Critical Thinking. There should be a very Settings that prioritise the importance of and purposeful attitude towards learning. evident focus on the priority of catering for outdoor learning will reflect this in a number The four specific areas of the EYFS are these characteristics in order to offer children of ways, for example through the Maths, Literacy, Expressive Art and Design rich experiences that support them. If positive maintenance and attention given to the and Understanding of the World. learning habits are formed in their early outdoor area itself, gardening patches for Mathematical concepts in the Early Years are years, children will be able to apply these growing herbs and vegetables, carefully very much based around practical learning styles throughout their lives. In the thought-through outdoor resources such as experiences involving concrete objects and beginning of a child’s learning journey they sand and water play and instrument walls. sensory exploration. The outdoor classroom learn best through playing and exploring in The teachers planning for the children should can cater for this in different ways, such as their environments. This learning style is also have many outdoor elements and ideas counting out natural objects, measuring out naturally supported through access to the embedded within their plans. Some settings different volumes in water play, looking at outdoor area. Understanding what something have free flow to the outdoors, so children shapes around us and using different is is the foundation of learning. In order for have access to it throughout the whole day. resources to build and make them. Literacy children to develop a deeper more figurative You may even be lucky enough to come can also be supported, as experiences understanding, they need to be actively across a setting that has Forest School within offered through the outdoors and sensory involved in the process and given in its curriculum. Forest School is becoming engagement help with the comprehension of opportunities to be able to apply this very popular and offers exciting and and connection to stories. Children love knowledge to different situations. The purposeful outdoor experiences for children in writing letters in sand and with large paint outdoor environment offers a hands on and ideal outdoor surroundings. brushes and water on the ground. Mark active learning experience, as children Enjoyment and socialising are the greatest making doesn’t have to be restricted to engage their movements and senses. Once motivation for children choosing to engage in paper and pencils. The freedom provided by children have acquired this deeper level of activities. I hope you’ll agree on reflection the outdoors further supports children’s understanding, their confidence needs to be that the social and emotional benefits offered creativity and imagination. Children can nurtured through appropriate challenges by the outdoors, are the starting point of what make up their own games, explore natural provided that help to stagger their learning. playing and exploring outside has to offer objects, make dens for creatures and These carefully thought through challenges, children’s holisitc development and well- themselves and be inspired by nature and will enable children to begin thinking more being. Children who enjoy physically active express themselves through painting on creatively and critically, follow their own play, especially in natural environments, may outdoor easels. Children learn first-hand thoughts and ideas and make decisions be laying the foundations for better health about the world around them, such as plant about different ways to do things in order to and a longer life than sedentary children. and animal life cycles, weather, seasons, achieve their own successes. Challenges in Outdoor activity in early years setting is growth and change. The seasonal changes line with children’s interests and abilities can influenced by a number of factors, including that occur outdoors entice children and instil be subtly provided in the outdoors and entice the layout of the setting, ethos of staff and the a sense of wonder and intrigue, as they children towards engaging with them. level of encouragement they provide, provide such rich visual and sensorial Children will only develop resilience and the opportunities for free flow play into the experiences. confidence to take on new challenges if their outdoors, and the equipment provided. This The Characteristics of Effective Learning previous experiences have been positive. not only influences the amount of time are part of the EYFS that describe children’s Knowledge will therefore not come without children spend being active outdoors, but attitude towards learning and outline how self-esteem, it needs to be nurtured every also the quality of activity they engage in and they learn as opposed to what they learn. step of the way when building on a child’s therefore the overall benefits.

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practitioner’sreflection Teaching practice in Rwanda Janice Yon gives a heartfelt account of the nerve-wracking at first, but ultimately rewarding experience of her teaching practice

My first introduction to Montessori occurred when I enrolled my son in a Montessori setting in Zimbabwe. I was absolutely impressed by the style of teaching, and the main attraction was the fact that everything both physically and emotionally was customized solely for the purpose of the child. I then did some research and was fortunate to locate and register with Montessori Centre International UK. I began my three year Early Childhood Diploma studies in April 2013 as a distance learner online. I found the literature to be extremely enlightening and effective as all that I was learning I could see unfold within my son. After completing the coursework, practical and written exams, my husband was relocated to Kigali, Rwanda where I decided to start my Teaching Practice. Fortunately, I found a wonderful setting called The Earth School – The International Miss Lauren, Elementary and Music Teacher (left); and Janice Yon, Primary Class Teacher Montessori School of Rwanda, and was graciously accepted as a teaching practice was not quite ready to engage directly with that morning. Throughout the day it all student. The setting stands proudly two floors the daily tasks/routines which I was seemed overwhelming to say the least, up, nestled amidst the hills overlooking the understandably unfamiliar with. although I did not physically participate I felt beautiful city of Kigali, with breathtaking As the children came in I observed many exhausted. I then realized the importance of views. They run an individualized child different characters: some sleepy, some the teaching practice part to the diploma program for children age 2 to 12. energetic, others mellow with the majority program as nothing on paper or On my first day, I was met by my mentor teary and few still clinging to their mothers. I Tutor/Student presentations could prepare Miss Sophie, a qualified Montessori teacher. I watched the staff comfort and settle them all you for what actually occurs in a setting with felt a knot in my stomach entering the in. The staff was very consistent in allowing children. classroom doors as the anxiety began to and encouraging the children to unpack their My initial days I found a little challenging grow. Immediately the open space and bags and place them in their designated trying to familiarize myself with the daily beautiful wooden furniture seemed to greet areas. I quickly realized you had to be very routine and finding the appropriate me; I was given a tour of the facilities and observant, diplomatic and creative in responses to give to children’s unexpected showed where to place my belongings. Miss distracting children who were clearly statements. Nevertheless, I was given Sophie then handed me the school’s code of distressed when time came to part from their support, encouragement and guidance by my conduct booklet and discussed the health carers. One particular child stood behind the mentor and other members of staff, and I and safety as well as accident and gate dancing and waving, blowing kisses to watched and absorbed as much as I could complaints procedures. The information his mother who he watched and expected from my mentor over the next few days. As I seemed overwhelming, but I was quickly her to do the same as he bid her farewell. It started my teaching practice, I reassured that I would have a written guide was interesting to see that this ritual was his underestimated the capabilities of the to refer to when needed. I then met the staff way of comfortably bidding farewell. I then primary children; it took time for me to including the principal and my tutor Miss realized the meaning of children’s feeling discipline myself and hold back from helping Hazel. I received a very warm welcome from being just as important as those of adults, too much. I realized that I was preventing all and initially was asked to observe the and I compared my morning anxiety on their growth in independence and as I daily running of the setting and takes notes. entering the setting to theirs. I felt even more stepped back I watched them grow more This was a huge weight off my shoulders as I compassion and comforted a few students Continued on next page

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practitioner’sreflection Continued from previous page

confident each day in their daily tasks like teachers had tried to teach the younger ones hindrance or restrictions, of course always putting on shoes and unpacking their bags. I were easily grasped after having an older having safety in mind and guiding from a had one student who eventually learnt to tie child explain it to them. It was almost as if distance only to gently place them back on his shoe laces after many attempts and the elder children were able to interpret the the path of their “natural development”. practice. teachers’ instructions and convey this in a Overall this has been one of the greatest After observing two birthday celebrations, much more understandable way. You could experiences in my life. The passion I have for my mentor approached me and asked if I see the pride and joy of the responsibility teaching has only strengthened and been would like to head the next birthday bestowed upon them to take the roles of consolidated through this experience. It celebration. I froze with fear but then realized ‘teachers’ – they loved this. started off difficult and challenging but as that as we expected the children to “learn by It was very interesting how the children time went on it definitely got much easier. doing” I too had to face the task at hand, depended greatly on the consistency of the The most important lesson I have learnt is and so agreed to give it a go. I remembered setting. For example, if a material was that you have to be able to see the world all I had observed and it went better than I moved or furniture set aside for cleaning, from a child’s perspective and this I feel is had expected; I was thanked by the parents they immediately noticed and became what defines a great teacher. Having time to and my mentor was more than pleased. From inquisitive as to “why” or “where is?” Initially sit and assess your own habits and behavior this moment my confidence levels grew as I as I arrived at the setting I thought I would is key to facilitating your growth as a teacher. knew I was capable. be the one to change children’s lives and One thing that has been evident throughout It was interesting to observe all the make an impact but was surprised that my teaching practice is learning that the different age groups at play together. I during my teaching practice I learnt so much children need our guidance despite their watched in amazement how the Elementary about myself that I was not aware of. I myself rebellion at times, and will model exactly children conversed with and almost grew emotionally and completely changed what we do, how we behave and how we ‘mothered’ the toddlers. This worked so well my perspective on how I see children for who handle every situation – good, bad, stressful, during whole school events where the they are. They should be allowed to be frightening or dangerous. As a teacher you Elementary children worked closely with the children – feel, grow, develop, explore and constantly have to walk on the desired younger children and helped them in creating live in the moment, and it is our role as behavior path in all aspects as the children arts and crafts for holidays. They were so adults to provide such an environment for depend on us to take the right steps in their patient and I noticed that some concepts them to thrive in and do this without any development.

Opportunities for Continued Professional Development

MCI offers Professional Development Courses, Seminars and Workshops for: • montessori educators • students • early years practitioners • childminders • parents and others Essential training for Montessori practitioners. We also offer in-house seminars for MSA member schools. All professional development courses are listed in the MCI Training Directory. For further information, go to: www.mci.montessori.org.uk/professional-development

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feature: in the news Fundamental British values or universal human values? Julie Compton argues for essential values being taught as for all people everywhere

“The world is crying out for inclusionary, healing, fundamental British values … of democracy, the rule of law, uniting influences … It is the education system … that individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance for those provides the best, perhaps the only, hope of starting of different faiths or beliefs”. Extremism is partly defined as a the healing, inclusionary social process. The school of failure to promote these values. today and tomorrow must plant the seeds of caring Sector reaction to this requirement has been less than so that underclasses do not become the victims of an positive. Early years providers are well-positioned to evaluate ideology of exclusion; must nurture the concept of an how a focus on ‘Britishness’ may -- or may not -- be helpful or over-arching humanity in which … all occupy an equal relevant to young children. While it is hard to deny that these place in a process of permanent social inclusion. It is are values that we can all embrace, concerns about promoting the school, which must be the guardian of standards, them as explicitly ‘British’ have inevitably been raised. Beatrice must be the catalyst for human values.” Merrick, chief executive of the British Association for Early Childhood Education (BAECE) remarked that “using such (Manley in UNESCO, 1996, pp 66-67) language is dangerous in implying we are morally superior to t has been stated that “early years providers serve other nations and cultures. Surely that isn't the message we arguably the most vulnerable and impressionable want to teach our youngest children" (Merrick in Adams, 2014, members of society” (HM Government, 2015, p 10). In this unpaginated). Liz Bayram (in Morton 2014, unpaginated), chief position of immense responsibility, a vital part of our role executive of the Professional Association for Childcare and Iis to demonstrate and communicate a set of values that is Early Years (PACEY), expressed concern that “we need to be "An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking; it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in which they live." (Montessori, 1995, p 30)

age-appropriate, relevant and realistic about what is age-appropriate meaningful. In recent months, deep for young children”. Neil Leitch, chief divisions that exist in our society have executive of the Pre-School Learning been laid bare. Perhaps it is timely to re- Alliance (PLA), stressed that “life values examine our commitment to promoting are more important to develop for a values – or, for the purposes of this two-year old, not a limited view of culture discussion, ‘British values’ – in the early and life” (PLA, 2014, unpaginated). years. How do Montessori educators According to then-chief executive of frame these values in the context of 4Children, Anne Longfield, “the Montessori philosophy and practice? principles of tolerance, sharing and First, a brief review of what is meant respect for others’ cultures are at the by promoting British values: under heart of all good nurseries and we Ofsted’s Common Inspection Framework would be worried if any nursery wasn’t (CIF) (Ofsted, 2015), inspectors judge supporting and promoting these values” leaders’ “alertness to the potential (in Morton 2014, unpaginated). dangers of radicalisation and extremism” Statutory guidance states that “the (PACEY 2015, p 11). As part of this promotion of British values will be judgement, schools and childcare reflected in the Early Years Foundation providers are required “to promote the Julie Compton Continued on next page

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feature: theme

Continued from previous page ‘cosmic’ principles of peace, harmony, respect, responsibility and interdependence lie at the heart of this value-system in Stage (EYFS) and exemplified in an age-appropriate way which the child is encouraged to “delve more deeply into the through practice guidance” (DfE 2014b, pp 15-16). A guide to questions that will help them know who they are, their purpose British values, published by PACEY (2015, p 12), endorses this in life, and how they are connected on a global level” view: “actively promoting fundamental British values [is] (Haskins, 2009, p 28). already happening on a daily basis in early years settings At this year’s MSA National Conference, education across the country”. Despite such reassurances, providers are consultant Annie Davy emphasised the importance of helping understandably keen to ensure that they know how to meet the the child to acquire a “sense of place” (MSA, 2016, p 7) requirement, not least because those who fail to do so “will not through spontaneous encounters with nature. She referred to receive funding from local authorities for the free early years the role of early years educators and parents in “illuminating entitlement” (HM Government, 2015, p 12). the values of appreciation, kindness and connection … to Guidance includes “helpful examples” (Foundation Years, people, place and planet” (MSA, 2016), making links to the 2015, p 1) of how British values are evident in aspects of the promotion of British values. Echoes of Montessori’s ‘cosmic’ EYFS ‘Areas of Learning’ (DfE, 2014a). Under Personal, Social approach resonated throughout Annie’s compelling and Emotional Development, ‘democracy’, ‘the rule of law’ and presentation. In guidance linking the Early Years Foundation ‘individual liberty’ are promoted when staff consult with Stage (EYFS) (DfE, 2014a) to the Montessori curriculum, it is children to create ground rules “for everyone” and children are evident that these values embody key principles that have provided with opportunities for “turn-taking, sharing and been at the heart of Montessori philosophy and practice since collaboration” (Foundation Years, 2015, p 1). In Understanding its inception. the World, children are encouraged to develop a positive self- The pursuit of democracy is prominent in the Montessori image and an acceptance of difference. Mutual tolerance and classroom; the child “shows empathy and kindness to others” respect can be fostered by placing the responsibility on and “takes turns when working in a group” (MSA, 2012, p 23).

Understanding the World is central to the Montessori curriculum. The child is “encouraged to respect diversity of cultures whilst recognising similarities and acknowledging shared needs”

management and senior staff to “create an ethos of inclusivity Practitioners actively listen to children, parents and colleagues, and tolerance” (Foundation Years, 2015, p 2). respecting individual views whilst maintaining a cohesive PACEY (2015) has drawn parallels between British values community spirit. Children are involved in decision-making and “spiritual, moral, social and cultural development” (HM processes and vertical grouping aids mutually supportive Government, 2015, p 10), a set of principles which has been relationships. promoted in schools since 2002 as part of citizenship In the Montessori classroom, the rule of law is represented education for mainly older children. These principles echo through ground rules. The child “shows consideration, respect Montessori’s aim for what she referred to as ‘cosmic and understanding of behaviour for themselves, friends, peers, education’ -- essentially citizenship education for our youngest adults, the environment” (MSA, 2012, p 24). Grace and citizens -- in which children are encouraged “to think of courtesy is modelled through turn-taking, sharing, mutual co- themselves as ‘citizens of the world’” (MSA, 2012, p 33)”. operation, care of the environment, respect for personal Through this holistic approach, Montessori educators “sow space, and non-interruption. Older children are encouraged to seeds of knowledge” to engage the “natural wonder” of the resolve conflicts peacefully. The youngest children are gently child (MCI, 2010, p 2). Emphasis is placed on encouraging the guided to build their understanding of their role in this mini- child’s independent exploration of the natural world in a spirit society through positive behaviour management and of awe and wonder. Through this process of discovery, developmentally-appropriate tasks. Montessori believed that the spirit of the child was nurtured to The individual liberty of the child -- defined by O’ Donnell gradually develop an understanding of the interconnectedness (2013, p 187) as “freedom to be active within an educational of all life. Through this approach, seeds of knowledge can framework of structure and discipline where each child has become “seeds of caring” (Manley in UNESCO, 1996, p 66). rights” -- is a key Montessori principle. The child experiences Montessori education has been described as “a value- freedom within the prepared environment to pursue individual system as well as a method” (Gettman, 2015, p 27). The key interests at their own pace as they learn to work independently

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and co-operatively. They are supported to develop a positive this is the case, might the term ‘universal human values’ better self-image as they build their own unique identity. serve and reflect more accurately the wide-ranging needs and Developing respect – for the self, for the classroom perspectives of all children and families living in our multi- materials, for others in the immediate environment, for the cultural, multi-racial, multi-faith society? wider community, and for the planet -- is integral to Montessori It has been acknowledged that “critical and divergent philosophy and practice. In the Montessori classroom, the child perspectives, as well as the potential to have alternative and “discusses and develops a growing awareness of others” different layers of identity, are a central part of what (MSA, 2012, p 20). Acting , Montessori contemporary Britishness is” and that “British identity … may be practitioners develop an on-going relationship with families experienced differently by different people” (DfES, 2007, which, over time, can deepen to one of mutual trust and unpaginated). Osler and Starkey (2010, p 119) propose that respect. Through strong partnership working, parents are “we reimagine the nation as cosmopolitan, and that we invited to become actively involved in their child’s learning and reconceptualise education for national citizenship so that it development, and to contribute to the life of the setting. meets more adequately the needs of contemporary nation- Understanding the World is central to the Montessori states and the global community”. In other words, national curriculum. The child is “encouraged to respect diversity of citizenship and education for cosmopolitan citizenship need cultures whilst recognising similarities and acknowledging not be mutually exclusive. Whether we promote values as shared needs” (MSA, 2012, p 33). Through a wide variety of ‘universal’ or ‘British’, it would seem that Montessorians are resources and activities, there are abundant opportunities to well-placed to meet the challenge of maintaining a move beyond mere ‘tolerance’ of others towards a positive cosmopolitan outlook without losing sight of the unique identity celebration of diversity. of the individual child. Nussbaum (2009, p 1) refers to “responsible global According to Haskins (2009, p 28), Montessorians “lead the citizenship … which will begin from the idea of equal respect way in educating for peace” and we are reminded of this for all human beings … not just one’s own nation, but harmonious approach through Montessori’s own words: “the everywhere in the world”. At a time when promoting unity and whole of mankind is one and only one, one race, one class harmony in our communities is more important than ever, we and one society” (Montessori, 1989, p 94). In her maiden might conclude that framing a set of universal values under a speech to Parliament, the late Jo Cox echoed this view when banner of ‘Britishness’ is at best an unnecessary distraction. If Continued on next page

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feature: theme

she spoke passionately of her belief that “while we celebrate Montessori Centre International (MCI) (2010) Knowledge and Understanding our diversity … we are far more united and have far more in of the World Module London: MCI common with each other than things that divide us” (The Montessori, M. (1989) The Child, Society and the World Oxford: ABC Clio Ltd. Sunday Times, 2016, unpaginated). In this simple but powerful Montessori, M. (1995) Education and Peace Oxford: ABC Clio Ltd. message we are reminded of the universal principles that bind Montessori Schools Association (MSA) (2012, 2nd edition) Guide to the Early Years Foundation Stage in Montessori Settings London: Montessori St. us and of our responsibility to pass these values on to our Nicholas youngest citizens. Morton, K. (2014) Nurseries must teach children “British Values” or lose their funding [online] Nursery World (08 August 2014) available from: References: http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/nursery-world/news/1145873/nurseries-teach- Adams, R. (2014) Childcare experts dismayed by plans to cut funding for children-british-values-lose-funding (last accessed 10 January 2016) childcare that does not promote "fundamental British values" The Guardian, 8 August 2014 [online] available from: Nussbaum, M.C. (2009) Education for Profit, Education for Freedom Liberal http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/aug/08/childcare-funding- Education Summer 2009, Vol. 95, No. 3 british-values-early-years-education (last accessed: 28 June 2016) O’Donnell, M. (2013) Maria Montessori: A Critical Introduction to Key Themes Department for Education (DfE) (2014a) Statutory Framework for the Early & Debates London: Bloomsbury Years Foundation Stage: Setting the standards for learning, development Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) and care for children from birth to five [online] available from: (2015) The common inspection framework: education, skills and early years. http://www.gov.uk/government/publications (last accessed: 10 January 2016) [online] available from: Department for Education (DfE) (2014b) Early education and childcare: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/common-inspection-framework- Statutory guidance for local authorities [online] available from: education-skills-and-early-years-from-september-2015 (last accessed 11 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/fi January 2016) le/351592/early_education_and_childcare_statutory_guidance_2014.pdf (last Osler, A. and Starkey, H. (2010) Teachers and Human Rights Education accessed: 13 January 2016) London: Institute of Education Press. Department for Education (DfE) (2015) The Prevent duty: Departmental advice Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) (2015) for schools and childcare providers [online] available from: Common Inspection Framework, British Values and You: A guide through the https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protecting-children-from- changes to inspection due to the Common Inspection Framework radicalisation-the-prevent-duty (last accessed: 10 January 2016) The Sunday Times (2016) Jo Cox 1974-2016 ‘Far more unites us than divides Department for Education and Skills (DfES) (2007) Curriculum review: Diversity us’ Extracts from Jo Cox’s maiden speech given on June 3, 2015. The Sunday and citizenship (Ajegbo report) PPSLS/D35/0107/14. London: DfES Times June 17 2016 [online] available from: Foundation Years (2015) Fundamental British Values in the Early Years http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/far-more-unites-us-than-divides-us-zgxls8xpk [online] available from: (last accessed 3 July 2016) http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2015/03/Fundamental_British_Values United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) .pdf (last accessed: 13 January 2016) 1996 Learning: The Treasure Within - Report to UNESCO of the International Gettman, D. (2015) Values-based leadership: living Montessori values in the Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century [online] available from: way you work Montessori International (July – September 2015) https://www.unesco.org/education/pdf/15_62.pdf Haskins, C. (2009) Exploring Spirituality through Writing Activities in the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) (1989) Elementary Classroom Montessori Life (v21 n1 p28-34 2009) United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) [online] available from: HM Government (2015). Revised Prevent Duty Guidance: Guidance for http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/CRC.aspx (Accessed 3 specified authorities in England and Wales on the duty in the Counter- July 2016) Terrorism and Security Act 2015 to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. [online] available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance (last accessed: 10 January 2016) Julie Compton is a part-time lecturer at MCI London

Philando Castile With the shocking news that a loved and respected worker in an American Montessori nursery was one of the victims of police shootings the UK Montessori community – through Montessori International magazine – wishes to express their sympathy and solidarity with his family and colleagues at the nursery. Philando was the nutrition services supervisor at the J. J. Hill Montessori Magnet School in Minnesota. The school became an international peace site in October 1992, and on their website they describe how they “…celebrate peace with a special day each year. Each classroom develops an activity, a presentation, or a play to illustrate a specific theme for that year. The theme relates in some way to the overarching goal of peace.” Let us all hope that their message of peace reaches a wider audience in memory of Philando.

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educationupdate Education & Special Needs and Disabilities Update

Disabled Children: A Legal classroom will Intervention Foundation, and provides a new Handbook, 2nd edition be difficult. focus on public health approaches to Overhearing supporting young people’s resilience. Building helps build resilience can support better life outcomes for vocabulary young people whatever challenges they face. and gives Download the pdf at: children a sense of grammar, as well as www.youngpeopleshealth.org.uk/wp- general knowledge. Children need to be content/uploads/2016/03/resilience-resource- able to hear quiet conversation all around 15-march-version.pdf them, even though they are not paying attention to it. Signs of mild hearing loss Each chapter of this authoritative and include: accessible guide to the legal rights of • Delayed speech disabled children and their families in • Mishearing and mispronouncing words England and Wales is now free to download • Not hearing what’s going on if there is Breaking the Cycle of Offending from the Council for Disabled Children’s background noise website at: • Problems with concentrating and tiredness St Giles Trust www.councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk/11566/ and frustration that affects behaviour works with • Preferring to play alone vulnerable Autism Training • Difficulties with reading and learning and disadvantaged children and families for Every Teacher • Wanting the volume of the TV higher than who have fallen through society’s safety net. other members of the family Many of them have one family member More than 1 in 100 Here to Learn is a resource for mainstream involved in the criminal justice system in some children in the UK have school staff who have little or no experience way – such as a an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). With the of working with hearing-impaired children. It parent in prison – with government currently reviewing the Initial gives tips on good communication those left on the Teacher Training (ITT) framework, a campaign approaches, reducing background noise, outside struggling to for every teacher to have training to support positioning, good acoustics, adapting cope. St Giles Trust children with an ASD is gathering pace. The resources, group work and protecting works with the whole Department for Education (DfE) has already children’s social and emotional development. family to help them funded the development of autism training for Find out more about Here to Learn at: overcome any barriers mainstream schools through the Autism http://www.ndcs.org.uk/professional_support/o and move towards Education Trust. The National Autistic Society ur_resources/here_to_learn/index.html independence. has joined forces The National Deaf Children’s Society Preventative work with with Ambitious (NDCS) have also produced a booklet and children and families About Autism to short on-line video which describe the impact is also a key feature of the trust’s work in the get autism training for every new teacher. a mild hearing loss has on a child at school. SOS Gangs Project and Choices Programme: They suggest this training could easily be It outlines what teachers can do to make • SOS Project: Gang involvement by one adapted for Initial Teacher Training. sure children hear as well as possible. young person can have effects on the rest Find out more about the campaign at: Find out more about childhood hearing loss at: of their family. Sometimes problems within www.autism.org.uk/ http://www.ndcs.org.uk/family_support/childho a family need to be addressed to help the od_deafness/understanding_childhood_deafn young person leave crime. Support to the Mild Hearing Loss Major ess/index.html Impact: Information for wider family can help with issues which Membership of the NDCS is free. Find out more might be putting other family members at about resources for children, their families and Teachers risk from gang involvement or reprisals. teachers at: http://www.ndcs.org.uk/ Mild hearing Work around family mediation, resolving loss can be A Public Health Approach to conflicts and practical support – overlooked. A Promoting Young People’s particularly with housing difficulties – is a lack of Resilience large feature of this work. understanding • Choices Programme: This programme about the impact on children’s everyday Young people works with disadvantaged young people living and learning can result from a often face a not in the criminal justice system, but at risk misconception that mild hearing loss is not a wide range of challenges, from moving of becoming so. The aim is to prevent them serious condition. schools to family breakdown to bullying. This from progressing down a path of crime Mild deafness sounds similar to wearing resource has been developed by the through support to boost their skills, earplugs. A child with mild deafness will Association for Young confidence and employability, and often hear one-to-one conversation in a quiet People’s Health with ultimately to find work. place quite well, but hearing in a busy input from the Early Continued on next page

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educationupdate

Website for Young People with https://www.patoss- handles appeals against discrimination by Dyspraxia dyslexia.org/ProfessionalServices/EventsCPD schools or local authorities due to a child’s Special Educational Needs and disability. The Dyspraxia The First Tier Tribunal website has forms and Foundation Youth Disabilities: First Tier Tribunal further guidance, procedure rules and the complaints procedure: website is now live. The First Tier Tribunal is responsible for Aimed at 13 to 25 year olds with dyspraxia, https://www.gov.uk/courts-tribunals/first-tier- handling appeals against local authority tribunal-special-educational-needs-and- the website provides advice, support and decisions regarding special educational disability links to information, organisations and needs, including a refusal to: resources. • assess a child’s educational, health and Child’s Play – All About www.dfyouth.org.uk/ care (EHC) needs Clive Are you ready for the changes • make a statement of their special educational needs A new series of books from Child’s Play to the 2017 JCQ Regulations? • assess their special educational needs celebrates diversity and challenges The Professional Association • create an EHC plan stereotypes. Four colourful board books for Teachers of Students with • change what’s in a child’s special about Clive focus on each one of his Specific Learning Difficulties educational needs statement or EHC plan passions – art, hats, bags and babies. (Patoss) is offering a new postgraduate • maintain the statement or EHC plan www.childs-play.com course and an equivalent to Level 7 The First Tier Tribunal also handles qualification meeting the Joint Council for appeals against decisions to refuse people Qualifications (JCQ) requirements for Access under 18 in custody: Arrangements Assessor Training. It enables • an EHC assessment successful graduates to carry out • an EHC plan after assessment assessments for access arrangements in • a placement to a suitable school or other GCSE and GCE qualifications. For more institution after their release information: In addition, the First Tier Tribunal also

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researchwatch Rewards, catching up and parental involvement John Clarkson reports enrol in school as rising-sixes, that a one-year Development – based on 2,055 parents’ delay in starting reduced inattention (and responses – she found (Pagani and Montessorians don’t always agree about hyperactivity) and that this effect persisted Fitxpatrick, 2015) that children exposed to everything but one of the many things we are until at least the age of eleven. The authors household smoke showed less classroom all agreed on is that rewards don’t work. describe this as a ‘dramatic’ effect, and engagement, which involves task-orientation, Back in the summer of 2011, Research Watch whilst there were other effects they were less the ability to follow instructions and working featured some research, mainly from the USA, clear-cut and less persistent. Inattentiveness both autonomously and with others. This may in the field of healthcare which reflected the is, of course, the antithesis of concentration well be linked to earlier work in which she inefficacy of rewards in that area. Now a and it was this that Montessori identified as showed that passive smoking tended to major study from the universities of York and the crucial factor in developing what she heighten aggressive behaviour, and is Manchester in the UK and Michigan in the called ‘normalisation’ or the process of presumably linked to less well developed USA have shown that the £1 billion a year getting a child back onto the inner trajectory executive functions, which this column has Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) of ideal development. repeatedly linked to normalisation and other positive outcomes. healthcare programme has had no Parental behaviour significant effect over the rates of mortality in And, a final note: I’ve always maintained the UK. The authors checked the death rates Montessori was a pioneer in involving that children need to be outside getting from 1994 (10 years before QOF started) up parents in their children’s early education. mucky – there’s nothing like a bit of good to 2010 from the UK and 26 other countries Until her time, and her work on how children clean dirt. Dr Maya Shetreat-Klein, a lecturer

Montessori, of course, was fully aware of the importance of parents and she pioneered the involvement of them in the educational process. Nothing in these studies contradicts her stance; indeed, they reinforce just how crucial good practices are.

with comparable health care systems and are deviated from their ideal pathway, it was in integrative medicine at the University of found that not only had mortality rates for the not appreciated how much damage parents Arizona, has just published a book (Shetreat- targeted diseases (e.g. diabetes, cancer and could unwittingly do to their children’s Klein, 2016) in which she cites a lot of the heart disease) been unaffected but rates had development. Research is steadily mounting scientific research which backs this up. actually risen in other diseases which were about the importance of parental behaviour References: not targeted. The authors comment, to children’s early development. Two more Dee, T.S. & Sievertsen, H.H. (2015). The Gift of remarkably mildly, “Our findings have studies have recently been published. Joan Time? School starting age and mental health. implications for the probable effects of Luby, a child psychiatrist at the St Louis NBER working paper 21610, doi: 10.3386/w21610. similar programmes.” Surely there is also a Children’s Hospital, Washington University, lesson here for educationalists. Too many followed a group of 127 children for nearly Luby, J.L. et al. (2016). Preschool is a sensitive mainstream teachers are totally wedded to 10 years. She and her colleagues found that period for the influence of maternal support on the trajectory of hippocampal development. rewards as a means of motivating children. infants with motherly love and nurturing had Proc. Nat. Acad. Sc. Early Edition accessible There is a better way. Quite apart from all double the growth of the hippocampus than from www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas. the ethical considerations, rewards are such a those who didn’t. The hippocampus (named 1601443113 for its supposed resemblance to a sea-horse) waste of money. Pagani, L. et al. (2015). Prospective is a small organ in the centre of the brain associations between early long-term Early start not a good idea which is critical in the conversion of short-term household tobacco smoke exposure and We are also all very much agreed that the into long-term memory (i.e. learning) and subsequent indicators of metabolic risk at age 10. Nicotine & Tobacco Research (Oxford early start to schooling in the UK is not in the also the sense of balance. Critically she Journals) doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntv 128. children’s best interests. Those of us who found that this sensitivity died back after the have been fortunate enough to visit age of six so love and support have been Pagani, L. & Fitzpatrick, C. (2015). Early childhood household smoke exposure predicts Montessori nurseries abroad, where they found to be essential in yet another field, and less task-orientated classroom behaviour at often have the full three year age span, are is reflected in actual brain development. In the second study, Linda Pagani (a age 10. Health Education & Behaviour doi: particularly aware of this. It is fairly well- 10.1177/1090198115614317 established now (e.g. by the PISA professor at the École de psychoéducation, Ryan, A.M. et al. (2016). Long-term evidence comparisons) that children who start late Université de Montreal) and her colleagues, following up an earlier study (Pagani, 2015) for the effect of pay-for-performance in primary catch up quickly and are not disadvantaged. care on mortality in the UK: a population study. Now a new study, commissioned by the which showed that passive smoking – i.e. The Lancet (in press) published online doi: National Bureau of Economic Research in from parents smoking in the house – raised http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/50149-6736(16)00276- Cambridge MA in the USA (Dee and the risk of obesity, have now shown that 2.- Sieversten, 2015) has shown that, based on learning is also affected. Using the data from Shetreat-Klein, M. (2016) Healthy Food, Healthy data from Denmark where children typically the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Child Gut, Happy Child. Canterbury; Bluebell Press

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specialneeds Put the pencil down and go outside – the importance of nature in the early years

by Kathryn Solly The influence of the pioneers The history of nature and outdoor play started long ago with Introduction Comenius (1592-1670). He was the originator of the concept of The world is full of ’natural education.’ This concept was then built upon by expectation and Rousseau (1712-78) who created the image of the ‘free child’ possibility for young in his work Emile. children from the Pestalozzi (1746-1827) gave us ‘education according to moment they are born. nature’. He recognized that all children thrive outdoors where Babies have an immense their minds and bodies develop best through play and real drive to learn, whatever experiences. He greatly influenced Froebel (1782-1852) who their abilities, and are created the first kindergarten and the concept of first-hand pre-programmed not to experience. give up on the difficult Later still, Steiner (1861-1925) fostered social development developmental through the rhythm of the day, farming and the seasons. The challenges of learning to ethos of children feeling part of a natural cycle of the year and smile, sit, crawl, stand up the importance of having a responsibility to the world by being and so on. Children born embedded in it come from his work.

There is a clear benefit of nature for children with special needs in that they go at their own pace outside and find “things” to play with and learn from.

with individual needs and/or disabilities need to go outside In Britain the work of Margaret McMillan (1860-1931) and and experience nature even more than their peers to her sister Rachel fostered nature and wellbeing via the nursery experience the reality of it. However, increasingly as younger garden, particularly for young children living in poverty. and younger children are placed in childcare for longer hours The strong links between being outside with nature as a and others go to school at earlier ages and stages than ever relationship has developed from using the ‘hands, heart and before we need to consider the importance of a natural head’ approach favoured by Sir Patrick Geddes (1854-1932), balance, and experience outdoors as well as inside for all the Scottish town planner who gave Edinburgh so many of its children – but this is often disregarded when they are seen as wonderful nursery school and tenement gardens via his ‘special’. Many practitioners and teachers have also grown up philosophy that nature will be available for first hand without the rich experience of nature and outdoor play inspection and thus for education. themselves. Their life inexperience and, sometimes, ineffective More recently Dr Susan Isaacs (1885-1948) fostered natural training can be difficult to change or alter as they themselves curiosity, children’s relationship with nature and learning in the are resistant to going outside as they see it as hard to manage real world around them leading to them learning via discovery, as well as cold, wet and inhospitable. reasoning and thinking through exploration.

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The children’s garden and Froebel Risk aversion: It is interesting to note that in 1839 when Froebel was The other major influence are risk-averse families and establishing his training programme for teachers at practitioners who whilst naturally wishing to protect children Blankenberg, Germany, he stipulated that those attending from harm choose to over-protect them so they will not learn should be ‘mature and knowledgeable’. Froebel expected essential life skills such as assessing risk and hazards. By them to ‘observe children throughout the four seasons’. From allowing them to take “considered risks” like walking across a his nearby school in Keilhau weekly nature walks were log over a shallow stream or climbing to the next branch of a encouraged as so much could be taught during them. Froebel tree can have numerous benefits for all children, not least was focussed upon nature as being central to a child’s helping their sense of balance and confidence in their own experience of the ‘unity of all things’ emphasising our abilities. Thankfully children are pre-programmed to take risks connectedness to the world we live in and the learner’s active and children are often more capable than we give them credit participation as the agent for learning. Similarly Montessori for and so rather than stifling their sense of adventure, outdoor also emphasised the need for children to interact with nature. play in nature can actually help to develop it. She felt that access to the outdoors should be an extension to There is a great deal of research and evidence from varied the classroom. sources, which demonstrates the importance of children being Nature benefits to young children today outdoors and learning about risk benefits. These include: Tovey (2007) takes the view that risk is a natural part of life: Children are often “bumps, bruises, tumbles and falls are part of learning and we really fascinated by must not succumb to overwhelming anxiety or recklessness.” nature and natural Gill (2007) in ‘No Fear; Growing Up in a Risk Adverse Society’ things. Consider a notes that children naturally seek risk and challenge as an toddler handling “essential part of living a meaningful and satisfying life”. pebbles, leaves, Finally, Judith Hackett: Chief Executive of the Health and Safety shells and sticks – Executive (2015) who has insisted that children should not be the engagement and wrapped up in cotton wool leading to them becoming ‘risk deep fascination with naïve’ later in life. She insists that risk avoidance has come the objects are from well meaning but powerful because of their variety of properties, which differ so over zealous teachers radically from the more standardized play items found indoors. who have Our children of today are becoming more and more distant misinterpreted the H&S from nature, and it is inherent in this technological age that our guidelines. She also children are spending less time outdoors. How can children blamed the then learn to love and respect something that they have little compensation culture of or no relationship with? blame. She said: There is a clear benefit of nature for children with special ‘Children should be needs in that they go at their own pace outside and find able to play, fall over “things” to play with and learn from. Through experiential and hurt themselves.’ experience they learn to use their imagination more, The interplay of learning and experience between the developing their thinking and problem-solving skills in a natural world and risky play is complex but there are certain developmentally appropriate manner led by their own interests categories of risky play which attract children worldwide as and drive. Such core experience as being cooler, feeling rain, Ellen Sandseter, (2011) a Norwegian Professor has identified: snow and sun on your skin are so important. • Height • Speed As pressure on space increases particularly in urban areas, • Tools • Elements the freedom to play outside has also declined. Homes have • Rough and tumble • Hiding and privacy. become smaller and many children have no access to a Clearly an appropriately challenging nature garden could garden to play in. Parents are increasingly busy with work and achieve these and provide for a range of locomotor thus choose to play indoors with their children at the end of a development carefully tailored with the addition of a few long day. They can also structure children’s time in ways that resources such as wheeled vehicles, gardening tools, ropes, leave little scope for discovery outside in their desire to look ladders, dens, plus basic materials including sand, water and after their ‘special’ child. The demands of modern life also mud alongside nature walks, forest school experience and mean they are transported by cars and buggies and are far similar opportunities. less likely to interact with nature. Continued on next page

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specialneeds

What is possible outdoors? high energy boisterous play is not for all children The EYFS (2012) states: ‘Being outdoors has a positive and the use of plants can impact on children's sense of wellbeing and helps all aspects create sheltered calmer of children's development. Being outdoors offers opportunities places for stimulating for doing things in different ways and on different scales than different kinds of play when indoors. It gives children first-hand contact with weather, alongside experiences of seasons and the natural world. Outdoor environments offer growing plants, and children freedom to explore, use their senses, and be hands-on often intimate physically active and exuberant.’ experience of wildlife, awe Before taking and wonder. Growing is ‘special’ children an area of great outside it is fascination for children important to think and offers much about what they experience of ‘learning by doing’ alongside physical activity, can learn. There collaboration, talk, healthy eating and the foundation of are a huge array of lifelong positive attitudes. The provision of a variety of seeds, opportunities water, containers, soil or peat-free compost, simple tools and including free play, protective clothing including child-sized gloves are essential. environmental Growing beans, potatoes or herbs, wildflowers or flowering education, adventurous activities and solo and group annuals are all relatively easy and very satisfying. challenges. The special nature of being outside must include The importance of knowledgeable and enthusiastic the unique experiences of: practitioners is of course crucial to both providing, adapting • The weather - showers, heavier rain and rainbows, gentle and unlocking the potential of outdoors. Nature offers rich breezes and strong gusty wind, ice, snow and frost and stimuli and the chance to be inquisitive, exploratory, sunshine. adventurous, innovative and messy in ways never feasible • The seasons, which adds so much interest, colour and indoors. Even the most disabled child, in my experience gains richness. a real experience from being outdoors. Practitioners who • The freedom of space and topology. understand this and who value and enjoy nature themselves • The actual environment and landscape – mini-beasts, woods, will enable children to make best use of nature by following forests, fields, parks, beaches, hills and even mountains. child-led learning. Those all important relationships and creativity: Nature offers rich stimuli and the chance to The need for be inquisitive, exploratory, adventurous, children to play innovative and messy in ways never freely outdoors in feasible indoors. nature in all sorts of weathers leads to a variety of informal learning as well as However, for convenience the garden, playground or park lifelong interests. are the nearest places for young children to experience Children who are nature. These places also allow for an informal ‘less is more kept indoors tend to approach’ where practitioners can rely on material found in be frustrated and sometimes behave aggressively as Wendy situ to inspire and fascinate as outside also allows for the Titman’s two-year research project ‘Special Places, Special unexpected to happen. The emotional nurturing ‘aah’ and ‘ugh’ People’ (1993, 58) indicated. She suggests that outdoor experiences may not all be pleasant but link better to indoor environments for children need to ‘offer the potential for learning being based upon concrete experience, which later children to “do” and “think” and “feel” and “be” all at the become the children’s own narrative stories. same time.’ Growing all children: As part of our role in developing children’s creativity we The experience of nature for young children needs to be need to offer opportunities outside to enhance their capacities softer and more enclosed that that for adults. Hard edged, for such areas as thinking, transferring and applying skills and

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problem-solving, channeling feelings and emotions and Bibliography: developing a ‘can do’ attitude. They should also experience Bilton, H. (2002) Outdoor Play in the Early Years: management and solitude and spirituality through awe and wonder. There has innovation. London: David Fulton. Department for Education (2012) Development Matters in the Early Years been a rise in evidence that demonstrates the importance of Foundation Stage: Non Statutory Guidance Materials Supports contact with nature as being highly beneficial in these areas as Practitioners in Implementing the Statutory Requirements of the Early well as in helping us to concentrate and relax. The ‘added Years Foundation Stage (revised edition). London: Department for Education. value’ of bringing nature to children provides strong emotional Gill, T (2007) No Fear: Growing Up in a Risk Adverse Society. London: context for growth and is an amazing stimulus for Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. communication as well as starting to care for our planet. Higgins, P and Nicol, R. (2011) Sir Patrick Geddes: ‘Vivendo Discimus’ – Through being outdoors young children can learn many skills By Living We Learn. In Kemp, C and Smith, T (eds.) Sourcebook for of social interaction and friendship through first hand Experiential Education: Key Thinkers and their Contributions New York: Routledge pp. 32-40. experience with a range of natural materials. Their curiosity Louv, R. (2005) Last Child in the Wood: saving our children from nature- and ability to become ‘lost in the experience’ satisfy deep deficit disorder. London: Atlantic Books. urges and allows them to also become part of a rich culturally Sandseter, E (2011) Children’s Risky Play from an Evolutionary diverse community. This is turn gives them a sense of Perspective: The Anti-Phobic Effects of Thrilling Experiences Department of Physical Education, Queen Maud University College of Early belonging. These create like any good recipe, an environment Childhood Education (DMMH), Trondheim, Norway. 2011. 9(2): 257-284 of interactions which in turn build relationships, social skills, fun www.epjournal.net and enjoyment of being with peers and adults. Solly, K. (2014) Risk, Challenge and Adventure in the Early Years. Thus by embedding an outdoor approach to play and London: Routledge. learning, nature will assist us in helping all young children to Titman, W (1993) Special Places, Special People: The Hidden Curriculum of School Grounds. Winchester: World Wide Fund for Nature/Learning both learn holistically across the whole curriculum and become Through Landscapes. better future citizens just as the pioneers suggested all those Tovey, H. (2007) Playing Outdoor: Spaces and Places, Risk and years ago! Challenge. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

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montessori and me My Montessori journey in India Inspired by Maria Montessori’s time in India and her own desire to travel that country, Elisabeth Dyke took up a placement there. Here she tells us about some of her experiences.

was feeling very nervous, but fortunately on the first day I was picked up by a local taxi called a ‘tuktuk’ that took me to the school where I met the teachers and principal. The teachers were lovely and, showing true Indian hospitality, I was welcomed into the school with open armsI and given some beautiful flowers as a welcome gift. The first day was focused on settling the children back into school after their holidays, and me just ‘learning the ropes’. It was a lot to learn; not just teaching the children, but also the general culture as well. I had never experienced culture shock quite like that which I beautiful, and children from different religions being close had in India. For example, on only day two, and having been friends and singing and praying together is something that I given some very vague directions, I was somehow supposed to believe Montessori really wanted to emphasise when she navigate the buses. The place names were all in the local talked about being what she termed a ‘citizen of the world’. language of Malayalam, which has its own script. Furthermore, The school had six members of staff, not including the in a country of 1.2 billion you discover a whole new meaning to principal. The three main teachers were in charge of educating the word ‘crowded’. On a crowded Indian bus, there is no the children using the Montessori method, while the teaching space to move. Unless you sit next to a window, you cannot see assistants took care of answering the door, tidying up and the

The clear diversity of Montessori schools really captures the essence of being a ‘citizen of the world’ that Maria Montessori passionately wanted to convey. The Montessori method is something I truly believe in, and India is a beautiful part of the world that will always have a special place in my heart.

where to get off. When you finally do get off, you must children’s emotional wellbeing. I believe this is very different to somehow get the attention of the ticket conductor to ring the the role of teachers in the UK, who usually have to do bell for you. everything. Interestingly, although a prayer was sung at the start of each It is said that there are more English speakers in India than day, the children all came from a variety of religious in the whole of the UK, so it was a surprise to me that I backgrounds, namely Hindu, Muslim and Christian. The Hindu experienced quite a language barrier at the school. The children were recognisable by the bindis on their foreheads, teaching assistants didn’t speak a word of English, which while Indian girls regardless of religion wore a lot of jewellery. meant I really had to make an effort to learn some Malayalam. Personally, I found India’s cultural and religious diversity really Furthermore, although the main teachers spoke some English,

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they were not comfortable communicating with or Learning the letter names will not help children to read or understanding an English person. As someone with experience write. At the school, the children instead learn the basic rules in EFL teaching, these differences concerned me at first, but I that govern the various spelling patterns of English (for soon learnt to embrace them and just accept them as part of example, ‘ee’ or ‘ow’), and this makes it considerably easier Indian culture. for them to decode words. Each child is assigned his/her own The school incorporates the Montessori philosophy through individual phonics work book that he/she will spend time the provision of Practical Life, Sensorial, Mathematics and going through on a one to one basis with the teacher. Cultural Montessori materials. Furthermore, each teacher is Although not technically a Montessori aim, yoga does dedicated to teaching the children how to use each individual support Montessori’s belief that movement is an integral part

activity so that he or she is able to work with it independently of a child’s development. Through yoga, children learn how to next time. The children are then granted ‘freedom within limits’ further fine tune their gross motor skills and develop their to return to the activity of their choosing as and when they wish. concentration. It also teaches patience and how to calm their It is in this way that they are following their own pattern of mind. Children develop their own strength and sense of personal development. balance. Throughout my placement in India, I taught yoga The nursery boasts a ‘Sensorial Area’, which helps primarily classes, each lasting 20 to 30 minutes to no more than ten to develop the young child’s sensory experiences. Throughout children. I even devised my own personal routine, designed to this young age, the child is going through what Montessori encompass postures that focused on different aspects of called a ‘sensitive period’ for sensory experiences. In other personal development, such as improving one’s balance. This words, his/her senses are heightened and can learn complex routine is kept the same each time in order for the children to concepts such as long/short, thick/thin, different colours or gain practice and confidence in each pose. matching different sounds with ease. The important sense In addition to teaching the young children, I also taught throughout this time is the stereognostic sense, as the child is English to the other teachers. As someone who has experience able to further fine tune his/her fine motor skills through teaching English in Thailand and London, I found it very manipulation of the Montessori sensorial material. rewarding to further my experience in India. Wherever we go Children also learn practical life skills, designed to teach in the world there are bound to be cultural differences, but them how to be independent, such as ‘pouring’ and ‘sponging’ really that’s what makes such trips worthwhile. I was so activities. I had previously only really experienced the fortunate to gain such rich experiences at a school that really Montessori method at my placement in the UK, but I found it so cared. interesting seeing the similarities; while there were of course The clear diversity of Montessori schools really captures the differences, the fundamental ethos of Montessori - freedom essence of being a ‘citizen of the world’ that Maria Montessori within limits, use of real objects - remained the same. passionately wanted to convey. The Montessori method is An alternative to rote learning and teaching children the something I truly believe in, and India is a beautiful part of the letter names is to teach them phonics. Specifically, this refers to world that will always have a special place in my heart. sounds, of which there are 44 in total in the English language.

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forparents Top ten tips for choosing childcare for children with special needs From Elyssa Campbell-Barr

Finding the right childcare for your little one while you work or study can be a challenge. If your child has additional needs of any sort – whether a physical disability, chronic medical condition, learning difficulties, behavioural issues, communication problems or severe allergies – it might feel particularly daunting. The good news is that there is plenty of support available.

Every local authority in England has a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (Senco), and you'll find 1 childminders, and home childcarers if your childcare accessible to all families who a Senco in every nursery and Sure Start child needs care at home. need it, and this covers disabled children centre too. Their role is to work with you up to the age of 18. and your child, as well as staff and outside There are also private agencies, to make sure your son or agencies that specialise in Finding the right childcare for daughter gets appropriate support. 5 providing families with childcarers a child with special needs may who have training or experience in caring take extra time, effort and Local authorities in England must 10 for disabled children and those with determination, but it benefits for the whole also have a 'Local Offer' which special educational needs. Snap Childcare family. The charity Contact a Family explains the services available to 2 (www.snapchildcare.co.uk) is one that (www.cafamily.org.uk) and local groups children who have special education covers the whole of the UK, and a web that make up the National Network of needs or disabilities (SEND) and their search may reveal others in your area. Parent Carer Forums (www.nnpcf.org.uk) families. You'll be able to find this online. There may be financial support are valuable sources of further advice. Mainstream childcare providers, available for your childcare such as nurseries and childminders, Elyssa Campbell-Barr is author provider. Ask your Senco about are required by law to make 6 of Choosing Childcare, 3 grants or funding that might cover the costs published by Cross Publishing. ‘reasonable adjustments' to accommodate of assistants, extra equipment, sessions It is available from 28 May youngsters with additional needs. What's 2016 from all good with specialists or training. considered a 'reasonable adjustment' is bookshops and online for decided on a case-by-case basis, but Check your entitlement to tax £9.99. The book aims to help you find the right kind of examples might include new catering credits, as the amount you receive may be higher if your child is childcare to suit your unique family and work arrangements to accommodate a child 7 life. Comprehensive, independent and up-to- with food allergies, an access ramp for a eligible for Disability Living or is date, it is full of helpful tips, useful contacts child with mobility difficulties, or finding registered blind. and practical advice. Elyssa has been writing space and time for a speech therapist to In England, if your child has an about childcare and education for over 15 years. She was editor of Who Minds?, the work one-to-one with a child with delayed Education, Health and Care Plan National Childminding Association magazine, speech. 8 (EHC) they will be eligible for 15 from 1999 to 2006, and editor of The Teacher If specialist childcare would be hours of free early education each week magazine from 2006 to 2014. She has written from the term after they turn two. You don't about childcare and early education for many more appropriate for your child, organisations and publications, including need to be working or studying to access 4 your local authority Senco or Family Ofsted, Sure Start, Nursery World, the Information Service should be able to tell this. Professional Association for Childcare and you about local nurseries and playschemes Under the Childcare Act 20016, Early Years (Pacey), and NetMums. As the local authorities in England have a working mother of a young daughter and son, specifically for disabled children, as well she has very recent and relevant experience of as about specially trained registered 9 duty to ensure there is suitable the book’s topics.

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teachingopportunities

NORTH LONDON NORTH WEST LONDON WEST LONDON

Montessori Teacher Montessori 0-3 and 3-6 Qualified Full Time Teaching Job Directress/Teacher The Gower School is looking for a We are a large, friendly, well equipped Montessori Teacher for our Primary School. Living Spring Montessori Nursery in and well established Montessori nursery This is a term time position. Candidates Cricklewood, London – NW2 is looking for school in Kensington, London. We have an need to be highly motivated, sensitive, a 3-6 Montessori qualified directress for our opening for a full time teacher. You will be flexible, enthusiastic, reliable, dedicated Children’s House. The children in this group one of a happy group of teachers, each of and passionate with a good team spirit are between 2 ½ -5 years of age. We are whom has varying talents, and will be and able to contribute to a strong team. also looking to recruit a 0-3 Montessori expected to work very much as part of a We offer an excellent working qualified Educator for our Infant Community. team. CVs can be emailed to environment in a well-resourced Accredited The children in this group are [email protected] or sent to: Felicity Montessori Primary school. We are approximately 18 months to 2½ years of Marrian, Iverna Gardens Montessori, 1 committed to safeguarding and promoting age. Previous work experience within an Coulson Street, London, SW3 3NG. You can the welfare of children. DBS checks accredited Montessori Nursery or School is also telephone 020 7565 0850 or 020 7937 required. Please send your CV and desirable. Applicants for this position 0794. Website: www.iverna.com covering letter in the first instance to: should have UK/EU residency or a valid UK [email protected] Work Permit. We will consider sponsoring overseas applicants who meet our criteria for employment. To apply, please send your Montessori Teacher full CV or Resume to: [email protected]. Visit our Norfolk House School and Montessori website on www.livingspringmontessori.com Deputy Manager & Montessori Teacher Nursery is a leading, co-educational, non- Tel: +44 208 8307331 selective preparatory school and nursery in We are seeking a dedicated, passionate Muswell Hill, North London, for children and inspiring Deputy Manager and two aged 2-11. We are seeking to appoint a Montessori teachers. You will work with Montessori trained teacher to work with our children aged 2-5 years, 8am-4pm, term- Nursery pupils aged 2 – 4. Montessori time only. The Deputy Manager should qualification and knowledge of the Early Experienced Nursery Teacher have excellent communication and Years Foundation Stage are essential. To managerial skills with vast knowledge of apply, please request the application and St Mark’s Square Nursery School, London the Montessori philosophy. The Montessori job description from Elizabeth Burke at NW1 7TN - www.stmarkssquarenursery teacher must be creative and committed to [email protected]. CV school.org.uk. St Mark’s is an unusual, the Montessori philosophy and the children. submissions will not be accepted as outstanding, holistic school in Primrose Hill. We offer a pension scheme and free application. References and full CRB We are a positive, child centered school educational training to further develop disclosure will be undertaken before with a deep respect for children. We are existing knowledge and experience. We appointment. Website: www.montessori- seeking polite, well-mannered, reliable, are committed to safeguarding children house.org Montessori / Level 3 equivalent trained and require all candidates to undergo an teacher looking for a long term career. enhanced DBS check and provide two Working knowledge of the EYFS, IEPs and suitable references. Applicants should have planning in early years setting are UK residency. Please forward CV to Ms To advertise your vacancy essential. You will be working as part of a Tejinder C Aiyadorai at committed, friendly team. We offer a [email protected]. Website: call Sameena on: competitive salary, paid school holidays www.littlebugsnursery.co.uk and school hours. Letters of application, along with CV showing details of two 0207 493 8300 referees to: sheemaparsons@ stmarkssquarenurseryschool.org.uk

Montessori Teacher Montessori Teacher/Key Person

At Sunrise, children are our most precious Montessori/EarlynYears Teacher Windmill Montessori Nursery School, Est. resource and by providing them with a 1987 - 62 Shirland Road - Maida Vale, holistic base for life, we can help bring We are seeking an innovative and qualified London W9 2EH Email: windmill@the- about their all-round development. We are Montessori or Early Years teacher to join ultimate.net. Full-Time or Part-Time looking for an inspirational Montessori our Outstanding nursery in North West Montessori Teacher/Key Person required Teacher to join our team. The post is full- London. You will be a diligent and upbeat with a good knowledge of the EYFS. (Newly time working with ages 2-5 years. A member of the friendly team, with both qualified Montessori Teachers welcome). Montessori qualification is desired and enthusiasm and a good sense of humour. Windmill is a privately owned Nursery NVQ Level 3 Childcare (or equivalent) The position is term time only, Monday to School operating term times only. essential. A minimum of 1 year experience Friday working with a group of 2 - 5 year Applicants must be: Highly motivated, is required. Your duties will include: working olds. The applicant will be a motivated enthusiastic, tidy, energetic and have a closely with children and their families and individual with a keen interest in genuine desire to work with children as the Nursery team and; delivering the EYFS encouraging and inspiring children to excel, part of a highly qualified team dedicated curriculum in the classroom. For more info: while enjoying their time at nursery. to teaching. The children are aged call 0208 885 3354 or Please contact Celia Stephenson at between 2 and 5 years old. We offer a [email protected]. [email protected] with non-smoking environment. Please send or Website: www.sunrise.org.uk your CV email CV to the above addresses

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teachingopportunities

Head of Children House Montessori Teacher Montessori Teacher/Early Years Teacher Our Montessori School is located in Fulham. The Caterpillar Montessori Nursery School Wimbledon Park Montessori School, a We have a friendly team of people who based in Chiswick W4 requires a part time popular nursery school in Southfields offer a safe, secure and caring environment Montessori teacher - might suit someone London SW18, requires a motivated for children from 3 months to 5 years. We who is newly qualified or needs a experienced teacher to join our team. are looking for people to join us and offer placement. We are an MEAB Accredited Someone with a cheerful personality, competitive salaries for the right team nursery looking for an enthusiastic, excellent communication skills, fluent members. Essential requirement for this committed, friendly person to join our team English, both written and spoken. This is a post is a SMILE! Head of Children House (2 of teachers in a busy setting. You will also Key person position and will need a sound Year Experience with Montessori Diploma) - need to have good written and spoken knowledge of the EYFS, responsibilities Good Communication skill & innovative English. The nursery is open term-time only include monitoring individual children’s ideas required. We are flexible and love and we are offering a competitive salary. If progress, planning learning activities and new approaches. Ability to communicate you are interested please email your CV to ensuring the nursery environment is safe well with children of different cultures and Alison Scott at and stimulating. We offer training backgrounds. New ideas always welcomed. [email protected]. Website: opportunities to all our staff members to Please call 02077368922 [email protected] develop their skills. If you would like to be part of a creative, friendly and hardworking team, please send your CV to Various Roles [email protected] Holland Park Pre-Prep School and Day To advertise your vacancy Nursery are looking for a Deputy Montessori Manager with previous call Sameena on: experience in a senior role and a diploma Montessori Teacher in Montessori Pedagogy, a qualified 0207 493 8300 Sheen Montessori, a MEAB accredited pre- Montessori teacher with a good knowledge school situated within a beautiful green of the EYFS, and a Montessori assistant park in East Sheen (SW14), is searching for teacher. We are also recruiting a Baby a qualified Montessori teacher. Applicants Room leader with 1 or 2 years experience should be dynamic and proactive with a as a room leader. We are looking to SOUTH WEST LONDON cheerful personality, excellent reintroduce the Montessori Method at our communication skills, fluent English, both small, homely and friendly school, based in written and spoken. This is a 'key carer' W14. For more information about any of position and will need a sound knowledge these roles please contact us on 020 7602 Montessori Directress of the EYFS. Candidates should have good 9066 or email [email protected]. Website: IT skills and be confident in using an www.hpps.co.uk Montessori Directress required in SW12. Sole charge of a class of 4 – 6 children, electronic recording system. Responsibilities age range 2yrs – 4yrs (10 key children include monitoring individual children’s approximately). The role includes planning progress, planning learning activities and Montessori Directress for the children, tracking, report writing, ensuring the nursery environment is safe and stimulating. Term time only, from 25 to We are a 60 place outstanding nursery in liaising with parents and working as part of a very happy team. The school is in a 34 hours per week. Please contact Northwood, HA6 for ages 2-5 years, open fi[email protected] 50 weeks of the year. We have openings Victorian house, with each teacher having their own classroom. We open for 44 weeks Website: for 3 Montessori Directress to join our large www.sheenmontessorinursery.co.uk friendly team. The role includes planning of the year with teachers working between for children, writing reports, liaising with 38 and 42 weeks. Excellent English, good carers and normal nursery duties. Please written English and a smart appearance apply with your CV and covering letter to are necessary. A position is available at [email protected]. Website: each of our schools (Balham and Kew). Montessori Teachers woodlodge.org.uk Please email your CV for the attention of Frances, to: [email protected] Montessori Teachers are required for an established, friendly MEAB Accredited Montessori Deputy Manager/ Montessori Nurseries in Clapham. The Officer in Charge Montessori Teacher nurseries provide care and education for children aged 2-5 years in accordance with Required for lovely school in Whitton / An opportunity for a qualified Montessori the Montessori teaching principles. The Twickenham. We are looking for an Teacher to join our friendly and enthusiastic successful candidates will be reliable, hard- experienced qualified Montessori Directress team, working with children from 2 - 5 working, passionate about working with to join our friendly, established and years. The Garden Room preschool in children and have Montessori accredited school. Salary and holidays are SW19 is a small independent nursery, qualifications. Other essential qualities are very competitive. Potential candidates must recently rated Outstanding, set in a good command of written and spoken have a passion for the Montessori Victorian house with large garden. The role English, knowledge of EYFS, open to new Philosophy, be able to guide and direct involves observing, assessing and planning ideas, kind and caring and being able to staff as well as having a sound knowledge for key children, liaising with parents, work as a part of a friendly team. Monday of the EYFS. If you have a talent to inspire contributing to the overall curriculum and to Friday 8.00am – 1.00pm with a young minds, are self motivated, potentially other responsibilities to be possibility of increasing the hours. Term conscientious with an impressive command agreed. This is a full-time position, term- time only. Please send your CV and cover of spoken and written English please send time only. If interested please email your letter to Mrs Doody your C.V. to Megan at CV with covering letter to [email protected] Website: [email protected] [email protected] www.nightingalemontessori.co.uk

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Various Vacancies for Brand Montessori Teacher Montessori Trained Teacher New Setting KT1 Would you like to work in an outstanding, We are looking for an enthusiastic, Are you looking for a unique opportunity to MEAB accredited, term time only committed and dynamic Montessori become part of the fantastic team that sets Montessori environment within a passionate teacher who is passionate about the the standards for education in a new £400K and enthusiastic team? Rose House method with excellent knowledge of all refitted Montessori nursery in KT1? Montessori, comprising of two Pre-schools materials for a class of 3-4 year olds and Montessori Senior Directress and (2.5 to 6 years) and a Primary School (6 to also 4-5 year olds. Great opportunities to Montessori Directress vacancies – 11 years) in Forest Hill SE 23 and develop. Must be a team player and Montessori qualification and experience Sydenham SE26, offers a true Montessori reliable with strong written skills. Our well- essential. Room Supervisor and NVQ Level experience for its children and staff. We established school is in Walthamstow, 3 vacancies – Montessori experience are looking for Montessori Teachers -newly north-east London and has children from 2- desirable. All vacancies immediate start. qualified and experienced- to join our team 11 years. This is a full-time position during Very competitive salary and benefits in various positions. We offer beautiful school term times only. Part time could be package with exciting training, Montessori environments with gardens, available. Must be committed to development and progression training and career development safeguarding. Please send CV and opportunities. Term Time and Full Time opportunities and competitive salaries. To covering email to [email protected]. available. Free DBS check. Please forward apply please email: Website: www.walthamstowmontessori.com your CV to Rebekka.dasilva@ [email protected]. asquithnurseries.co.uk or call 01494 779090. Website: www.rose-house-montessori.com Website: www.asquithnurseries.co.uk

To advertise your vacancy Montessori Reception Teacher SOUTH LONDON call Sameena on: River House a popular independent school in London Docklands E14 currently have a Montessori Teachers vacancy for a full time (term time, 40 hours 0207 493 8300 per week) Reception teacher. You will be A group of 4 private Montessori Nursery responsible for your own class of 18 Schools (2 accredited) is recruiting part children aged 4-5 years and will be time and full time Montessori Teachers in 1:1 Support and Play Partner assisted by a full time teaching assistant. South East London, South Croydon and You must have a Montessori qualification, Eastbourne. REQUIREMENTS: Montessori Looking for a personal assistant and play at least two years teaching experience and qualified (or NVQ3 studying for a partner for our son, who is 4. He has a experience of the EYFS curriculum, lesson Montessori diploma) and experienced with language delay and some sensory plans, assessment and liaising with excellent written and spoken English; Strong processing difficulties which affect his parents. The successful applicant will be knowledge of the EYFS and safeguarding social learning and communication. He has passionate about working with children, procedure; Devoted, dynamic, enthusiastic, an ASD diagnosis. Looking for an energetic, friendly, reliable, dedicated and able to committed to the Montessori method and a warm and empathetic person to support work well as part of a team. Please email team player. We are a long established our son in his communication, socializing a full CV and Covering Letter to nursery group and we have part time and and learning. You will spend time with him [email protected] Website: full time vacancies available which can at pre-school (Forest Hill SE23) 3 www.river-house.co.uk also be term time or all year. Request days/week. Montessori training (completed application pack by Email Julia@ or in progress) is beneficial. The position is dulwichoaks.co.uk. Website: for 15-18 hpw, Monday, Thursday and www.dulwichoaks.co.uk Friday. Salary is negotiable. Previous CENTRAL LONDON special needs experience a plus, however not required. Please send your CV to [email protected] SOUTH EAST LONDON Montessori Teacher

Montessori Teacher & Deputy Manager EAST LONDON Salary: £20,000 to £22,000 - Location: Marylebone & Paddington. Qualifications: Are you a qualified Montessori Teacher? Montessori Diploma, preferably at least 2 Are you passionate about Early Years Full Time Directress years experience but graduates welcome Education? We are looking for an to apply. 2 written references. Able to work enthusiastic, caring and reliable practitioner We are a friendly, well-equipped and well in UK and with good command of English. who is interested to join our friendly team. established Montessori Primary School in Times: Monday to Friday FT 8.30 to 5.00. 5 You will need to have extensive knowledge Wapping, close to the Tower of London. We weeks holiday during school holidays only. of the EYFS and the Montessori curriculum. are looking to appoint full time Directresses Duties: Working with children 2.5 to 4+ We offer a competitive salary that reflects to work with small classes of children aged years old alongside Room Leader. your qualification and level of experience. from 3 - 6, 6 - 9 and 9 – 12. You will be part Preparing, planning and tracking learning We offer regular training and development of a happy, caring team working in a light and creative activities for children per that will enable you to take advantage of airy environment, within a company offering Montessori ethos. Plus all other Montessori our promotion opportunities. This post could excellent career prospects. We are offering teacher related responsibilities (for be a full time or term time role. Candidates flexible terms and a competitive package. example daily care for environment, lunch must have: A Montessori qualification; Valid Start date ASAP. Please email CVs to and play time duties, termly material DBS check; First aid (preferable). Please offi[email protected] or assessment/care and attending EYFS forward CV and Covering Letter to: telephone Jan Arnold on 020 7488 9237. training). Email: admin@hopemontessori [email protected] Website: www.greengablesschool.com school.com or call 07919 84 48 53

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teachingopportunities

GREATER LONDON Essex Suffolk Looking to recruit a Montessori Nursery Montessori Teacher - Exciting opportunity to Office Administrator. We are an Ofsted join a small Montessori school in Outstanding Montessori Nursery located in Woodbridge. Based in the Suffolk Montessori Directress & Assistants rural Essex. We are looking to fill a position countryside, Rectory Garden is an to work in the nursery office and assist in established setting fully equipped with Rushmore House Montessori - We are our growing after-school club. The right Montessori materials and staffed by a looking for two qualified or part qualified, candidate will have a knowledge of the happy and highly dedicated team. You will committed professional for our small, Montessori ethos and principles, excellent provide high quality care and education for friendly preschool in Pratts Bottom, communication skills , a high level of written children aged 0-5 years; Assist in the day- Orpington which is in Greater London, BR6. English, be computer literate and a team to-day running of the setting; Act as key We are Ofsted Outstanding, MEAB player, who wishes to combine time worker to a small group of children and accredited and 5 star food hygiene working with children and maintaining the assist in the planning and development of Montessori preschool. Term time only, 5 efficiency of the office. We are a nursery the Montessori curriculum. Knowledge of days a week, 22-38 hrs/week, permanent. committed to Equal Opportunity and the Early Years Foundation Stage The role will include bringing new ideas Safeguarding of Children. Please contact Curriculum essential. Email your CV to and passion to the setting, contributing to Kathryn Smith for an application form. [email protected] lesson planning, observing and recording Telephone: 01376 564392. Email: for the attention of Georgina the children's development and being a [email protected]. key worker. You should have a good sense Website: www.coggeshallmontessori.co.uk of humour and love working as part of a small team. For application procedure visit: Winchester www.naturallearners.co.uk Surrey Hampshire Do you have managerial potential? We are looking for inspiring Full time Newly Trained Montessori Teacher: Individuals who can work at management Various Vacancies Ages 2 years–5 years; Monday- Friday 8.00 level to support a successful and popular –4.30, Term time only and some Open Montessori MEAB accredited setting. You Brand New Montessori Nursery (Hollybush Days. The Montessori Children’s House will need to have strong communication Montessori) Opening January 2017 – Set in Nursery School setting is located in central and interpersonal skills, a good business the idyllic countryside of Chorleywood, Sutton. We are a team of qualified staff acumen, a clear understanding of Hertfordshire; (Chorleywood Tube Station is committed to creating a stimulating, warm safeguarding, early years care and on the Metropolitan Line). We are looking and fun environment. With excellent staff to education issues and above all, absolutely for a formidable, enthusiastic and child ratios we are able to nurture each love working with children!! We are looking experienced Senior Montessori Directress. child’s individual needs, helping them to for someone who holds a minimum of a In addition, we are also seeking a reach their full potential. Our aim to: “Instil Level 4 Montessori Diploma (or equivalent) motivated Qualified Nursery Practitioner to the love of learning” and help each child with at least 3 years childcare care and join our small but perfectly formed team. A prepare for its next step with confidence. relevant management/leadership unique 16 place setting for 3 & 4 year olds. Contact: Principal Vandana Gilpin experience. To apply please contact Kelly Term-time only, Competitive salary, Career [email protected]. Knight on [email protected] / progression and training available. To Website: www.montessorisutton.co.uk 01962 856 201. Website: www.hartley- apply for either of these roles please send house.co.uk a current CV to [email protected] Surrey Martyrs Green is excited to be looking for a new manager. We require a motivated EUROPE REST OF THE UK individual who is involved in all areas of nursery life from strategic planning to maintaining strong relationships with parents,from leading an excellent team to working amongst the children. Ensuring the France Cambridge best outcomes for children through The International Montessori Trilingual Mulberry Montessori is a small private combining the EYFS and Montessori School of Nogent sur Marne,a few minutes nursery in a converted barn, with 2 well approach to learning and development. from Paris (a 27 year old AMI Charter equipped Neinhuis classes and a large Successful candidates must be dedicated school), is seeking : An English speaking 6- garden located in peaceful countryside but to: Providing outstanding care for children; 12 MCI/AMI Guide for our elementary class close to the exciting university city of Excellent communication/team to work with a French speaking 3-6/6-12 Cambridge. The position is an ideal management skills; Partnership with guide and a Montessori assistant. Also opportunity for an experienced Directress parents; and Continuous seeking an English speaking 3-6 MCI/AMI to take the next step in managing a setting improvement/values and celebrates Guide for our Children's House to work with of 40 children with a team of 8. We offer a diversity. Qualifications & Training: Early a French speaking 3-6 guide and a generous salary and holiday allowance in Years Degree/EYP/Montessori Montessori assistant. Our new premises are return for an inspiring and committed Qualifications; First Aid/Child exceptional! Possibility of accommodation. teacher with Ofsted & EYFS knowledge. We Protection/Special Needs. 2 years’ Please send your CV and cover letter to look forward to hearing from you if you experience in management position. [email protected]. Spoken French would like to join us from Jan 17. Please Contact Dani Dew – Group Manager on is not essential. Valid work permit forward to CV to 01932 866244 [email protected]. necessary. Website: www.ecole-bilingue- [email protected] Website: www.martyrsgreen.co.uk montessori-94.com

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France REST OF THE WORLD Sydney, Australia Native English Speaker Teacher (3-6) - Experienced 3-6 Montessori Directress – Montessori International School France. The Sydney, Australia. A wonderful opportunity d'Esclaibes group is looking for a to live and work in one of the most Montessori Native English teacher for its 3-6 Yangan, Myanmar (Burma) beautiful cities in the world. We are a well- years old class. Full-time job in Montessori established Montessori Early Childhood International Schools in Marseille, Right Start International Montessori School Service with centres in Mosman and Manly Bordeaux, near Paris or Lille. Please is a leading Montessori School based in and a team of passionate and dedicated forward CV to education.montessori33 Yangon, Myanmar (Burma). Due to school educators delivering high quality education @gmail.com. Do not hesitate to contact us expansion, we are now looking to recruit and care for our children and building for any further information. Website: trained Montessori teachers to join the strong relationships with our families. Our http://education-montessori.com team. Suitable applicants must have centres are extensively resourced and the Montessori teaching diploma (3-6); passion management team and educators take for working with children. Knowledge of great pride in making our environments EYFS is an added advantage and native secure, stimulating and beautiful. You will Poland English speakers are preferable. Job need to have: An accredited Montessori Description: Curriculum planning, diploma; Equivalent of Bachelor of Lead teachers for our Casa & elementary 6- Preparation, and instruction; Teaching in Early Childhood; Good spoken 9 & 9-12 class. This position requires that Communication via newsletters, parent and written English and Current First Aid. To the candidate is a Native English speaker conferences; Record keeping and Training register your interest and request further or excellent command of the English and Supervision of classroom assistants. information please email language and a Montessori certificate. Our Remuneration Package: Tax free salary [email protected] school is located steps from Kazienki Park $24,000 pa, negotiable depending on in vibrant and beautiful facilities. Become experience; Accommodation; Annual ticket; part of our caring and dedicated staff. Visa fee and 8 weeks holiday. Contact To advertise your vacancy Benefits include: excellent salary, medical email should be [email protected]. insurance, and apartment. Please send Location is Yangon, Myanmar (Burma). call Sameena on: your CV, 3 letters of reference, copy of your Website: www.rightstartschool.net college diploma and Montessori certificate along with a current photo. Email to: 0207 493 8300 [email protected] or Please check our website: Nigeria, West Africa www.warsawmontessori.edu.pl An exciting opportunity for two experienced & highly knowledgeable Montessori Teachers in Edo State, Nigeria. West Africa for 2 terms with a competitive package! To teach alongside other teachers in a brand new school with a class of 12 children, age range 2-13yrs approx. Spain & Italy Candidates must be well organized, enthusiastic and hard working professionals with a possible opportunity to work in partnership with the establishment in future as a consultant / The Montessori International School in advisor. Accommodation, flights and transport provided. Enhanced DBS, Reference, and Genoa (Italy) and the Green School Ibiza Suitability checks. Contact [email protected] (Spain) are currently recruiting professional teachers for the school year 2016/2017 for Nursery, Kindergarten (3-6 years) and Primary school (6-12 years). We are also looking for teachers for the Summer Camp for June, July and August. Please be so kind to provide us with your European format A H Lansley curriculum vitae. For further information please contact [email protected] Business Transfer Agents Established 1890 Valencia, Spain Montessori British School in Valencia, Spain Specialist agent for sale, purchase and valuation of seeks trained 3-6 guide for new class opening in September 2016. Ideal Montessori Nurseries & Schools throughout the UK. candidate requirment: Montessori guide certification; Native English; With QTS, Thinking of selling? Bachelor of Education or equivalent; With EU-citizen or valid work permit. We offer full Contact us in strict confidence for an initial valuation. time position with attractive salary at Brand new center with prepared environment at a great location in the city of Valencia (Mediterranean seaside). Do you want to [email protected] be part of an enthusiastic, vocational and wonderful team? Please send your CV and motivation letter to 0118 9590271 [email protected] More info: http://imaginemontessori.es/en/open- www.ahlansley.co.uk position

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“The IMP course is a wonderful opportunity for professionals Integrating who wish to further their understanding of Montessori Montessori and enhance their practice.” Practice Gabriela Roberts

MCI has developed this professional development course for practitioners who want to integrate Montessori into their practice. •Study flexibly online using our innovative online virtual learning environment over maximum 12 months ONLINE PLUS •Online support from dedicated tutor WORKSHOP •Includes 2 week apparatus workshop or Saturday attendance at our London college

MCI regularly hosts OPEN EVENTS to provide further information on their range of Montessori courses.

Email: [email protected] or telephone: 020 7493 8300 www.mci.montessori.org.uk

STUDENT “Doing the Montessori Foundation Course was NOW FINANCEAVAILABLE an amazing experience. It gave me the Foundation foundations and philosophy of teaching which has supported me through my Early Childhood Studies Degree Degree and now my PGCE." Lucilla Critchley Montessori Early Childhood Practice •Become a Montessori Graduate Leader •Combine study with placement in a Montessori setting Next course starts •2 years full-time SEPTEMBER •Direct entry to Level 5 (year 2) for 2017 MCI diploma graduates •Recognised early years qualification (meets Early Years Educator criteria) •Progress to full BA (Hons)

MCI regularly hosts OPEN EVENTS to provide further information on their range of Montessori courses.

Email: [email protected] or telephone: 020 7493 8300 www.mci.montessori.org.uk

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meabaccreditedschools

This is the current list of MEAB-accredited and re-accredited settings that, through taking part in the rigorous accreditation process, have demonstrated the high quality of their Montessori practice and their commitment to continuous improvement through the supportive MEAB scheme. Total 174 Region 1 – North England/Scotland/N.Ireland Region 1 Alderley Day Nursery Cheshire North Chapel Grange Montessori Nursery School Wilmslow England/ Scotland/ Gorton Mount Primary Academy Manchester N.Ireland Region 4 Holly Grange Montessori Cuddington 15 Eastern Leeds Montessori School and Day Nursery Leeds England Malton Montessori School and Nursery Malton 22 Mill Cottage Montessori School Brighouse Mulberry Bush Montessori Yorkhill Region 2 Mulberry Bush Montessori Killearn East & West Pocklington Montessori School York Midlands Region 3 Rigg Farm Montessori School Harrogate 9 East Rooftops Montessori Pre-School Richmond Anglia Wharfedale Montessori School Skipton Region 8 12 York Montessori Nursery Fulford Middlesex, Region 7 Bucks. and Willows Montessori Nursery Tyne and Wear Southwest Oxon. & Wales Region 2 – East & West Midlands 12 Region 6 9 Berkshire, Region 5 Caterpillars Montessori Pre-School Ellesmere Hampshire Southeast Little Learners Montessori School Solihull & Surrey 11 Malvern Montessori Malvern 20 Market Harborough Montessori Nursery Leicestershire Region 9 Merrydays and Henley Montessori Henley-in-Arden International London Moseley Montessori Nursery Birmingham 17 47 St Mary's Montessori Day Nursery Lutterworth The Elms Malvern MEAB Accredited Schools Tiggywinkles Montessori Nursery Newport Numbers by Region Region 3 – East Anglia Cherry Trees Preparatory and Montessori School Bury St Edmunds Chives Montessori School Ipswich Maynard Montessori Pre-School Stebbing Colourbox Montessori School Ltd Newmarket Norfolk Lodge Montessori Nursery Barnet Foxglove Montessori Nursery School Stowmarket Oaklea Montessori Harwich Little People’s Montessori Nursery School Norwich Pippins Montessori Colchester Norwich Montessori School Norfolk Sitara Toto Montessori Well End Peacock Montessori Nursery Diss Soaring High Montessori Primary School Coggeshall Phoenix Montessori Nursery Terrington St Clement Stebbing Primary School Essex Rectory Garden Montessori School Woodbridge St.Thomas More Montessori Pre-School Saffron Walden Sunflower Montessori Nursery School Saxmundham Sunflower Montessori Kindergarten Brentwood The Meadows Montessori Primary School Ipswich The Colourwheel Montessori Nursery Black Notley Willow Park Montessori Day Nursery Ipswich The Village Montessori Nursery nr Epping Westwood Montessori School Saffron Walden Region 4 – Eastern England Wivenhoe Montessori Colchester Absolute Angels Montessori Nursery Coggeshall Artisans Kindergarten Harpenden Region 5 – Southeast Bright Learners Montessori School Barnet Anne Frank Montessori Horsham Flitch Green Pre-school Gt Dunmow Beckenham Montessori Preschool Beckenham Flying Start Montessori Nursery School Sawbridgeworth Cator Park Montessori Pre-School Beckenham Harlequin Montessori Nursery Billericay Childrens House Birling Jelly Beans Montessori Nursery Hockley Little Oaks Montessori Nursery School Forest Row Kingfisher Montessori Nursery School Hemel Hempstead Monique’s Montessori Day Nursery Kent Little Montessorians Pre-School Ilford New Montessori Pre School Worthing

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meabaccreditedschools

Orpington Montessori Pre-school Kent Caterpillar Montessori Nursery School Chiswick Rushmore House Montessori Pre-School Kent Crossharbour Montessori Day Nursery Docklands The New Montessori Pre-School Worthing Dulwich Montessori Nursery School College Road The Old School House II Tenterden Ealing Green Montessori School Ealing West Chiltington Montessori Nursery School West Sussex Eden Montessori Kensington Hopes and Dreams Montessori School Islington Region 6 – Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey Iverna Gardens Montessori School Kensington Casa dei Bambini St Johns Hall Winchester Ladbroke Square Montessori School Notting Hill Caterpillars Montessori Nursery School Hartley Wintney Les Trois Oursons Paddington Footprints Montessori Day Nursery West Horsley Little Sweethearts Montessori School Little Venice Grantham Farm Montessori School Tadley Little Sponges Montessori Greenwich Hopscotch Montessori Nursery Old Oxted Little Tree Montessori Nursery Hornsey Vale Hartley House Montessori The Lido Winchester Living Spring Montessori School Cricklewood Lemon Tree Montessori School Sanderstead Mace Montessori Schools Ltd Wandsworth Little Tots Nursery Reading Mace Montessori Schools Ltd - Annex Hammersmith Martyr’s Green Montessori Ockham Maria Montessori Nursery School Ealing Meadowbrook Montessori (Pre-Primary) Bracknell Mars Montessori Bilingual Nursery Islington Montessori Children’s House Sutton Newpark Childcare Centre Barbican Overton Children’s House Basingstoke Newpark Montessori School Shepherds Bush Shamley Green Montessori Pre-School Guildford New Park Nursery and Montessori School Highbury Star Child Montessori Day Nursery Thornton Heath New World Montessori Nursery School Ealing Steventon Children’s House Basingstoke New World Montessori Nursery School, St Peter’s Ealing Tigglets Montessori Nursery School Farnham Nightingale 1 Montessori Nursery School Clapham The Little House Montessori Nursery School Burstow Nightingale 2 Montessori Nursery Clapham The Village Montessori Nursery School Reading Paint Pots Montessori School Bayswater Treasure (Johanna) Montessori Nursery and Pre-school Camberley Paint Pots Montessori School Hyde Park Weyhill Montessori Haslemere Rose House Montessori School (St Georges) Forest Hill Rose House Montessori Pre-School (The Chapel) Forest Hill Region 7 – Southwest and Wales Sheen Montessori Nursery East Sheen Chagford Montessori Nursery School Devon St Andrew’s Montessori Islington Drakes Montessori Childcare Exmouth St Nicholas Preparatory School Kensington Frogmore Montessori Nursery Devon St Matthews Montessori School Ealing Little Orchard Montessori Nursery Sparkwell Streatham Montessori Pre-School Streatham Hill Plympton Montessori Nursery Devon Tara House Montessori Nursery Chiswick Stoke Bishop Montessori Bristol The Gower School Nursery Islington The Children’s Room Swansea The Gower School (Montessori Primary) Barnsbury The Clifton Children’s House Montessori School Bristol The Little Learners Montessori Nursery Cricklewood The Rainbow Montessori Nursery School Winscombe The Woodlands Montessori Preparatory School Stratford The Village Montessori Lewisham Region 8 – Middlesex, Bucks. and Oxon. Victoria Road Montessori Kensington Chalfont St Peter Montessori School Buckinghamshire Woodentots Montessori School Camden Denning Montessori School Fawley Fountain Montessori Pre-School Edgeware International Haydon Hall Montessori Nursery Pinner Ajyaal Montessori Pre-School Bahrain Little Learners Montessori Nursery Wembley Bloom Primary, High and Children’s House Sarajevo Bosnia and Manor Grove Montessori Tingewick Herzegovina Milkshake Montessori Nursery School Twickenham Jakarta Montessori School Indonesia Rosewood Montessori Nursery School Ruislip Gulf Montessori Nursery Kuwait The Children’s House Kidlington Gulf Montessori Nursery United Arab Emirates The Lighthouse Newington Head Start Montessori House of Children Bangalore, India The Little Learners Montessori Nursery Wembley International Montessori Nursery Abu Dhabi The Montessori Nursery School Kingston Blount International Montessori School of Albania Tirana, Albania The Pavilion Montessori School Teddington Little Explorers Montessori Plus School Ghana Little Gems Montessori Nursery Nicosia, Cyprus Region 9 – London Little Gems Montessori Nursery Larnaca, Cyprus Aldersbrook Primary School and Nursery Wanstead Montessori Coop Istanbul Turkey Andrea’s Montessori Balham Madeleine’s Pre-School Bahrain Barnes Montessori Nursery Barnes The Montessori Children’s House West Des Moines, USA Beanstalk Montessori Nursery School Hammersmith The Woodland Montessori Pre-school Tai Tam, Hong Kong Beehive on Queen’s Park Montessori School Brent The Woodland Montessori Pre-School Repulse Bay, Hong Kong Beckett House Montessori Nursery Islington The Woodland Montessori Pre-School Mid-Levels, Hong Kong

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msamembership Help us to help you in MSA

Setting the Scene In this magazine you will find an insert that outlines the Since I was appointed to the post of CEO, now over 19 months benefits of membership, the costs and the way to send us your ago, I have been looking at how to make Montessori St annual subscription. We plan to have the membership year Nicholas a sustainable organisation. To readers unfamiliar with lasting from January to December and we will start this the financial history of this organisation it may seem a slightly immediately. If you join now, or in the coming few months, you strange objective, but when I took over I found a history of will begin to enjoy free membership in September to significant deficits in the year-end accounts. Some deficits were December 2016. We can accept cheques or credit cards at this huge and well out of proportion for the size of the charity. point (to pay by credit card please email Kristine Largo at Closer inspection revealed that the charity had been [email protected] and she will forward the relevant subsidising various arms of the Montessori group activities payment document). However, we plan to move over to Direct because these were activities that generated either very little Debits by the end of this year since this makes life easier for all or no income. A consequence has been that these subsidies involved. More details about the scheme will follow in due have been eating into the capital that MSN had built up over course. We also want to encourage our graduates from MCI to the years. Clearly, this is unsustainable. become members of MSA as they move out into settings to begin their careers. The Way Forwards Without your support there can be no MSA. We have, We feel the work of MSA is important, and through responses though, been encouraged by your feedback over the past few to our surveys you send us the same message. We want to not months and this has given us the confidence to feel that you only maintain MSA but build upon the support you offer to will subscribe and that all our preparations for this change will make it a dynamic and long term partnership as a be worthwhile. Thank you. membership organisation that can pay its own way. That is why Dr Stephen D Tommis we have to introduce a membership subscription. Chief Executive, MSN Why join the Montessori Schools Association The MSA was established in 2005, and is an The Advisory Council meets in London three movement in the UK and will have an organisation for everyone engaged and times a year and advises the Montessori St opportunity to contribute to the progressive interested in Montessori education. Nicholas Charity (MSN) on issues relating to view of Montessori education as promoted Montessori schools, nurseries, daycare Montessori workforce and practice, on by the MSN. You will have access to the MSA providers, childminders, teachers and parents regional variation in delivery of early years on-line forum, which will facilitate discussion are invited to join the MSA – the voice of the provision, and selects the Montessorian of and dialogue for Montessorians in the UK. To Montessori community in the UK. the Year and Montessori Practitioner of the find out more about the full benefits and to Year. These awards are presented at the register on-line see www.montessori.org.uk The strength of the organisation lies in its MSA annual conference. MSA and the MEAB accreditation continue professional leadership and management, By becoming a member of the MSA you to be financially supported by Montessori St the size of its membership and the services will actively support the Montessori Nicholas Charity. and facilities offered, including representation at national level, an annual Annual Charges for MSA Membership national conference, accreditation of Setting Category MSA Schools MEAB Schools Montessori settings, networking opportunities at regional level and Large Setting £90 £60 subscription to Montessori International (75 + pupils on roll) £80 with Direct Debit* £50 with Direct Debit* magazine, as well as discounts on courses, Medium Setting £70 £50 books, and access to on-line professional (16 -74 pupils on roll) £60 with Direct Debit* £40 with Direct Debit* development. The MSA benefits from a national co- Childminders and Small Setting £45 £35 (with fewer than 16 pupils on roll) £38 with Direct Debit* £30 with Direct Debit* ordinator and is organised into regions; each region is supported by a regional chair who Individual members £25 acts as a link between the regional £20 with Direct Debit* membership and the MSA Advisory Council led by the National Chair, Dr Martin Bradley. *Direct debit will be available from December 2016 for January 2017 registrations

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msamembershipregistration (Individual & School)

Please complete this form and send with your cheque to Montessori Schools Association, 18 Balderton Street, London W1K 6TG. We will contact you by email with your membership details and access to the new online MSA Forum. If you are registering as an individual member just complete sections 1 and 2 (if you are working in a school). If you are registering your school all 5 sections need to be completed. 1. Your Details

Title Mr/Miss/Mrs/Ms First Name ______Surname ______Job Title ______

Address ______

Email ______Phone ______Mobile ______2. School Details

Head Title Mr/Miss/Mrs/Ms Head First Name ______Head Surname ______

School Name ______School Website ______

School Email ______School Phone ______

3. School Location Country

Address ______

Town ______County ______Postcode ______

4. Correspondence Address (if different) Country

Address ______

Town ______County ______Postcode ______

5. School Membership Deta ils

Date of last ofsted inspection ______Grade of last ofsted inspection ______

Ofsted Number ______DFE Number ______

MEAB Accredited Ǣ Yes Primary or Childminder Ǣ Primary Ǣ Childminder Age range of Montessori provision From To

Number of Montessori Total number of 0 – 2 2 – 5 5 – 7 7 – 11 children in each age range children on roll

Number of staff FTE Montessori qualified MSA Member

Number of staff qualified at level 1 2 3 4

Premises Ǣ Owned Ǣ Rented School type Ǣ Sessional Ǣ Full time

Hours of Business ______Turnover of business Ǣ Under 100k Ǣ 100-200k Ǣ Over 200k

Management structure Ǣ Appointed manager Ǣ Owner manager Ǣ Owner with responsibility for administration

Category of membership Ǣ Large Setting Ǣ Medium Setting Ǣ Small setting or childminder ✁

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msaadvisorycouncil

The Montessori Schools Association (MSA) is a professional organisation that supports over 4000 Montessori schools and teachers throughout the UK. The MSA provides information, advice, subsidised continued professional development training and networking opportunities to our members. The MSA also works to raise the profile of Montessori education and issues affecting it within the government and with the public.

The UK is split into several regions each of which has Regional Chairman who organises meetings and events for local members. If you live in the UK and are involved in Montessori, make sure you join this growing organisation for free at www.montessori.org.uk/msa

National Chairman Region 4 – Eastern England Dr Martin Bradley Chair – Joahnne Cousins Contact through the MSA office E jcousins@wivenhoe E [email protected] montessori.co.uk 1 T 020 7493 8300 T 01206 827 126 Deputy – Sarah Drummond Senior Management Team E [email protected] Stephen Tommis Area covered: Befordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire Chief Executive Officer Region 5 – South East 2 Chair – Fiona Brissenden 3 Barbara Isaacs 7 T 01233 850 239 Chief Education Officer 8 4 Deputy – Candy Balfour 9 E [email protected] Beverley Stewart 6 Area covered: East Sussex, Kent, West Sussex 5 Head of Operations Region 6 – Berkshire, Contact the Senior Management Hampshire & Surrey Team through the MSA office Chair – Emma Wetherley E [email protected] E [email protected] T 020 7493 8300 T 07784428254 Area covered: Berkshire, Surrey, Hampshire Region 1 – North England/ MSA Primary Scotland/Northern Ireland Region 7 – South West and Chair – Sarah Rowledge Chair – Alison Barker Wales E [email protected] E [email protected] Chair – Pauline Bamford T 01376 562 000 T 01748 821 466 E paulinebamford@ hotmail.com Deputy – Emma Gowers Deputy – Sylwia Zywotko T 07702 083 348 E [email protected] T 07969 654 879 Deputy – Sandra Pidgeon T 020 7278 2020 Area covered: Cheshire, Co Durham, E stokebishopmontessori@ hotmail.com Area covered: Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Cumbria, East Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, MSA Childminders Network Lancashire, Merseyside, North Lincolnshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire, Wales If you are a Montessorian registered or North Yorkshire, Northumberland, South Region 8 – Middlesex, considering registering as a childminder, Yorkshire, West Yorkshire Bucks. and Oxon. please join us for a meeting at the end of the Region 2 – East and West Chair – Rosie Roberts MSA Conference. Midlands E rosewood@ Chair – Raju Surelia rosieroberts.demon.co.uk MSA Childminder’s Chair E [email protected] T 020 8866 7653 Jennifer McArthur T 0121 709 1157 Deputy – Felicity Fenemore E [email protected] Area covered: Derbyshire, Herefordshire, T 01280 848 626 T 01395 263868 Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Area covered: Buckinghamshire, Middlesex, Deputy – Gabrielle Mills Nottinghamshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Oxfordshire E [email protected] Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire Region 9 – London T 07974 251042 Chair – Georgina Hood Region 3 – East Anglia MSA Office Chair – Ruth Palmer E [email protected] Kristine Largo – MSA Administration Manager E [email protected] T 08456 43 44 41 E [email protected] T 01449 721 602 Deputy: Carol Flynn Area covered: Cambridgeshire , Norfolk, E [email protected] Philip Davies – Editor, Montessori International Suffolk Area covered: London E [email protected]

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Progression of MCI Qualifications

GCSE Level Entry A Level Entry

Distance (or above) Attending Learning Diploma Montessori Pedagogy 1 year + placement (Birth to Seven Distance & Early Years Educator) Attending Learning LEVEL 3 Diploma Montessori Key qualification to work with Pedagogy Certificate in Higher children 1 year + placement Education (One Year Full-Time meets 1 year and professional placement (Birth to Seven & Early Years Educator) early years educator criteria) LEVEL 4 LEVEL 4 With progression to Foundation Degree Direct entry to Year 2 of 1 year the Foundation Degree in Arts Foundation Degree IMMEDIATELY ENTITLES YOU TO WORK AS: in Arts (Two Year Programme Full-Time) Childminder Nanny Teaching Year 1 You will need to do LEVEL 4 Montessori training with the Voluntary Assistant Educator Childminding registration with (in State Year 2 Association and OFSTED Primary School) register with OFSTED LEVEL 5

Keep a professional diary documenting your practice and significant events at work Continue 2 years work experience University Early Childhood Studies BA Honours Manage a Set-up own Nursery Montessori Nursery

Follow a PROGRESS TO: Professional Management Qualification Qualified Early Years Teaching Status Masters Teacher Status Work in a State Primary Degree School

Always bear in mind the MCI Code of Professional Conduct

Join MSA Your Professional Organisation

Continuous professional development is an essential element of your professional life. See our website for details of seminars www.mci.montessori.org.uk