The way children learn is something many of us tend to take for granted.

Two Faculty of Education alumni, Steve and Norine Bannister, are taking their love of the way children learn to a new level, by opening the first Montessori Learning Centre in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“Maria Montessori was the first female physician in Italy, and she was intrigued with the way children learn,” explained Steve. “So she observed, and observed and observed, and came up with what child psychologists today refer to as critical developmental stages. People of the time, like Freud and Piaget and Helen Keller really believed in what she was doing. So from the stages, she came up with materials (which are still used today).” Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin also credit the system for getting them where they are today.

Montessori gave birth to the concept in 1870, and teachers in the education system have been using it ever since. The method and philosophy taps into the intrinsic way that people learn. It’s a multi-sensory way of making children realize, unintentionally, what it will be like to do math problems, read, write and complete daily life tasks like tying your shoe, zipping a jacket, or pouring a glass of milk.

The method uses tangible materials, like cylinder-shaped blocks (which are picked up in the same way you’d pick up a pen or pencil), materials with buttons and zippers, small tea sets, shapes, blocks with pegs which trace patters that eventually teach children to write. They were created to instill those innate abilities, from learning to read, write, do math problems, to pouring milk and zipping a jacket – things we take for granted, not realizing that children aren’t born knowing how to do these things. They have to learn.

“I remember touring a Montessori school in England, it was just outside of London,” recalled Norine, who completed several internships at Memorial’s Harlow campus. “I looked in a room, and this little girl, no more than three or four, was just polishing a brass plate, repeatedly. The principal explained to me that she wasn’t actually polishing a plate, she was learning the motions of handwriting.”

Norine noted that if you let a child choose to do something, they will work at the task until they are able to complete it, referencing Montessori’s book, The Absorbent Mind. She also said that the Montessori method is useful for children who have a certain lack of focus.

“If they’re given something specific to do, they’ll absolutely latch onto that, not realizing it’s teaching them to do something. What they’re not realizing while they’re tracing this line, or stacking these blocks, is that they’re learning the skills they will need a few years down the line in school and in life,” she said.

“What they’re doing is algebra in most cases, but they don’t know that,” added Mr. Bannister, adding that they will be able to recall these methods later, when they’re in school. “But the best thing is that there’s no ceiling for these kids. A child two, three, four years old can be doing grade two mathematics. Its amazing, their capacity, if properly nurtured.”

While Steve focuses on numeracy, Norine’s background is in reading. The training course is similar to a course in Early Childhood Education, but is laid out on how to use the Montessori materials.

“Much of the learning is multi-sensory as well,” explained Norine. “The child isn’t only tracing a shape, but he or she is taking in the colours, shaking, smelling, sounds and bells. The five senses are really big. Anything that lets the child learn other than teaching the child is where Montessori falls.”

Essentially, the system promotes self-taught, self-correcting, independent learning.

The Bannisters will offer two orientation sessions, which are essential for parents to attend before registering their child in the program.
“It’s not a pre-school, where the parent can just drop off their child and come back,” Mr. Bannister clarified. “The parent should attend the session first, to see if they feel their child will be a match for the program.”
After the sessions, a location for the school will be determined. To register for the March 24 or April 2 session (which are at Bacalao Restaurant), email norine@montessorinl.ca, or call 722-1829.

Visit www.montessorinl.ca for more information.