The Montessori method is one of those few education styles that ensures a mix of pragmatic and abstract strategies. Ensuring a self-directed activity and hands-on learning, it may be considered as an eminent choice for many kids.
With these edges does the Montessori Method stay be-fitting for Dyscalculics? If yes, then what factors make this method apt for special children? Here we traverse through what the Montessori method is all about and if it supports Dyscalculics, how it succors students in detail. Discerning these insights can make you confident in making appropriate decisions.
Montessori teaching- Turning classrooms into homes!
Developed by Maria Montessori in 1897, Montessori Teaching can be distinguished with its thrust to encourage self-directed activity and hands-on learning in students. The same is ensured with collaboration and the creation of a home-based atmosphere in classrooms. Focusing on natural interests and relevant activities for kids, this style is unique away from formal teaching methods. Some other eccentric features include:
- Montessori invigorates mixed-age classrooms where kids of different age groups with similar learning requirements are grouped for better learning.
- With a wide range of options to learn, it ensures no longer than three hours of schooling in general.
- Instructors are highly trained, securing the pedagogies are efficiently preached in a stimulated time span.
Montessori schooling for special needs
Some students need specialized pedagogies to make them ready to compete with peers. Distinct learning styles like that of Montessori learning can be be-fitting due to some edges. Jacqueline Cossentino[1] outlined that requirements of special needs are grounded in principles central to Montessori pedagogy, including mixed-age grouping, differentiation, and ongoing child study.
In addition to honoring Montessori’s signature of personalized, inclusive education, early intervention models offer promising approaches to building both institutional and individual instructional capacity, enabling Montessori educators to more effectively follow not just the theoretical child, but all children.
Montessori schooling for dyscalculics- Comprehending the noteworthy edges
With a number of schooling choices available, Montessori schooling can be unique pertaining to essential edges, which may prove befitting for you. Some of these have been the result of research studies, while some can be effortlessly inferred from the schooling attributes.
- Specialized learning style: Students are allowed to learn at their own pace by ensuring they explore more activities and lessons. Since there are often no deadlines, learners are facilitated with comfort and freedom. Such practices are a cut above the freedom to effortlessly learn notions even with some personal compromises. In concepts like math, Dyscalculics can avail a clear edge here.
- Befitting with IEPs: Dysclaculics can have a chance of being qualified for IEPs. Ensuring a individualized conceptual and activity structure, IEPs can aid in forming a concrete environment for the learners rather than being purely abstract,
- Better math performance: Ensuring the use of manipulatives in the school makes a clear difference compared to using these by choice. For these reasons, Montessori style can be an eminent take-in. Abha Basargeker[2] remarked that advantage in math is more where students have had longer immersion in Montessori programs, as assessments are more conceptual in nature.
- Creativity: Dyscalculics are usually more than creative; they prefer to indulge in innovative activities and learning styles. Montessori style gets its edge as it ensures pupils are creative. Jean-Francois Knebel[3] made a study on 201 kids- half of the participants were from Montessori settings, while the other half were controls from traditional schools. The results confirmed that Montessori participants outperformed peers from traditional schools both in academic outcomes and in creativity skills across age groups and in self-reported well-being at school at kindergarten age.
- Multisensory approach: Ensuring multiple senses while learning is one of the prime factors in Montessori schooling. Pedagogies often encourage students to feel, taste, listen and look at manipulatives to grasp them better. While we comprehend how multisensory learning aids special children, Montessori can often be a choice for them.
- Social Development: Despite reasonable support, some students prefer to be isolated to ensure comfort. For this reason, the need for social awareness and development has turned up. Montessori schooling can ensure societal attributes by letting little ones interact with each other while they learn.
Hands-on schooling- Do they have catches?
Apprehending the benefits that Montessori schooling can offer, one may consider looking forward to choosing it—before that, traversing through probable catches may make you further clear. Dinh Thi Tuyet[4] states following catches with Montessori styles in Vietnam. These may be evident in other areas as well:
- Sparse Availability: Due to diversity in population and reach, Montessori schools may not be available in all locations, especially in developing areas.
- Uniformity of features: Hands-on schooling is distinguished from other styles due to its unique traits. Nevertheless, these features may not be available in all areas. In a few areas, a shortage of teachers or space may bring down the Montessori experience.
- Compatibility with local education: The learning style is evidently fitting for special children as well, but students may feel it taxing to opt for traditional local pedagogies later in college.
Is montessori schooling befitting for dyscalculics?
Math compromises can often go beyond just anxiety with numbers. Some individuals can also have an effect on reading and writing to some extent. Further, some personalized factors may also accompany these. Grasping their strengths and focusing on these traits to train is probably the finest idea. Ensuring freedom in learning and implementation of multisensory learning, Montessori may be considered a fitting schooling style. Nevertheless, coming out of generalized indications and making personalized resolution turns crucial.
A mentor who feels the edges offered by the Montessori schooling style can be precisely aiding can prefer it being aware of possible snags if any. Joyce S. Pickering[5] outlined crucial elements that may turn the Montessori Philosophy into an eminent choice of special individuals. Here he points out factors like individualization and various development methods which can make it a good take-in.
Concluding thoughts
Despite varying opinions on the Montessori System, this method may be an eminent choice for students. Nonetheless, accessing alternatives like the Orton-Gillingham approach turns crucial to making your decision coherent. If you are bewildered if the Montessori method is good for your little one, the insights mentioned above can assist by edifying you about the ups and downs of the system.
References
- Following All the Children: Early Intervention and Montessori. (2007). Jacqueline Cossentino.
- Math achievement outcomes associated with Montessori education. (2020, December). Abha Basargekar. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2020.1860955
- Beyond executive functions, creativity skills benefit academic outcomes: Insights from montessori education. (2019, November). Solange Denervaud.
- Learn about some advantages and disadvantages of applying montessori education method in vietnam. (2021). Dinh Thi Tuyet.
- Successful applications of montessori methods with children at risk for learning disabilities. (1992, December). Joyce S. Pickering.
An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’,