Effective Learning Techniques

In an elementary Montessori school setting, teachers pretend they don’t know the answer so their students can become active participation learners. Is that an effective learning technique? Not giving kids the answer?! 

In many traditional schools, students do get the answer. All students are taught the same lesson at the same time—whether they understood the last lesson or not. Then, they are taught facts to promote memorization—the ‘what.’

It’s Called ‘Learning’ When Students Research A Topic On Their Own

At our elementary Montessori school, Grade One thru Six teachers assign projects to teams of students. Then, they’ll focus, learn, absorb, make mistakes, finally get it right and learn to completely understand that topic--at each student’s pace and including their personal imprint. 

Teachers do not give students rote answers. Instead, they:

• Respond to student questions with, “I don’t know...wouldn't it be interesting to find out?”

• Discuss student questions in depth

• Guide them towards concepts to research and learn; then,

• Support them while they find ways to understand the ‘why’—not just the ‘what.’ 

It’s Called the Library!

Every Lifetime elementary Montessori school student knows that learning will not be found on an online summary site like Wikipedia or Google. The solutions will be found in books in our library! The library? What’s that? And why use a library? 

Books provide a deep topical understanding that promotes learning through active participation. Students are reading--not passively summarizing the online summation. 

And in a library book, your child may discover a passion in a peripheral topic. Since they’re interested, they’ll get motivated, research more and learn more. This newfound passion will promote faster absorption, intensified learning and a better lesson understanding.

The Montessori Edge Defined: Active Participation Learning

In an elementary Montessori school, students are given freedom. This methodology gives kids ‘the okay’ towards building a personal involvement and a desire to succeed.  

There’s your difference and cutting edge right there!

If a teacher makes you verbally memorize how photosynthesis works, it’s called ‘passive absorption’ learning. But if you research it yourself, it’s called ‘aggressive learning.’ Montessori applies concepts towards active learning and mastery by ‘just doing it.’

As a result, when a Montessori teacher/guide asks students to research and discuss ‘photosynthesis’ with the class, your child may talk about the process in verbal, written or artistic ways to demonstrate and explain the topic as they relate to it.

So, each student may focus on different elements of the process based on their own skill sets. It’s not 25 kids all saying the same thing. It’s half that many all saying something different.

In essence, the value of not knowing the answer while giving students freedom builds a motivation to do it themselves. This freedom of choice bestows upon your child a positive social and emotional growth to ‘learn by doing rather than reciting by rote.’

Building Active, Participatory Learning Is a Teacher’s Duty--and Delight

Here’s another Montessori Edge: a teacher’s topical lesson is the jumping-off point, not the endpoint.

Montessori teachers answer questions with questions. They query your child to dig deeper.

In this way, students become ‘active participants’ based on their passion to learn and communicate new information—different information--to their peers and classmates.

The Value of ‘Not Knowing’ Is How Students Learn ‘Know-How’

For 120 years, the Montessori Method has been all about building a ‘whole child.’

It starts with having the child do for him or herself again and again until that task is completed without errors. Only by making mistakes are lessons learned and mastery assimilated. 

At each step, Lifetime Montessori School teachers allow children to think conceptually and grow daily. 

At age two, your Toddler learns potty management via age-range peers.

At age three, your Primary child begins three years of everyday English/Spanish language immersion to be verbally fluent by the end of Kindergarten. 

When your child enters our Grade One thru Six elementary Montessori school, curricula based on five ‘Great Lessons’ allow freedom to think conceptually by using active participation learning. This is much needed when learning math, science, geography, history and language. 

Concepts can be reapplied during a lifetime, but rote answers only deliver quick facts.

Summary

When your child enters the workplace a few short years from now, ‘why things matter’ will far eclipse knowing ‘what the facts are.’ 

Employers hiring fresh-faced grads want thinkers and problem-solvers--students who have learned on their own and think outside the lines.

And those active participation minds will show their employers the effective learning techniques they were taught. They’ll display their abilities to learn, absorb, manage and ultimately lead their peers. That’s why we call our elementary Montessori school ‘Lifetime.’