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The full Montessori
By DONNA WINCHESTER, Times Staff Writer ST. PETERSBURG -- Sara Madle had one thing on her mind last Wednesday afternoon: getting some rest. For two weeks, she had pored over the Pythagorean theorem, searched for the true diagonal of regular polygons, and calculated the ratio between the diameter and the circumference of a circle. She sat through lectures, filled two notebooks with mathematical formulas, and plowed through nearly 800 pages of text. Before heading home to enjoy Independence Day with her husband and two children, she took a written and oral test, successfully demonstrating that she had mastered the principles of teaching math the Montessori way. She did it all while continuing to teach an extended-year class at Gulfport Elementary, temporarily housed at Sanderlin Elementary, 2350 22nd Ave. S. Madle is one of 24 Gulfport employees undergoing a training program that will qualify them to teach the Montessori method to 6- through 12-year-olds at the district's only public Montessori school. The training, which began in January and continues through fall of 2003, includes nine courses presented through a combination of video teleconferencing and live instruction in Gulfport's media center. After a two-semester practicum, the teachers will be eligible for American Montessori Society certification through Barry University in Miami. "We're all leaving with our eyes spinning," said Madle, explaining that each course, even those compressed into two weeks, consumes about 75 classroom hours. "It's a very intensive program. It's two courses short of a master's degree and three courses short of an education specialist degree." Despite the grueling work load, Madle and the other teachers say they are committed to the training. Their commitment springs from their belief in the Montessori method, a system that puts children in charge of their own learning and encourages them to set their own pace. It also comes from the school's commitment to provide what parents want for their children, said principal Sharon Jackson. Anticipating "controlled choice" in 2003, when parents will have more leeway in deciding where their children attend school, Jackson sent out surveys asking what kinds of programs they wanted. Their answers, she said, indicated they were looking for a child-centered, hands-on curriculum. In response, the school began converting to the Montessori method in fall 2001. With assistance from a federal grant that brought Gulfport $2.3-million, three classrooms of prekindergarteners, kindergarteners and first-graders were outfitted with Montessori materials at a cost of $20,000 each. This fall, Montessori education will be introduced to second-graders. The plan, Jackson said, is to have the Montessori method fully integrated from prekindergarten through fifth grade by 2005. Although some teachers left because family commitments wouldn't allow them to undertake the training, several teachers came to Gulfport specifically to teach the Montessori method. Karen Evans, who taught at a private Montessori school in the 1980s, transferred from Bardmoor Elementary last fall. "I normally wouldn't drive 45 minutes to work every day, but I know that Montessori education works," she said. "For the struggling student, Montessori materials make education possible. For the advanced student, they take them as far as they want to go." Samantha Ring, who taught in Osceola County for four years before coming to Gulfport last year to coordinate the Spanish program, also transferred because of the Montessori program. She chose to go through the training voluntarily, she said, because she wants her teaching style to align with the style of her students' other teachers. Estella Hall, a 25-year veteran of Pinellas County schools who has taught children with specific learning disabilities at Gulfport for three years, said her interest was piqued when she saw a parallel between the Montessori method and the way she already worked with her students. "Montessori goes from the concrete to the abstract to the symbolic. It gives (a lesson) meaning, versus just going to the board or opening a workbook and saying 'Do these problems.' It's so concrete the kids can see it," she said, adding that turning lessons into "sensorial experiences" using Montessori materials such as beads and blocks helps children visualize formulas before they put pencil to paper. Another long-time educator, physical education teacher Paul Hanson, who came to Gulfport in 1985, also has embraced the Montessori method. "It's all about diligence and caring, being a teacher of learners rather than a teacher of subjects," he said. "It's about making sure all kids know they're important." But as dedicated as the Gulfport teachers are to an educational system that stresses the individuality of each child, they still must satisfy a state standard that assesses student performance with one-size-fits-all tests for students in grades 3 through 10. In 2001, the school earned a D grade on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, down from a C in 2000. This year, Gulfport was one of two schools in the district that dropped to an F. Can the school accomplish Montessori goals and meet the requirements of the state at the same time? Jackson says it will have to. "Although Montessori teaches children how to think, how to become independent learners, it is still our responsibility that the state standards are met," she said. "We'll align the Montessori curriculum to whatever is expected by the state." Jackson and Madle, who serves as the school's curriculum coordinator, have turned to other public Montessori schools in Florida for advice, notably Northboro Elementary and S.D. Spady Elementary in Palm Beach County. The schools have similar demographics to Gulfport, with a significant number of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Northboro earned a B on the state test in 2002 and S.D. Spady earned an A. "The input I've gotten is that we'll have to provide some additional strategies to help the kids be able to take those standardized tests," Jackson said. "That's not something we'll dwell on. I think that if they become critical thinkers, introducing them to strategies won't be a difficult task." As far as whether the school's grade will have an impact in an era of controlled choice, Jackson points to the number of parents from outside Gulfport's zone who have requested special attendance permits so their children can get a Montessori education. About 50 will attend kindergarten through second grade on special attendance permits this year. For parents like Lisa Lennen, whose son, Myles, attended kindergarten on a special attendance permit last year, the school's grade is not an issue. "My only concern is the negative perception that it gives the school," she said. "I don't think it accurately represents what the school's capabilities are. All I have to do is look at my son. I see what he's getting out of school." In the meantime, the training will continue. Custodial staff, cafeteria personnel and school volunteers also will undergo training sessions. For the program to be successful, Madle said, everyone connected to the students must have a firm grasp of Montessori principles. As for the teachers, they will have a 10-day break when the school year ends July 18 before they have to return to begin preparing for the 2002-2003 school year. On Aug. 22, they'll resume their Montessori training. Jackson maintains a positive outlook. "We're pioneers in an area that is somewhat untapped in the public schools," she said. "Our goal is to make it a success."
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From the Times South Pinellas desks Letters |
