PLC Lesson Template NAME: Meghan Vella

Chapter 5 historical period: Modern Education

Quote/Sentence/Phrase (from the chapter) that you will refer to in the lesson. “[Montessori’s] learning
model shapes not only those schools that carry her name; many teachers in non-Montessori schools have
implemented some of Montessori’s recommended practices.” Connect to the quote more next time, didn’t really use it

thinking Ideas: “big ideas” about education (connect to: reading, your experience, “wondering”, con-
cerns, ideas on how this information relates to current education). Do these roots continue to grow in ed-
ucation? Do any of these ideas have continuing impact?
• Classroom experience, teaching styles, self-direction, relating to current experience

Key points (factual knowledge and concepts) that you want to include:
• Philosophy on the child/development, how this comes through in her teaching methods
• Key aspects of Montessori schools, how they differ from other methods of teaching
The 10-minute lesson (questions and length of sections according to lesson)

Beginning or the “Minds On” (1-2 min)

How you “Hook” your group (stimulate and engage them)
• Group discussion: Mind-map “Montessori”
Did popcorn discussion instead - should’ve written words down, hard to remember and then connect back to later.

Specific questions for discussion in the Minds On:

• What words come to mind when you hear the word “Montessori?”
• What kinds of people, if any, do you associate with the word? Forgot to ask

Middle or the “Action” (5-7 min)

Order of things that you and your students will do.
good amount of information for the time allotted to teach - could’ve been done faster, then included more information

• Background on Montessori (born 1870 Italy, studied medicine – became interested in how child
development relates to environment)

• The Montessori Method: maximum educational benefit for children (intermixed ages in classes,
experimentation, play *didn’t give clear definition of what Montessori school is, one group member was confused*

• Independent Learning: what does this mean? How does it look in a Montessori classroom vs another
classroom? forgot to discuss
mix-up in slide order compared to lesson plan, some information got skipped

• How can the Montessori Method be found in other classroom settings? Do you see any of her techniques in
n
this class, or in another current class? good discussion on this questio
Specific questions for discussion in the “Action”:
• How do you think the educational experience of an impoverished child compares to one who comes from
the middle or upper economic class? Good discussion

• How might a student benefit or be harmed from being in a Montessori-style class? forgot to discuss
Consolidation: (2 min)
How you bring a sense of closure, how you plan for them to think, talk, ask about what they just learned.
• Sorting activity: Montessori or non-Montessori (playing in a sandbox to learn about shapes, doing
timetables, reading buddies – older student paired with younger student reading together)
Specific questions for discussion in the “Consolidation”:
• What new information did you learn from this lesson?
forgot to discuss
• Which teaching method would you prefer based on your learning style, and why?
JOT REFLECTIONS immediately following teaching (these are useful when you do your follow-up written
analysis and reflection.