One way that we build independence in the Montessori classroom is through the activities themselves – many of the materials we use have built-in systems of self correction. A simple example of this concept in action is in a work known as the pink tower. A pink tower consists of ten pink, wooden cubes that are stacked vertically and graded by size – each cube is one cubic centimeter smaller than the last. The child is to disassemble the tower, lay out the cubes at random, then reassemble the tower. The precise gradation of each cube lends the tower a specific shape and appearance. If these cubes are not assembled in their original order, a few things may occur to the child: first, the tower may not be able to stand on its own, or it may seem wobbly; second, a sort of visual disharmony appears, where the orderly, consistent gradation of the cubes is no longer seen. In this way, the child is able to assess his own work and adjust as needed, requiring no teacher intervention at any point in the process. Montessori works have been deliberately designed in this way, putting the onus on the child to evaluate his own work and make the necessary changes to his process. This creates autonomy and motivation that will contribute to a productive and peaceful environment.
This same model of self-correction can be applied to classroom management techniques, giving the children tools to monitor their own environment and ask themselves: Am I distracted? Is it too noisy in here? Am I letting others work peacefully? One way to do this is through playing background music or ambient sounds. The use of quiet audio gives the class a tangible benchmark for their level of noise. A simple expectation is set by the teachers and followed by all: If we can't hear this music or sound, the classroom has become too noisy. After just a short time of exposure and practice, the class is often able to abide by this expectation without many reminders.
Streaming services that generate or curate playlists can be very useful for this technique. In my classroom, we have typically used Spotify or Apple Music playlists by connecting a smartphone to a stereo via aux cable. Both of these services allow users to browse playlists or radio stations by genre/mood. For the purposes of this post, I will use the example of "Focus" playlists offered by these apps.
Spotify's (left) and Apple Music's (right) "Focus" playlist selections.
Both apps use paid monthly subscriptions, but there is also a free version of Spotify that allows users to shuffle albums or playlists. While this gives the user less control over specific playback options, the free option of Spotify would still be suitable for classroom use.
Considering the size of these service's music libraries, there are precautions to take around appropriate content. Even the most chill playlists may contain explicit material, so it is important for the teacher to vet music before playing it in the classroom. This risk could also be minimized by toggling off explicit content. This can be accomplished through Spotify's in-app settings, or through iOS Settings > Restrictions to block Apple Music content. Another strategy would be to play only ambient or instrumental sounds, eliminating the question of lyrics altogether.
When a playlist is selected and played at a suitable volume, a consistent expectation has been set for the appropriate level of noise during a work cycle. Ideally, these relaxing sounds could help not only with volume regulation, but also aid children in concentration!
This same model of self-correction can be applied to classroom management techniques, giving the children tools to monitor their own environment and ask themselves: Am I distracted? Is it too noisy in here? Am I letting others work peacefully? One way to do this is through playing background music or ambient sounds. The use of quiet audio gives the class a tangible benchmark for their level of noise. A simple expectation is set by the teachers and followed by all: If we can't hear this music or sound, the classroom has become too noisy. After just a short time of exposure and practice, the class is often able to abide by this expectation without many reminders.
Streaming services that generate or curate playlists can be very useful for this technique. In my classroom, we have typically used Spotify or Apple Music playlists by connecting a smartphone to a stereo via aux cable. Both of these services allow users to browse playlists or radio stations by genre/mood. For the purposes of this post, I will use the example of "Focus" playlists offered by these apps.
Left: Spotify's genre browsing, found in the Search tab
Right: Apple Music's Playlists section, found in Browse tab.
Once a genre or mood is selected, both apps provide a selection of playlists to choose from. These playlists are typically titled and organized by a task, instrument, or musical genre, as seen below:
Spotify's (left) and Apple Music's (right) "Focus" playlist selections.
Both apps use paid monthly subscriptions, but there is also a free version of Spotify that allows users to shuffle albums or playlists. While this gives the user less control over specific playback options, the free option of Spotify would still be suitable for classroom use.
Considering the size of these service's music libraries, there are precautions to take around appropriate content. Even the most chill playlists may contain explicit material, so it is important for the teacher to vet music before playing it in the classroom. This risk could also be minimized by toggling off explicit content. This can be accomplished through Spotify's in-app settings, or through iOS Settings > Restrictions to block Apple Music content. Another strategy would be to play only ambient or instrumental sounds, eliminating the question of lyrics altogether.
When a playlist is selected and played at a suitable volume, a consistent expectation has been set for the appropriate level of noise during a work cycle. Ideally, these relaxing sounds could help not only with volume regulation, but also aid children in concentration!
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