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Jackson Social Change 2/6/09  Fourth Montessori Visit This past Thursday at Cambridge Montessori I was in the green room classroom: 2 – 3 years old. There are two toddler class rooms: the green room and the pink room, and the rest of the rooms in the building consisted of 3-5 yr olds, with some six-year-olds that were not ready to move on to the elementary program. When I walked in there were there were kids scattered throughout the room, all doing different things. I made my way over to the library sections of the room, were there was a mini futon, pillows, and a small shelf full of books. When I asked them if they wanted me to read them a book, they handed me a pillow and individually handed me multiple books to read. After a few books, a guest who came to play the clarinet for them interrupted me. She slowly assembled it, explaining each piece and what it does. She left after twenty minutes and I got a chance to ask the head teacher a few questions. She told me that there is a “peace table” in every room, where kids go if they get into a fight. There is an object at this table, a rock or a flower, that you need to hold if you want to speak, which forces the children to hear the other persons side of the story. They are forced to find a solution to the problem even if they would rather just give up what they were fighting so they can go play something else. She said that sometimes certain kids have to go to the peace table more than others, but as they go more often they start to be able to form solutions on their own, and do not need a teacher to assist them at the table. The teachers frequently sang to the children when telling them something, to keep them entertained. They also gave out hugs like it was their job to keep the mood positive, especially to a boy named Leo. They were not specific but said that he comes from a hard background and has a lot of built up energy that he does not know how to let out properly. They kept him under control with special attention and lots of love with the idea that he gain a strong relationship with the teacher and try to model her behavior.  There is a strong emphasis on letting the children learn by doing. At the toddler period they learn the most with through their motor skills than anything else. It is important to guide them in the right direction and keep them in a proper environment: classroom materials are always accessible, and safe. Activities are changed regularly because of their need for variety and jumping attention spans. I concluded that although I think Montessori is right for everyone, it is especially helpful for someone like Leo, a natural rebel. At Montessori he is in a loving environment with little to rebel against. He is able to be independent and make his own decisions with guidance to the right ones.