CAMPUS AND AREA
University Daily Kansan, November 2. 1983
Page 6
Gary Smith/KANSAN
John Dooley, 5, mixes different colored points during class at the Rain树 Montessori School, 4545 W. Clinton Parkway. John is the son of Michael and Becky Dooley, 1836 W. 27th St. Terrace.
are beginning to offer Montessori education as an alternative to existing public elementary schools?
continued from p.1
School
Capp's husband, Lelon, a professor of curriculum and instruction in the School of Education, said that universities didn't offer Montessori education because the country needed more public school teachers than Montessori teachers.
"Universities, in specific, are public schools, and Montessori has been a private-type of education in this country," said Mr. Capps. "That is why the teachers for the method are being trained in private schools."
MRS. CAPPS SAID, "Montessori cannot be incorporated into public universities because universities are larger and more philosophical than that. They incorporate all of the most-noted psychologists' theories into their programs.
"Public Montessori would be a dream come true. But in public school, you would never base your entire program on one single person's philosophy."
But some Lawrence parents praise the method and don't want to see interest in it decline.
Flora Wyatt, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction in the School of Education, said, "The thing I really like about Montessori is that it nurtures a child's curiosity. It probably has had a tremendous impact on my child's life."
Wyatt, whose daughter attended the Montessori Children's House, said that she thought Montessori schools were beneficial because they surrounded children with learning materials such as real dishes and sinks so that they could learn the joys of discovering their environment.
MARGARET SCHADLER, associate professor of psychology who teaches child psychology classes at the University, said, "I have come to have a lot of respect for the Montessori approach. Montessori teachers are much more low key, which is good in helping children's self-direction."
"I see socialization as being of secondary importance in Montessori, but I can't really say whether that is bad or good, because that aspect of development is not emphasized. In general, the Montessori children who were men were much more well-behaved and well-mannered than others."
ONE EXAMPLE OF behaviorist theory in practice is the Edna A. Hill Child Development Lab in Haworth Hall.
"Montessori believed that the basis of knowledge is action," she said. "Behaviorists, on the other hand, talk about environmental control and minimize the causal role of the child."
Schadler said that behaviorist theory, probably the main developmental theory that disagreed with the Montessori method, was based on reason.
Elizabeth Goetz, associate professor of human development and family life, said that the Haworth behavior analysis pre-school program was based on two significant components — that children were always right and their behavior was a consequence of their environment, and that if
children were acting in an undesirable way, the fault and the remedy lie with the parent or supervisor who had control over their environment.
GOETZ DECLINED TO comment on any comparisons of behavior analysis to the Montessori method.
The Montessori method, on the other hand, stresses the importance of natural motivation. The method is an approach to education in which children are first surrounded by an environment that will stimulate their curiosity and encourage them to learn what they wish to learn. They also are permitted to learn at their own pace.
Montessori was convinced that an environment should be scaled down for children, so she formulated the idea that children should be surrounded at school by an environment much like their own living room.
“What we do is prepare an environment for the child that is very specially done so it’s totally child-size,” said Lieanna McReynolds. She goes on to describe Montessori School, 4545 W. Clinton Parkway. “Everything is special prepared so that the child has a lot of success in his environment at school.”
THE CHILDREN BENEFIT by the Montessori method because they work independently of their teacher. Directors, as teachers are called in Montessori, introduce lessons to the child. Children are then free to work in the classroom with a teacher. The teachers intervene only when children do not wish to work on skills they need.
"I had a little boy once who needed cutting skills, but he didn't want to cut anything," said Susan Kaean, director of Sunshine Acres Montessori pre-school, 2141 Maple Lane. "So I observed him to see what he was interested in and found that he loved cars and trucks.
"I found this little activity where cars and trucks were pictured and you would cut out the pictures. I presented it one day to him, and he loved it.
For five days straight he didn't do anything else, he just cut and cut."
GOETZ SAID THAT respected psychologists said that about 50 percent of a child's intelligence was formed by age 4.
"Parents need to take pre-school education seriously," she said. "Lawrence is very rich in the area of pre-school education, but it is very important that parents match their philosophy of education and what they are child with the type of school that can offer what they are looking for."
Goetz, who is also the director of the Edna A. Hill Child Development Lab, a pre-school in Haworth Hall that is part of the department's research program, said that there was a difference between pre-schools and day-care centers, and that parents needed to recognize that difference.
CAPPS SADT THAT day care centers often were no more than basic writing services or modestist schools, she said, a good expansion of pre-school programs.
"We stress feeling, because Montessori believed that the hands are very important to the mind," Capps said. "She realized that although parents may take for granted an activity such as hand washing, three year olds love washing their hands and can learn from it."
TONIGHT IN ALDERSON AUDI
WE PROUDLY PRESENT
LA STRADA
An unfamiliar experience, a package to place square in the new masterpiece. New York Post. A genius piece from the only international firm that offers guided tours. Doubleday Cockburn. The Great Film Festival.
Released by Anne J. Furni
Released by Dece B. Doe Lu-
and Cindi Pinto
Released by Redafer Felin
Released by Anthony Gann Quinn
Released by Sergio and Soguet
Making a Music Video
7:30 p.m.
Alderson
Aud.
$1.50
Also, this week at SUA:
FRIDAY, SATURDAY
Nov. 4th & 5th:
THURSDAY, Nov. 3:
MR. SMITH GOES
TO WASHINGTON
(with Jimmy Stewart, Jean Arthur,
Claude Rains and Edward Arnold)
7:30 p.m. Woodruff Aud.
48 HRS.
48 HRS.
(with Eddie Murphy, Nick Note
and Annette O'Toole (Superman II)
3:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 9:30 p.m.
THE RULING CLASS
has been cancelled.
No midnight show this weekend,
(November 4th & 5th).
All shows in Woodruff Aud.
$1.50 $2.00 Midnight
Half price for KU Students
HIGH RENAISSANCE LIVES ON
The London Early Music Group Directed by James Tyler
Tickets on sale in the Murphy Hall Box Office All seats reserved For reservations call 913-842-1982, 55 & 56 KU Students with valid student IDs at Murphy Hall Box Office
*kU students must show a valid ID of the time of purchase and at the onset on the day of purchase. Partially funded by the kU Student Activity Fund.
3:30 p.m. Sunday, November 6, 1983
Crafton-Preyer Theatre/Murphy Hall
图
--presented by KSU KANASAS STATE UNIVERSITY k-state union upc special events
--presented by KSU KANASAS STATE UNIVERSITY k-state union upc special events
WEDNESDAY LADIES NIGHT 25c DRAWS
THURSDAY DIME DRAWS
8-10 $1.00 Cover
10-12 25¢ draws
HILLCRES1 914-820-DOW
1234567890
Eve. T-4:09-35
Mat. Sal.-Sun. 2:15
ALL NEW
RUSHBACPRYOR
Here and now R
--presented by KSU KANASAS STATE UNIVERSITY k-state union upc special events
Where Everyday Low Prices Complement The Student's Budget.
- BOTTOMS UP *
Tickets on Sale at KU in the SUA Box Office
IN CONCERT
1983 Homecoming
Friday, November 11, 1983 8 p.m. Ahearn Fieldhouse Kansas State University
1