Montessori Flex Teacher Question?

Question

I just got hired as a flex teacher in a montessori school. I will have my own classroom and will have to come up with activities for the children. Does anyone have ideas of things (that are not montessori tools) that I can buy for my classroom. Also if anyone has lessons (arts and crafts or games) please let me know. Any advice will be great.

Just remember I am just flex so I will not be teaching with montessori tools. Thanks!

Answer 1

Wow, just when I thought that I heard it all! I have no idea what a "flex" teacher is.  That is certainly not a Montessori term.

Many schools call themselves "Montessori" to bring in money and/or enrollment, but in reality they have very little to nothing to do with Montessori education. Sorry to say, but it sounds like your school is one of them, especially when you said that you will not be working with the "Montessori tools".

I'm sorry to be off topic here, but may I ask what they are telling the parents about you and your class?

        

*Do the parents know that it is a "Flex" class and that their children will not be getting a Montessori education?

        

*Are they telling them that you aren't a trained Montessori teacher and that there won't be any use of the Montessori materials?

          

*Are the parents educated as to what Montessori is, or are they using the name to draw them in and then telling them something like, 'You are using the method, but not the materials to ensure compatibility with more traditional educational philosophies and state standards" ?

So what age group are you working with? What materials will you have access to? Pencil, paper, art supplies? counters? Fractions Stax? Plastic letters?

It's hard for me to come up with activities without knowing what you have access to, but my suggestion is no matter what, to start off with ground rules, how to move around the classroom, talk in an in door voice, interact with others....  

One thing that they like to do is to learn your symbol for silence. Whatever it is, hands clapping, bell ringing, lights flashing, explain it to them and then have them walk around the classroom being noisy.  Do your quiet symbol and have them all quickly and quietly come back to circle or to their desks.  Time them, and practice it a couple of times seeing how fast they can become completely quiet and sitting where they are supposed to be.

I would also do a tour of the school, showing them the bathrooms, playground, cafeteria, office... Then I would come in an teach them some songs.  In my classroom I use songs to tell the children it is time to focus, start the day, and so on, so I teach them songs with words that teach them concepts I want them to learn. It not only focuses them, but get's important information into their brains.

Some examples:  

The Earth goes around the sun.

The Earth goes around the sun.

It takes 12 months,

52 weeks,

365 days

All the way 'round the classroom,

the inchworm measures inches.

the inchworm measures 12 inches in a foot,

3 feet in a yard.

After that, I can't be of much help because like I said above, I don't know what grades you are teaching or what materials you have access to, but here are some websites that have different activities that can get you started.

http://www.kinderart.com/

http://www.first-school.ws/

http://www.wilderdom.com/games/

http://www.ed.gov/pubs/CompactforReading...

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/les...

http://www.mathgoodies.com/lessons/

Good Luck

Answer 2

FLEX = Foreign Language Exploratory?

(Best I could find)

If so, I can help with answers.  Why is your school denying you the use of the Montessori materials?