Rational for Future Vision Project

Rationale for Future Vision Project;

My rationale is based on my background experience and education because I have about 10 years in the Montessori field and after my BED  I became accredited as a Casa teacher(ages 3 to 6) through American Montessori Academy so I wanted to take my  digital tools/and apps understanding knowledge and synthesize it and decide  how I would apply this new knowledge in a Montessori classroom. I'm most familiar with the casa environment but have also worked in lower elementary ages 6 to 9 and in upper elementary 9 to 12 so the digital tools are my best choice from what I know at this time and are only a suggestion of course. Digital tools change and modify quickly sometimes so its a good idea to be aware of what is available but newer its not necessarily better. I would assume all Montessori teachers to make their own choices or not if digital tools fit in with their own rationale/

Though I had not thought about technology at all and the changing literacy needs of the 21st century learner before taking this course I can see now how digital tools can be beneficial for  students learning and life when chosen with intent and knowledge. I feel that because we have very intentional scaffolded materials that flow together throughout the mixed aged classes it was important that the tools are not seen as  replacements always but have a purpose that adds to the learners intrinsic engagement with their learning that creates  greater authenticity; autonomy; connection and inquiry. For example the use of the place value golden bead material in the casa and the bead frame in the lower elementary class provides a visual; tactile; color coded tool to learn about place value and completely replacing it with a screen application.   Or as seen below compared to screen letters in the  majority of children is more beneficial because it involves all of their senses except taste! I'll rationalize in addition the use of digital tools for young children for exceptional and remedial needs because Maria Montessori having started her casa class with special need children in Rome would see the tools as a way to break down barriers to learning; for example text to speech apps such as Google Text to Talk booktalker; audio books; display text control of font size; color etc; digital graphic organizers and more I will list in my project. As well as more for elementary children.

  “The senses, being explorers of the world, open the way to knowledge. Our apparatus for educating the senses offers the child a key to guide his explorations of the world, they cast a light upon it which makes visible to him more things in greater detail than he could see in the dark, or uneducated state.” Maria Montessori

I decided to do this as my future vision project to give a rationale not just about tools but analyzing how Maria Montessori designed her materials and how that could also be applied to my new learning in libe 477 when selecting digital tools/apps for students use.

From my photos; Sandpaper letters; vowels are color coded blue

My rationale also is for my professional development in being clear in my practice in the Montessori field and beyond of  what apps/tools I would choose; how I would use this and Why I would choose them. Because there isn't a unified stance on technology in the Montessori field this could be a guidepost to think about as its important to consider the  additional learner needs because of the information age we live in now.

Hopefully all educators can take some useful ways to analyze tools and come across some suggestions of tools that fit in their environment.  

Resources;

Amazon.ca. (2017). Cite a Website - Cite This For Me. [online] Available at: https://www.amazon.ca/Absorbent-Mind-Maria-Montessori/dp/0805041567 [Accessed 18 Nov. 2017].