Tana Ramsay is the down-to-earth wife of Gordon Ramsay, the author of three best-selling Family Cook Books, a former presenter on Market Kitchen and a busy full-time Mum to four young children. What she's perhaps least known for, is her association with Montessori education.
After studying for her Montessori Early Childhood Qualification at St Nicholas Training College in London, Tana worked as a Montessori Teacher at Caterpillar Montessori Nursery in Chiswick. Montessori is a cause close to Tana's heart and she's participated in the making of a DVD in conjunction with Montessori St Nicholas, the leading Montessori charity to prove it. It is available to download or order for free via www.montessori.org.uk.
Tana says: I was approached by Montessori St Nicholas charity about collaborating with them on a DVD to promote a better understanding of Montessori and was delighted to take part. In the UK Montessori is relatively well-known but little understood. The Montessori method sounds like it might be something unusual, but in fact it's a straightforward and sensible way to support children in their learning. My own family has benefited massively from Montessori and I want to raise awareness of what I consider to be the most encouraging and nurturing form of education there is. Philip Bujak, Chief Executive, Montessori St Nicholas charity says: We are delighted that Tana Ramsay, as one of our former students and a trained Montessori teacher, was able to support us so positively in the production of the DVD.
Tana filmed on location at Paint Pots Montessori Nursery in Hyde Park where she spoke passionately about how she applies Montessori to her own family life. She also talked to parents, teachers, students and children to find out their views on why Montessori is so popular and effective.
To demonstrate that Montessori can be applied in any setting and to dispel the myth that Montessori is only something for middle class children, filming took place in a range of diverse settings. Paint Pots Montessori School a private nursery school, Gorton Mount Primary, the first state school to adopt Montessori at Foundation Stage, and Rainbow Montessori Junior School which offers Montessori education up to 12 years. The film explains how the Montessori classroom is a prepared environment consciously designed to support the children's developmental needs and to move at the pace of the individual child. What makes the Montessori approach so meaningful is that it is based on a deep understanding of the way children learn, through choosing, trying and doing, rather than being told what to do by a teacher. It highlights fundamental aspects of a Montessori education, including the Montessori materials, which are at the heart of the method. Beautifully made, enticing pieces of equipment, which have been carefully designed to incorporate a learning objective.
In its approach to mathematics and literacy in particular, children are filmed working with concrete physical examples, e.g.) number rods, the pink tower, and sand paper letters - to build up a deeper and gradual understanding of complex abstract concepts. The morning work cycle is also demonstrated - where children can choose which activity they engage in, without interruption by an adult imposed timetable. The film shows how Montessori delivers on all areas of the Early Years Foundation stage and how it relates to the National Curriculum. There are specific learning tools for each core area to help children develop essential physical, cognitive, linguistic and social skills. It also talks about Montessori Teacher Training as an inspirational career option and interviews Barbara Isaacs, the Principal of Montessori Centre International, Europe's largest Montessori Teacher Training Provider.
About Montessori
The schooling system was invented in the early 1900s by Maria Montessori to educate poor children in her native Italy. It rapidly became the World's largest educational movement with more than 20,000 Montessori settings worldwide. It celebrated its centenary last year.
Today there are more than 600 Montessori schools in the UK, providing education for children from birth up to 16 years.
Montessori is well respected for its unique child-centred approach to education. The approach is about developing the whole child intellectually, socially, physically, emotionally, linguistically and spiritually while building on the child's intrinsic desire to learn and their ability to absorb information from the environment.
Fundamental to the approach, is the belief that a child's early years from birth to six are the period when they have the greatest capacity to learn. What happens during these critical years lays the foundations for their future. But its principles can also be applied to senior schooling, as is the case in many countries, including the USA.
Highly successful Montessori students include some of the most brilliant new media entrepreneurs operating today. Amongst them are Jeff Bezos the founder of Amazon; Jimmy Wales the founder of Wikipedia; as well as Sergey Brin and Larry Page of Google who both attribute their success to Montessori where they were allowed to think for themselves and given the freedom to pursue their unique interests.
The effectiveness of the Montessori Method in aiding children's social and academic development continues to influence education policy makers. The Department for Children, Schools and Families has funded the publication of a booklet which explains Montessori education in the context of the Early Years Foundation stage. Most significantly, the movement is now influencing teaching in the state sector, with 4 primary schools now adopting Montessori at Foundation stage with extremely positive results.
Montessori is literally, learning for life.
To your order your FREE copy of Discovering Montessori with Tana Ramsay, log on to: www.montessori.org.uk or email: [email protected]
