Music, Drama and Dance in the Montessori Classroom

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Music, Drama and Dance in the Montessori Classroom

January 13, 2025

Dear Maria,

Winterfest is coming up. What place do music, drama, and dance have in the Montessori classroom?

Sincerely,

Curious

Dear Curious,

Montessori education, at its best, educates the human potential. To put it another way, we can’t know which of the seeds we plant in the elementary years will flourish into the plants that will feed your children for the rest of their lives! Although guides pay close attention to what sparks your child’s interest and often hand-picks the next lesson based on students’ interest and enthusiasm, guides also know it’s hard to get excited about something you don’t know about.

This is part of the reason why children get lessons on, say, types of angles or another Geometry topic, even if they didn’t ask for it. And after a lesson, children often show more enthusiasm and interest in the world around them! (Angles are everywhere!)

We want to show children as much about the world as we can, while they are in this open, intellectually and socially active part of their development. Music, dance and drama are human activities that have been around for a long, long time! We want to share this part of humanity with our children, in the same way we want to share the human inventions of, for example, written language and mathematics, or knitting! This cultivates awe for the world and respect and thankfulness for all the humans who have come before us and invented these wonderful things.

In addition, music, drama and dance are particularly suited for the elementary and middle school age-groups because they are so social in nature. While getting ready for Winterfest, Cascadia students are not only practicing their lines in a play, singing, playing instruments, making props & costumes, and dancing. They also might practice a range of social skills, such as taking on leadership, organizing a group, or being part of a group (think: synchronized movement, choral singing, or practicing playing music in a group as opposed to alone). Many of our students show a huge level of engagement, concentration and self-direction as they engage in these tasks! Also know - students have worked hard making up much of their roles on their own. Wow! We can’t wait to see it!

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What are Going Outs?

September 18, 2024

Dear Maria, What are “Going Outs”? How do they help our children learn? Can I help? Sincerely, Cascadia parent Dear Cascadia parent, Going Outs are a key piece of the Montessori elementary experience. A Going Out is a child-led outing from the classroom and can take various forms. Children might go on an errand for the class community or for supplies for a special project (cooking, baking, arts & crafts, special experiment, etc.). They might go and see something in-person that they’ve been researching in class. Going to see a native animal or plant in its natural ecosystem, visiting the zoo to observe an animal, picking up books at the public library or visiting an expert to talk more about a topic or see a special demonstration might all be research-related going outs. The possibilities are endless and limited only to the child’s imagination…and to practicalities, because a vital part of Going Outs is that the children organize everything themselves! They’re responsible for organizing chaperones, transportation, necessary things to bring along, and getting an appointment or tickets if necessary. Going Outs are a huge part of how Elementary children learn about the world and practice independence! Many skills are involved in planning a Going Out, including map reading, learning about money, distance, time management, organizing a group, preparing practical items (using forethought to prepare for weather or unexpected events), and much more! Of course with the youngest children, your child’s guide and assistant will give lessons on Going Outs or assist them with planning their first trips. Young children might be invited to go along with an older and more experienced child and learn the process that way. Guides have established Going Out procedures to aid children in taking on this responsibility for themselves. (Part of these procedures involve notifying Susan in the office and parents & guardians about the going out date, time, and location, so don’t be worried about your child leaving campus without your knowledge.)