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What makes BMM
different from traditional education?

 

How is BMM different? This is the question, I suppose, my readers will first ask. What makes this method different from traditional education? Here’re a few of points on what makes it the same.

I must pass on the same teaching contents to my students as any remedial teacher. The ONLY difference is the way children acquire knowledge! I work with children of the same age that are on different levels of development and are especially receptive to some areas in certain stages of their development, just like their healthy peers! I keep an eye on children and continuously observe them so that I can continuously build the educational process on their spontaneous activity.
In my method, BMM, the point is the “HOW”.

 

 

So how’s it different?

  • 1. An ordered and clear environment
  • 2. An open and easily accessible shelf system
  • 3. An environment structured as necessary
  • 4. Free choice of devices
  • 5. Card support for the choice of devices
  • 6. Casualness and an opportunity for continuity and discovery
  • 7. Learning based on the acquisition of experiences
  • 8. A change of methodological culture
  • 9. Individual improvement of different competences
  • 10. Principle of the union of practice and theory
  • 11. A peculiar use of course books
  • 12. Silence game used as necessary
  • 13. Measuring performance and development “differently”

 

1. An ordered and clear environment

The classroom should be as spacious and bright as possible. Parquet is an advantage so that children can tidy up with ease. The parquet should be covered with a carpet in a single colour or with minimum pattern. The carpet should be capable of being rolled up or removed from its original place easily any time. (Wall-to-walls are disadvantageous!) The tables should face each other for “small groups” of 2-4 children and also be capable of being moved any time. The wall colour should be pleasant and calming.


2. An open and easily accessible shelf system

The Montessori devices and those made for the BMM Method are placed along open shelves by areas of activity, within easy reach for children any time.

The areas include:
1. Everyday life
2. Senses
3. Mathematics
4. Mother tongue, reading and writing
5. Science

 

3. An environment structured as necessary

If there are also autistics in the group, the environment must be structured to make their lives more acceptable! This is indispensable. An autistic learner WILL NOT “get used to it” until they are in the right environment. The more perfect the environment, the less adult intervention is needed.

 

4. Free choice of devices

Children can make a free choice of the devices on the shelves, driven by their inner motivation and according to their own interest. The devices are not for the teacher but for the use and work of the children. They become devices of development as they are used for experiment and discover. Every device comes with some control to signal errors when they are manipulated by the children. Self-made devices come with a self-check symbol to help children correct themselves. Every device poses a problem to children that they must solve. In this way, they encourage children to act and develop their thinking.

 

5. Card support for the choice of devices

Disabled children can find it hard to make a choice of a high number of devices offered. If they can’t, they are given photos of all to pick first whichever they want to work/play with. The choice can be supported while they are having a look at photos as necessary! Finally, the selected pictures are placed on a small board as guidance for the morning activity. But that is one that they must do!

 

6. Casualness and an opportunity for continuity and discovery

There are no 45-minute lessons and children can freely move about the room. The conditions for their development are in place. Their discoveries must be helped and supported but the teacher may only intervene when absolutely necessary. By the free movement, their need for motion is continuously satisfied so that they can pay attention and work for an extended time. They can go out to the yard for a walk, take some fresh air and talk, whether one by one or in pairs. Elevenses can be eaten any time between 8 and 10 am whenever someone is hungry.

 

7. Learning based on the acquisition of experiences

The children acquire kinetic (motion based) experiences about the world without any teacher explanation. The children’s free development is in the foreground and the teacher remains in the background. Concepts are learned through Montessori’s three-stage lesson, which has been altered to cater for the individual characteristics of children. In students at various levels of development, it is possible to carry out the old educational principle of learning by teaching. In such learning processes our activities will be most effective if we work with a set of modern devices that are optimally suitable for the current conditions and if we can reform our methodological culture.

8. A change of methodological culture

The teacher is not the central character and does not pass on the curriculum to children. They “only” offer a set of devices as an opportunity for the children’s activity. The adult’s most important role is to observe the children’s work and to help as necessary. Unfortunately, free learning and alternative pedagogies are fraught with misconceptions (even within the profes-sion). There is a fear that anything you cannot put in neat categories, control or evaluate with check questions will not be knowledge built in the child’s personality. These snags are far away from child centred education. The key is not an obligatory progress plan but each child’s pace of development. There is no frontal class work, standard progress or a general level of requirement achieved by the end of the year. Our profession is responsible for a methodological enrichment and reform. The modes of learning management applied so far cannot adapt to increasing diversity. The frameworks in place so far do not allow for individ-ually developing students.

9. Individual improvement of different competences

In schools, according to their regime of organisation, a class includes children of the same age but with different skills. The acquisition of the syllabus and the conformity with the require-ments uniformly apply to all. Every child has the same book, workbook and task sheet within the class but their abilities, strengths and personal traits are different.People also go along an individual way while learning and competences are developed at a different pace. In essence, child centred education means educating, “developing” children always in a way and at a pace required by their respective abilities, levels of competence and unique traits.

10. A peculiar use of course books

As regards course books, not everybody must always have the same. The devices were created and put on the cork board using the pictures in the books. As long as students do not learn about things in practice, do not discover, experiment or try things, they remain unable to ac-complish the tasks in the course books and worksheets. For instance, children should play and build with twigs of various thicknesses gathered in the yard or in a wood to learn by experi-ence which is thick and which is thin! This can be followed by colouring in the course book, e.g. ‘Colour the thick pencil in blue and the thin one in red’, etc.

11. The principle of the union of practice and theory

Theoretical and practical knowledge matters equally in the learning process. Their order may vary by teaching content. But any theoretical knowledge must be supported by practice and a theoretical background must be provided for practical knowledge. The BMM Method prefers practice in most topics. After practical knowledge is acquired, there is a card / photo solution for theoretical consolidation.

 

12. Silence game used as necessary

There is a need for a well-working and adaptable silence game. Sometimes it loses its im-portance but you must realise when it becomes necessary. The positive experience of silence is important in a child’s life. This can take several forms. 

13. Measuring performance and development "differently"

Measuring is relevant for nationwide or other trends. But is it also important for intellectually disabled children? What should be my yardstick? Why should I measure? How? When? With whom? What? In the BMM Method class we use a photo/video procedure for the objective evaluation of student development which lets us monitor the progress of students.

 

“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find them, make them.”
(George Bernard SHAW)

 

 

 

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Comments

 

  Comments by parents



Only people that have heard Marcsi know the added value of what she says and the way she says it. Therefore I would write out prescriptions for the opportunity to use the BMM and would distribute them! When I became familiar with Marcsi’s method I forgot about fear. Of course, this doesn’t mean I’ve got rid of a healthy amount of everyday worries but I’ve forgotten forever my fear of the future and the unknown!
The realisation that I should give children a chance so they could do their job by themselves just gave me the key to unlock my shackles!
I didn’t always want something different. I’ve taken a long and bumpy road and now I do want something different. I can stop the quest as I’ve found it!
Csilla Mákosné Fehérvári - Eger

 

A few years ago I heard about this method and I knew right away it was a revolutionary idea for both healthy and SEN children. Our small family boasts of Kamilla, a 7-year-old Down syndrome girl.
A few years ago I heard about this method and I knew right away it was a revolutionary idea for both healthy and SEN children. Our small family boasts of Kamilla, a 7-year-old Down syndrome girl.
It is highly spectacular, colourful, logical, impressive, extremely developing and simply great!
I can only recommend it to everybody!
Zsuzsanna Balla - Budapest

 

As a parent I try to find the balance in educating my children. I want to give them room to fulfil their dreams and to develop freely at their own pace but I also want to provide a struc-tured background where they can find security and system. This is often not easy to do. The method of Mária Béres offers precisely this kind of help to all parents and teachers. It helps you learn to trust children. It has proved that if children are given sufficient room and the right devices, they will be able to absorb any knowledge through their instinctive curiosity while discovering their own abilities. This method reflects a harmony of freedom and a well-built system of rules which provides safety. I’m amazed by Mária’s intuitive and creative per-sonality. She took simple solutions to create a rich set of devices that children can discover freely without any control and by which they enrich their knowledge about themselves and their environment. Now I have been encouraged to trust myself and my attitude and have learnt that simple and little ideas and games can make playtime with our children so rich and entertaining.
Ágnes Bartus - Eger

  

For years I worked as a remedial education assistant at a special school for children with mild intellectual disabilities. That was my wish. Unfortunately, I gathered too many sad and negative experiences and lost my faith in special education... Then I also became affected as a parent. I am the mother of a 6 year-old Down syndrome boy. As such I met Marcsi and became familiar with her work. As soon as the first lecture, I felt my faith was coming back, that it was definitely possible to teach such children a lot of things, that reading and writing were not beyond them and that a little help could give them wings. I saw how calm the children in her group were and enjoyed their tasks rather than struggling, as opposed to what I had seen for years. This is a fantastically elaborated method!! I would be really happy if it became better known and an increasing number of teachers and remedial teachers applied the BMM Method! There’s nothing to wait for as time unfortunately flies
Timea Szőke - Veszprém

Perhaps I was among the first people to listen to her public lecture. I really like her devices and methods. Although I have a grown-up DS child, I tried to adopt some ideas with minor tricks. I am happy to report that recognising some new words and letters (non-speaking DS child) was a great source of joy. Her method is excellent as my child is really learning play-fully!
Etelka Baljerné - Újbarok

It was fantastic! Thank you very much! I’m still looking for the right words. By way of ex-ception, I don’t want to praise the method from children’s perspective. There’s no doubt about the long list of fascinating results. But if you accept this attitude, you will be able to mobilise long forgotten everyday energies. And then a miracle happens as someone before our accompanying sight will first have the experience of “I’ve got it”, “I know” “That’s it”. Nothing’s more beautiful than that. It’s worthwhile.
Dr. Szilvia Moldován, teacher and parent

Opinions by college students

 

It’s hard to sum up how I really felt as it was an elusive thing that you seldom feel. I thought I would take yet another boring compulsory course for my credits because I had previously no idea what the whole thing (BMM) was about. I was pleasantly surprised. The lecturer gave the impression of a kind and informal person but she also had something authoritative about her to suggest that she knew something. Her ways of organising her lectures completely amazed us in many ways. I had a great time and I think she wanted to pass on her knowledge, convic-tion, experiences and confidence in future remedial teachers in the most effective way: by the force of experience. The devices, videos and stories were impressive. The whole course greatly inspired the rest of my studies and chosen vocation. I think it takes this kind of lecturer to fill the profession with the right people! My thanks and gratitude go out to you!
Anikó Tóth - Szeged

 

The course was real fun as Marcsi did her best to pass on theoretical knowledge but also to share with us the experiences she had accumulated through the years. She stressed that it often took a long process to come up with reform ideas and methods that could help us achieve success with children in remedial education. We must be steadfast, creative and patient but also bear in mind individual interests and needs.
During my remedial education studies, this was one of the most pragmatic and lifelike courses that I had the privilege to attend.

Annamária Balogh

 

I came out of class like a small child who saw a miracle. The things we saw filled me with an incredibly good feeling. The many devices and pictures and my insight in the everyday of life of the kids in the videos slightly changed my views. This was the moment when I thought that despite a lot of dry course material there was a reason for working really hard and accom-plishing our goals in this vocation. Thank you for the many experiences and colours.
Rebeka Ecser

 

I’m still under the influence of today’s consultation. I think I’ve got an insight in yet another window where I still need to discover a lot of things. I’m very happy that some of our courses give me a kind of impetus and creativity that don’t die away by the time I get home. Now my mind is filled with lots of ideas and if I carry out just some of them it may bring about a lot of change in my work.
Petra Monek

 

The room was filled with people for the consultation session. The atmosphere was so differ-ent. I thought ‘Here we go’ as we discussed, argued, shared, you asked and accepted, we ac-cepted... It gives us hope. Perhaps it is possible to achieve differently, without papers or re-ports that children should get along rather than we should achieve the statistics as a priority.
Zsuzsa Gera

 

We heard lots of great ideas and I’m especially happy you shared your experiences with us. The theoretical part is also very important but these experiences are indispensable. The devices and method that you developed are really remarkable. It would be great if many more people thought like that and so everybody could make progress with such a fine tuned method at their own pace rather than continuous measuring.

Lastly, I want to thank you for a great course and can honestly recommend everybody to meet you and know your method.
Renáta Huszta