The Joy Of Learning

PLE - Presentation on Wrist Turning (18d) Rolling Napkins

Rolling - Napkins

Materials:
A basket containing:
2 Napkins

Presentation:
1.Invite the child or group of children.
2.Go over and get the basket with the 2 napkins and bring it to the table.
3.Take both napkins out of the basket and place to your left.
4.Place one napkin in front of you on the table.
5.Using both hands open the napkin and smooth out any wrinkles.
6.Fold the napkin in half by bringing the top edge down to the bottom edge.
7.Press the fold with your hands.
8.Turn the napkin so that one of the short ends lies from left to right in front of you.
9.Using the fingertips from both hands start to roll the napkin upward and away from you.
10.Let go with your non-dominant hand.
11.Place the rolled up napkin in the basket.
12.Repeat with the second napkin.
13.Return the tray to its proper place.
14.Invite a child

Variations and Extensions:
1.Rolling rug
2.Art papers
3.Rolling socks

Points of Interest:
1.Napkin edges are even
2.Napkin is smooth
3.Noticing the way your wrists twist

Control of Error:
1.Napkin is uneven, loose, wrinkled
2.Napkin is rolled lengthwise and is to big for the basket

Aims:
Folding a napkin, preparation for writing, etc.

Age:
2 ½ and up

Language:
Roll, concentration, independence, rolling, napkin, etc.

PLE - Presentation on Wrist Turning (18f) Rolling Dough

Rolling -Dough

Materials:
A tray on a shelf/table containing:
1 Rolling pin – child size
1 Container with dough
1 Pastry board

Set-Up:
The rolling pin is on the left side of the tray.
The pastry board is next to the rolling pin to its right side.
The container with dough is on the right side of the tray next to the pastry board.

Presentation:
1.Invite the child or group of children.
2.Go over to where the work is kept and take it to a table.
3.Take the rolling pin off the tray and place it directly in front of you on the table.
4.Take the pastry board and place it directly above the rolling pin in front of you.
5.Remove the dough from the container.
6.Put the container back on the tray.
7.Place the dough on the pastry board.
8.Use your hands to help flatten the dough in a circle.
9.Take the rolling pin using both hands and push down and away from you to roll the rolling pin over the dough.
10.Pick up the rolling pin and bring it close to you and repeat the rolling motion on top of the dough.
11. Admire your work.
12.When you are done, take the dough in both hands and mold it back into a ball.
13.Place the ball of dough in the container.
14.Put the container, rolling pin and pastry board, back on the tray.
15.Replace the tray to its proper place.
16.Invite a child.

Variations and Extensions:
1.Different types of rolling pins
2.Different colors of dough
3.Use objects to help manipulate the dough

Points of Interest:
1.Seeing the dough get thinner
2.Smell of the dough
3.The feeling of the dough
4. Noticing the way your wrists twist

Control of Error:
1. Drop the dough
2.Dough uneven in thickness

Aims: Eye hand coordination, concentration, control, preparation for writing, being able to use a rolling pin, working with dough, etc.

Age:
2 ½ and up

Language:
Dough, rollin pin, roll, thick, thin, push, etc.

PLE Presentation on Wrist Turning (18c) Rolling Easel Paper

Rolling – Easel Paper

Materials:
1 Piece of easel paper
1 rubber band

Presentation:
1.Invite the child or group of children.
2.Go over and get a piece of easel paper and a rubber band.
3.Place the piece of easel paper in front of you on the table.
4.Place the rubber band to the left hand side of the table.
5.Using the fingertips from both hands start to roll the napkin upward and away from you.
6.Let go with your dominant hand.
7.Pick up the rubber band.
8.Place the rubber band over the end of the rolled up paper.
9.Guide the paper through the opening of the rubber band.
10.Use both hands to ease the rubber band down to the middle of the rolled up piece of paper.
11.Take the rolled up piece of paper to the art area and make a drawing.
12.Roll the piece of paper back up when you are finished and secure with the rubber band.
13.Invite a child

Variations and Extensions:
1.Rolling rug
2.Rolling napkin
3. Rolling socks

Points of Interest:
1.Easel paper edges are even
2.Easel paper is smooth
3.Rubber band is in the center of the paper
4.Noticing the way your wrists twist, etc.

Control of Error:
1.Easel paper is uneven, loose, wrinkled
2.Easel paper is rolled lengthwise and the rubber band is loose

Aims:
Roll easel paper, preparation for writing, etc.

Age:
2 ½ and up

Language:
Roll, concentration, independence, rolling, insert, easel paper, rubber band, etc.

PLE - Presentation on Wrist Turning (18a) Rolling - Rug

Rolling - Rug

Materials:
Rug
Storage Place
Open Space on Floor

Presentation:
1.Begin the demonstration by going over to where the rugs are kept and removing one rug.
2.Carry the rug vertically with both hands over to the open space and lay it on the floor.
3.Unroll the rug slowly and use both hands to smooth out any wrinkles.
4.To unroll the rug, push it with the tips of your fingers.
5.To roll the rug back up, use the tips of your fingers and roll the rug away from your body.
6.Move slowly.
7.Pat the edges of the rug to keep the edges even.
8.When finished, the rug is carried vertically back to the rug holder and returned to its place.

Variations and Extensions:
1.Rolling napkins
2.Art papers
3.Rolling socks
4.Rolling placemats

Points of Interest:
1.Rug edges are even
2.Rug is smooth
3.Noticing the way your wrists twist

Control of Error:
1.Rug is uneven, loose, wrinkled
2.Rug is rolled lengthwise and can’t fit the rug holder

Aims:
Poise, balance, developing awareness of body movement, preparation for writing, etc.

Age:
2 ½ and up

Language:
Roll, concentration, independence, rolling, etc.

PLE - Presentation on Wrist Turning (18b) Rolling

Rolling – Mat with a Napkin Ring

Materials:
1 Tray
1 Mat
1 Napkin ring

Presentation:
1.Invite the child or group of children.
2.Go over to where the work is kept and take it to a table.
3.Remove the mat with the napkin ring around it from the tray using both hands.
4.Place it in front of you on the tabletop.
5.Grasp the napkin with your non-dominant hand.
6.Grasp and remove the napkin ring with your dominant hand.
7.Place the napkin ring on the tray.
8.Turn the placemat so the left hand can hold down the open edge of the placemat.
9.Unroll the mat with your right hand. Turn the placemat so that you can roll it back up away from you.
10.Use the fingertips from both hands to roll the mat back up.
11.Let go with your right hand.
12.Using your right hand, take the napkin ring off of the tray.
13.Place the napkin ring to the right end of the rolled up mat.
14.Guide the mat through the ring using both of your hands.
15.Place the mat with the napkin ring around it on the tray.
16.Return the tray to its proper place.
17.Invite a child

Variations and Extensions:
1. Rolling rug
2. Art papers
3.Rolling socks

Points of Interest:
1.Placemat edges are even
2.Placemat is smooth
3.Napkin ring is in the center of the mat
4.Noticing the way your wrists twist

Control of Error:
1.Mat is uneven, loose, wrinkled
2.Mat is rolled lengthwise and the napkin ring is loose

Aims:
Preparation for writing, being able to roll a mat, etc.

Age:
2 ½ and up

Language:
Roll, concentration, independence, rolling, insert, mat, napkin ring, etc.

Freedom and Responsibility in Montessori

Freedom is very important concept that leads to nurturing of independence. However freedom is also one of the most misunderstood aspects of Montessori. Many people assume that when we describe freedom, we mean that students can do whatever they wish. This is not true. Freedom means choice within limits. Freedom has a counterpart - responsibility. They are inseparable; they go hand-in-hand and work with one another.

We always give choices within limits, for example, we do not just ask a wondering child or a child who is disturbing another child to not disturb or go work. We would instead redirecting her by asking her whether she would like to pick a work to do, or she would like the teacher to pick one for her.

Children responded well to this, becasue they felt that they are not being forced to do something, but was giving choices, they would respond by picking a work from the shelf, or they will ask the teacher to show them a work.

Freedom to choose one’s own work is an essential hallmark of Montessori education. Freedom is the route to self discipline. But, the freedom is also comes with responsibility. Children in a class/home are accorded more freedom of choice as they demonstrate higher degrees of responsibility. Responsible behavior includes respect for the materials and using them for their intended purpose, the ability to concentrate and be engaged in work, and to work within reasonable time frames on an activity or follow-up from a lesson.

Young children need a lot of movement, confining them to a fixed seat is unnatural. In a Montessori classroom, a student has freedom of movement within the prepared environment, as long as he is able to move responsibly. In fact, there is a lot of movement within the classrooms. Students move around when they are ready to choose new work, when they are finished with some work, when they want to talk with someone, or when they turn on the bathroom lighting to go to the bathroom or go to the pantry to get a drink. In our environment, these are choices that the students make, not choices that the teachers make.

Grace and Courtesy Exercises

After I talked so much about how important it’s to train children to be able to focus and concentrate first before we started them the academic subjects, I am actually quite afraid of well meaning friends who brought their children to my school to play-play so that their children can learn to focus and concentrate. They usually left me with a classroom that looked like just visited by hurricane!Montessori education is actually more than just “playing” with the apparatus. Children who are not train how to handle the equipment, children whose body and spirit are not in tune, they will not know how to behave in the classroom and pay attention in handling the Montessori apparatus, they would just treat them like any other toys, after the initial excitement, they would just dump them aside and/or don’t want to return them to where they belong. Unless they have Plantar Fasciitis, children who are not train to be aware of their body movement would either run wild or bump into things in the classroom.

That’s why it’s very important for us to teach the grace and courtesy exercises first, before we let them handle the apparatus. It will be too late to chase after them and shout after them, when they started to go wild in the classroom. It’s really not the children’ fault that we should punish them for that. We need to give them the training they need, so that they are away of their movement and the noise they produced.

Walking on the line and the silent game are two important exercises that help the children to be aware of their body movement and get in tune with their inner spirit. It may sound like real mysterious, but I assured you, it’s not. It’s the secret behind a “quiet” Montessori classroom.

PLE- Grace and Courtesy Exercises (11) Sitting at a table

(11)Sitting at a Table

Materials:
A child size table
Child/children

Presentation:
1.Begin demonstration by going over to a table and carefully lifting and quietly sliding the chair back away from the table.
2.Sit down in the chair.
3.Place all fingers on both hands under the sides of the seat but keeps thumbs on top.
4.Keep your feet parallel and stand up just enough not to drop the chair but to scoot the chair closer to the table.
5.Sit down and keeps both feet parallel with your hips.
6.To stand up, begin by placing your hands underneath the sides of the chair seat and pushing gently up until you are barely standing. Lift/slide the chair and move it back so you can stand up.
7.Invite the child/children to take turns sitting at a table.

Variations and Extensions:
1.Use different types of chairs

Points of Interest:
1.Being able to work at a table
2.Being able to eat at a table

Control of Error:
1.Noise
2.Moving chair
3.Moving table
4.Missing the seat
5.Can’t reach the table

Aims:
Coordination, concentration, independence and coordination

Age:
2 ½ and up

Language:
Seat, approach, scoot, barely