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Applying Montessori philosophy in home environment part 1

Thursday, March 6th, 2008

When a couple are getting ready for the first child, they will be bombarded with so many ads and well meaning friends and relatives on what they “need” for that child. Many of these ads are aimed at selling things that do not provide what is really good for the child.

Many of the items are overstimulating for the young child (too many objects, uncomfortably bright colors), they hamper the natural development of important abilities such as language (pacifiers) and movement (cribs, swings, and high chairs) and even sometimes can be dangerous (walkers and off-gases from plastic).

A simple, natural, and gentle environment that encourages feelings of safety, and encourages the child to communicate with others and to move around—that is the better environment for the child from birth to three. A home theater system, a big plasma TV and home theater sconces may be nice to have. But, listen to the sounds: can you hear the wind in the trees, or are the sounds of nature overwhelmed by the sound of a TV or radio? The child, unable to filter out the unnecessary or the disturbing noises as the adult can, will hear and be affected by every sound and sight! It is important for the child’s sense of order, his security, to keep the environment the same for the first year.

Posted in About Montessori, Montessori | No Comments »

Freedom and Responsibility in Montessori

Sunday, April 22nd, 2007

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.

Posted in About Montessori, Montessori | 3 Comments »

Why my child won’t listen?

Saturday, January 27th, 2007

I get asked this question quite often.

Are you interested to know what Maria Montessori’s view on this?

I have a 4 years old joined my class in January, he was what the Cantonese called “gao jin” —literally a “stubborn cow”:-)

He broke a glass pitcher, spilled the beans and refused to pick them up on the first day.

We played walking on the line, he couldn’t walk in straight line and wiggled like a worm on the chair, pushed the chair with his butts and gave out loud noise, couldn’t solve a 10-piece puzzles and wouldn’t pick them up when he didn’t want to continue.

When we played silence game, he couldn’t hear his name being called even though I called his names louder and louder for about 10 times.

Should we have started “teaching” him, do you think he can absorb?

We make sure we play silence game and walking on the line with him everyday, sometime twice a day. By the third or fourth day, he jumped up when I just whispered his name from another corner of the classroom.

One of those paradox of Montessori education. If you want your child to listen, you don’t speak louder and louder so they can hear, but to bring him silence and quietness, so that he learned to listen carefully.

Dr. Montessori invented this game when she was working with children who were partially deaf. She found that partially deaf children’s hearing was often improved when they learned to listen carefully to sounds.

Today is the last school day of his third week, he has not broken anything since the last pitcher, he is also able to sit down for 20 minutes, completing a 20 piece puzzle, all by himself. To me, that’s a big achievement for the child.

Posted in Grace and Courtesy Exercises, Montessori | 2 Comments »

Rational of Practical Life activities

Friday, January 26th, 2007

These exercises involve simple and precise tasks. The child has already observed adults/parents perform these activities in their home environment. The child wishes to imitate. It can be cleaning the prepared environment, setting the table or prepare simple snacks. Of course nothing as complicated as cooking or preparing cornbread dressing, just slicing bananas, washing the baby carrots and such.

The desired imitation is intellectual in nature because it is based on the child’s previous observation and knowledge.

There can be no prescribed list of materials involved.

The purpose is not to master these tasks for their own sake i.e. you don’t really hope to train your child to be a plumber by letting him play with PVC pipes, nuts and bolts.

It is rather to aid the inner construction of discipline, organization, independence, and self-esteem through concentration on a precise and completed cycle of activity.

Maria said “The exercises of practical life are formative activities. They involve inspiration, repetition, and concentration on precise details.”

Posted in Montessori, Practical Life Activities | No Comments »

The 3-period lesson

Friday, January 26th, 2007

Introduction of a Three Period Lesson
(1) First step…associates the name of an object with the abstract idea the name represents…this is blue, this is red.

(2) Second step…test to see if the name is still associated in the child’s mind with the object…which is red…which is blue?

(3) Third step…the child is asked to pronounce the appropriate vocabulary himself/herself…what is this…what is this?

Maria said this about repeating a lesson:
“But when the child has failed, we should know that he was not at that instant ready for the psychic association which we wished to provoke in him and we must therefore choose another moment.”

Maria said “..In such cases, the children experience a joy at each fresh discovery. They are conscious of a sense of dignity and satisfaction which encourages them to seek for new sensations from their environment and to make themselves spontaneous observers.”

Posted in Education, Montessori, Uncategorized, learning | 2 Comments »

Visual Discrimination Cards

Wednesday, January 24th, 2007

Materials:
A tray containing:
(1) deck of visual discrimination cards in a basket (red?)
(1) deck of visual discrimination cards in a basket (green?)

Preparation:
The Visual Discrimination Cards may be purchased from various educational supply stores. Or, you may make your own cards by mounting drawings/pictures on 3” squares of poster board. I have made three sets here that you may download for your own use:

(right click and “save target as”)

Visual Discrimination Cards set 1 (pdf)

Visual Discrimination Cards set 2 (pdf)

Visual Discrimination Cards set 3 (pdf)

General Presentation - Introduction:

1. Invite the children to join you on the rug.
2. Invite everyone to sit down (in circle or as a group – your choice).
3. Tell the children that you are going to show them a very special deck of cards.
4. Explain to the children that they will need to look very closely at each picture in order to match them.
5. Remove the basket from the tray that contains the red deck of cards.
6. Place the cards in a horizontal line in front of yourself, left to right.
7. Put the empty basket back on the tray.
8. Remove the basket from the tray that contains the white deck of cards.
9. Place the basket right in front of you.
10. Take the first card and hold it while scanning below the red cards to find a match. Place the matched card below it’s partner.
11. Repeat until all the red and white cards are matched.

Variations and Extensions:
1. Use different cards/objects
2. Talk about the differences

Points of Interest:
1. It takes time to study the pictures

Control of Error:
1. Cards aren’t matched.

Aims:
Visual discrimination, ability to match, preparation for writing and reading, eye tracking from left to right, etc.

Age:
2 ½ and up

Language:
Same, different, etc.

Posted in Montessori, Pre Reading Activities | 3 Comments »

Sound Cylinders

Tuesday, January 23rd, 2007

Materials:

This is the homemade economical version. You can also buy the sound cylinders at the store that sell Montessori materials if you prefer the “real” stuff, not cheap though.

(1) 6 film canisters with grey lids partially filled with 6 different grains to make different sounds when shaken.

(2) 6 film canisters with white lids (or any other colour) partially filled with 6 different grains to make different sounds when shaken. (they match the first 6 film canisters)

(3) Table mat

PREPARATION:

Label the canisters with same grains using the dots of same colour as control of error.

SET-UP

Prepare the Sound Cylinder for the first presentation by keeping only three of the cylinders with the greatest variance in sound.

GENERAL PRESENTATION:
1. Invite the child or group of children.
2. Take a table mat and place it on a table.
3. Go over to where the Sound Cylinders are kept.
4. The teacher should name the material for the child, “Sound Cylinders”.
5. The teacher should demonstrate how to carry the box with two hands (thumbs on top and fingers underneath the tray).
6. Invite the child to carry the tray over to the table.
7. Place the canisters at the top left hand corner of the table.
8. Take off the lid and place it to the left of the box.
9. Take out each cylinder, one at a time, and place them in a horizontal line (left to right) below the lid.
10. Pick-up the first cylinder on the left with your fingers and
gently shake it. Return the cylinder to its place.
11. Pick-up each of the remaining cylinders, one at a time, and
gently shake them. Return them to their places.
12. Return the Sound Cylinders, one at a time starting with the
cylinder on the left (left to right).
13. Return the box to the shelf where it belongs.
14. Replace your table mat as you have been shown to its
appropriate place.Presentation #2 - Grading Partial Grey and White Cylinders:

Follow the General Presentation through Step #8. Repeat Steps
#6 - #9 with the grey Sound Cylinder Box. Have the child pick-up
the first white cylinder on the left with the dominant hand and
gently shake it near their ear. Then have the child place the
cylinder in the center between the boxes. Next, have the child
pick-up the first grey sound cylinder with the dominant hand and
gently shake it near their ear. If it matches the white cylinder,
place it next to it on the right side in the center. If it does not
match, return it to the line and repeat the activity with each blue
cylinder until a match is found. Continue until all the cylinders
have been matched by sound. Replace the grey cylinders into the
box beginning with the top cylinder. Replace the lid. Repeat with
the white cylinders. Follow the General Presentation Steps
# 13 - 14 to return the Sound Cylinder Boxes.Variation #1 – Complete Grey and White cylinders:
Prepare each box to hold all 6 cylinders (total of 12). Repeat
Presentation #2.

Variation #2 – Grading Partial Grey and White Cylinders:
Follow the Presentation #2 through Step #11. After both boxes
have been placed and the lids removed, have the child pick-up
one of the red cylinders and gently shake it near their ear. Repeat
for the other two cylinders.

Grade the three cylinders by first placing the loudest cylinder in
the center between the two boxes. After the three have been
graded and placed, have the child pick-up one of the grey cylinders and gently shake it near their ear. Have them place it to the right of the white cylinder that it’s sound matches.

Variation #3 – Complete grey and white cylinders:
Prepare each box to hold all 6 cylinders (total of 12). Repeat
Variation #2.

Variation #4 - Memory:
Place the two boxes of cylinders on two different tables. Match
according to Presentation 2.

Extension #1 – Classroom Sounds:
During circle time, have the children find objects in the classroom
that make sounds. Grade them soft, loud and loudest.

Extension #2 – Outside Sounds:
During circle time, have the children close their eyes while you
produce sounds from objects you brought in from outside of the
classroom. Grade them soft, loud and loudest.

Extension #3 – Sounds from Home:
Have the children bring in objects from home that produce
sounds. Have the children close their eyes while you produce the
sounds. Grade them soft, loud and loudest.

Extension #4 – Ticking of a Clock:
During circle time, have the children close their eyes while you
walk to various places in the classroom with a clock that’s tick-
tock is loud enough to be heard. Have the children point to where
they hear the sound coming from.

Points of Interest:
1. Different sounds inside the cylinders

Control of Error:
1. End up without a match for the last cylinder

Aims:
Sound discrimination, grading sounds, order, concentration, independence, ability to make a choice, etc.

Age:
3 ½ and up

Language:
Loud, louder, soft, softer, gently, shake, etc.

Posted in Montessori, Sensorial Activities | No Comments »

Sewing cards I

Tuesday, January 23rd, 2007

Sewing cards

MATERIALS:
Tray containing:
(1) 2-3’ shoelace
(1) sewing card

PREPARATION:
Make a Sewing Card by pasting a bright picture to a piece of cardboard. Be sure that you have at least a 1” border around the picture. Place the picture on the table picture side up, and mark dots 1” apart around the border. At this point you may wish to laminate your card. Using a hole puncher, punch a hole where you made a mark every 1”.

YOu may print from http://www.abcteach.com/directory/fun_activities/crafts/sewing_cards/

PRESENTATION:
1. Invite the child or group of children.
2. Go over to where the work is kept.
3. Invite the child to carry the tray over to the table as shown before.
4. Place the tray on the left side of the table
5. The teacher should demonstrate by grasping the end of the shoelace, that does not have a knot in the end, with the thumb, index and middle fingers of the dominant hand and raise it up (so that it is in front of you and not on the table).
6. Pick up the Sewing Card with your other hand and lower the end of the shoelace under the Sewing Card.
7. Push the end of the shoelace up through a hole that has a red line to the right of it.
8. Place the index finger of the sub-dominant hand under the end of the shoelace to stop it from falling out.
9. At the same time, release the end of the shoelace with the
dominant hand.
10. Bring the dominant hand to the top of the card and grasp the
end of the shoelace with the thumb, index, and middle
fingers and pull until the know is up against the back of the
card.
11. Push the end of the shoelace down through the next hole
covering up the red line.
12. Release the end of the shoelace with the dominant hand and
cover the end of the shoelace on the top of the card with
the sub-dominant thumb.
13. At the same time, place the dominant hand underneath the
card and grasp the end of the shoelace with the thumb,
index and middle fingers and pull until the slack in the
shoelace is taken up.
14. Repeat steps #8 - #14 sewing around the entire card until all
the red lines are covered up with the shoelace.

Variations and Extensions:
1. Use a whip stitch around the outside of the card
2. Make-up Sewing Cards with pictures to go with other units of study

Points of Interest:
1. Pushing the shoelace through the hole
2. Noticing the picture on the card
3. Covering up the red lines

Control of Error:
1. All red lines are covered up with the shoelace
2. Spaces in between have no red lines

Aims:

Eye hand coordination, coordination, concentration, order, independence, development of the ability to sew a running stitch, preparation for writing, etc.

Age:
3 ½ and up

Language:
Sewing, shoelace, card, picture, etc.

Posted in Montessori, Practical Life Activities | No Comments »

3-part cards classifications

Wednesday, January 3rd, 2007

Three-part Cards

three part cards

3-part cards

MATERIAL:
1. A tray containing:
(8) picture with label cards in a container
(8) picture cards in a container
(8) label cards in a container (These cards can represent any area of study)
2. Floor rug

PREPARATION:

The pictures for the picture cards can be sourced from National Geographic, magazines, Hypermarket flyers, used school text books or workbooks. I made mine mostly by scanning the pictures from books that I have from www.readinga-z.com and coloured them either with coloured pencils or a graphic program.

You may get some from thsi website too: http://www.montessorimaterials.org/lang.htm#class

Note:The teacher must make sure that the three containers of cards are not in order for the next child.

PRESENTATION1. Invite the child or group of children.
2. Carry a floor rug in the way shown before over to an empty place on the floor.
3. Roll the rug out.
4. Go over to where the 3-Part Cards are kept.
5. The teacher should name the material for the child, “3-Part Cards”.
6. The teacher should demonstrate how to carry the tray with two hands (thumbs on top and fingers underneath the tray.
7. Invite the child to carry the tray over to the rug.
8. Place the tray at the top left hand corner of the rug.
9. Pick-up the whole cards (picture and label are all on one card) from the tray.
10. Place the first card to the right of the tray.
11. Point to the label and say “________” (the name of the object)
12. Place the second card below the first card.
13. Point to the label and say “__________” (the name of the object).
14. Repeat Steps #12 and #13 for the rest of the cards.
15. Next pick-up the picture cards from the tray.
16. While holding the first picture card in your hand, scan the pictures (top to bottom) until a match is made. Place the picture to the right of the picture with the label card.
17. Repeat Step #16 until all the pictures have been matched.
18. Pick-up the label cards from the tray.
19. While holding the first label card in your hand, scan the picture with the label cards (top to bottom) until a match is made. Place the label underneath the picture card. Point
to the label and say “______” (the name of the object).
20. Repeat Steps #16 and #17 with the other labels.
21. Admire your work.
22. Replace the picture with the label cards to their container on the tray starting at the top and going to the bottom of that row.
23. Replace the picture cards to their container on the tray starting at the top and going to the bottom of the row.
24. Replace the label cards to their container on the tray starting at the top and going to the bottom of the row.
24. Return the tray to the shelf where it belongs.
25. Roll your rug as you have been shown and return it to its place.
26. Invite a child.

VARIATIONS AND EXTENSIONS:
1. Have 3-Part Cards made-up for other areas of study.

POINT OF INTEREST
1. Learning to match words to pictures
2. Increase in language

CONTROL OF ERROR:
1. End up not having a label to match a picture with label card

AIMS

Visual discrimination, concentration, eyes-tracking from left to right, preparation for writing and reading, etc.

AGE
3 and up

LANGUAGE:
Names of objects, etc.

Posted in Montessori | No Comments »

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