ATTENTION TO DETAIL IS IMPORTANT By Sam Parker
A recent fancy dinner reminded me of a story about my entitled 20something youth ... a time when I thought the world was here to serve me (when I was a bit more of an brat than I am now ... I think).
It was the beautifully aligned glasses across the open table that gave me the flashback.
I must have been about 24 (how sweet the sound). I was selling insurance. To supplement my income, I waited tables in a popular restaurant in Washington D.C. (Georgetown). On this particular shift, I was standing around doing nothing and the manager (a young person, as well) came to me and said...
"If you don't have anything else to do right now, in your section, make sure all the place settings are aligned nicely. I want you to imagine a string held over your row of tables, above the glasses. Those glasses should be perfectly aligned. Understand?"
It's possible she added a please or two but I'm sure I didn't hear it.
I remember thinking (and saying with my eyes, I'm sure), "You're a fanatic." I remember being angry and thinking her request was just busywork.
And now, like so many things with an added quarter century of experience, if I were to see a video of my response, I'm sure I'd be embarrassed.
She was serious about her work. And now, she's the reason I like going to particular restaurants, shopping at particular stores, and working with particular people and companies.
Attention to detail. Care. To a fanatical level.
I know it's a long shot, but if you're reading this and you think you're the "fanatic" I'm writing about (you were a manager at J. Paul's in the early 90s), please call or email me. I'd love to send you an apology gift. Really.
Sam (the guy behind this stuff)
SamParker@GiveMore.com | 8047624500 ext. 303
P.S. If you're a leader (with a title or not), what are you doing on a regular basis (an all the time thing) to inspire that deeper care and attention that we all want (inspire ... not control)? Call or email anytime. I'd love to hear what's working for you.
One or two of my books (below) might be helpful to you. Sometimes people are more open to the "let's get fanatical" message when it comes from someone not so close to the situation.
Ideas and thoughts to help everyone stay focused on the good things that bring great results...
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Being a Montessori Parent
Being a Montessori Parent
By Karen Skinulis and Stanley Shapiro
You are the bridge between what your child will learn at Montessori and what your child can learn at home. As a Montessori parent, it will not take you long to learn that every moment can become an exciting learning experience.
Choosing how your child will be educated, especially in the early formative years, can be the most important decision you make regarding your child’s future. Research proves that the early childhood school education can have a lifetime impact. The decision you make for your child now will affect his or her academic and social progress through adolescence, university and life.
If you have made or are thinking of making the decision to enroll your child in a Montessori school, you are probably asking yourself a lot of questions, such as: What do I need to know that will help me more fully understand this fascinating approach to learning? What can I do at home to help make the Montessori experience even richer for my child? What makes Montessori unique?
While you may think that Montessori education is a method, it is really more an approach or attitude about life, growth and development. Montessori materials do not create that approach; rather, under-standing Montessori principles can help you create the right attitude about your child's learning. Ba-sic to this attitude is to understand that you cannot learn for your child. Only he or she can do that. Your job, as the first educator of your children, is to help them learn for themselves.
For 100 years, Montessori has educated generations of children all around the world. Dr. Maria Montessori, the creator of the Montessori approach to education, was a keen observer of children and how they learn. Her methods and conclusions were ahead of her time; but, within the context of today’s enlightened educational approach, they are at the cutting edge of where education is head-ing.
The following will help you acquaint yourself with your child’s new learning environment.
Montessori at Home
Remember the first time you walked into a Montessori classroom? The beautiful, imaginative materials and the calm, orderly atmosphere probably enchanted you. That is the same atmosphere you want to create for your home, and it is not as difficult as you may think. After all, if a classroom with twenty or more children moving about can be orderly, certainly your home can be as well.
The principles of Montessori that your child will be experiencing at school all day are important and specific. It will increase the benefit to your child if you can make the transition from school to home as seamless as possible.
Here are some concrete ways you can reinforce the experience for your child by using Montessori principles at home.
Encourage Independence
“A servant does things for a child, while a (parent) should be an educator.” - Maria Montessori
You can continue the Montessori experience for your child at home by helping him learn to take care of his own body, learn the joys of an orderly life, and learn to be a contributor to the family. By doing this, you engender a confident feeling of “I can do it myself!”
To encourage independence, always let your child do things for him or herself whenever he or she shows an interest. If your child wants to help you cook, take the time to show him how to beat the eggs or tear the lettuce. Explain the reason for the process. It is always important when showing a task to explain what the end result, the accomplishment will be. Then enjoy the wonderful experi-ence of working with your child at a common task.
Of course, letting young children do things for themselves—making their own breakfast, putting their clothes on, brushing their teeth—always takes more time and can be difficult in busy families. The payoff is that they learn self-reliance and self-confidence, just as they do in a Montessori school. Of course you have to always be aware of your child’s age, size and stage of development. With this in mind, you can adjust your child’s room so they can access things like drawers and hangers without your help.
If you have questions about something in particular or need some additional general guidance, ask your child’s Montessori teacher. He or she will be glad to help.
Establish Order
The order of a Montessori classroom can also be echoed at home. Establishing order in the home helps children become more independent. An orderly environment helps children concentrate and focus on the tasks at hand. Contrary to what you may think as you gaze about the house, children (like all human beings) actually have a natural affinity for order. The child only needs to be guided in that direction.
Take the time to set up the different rooms in the house so that everything your child needs is organized and within reach. This is an imperative, because it makes everything so much easier for her to do things for herself. And when she does, her confidence and sense of accomplishment will blossom as much as her sense of order. It’s not as hard as you might imagine. You can start in the child’s bedroom by using low bins, hooks and shelving that young children can use to put their things away.
Keep clutter to a minimum by rotating some of the child’s toys into storage so that they are not all out at one time. Keeping their room orderly minimizes distraction and creates an environment that sup-ports concentration. For older children, take advantage of some of the new home organization products to keep things manageable—things like CD holders, computer workstations, and closet organizers. Another example of this is to make the entrance-way of your home child-friendly by having designated areas for boots and jackets. In the kitchen you can have an easy-to-get-at place to put their bowls and cutlery.
The following are some other examples of how you can set up your home to encourage order, develop self-confidence and independence:
• Lower or install the hanger pole in the closet and towel rack in the bathroom so they can hang up their own clothes and towels.
• Hang a color chart in the bedroom so the child can see for himself what colors go together when picking out clothing.
• Dresser drawers can be labeled with fun pictures or photos of underwear, shirts, socks, etc., and dividers used to organize the drawers better. Print or type the names oof the items next to the images.
• Lower shelves are a good place for storing toys, but avoid big toy boxes. They can quickly be-come disorganized dumping grounds.
• A small step stool by the sink lets children turn on the taps themselves in the kitchen and the bathroom. That means they can brush their teeth, wash their face and hands, and even help with the dishes.
• Keep all their toiletries (tooth brush, toothpaste, water cup, etc.) in a small box on the bathroom counter or in a low drawer so they can be reached easily.
• Place simple snack foods such as cereal and peanut butter on a special low shelf in the kitchen so they can help themselves. Put a child-size jug of milk or other healthy beverage on a low shelf so they can pour themselves a cup and then put it away.
Help Children to be Helpful
In a Montessori classroom, children are taught to be helpful to others and to take care of the class-room itself. They wash chairs and tables, dust, organize shelves and engage in all kinds of activities that help them feel that they are valuable members of the group and raise their self-esteem. Of course all of these activities teach children valuable organization and motor skills, but they are also wonderful at developing empathy and help the child develop the built-in emotional response toward caring for other people. That’s why giving children opportunities to help out at home is just as essential as it is at school.
The most important part of helping children to be helpful is called “take time for teaching.” Children absorb a great deal through observation, but you can’t only rely on that. There are certain skills that you have to show them how to do. This teaching should be part of your child’s daily routine at home, just as it is in a Montessori classroom. Each skill should be taught separately, with a lot of patience and confidence in the child’s ability to learn. This can be a lot of work for busy parents, but keep in mind that if you don’t take time to teach, you will spend a lot more of your valuable time correcting a child who doesn't know how to do things, or worse yet, does not understand the value of life and how to enjoy it.
Some tips on how to teach your child include:
• Let them learn at their own speed. Often lessons to young children have to be repeated several times. For this reason, times when everyone is rushed—such as when everyone is trying to get out the door in the morning—are not good times for teaching. Do it when there is lots of time and calm in the house.
• When they try something for the first time and get it wrong (as they often do), don’t correct them right away or criticize. The focus here should be on effort, not results. By all means teach them how to put their shoes on the right feet or pour milk without spilling it, but at a later time so that they don’t connect the correction with their effort. Remember that criticism lowers self-esteem and motivation. And creates a barrier to learning.
• Don’t interfere with children when they are attempting to learn something. They will find it harder to focus if you jump in to correct or explain. Also, children won’t learn the skills if we do it for them; and worse, they can learn to become helpless and wait for others to do it.
Develop Concentration
By Karen Skinulis and Stanley Shapiro
You are the bridge between what your child will learn at Montessori and what your child can learn at home. As a Montessori parent, it will not take you long to learn that every moment can become an exciting learning experience.
Choosing how your child will be educated, especially in the early formative years, can be the most important decision you make regarding your child’s future. Research proves that the early childhood school education can have a lifetime impact. The decision you make for your child now will affect his or her academic and social progress through adolescence, university and life.
If you have made or are thinking of making the decision to enroll your child in a Montessori school, you are probably asking yourself a lot of questions, such as: What do I need to know that will help me more fully understand this fascinating approach to learning? What can I do at home to help make the Montessori experience even richer for my child? What makes Montessori unique?
While you may think that Montessori education is a method, it is really more an approach or attitude about life, growth and development. Montessori materials do not create that approach; rather, under-standing Montessori principles can help you create the right attitude about your child's learning. Ba-sic to this attitude is to understand that you cannot learn for your child. Only he or she can do that. Your job, as the first educator of your children, is to help them learn for themselves.
For 100 years, Montessori has educated generations of children all around the world. Dr. Maria Montessori, the creator of the Montessori approach to education, was a keen observer of children and how they learn. Her methods and conclusions were ahead of her time; but, within the context of today’s enlightened educational approach, they are at the cutting edge of where education is head-ing.
The following will help you acquaint yourself with your child’s new learning environment.
Montessori at Home
Remember the first time you walked into a Montessori classroom? The beautiful, imaginative materials and the calm, orderly atmosphere probably enchanted you. That is the same atmosphere you want to create for your home, and it is not as difficult as you may think. After all, if a classroom with twenty or more children moving about can be orderly, certainly your home can be as well.
The principles of Montessori that your child will be experiencing at school all day are important and specific. It will increase the benefit to your child if you can make the transition from school to home as seamless as possible.
Here are some concrete ways you can reinforce the experience for your child by using Montessori principles at home.
Encourage Independence
“A servant does things for a child, while a (parent) should be an educator.” - Maria Montessori
You can continue the Montessori experience for your child at home by helping him learn to take care of his own body, learn the joys of an orderly life, and learn to be a contributor to the family. By doing this, you engender a confident feeling of “I can do it myself!”
To encourage independence, always let your child do things for him or herself whenever he or she shows an interest. If your child wants to help you cook, take the time to show him how to beat the eggs or tear the lettuce. Explain the reason for the process. It is always important when showing a task to explain what the end result, the accomplishment will be. Then enjoy the wonderful experi-ence of working with your child at a common task.
Of course, letting young children do things for themselves—making their own breakfast, putting their clothes on, brushing their teeth—always takes more time and can be difficult in busy families. The payoff is that they learn self-reliance and self-confidence, just as they do in a Montessori school. Of course you have to always be aware of your child’s age, size and stage of development. With this in mind, you can adjust your child’s room so they can access things like drawers and hangers without your help.
If you have questions about something in particular or need some additional general guidance, ask your child’s Montessori teacher. He or she will be glad to help.
Establish Order
The order of a Montessori classroom can also be echoed at home. Establishing order in the home helps children become more independent. An orderly environment helps children concentrate and focus on the tasks at hand. Contrary to what you may think as you gaze about the house, children (like all human beings) actually have a natural affinity for order. The child only needs to be guided in that direction.
Take the time to set up the different rooms in the house so that everything your child needs is organized and within reach. This is an imperative, because it makes everything so much easier for her to do things for herself. And when she does, her confidence and sense of accomplishment will blossom as much as her sense of order. It’s not as hard as you might imagine. You can start in the child’s bedroom by using low bins, hooks and shelving that young children can use to put their things away.
Keep clutter to a minimum by rotating some of the child’s toys into storage so that they are not all out at one time. Keeping their room orderly minimizes distraction and creates an environment that sup-ports concentration. For older children, take advantage of some of the new home organization products to keep things manageable—things like CD holders, computer workstations, and closet organizers. Another example of this is to make the entrance-way of your home child-friendly by having designated areas for boots and jackets. In the kitchen you can have an easy-to-get-at place to put their bowls and cutlery.
The following are some other examples of how you can set up your home to encourage order, develop self-confidence and independence:
• Lower or install the hanger pole in the closet and towel rack in the bathroom so they can hang up their own clothes and towels.
• Hang a color chart in the bedroom so the child can see for himself what colors go together when picking out clothing.
• Dresser drawers can be labeled with fun pictures or photos of underwear, shirts, socks, etc., and dividers used to organize the drawers better. Print or type the names oof the items next to the images.
• Lower shelves are a good place for storing toys, but avoid big toy boxes. They can quickly be-come disorganized dumping grounds.
• A small step stool by the sink lets children turn on the taps themselves in the kitchen and the bathroom. That means they can brush their teeth, wash their face and hands, and even help with the dishes.
• Keep all their toiletries (tooth brush, toothpaste, water cup, etc.) in a small box on the bathroom counter or in a low drawer so they can be reached easily.
• Place simple snack foods such as cereal and peanut butter on a special low shelf in the kitchen so they can help themselves. Put a child-size jug of milk or other healthy beverage on a low shelf so they can pour themselves a cup and then put it away.
Help Children to be Helpful
In a Montessori classroom, children are taught to be helpful to others and to take care of the class-room itself. They wash chairs and tables, dust, organize shelves and engage in all kinds of activities that help them feel that they are valuable members of the group and raise their self-esteem. Of course all of these activities teach children valuable organization and motor skills, but they are also wonderful at developing empathy and help the child develop the built-in emotional response toward caring for other people. That’s why giving children opportunities to help out at home is just as essential as it is at school.
The most important part of helping children to be helpful is called “take time for teaching.” Children absorb a great deal through observation, but you can’t only rely on that. There are certain skills that you have to show them how to do. This teaching should be part of your child’s daily routine at home, just as it is in a Montessori classroom. Each skill should be taught separately, with a lot of patience and confidence in the child’s ability to learn. This can be a lot of work for busy parents, but keep in mind that if you don’t take time to teach, you will spend a lot more of your valuable time correcting a child who doesn't know how to do things, or worse yet, does not understand the value of life and how to enjoy it.
Some tips on how to teach your child include:
• Let them learn at their own speed. Often lessons to young children have to be repeated several times. For this reason, times when everyone is rushed—such as when everyone is trying to get out the door in the morning—are not good times for teaching. Do it when there is lots of time and calm in the house.
• When they try something for the first time and get it wrong (as they often do), don’t correct them right away or criticize. The focus here should be on effort, not results. By all means teach them how to put their shoes on the right feet or pour milk without spilling it, but at a later time so that they don’t connect the correction with their effort. Remember that criticism lowers self-esteem and motivation. And creates a barrier to learning.
• Don’t interfere with children when they are attempting to learn something. They will find it harder to focus if you jump in to correct or explain. Also, children won’t learn the skills if we do it for them; and worse, they can learn to become helpless and wait for others to do it.
Develop Concentration
Maria Montessori always said that a focused child is a happy child. Whenever possible, don’t interrupt a child when he is engaged and focused on something. You can encourage focus by paying attention to what sparks enthusiasm and interest in your child, and then make sure you provide opportunities and materials to help this happen. Does your child like water? Let him wash dishes or scrub a soapy floor. If she likes to build things (out of toothpicks or wood or cardboard, etc.), make sure you have the materials on hand.
Like every skill, concentration deepens with practice. Young children, even babies have the ability to concentrate, and yet, often, adults will interrupt. Once interrupted, the child’s concentration is broken, and the engagement stops.
You can help develop your child’s concentration by limiting the amount of TV and videos your child watches. TV entertains by constantly changing images. This is occupation, not concentration. Furthermore, TV limits your child’s ability to create his own visual images. Another way to encourage concentration is to avoid interrupting your child when she is engaged. This is the same courtesy we expect from your children—to wait until we have finished a task. Lastly, create an orderly work environment for your child so that they can concentrate without distracting items such as TV, radio or clutter.
Children can do all kinds of things round the house, including: setting and clearing the table; loading and unloading the dishwasher; making their own lunches; making their bed; feeding and watering pets; dead-heading and watering plants in the house and in the garden; cleaning mirrors and windows; sweeping and vacuuming; sorting and folding laundry; and bringing in the mail. These are not “just housework or chores,” they are valuable learning experiences that will imprint areas of the brain regarding small and large thought centers, nerve and muscle control centers.
Even very young children can: bring flyers in from the mailbox; scrape food off of dishes; put cutlery away; fold clothes; and organize shoes at the front door. As they master the tasks, you will find them wanting to accomplish more!
Introduce Your Child to Nature
Maria Montessori believed that nature talks directly to children. Go for walks in the woods with your children to collect pine cones, leaves and seeds, or draw pictures of birds that you see. Encourage them to observe insects (like an ant farm) or animals in the wild. Growing plants from seeds or sprouts from a carrot top are always rewarding for children, and having a backyard garden makes a lot of sense, too. Other ideal places for children to spend time are a sandy beach full of shells and other natural objects at the shoreline, or even just a yard full of snow.
Do Practical Life at Home
Children learn by doing. Practical Life [see glossary] is all about teaching a child how to take care of the environment and himself. Children enjoy repetitively practicing real-life things. Give your child the real-life experience of folding socks into pairs, polishing shoes, sorting cutlery and folding clothes out the dryer. Children will spend many happy hours with a button box filled with a fabulous array of buttons, sorting them into different colors, shapes and sizes. This is a perfect example of how you can take everyday objects (the more beautiful and interesting the better) to get your child involved. Some of the best learning experiences come from the mundane and ordinary efforts of life, giving children the opportunity to exercise their mind and their motor skills.
Enable Self-Discovery
Children love to discover things for themselves. As a parent, your role is to help create the environment and provide the time for your child to find out for herself. This kind of help can include: asking leading questions, providing a few extra steps in an activity, or giving her time to discover and reflect on what she is seeing or experiencing. It is challenging as a parent not to rush in and provide the answer when your child has a question, but with patience you will enable your child’s sense of curiosity and joy of discovery to blossom into a love of life-long learning.
Encourage Choice and Interest in Learning
Adults, like children, learn best when engaged in self-chosen activities. If you want to play a game or share an activity with your child, first be sure she is interested. If you introduce a new game, do so when your child is most ready for a new experience. Usually that means when your child is well rested. Activities your child already knows can be engaged in at any time. Be ready to stop an activity if your child becomes frustrated or does not want to continue. Try to end on a positive note such as, “We’ll do this later, when you are ready.”
Children enjoy playing games that allow them to build on previous learning. Remember the Goldilocks story: Just the right bowl of porridge, not one too hot or too cold. If a game is too easy or too difficult, your child will not want to play, nor will she learn a positive experience if forced to.
Determining just the right amount of challenge requires knowing your child and assessing the size of the steps to be taken when moving from one activity to another.
Use Encouragement, Not Rewards or Treats
Have you ever offered your child a trade-off if he completed a task? This is often tempting and can have a short-term effect. But consider the message you are giving. When you use external re-wards to motivate your child, he learns that there is no intrinsic value to the activity, and the only reason to do it is for the reward.
Encouragement is all that is needed if a task is worth doing. It should have value for its own sake. Comments such as, “You worked hard on this,” or “You did this all by yourself,” are the reward they appreciate and learn from.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Designing a Montessori Home
Designing a Montessori Home
Tuesday, 19 September 2006
by Tim Seldin
Organizing the Home
The Bedroom
“We must give the child an environment that he can utilize by himself: a little washstand of his own, a bureau with drawers he can open, objects of common use that he can operate, a small bed in which he can sleep at night under an attractive blanket he can fold and spread by himself. We must give him an environment in which he can live and play; then we will see him work all day with his hands and wait impatiently to undress himself and lay himself down on his own bed.”
- Maria Montessori
Children’s bedrooms should clearly reflect their personalities and current interests.Even though on their own they may tend to create chaos, young children have a tremendous need and love for an orderly environment. Everything should have its own place and the environment should be organized to make it easy for the child to maintain a neat, well organized atmosphere.
• Ideally, the young child’s bed should be low to the floor, making it easy for toddlers to get in and out on their own. Rather than a crib, Montessori urged parents to modify the bedroom to facilitate both the child's safety and his early independence. Consider a Japanese futon or a mattress without the bed frame.
• By age five, you may wish to allow your child to use a sleeping bag on his bed instead of sheets and blankets. This will make it easy for him to make his own bed in the morning.
• Mount a nice little coat and hat rack low on one wall where your child can reach them easily.
• Decorate the walls with high quality art prints of children or animals hung at the child’s eye level.
• Mount a wall clock at the child’s level. Select one with a large easily read face.
• Modify your light switches with extenders to allow the young child to turn his lights on and off independently.
• Hang a bulletin board on the wall at your child’s eye level on which he can hang art work school papers.
• Don’t use a toy box. Imagine the chaos in your kitchen or workshop if you threw your tools and utensils together in a chest. Instead use low shelves to display books and toys Try to duplicate the look of your child’s classroom.
• Notice how Montessori teachers avoid clutter. Place toys with many pieces in appropriate containers,such as Tupperware “boxes” with lids, basket, or in a sturdy plastic bag.
• Use a sturdy wooden crate to hold your child’s building blocks.
• You may want to create a model town or farm on piece of heavy plywood. Paint it green and sprinklemodel railroad “grass” on it to simulate a meadow. Placed on a low table, your child can create wonderful displays with model buildings made of wood or plastic. Add little trees and people from a model railroad set. You could set up a doll house this way as well.
• Store Lego blocks in a large, colorful and sturdy canvas bag with handles. Sew on strips of velcro to fasten the bag closed. In your child’s bedroom the bag will serve as a sack to contain his Legos. When you travel it is very easy to pick the bag up to come along.
• Make sure that your child’s clothes chest has drawers that are the right height for him or her to open and look inside. Label the drawers: underwear, socks, etc.
• Flower vases: Encourage your child to collect flowers from the fields or garden for his room.
• Provide some shelf space for a small nature museum in your child’s room. Here he can display rocks that he finds, interesting seeds, and (in small cages) interesting ‘critters.’
• Music should be an important part of every child’s life. Set some space aside for a simple stereo system and collection of recordings.
The Bathroom
• The bathroom must be prepared for your child. He should be able to reach the sink, turn on the water,and reach his toothbrush and toothpaste without help.
• There should be a special place where he can reach for his towel and washcloth.
• Most parents provide bathroom stools, but small wobbly stools often do not provide enough secure, comfortable space for bathroom tasks.
• Build wooden platforms 6-8 inches high that actually fit around toilets and sinks.An Art and Crafts Area• Set up an art area with an easel and a spacious art table for drawing, craft work and clay. Cover the table with a washable tablecloth.
• Children's art supplies can be neatly stored in separate tupperware containers. Depending on your child’s age, the art supplies that you prepare might include washable magic markers, crayons, paste, paper, fabric scraps and recycled household articles for making collages You can keep tempera paint fresh by mixing it in Tupperware containers that are divided into three or more inner compartments.
The Kitchen
• Make room in your kitchen for a child-sized work table for young cooks.
• Set aside the bottom shelf in your refrigerator for your children. Here you can store small drink pitchers, fruit, and the ingredients for making sandwiches and snacks. Use non-breakable Tupperware containers to hold peanut butter, jams, lunch meats, and spreads. A child of two can open the refrigerator and get her own prepared snack or cold drink stored in a little cup. A slightly older child can pour her own juice and make her own lunch.
• Use a bottom drawer to hold forks, knives and spoons.
• Mount a low shelf on a wall for plates, cups, and napkins.
Children can help around the house
If presented correctly, children from age two to six take delight in caring for their environment, dusting, mopping, scrubbing, cleaning and polishing, and they should be able to do so as easily at home as at school. It is perfectly reasonable to ask older children to straighten up their rooms and help with simple household chore.
• Give your child his own little broom or dust buster.
• Hang a feather duster on a hook.
• Provide a hamper for your child’s dirty clothes. Ask him to carry them to the laundry room on a regular basis.
• The bathroom should have a small bucket with a bathtub scrub brush and a sponge.
• Folding towels and napkins is a good activity to teach the young chil
Tuesday, 19 September 2006
by Tim Seldin
Organizing the Home
The Bedroom
“We must give the child an environment that he can utilize by himself: a little washstand of his own, a bureau with drawers he can open, objects of common use that he can operate, a small bed in which he can sleep at night under an attractive blanket he can fold and spread by himself. We must give him an environment in which he can live and play; then we will see him work all day with his hands and wait impatiently to undress himself and lay himself down on his own bed.”
- Maria Montessori
Children’s bedrooms should clearly reflect their personalities and current interests.Even though on their own they may tend to create chaos, young children have a tremendous need and love for an orderly environment. Everything should have its own place and the environment should be organized to make it easy for the child to maintain a neat, well organized atmosphere.
• Ideally, the young child’s bed should be low to the floor, making it easy for toddlers to get in and out on their own. Rather than a crib, Montessori urged parents to modify the bedroom to facilitate both the child's safety and his early independence. Consider a Japanese futon or a mattress without the bed frame.
• By age five, you may wish to allow your child to use a sleeping bag on his bed instead of sheets and blankets. This will make it easy for him to make his own bed in the morning.
• Mount a nice little coat and hat rack low on one wall where your child can reach them easily.
• Decorate the walls with high quality art prints of children or animals hung at the child’s eye level.
• Mount a wall clock at the child’s level. Select one with a large easily read face.
• Modify your light switches with extenders to allow the young child to turn his lights on and off independently.
• Hang a bulletin board on the wall at your child’s eye level on which he can hang art work school papers.
• Don’t use a toy box. Imagine the chaos in your kitchen or workshop if you threw your tools and utensils together in a chest. Instead use low shelves to display books and toys Try to duplicate the look of your child’s classroom.
• Notice how Montessori teachers avoid clutter. Place toys with many pieces in appropriate containers,such as Tupperware “boxes” with lids, basket, or in a sturdy plastic bag.
• Use a sturdy wooden crate to hold your child’s building blocks.
• You may want to create a model town or farm on piece of heavy plywood. Paint it green and sprinklemodel railroad “grass” on it to simulate a meadow. Placed on a low table, your child can create wonderful displays with model buildings made of wood or plastic. Add little trees and people from a model railroad set. You could set up a doll house this way as well.
• Store Lego blocks in a large, colorful and sturdy canvas bag with handles. Sew on strips of velcro to fasten the bag closed. In your child’s bedroom the bag will serve as a sack to contain his Legos. When you travel it is very easy to pick the bag up to come along.
• Make sure that your child’s clothes chest has drawers that are the right height for him or her to open and look inside. Label the drawers: underwear, socks, etc.
• Flower vases: Encourage your child to collect flowers from the fields or garden for his room.
• Provide some shelf space for a small nature museum in your child’s room. Here he can display rocks that he finds, interesting seeds, and (in small cages) interesting ‘critters.’
• Music should be an important part of every child’s life. Set some space aside for a simple stereo system and collection of recordings.
The Bathroom
• The bathroom must be prepared for your child. He should be able to reach the sink, turn on the water,and reach his toothbrush and toothpaste without help.
• There should be a special place where he can reach for his towel and washcloth.
• Most parents provide bathroom stools, but small wobbly stools often do not provide enough secure, comfortable space for bathroom tasks.
• Build wooden platforms 6-8 inches high that actually fit around toilets and sinks.An Art and Crafts Area• Set up an art area with an easel and a spacious art table for drawing, craft work and clay. Cover the table with a washable tablecloth.
• Children's art supplies can be neatly stored in separate tupperware containers. Depending on your child’s age, the art supplies that you prepare might include washable magic markers, crayons, paste, paper, fabric scraps and recycled household articles for making collages You can keep tempera paint fresh by mixing it in Tupperware containers that are divided into three or more inner compartments.
The Kitchen
• Make room in your kitchen for a child-sized work table for young cooks.
• Set aside the bottom shelf in your refrigerator for your children. Here you can store small drink pitchers, fruit, and the ingredients for making sandwiches and snacks. Use non-breakable Tupperware containers to hold peanut butter, jams, lunch meats, and spreads. A child of two can open the refrigerator and get her own prepared snack or cold drink stored in a little cup. A slightly older child can pour her own juice and make her own lunch.
• Use a bottom drawer to hold forks, knives and spoons.
• Mount a low shelf on a wall for plates, cups, and napkins.
Children can help around the house
If presented correctly, children from age two to six take delight in caring for their environment, dusting, mopping, scrubbing, cleaning and polishing, and they should be able to do so as easily at home as at school. It is perfectly reasonable to ask older children to straighten up their rooms and help with simple household chore.
• Give your child his own little broom or dust buster.
• Hang a feather duster on a hook.
• Provide a hamper for your child’s dirty clothes. Ask him to carry them to the laundry room on a regular basis.
• The bathroom should have a small bucket with a bathtub scrub brush and a sponge.
• Folding towels and napkins is a good activity to teach the young chil
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Setting Limits - By Kathryn Kvols
Setting Limits
by Kathryn Kvols
What are limits?Limits tell your family under what condition you are willing or unwilling to do something. They tell your family where you "draw the line." They tell them what you will or will not tolerate. Their purpose is to take care of you. Limits are not designed to control or manipulate someone else' behavior. Here are three examples:
Example 1. A mother was playing basketball with her two teenage sons. The boys were getting competitive and soon the game wasn't fun. Mother announced, "It is not fun for me when you two fight. When you are ready to make it fun again, come and get me. I'd love to play again."
Example 2. "Children need you to set limits so that they can recognize and respect other people's limits"
I was holding hands roller-skating with my daughter. She said in a very demanding tone of voice,"Skate faster!" This wasn't the first time I had noticed that she was being demanding so I said,"I am unwilling to have you talk like that to me. It makes me feel like not cooperating with you and if you continue, I will skate by myself."
Example 3. A daughter asked her mother to take her to the video store and rent her a movie. Her daughter had already spent her allowance that week. Mom said, "I'd be willing to take you to the video store but, I am unwilling to rent you a movie." Limits give others important information about you to help them know what they can or cannot expect from you. They are about you. Not about criticizing someone else's behavior or about trying to make them act in a certain way.
Why do children need limits?
* Children need you to set limits so that they can recognize and respect other people's limits.
* Limits provide a sense of security. When children don't know your limits they feel lost in an abyss. They feel confused and sometimes literally bounce around trying to find some.
* Limits make children feel like we care about them. Children who are raised without limits often feel abandoned.
* Children need limits to learn how to deal with conflict. What happens when someone tells me I have over stepped his or her limits? *What happens when someone disrespects mine?
* Children need limits to help them define themselves. They help them clarify their own limits because they have seen your model.
* Limits help them to learn what is socially acceptable and what is not.
* Children need to learn that if they go past a certain point, there will be consequences. Some of them may be serious.
What issues need limits?
You may want to set limits about the use of your belongings, TV watching, bedtime, your time, the use of profanity, mealtime, chores, care and feeding of pets. This is not a conclusive list. Make a list of important issues for you.
How do we know when our limits are being violated?
The best clue to determine whether or not you limits are being violated is by being in touch with your feelings. If any of the following feelings sound familiar you know your limits are being dishonored. Or that you are not being clear about them. Anger, resentment, impositioned, smothered, taken advantage of, abused, like you are pulling more than your fair share of the weight, unappreciated, like you are being divided between two people you love, taken for granted, a child taxi cab driver, wondering what about me?
Why do we have a difficult time setting limits?
Our ability to set and follow through with limit setting will be largely determined by how you were parented as a child. If you were in any of the following situations, setting limits may be difficult for you.
* Not having any limits as a child, being unsupervised* Being told messages like, "Don't make waves"; "Children are to be seen and not heard"; "You are being selfish."
* If you were told it wasn't "nice" to assert yourself
* If there was abuse in home either mental, physical, emotional, sexual, drug and alcohol or work.
* If there was someone in your family that you had to give up your needs for because they were sick or disabled.
* If self-sacrifice was modeled and expected of you.
* If intimidation was used to motivate you.* Sometimes we don't set limits because we don't feel we deserve them.
* Or we feel guilty about our own actions such as, working too much or getting a divorce.
What we do instead of setting limits?
We often choose one of the following behaviors rather than setting limits because we are afraid of creating conflict. We are afraid the other person will get angry or leave us, or reject us. We may even feel that what we say or do will not make a difference anyway. Instead directly setting limits we sometimes indirectly handle these situations by:
* Denial (Acting or pretending as though it didn't happen)* Ignore it and hope it'll go away* Talk yourself out of how you are feeling (I shouldn't feel that way because ... )
* Making excuses for the other person's behavior (He only said that because he was tired.)* Ruminating about the issue (Going over and over the event in your mind, trying to make sense of it.)
* Blame someone else* Blame yourself (if I had only done ... he wouldn't act this way.)
* Getting even
* Hiding behind righteousness (I'm above having those feelings.)
* Pretending that you don't care
* Withholding your love or your communication
What can we expect when we start setting limits?
When you first start setting limits, you can expect that your child's behavior will get worse. They will test you. They will try everything in their power to get you to go back to the way you used to be. So, make sure your seat belt is fastened. You may be going for a ride!
Steps for setting limits:
1. Honor your feelings. Remember feelings are neither right or wrong. They just are.
2. Get clear about what you want. What you are and are not willing to do.
3. Present the information to your family member using an "I" statement. For example, "I am unwilling to wash clothes that are not in the hamper." There should be no blame, shame, guilt, exaggerations or complaining. Do this step as soon as possible to prevent an unnecessary build up of resentment
4. Be ready to "stick to your guns." Be consistent and follow through.
Kathryn Kvols, a national speaker, is the author of the book, "Redirecting Children's Behavior" and the president of the International Network for Children and Families. She can be reached at 1-800-257-9002.
by Kathryn Kvols
What are limits?Limits tell your family under what condition you are willing or unwilling to do something. They tell your family where you "draw the line." They tell them what you will or will not tolerate. Their purpose is to take care of you. Limits are not designed to control or manipulate someone else' behavior. Here are three examples:
Example 1. A mother was playing basketball with her two teenage sons. The boys were getting competitive and soon the game wasn't fun. Mother announced, "It is not fun for me when you two fight. When you are ready to make it fun again, come and get me. I'd love to play again."
Example 2. "Children need you to set limits so that they can recognize and respect other people's limits"
I was holding hands roller-skating with my daughter. She said in a very demanding tone of voice,"Skate faster!" This wasn't the first time I had noticed that she was being demanding so I said,"I am unwilling to have you talk like that to me. It makes me feel like not cooperating with you and if you continue, I will skate by myself."
Example 3. A daughter asked her mother to take her to the video store and rent her a movie. Her daughter had already spent her allowance that week. Mom said, "I'd be willing to take you to the video store but, I am unwilling to rent you a movie." Limits give others important information about you to help them know what they can or cannot expect from you. They are about you. Not about criticizing someone else's behavior or about trying to make them act in a certain way.
Why do children need limits?
* Children need you to set limits so that they can recognize and respect other people's limits.
* Limits provide a sense of security. When children don't know your limits they feel lost in an abyss. They feel confused and sometimes literally bounce around trying to find some.
* Limits make children feel like we care about them. Children who are raised without limits often feel abandoned.
* Children need limits to learn how to deal with conflict. What happens when someone tells me I have over stepped his or her limits? *What happens when someone disrespects mine?
* Children need limits to help them define themselves. They help them clarify their own limits because they have seen your model.
* Limits help them to learn what is socially acceptable and what is not.
* Children need to learn that if they go past a certain point, there will be consequences. Some of them may be serious.
What issues need limits?
You may want to set limits about the use of your belongings, TV watching, bedtime, your time, the use of profanity, mealtime, chores, care and feeding of pets. This is not a conclusive list. Make a list of important issues for you.
How do we know when our limits are being violated?
The best clue to determine whether or not you limits are being violated is by being in touch with your feelings. If any of the following feelings sound familiar you know your limits are being dishonored. Or that you are not being clear about them. Anger, resentment, impositioned, smothered, taken advantage of, abused, like you are pulling more than your fair share of the weight, unappreciated, like you are being divided between two people you love, taken for granted, a child taxi cab driver, wondering what about me?
Why do we have a difficult time setting limits?
Our ability to set and follow through with limit setting will be largely determined by how you were parented as a child. If you were in any of the following situations, setting limits may be difficult for you.
* Not having any limits as a child, being unsupervised* Being told messages like, "Don't make waves"; "Children are to be seen and not heard"; "You are being selfish."
* If you were told it wasn't "nice" to assert yourself
* If there was abuse in home either mental, physical, emotional, sexual, drug and alcohol or work.
* If there was someone in your family that you had to give up your needs for because they were sick or disabled.
* If self-sacrifice was modeled and expected of you.
* If intimidation was used to motivate you.* Sometimes we don't set limits because we don't feel we deserve them.
* Or we feel guilty about our own actions such as, working too much or getting a divorce.
What we do instead of setting limits?
We often choose one of the following behaviors rather than setting limits because we are afraid of creating conflict. We are afraid the other person will get angry or leave us, or reject us. We may even feel that what we say or do will not make a difference anyway. Instead directly setting limits we sometimes indirectly handle these situations by:
* Denial (Acting or pretending as though it didn't happen)* Ignore it and hope it'll go away* Talk yourself out of how you are feeling (I shouldn't feel that way because ... )
* Making excuses for the other person's behavior (He only said that because he was tired.)* Ruminating about the issue (Going over and over the event in your mind, trying to make sense of it.)
* Blame someone else* Blame yourself (if I had only done ... he wouldn't act this way.)
* Getting even
* Hiding behind righteousness (I'm above having those feelings.)
* Pretending that you don't care
* Withholding your love or your communication
What can we expect when we start setting limits?
When you first start setting limits, you can expect that your child's behavior will get worse. They will test you. They will try everything in their power to get you to go back to the way you used to be. So, make sure your seat belt is fastened. You may be going for a ride!
Steps for setting limits:
1. Honor your feelings. Remember feelings are neither right or wrong. They just are.
2. Get clear about what you want. What you are and are not willing to do.
3. Present the information to your family member using an "I" statement. For example, "I am unwilling to wash clothes that are not in the hamper." There should be no blame, shame, guilt, exaggerations or complaining. Do this step as soon as possible to prevent an unnecessary build up of resentment
4. Be ready to "stick to your guns." Be consistent and follow through.
Kathryn Kvols, a national speaker, is the author of the book, "Redirecting Children's Behavior" and the president of the International Network for Children and Families. She can be reached at 1-800-257-9002.
Friday, September 19, 2014
The Importance of Practical Life Activities in the Montessori Classroom (3-6)
“If teaching is to be effective with young children, it must assist them to advance on the way to independence. It must initiate them into those kinds of activities, which they can perform themselves. We must help them to learn how to walk without assistance, to run, to go up and down the stairs, to pick up fallen objects, to dress and undress, to wash themselves, to express their needs, and to attempt to satisfy their desires through their own efforts. All this is part of an education for independence.”- Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child
Psychologists have argued that childhood is a natural phase of growing up. Indeed, Maria Montessori believed that children are innately preparing to be adults. She further stated that parents and teachers needed to provide a strong foundation of skills and work habits that would eventually allow them to be responsible for the caring of their own families, homes, community and environment. These skills, when taught early in life, allow children to believe in themselves as well as developing the self-discipline needed for success throughout their lives.
Montessori stated that at each plane of development there is a sensitive period for different skills and activities. It is critical that proper stimulation be provided as nature intended. A child enters the Children’s House (Montessori preschool) around the age of three. It is here where the Work of the Family, known as Practical Life activities, provides an introduction and smooth transition to the Montessori school by linking the activities that the child is familiar with at home to the school environment. Children at this age enjoy, and even prefer, spending their time helping adults with their activities.When allowed to do so, the child learns that his contributions are of value,thus boosting his self-esteem and independence. He enjoys and should be encouraged to use child-size replicas of adult tools. In short, the direct aim of Montessori Practical Life activities is to help develop social skills and independence. Indirectly, Practical Life activities develop fine motor skills, as well as strengthening intellect, concentration, and personal will.
The importance of beauty in the Montessori classroom can be keenly observed in the Practical Life area of the classroom. Practical Life activities have a unique purpose which, when carried out properly, are very calming. To the adult eye, these activities may seem simple and repetitive, but a child who is learning to wash a table or fold napkins is accomplishing more than meets the eye. The Montessori teacher realizes that the child is:
- demonstrating a high level of concentration
- developing a sense of order (putting all materials back where they belong)
- taking pride in a job well done
- increasing independence through care of self and the environment
- developing respect for his community (using materials appropriately and cleaning up afterwards)
- improving fine motor coordination
The Four Areas of Practical Life
1 – Preliminary Activities – These activities provide the foundation and set the stage for all works in the Montessori classroom. These include such tasks as how to roll and unroll a mat, how to walk around a mat, how to sharpen a pencil, how to put down a chair, and walking on the line.
2 – Care of Self – These activities provide the means for children to become physically independent. These may include such activities as how to wash hands, how to brush teeth, how to pack a lunch, how to pack an overnight bag, and how to tie shoes.
3 – Care of the Environment – Learning how to clean is very important in the Montessori classroom. These activities may include how to set the table, how to clean dishes and cutlery,how to sweep the floor, how to dust the shelves, how to water the plants, and how to clean up spills.
4 – Social Graces and Courtesies – These activities are not found on the shelves. Rather, the Montessori teacher introduces social graces and courtesies such as how to shake hands, saying please and thank you, how to interrupt someone, and how to cough and sneeze. Practical Life activities should be taken very seriously. The child works patiently, with reverence. This is her work and it is important that it is respected as such. Where adults usually chose the most efficient and quickest way to do something, a child works to perfect her skills and master the activity. Her purpose is not so much to complete the task as it is to construct herself. The adults in her life should take pleasure in the child’s achievements: “Oh, it is nice to have such a clean table.”; “What a clean and shiny mirror!”; “You must have worked very hard on this.”
The most important work in the Montessori preschool may be the Practical Life activities. Parents who are unfamiliar with Montessori education may feel that Practical Life activities are a waste of time. “Why is my child learning how to wash dishes when they should be learning how to do something more academic, like math?” Math, reading, and language all require one to have the ability to focus, to be able to complete a task with logical and sequential steps, to concentrate,to make intelligent choices, and to see a task from start to finish. This is precisely the intent of the Practical Life activities. Through the Practical Life work, children learn to calmly go about their work and to take pleasure and satisfaction from their efforts.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Will a Montessori Education Prepare My Child for the Real World?
Will a Montessori Education Prepare My Child for the Real World”?
Will a Montessori Education Prepare My Child for the Real World”?
This is a common question I hear as I meet with prospective parents and take them on a tour through our community at The New School Montessori.This is a difficult question to answer considering the “real world” is a relative term. Do they mean the “real world” of professional pressures, deadlines, and aggressive competition? Or do they mean the “real world” of emotional intelligence, engaged citizenry, compassion, joy, and relationship to one’s environment? If I were to be honest with myself, I’m pretty sure they’re asking about the former – the “real world” of work. Fortunately, no matter which version of the “real world” they are referring to, my answer is the same, a resounding “Yes!”
Multi-age classrooms and emphasis on time management prepare in “real world” ways.
For those of you who are not familiar with Montessori education let me briefly explain that it is a philosophy and pedagogy based on the scientific research of Dr. Maria Montessori. Children are grouped in multi-aged classrooms, where students are engaged in hands-on, self-paced, collaborative work. Multi-aged classrooms allow older students to be leaders and mentors while providing opportunities for younger students to work with older classmates on group projects. In addition, Montessori teachers do not stand in front of a class giving lectures while asking students to work on the same thing, at the same time, in the same way. Rather, they walk throughout the classroom working one-on-one with students or in small groups. At the core of the Montessori philosophy is the belief that all students have a natural desire to learn, explore, and joyfully work toward independence through knowledge and discipline.
Now, keeping all of that in mind, I want you to ask yourself:
• In any “real world” job, is everyone the same age?
• Are workers all sitting at their desks working on the same thing at the same time?
• Do workers often need to access memorized facts in a timed setting? Of course not.
In a “real world” job, one is expected to be able to work with people at different levels of experience, work well independently and in a group, set up work, concentrate on it, keep it organized, complete it, and put it away. Workers need to try things to see if they work and then learn from their mistakes. They need to be able to problem solve and to communicate effectively.
The top five types of knowledge and skills employers are looking for in the 21 st Century were listed by a Gallup poll in this order and are all skills deeply embedded in the Montessori method:
• Critical thinking and problem solving,
• information technology application,
• teamwork and collaboration,
• creativity and innovation
• and diversity training.
Montessori education has been proven to prepare children for the “real world.”
This is a common question I hear as I meet with prospective parents and take them on a tour through our community at The New School Montessori.This is a difficult question to answer considering the “real world” is a relative term. Do they mean the “real world” of professional pressures, deadlines, and aggressive competition? Or do they mean the “real world” of emotional intelligence, engaged citizenry, compassion, joy, and relationship to one’s environment? If I were to be honest with myself, I’m pretty sure they’re asking about the former – the “real world” of work. Fortunately, no matter which version of the “real world” they are referring to, my answer is the same, a resounding “Yes!”
Multi-age classrooms and emphasis on time management prepare in “real world” ways.
For those of you who are not familiar with Montessori education let me briefly explain that it is a philosophy and pedagogy based on the scientific research of Dr. Maria Montessori. Children are grouped in multi-aged classrooms, where students are engaged in hands-on, self-paced, collaborative work. Multi-aged classrooms allow older students to be leaders and mentors while providing opportunities for younger students to work with older classmates on group projects. In addition, Montessori teachers do not stand in front of a class giving lectures while asking students to work on the same thing, at the same time, in the same way. Rather, they walk throughout the classroom working one-on-one with students or in small groups. At the core of the Montessori philosophy is the belief that all students have a natural desire to learn, explore, and joyfully work toward independence through knowledge and discipline.
Now, keeping all of that in mind, I want you to ask yourself:
• In any “real world” job, is everyone the same age?
• Are workers all sitting at their desks working on the same thing at the same time?
• Do workers often need to access memorized facts in a timed setting? Of course not.
In a “real world” job, one is expected to be able to work with people at different levels of experience, work well independently and in a group, set up work, concentrate on it, keep it organized, complete it, and put it away. Workers need to try things to see if they work and then learn from their mistakes. They need to be able to problem solve and to communicate effectively.
The top five types of knowledge and skills employers are looking for in the 21 st Century were listed by a Gallup poll in this order and are all skills deeply embedded in the Montessori method:
• Critical thinking and problem solving,
• information technology application,
• teamwork and collaboration,
• creativity and innovation
• and diversity training.
Montessori education has been proven to prepare children for the “real world.”
An article titled “Montessori Mafia” in the Wall Street Journal by Peter Sims, author of Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries, states,
“The Montessori educational approach might be the surest route to joining the creative elite, which are so over represented by [Montessori] alumni that one might suspect a Montessori Mafia: Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, video game pioneer Will Wright, and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales.”
Sims didn’t mention other famous Montessori innovators like Julia Child, Katherine Graham (Pulitzer Prize winning author), Gabriel Garcia Marquez (winner of the Nobel Prize for literature), Yo-Yo Ma (cellist and winner of 15 Grammy Awards), George Clooney (Academy Award winning actor), Helen Keller (who is considered one of the most widely admired people of the 20th Century), and the list goes on.
In 2004 Barbara Walters interviewed Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and asked them if having college professors as parents was the major factor behind their success. Page stated that more influential than having professorial parents was the fact that, “ We both went to Montessori school, and I think it was part of the training…being self-motivated, questioning what’s going on in the world, doing things a bit differently.”In the popular magazine Science, Angeline Lillard published a study comparing the educational achievement performance of low-income Milwaukee children who attended Montessori preschools versus children attending a variety of other traditional preschools determined by lottery. Lehrer found that by the end of kindergarten, “Montessori students proved to be significantly better prepared for elementary school in reading and math skills than the non-Montessori children. They also tested better on “executive function,” the ability to adapt to changing and more complex problems, an indicator of future school and life success.” What about Montessori at a high school level? Clark Montessori (a Cincinnati public Montessori school) provided these results of their 88 graduates in 2010: 100% graduation rate. 100% of the graduates went to college. 33% were first generation in their families to attend college, and 33% came from families in need of free or reduced lunches.
So yes, a Montessori education will prepare your child for the “real world” of 21 st Century employment. But here’s the added bonus; a Montessori education will also prepare your children for the “real world” of life, learning skills like how to:
• resolvve conflicts peacefully.
• build a relationship between themselves and their environment.
• remain curious and a life long learner.
• treat others with kindness and respect.
• be more interested in the joy of discovery than the value of a grade or paycheck.
- reflect and know how to celebrate their individuality while at the same time knowing how to sacrifice their own desires for the benefit of the whole.These values have deep roots in Montessori education, and it just so happens they are also what prepare us for how to live fully in the “real world” of life.
So, will a Montessori education prepare your child for the “real world?”
Yes it will.
- Jeff Groh http://newschoolmontessori.com/
“The Montessori educational approach might be the surest route to joining the creative elite, which are so over represented by [Montessori] alumni that one might suspect a Montessori Mafia: Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, video game pioneer Will Wright, and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales.”
Sims didn’t mention other famous Montessori innovators like Julia Child, Katherine Graham (Pulitzer Prize winning author), Gabriel Garcia Marquez (winner of the Nobel Prize for literature), Yo-Yo Ma (cellist and winner of 15 Grammy Awards), George Clooney (Academy Award winning actor), Helen Keller (who is considered one of the most widely admired people of the 20th Century), and the list goes on.
In 2004 Barbara Walters interviewed Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and asked them if having college professors as parents was the major factor behind their success. Page stated that more influential than having professorial parents was the fact that, “ We both went to Montessori school, and I think it was part of the training…being self-motivated, questioning what’s going on in the world, doing things a bit differently.”In the popular magazine Science, Angeline Lillard published a study comparing the educational achievement performance of low-income Milwaukee children who attended Montessori preschools versus children attending a variety of other traditional preschools determined by lottery. Lehrer found that by the end of kindergarten, “Montessori students proved to be significantly better prepared for elementary school in reading and math skills than the non-Montessori children. They also tested better on “executive function,” the ability to adapt to changing and more complex problems, an indicator of future school and life success.” What about Montessori at a high school level? Clark Montessori (a Cincinnati public Montessori school) provided these results of their 88 graduates in 2010: 100% graduation rate. 100% of the graduates went to college. 33% were first generation in their families to attend college, and 33% came from families in need of free or reduced lunches.
So yes, a Montessori education will prepare your child for the “real world” of 21 st Century employment. But here’s the added bonus; a Montessori education will also prepare your children for the “real world” of life, learning skills like how to:
• resolvve conflicts peacefully.
• build a relationship between themselves and their environment.
• remain curious and a life long learner.
• treat others with kindness and respect.
• be more interested in the joy of discovery than the value of a grade or paycheck.
- reflect and know how to celebrate their individuality while at the same time knowing how to sacrifice their own desires for the benefit of the whole.These values have deep roots in Montessori education, and it just so happens they are also what prepare us for how to live fully in the “real world” of life.
So, will a Montessori education prepare your child for the “real world?”
Yes it will.
- Jeff Groh http://newschoolmontessori.com/
Sunday, September 7, 2014
The Benefits of Montessori Schools
When our children are born, we have already decided that we will raise them in the best way we can. This responsibility, however, involves us making choices for them, and one of the most fundamental choices we make is that of their education. You may be at the stage when you are choosing a first school for your little one, or you have a child who is already in the school system, and is not fitting in, or is unhappy. Whatever stage you are at, before you make your choice, it is worth looking into the Montessori method. In the UK, most Montessori schools are pre-schools, with some elementary, but in the US, there are elementary schools as well as some high schools.
The founder of the Montessori method of teaching was a lady called Maria Montessori, the first woman in Italy to graduate in medicine from the University of Rome. She worked with mentally retarded children, then served in a variety of university teaching positions. In 1907, she opened the Casa dei Bambini, where she taught children of normal intelligence using her methods from her research in philosophy, child development and education. She spent most of her remaining life writing, lecturing and teaching about her methods.
The benefits of a Montessori education are numerous, and it is well worth visiting one to experience the atmosphere for yourself. The main goal of Montessori is to provide a stimulating, child oriented environment that children can explore, touch, and learn without fear. Each child learns at his or her own pace. Teachers are understanding and encouraging, so that the child can enjoy learning, and feel happy about her path and purpose in life. Here are some of the benefits:
All children, whatever their abilities or interests, reach their full potential. All children fit in, including children with learning disabilities. Many children learn best in different ways, and the equipment is designed for this. For example, one piece of equipment is the sand alphabet – the letters of the alphabet in sand on card. The child traces over the sand letter with her finger, and then writes the letter on paper. For all subjects there are items of interest to the child, however he learns best. For example, for geography, not only are there books, but globes, map puzzles, pictures, and animal figures (sensory items). There are also regular visits from people, pets, animals, and different activities depending on the topic at the time, eg. Chinese cooking, Italian food sampling.
Montessori schools teach independence from an early age. The children take an active part in running their school, like preparing and serving at the drinks break, and putting learning equipment away after they have used it. Practical tasks like sweeping, polishing, making sandwiches and tying shoe laces, are all available for children to learnon a daily basis.
Children are not expected to conform to set standards of achievement as in conventional schools. The Montessori method takes account of the needs, talents, gifts, and special individuality of each child. The children learn at their own pace, so they are not being constrained nor criticized for what they do. There is a total freedom to learn whiich makes the learning fun.
In a Montessori environment children are encouraged to respect and help each other. If they choose, they will work with other children, and help each other, or 'teach' each other, and they enjoy doing so. It is wonderful to watch children who really want to help each other.
The equipment available for learning is unique and designed by Maria Montessori. It is exceptionally good quality equipment, which means the children value it and treat it with care. The environment of a Montessori school is peaceful and facilitates learning. Because children are happy and learning at their own pace, discipline is not an issue.
The best way to find what Montessori schools are available in your area is to visit, for the UKwww.montessori.org.uk/schools.php and for the USAwww.amshq.org/schools.html
The founder of the Montessori method of teaching was a lady called Maria Montessori, the first woman in Italy to graduate in medicine from the University of Rome. She worked with mentally retarded children, then served in a variety of university teaching positions. In 1907, she opened the Casa dei Bambini, where she taught children of normal intelligence using her methods from her research in philosophy, child development and education. She spent most of her remaining life writing, lecturing and teaching about her methods.
The benefits of a Montessori education are numerous, and it is well worth visiting one to experience the atmosphere for yourself. The main goal of Montessori is to provide a stimulating, child oriented environment that children can explore, touch, and learn without fear. Each child learns at his or her own pace. Teachers are understanding and encouraging, so that the child can enjoy learning, and feel happy about her path and purpose in life. Here are some of the benefits:
All children, whatever their abilities or interests, reach their full potential. All children fit in, including children with learning disabilities. Many children learn best in different ways, and the equipment is designed for this. For example, one piece of equipment is the sand alphabet – the letters of the alphabet in sand on card. The child traces over the sand letter with her finger, and then writes the letter on paper. For all subjects there are items of interest to the child, however he learns best. For example, for geography, not only are there books, but globes, map puzzles, pictures, and animal figures (sensory items). There are also regular visits from people, pets, animals, and different activities depending on the topic at the time, eg. Chinese cooking, Italian food sampling.
Montessori schools teach independence from an early age. The children take an active part in running their school, like preparing and serving at the drinks break, and putting learning equipment away after they have used it. Practical tasks like sweeping, polishing, making sandwiches and tying shoe laces, are all available for children to learnon a daily basis.
Children are not expected to conform to set standards of achievement as in conventional schools. The Montessori method takes account of the needs, talents, gifts, and special individuality of each child. The children learn at their own pace, so they are not being constrained nor criticized for what they do. There is a total freedom to learn whiich makes the learning fun.
In a Montessori environment children are encouraged to respect and help each other. If they choose, they will work with other children, and help each other, or 'teach' each other, and they enjoy doing so. It is wonderful to watch children who really want to help each other.
The equipment available for learning is unique and designed by Maria Montessori. It is exceptionally good quality equipment, which means the children value it and treat it with care. The environment of a Montessori school is peaceful and facilitates learning. Because children are happy and learning at their own pace, discipline is not an issue.
The best way to find what Montessori schools are available in your area is to visit, for the UKwww.montessori.org.uk/schools.php and for the USAwww.amshq.org/schools.html
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