Nurturing the Love of Learning: Montessori Education for the Preschool Years

An Introduction to Montessori Philosophy and Materials!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b0ihotkSbs

What is the difference between Montessori and kindergarten?

Montessori education is based on the belief that children are individuals with their own strengths, needs, likes and learning styles. To use the latest educational catch phrases, Montessori education is “multi-modality, differentiated instruction.”

In more everyday terms, Montessorians disagree with the idea that all children learn in the exact same way at the exact same time of their life. They believe that a good teacher doesn’t say, “It is the 4th day, of the 3rd month, of second grade, so open your math book to page 49 and…” Instead we observe each child and ask ourselves, “What does this child understand? What is the next concept this child needs to learn? In which way does this child learn? (Are they observers? Talkers? Someone who needs to physically experience things? Do colors make things more clear? How about singing a song about the concept, will that help this particular child learn?...) What things interest this child so that I can use his/her natural interests and abilities to teach this concept that they need to know?

To achieve this a Montessori classroom is not filled solely with text books, writing paper and pencils. Instead it is filled with many materials that teach a range of levels and concepts all set up so that at a moment's notice a teacher can reach for a material and teach a student or students the concept they need to know. Or students can reach for the same material and use it in the way that they were taught so that they can practice a concept that they are working on.

Obviously, a Montessori classroom will not look like a normal classroom. Rarely, if ever, will you find the whole class sitting with their books out looking at the teacher show them how to fill in a worksheet. Instead you will see children, some in groups, some by themselves, working on different concepts, and the teacher sitting with a small group of children, usually on the floor around a mat.

Some people talk about the lack of “structure” in a Montessori Classroom. They hear the word “freedom” and think “chaos” or “free for all”. They seem to think that if all children are not doing the exact same thing at the exact same time that they can’t possibly be working, or that they will be working only on the things that they want and their education will be lopsided. Yet, if the teacher is organized this does not happen. Children will be given a work plan or a contract and will need to complete an array of educational activities just like in a more traditional classroom. The main difference being that the activities will be at each child’s “maximum plane of development”, will be presented and practiced in a way that the child understands, and the child will have the freedom to choose which he/she does first.

Other people talk about Montessori children being able to do whatever they want. This is a misunderstanding of the word "choice" Montessori children do have the choice as to which they do first, reading or math. They do have the choice as to which material they will use to complete the lesson, but playing all day, only working in one area, hurting children, themselves or the environment are NEVER choices. Either are eating candy all day, or and so on (All things people have posed in the past about Montessori schools.)

In the past few years there have been more and more studies published comparing Montessori Education and traditional education. Contrary to what some people state, Montessori children DO NOT have problems in social situations, in fact, ALL studies show just the opposite, Montessori children are ahead of their peers when it comes to social interactions.

The most comprehensive longitude research on Montessori Education in comparison to traditional education was published last year by a psychology professor at the University of Virginia, Dr. Angeline Lillard.. Her recent article was so well researched and documented, that it is the only educational article ever to be published in a scientific magazine.

Her findings and other studies’ report that Montessori students have:

*more interest in learning,
*more self disciplined
* have a greater understanding of truth and fairness
*more creativity, especially in their writing
*are more independence
*a better understanding of concepts from grammar and story structure to mathematical operations, algebra and geometry
*have a deep understanding of and how geography, history, social studies, and science are all related.

For more information check out Angeline Lillard Ph.D's book Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius

Source(s):

16 years setting up Montessori schools around the world
author of the website montessorianswers.com

Benefits Of Montessori

Benefits Of Montessori 

Some of the many reasons why Montessori is right for your child.

Everybody knows that Montessori is a great way to educate children, but not everyone understands the benefits in detail. Here are some of the many reasons why Montessori is right for your child:

Your child learns at his own rate. He is neither held back nor pushed forward according to the learning rates of other students. In a traditional classroom, all the children are learning the same thing and moving through the curriculum at the same rate. We know that each child has different abilities and interest. Some are good at math, while others excel in language and so on. They all have different interests as well. Since children are so different, it is unrealistic to expect that they will learn at the same rate. Because of the repetition that Maria Montessori built into her system, a child is allowed to work on something until she masters it. Since they don’t move on to the next skill until they have they mastered the present one, there are never any gaps in their education. That means there is never any need for remedial education.

Your child learns how to focus and concentrate. One of Maria Montessori’s goals was to teach children how to concentrate. This is one of the foundation skills for learning, and one that is largely ignored in traditional school systems. A Montessori day is structured so that a child’s focus is never interrupted by having to move on to the next lesson before finishing the current one.

Montessori accommodates all learning styles. This is important because some children are vis- ual learners, some are auditory learners, some learn through body movement and feeling, and some use a combination of several learning avenues. Montessori teachers are trained to use all the senses; the use of the didactic materials reinforces this.

Your child will master the important life skill of being a self-directed learner.

Montessori’s aim is to nurture the inner motivation of the child while allowing the opportunity for the fullest possible exploration of his or her interests. This nurture of learning begins as soon as a child enters the scientifically designed classrooms. You will often hear the phrase “prepared environ- ment,” because the classrooms are so carefully designed to ensure the child has the freedom to learn. This freedom to explore and choose areas of interest will carry over into a willingness to ex- plore areas that may not otherwise appeal to a child being “force-fed” information in a traditional school setting.

The prepared environment of a Montessori classroom helps children learn to think for themselves at a rate determined by the Director. A young child new to Montessori may be given more direction at first, but as children grow in confidence and experience they are allowed to make more decisions for themselves.

Your child will achieve independence by learning how to take care of herself—her body, her be- longings and her environment. Montessori understands that at the heart of every child is a healthy drive toward independence. Independence is important because it is directly related to high self es- teem, competence and cooperation. Therefore, every aspect of the Montessori classroom has been designed with the goal of an independent child in mind. Every feature and piece of equipment in the classroom is fully accessible to the child, so they don’t have to constantly ask for help getting things. Tools, like the broom, are of a size they can handle easily, and children are free to choose their own work. Finally, the Montessori Director is trained to encourage independence by allowing the children to do things for themselves as soon as they are capable. For example, if they are learning to tie their shoes, the Director will ensure that are not rushed or interfered with.

A Montessori classroom is a place where children learn order. This provides the sense of secu- rity and comfort they need to become self-directed. Everyone, including children, prefers order to chaos because it is easier to function in an orderly workplace. Order helps children become inde- pendent because they can always find the work materials they are going to use next without help.

By being taught to maintain this order, your child will be learning awareness for others and the fact that you have to take care of the things that are shared—which is the basis of cooperation. The or- der of a Montessori classroom is also present in the routines that exist. The children enter the class- room (which has been set up so that everything is meticulously in its place), hang up their coats and other belongings, greet the Director, and get straight to work. And every aspect of this routine has been patiently presented to them. There is also order within the materials themselves: every tray or piece of material on a shelf is always in its proper place and ready to be used. While at work, dis- ruptions are kept to a minimum so children can focus on the task at hand. All of this is why anyone observing a Montessori classroom sees a well-ordered, calm and functional environment that is per- fectly set up for learning.

The classroom and the materials are designed and displayed in a way that helps your child learn how to cooperate with others in their use and have respect for the needs of others as well as the use of the materials. The social goals of helping children learn how to get along with each other, respect each other and cooperate are an important component of the Montessori approach to learning. There is only one Pink Tower in the classroom, for example. Having to share materials helps pro- mote cooperation and patience. Having to walk carefully around each child’s mat (on which the work is done) teaches respect for others all day long. In addition, Montessori also includes struc- tured lessons on grace and courtesy so that the child learns important social skills such as how to greet and introduce people; how to ask for something properly; and even mundane graces such as how to sneeze, cough and yawn politely (it’s fun to watch all the children blowing their noses a lot the day they learn how to do it properly).

Your child will be treated with respect and dignity in a Montessori classroom. In Montessori the child is always working on the adult he is going to become. Montessori recognizes that children de- serve and need to be treated with the same respect that we treat adults. Although they are relatively inexperienced, as a parent you must recognize that the way to help them learn is by not criticizing “failure”,” but rather by recognizing the incident as an opportunity to learn what went wrong, and helping the child find his or her path to a proper solution. This concentration on raising the child’s self esteem, coupled with a focus on the rights of others, develops the child’s entire being in a posi- tive way, and helps the child to learn to respect the rights of others as well.

A multi-disciplinary approach is taken in regard to your child’s interests. If your child were inter- ested in dinosaurs, for example, this interest would be explored throughout the curriculum. She would be encouraged to read about dinosaurs to learn language skills; study the measurements of dinosaurs to understand match concepts; and depict dinosaurs when doing art lessons. Her interest in dinosaurs could even be used to facilitate lessons in history and geography. Montessori recog- nizes that when a child’s interests are involved, any subject becomes fascinating.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of a Montessori education is that It teaches children how to learn in- stead of just what to learn. It instills in them a life-long love of learning, which prepares them to successfully go in any direction their skills and interests may take them.

“Your child will achieve independence by learning how to take care of himself, and his belongings. Independence is important because it is directly related to high self esteem and cooperation.”

Answers to Some Frequently Asked Questions About Montessori

Is Montessori for every child?

The short answer is yes—there is no child who would not benefit from a Montessori education. First of all, every child wants to learn but each is unique in areas of interest and rate of learning. Montes- sori addresses this uniqueness because it is an individual program tailored to the strengths and challenges of each student. One child may spend two days learning multiplication while another may require two weeks or even two months. A trained scientist, Maria Montessori spent a lot of time observing exactly how and why children learn. She understood that all children, whether they have strengths or challenges in particular areas of learning, need their own time to master it. They don’t need to be constantly worried about being “ahead” or “behind” anyone else. Every Montessori school is the living legacy of this educational breakthrough. Montessori works for every child no matter who they are or where they come from.

Why doesn’t Montessori grade student?

Grades (letters or percentages) focus strictly on results and are only a measure of what a student knows at that particular moment in time. Grades become the end itself. What is worse, they can distract the child from the natural enjoyment of learning and developing true enthusiasm for a sub- ject that can last a lifetime, not just until the end of the test. Instead of grades, Montessori provides informative and descriptive reports on what your child’s focus of interest has been and how he or she is progressing. Montessori children repeat activities or correct mistakes until they gain compe- tency. When students make th transition to other schools that do testing, they usually test well and perform a grade level or two above their peers.

Why does Montessori have mixed-age groups in each class (i.e., three-year age groups: 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, and so on)? 

Maria Montessori discovered that putting older and younger children together helps them learn from and teach each other. This is good for the older children because they can be useful and helpful to the younger ones, which not only reinforces what they have learned but enhances their self-esteem as well. The younger children in turn have role models to follow and are integrated into the class- room by these helpful older children. If you think about it, every normal community has a mixed grouping of ages.

What does polishing a mirror and washing a table have to do with education?

One unique aspect of a Montessori classroom is the Practical Life area. Through repetitive, hands- on and very purposeful activities, the child learns to do things for herself. At the same time, indirect learning beyond polishing a mirror, using tweezers, folding laundry or opening and closing bottles is occurring. The children learn concentration, coordination, manual dexterity, order and independ- ence. Far from being trivial, these skills form the necessary foundation for all future learning as they stir important areas of the brain. In addition, children are interested in learning real things in the real world, which accounts for the tremendous popularity of these exercises. As Maria Montessori once said: “Children don’t play, they work.”

What makes a Montessori teacher different?

In the simplest terms, a Montessori Director teaches individually. Picture a traditional classroom: the teacher stands at the front of a classroom in which the students are all sitting in rigid rows of desks, all receiving the same lesson at the same time. This is the factory approach that is conven- ient for school systems, but not conducive for learning. In the traditional school environment, the

child is treated as an empty vessel, with information poured in at the same rate to all children un- til the bell rings.

In a Montessori classroom your child is taught individually or in small groups. This allows the teacher to get immediate feedback and to be sensitive to how well the child is absorbing the les- son and what questions or needs the child has. Simply put, there is nothing that works so well in education as individual attention. This focus on your child’s needs in heightened by the fact that each Montessori teacher has been trained in the science of observing children. They spend time every date observing the class: how it is functioning as a whole and how the children are pro- gressing with their work. They have also been trained on how to each using the Montessori ma- terials, all of which have been scientifically designed to enhance the learning experience.

In fact, the word “teacher” is not always used in a Montessori classroom. A teacher is someone who knows something and gives it to you. A Montessori teacher is often called a Director or a Guide, because what they do is direct the child toward what he needs to teach himself. The child does this by using the specially designed materials. The Montessori Director has been trained to observe your child and to determine his or her level of development, and what guidance the child needs to oprogress to the next level.

If my child has a Montessori education, can he go into another kind of education program that is not Montessori based? Because Montessori does such an excellent job at creating a love for learning, as well as the ability to focus, concentrate, cooperate with others and work independently, Montessori children thrive in any school, work or social situation.

Can my child stay in a Montessori school until post secondary, or should she transfer to traditional school at some point? One of the most enduring misconception about Montessori is that it is only for young children. In fact, research has shown that Montessori students consistently outperform those from traditional schools in social, moral, cognitive and emotional levels throughout their entire school life. A re- cent study, A Comparison of Montessori and traditional Middle Schools: Motivation, Quality of Experience, and Social Context, by Kevin Rathunde, had this to say about older Montessori stu- dents:

“Results [of the study] showed that Montessori students reported a singularly better quality of ex- perience in academic work than the traditional students. There were strong differences suggest- ing that Montessori students were feeling more active, strong, excited, happy, relaxed, sociable and proud while engaged in academic work. They were also enjoying themselves more, were more interested in what they were doing, and wanted to be doing academic work more than the traditional students.”

The study concluded that the primary experience of the traditional students was what famed edu- cator John Dewey called “drudgery” while the Montessori students were more intrinsically moti- vated. In other words, they want to do academic work, so they don’t have to be driven to it by threats or rewards (extrinsic motivation).

Many successful people who were educated in the Montessori system will tell you that Montes- sori is based on the concept that an individual must tap into the inner motivation of a child in or- der to be truly successful.

Montessori utilizes and nurtures the natural desire in all children to learn and reach their full po-

tential, providing the foundation for future growth. Montessori graduates range from the founders of Google, Amazon.com, the youngest Rhodes scholar, to the youngest artist to every exhibit at the United Nations. There are hundreds of thousands of Montessori graduates whom you may have never hear or read about, who are successfully well-adjusted and meeting the goals they have set for themselves.

Montessori’s understanding of how and why children learn allows the classroom to create an excel- lent foundation for a young child that opens educational doors instead of closing them. For the very same reasons that Montessori benefits younger children, older students continue to benefit from a Montessori education. Montessori, like life itself recognized the need for change at every level of life and adapts to the student’s changing needs and challenges.

Ages and Stages in Montessori 0-6 years

Parents and teachers are the guardians of the future of humanity. As we live our lives in the presence of children, from birth until they become adults, we are constantly teaching by our own behavior. Sometimes we start to think that “education” refers to only the learning of math, language, sciences, and arts, but this is a very narrow view of what we are teaching. We are presenting to our children the meaning of life, the care of the self and of others, patterns of love, forgiveness and understanding, or suspicion and despair.

Thank goodness each child was born with an inner guide and wisdom, and all the tools to use whatever is found in the environment to create a self-fulfilled individual. Because of this, we adults do not have to be perfect. We can create a marvelous environment, learn to observe and interpret our child’s behavior to discover his or her needs, and get out of the way!

This is no easy task, but it is possible. When human communities were small, parenting information from friends and family was readily available, and teachers and parents were in close contact. Today all this has changed. Parenting and teaching are possibly the most important and most difficult professions on earth.

One of the most important attitudes in learning to observe is to see each child as a new being each day, forgetting the past and seeing only the potential of greatness. This is also the best way to look at ourselves, parents and teachers, at the beginning of each new day. It is a lot to ask of the adult to provide everything a child needs and we believe that some time should be allotted, perhaps at the beginning of each day, to get mentally prepared for the task by praying, meditating, taking a walk. Then one is better able to take a deep breath and face the day with a feeling of being new and in the present moment. If we can balance ourselves, our other relationships and friendships with other adults and children will be more enjoyable.

We are all parents, grandparents, teachers, and children’s advocates because we care about others. No matter how much we try to be perfect, we must learn to be easy on ourselves, to not waste time wishing we ‘”had only known earlier,” but must learn to laugh, to pick up the pieces, and to begin again. We hope you continue to learn, to enjoy your roles as parents and teachers, and to share your wisdom and experiences with others.

Age 0 to 6

At this age, children imitate. They literally absorb life around them. We can never be too kind, too respectful, too wise, to be their role models. When they are not with us, we must have the highest standard of expectation for any adults with whom they spend time.

The 3 to 6 environment is not called a school, but a Casa dei Bambini, or House of Children. It is very different from the traditional preschool. In order to create an authentic Casa dei Bambini, it is helpful to imagine that you are welcoming adult friends into your own inviting, comfortable, enjoyable home. Would you have everyone sit on a line and put their hands in their lap and close their mouths? Or would you have specially prepared interesting activities, perhaps some food, and welcome each person with a personal greeting, inviting her to make herself at home? Would you line up chairs and tables, labeling where your guests were to sit? Or would you arrange the home with paintings, comfortable chairs, plants, soft music? If a guest in your home appeared at loose ends, would you tell him to get to work, or would you have a private conversation with him and offer some interesting activity? When your guests were all settled in and having a lovely time, would you interrupt them and tell them to come and sit in a circle because what you have

to show them is more important than anything they might be doing? What if your guests were tired or hungry?

In the 3 to 6 class, the Casa dei Bambini, each child is welcomed with a “good morning” and a handshake, then looks around and finds something interesting to do. He is treated with respect and not coerced. A Montessori 3 to 6 environment is called a house of children because children are free to choose their tasks, ideally both inside and outside in the fresh air. If they are tired or hungry, they have been shown where to rest, or how to serve themselves a snack, cleaning up after themselves. They are invited, but never required, to carry out certain tasks. The adult observes and strives to meet the child’s physical, mental, and emotional needs. Once a child has been attracted to and has begun to concentrate on a bit of work, the adult respects this choice and concentration and does not interrupt. This is an explanation of a small part of the Montessori philosophy in the school, which, combined with parenting skills, can be adapted to the home, with practice and support. At this age, we give the child, who is voraciously devouring experiences, the basic elements of all future studies—biology, art, geography, geometry, math, music, and language. These are given through individual lessons on the use, by the individual child, of the materials. 

How to Use a Bucket of Rice to Strengthen Hands & Fingers

This might be a good exercise for children.

How to Use a Bucket of Rice to Strengthen Hands & Fingers

Sep 10, 2011 | By Charles Gosden

Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

You use your hands and fingers for basic everyday functions such as grasping and holding items, scaling surfaces and even sending signals. To perform properly, the muscles in your hands and fingers need to be strengthened just like any other muscles. You can strength-train the muscles in your hands and fingers in many ways, including the use of grips. Another way to strengthen your hands and fingers is to use a bucket of rice.

Step 1

Obtain several pounds of uncooked rice and a bucket or container capable of holding that much rice when filled about halfway. You should have enough space to immerse both hands in the rice without spilling any over the sides. The rice can be of any variety.

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Step 2

Pour the rice into the bucket or large container. Sit in a chair and totally submerge both of your hands in the rice. Make sure you are seated in a comfortable position that does not place stress on your lower back.

Step 3

Grab a handful of rice and twist and turn your hands at the wrists, working the muscles in your hands and fingers. Continue grasping and releasing handfuls of rice while twisting and turning your hands for at least five minutes.

Step 4

Repeat the exercise as often as desired, but do not push yourself to the point of straining the muscles or tendons of your hands or fingers. Stop immediately if you feel pain. If pain persists, consult a physician.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/540976-how-to-use-a-bucket-of-rice-to-strengthen-hands-fingers/#ixzz2DLBLcg7M

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 heading. 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 organ- ized 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 blos- som 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 entranceway 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, de- velop 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 of 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 activi- ties 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 dull 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.