Montessori, M., & Costelloe, M. J. (1972). Introduction, Childhood: A Social -Problem. The secret of childhood (pp. 96-99). New York: Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1966)

Thoughts after reading PART 1: 15. Movement

“A child has a natural desire to master the voluntary use of his organs of movement. If he fails to do so, he cannot externalize the fruit of his intelligence.” (p. 99, para. 1)

Every purposeful movement we make is connected to our mind. Our thoughts align with our movements. A child is working to master this connection between their mind and body. Maria emphasizes the importance of movement in the development of intelligence and reasoning abilities.

It is one thing to know how to do something, but quite another to have mastered the physical ability to perform the task. Some activities require a great deal of practice or even special muscle development. One may understand the mechanics behind performing a front flip; however, it is quite a different skill to perform the gymnastic feat.

In a Montessori classroom, children learn through movement. Many children have learn to care for their environment. Various lessons include the gathering of materials from the shelf to a work area. Many classrooms have a line for children to practice balancing on. In addition to gross motor movement, many of the classroom’s practical life exercises involve very precise movements developing fine motor skills, including the pincer grip in preparation for writing. When learning the sounds of the letters, children touch and trace each sound practicing the muscle movement associated with writing the letter.