Early Childhood

Purposeful hands

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Montessori, M., & Costelloe, M. J. (1972). Introduction, Childhood: A Social-Problem. The secret of childhood (pp. 80-87). New York: Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1966)

Thoughts after reading PART 1: 12. The Hand

“Sometimes very small children in a proper environment develop a skill and exactness in their work that can only surprise us.” (p. 87, para 2)

Children want to touch things. Use of their hands is an important development, essential for human life. Maria reminds us how we use hands to express ourselves, ceremoniously, and for essential human activity. In spite of their importance, many children are told repetitively not to touch certain items and to keep their hands to themselves.

Children are interested in doing what they see the adults doing. They want to be part of their family and participate as others do. Work that may seem mundane to an adult, can be very meaningful to child. Sometimes as parents it is so easy to jump in and do a task quickly, even though the child wants to help. Allowing them the opportunity to carry, to pour, to fold, to wash, or to sweep gives them purpose.

A Montessori classroom provides an environment for which controlled movements can be perfected. You will find that many Montessori students love to help in the kitchen, as they have practiced pouring and cutting exercises at school. A parent may look at a Montessori classroom and ask where the toys are; however, one may not understand that the child finds joy in an environment that they can take care of and which allows them to practice activities they want to do.

Walking in the child’s shoes

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Montessori, M., & Costelloe, M. J. (1972). Introduction, Childhood: A Social -Problem. The secret of childhood (pp. 76-79). New York: Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1966)

Thoughts after reading PART 1: 11. Obstacles to Growth, Walking

“An adult walks to reach some external goal and he consequently heads straight for it…. An infant, on the other hand, walks to perfect his own proper functions, and consequently his goal is something creative within himself.” (p. 78, para 2)

Children need to be able to walk on their own at their own pace, practicing and perfecting their newly learned skill and developing balance.  As a adults, it is easy to make accommodations to insure that our child can keep up with our pace.  Although this is more convenient, the child could achieve so much more if we would allow them the opportunity to walk at their own pace, resting when they need to rest and exploring as they desire.  Caging up our children or securing them in strollers may protect them; however, they need to be able to develop.

Both of my children were early walkers.  At 9 months old, my children were already breaking free from limited movement and searching to explore their surroundings by foot.  This can be a scary time for parents, it was for me!  The child can reach more things, get into more things and move faster than a crawl!  As they improve their skill they get harder to keep up with!  Still they are still light enough to swoop into your protective arms and easy to fit into a stroller. We want so much for them to be safe from danger.

We don’t want to teach our children to be helpless, when they need to be developing muscle movement and balance.  Every day our Toddlers in our Toddler program go for a walk with their teachers.  The walk is not at the teacher’s pace, but at children’s pace.  They get to pause and look at the ducks in the creek.  If they see something interesting they can show their teacher and friends.  The goal is not to get from point A to point B, it is for the child to practice movement, balance and enjoy the journey.  As a parent, you can look at the walk through your own child’s eyes.  Slow down, enjoy the journey.  These precious moments go by so quickly and you can see wondrous things if you take the time to follow the child.

Forced napping, an obstacle to growth

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Montessori, M., & Costelloe, M. J. (1972). Introduction, Childhood: A Social -Problem. The secret of childhood (pp. 71-75). New York: Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1966)

Thoughts after reading PART 1: 10. Obstacles to Growth, Sleep

“(I)f a child is so alert and so quick to observe, he is not a “sleeper” by his very nature. He has need of, and certainly should get, a normal amount of sleep, but it is necessary to distinguish between what is suitable and what is artificially induced.” (p. 73, para 3)

I have worked at schools, where the success of the nap-room teacher was dependent on getting ALL students to sleep. At these schools, the teacher could tire themselves by singing, rubbing backs, hushing and so on. Yet, undoubtedly there are some students that are not tired. Perhaps they go to bed earlier at home or maybe they just don’t need the nap. So why do we force them to sleep? Ratios of sleeping children are higher.

I am so glad that when I am asked about naptime routines at our Montessori school, I can say that napping depends on the child and the parental preference. At our school we do not force sleeping; however, children of a certain age are asked if they would like to rest. It is amazing to peer into the classrooms and see children sleeping, while the rest of the class is working quietly around them.

Maria Montessori warns parents and caretakers about making our children sleep more than they should. Yes, of course children should sleep but should not be forced to sleep when they are not tired. We should help the child recognize when they are tired and provide them with sleeping areas that are easily accessible to them and comfortable. Nap-time should not be enforced merely as a convenience to the adult.

Solving a puzzle

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Montessori, M., & Costelloe, M. J. (1972). Introduction, Childhood: A Social -Problem. The secret of childhood (pp. 60-70). New York: Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1966)
Thoughts after reading PART I: 9. Intelligence

“We should try to understand there is an intelligent reason behind a child’s activities. He does nothing without reason, some motive.” (p. 68, para 2)

Montessori reminds adults that children are very intelligent and are working on developing their intellect in various ways depending on their age. As adults we are easily blinded by our own assumptions. We think we know what children want and often distract them from their own observations to point out obvious things to them and not considering the child’s own developmental needs.

Perhaps we should try to learn more from our children. Instead of placing our own opinions and ideas in their heads, we should seek to understand their ideas. Figuring out a child’s joy, frustration, curiosities, and interests is like solving a complex puzzle. You may be surprised to discover how great their intelligence is and amazed at how they assimilate information if they are allowed uninterrupted time to gather and organize their thoughts and ideas.

In the Montessori classroom work time for the child is sacred and uninterrupted. They are given a rich environment in which they can explore and gather knowledge and ideas. The teacher is a guide whom introduces children to the environment in a way that builds curiosity and invites children to discover and explore on their own.

 

Missed opportunities in development

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Montessori, M., & Costelloe, M. J. (1972). Introduction, Childhood: A Social -Problem. The secret of childhood (pp. 37-48). New York: Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1966)

Thoughts after reading PART I: 7. Psychic Development

“Slight errors at the beginning can cause the greatest deviations in later life.  A man can grow and reach maturity within a spiritual environment that is really not his own.  He lives shut out from the paradise that should have been his.” (p. 47-48, para. 4)

Certain times in a child’s life are optimal for experiencing and learning various skills or behaviors. If this moment is missed it may be harder to learn later or could be lost all together. The child has an innate desire to meet these needs and if they are not met, it can cause the child a great deal of distress.

As parents, we can get very frustrated when children through tantrums; however, Montessori explains that these tantrums are often signs of an unsatisfied need, a response to alarm, or even disorder. It is essential for us to look deeper into the root cause of the child’s distress. It is easy to demand quiet or calm, but even if the child submits to the adult’s request, their issue remains unresolved. If we discover the root of it, we are better able to understand the child and help promote peace within the child’s soul.

We should approach the child as a scientist, looking for what it is the child is seeking and help them along their journey of growth, nurturing their psychic development by providing them with an environment that can help them on their developmental journey.

Importance of order for the young child

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IMG_7032[1]Montessori, M., & Costelloe, M. J. (1972). Introduction, Childhood: A Social -Problem. The secret of childhood (pp. 49-59). New York: Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1966)

Thoughts after reading PART I: 8. Order

“In passing from nothing to that which will be the first principles of one’s future life, a child must make tremendous efforts.  He is so near to the very founts of life that he acts for the sake of acting.  This is the way of creation, of which we have neither knowledge nor remembrances.”

We have to be very careful when projecting our own motivations and perceptions on a child. Maria reminds us that as adults we have had many life experience which has given us in indifference towards order; whereas, as child will look for things to be where they expect them to be based on their limited experiences.

The perfect example is the hiding game. I remember playing with my own children, whom always want to hide in the same place. For the young child, the game is not about the “seeking” it is about “hiding.” The child is testing and gathering information about their environment. They are trying to make sense of the world that surrounds them, working to develop trust and knowledge they can depend on.

In the toddler room at our school, the teachers are very careful to not introduce things into the environment that would disturb their senses. Observers may only peek through the windows. Before school and afterschool exist in the same area. Every day the routine is very established and the children expect what is going to happen.

Everyday the toddler class takes a walk and when they return, I am thrilled when they wave at me.  When I first started working there, I could see the disappointment on their faces as they looked for my predecessor.  Today, I know that I have become part of their expanding world and they are happy to see me!

Mysterious force within a child

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Montessori, M., & Costelloe, M. J. (1972). Introduction, Childhood: A Social -Problem. The secret of childhood (pp. 29-36). New York: Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1966)

Thoughts after reading Part I: 6 The spiritual embryo: The incarnation

“The very fact that a child is not subject to fixed and predetermined guiding instincts is an indication of its innate liberty and freedom of action.” (p.31, para. 2)

Montessori looks at education at the importance of psychic development.  She explains a “mysterious force” which drives moves the body, helping the baby grow in many developmental areas.   Because of the special way in which human children develop, it is essential to provide them with an environment that will nurture their spirit as well as their physical development.

After my second daughter was born I was working at a Montessori school and was began studying Montessori Philosophy.  I tried to incorporate what I was learning into my parenting. Both of my children benefitted from being able to explore their environment in a less restrictive way. The result for my youngest daughter was toilet training at a very young age, as well as walking very early. Both children became very independent and enjoyed doing a lot of things for themselves.  Allowing them freedom to explore nurtured their spirit. This trait is still very present in both of their characters today.

Humanity depends on the child!

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Montessori, M., & Costelloe, M. J. (1972). Introduction, Childhood: A Social Problem. The secret of childhood (pp. 1-5). New York: Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1966)

Thoughts after reading INTRODUCTION: CHILDHOOD: A SOCIAL PROBLEM

“(C)hildhood constitutes the most important element in an adult’s life, for it is in his early years that a man is made.” (p. 4, para 4)

What is life like for our children today? How do we subject our children to our adult world?  How do they fit into our society? What kind of adults will our children become?  How will the future of our world evolve in their hands?

As an adult, it is easy to get caught up in your own activities.  When I am stressed because of finances or my own hectic schedule, it is harder for me to find the time to spend with my own children.  Recently, I made adjustments in my life to be able to enjoy my time with them more.  It remains a challenge not to add more onto my plate, because my own ambitions continually grow.

I want my children to feel like they belong in our home, and that their needs, emotional and physical, are met. So much of who my children become will be dependent of their childhood experiences.

Maria had a vision involving the importance of the child.  She did not see the “improved status” of children during her time to be enough. Ultimately the whole fate of humanity depends on the child!