child will

Children and mealtime issues

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2014-01-19 12.02.45

“When the time came to eat, tiny children would occupy their time with properly arranging their napkins, with looking at their knives, forks, and spoons in an effort to remember the exact way to hold and use them, or in assisting a companion smaller than themselves.” (p.178, para. 2)

Thoughts after reading Part II: Repercussions on Physical Health

Maria reminds us that animals know when to eat and even an infant has their own rhythm and pace when eating. Over-eating may be caused by psychic issues, “The child is attracted by the sight of food, which is judged only by the external sense of taste. The instinct of self-deprivation, the vital exterior force is weakened or disappears.” (p. 178, para. 2) The child who become part of the food preparation process and focus on the proper use of utensils or setting place settings has increased their interest in eating beyond the flavor of food.

Another issue that arises is the child that refuse to eat. We want to feed and take care of children and if our child does not want what we make for them, we may get upset or disappointed. We tell our children not to waste food or encourage them eat faster. In response, children put up self-defense mechanism regarding mealtime they may include extremely slow eating or even refusal to eat at all. If other areas of their life are under extreme adult dictatorship, they may be more apt to punish the adult through their mealtime actions.

Montessori, M., & Costelloe, M. J. (1972). Introduction, Childhood: A Social -Problem. The secret of childhood (177-181). New York: Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1966)

 

Mastery of movement

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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.

The will of a child

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Montessori, M., & Costelloe, M. J. (1972). Introduction, Childhood: A Social -Problem. The secret of childhood (pp. 91-95). New York: Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1966)

Thoughts after reading PART 1: 14. The Substitution of the Personality

“The ability to move about under the guidance of reason and not simply in response to the sensible stimuli leads to concentration, and this fixation of the mind and activity upon a single object is a phenomenon of inner origin.” (p. 95, para. 2)

Children want to do what the adult is doing. They copy and imitate, even if they do not understand what they are imitating. Maria suggests that adults can impose their will on the child, acting through the child to accomplish tasks in the way the adult would want them accomplished. The better approach is to allow the child to develop their own will through inspiring them, instead of directing them.

If you have ever witnessed a Montessori teacher give a lesson, you will notice that she is very calm in her presentation and performs each motion in a purposeful manner at a pace that a child can easily begin practicing. Every little detail is shown to the child, from the grasp of a spoon to transferring the very last piece of grain. The goal of the teacher is to inspire the child to seek his own mastery of the skill, concentration, and self-discipline.

Many would expect that children are normally rambunctious and energetic; Montessori philosophy offers a different perspective. In Montessori classrooms, normalization of children comes about as a response to the classroom environment. Observers are often surprised at how quiet and serious the children seem when they are concentrating in the classroom. The normalized child is acting with their own will and self-driven inner discipline.