Order

Allowing children to help is essential

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“Even the littlest children are anxious to do something and are more anxious to exert themselves than those who are older. A good teacher will therefore look for some way in which even the tiniest child can be of help.” (p. 84, para. 2)

Thoughts after reading: 5. Education in Movement

Every child seeks to be useful and part of the community. The youngest ones are the most eager to help. We should not discourage their interest in helping us. Their desire can prove more useful than we can imagine and the benefit to their soul is tremendous. Given tasks of importance makes them work very hard to perform to perfection. The trick is to not guide them so directly that their independence is replaced with puppet strings. The other thing to remember is that a little task can mean a lot to a child. Tasks in which they can gain that internal reward of accomplishment are very important.

“Of itself movement is something unrefined, but its value increases when one attempts to perfect it…. When children experience pleasure not only from an activity leading towards a special goal but also in carrying it out exactly in all its details, they open up a whole new area of education for themselves.” (p. 85, para. 3)

I am in awe of my own children’s organization skills. Perhaps their own time spent amongst Montessori materials organizing and sorting succeeded in perfecting their own sense of order.

My youngest daughter put together packets of information for me at work. She organized each part of the packet, counted their parts to insure the right amount, and created a process of assembling. Even at the age of 10, she was excited and enthusiastic about helping. I allowed her to create her own process and allowed her to accomplish it on her own. I believe this contributed to her own feeling of success.

After the first day of school, my eight grade daughter came home and made a plan regarding what she we would need for each class and how many trips she would need to go to her locker. She plans ahead for assignment and sets goals for herself beyond what the assignment calls for. I never have to worry about her not finishing her work. Although I watch her progress, I can see that she does not need me to assist with her planning and her results of success are indeed her own and not mine.

Montessori, M. (1972). Education in Movement. In The discovery of the child (pp. 76-88) New York: Ballantine

Discovering the child

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“Because a child is constantly passing from a lower to higher state, his every passing minute is precious…. (H)e is fascinated by everything that contributes to his development and becomes indifferent to idle occupations. ” (p. 122, para. 4)

Thoughts after reading Part II: 19. Observations and Discoveries

Repetition of exercise, free choice, absence of toys, no rewards or punishments, silence activities, the dignity and self discipline of the child and early reading and writing are all mysteries encapsulated within the Montessori Method. When observers come into a Montessori classroom they are surprised by the order and the disciplined way that children carry out their task. Some ask “Where are the toys?” or “Why aren’t the children playing?”

In Maria’s classroom toys were available, but so were developmental materials. The toys were neglected and left un-chosen by the children in her classroom. Instead the children would seek activities that helped them grow and develop physically and mentally. Perhaps as adults we tend to put on children our own expectations of what activities children should enjoy. Given free choice to select what they want to do in a Montessori Classroom, allows the teacher to observe what the individual child is working on developmentally. These cues can give the teacher knowledge about the individual child to help guide them through their developmental journey.

The Montessori environment affected more than just the children. The dignity of the children transformed their families and homes. Children want to be part of the family, helping in the home. Their contributions help them feel valued and part of a community. The children from Maria’s Children’s House transformed their community. In spite of their poverty, “(b)roken pots began to disappear from the window sills. Window panes began to sparkle and geraniums began to blossom in the windows facing the courtyard (p. 129, para. 3).”

Montessori, M., & Costelloe, M. J. (1972). Introduction, Childhood: A Social -Problem. The secret of childhood (pp. 119-135). New York: Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1966)

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!