preschool

Am I good?

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“Rewards and punishments, to speak frankly, are the desk of the soul, that is, a means of enslaving a child’s spirit, and better suited to provoke than to prevent deformities.” Maria Montessori

Students will ask for my judgement or approval regarding their art, appearance, and behavior. My goal is for students to develop the ability to look for themselves, making their own evaluation. So my response to their questioning is usually a return question such as:

What do you think?

Do you like the work you did?

Do you think you did good?

In regards to behavior, children are often hard on themselves. I may remind them of positive points to help them balance their own evaluation. If there is some thing in their behavior they see was disappointing I may say something to the effect of “We are all learning at school” and ask “What could you do next time?” A child seeing themselves as bad does not serve their progression. Why should they try if they always fail? They need to see that they can choose to learn new ways of acting in which they achieve the results they want for themselves. They need to experience the success of evaluating their own behavior, choosing a new behavior and feeling good about that choice. In regards to rewards, this is their internal reward from inside themselves, which surpasses any sticker or sweet treat.

Transformation of a child

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“Actually the normal child is one who is precociously intelligent, who has learned to overcome himself and to life in peace, and who prefers a disciplined task to futile idleness…..Man’s true nature lies hidden within himself. And this nature, which was given him at conception, must be recognized and allowed to grow.” (p. 148, para. 1)

Thoughts after reading Part II: 21. The pampered child

It is amazing to watch a classroom transform and become normalized. The first day of school may seem a bit chaotic as new children are added into the mix without previous Montessori experience; however, they will see the actions of the children who are used to the Montessori environment. The teacher will start introducing materials to the student, hoping with each lesson that the child will become interested and begin the transformation.

The normalization process is not just for a certain type of child. Each child has their own developmental obstacles. For a child the normalization process is easier without the distractions. Today’s children may be too involved video games, computer apps or other electronic devices. Some children may seem to fancy elaborate toys or fantasy play. Yet, the Montessori classroom is organized with materials that aid in a child’s self development. Lessons are meaningful and help the child build their own imagination with real knowledge as a foundation.

Montessori, M., & Costelloe, M. J. (1972). Introduction, Childhood: A Social -Problem. The secret of childhood (pp. 143-148). New York: Ballantine Books. (Original work published 1966)