We want to fist share some pictures from Celebrate America Day and then get into the Montessori philosophy of practical life.
We want to express our deepest appreciation to all those who helped and contributed to making this day truly a success. Our classroom turned out beautiful, the activities and food were a hit, and we couldn’t have done it without your support. Thank you so very much!
The children loved traveling to different parts of the United States. They had fun, learned lots, and enjoyed delicious snacks related to that specific region. Here are a few pictures of the fun we had during Celebrate America Day.
Montessori Philosophy: Practical Life
“A child’s work is to create the man he will become. An adult works to perfect the environment but a child works to perfect himself.” ~Dr. Maria Montessori
In the Montessori classroom, there are several activities to help the child satisfy the need for meaningful activity which use the child’s natural inclinations as a point of reference. Maria Montessori used activities that are familiar to the children like buttons, brushes, dishes, pitchers, water, and many other things which the child recognizes from his home experience.
For young children, there is something special about tasks which an adult considers ordinary like washing dishes, and chopping fruits and vegetables. These tasks are exciting to the children because they are able to imitate adults. During the early years of development, children have the strongest urge to imitate adults.
Practical Life activities help to accomplish developmentally appropriate outcomes for the children. Carrying the water in a pitcher and pouring into a container helps with coordination. When given the task like washing tables, the child becomes absorbed in the activity which lengthens the span of concentration and helps them pay attention to details as they follow a sequence of actions. Then, when the task is complete, the child is learning good work habits as they finish each task and put away all the materials before beginning another activity.
Each task in practical life is very important to the Montessori program. Although they seem simple and commonplace, they are teaching the children much more. Children use practical life materials to perfect their coordination so they can work on more intricate academic materials when they are ready. Children must develop concentration and attention in order to learn. In Practical Life, the children are performing exercises to help them gradually lengthen the time in which they can focus on a specific activity.
Children are also encouraged to help with jobs in the classroom. They learn to scrub tables, dust, clean shelves, sweep, use a dustpan, greet guests appropriately, and take care of the class pet. Each of these activities can be accomplished by every child if they are given the chance to learn the proper steps. We encourage each family to allow their child to perform practical life type activities in their home in order to help with coordination, concentration, and fostering good work habits.
Below are some pictures of your children performing Practical Life activities:
Important Dates
November 8th: P4 Primary Performance @ 10 am in the Multipurpose Room
November 12-13: No School; Veterans Day and Teacher In-Service
November 15th: Picture Retake Day; Parent-Child Night (last names A-M 4:15-5:00, last names N-Z 5:00-5:45)
November 19th: Animal Tales Assembly
November 21-23: No School; Happy Thanksgiving
November 27th: Kindergarten only Field Trip to Red Rock
