In Montessori, we put a lot of emphasis on young children learning basic self-care skills. A big part of self-care is something we do every day, at least twice a day: brushing our teeth! This is a tricky one, though, because we want to teach independence while also ensuring that our children’s teeth are clean and cavity-free.
In Montessori, we love to explore how our language shapes our thinking, so we often explore the etymology of words. The word geography comes from the Greek geo, which means earth, and graphein, which means to write. So, geography can be understood as a description of the earth and all that occurs physically upon it.
Between mass media and family travel, young children are exposed to all sorts of language about our planet. They may hear phrases like “going around the world,” “as the world turns,” or “the other side of the world.” Young children absorb this information yet still need concrete experiences to help make sense of what “the world” even means!
Consider, as an adult, what it takes for you to do your best work. What must your environment look like? What do you need from others? What constraints do you need removed in order to meet your goals?
So much of what we do in our Montessori environments is with the goal of the child’s independence in mind. They may need our support sometimes, but children are capable of much more than many people realize.
In Montessori, we honor children’s movement, even from birth! One reason why we focus so much on movement for young children is that healthy movement development in the first two years of life can provide our children with considerable benefits in the years to come.
In Montessori, we talk a lot about independence. However, one of the lesser known or understood aspects of Montessori is that independence isn’t the end goal.
When you visit a Montessori school, you’ll likely hear the phrase “practical life.” We thought it might be helpful to provide a little more context so we can share why practical life is so important to what we do.
Using Montessori methods at home can be a terrific way to create a productive learning environment for your infant before school starts. Here are some pointers to help you and your child feel comfortable with — and prepared for — this transition.
The Montessori method teaches math to students in a way that keeps them engaged and helps them grasp its importance. They learn mathematical skills through the five senses in the sensorial section of a Montessori classroom where they acquire their first experience with numbers through shapes.
