The month of November was full of sharing love and food with one another. We talked about who / what we are thankful for. It was wonderful to hear what the children were thankful for: mom, dad, friend’s names, the world, trees, food .. We are thankful to teach these pure little innocent minds.
I have recently observed how two pitchers of water can make a child feel incredibly happy. I have noticed the light in the child’s eyes and a smile on his face. For us, it is just a two pitchers of water and a sponge on a tray, but that is what a child need to satisfy his / her inner needs for that particular moment, it is part of the child’s developmental need. Our responsibility is to respect and offer support to fulfill their needs. This is just one of the many reasons why I am thankful for this wonderful Montessori philosophy and its methods. The child is not just pouring the water using two pitchers; the child is learning to focus, learning to practice the whole hand movements from left to right for next reading and writing. Also, the child is learning to be independent by concentrating on the work he has chosen, the child is practicing order by putting the lesson back to its place, the child is learning eye-hand coordination, and at the same, time he is enjoying what he is doing without any external pressure. All the lessons in a Montessori classroom have a valuable reason to help the child’s developmental need.
I have also added a new cloth washing lesson in our practical life area for more water exploration and to aide the children in learning to take care of their responsibilities.
“The child making use of all that he finds around him shapes himself for the future.”
Dr. Maria Montessori
It is our responsibility as teachers and parents to carefully set up the environment for our children.
December (Celebration of Light month) Events
Parent Teacher Conferences Dec 5 to Dec 9
Gumbo Limbo Bake Sale Dec 15 and Dec 16
Conch train Dec 21
Topic of the Month:
The Importance of Practical Life area in a Montessori Classroom.
Life of a human begins with respecting others, oneself and the environment he lives. He acquires these disciplines when he has confidence in himself and inner peace that has guided him through his life. Children will get self-confidence and a peaceful mind when they know how to take care of themselves and their surroundings. The children in the practical life area are doing the lessons to take care of oneself, others and the environment.
One of my favorite quotes from Dr.Maria Montessori is, “Hands are the instruments of man’s intelligence.” There is a significant connection between our hands and our mind, everything the hand does will register into our minds, and our hands will execute everything our mind says, this is what is happening in the Practical life area; little hands are always in action!
Four foundations of development occur in Practical Life are;
Order, Concentration, Coordination and Independence.
December Unit Study:
Living and Nonliving things
Who am I ? ( reintroducing the human body and skeleton)
Mammals
Body Image
Skeleton
Love Light and Peace,
Ms.Karthi and Ms.Marleny
