Last month I wrote about the importance of developing the spirit of giving within the child. This month is the second part of that article. “Being in the moment” with children means paying attention to what is going on with the children in your life. Not just being aware of what they are doing but interacting with them through conversations and doing things with them. We need to convey that we are interested in what they have to say, and that their feelings matter to us.
This is my favorite time of year, the months of November and December when we traditionally celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. I love these months because it is family time! We plan meals and celebrate the season with our loved ones. I enjoy setting the table with all my holiday center pieces and preparing rich delicious food for everyone to enjoy. It is the time to discuss with our children all the things that we are thankful for. Of course, that really is a discussion that can be had any time of the year. As teachers, parents and grandparents we should strive to cultivate a spirituality within the child. When I speak of spirituality I am focusing on an energy within each individual which creates meaning in their life. We need to create opportunities to assist the children in developing a meaningful life where they contribute positively to others. Our goal is for children to not always think of themselves but others first.
Music is a universal language! Music can change a person’s mood, it can calm and it can energize. Who hasn’t exercised to some type of music or relaxed listening to their favorite tunes? Children are the same, they love music. Maria Montessori knew the importance of music in the life of a child, “…There should be music in the child’s environment, just as there does exist in the child’s environment spoken speech. In the social environment the child should be considered and music should be provided.”
It is unbelievable but true….a new school year begins this month! This can be a time of excitement and sometimes anxiety for children and Montessori guides. I have always loved setting up the classroom for the start of a new school year! Many years ago, I started the practice of inviting other Montessori educators on our staff to come and look at the layout of my classroom and then I would ask, “How can I make it better?” It is a joy to watch passionate staff members sharing their ideas and assisting each other with creating the perfect environment for our beautiful children.
A few months ago, I wrote an article on the outdoor environment and its importance in the life of a child. In the article I highlighted how the Montessori cultural studies introduce the young child to the scientific subjects of Botany and Zoology through the study of plants and animals. The Montessori materials set a wonderful foundation for the development of the child’s scientific mind! Maria Montessori stated, “Through machinery, man can exert tremendous powers almost as fantastic as if he were the hero of a fairy tale. Through machinery, man can travel with an ever-increasing velocity; he can fly through the air and go beneath the surface of the ocean.”
After reading that quote, I thought why not introduce children to simple machines and how they are used in our world?
As an educator of young children, a parent and now a grandparent, there is one major truth I have found in the understanding of children’s needs and that is the need to enjoy and explore the outdoors! You only need to be with a child for a few minutes outdoors to witness the “joy” and “exuberance” they exhibit as soon as they are allowed freedom in an outdoor environment. The movements of hopping, skipping, jumping and running that is allowed in an outdoor setting is freeing to the child and is important to their physical development! So many times we limit children to a short playground time that is 30 minutes or less in an area that has little to do with nature. What has now become the norm is cushioned artificial turf with steel or plastic playground equipment, which is covered with a canvas awning. Yes, this is an outdoor environment that allows some fresh air and climbing skills, which are important but….what about the elements of nature?
This is the time of year when parents of our four- and five-year-old children are trying to make the decision of staying in a Montessori classroom for their child’s kindergarten year or transitioning to public school kindergarten. This is a question that my husband and I debated with our first child. If you decide to send your child to a traditional kindergarten class, it will be like receiving a raise in your income. No more school tuition! This decision is many times based on the budget of our households, but it is a decision that needs to be based on far more than money…
I have always loved learning new things whether it is sewing, riding a motorcycle, painting a picture, playing an instrument or decorating a cake! Children are the same as we are; they enjoy learning through “doing” rather than sitting in a desk or at a table listening to a long lecture. It is the process of engaging in something meaningful and new that children find contentment and a joy of learning.
The year 2019 is progressing quickly, as the saying goes, “The years are flying by!” January and its resolutions of creating a productive and wonderful year has quickly led us into February which is considered the month of love. This is the month we celebrate Valentine’s Day and give those we love cards, flowers and small gifts. As individuals practicing the Montessori Method, there is a lot to love! We receive the love of the children, who so openly and whole heartedly express their love to the adults in their life with their smiles and hugs. There is love of the families, whom we get to know and establish relationships with as we strive together to form a small loving community. There is the love of our beautiful environment, together with this method, that leads the children to develop physically and intellectually, to become their best selves! “Joy, feeling one's own value, being appreciated and loved by others, feeling useful and capable of production are all factors of enormous value for the human soul.” -Maria Montessori
January is a very special month in a Montessori classroom. It is the month after a Christmas break from school, visits from relatives, gifts, and generally a lot of excitement in the home and classroom. The first month of the year is a time when the majority of children are ready to get back to the task of building themselves through concentration of works they are interested in. “As soon as children find something that interests them they lose their instability and learn to concentrate.” (Maria Montessori) I love this quote! I want the child to have the ability to concentrate and enjoy learning and it is simply through my knowledge of their interests and abilities that I can help the child in his progress of building himself.
