Materials:
Wooden box, rough and smooth shells, rough and smooth label cards, tray.
Work Surface:
Rug
Presentation:
1. Invite child
2. Wash and dry your hands
3. Go to shelf and bring material
4. Open box and place on bottom of your subdominant side
5. With dominant hand take out shells from the box, one by one and place it on the right side of the box.
6. Take the rough label card, read out loud and keep it on the upper left side of the rug.
7. Take the smooth label card, read out loud and keep it to the right side of the rug
8. Take a shell and hold it in your sub dominant hand. With your dominant hand stroke and feel the texture of the shell
9. If rough say “rough” and put it under the label that says rough.
10. If smooth say “smooth” and put it under the label that says smooth
11. Repeat the same with the rest of the shells till all the shells are sorted by rough and smooth
12. Admire
13. Return shells one by one into the box.
14. Return the work to the shelf
15. Invite the child
Extensions/Variations:
1. Different objects-rocks, fabrics, wooden blocks
2. Sort rough and smooth with blind folded
Points of interest:
1. Different types of shells
2. Taking the shells out of the box
3. Holding it in the hands
4. Sorting
Control of error:
1. Tactile disharmony
Language:
Rough and smooth, shell
Age:
3 and up
Aims:
OCCI, tactile discrimination
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Montessori Philosophy Rationale
“Education is a natural process carried out by the human individual and is acquired not by listening to words, but by experiences in the environment.” “Every child is unique in their own way” and “Every child grows in different paces”. Only in Montessori classroom the child get the freedom to choose what they want to do. The freedom of choice helps the children to develop an inward order through work before she chooses and carry out her own acts. In a Montessori classroom, a child is free to move about and explore the environment because with activity and movement comes learning. Movement, in fact, contributes not only to the physical, but also to the intellectual potential and spiritual development of the child. The child must have freedom achieved through order and self-discipline. The child in a Montessori environment can learn, discover and be creative. He has the freedom of choice and develops his individual interest. The child learns best in a prepared environment. Montessori classroom is calm, respectful and peaceful. This atmosphere meets the child's inner need for an atmosphere that supports concentration. The Montessori classroom is orderly and encourages the child to maintain an orderly environment. It is a place where the child can do things for him or herself. The children make their own choices of work throughout the work period, but within a carefully designed structure. This independence is necessary because it teaches decision-making skills and self-confidence.. However, the teacher is there, observing, making careful notes, and giving new lessons to children when they show signs of readiness. She follows the lead of the child and guides him towards the next level of work. A child who chooses work beyond his ability will be guided towards something that better suits his needs.To facilitate the prepared order of the environment, the teacher arranges the materials on the shelf following their sequence in the curriculum flowchart. The materials are displayed on low open shelves that are easily accessible to even the youngest children. Each has a specific place on the shelves, arranged from the upper left hand corner in sequence to the lower right. Materials are always arranged in sequence, from the most simple to the most complex, and from the most concrete to the most abstract.
The environment is created in proportion to the child and his or her needs. They decide for themselves which materials to work with. “The extern material is then offered, and left freely to the natural individual energies of the children. They choose the objects they prefer; and such preference is dictated by the internal needs of “physical growth.” Each child occupies himself with each object chose for as long as he wishes; and this desire corresponds to the needs of the intimate maturation of the spirit a process which demands persevering and prolonged exercise.” Child reinforces own learning by repetition of work and internal feelings of success. The child repeats activities until they are fully mastered. The Montessori class schedule is long and uninterrupted.
The practical life materials help the child to learn how to care for her/himself and his /her environment. These activities enable the child to become an independent and caring member of society. This builds the child’s self-confidence. The sensorial materials are designed to develop the child’s perceptual abilities and refine his/her observational skills. Montessori materials are multi –sensorial and self-correcting: they are designed to help the child learn how to learn. In a primary classroom, three and four-year-olds receive the benefit of two years of sensorial preparation for academic skills by working with the concrete Montessori learning materials. This concrete sensorial experience gradually allows the child to form a mental picture of concepts like "how big is a thousand, how many hundreds make up a thousand, and what is really going on when we borrow or carry numbers in mathematical operations. The values of the sensorial experiences that the younger children have had in Montessori are often under-estimated. Research is very clear that this is how the young child learns, by observing and manipulating his environment. The Montessori educational philosophy believes that the educational method, to be effective, must support and address the nature of the child. The nature of the child is not a theoretical construct, but based upon Montessori's detailed observation of the child.
The goal of the Montessori classroom whether it is a prepared environment for infants and toddlers, preschoolers, elementary or secondary students, is the development of skills necessary for a productive and fulfilling life. The best of the curriculum is useless if the child does not develop inner discipline, integrity, and respect for others and oneself. The young child who is armed with self-confidence and self-discipline is far more likely to achieve success and happiness. They will be prepared to meet any challenges that the “real world” may present.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Pongal : Harvest Festival of South India
I began discussing "Pongal" with my Montessori students as part of other culture. Having come from the same culture, it was easy for me to present it in detail.
Pongal is one of the most popular harvest festival of South India, mainly Tamil Nadu.
Pongal falls in the mid-January every year and marks the auspicious beginning of Uttarayan - sun's journey northwards. Pongal festival lasts for four days. Celebrations include drawing of Kolam, swinging & cooking of delicious Pongal.
Meaning & Significance
People celebrating Pongal should be aware of the meaning & significance of the important rituals associated with this harvest festival. Pongal or Thai Pongal is also called Makara Sankaranthi, since it is celebrated on the first day of Thai when the Sun enters the Makara Rasi (Capricornus). This signals the end of winter and the onset of spring throughout the northern hemisphere. For the next six months, the days are longer and warmer. The period is referred to as Uttarayan Punyakalam and is considered auspicious. Legend has it that the Devas wake up after a six-month long slumber during this period. And so it is believed that those pass away during Uttarayana attain salvation. In fact, Bheeshma is believed to have waited for the dawn of Uttarayana before he gave up his life. Pongal is a four-day affair.
The first day, Bhogi, is celebrated on the last day of the month of Margazhi. On this day, people decorate their homes. New vessels are bought and old and unwanted things burnt. Scholars have often compared Bhogi to the Indra Vizha celebrated by the Chola kings at Kaveripattinam, also known as Poompuhar. Indra Vizha was celebrated in honour of Lord Indra, also called Bhogi, the God of thunder and rain.
The second day is Perum Pongal, the most important. It is also called Surya Pongal because people worship Surya, the Sun God and his consorts, Chaya and Samgnya. Women decorate the central courtyard of their homes with beautiful kolams, done with rice flour and bordered with red clay. The Pongal dish is cooked exactly at the moment when the new month is born. There are several legends associated with Perum Pongal. A sage named Hema prayed to Lord Vishnu on the banks of the Pottramarai tank in Kumbakonam. On Perum Pongal day, the lord is believed to have taken the form of Sarangapani and blessed the sage. Yet another legend has it that Lord Shiva performed a miracle where a stone image of an elephant ate a piece of sugarcane.
The third day is Mattu Pongal, celebrated to glorify cattle that help farmers in a myriad ways. On this day, the cows are bathed and decorated with vermilion and garlands and fed. In certain villages in southern Tamil Nadu, a bullfight called manji-virattu is held in the evening. Bags of coins are tied to the sharpened horns of ferocious bulls that are let loose in an open ground. The young men of the village vie with each other to subdue the bull and grab the bags tied to the horns. In fact, in ancient Tamil literature, men had to subdue the bull in order to win the hand of a fair maiden and even Lord Krishna is believed to have defeated seven bulls before marrying Nappinnai. Unlike in the Spanish bullfights, in manji-virattu, the bull is never killed. Mattu Pongal has little significance to city folks. In most urban homes, the day is celebrated as Kannu Pongal. Special prayers are offered by women for the well-being of their brothers. The Tamils also remember the poet Tiruvalluvar, who was born on this.
The last day is Kaanum Pongal. It is that part of the festival when families used to gather on the riverbanks and have a sumptuous meal (kootanchoru). It is also time for some traditional dances such as kummi and kolattam. In recent years, that day is celebrated as Uzhavar Tirunal in honor of farmers.
Following are some of the international harvest festivals
Montessori Outdoor Play
Let us always remember that inner discipline is something to come and not something always present. - Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind
Outdoor playtime in your Montessori preschool does not have to be completely unstructured. In fact, studies have shown that unstructured or lightly-supervised playtime can actually lead to aggressive play and behavior problems. Playing organized games and activities teaches cooperation, sharing, following the rules, helpfulness, social skills, and control of emotions. Additionally, organized play makes sure that all students are actively participating in some physical activity.
Here are some suggestions for activities during your Montessori outdoor play time:
1. Outdoor Car Wash
Materials: Car, Wash kit,water
Description: Set up an area outside where the children can wash the playground “cars”.
Children can have three stations: soap and sponges; clean water and sponges; and drying cloths.
2. Outside Basketball hoops
Materials: Basketball hoop,basketball
Description: Set up an area outside where the children can play basketball
3. Outside Water Table
Materials: Water Table,squirt bottles
Description: Set up a water table so that children can play water squirt
Outdoor playtime in your Montessori preschool does not have to be completely unstructured. In fact, studies have shown that unstructured or lightly-supervised playtime can actually lead to aggressive play and behavior problems. Playing organized games and activities teaches cooperation, sharing, following the rules, helpfulness, social skills, and control of emotions. Additionally, organized play makes sure that all students are actively participating in some physical activity.
Here are some suggestions for activities during your Montessori outdoor play time:
1. Outdoor Car Wash
Materials: Car, Wash kit,water
Description: Set up an area outside where the children can wash the playground “cars”.
Children can have three stations: soap and sponges; clean water and sponges; and drying cloths.
2. Outside Basketball hoops
Materials: Basketball hoop,basketball
Description: Set up an area outside where the children can play basketball
3. Outside Water Table
Materials: Water Table,squirt bottles
Description: Set up a water table so that children can play water squirt
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Nutritional Health In Montessori
More schools are developing initiatives to promote healthy nutritional choices by establishing policies that everyone in the school community can embrace. The key to success is thoughtful preparation and effective communication so that faculty, students and parents are able to implement a clear, user-friendly program designed for success.
While organic foods would be the first choice, this is not always available for various reasons. Perhaps you live in an area where it is difficult to purchase organic food, or higher prices for organic food may be prohibitive for some families. Being sensitive to and respectful of this issue is always important. Keep your emphasis on awareness of and choices for nutritious foods.
Components of a Healthy Lunch
While organic foods would be the first choice, this is not always available for various reasons. Perhaps you live in an area where it is difficult to purchase organic food, or higher prices for organic food may be prohibitive for some families. Being sensitive to and respectful of this issue is always important. Keep your emphasis on awareness of and choices for nutritious foods.
Components of a Healthy Lunch
Lunch should consist of one serving of each per day:
- whole grains
- fruits and vegetables
- lean protein
- calcium
Provide examples of each of the above categories so parents have a better idea of what to include in their child’s lunchbox.
A chart is a great way to illustrate healthy alternatives to common food choices (http://kidshealth.org/parent/food/general/lunch.html)
Parents Introduction to Montessori Pre School
This is to introduce parents on Pre school. After all, preschool is going to be fun for your child. There are nice teachers and lots of children to play with. There is a playground with a sandbox, tricycles, and a garden to rake. There will be story time, singing, painting, and all those wonderful Montessori Practical Life materials on the shelf that you saw on your visit to the classroom. You just know it’s going to be wonderful, but the hardest part is going to be leaving your little one at the door of his or her new Montessori classroom on that first day.
To help you prepare for what to expect from your child’s Montessori classroom experience, here is a short primer on what he/she may be talking about when he/she comes home.
Circle time - These are daily gatherings of the whole Montessori class and occur at the beginning and end of the day as well as at transition times. Circle may include: calendar, singing, stories, science experiments, group lessons, problem solving.
Lessons/Activities – This is direct instruction by a teacher. Lessons are usually presented one-on-one or in a small group. After a lesson is presented, your child may work on that activity any time it is available.
Work – A child’s work refers to a learning activity or set of Montessori materials. It includes direct and indirect aims, control of error, points of interest, and extensions. Work in the preschool classroom mostly consists of one- or two-person activities.
Mats – All work in the Montessori classroom, except written work, is done on mats. The mat clearly delineates the student’s personal work space. Don’t be surprised if your child comes home asking for a mat to work on!
Snack – It is not unusual for snack to be a child’s favorite activity! Snack in the Montessori classroom is treated as a work. Your child will have a lesson on snack preparation. Afterward, he will be able to prepare and serve himself a snack during the day. Snack is kept simple and is not meant to replace a healthy meal.
Practical Life – Practical Life activities are the traditional works of the family and home. They allow children to gain independence and self-discipline, develop gross and fine motor skills, build concentration, as well as indirectly prepare for math and writing. Maria Montessori observed that children prefer real work over imaginary work and real, child-sized tools are used.
Sensorial –Sensorial work covers every quality that can be perceived by the senses. The purpose and aim of Sensorial work is for the child to acquire clear, conscious, information and to be able to then make classifications in the environment. The Sensorial and Practical Life work is unique to the Montessori classroom.
For further reading on the Montessori preschool environment you may wish to try:
To help you prepare for what to expect from your child’s Montessori classroom experience, here is a short primer on what he/she may be talking about when he/she comes home.
Circle time - These are daily gatherings of the whole Montessori class and occur at the beginning and end of the day as well as at transition times. Circle may include: calendar, singing, stories, science experiments, group lessons, problem solving.
Lessons/Activities – This is direct instruction by a teacher. Lessons are usually presented one-on-one or in a small group. After a lesson is presented, your child may work on that activity any time it is available.
Work – A child’s work refers to a learning activity or set of Montessori materials. It includes direct and indirect aims, control of error, points of interest, and extensions. Work in the preschool classroom mostly consists of one- or two-person activities.
Mats – All work in the Montessori classroom, except written work, is done on mats. The mat clearly delineates the student’s personal work space. Don’t be surprised if your child comes home asking for a mat to work on!
Snack – It is not unusual for snack to be a child’s favorite activity! Snack in the Montessori classroom is treated as a work. Your child will have a lesson on snack preparation. Afterward, he will be able to prepare and serve himself a snack during the day. Snack is kept simple and is not meant to replace a healthy meal.
Practical Life – Practical Life activities are the traditional works of the family and home. They allow children to gain independence and self-discipline, develop gross and fine motor skills, build concentration, as well as indirectly prepare for math and writing. Maria Montessori observed that children prefer real work over imaginary work and real, child-sized tools are used.
Sensorial –Sensorial work covers every quality that can be perceived by the senses. The purpose and aim of Sensorial work is for the child to acquire clear, conscious, information and to be able to then make classifications in the environment. The Sensorial and Practical Life work is unique to the Montessori classroom.
For further reading on the Montessori preschool environment you may wish to try:
- A Parents’ Guide to the Montessori Classroom, by Aline D. Wolf
- How to Raise an Amazing Child the Montessori Way, by Tim Seldin
- The Montessori Way, by Tim Seldin
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Montessori Teacher
Teachers who understand how their goals of education relate to their teaching strategies are more likely to implement practices that consciously emphasize some goals and eliminate those practices they consider not useful.
In many parts of the world, summer is about to end and a new school year is about to begin. Now is the time when I think seriously about what I need to improve in my Montessori classroom for the coming year. I think about my older students who will be returning for another year. What were their individual challenges last year? What are their strengths? I review teacher notes for incoming Montessori students and begin preparation for their introduction into the new Montessori classroom. I assess Montessori environmental design and curriculum, asking questions, such as: Do material and subject areas make sense where they are located? Is there a logical flow to the Montessori classroom? Do I have any curricular deficiencies or challenges?
There are more to add, but above should make a dynamic Montessori teacher
In many parts of the world, summer is about to end and a new school year is about to begin. Now is the time when I think seriously about what I need to improve in my Montessori classroom for the coming year. I think about my older students who will be returning for another year. What were their individual challenges last year? What are their strengths? I review teacher notes for incoming Montessori students and begin preparation for their introduction into the new Montessori classroom. I assess Montessori environmental design and curriculum, asking questions, such as: Do material and subject areas make sense where they are located? Is there a logical flow to the Montessori classroom? Do I have any curricular deficiencies or challenges?
There are more to add, but above should make a dynamic Montessori teacher
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