Montessori at Home and in the Car

Introduction

In compiling this mini handbook, it is our hope that you, as parents, will see ever widening areas in which you will be able to continue Montessori inspired experiences at home and in the car. The possibilities are limitless. Montessori is not a “method”, but rather a way of living and offering information to the young child on his terms. As parents, you are the ultimate educators of your children. It is our aim to offer a few more educative tools to your experienced hand.

Practical Life

General purposes of practical life exercises:

To give the child further experience and participation in the everyday activity of his particular culture.
To emphasize the sequence and order necessary for successful completion of any task.
To allow the child maximum opportunity for independent activity.
To enhance the possibility for further development of motor control and precision.

When thinking of practical life experience within the home, it is necessary to consider the needs of each family member and the life style that makes that family unique. The home is not a classroom, nor should it attempt to emulate the functions of the classroom.

However, the child can be allowed a great deal of practical life experience at home. Practical life at home need not be contrived, nor should it be busy work. Practical life at home should be a part of the functioning family body.

The following hints may prove helpful to any parent who wishes to enrich the practical experience of his child:

Make child-size implements available for any given task. It can be extremely frustrating for an individual who is only three feet tall to attempt to rake the yard with a six-foot tool.
Little verbal explanation is needed when showing the child a new activity. The child learns by watching rather than by listening.
Sequence of movement and use of objects should be considered. In other words, whenever possible, follow the same order for any activity.
Break down each activity into steps. Washing hands, for example, may take as many as 40 or 50 different movements or steps.
Allow the child to work at his pace, not yours. This holds especially true of such activities as family outings or walks. It takes time to experience the kind of detail that all young children see.
Allow the child to repeat as often as possible. It is through these repeated actions that information truly becomes part of the child.
Be patient and consistent in your expectations.
Last, but not least, remember that you become a teacher by example rather than by technique.

A Few Suggested Activities

Pouring beverages into glasses at mealtime.
Watering plants and flowers.
Washing, or at least rinsing, mealtime dishes.
The family laundry could be handled by the young child ,to a great extent. This includes drying and folding.
Washing the dinner table after meals.
Cleaning mirrors or windows. Children love Windex bottles.
Dusting of any kind.
Clearing or setting the table.
Polishing brass, silver, furniture, or shoes.
Weeding the garden.
Sweeping indoors or outdoors.
Raking.
Care if indoor or outdoor animals and pets. (i.e. filling the birdfeeder and cleaning the bird bath).
Washing hands.
Brushing or combing hair.
Care of his/her own clothing.
Dressing and undressing with as little assistance as possible.
Allowing the child to choose his/her own clothing for the day.
Brushing teeth.
Shaking hands or other forms of greeting.
Allowing the child to place his/her own order at a restaurant.
Offering something to a guest.
Telephone courtesies.
Making his own bed and keeping his room in order.
Preparing a few simple meals.

Sensorial

The sensorial apparatus in the classroom is specifically designed to isolate various sensory concepts. It is the general aim of this particular material to give the child maximum opportunity for refinement of the broad classifications he has already made before entering the class. There is also a tremendous amount of language given in connection with the sensorial apparatus.

The sensorial apparatus cannot and should not be duplicated at home; however, the home can provide a great deal of sensory intake on other levels. There are a thousand and one sensorial lessons available to the parent and his child. It is merely a matter of drawing the attention of the child to a new awareness. Salt and sugar look the same, but do they taste the same? Coffee and tea look much the same when brewed, but they, too, have different flavors. What does a tree smell like? What does a tree feel like? The aroma of bacon cooking or the fragrance of clean air after a spring rain are commonplace until the attention of the child is called to their presence.

By allowing the child every opportunity to see, touch, smell, feel, and listen, you may also come to a new awareness of your environment. Stretch your imagination and discover now many sensorial concepts are available for your isolation and presentation to the child.

Suggested Activities

Take walks with your child. Allow time for real observation.
Share the aroma of various cooking spices and herbs with your child.
Encourage your child to taste various and familiar foods, first with all of the senses involved, then blindfolded, and finally with the nose held closed. Some children cannot even distinguish peanut butter when the sense of smell has been cut off.
Allow your child as much possibility as is feasible to see the detail around him. A child can gaze upon a Picasso and see only the signature. Later his sight broadens.

As an added note, it is wise to remember that your child is interested in the “what” of things rather than the “why” of things right now. Your child is far more interested in the existence of a cumulus nimbus cloud formation than he is in how these formations came into being.

It is also more important that whenever possible, the child be given sensorial experience before the experience or concept is identified. In other words, “sweet” means nothing until the child has tasted sugar.

Language

Language is such an important ingredient in the Montessori classroom that it is indeed impossible to over emphasize its value. It is through spoken and written language that man communicates his inner self, his past, his present, and his future. It is not an unknown fact that the inability to communicate has been the cause of many, if not all, inter-human disasters. If mankind is to better his situation, he must utilize his communicative tools with precision and exactness.

As so, as the young child enters the Montessori classroom, he has available a world of language that carries him from fundamental vocabulary development to a full understanding of his language. As parents, you have given your child a strong basic knowledge of his language before he enters the class. You can also be of invaluable help to him as he moves through the Montessori program.

Communication, by virtue of definition, is also a two- way road. Adults must speak and must be heard. Children must also be given an opportunity to speak and be heard. It is of utmost importance that time be allowed for real dialogue between parent and child. All of the language lessons in the world will be of little value if there is no listening or response. It is our adult responsibility to listen and respond to our children, just as we rightfully expect them to listen and respond to us.

More active and obvious language development can be encouraged in the home. The following suggestions may prove helpful:

Vocabulary development can be carried on almost constantly. Children have a thirst for new words and can acquire them with great facility. While it is important that your child broaden his vocabulary, it is equally important that new words are given with precision and clarity. Always give the correct terminology to your child. They love the long words, and the correct term not only avoids confusion, but also builds vocabulary.
Sound games can be played at almost any time or place. For example, “I spy with my little eye something that begins with “c” –car”. Or, “I am thinking of a color that begins with “b”—blue.”
Reading to your child is also an excellent form of parent-child communication, vocabulary development and improvement in articulation.

Math

The mathematical material in the classroom is extensive and complete in its ability to offer mathematical understanding. Again, it is difficult to offer exactly the same range of experience in the home. As before, the home and family have the ability to give the work in the classroom more meaning and excitement.

Many adults, by their own admission, have an aversion to the world of numbers. It is by his attitude that a parent can be most helpful to his child. Numbers can be fun, and children will enjoy math tremendously if they are not hampered by preconceived notions of difficulty.

The number games that you can play with your child extends as far as your imagination.

How many steps does it take to get from the front door of your house to the first tree in your yard?
How many plates are on the table at mealtime?
How many lamps do you have in your home?
How many zippers are in your child’s closet?
Count, Count, Count!!

A Word About Discipline

Of course, discipline is unique to each family, and indeed varies with each individual and his child. However, when thinking of the work of the child, positive correction is of great importance. As Montessorians, the phrase “Always correct behavior, but never correct work” is often heard. This concept can be applied to the home in many cases.

Much of the work done by the young child will lack in perfection. Most of these imperfections will correct themselves. The folded wash clothes that once looked anything but neat will soon become perfect squares and rectangles. The poured milk, which once found its way to the tabletop, will soon be contained in the glass. The child truly possesses an innate need to perfect himself and his movements. However, if at some point you feel that correction is necessary, a positive correction will be more helpful to both you and your child.

Example: Johnny has just emptied the wastebasket, beside rather than into, the trash can. Johnny’s parent may either condemn him for his stupidity and lack of coordination, or he may take a more positive approach. Johnny’s parent might offer to help pick up the spilled waste by placing it back into the wastebasket. Then the parent might show Johnny how to empty the small container into the larger one.

In those brief moments, Johnny and his parent have experienced real communication. Johnny appreciated his parent’s help and has felt parental love and approval. Not only that, but Johnny now knows a little more about emptying the trash. Added bonus—the trash will probably find its way into the larger container with little or no mess the next time. These are not bad dividends for such a meager investment.

Sounds for Each Letter

a — apple	h — hat	o — ostrich	v — violin
b — bat	i — igloo	p — puppy	w — wagon
c — car	j — jump	q — queen (just the k sound)	x — box
d — dog	k — kite	r — rabbit	y — yo-yo
e — egg	l — lion	s — snake	z — zebra
f — fish	m — monkey	t — tiger
g — goat	n — nose	u — umbrella

Ivy League Montessori School
"...where every child is honored."

© 2008 Ivy League Montessori School
1791 Kelly Mill Road, Cumming GA 30040
Phone: (770) 781-5586
Email: ilmsnet@comcast.net
Fax: (770) 205-7180