Montessori Lessons
Practical Life is the foundation of a Montessori environment. The child will spend most of their first year learning how to be independent, building concentration, gaining a sense of responsibility, strengthing motor skills, and much more! Through activities such as mopping, the child incorporates all of the mentioned skills!
There are four major areas of Practical Life including; care of the person (dressing self, grooming and etc.), care of the environment (watering plants, feeding animals, dusting, sweeping/mopping and etc.), grace and courtesy (waiting a turn, asking to join a group, talking quietly and etc.), movement/balance (walking on a straight line, exercising motor skills, yoga and etc.). Click here to enjoy step-by-step presentations using Practical Life materials.
The Sensorial area of the classroom concentrates on learning through the five senses. Children are more likely to retain information when they can explore the lesson with their senses. For example, the Geometric Solids are used to teach the child the names of three-dimensional solids by using the sense of touch. The child can pick up the sphere and know that it is round by rolling it around in his or her hand. Click here to enjoy step-by-step presentations using Sensorial materials!
Language in the Montessori environment is very important and is used in every aspect of the classroom. Through language, children will learn about communication, reading, and writing skills. In the classroom, language is broken down to some of its simplest forms.
Communication is not only about speaking to another person but also requires listening. Through lessons, such as The Silence Game and Listening Games, the child will learn to use his or her ears effectively to communicate with another person.
The child will learn to read, write, and analyze printed material through language materials. In order to learn advanced lessons in language, the child must have practice with communication skills. The beginning stages of reading require the child to listen to and retain the sounds of all the letters in the alphabet.
Although communication plays a huge role in the language area there are also a few physical components that are required to master certain materials. Gross and fine motor skills are needed in order for the child to hold a pencil correctly. If the pincer grasp is not mastered then writing will always be a challenge for the child. The pincer grasp requires muscle strength that is exercised through materials all around the classroom. Click here to enjoy step-by-step presentations using Language materials.
Mathematics incorporates so many elements in a Montessori environment! In order to begin lessons in this area, the child must have a understanding of particular concepts presented in Practical Life and Sensorial. For example, the Sensorial lessons include size discrimination, one-to-one correspondence and geometry. The tools needed to understand mathematics include knowing the language, counting correctly and using hierarchy inclusion! Click here to enjoy step-by-step presentations using Mathematic materials.
The child relates to history and time through him or herself. In order to understand the idea of time passing, the child will use real-life events such as the seasons changing. The child can concretely see the difference in seasons due to the time passing!
Connecting to nature naturally allows the child to explore biology. Introducing the characteristics of a living object is one of the first lessons in biology!
Geography is taught by relating the child to his or her body in space. Knowing where the child lives (planet, continent, country, state and city) allows the child to map him or herself within the environment! Click here to enjoy step-by-step presentations using Science, Geography and History materials.
