The physical act of writing – using pens and paper to create marks that relay words, concepts and messages – is a uniquely human and tremendously complex activity. Increasingly, it is also one that modern children struggle with. Can Montessori help?
Art and artistic expression are, in Montessori, considered to be one of the fundamental human tendencies. More so, we also know that it forms a crucial aspect of children’s mental development. How do we understand, interpret and support this important activity?
After introducing the Prepared Environment and discussing newborn, infant and toddler home environments, this week we will take a look at how to prepare the home of a preschooler and Elementary school student.
We spoke about the Prepared Environment as a concept and last week, described the home environment for a newborn. Now it’s time to discuss the environment of a crawling baby and toddler.
In the last article, we spoke about the prepared environment as a whole. Next, we will explore setting up a home environment for each age group, starting here: with the infant.
This article is the fifth in a series called Montessori Essentials, which aims to cover key concepts of the Montessori philosophy. These are the cornerstones of Montessori’s educational approach and concept of human development. Click the tag to explore the entire series!
Although there are many expensive Montessori materials and schools, there is nothing inherently expensive about the method. Both Montessori education and parenting can, are, and should be practiced even on the most limited budgets.
Have you come across the term “Developmental Crises” in Montessori? Although it may sound alarming, it denotes an essential point in human development, and it may help give you a fresh perspective on common parenting challenges.
“The child has a mind able to absorb knowledge. He has the power to teach himself. A single observation is enough to prove this.”
Discipline, consequences, and limits of a child’s behaviour are among the most contentious topics in parenting and education. In Montessori, they are viewed as inextricably linked to not just each other but, most importantly, to freedom and independence.
Michaela Tučková