Practical Life

 

The Practical Life exercises are designed to help children develop motor skills and concentration while developing confidence and independence. Each exercise requires the child to concentrate and develop good working habits as they become skilled at everyday tasks such as pouring liquids, polishing, and washing dishes. Other important components to the exercises are assembling the necessary materials and returning them to their proper place. Thus begins the habit of independent work and concentration so essential in all learning.  

The lessons in this area of the classroom are often deceptive.  For example, while the child may think scrubbing a table is all about cleaning, the Guide understands that it is far more.  While the child gathers and arranges her materials, she's learning order, sequence, and organization; while scrubbing, she develops muscle strength and coordination for writing (which begins in the upper back and shoulder) while developing focus and concentration; and readying the work for the next person, she develops respect for the community.

All of the activities in Practical Life have both a Direct Aim (cleaning the table) and an Indirect Aim (concentration, focus, coordination, etc.).  Here may be the most important work of the classroom!

 

Any child who is self-sufficient, who can tie his shoes, dress or undress himself, reflects in his joy and sense of achievement the image of human dignity, which is derived from a sense of independence.               Maria Montessori

Any child who is self-sufficient, who can tie his shoes, dress or undress himself, reflects in his joy and sense of achievement the image of human dignity, which is derived from a sense of independence.               Maria Montessori

Practical Life in the Home:

Practical Life in the Home:

  • set aside a low shelf or cabinet in your kitchen so your young child can help him to cups, bowls, etc.
  • buy a child-sized pitcher and keep it on a low shelf in the refrigerator so your child can serve herself water or other beverage
  • invest in (real) child-sized brooms, mops and dust-pans (or buy adult sizes and cut the handles down)
  • give your child the task of cleaning the bathroom sinks or scrubbing the bathtub
  • let your child sort the dirty laundry, and fold the clean laundry

*and keep in mind that the goal is not perfection, but practice and experience.  If you feel the need to 'fix' a sloppily folded dishtowel, then either have your child help in other ways, or re-fold the towels when he is not around.

Practical Life in the Home:

  • set aside a low shelf or cabinet in your kitchen so your young child can help him to cups, bowls, etc.
  • buy a child-sized pitcher and keep it on a low shelf in the refrigerator so your child can serve herself water or other beverage
  • invest in (real) child-sized brooms, mops and dust-pans (or buy adult sizes and cut the handles down)
  • give your child the task of cleaning the bathroom sinks or scrubbing the bathtub
  • let your child sort the dirty laundry, and fold the clean laundry

*and keep in mind that the goal is not perfection, but practice and experience.  If you feel the need to 'fix' a sloppily folded dishtowel, then either have your child help in other ways, or re-fold the towels when he is not around.

Script Injector

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Village Montessori | 20615 N. Main Street | Cornelius, NC 28031