Well it is time for post number two!
For my next few official classroom posts, I thought I would focus around the specific areas of a Montessori classroom: Practical Life, Sensorial, Cultural, Language and Math! I have had a few parents interested in learning more about the individual areas and why their children are using certain materials.
So today I'm going to talk about Practical Life!
Along the way I will share pictures of my amazing students taking part in Practical Life activities!
The Practical Life materials are essential tools for every child to use, whether they are three years old or six. Children are naturally drawn to activities that they see in their everyday life. Practical Life activities allow young children to feel like they are capable and contributing members of society.
A Montessori environment should have a practical life area that consists of seven categories:
1. Body Management
2. Grace and Courtesy
3. Primary Movements of the Hand
4. Care of the Person
5. Care of the Environment
6. Gardening and Care of Animals
7. Food Preparation
The direct aim for all of the Practical Life materials is to help the children develop Order, Concentration, Coordination and Independence (OCCI, My favourite acronym! ).
With these skills come confidence and in-turn a love of learning!
The Body Management section of practical life is focused around Gross-motor skills and learning to successfully manipulate objects around us. It consists of everything from Walking the Line to Carrying Sharp Scissors.
For my next few official classroom posts, I thought I would focus around the specific areas of a Montessori classroom: Practical Life, Sensorial, Cultural, Language and Math! I have had a few parents interested in learning more about the individual areas and why their children are using certain materials.
So today I'm going to talk about Practical Life!
Along the way I will share pictures of my amazing students taking part in Practical Life activities!
The Practical Life materials are essential tools for every child to use, whether they are three years old or six. Children are naturally drawn to activities that they see in their everyday life. Practical Life activities allow young children to feel like they are capable and contributing members of society.
A Montessori environment should have a practical life area that consists of seven categories:
1. Body Management
2. Grace and Courtesy
3. Primary Movements of the Hand
4. Care of the Person
5. Care of the Environment
6. Gardening and Care of Animals
7. Food Preparation
The direct aim for all of the Practical Life materials is to help the children develop Order, Concentration, Coordination and Independence (OCCI, My favourite acronym! ).
With these skills come confidence and in-turn a love of learning!
The Body Management section of practical life is focused around Gross-motor skills and learning to successfully manipulate objects around us. It consists of everything from Walking the Line to Carrying Sharp Scissors.
Grace and Courtesy is exactly what it sounds like, manners; something that I feel the world is lacking in these days. Grace and Courtesy is teaching appropriate behaviour for different situations. It can be something as simple as how to observe a lesson, talking in a low voice or even the proper way of excusing one’s self. The Grace and Courtesy curriculum in a Montessori classroom is one that will look different in every classroom; it grows and changes over time, depending on the need. A true Montessori environment is built around respect; the basis of the whole G & C curriculum!
Primary Movements of the Hand, is probably the section of Practical Life that you are most familiar with. It focuses around mastery of the hand and developing fine motor skills. Every material is presented and displayed in a sequence of left to right, top to bottom and counter-clockwise, as a direct preparation for reading and writing. (This sequence is found in all of the Montessori Materials!)
Primary Movements of the Hand, is probably the section of Practical Life that you are most familiar with. It focuses around mastery of the hand and developing fine motor skills. Every material is presented and displayed in a sequence of left to right, top to bottom and counter-clockwise, as a direct preparation for reading and writing. (This sequence is found in all of the Montessori Materials!)
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Care of the Person, teaches the child exactly that, how to take care of themselves. How to wash their hands properly, how to button up their shirts or even how to safely use a safety pin.
Remember, with independence, comes confidence in their abilities.
Care of the Environment is, plain and simple, teaching housekeeping skills. Montessori students have a responsibly in the upkeep of their classroom. They learn everything from simply sweeping up pom poms to mopping the floor or scrubbing a table!
Remember, with independence, comes confidence in their abilities.
Care of the Environment is, plain and simple, teaching housekeeping skills. Montessori students have a responsibly in the upkeep of their classroom. They learn everything from simply sweeping up pom poms to mopping the floor or scrubbing a table!
Gardening and Care of Animals is pretty self-explanatory. It is helping the children respect all of the living things around us, and learning their part in caring for them.
Food Preparation is the process of preparing and serving snacks to their peers.
Practical Life is a place where our students build a successful work–cycle! They gain the skills they need to successfully manipulate the rest of our Montessori materials. They are slowly building their focus and concentration levels in preparation for the more advanced and abstract materials.
I believe Practical Life is the most important part of a Montessori Casa classroom. It is the stepping-stone that allows a child to be successful, both academically and socially.
I believe Practical Life is the most important part of a Montessori Casa classroom. It is the stepping-stone that allows a child to be successful, both academically and socially.