Tag: Parenting

Parents, Stop Feeling That Everything You Do Is Wrong

Written by Foothill Montessori on July 21, 2016. Posted in Blog, Parent Education.

“You should look down at the rocks and make sure they never crash against them, and prepare them to ride the waves.”
Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg

Let’s be honest, this parenting gig doesn’t come with a description of roles and responsibilities that make it completely clear what is expected at all times. Giving our absolute dedication and best effort just doesn’t look the same from day to day (or moment to moment!) Throw your hands up (or hide in shame) if you have ever ended the day thinking “I am an awful person…my child probably went to bed thinking how awful I am and they don’t feel safe and they don’t feel happy and I’ve ruined everything.” Just me? Didn’t think so.

This article really spoke to me in terms of how we can (and should) give ourselves a break. News flash – we are raising our kiddos to be humans. Giving them human experience, whether we feel good about it at the end of the day or not, is essential to their success and existence. I have decided that I have three main goals, call them standards if you wish, for parenting:

Do I honor my child for the person that they are every moment? (You can’t imagine the number of parents I’ve met who wish their child was different…if you are talking poorly about your child any time you might be doing it wrong. Not just parenting – but life.) Am I willing to see them change at their own pace and will I fight for their authenticity? Yes – to the death!
Have they heard me say “I’m sorry” and have they watched me make effort at being better? EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Admitting we are wrong shows our kids that it’s okay to make mistakes and that doing so in our care is a safe place to do it. We accept mistakes as opportunities to do better.
Do I follow my own guiding set of principles and give myself a break for being imperfect? Hmmm…principles, yes. Giving myself a break…work in progress.

I am the first to admit that I am imperfect and I question myself constantly when it comes to parenting. But at the end of the day, I really do think that there is more than one right way. My wish for you is that each day ends with perfect love, even when everything else seems to have gone awry.

Best wishes for a fun-filled weekend,
Britney

My props to Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg and his Lighthouse Parenting strategy, a true delight and inspiration. His methods are discussed at length in Raising Kids to Thrive: Balancing Love With Expectations and Protection With Trust. (MCS parents – don’t forget to log in to your Compass account to place your Amazon order.)

Teaching Children “Soft Skills”

Written by Foothill Montessori on March 31, 2016. Posted in Blog.

While the ultimate goal of parenting is to prepare these little humans to be successful, happy, and fulfilled adults it seems that more and more, parents are taking the opportunity away for their children to develop the skills necessary to accomplish goals of lifelong success, happiness and fulfillment. The terms “helicopter parenting” and “overprotective” become more and more frequent and, as an educator I have seen the negative impact of this shift on my students over the years. As a mom, though, I am mostly unsure how to avoid it. I want to give my kiddos every opportunity and worry that the things they miss will have a great impact. This article by Peter Davidson (Mariamontessori.com) is really wonderful in reminding us that “soft skills” are the things our kiddos really need in their tool box to successfully and confidently pursue lives of happiness and fulfillment (let alone be successful college students!)

Happy Reading,
Britney

I had an interesting conversation with a prospective parent recently who teaches at a local college. She shared that she and her colleagues are constantly discussing “how underprepared kids are for college in terms of ‘soft skills.’” By soft skills she meant skills other than the purely academic — the personal qualities, habits and attitudes that make someone a successful college student and, by extension, a good boss or employee later in life. She had just come from an observation in toddlers and primary and was surprised to have seen that in Montessori, “starting in toddlers students develop the self-motivation, independence, and follow-through that many college students lack!” In other words, beginning at these very young ages, Montessori children are already developing the soft skills that will benefit them so greatly later in life.

Parenting Young Children through Fear

Written by Foothill Montessori on March 30, 2016. Posted in Blog, Parent Education.

The things we hope to teach our children seem to be countless and I have discovered that just when I think I have overcome one parenting hurdle, immediately following that nice pat on the back, I find another hurdle standing in my way. Fortunately, we live in a day and age where accessing helpful information can be so easy. While it can be hard to rifle through all the information that is available and decipher the good information from the bad information, as long as we stick to our guiding set of principles, we can find some truth and some support in a variety of wonderful places. I always like to share some of my favorites…especially from the list of things that we never even realize we will face as parents.

Children’s fears are ongoing. How do we teach our children self-soothing, positive self-talk, how to recognize their true feelings, and, most importantly what to do with their fears to become better and more resilient humans? My 13 year old son’s fears have shifted…gone are the days of monsters under the bed. I am discovering that helping him develop his own set of guiding principles becomes increasingly important with each passing day. The Fred Rogers article below gives some helpful insight to helping young children through their fears.

Enjoy,
Britney

Parents want their children to be afraid of some things, because fears can keep children from doing dangerous things. But we don’t want our children to develop irrational fears that hold them back from doing healthy things, sleeping well, and making friends.

Part of our “job” as parents is to help our children feel safe and secure. Sometimes it can be very frustrating to try to explain to a frightened child that a monster or witch or some other imaginary thing isn’t real. We adults have already learned that, read more here.

Parent Education Night – Preparing for Adolescence

Written by Foothill Montessori on March 2, 2016. Posted in Blog, Parent Education.

MCS Parents,

Please join us for Parent Education Night next Tuesday, March 8th, from 6:30-8pm. Child care will be available but must be signed up for in advance. There is a sign up sheet in the office.

Melissa DeVries, Ph.D, MCS School Psychologist and parent will be talking about adolescence…because its never too early to prepare. Below is an excerpt from Melissa about her upcoming presentation.

“We should be like lighthouses for our children—beacons of light on a stable shoreline from which they can safely navigate the world. We must make certain they don’t crash against the rocks, but trust they have the capacity to learn to ride the waves on their own.” –-Kenneth R. Ginsburg, MD, MS Ed, FAAP

Adolescence is a uniquely challenging, yet rewarding period of development for both parents and teens. Teens are trying to find the answer to “who am I?” by striving for more independence, seeking new experiences. Meanwhile, parents are realizing their time and direct influence is decreasing and they may fear “how will I ever be able to let them go?” or “are they ready?”

No matter your child’s age, it is never too early, or too late, to start thinking about adolescence. Not just getting through the here and now, but preparing your children to survive and thrive far into the future. Join us for an informative evening of education and discussion about parenting during the adolescent years presented by MCS School Psychologist, Melissa DeVries, PhD. Information presented will include an overview of research on adolescent brain development, and parenting strategies from a leading expert in adolescent medicine with an emphasis on how these strategies fit with a Montessori perspective.

Melissa DeVries, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist who provides contracted psychological services to the Montessori Community School and Valley Behavioral Health. She holds a Ph.D. in School Psychology from the University of Arizona. Dr. DeVries has co-edited textbooks and numerous book chapters on various topics within child and adolescent mental health and developmental disorders. Dr. DeVries provides psychotherapy and behavioral consultation for children and adolescents, parenting education and classroom consultation. She also possesses extensive background and experience in comprehensive evaluation for learning, behavioral, and emotional disorders across the lifespan. In her free time, Dr. DeVries enjoys playing recreational soccer, skiing, running and rock climbing.

7 Ways to Raise Kind Children

Written by Foothill Montessori on February 3, 2016. Posted in Blog, Parent Education.

Am I the only one who finds themselves getting tripped up with this parenting gig sometimes? I believe firmly in the “village” approach because, quite frankly, I can’t possibly teach my children every lesson I would like them to learn and my own example sometimes (okay, maybe often is a better word) falters in its ability to send the right message. This article on AltHealth Works by Yelena Sukhoterina spoke to me and I hope that it will have a similar affect on you. As adults we know that the attributes listed in the article below can be really hard to achieve but I think that childhood is the perfect time to start learning them, while our children have a soft spot to land, and the people who love them most to catch them, should they make a mistake.
Enjoy,
Britney

Many of us were hoping that our high-tech lives would make parenting easier – apps for tablets and smart phones are able to give children knowledge on any subject, entertain them with a movie or a game, and keep them occupied while we go through our hectic days.

But the downfalls of this technology are huge; there is a bigger disconnect than ever between children and parents. The parents of the Information Age are having a harder time building loving relationships with their children, which in turn leaves some kids unable to create healthy friendships, to understand how to be caring and helpful to others, to feel and express gratitude, to think for themselves, and to understand and control feelings and emotions in a healthy way.

As a part of the making Caring Common Project, Harvard University compiled the following seven main tips from their most recent research about raising kids that are kind, caring, respectful, helpful, grateful, and ethical. [The main funding sources are summarized from the study along with the writer’s own interpretations and thoughts on the subject].

Keep Reading…

References:

althealthworks.com

Raising your Montessori Child

Written by Foothill Montessori on November 16, 2015. Posted in Blog.

As Montessori parents, we are giving our children a great gift that does not just start at 8:30am and end at 3pm. This gift should be nurtured, honored and recognized at all times, particularly in the home. Donna Bryant Goertz wrote one of my favorite Montessori books about classroom management in the Lower Elementary classroom, ‘Children Who are Not Yet Peaceful’. This book highlights the value of community and truly honoring and trusting each child to develop in their time, in their way, and in absolute authenticity. It is powerful and inspiring for educators and parents and I highly recommend it to those of you who are raising Lower Elementary age children or who will be doing so in the near future. However, its values are appropriate for children, parents, and educators of all ages.

In her book, Donna presents some wonderful tips for how to best support children in the home. Family life for the [early elementary] child should include as many of the following elements as possible:

A slow-paced lifestyle with long hours of sleep on a regular schedule, a nutritious diet high in protein and fresh fruits and vegetables, plenty of exercise, and a generous amount of time in nature.
Someone to behold the child’s face with joy, hold her, hug her, and treasure her for herself alone.
Someone to read chapter books aloud for twenty to thirty minutes every day, at a level three years beyond the child’s reading level.
Someone to recite poetry every day, a new poem each week.
Someone to sing every day, a new song each week.
Someone to tell delightful stories of the child’s own life.
An atmosphere of open curiosity and inquiry, in which everyone in the family treasures learning.
Responsibility for caring for himself and his own things as well as contributing to meal preparation and the care of the house, garden and pets.
A two hour weekly limit on all screen media – movies, videos, TV, and computer games combined.
Freedom from being dragged around on errands.
Freedom from the cynicism and sarcasm appropriate to later years.
Parents who say no cheerfully and mean it.
Parents who wait until their children are in bed to listen to music, watch movies, play computer games, and watch TV programs, even the news, that are not appropriate to the children’s ages or that would give the children more media hours that is best for the development.
Parents who establish and uphold a family child-rearing culture that is appropriate to the child’s age and who support age-appropriate independent thought and action and an age-appropriate role in decision making in as many areas and as often as possible.

TEN TIPS FOR SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD AT HOME:

Prepare every room of your home so your child can participate fully in family life. Example: Solicite your child’s help in creating a menu, stock the pantry and fridge with food they are allowed to eat, give your child a lesson on how to serve themselves from start to end, including the clean up process, set them up for success.
Differentiate carefully between age-appropriate and age-inappropriate participation in family life. Example: Be clear about the movies, games, etc. they are allowed to view and why those are appropriate. Stand your ground.
Include the child in plans if you don’t want a bored child on your hands. Example: Before you make a new purchase, such as a new dishwasher, show her the features you are looking for, the price range, etc. and allow her to help you while at the store. Consider giving her a clipboard for note taking, listen to her opinions and explain when, why and how you are making your purchase decision.
Organize family life to fit the needs of your child’s age and personality. Example: Organize a bedtime ritual that is appropriate for your child’s personality and respect that routine regularly. Avoid variations of schedules and consider individual needs.
Welcome all feelings and help your child to express strong emotion with clarity and respect. Example: Give your child appropriate language. “I can see you are angry and I understand how being excluded from your brothers play date can be frustrating. You wish they would include you. Have you thought of a way you can express your desire in a way that might make your brother want to include you?”
Explain carefully what’s going on in the family, while staying on an age-appropriate level in keeping with your child’s understanding and interest. Example: Mommy and daddy are speaking in private often because we are concerned about your brothers school work. We want to talk about ways we can help him and although we are all upset, we love each other no matter what.”
Maintain cycles of activity in balance with basic needs for nutrition, sleep, exercise, quiet concentration, solitude, and companionship that fit your child’s temperament. Example: If your child fights with a particular friend during a play date, together make a carefully organized plan for the play date. Consider how they will spend their time, what they will do if they have conflict, etc.
Participate three times a day with your child straightening his room and bath and putting away his toys, materials and games. Example: Keep only one-tenth of your child’s possessions neatly stored and handsomely displayed on shelves. Store the others away and rotate the possessions about once a month, with your child’s help, allowing them to choose what is unpacked.
Treat your child’s behavior as “in process” and developmental, never simply as good or bad. Example: Avoid praise and stick to acknowledgement. ” I noticed you were so mad and Sandy and you yelled instead of hitting, that shows great impulse control.” “I see you threw your socks in the laundry, that is very responsible. Soon you will place all of your clothes in the laundry.”
Balance firmness and consistency with a generous measure of hopefulness, good cheer, and joy. Laugh a lot. Tell wonderful little stories of your child’s life, often. Example: Calmly and quietly put away your child’s bike and make it unavailable to him when he leaves it out in the rain again. Make a date for buying wax and showing him how to repair it before he uses it again. Have fun together repairing the bike and laugh and take pictures of one another, don’t focus on the mistake. Remind your child, “Next week when you put your bike away every day, we will ride to the park together.”

A Closer Look at Montessori Math

Written by Foothill Montessori on October 7, 2015. Posted in Blog, Parent Education.

The Montessori math curriculum is quite unlike the traditional approach that each of us experienced. It is based on developing a strong foundation through concrete experience and manipulation until the time a child reaches the age of abstraction, typically around nine years old. As they engage in the Cosmic Curriculum, children are given a basis for the interconnectedness of all things and encouraged to engage in the wonder and magic of mathematical concepts. Various activities and materials develop the mathematical mind, preparing the child for their inevitable explosion in to abstraction and connection to the power of relationships.

The following was written by Lower Elementary Spanish teacher, Diana Haro Reynolds.

Mathematics is the study of quantity, form, and magnitude. We live among it. It is in the position of the sun and in the shell of a snail. We carry math in our pockets, in our devices. It is what makes our communication possible. We touch and live math, whether we know it or not. It is our responsibility as Montessori guides to help the child discover this framework of mathematical order that makes up our world. This rationale proposes several reasons for teaching math in the Montessori classroom. It will explain the journey the child will take from concrete concepts through to abstraction.

Human beings have a tendency for order. Since the beginning of human origin, math has been used to unlock the mysteries of the world. It began with a man’s need to
keep track of his belongings. Then came early techniques that created the experience
with numbers of counting. After a long time, came comprehension, which led to
improvements and shortcuts. Finally, humankind reached abstraction. This same
process is seen in a child. (Doer, 2012)

Mathematical order leads to a mathematical mind. As the mathematical mind unfolds, it develops capacities such as sensorial interaction among objects, observation
of patterns, and awareness of the physical world, mental classification, abstract thinking, and knowledge of the power of relationships. Math supports understanding by encouraging order, concentration, independence, special relations, patterning, one to one correspondence, combination, difference, and similarity. Additional goals supported by math are predictability, exactness or sense of accurateness, concreteness, logic and reasoning, problem solving, and decision making skills, as well as refinement of the mind and thinking. (Stockton-Moreno, 2015)

Why the need to teach math in a specific Montessori way? There are a lot of aspects that prepare the child for math. These include the prepared environment, giving the child the power of choice. Practical life works build concentration and confidence. The child enjoys practicing a task over and over for the pure pleasure of it. The joy is in the process. This mentality is preparing him for the academic areas. Sensitive periods serve as the specific times in a child’s development where part of their needs include an insatiable thirst for specific tasks. There is a sensitive period for concrete tools of precision. We must capitalize on these sensitive periods. (Stockton-Moreno, 2015)

The aims of Montessori math are to make the child aware that math is a part of her life; to build confidence and prepare the child for life. Confidence comes from the sequential growth in which the materials are presented. It starts with the importance of the Three Period Lesson. The first period being the presentation of the concept. The
second period is where the child practices and shows that which has been presented. In math, this second period is much longer than in other areas of study. This is the time in which the child is practicing, exploring and making discoveries, day in and day out, about the concept presented. The third period is that in which the child shows understanding of the concept through teacher observation or helping someone else.

The main goal of Montessori math is to move the child from concrete to abstraction and helping him form a mathematical mind. In the book, A Way of Learning, Ann Burke Nerbert explains that “the mathematical mind derives from experience” (Stockton-Moreno, 2015). We must not rob the child from forming her mathematical mind. She must have ample time to experience the joy of working with the materials and for understanding and internalizing the processes and concepts. The materials are
multimodal in that they appeal to multiple senses. This aids in the “permanent wiring of the brain that will be available as your child gets older and uses her brain for analytical thinking and problem-solving” (Duffy, 2008). Knowing is not understanding. Montessori math provides the path toward understanding.

According to Michael Doer, the passage towards abstraction is done in four stages. The first is the Concrete stage. This is where the child works purely with the material. No works is shown on paper until the child is nearing the end of this stage. The second stage is Concrete Materials lead to Symbols. This is when the child works with
the materials and records the process in writing. This is the longest stage and requires
that the focus be on the process, not the end result. This is the time in which the child is “internalizing the algorithm” (Doer, 2012). Towards the end of this stage the child may begin to work with charts rather than manipulatives. The third stage is often overlooked perhaps because it is the shortest. This is the stage when Symbols connect to Concrete Material. Essentially it is the reversal of stage two. The child does the work on paper then uses the materials to check their answer. The Symbolic stage is the fourth and final stage. This is where the emphasis is on showing the written work. (Doer, 2012)

Doer also emphasizes mental calculations and mental carrying as the two key elements in reaching abstraction. Mental calculation or memorization requires that the
child know math facts with accuracy and speed. The child should take no longer than
three second to recall a fact, otherwise, memorization has not been reached and the
child is calculating. Accuracy should be no less than 98%. It should be recall only. The
second key, mental carrying, requires that the child be able to keep track of the carrying without making a mark on paper. Having the child work on other forms of memorization, such as poems or definitions, will greatly help achieve this goal.

Math is part of our society. We need it in order to function. But there is also a math phobia. Math in Montessori makes it more than accessible, it makes it real. Whenever possible, real life problems should be presented to the child so as to give her
the context for these new skills. Among with word problems, research in the area of
math is a great way to expose the child to the practicality of math. We must cultivate a love and understanding of mathematics in our children by proving the keys and allowing them to make their own discoveries.

Diana Haro Reynolds – Lower Elementary Teacher/Intern

References

Doer, M. (2012). Numbers: Montessori arithmetic for lower elementary.

Duffy, M. (2008). Math works: Montessori math and the developing brain. Hollidaysburg,

PA: Parent Child Press.

Stockton-Moreno, L. (2015). MONT. 633*01, week 1 notes [PowerPoint slides].

Spring Cleaning as Brain Food by P. Donohue Shortridge

Written by Foothill Montessori on April 17, 2015. Posted in Blog.

The holidays have come and gone and spring is just around the corner. This might be a fine time to consider sorting through your children’s possessions. If you take a close look at the sheer volume of your child’s books and toys, you may determine that just like adults he uses only a percentage of them.

Thinning the herd, so to speak, offers much to recommed it; Its a lot easier to find things if there are fewer things to find.

A place for everything and everything in its place is a cliche’ based on sound thinking. Our brains seek order, harmony and beauty in the world, your child’s brain seeks it out too.

Additionally, there’s an essential developmental incentive to clear the clutter out of your child’s life. Providing external order for your child allows him to organize his thinking. He’s already taken in so many impressions of the world and now he is categorizing, sorting, grading and matching all these impressions. (cognitively grasping same and different as well as one-to one correspondence are pre-math and pre-reading skills.) It’s confusing, harder to make sense of everything when, right here in his room the crayons are randomly hanging out with the dolly blanket and Tonka truck wheel, if you will.

So here are some strategies you might consider:

Go through the books. If he has long since cared about Pat the Bunny, it’s time to remove it from his shelf. Likewise anything that is torn, tattered and colored on. What should remain are only those that he is now reading or is about to advance into. House the books on shelves just like in the library rather than piled one on top of the other or randomly scattered among other phylum such as toys and stuffed animals.
The impedement to finding a toy when one wants it is the toy box. No matter how cute, inexpensive, convenient or cherished, the large universal receptacle does not lend itself to everything having a place. Shelving is the best. Categorize the toys by type; each toy deserves a lidded box, then shelved.
Discard or repair anything that is broken or missing a part. Wash the comfort-blankets and stuffed animals, otherwise discard them.
Four puzzles will be used more often than fifteen. Likewise dolls, toy cars, stuffed animals, Lego sets, board games and coloring books. You get the idea. Young children can easily get overwhelmed with too many choices.
If your mom sent something that you may have determined is inappropriate, give yourself permission to remove it. You are the final arbiter of what is appropriate for your child.
If you are having a harder time than your child letting go of some of his possessions, that’s ok. You get to cry about it, but certainly not in front of your child…and pare them down anyway.
Create a place in the garage for your child’s outdooe equipment such as balls, scooters and anything else you’d rather not have your child using indoors.

Here are a few more considerations:

Your child wants to, and for his optimal development needs to be responsible for his own possessions. Make sure that he can put every toy away where it belongs. Don’t make the tub for the blocks so heavy he can’t move it into place himself. Is there a home for his trains? Bags, totes and backpacks all deserve wall hooks hung low enough for your child to hang up by himself.

You probably already have a child-size table and chairs. A child-sized rocker and/or a reading chair might be nice. How about an easel for chalking, painting and drawing? Generally, the younger the child, the more he wants to make large sweeping circular arm motions. You might even consider getting some butcher-block paper for large mural creation.

Sibling fights can be minimized if each person in the family, no matter the age has personal property rights. If your five year old doesn’t want to share some of his toys with your toddler, I suggest that that is his right. However, you might work with your five year old to go through some of his possessions and together determine which toys he might be willing to share. Further, many of his no-longer-used toys can be ceremoniously bequeathed to his younger sibling. His most prized possessions, however, should have a place in his room.

Every activity (just like life) has a beginning, middle and end. Teach your child how to get something out, use it in the place designated for its use and then put it away. If he moves on to the next thing before putting the last activity away, you can say, “in this house, we always put our belongings away.”

And finally, the most effective way to gain his cooperation is to model what you teach. Maybe it’s time for some spring cleaning of your own.

Written by Donohue Shortridge

Donohue, a Montessorian since 1980 speaks and writes on topics related to children and their families in the American culture. pds@pdonohueshortridge.com

“Go Outside and Play”

Written by Foothill Montessori on March 17, 2015. Posted in Blog.

“Children will be smarter, better able to get along with others, healthier and happier when they have regular opportunities for free and unstructured play in the out-of-doors.”
—American Medical Association, 2005

Spring has arrived! I can’t help but be excited by the thought of sunshine, hikes, water and fresh air! This article written by Jane M. Jacobs, M.A., a Montessori Educational Consultant at Montessori Services spoke to me in considering how outdoor time is such a powerful tool for our children. In the article, Jane offers a variety of ideas for making the best of your outside time with your little one.

Enjoy!

Were you told to “go out and play” when you were a child? Now, as a parent, do you give your children the same instructions? Perhaps not, but even for the urban, over-scheduled family, there are ways to give our children more opportunities to explore the outdoors.

For centuries it was common wisdom that children needed several hours of outdoor activity daily. As Dr. Benjamin Spock said, “It’s good for a baby (like anyone else) to get outdoors for two or three hours a day.” Some say we now suffer from “nature deficit disorder.” Children spend more and more time indoors with bright toys, beeping computer games, and flashing screens. A more contemporary pediatrician, Harvey Karp, similarly tells us that “there are exhaustive studies showing that time outdoors, particularly in nature, benefit us in myriad ways… while staying inside is over-stimulating and at the same time boring for children.”

Click here to read entire article.

Rhombus, Reniform and Rembrandt

Written by Foothill Montessori on March 10, 2015. Posted in Blog.

Your child’s education in Montessori is different – so different that it makes you shake your head in wonder and say, “Is this something my child is really learning?” As parents we want our children to excel at reading, writing and math. Yet their Montessori education leads them through strange and esoteric materials. (At least they are foreign to most adults.)

Why would a three year old need to be versed in geometry? Fine, a nice circle, a square and maybe a triangle but what purpose for an isosceles triangle, parallelogram or a rhombus? Then if that is not enough esoteric learning, your child moves on to the botany cabinet. How many three year olds need botany? They are introduced to leaf forms like spatulate, orbiculate, sagitate and reniform. Most of us adults can’t even pronounce them let alone know what they are.

If that is not enough diversity in the curriculum, Montessori education then introduces them to the whole world of art. They meet Picasso, Monet and Rembrandt. What in the world was Dr. Montessori thinking? And where is the math and reading?

There is a unique method (no it is not madness) in this approach. Your child is absorbing a tremendous amount of learning and stimuli and beginning to gain the skills of observation and visual discrimination – which is the ability to see differences. The Montessori child is effortlessly gaining a lifetime skill – the ability to see. Yes, we are born with sight but sight is passive where all the images come to us. When we observe, we actively focus our sight. But even focusing our sight does not always let us see what is there. For example, we have all seen pictures that if you look at them long enough the image changes into something else – like the two faces and the goblet or the old woman and the young girl. Skills and even talents need to be trained and refined. A Montessori classroom provides an unending panorama of activities that train and refine the ability “to see”.

Though education is primarily reading and math based, life is about having a clear vision of what is present (and what could be). And though the introduction to geometry (rhombus), botany (reniform) and art (Rembrandt) is rudimentary, it is absolutely foundational to clear-eyed success. For your child everything is new and exciting. To be able to put a name with a form or a shape not only gives great intellectual satisfaction but is the beginning of power to organize, define and categorize the world that is seen.

Enjoy the voyage of discovery as your child, with bright new eyes, sees the world for the first time. It is this power of visual discrimination that gives strength and focus to the power to read. It is also this power that breaks the world of math into distinguishable pieces with the ability to see patterns and processes.

Montessori truly gives your child the gift of sight!

Edward Fidellow