Montessori Theory
What is a“Work”?
You may hear your child mentioning the word “Work”.
In Montessori Classrooms,“Work” has a special meaning. “Work” is a positive experience -of undertaking an activity that fulfills your mind, body and heart.
It is not an obligation or chore.
So please keep the word “Work” positive when your child mentions “Work”at home.
What does “Absorbent Mind” mean?
One of Maria Montessori’s most prominent discoveries was what she called “The Absorbent Mind” During the first six years of life, children have a very different way of learning than adults. At this age, children’s brains work like sponges; they soak up information indiscriminately and effortlessly from their environment.
That is why it’s important to have “Sensorial Materials” in the classroom not only for children to explore the five senses but also for them to learn to categorize the information that they acquire in their environment.
“The child has a different relation to his environment from ours..the child absorbs it.
The things he sees are not just remembered; they form part of his soul. He incarnates in himself all in the world about him that his eyes see and his ears hear”
-Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind
Why is handwriting important?
Handwriting teaches letter formation and supports reading and language acquisition. Additionally, through perceptual and motor skills practice, handwriting advances neurological development and augments writing fluency. Through modern brain-imaging techniques, researchers have found that neural activity in children who practiced printing (also known as manuscript writing) by hand was far more advanced than in children who just looked at the letters. Handwriting seems, based on empirical evidence from neuroscience, to play a large role in the visual recognition and learning of letters.
Make Practicing Fun!
- Offer your child a special pencil or a rainbow of colored ones.
- Encourage Drawing and Puzzle Games
- In order to develop the physical requirements of writing — holding a pencil correctly, posture, control, dexterity, coordination — the more time your child spends manipulating objects, the better. Even using silverware can help him develop his fine-motor skills.
- The Right Tools - If your child's struggling with a regular pencil, try a smaller or shorter, kid-sized one.
- Ensure he has a good eraser handy so he's not afraid of making mistakes.
- Writing Outside the Box - A foggy mirror, patch of mud, or bowl of leftover sauce make great surfaces. Whether your child's practicing with his fingers, a stick, or a pencil, inspiring his creativity will lend appeal to writing.