| Bringing Montessori Home |
| Written by Christine Olson Gedye | |
| Saturday, 22 October 2005 | |
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You can easily adopt some of these principles and practices in your child's daily life, letting almost every room in the house function as a laboratory where your child can learn life skills and independence. Some of the changes needed are as simple as installing a set of pegs at your child's shoulder level so she can hang up her coat. Guiding Principles The Following principles are central to Montessori teaching: Give your child credit for being competent Avoid saying "No, you can't do this." Instead, says Dottie Feldman, director of school consultation and accreditation for the American Montessori Society, be inventive about how to help your child achieve what he's trying to do. Demonstrate, step-by-step, how to complete the task, then provide opportunity to practice it frequently. If need be, take turns with your child, allowing him to do those steps he's capable of, and demonstrating the rest.
Buy ined F FّD e U Ё d F FD e V с d ! F FؑD e W X Y ҁ d F FؑD e Ӂ d F FّD e Z ԁ d ! F FؑD e [ \ ] Ձ d F FؑD e ց d F FّD e ^ ׁ ely the process of doing it. He doesn't anticipate the completion of the task." Parents need to be truly willing to go at the child's pace. Resist the urge to re-wipe the table, or otherwise correct your child as she goes. If you do, those feelings of pride and independence will wither. Do not disturb. "The biggest favor a parent can do for his child is to let him be when he's truly engaged. It's better to wait until he looks up or asks you a question. By not interrupting him, you're helping him develop his powers of concentration. Organize your child's environment to enable independence. "Think about how you can arrange things in your home so that your child can be more in charge, so that he can work towards doing things himself," says John Chattin-McNichols, the Director of the Montessori Education Institute of the Pacific Northwest. A bed low to the floor with a sleeping bag on it, for example, is much easier to straighten than a bed on a frame with lots of sheets, blankets and pillows. Incorporate your child into your whole house, rather than isolating his play to a specific room. For the most part, your child wants to be with you, whatever you may be doing. While he may keep most of his playthings in his bedroom or in the family room, he could also have a few books in the living room, a small table and a drawer for his things in the kitchen, perhaps even a box of markers and paper in the home office. For more on making your home more inviting for your child, click on the room-by-room suggestions at right. The Child's Bedroom As early as you feel comfortable, replace the crib with a mattress or futon on the floor, and provide an easy-to-wash sleeping bag or comforter, rather than sheets and blankets so your child can straighten the covers in the morning. Make it easier for your child to put away books and toys by providing low, open shelving; small toys should be stored in clear plastic bins. Label shelves and bins with pictures and words describing the contents. Decide whether you want the child to pick up as he goes, at the end of the day, or once a week, and be consistent in your expectation. Also, realize that you'll need to help him with cleanup--making it as fun as you can--for a long time before he'll do it on his own. Similarly, arrange clothes in baskets, open shelves, or low drawers that are easy to open and shut (demonstrate how to use drawers quietly). In the closet, install a low-hanging pole and/or pegs of varying heights so that your child can hang up his own hats, sweaters and dresses. Make sure your child's clothing hamper is accessible and safe--a lightweight model with no lid is preferable. Encourage your child to use it as he undresses at the end of the day, and give him the job of carrying his dirty clothes to the laundry room on wash day. He'll also enjoy helping you with laundry--especially when it comes to sorting clothes. Decorate the walls with your child's artwork, as well as good-quality photos of children and animals, hung at the child's eye-level. If possible, have a tape player or small stereo in the bedroom, as music should be a part of every child's daily life. Safety is especially important when independence is being encouraged; be sure outlets are covered, shelves are secured to the wall, and windows can only be opened a few inches. Kitchen Between cooking, eating and cleaning up, there are plenty of ways to keep your child busy and learning in the kitchen. Provide a sturdy step stool that the child can get out and put away on his own. It should allow him to access the sink comfortably--for getting a sponge to wipe the table, for washing dishes, and for just playing in the water. You may also want to hang a waterproof apron where your child can reach it easily. If you have the space, set up a child-size table and chairs near the family eating area. It can be used for snacks, meals with friends or meals that aren't being eaten at the family table, artwork, and other tabletop toys such as small blocks or puzzles. Make sure the child knows the table and chairs are his to care for. Provide a drawer--preferably near the child's table--for his art materials, table toys and perhaps his own set of measuring spoons and cups or other kitchen utensils. Enable your child to help himself to a snack and a drink by placing a small pitcher of water or juice and a prepared snack on a low shelf in the refrigerator. Make sure a small cup, plate and napkins are also within reach. Invite your child to help prepare meals. He might start with mixing dough for biscuits or washing lettuce, and later move to peeling cucumbers and carrots. Even though many parents are wary of letting their children use a knife, it's important to teach them how to do it correctly. Start by demonstrating how to slice a banana using a table knife (as early as age 2 1/2), then move on to cooked carrots. At age four, most kids can be taught how to safely slice raw carrots with a small paring knife (under close adult supervision). Expect your child to carry his food to the table, and to clear his dishes when he's finished eating (this will be easier if he's eating at his small table). Most young children--even toddlers--love to wipe up spills on the floor and table. Sweeping is another favorite task, made easier if you provide a small hand broom and dustpan--again stored where the child can retrieve it on his own. More tasks suited to little helpers: helping with putting away groceries and loading and unloading the dishwasher. Bathroom The bathroom is the ideal place to teach your child to be responsible for taking care of herself. As in the kitchen, provide a sturdy step stool that allows your child to use the sink comfortably. Make sure your child's toothbrush and toothpaste are small enough to handle, and easily accessible. Install a towel hook or rack where your child can reach her towel and facecloth easily. If your child is still in diapers, involve her as much as possible in decisions about diaper changing. For instance, you can ask her "Would you like to have your diaper changed while you are standing or laying down? Can you please hand me a diaper? The diaper cream?" and so on. If your child is beginning to use a potty, make sure she can get to it on her own, is wearing clothing that is easy to negotiate, and that she knows how to wipe herself properly. Living Room While many families like to have one or two rooms in the home reserved for adults, there will probably be times when you want to use that room as a family; you'll all benefit if your child learns from the start how to handle himself there appropriately. Provide one drawer or cabinet for a small selection of toys or books; allow your child to choose what is kept there. "Do not touch" objects are difficult for young children. You can get past the temptation posed by delicate vases, candlesticks and other decorative objects by showing your child how to handle them gently; then explain that these items are better for looking at than playing with. Allow your child a section of your music storage space for her own growing collection of tapes and CDs. As early as age three, you can teach your child how to put a cassette or CD in a stereo, and show her the appropriate level for the volume. Outdoors A child's first introduction to--and most frequent experience with--nature will probably be in your own backyard and on short walks in your neighborhood. Provide a small, sunny plot--or even just a large pot--for your child to plant his own vegetable garden. The lessons learned and pride earned in tending something from seed to table are immeasurable. If you aren't a gardener yourself, there are many children's nature activity books that can take you both step-by-step through the process. Include your child in the maintenance of the family garden by asking him to help you weed, rake and water it. Provide child-size rakes and trowels that really work--many fine toy stores and catalogs carry these in the spring and summer months. Go on frequent walks with your child, and let him set the pace as often as possible. Preschoolers are apt to spend much of their time squatting down and looking at an ant hill or collecting leaves or stones; this is what they are most interested in at this stage, and fostering such observation skills now will pay off later. If you can, set aside a place of prominence in the home or in the child's room for items gathered on these nature walks. Age-By-Age "Can Do" List As you read through the room-by-room suggestions, you may be thinking to yourself, when will my child be capable of pulling on his pants or making his bed? Well, as with walking and talking, every child's developmental time line is different, but this age-by-age "can do" list provides a rough guideline of when you might start introducing activities. "Use your creativity and intuition," says Bev Farrell, director of the Teacher Education Program at the College of Notre Dame in Belmont, California. "Try things with your child, and if he's not quite ready for it, modify it a bit--make it easier next time."
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