Montessori Mag-nificence June ed 24

*FREE DIGITAL MAG *ISSUE 24 *JUNE 2016

Montessori Practical strategies for Positive Parenting Implement Montessori Without breaking the bank

FUN

MESSY PAINTING PROJECTS

Montessori Education & Peace

Sharing New Activities WITH YOUR CHILD

www.childoftheuniverse.co.za

ed’s letter Hello Montessori Teachers, Parents, Grand Parents, family and friends

ABOUT US www.childoftheuniverse.co.za PUBLISHER 2Luni Media EDITOR Linda Navon 071 346 8138 linda@childoftheuniverse.co.za OUR “Little Boss” Carmen Ché Jardim NATIONAL SALES & MARKETING Cj Stott Matticks 082 900 1010 FREELANCE WRITER Arizona Quinn DISTRIBUTION & RESEARCH Dani Lee Coulter CONTACT NUMBERS TEL: (011) 462-2900 0110 262 643 0110 468 737 FOR ADVERTISING PLEASE CALL Cj ON 082 900 1010 Email: candida@childoftheuniverse.co.za DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this publication

are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the editor, advertisers or endorsers. While every effort has been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are both accurate and truthful, the publisher and editor accept no responsibility for inaccurate or misleading information that may be contained herein.

MEDIA PARTNERS

I trust you are all well and managing to keep your home’s stocked up with all the natural remedies for any coughs and sniffles this winter. The cold has really settled in, here is Jozi anyway – I can hear the Cape Town wind howling at my door as I am completing this mag. Yes, it’s 4am and I am snug in bed, duvet firmly held down by my two cats.

You may notice when you open the accompanying Conscious Life magazine, that we are not your conventional ‘off-the-shelf’ type of mag – our content covers topics that people need to know and may raise a few eyebrows. So be it – our world is a little crazy sometimes and a few articles go a long way to letting readers know that they are not alone with what they are battling with and experiencing. We encourage you to read Conscious Life as well, and please feel free to let us know if there are any topics you would like us to cover for you.

Our magazines are usually published by the second week of each month, reason being that, once again, we are not conventional. We like to delight our readers with something fresh and insightful to read once you have gotten over the month end rush, and can put your feet up with a nice ‘cuppa’ tea, and consciously relax with us.

Having said all that, in this issue we have changed the content, by not adding the articles of the Positive parenting magazine. It makes for too big a magazine and we want to focus purely on Montessori in this mag. The Positive Parenting magazine will always be sent to you, and is filled with articles related to all aspects of family life. Please enjoy it too.

Until late in July, enjoy your school holidays and please pass Montessori Mag-nificence on to your schools’ parents.

Much Love

Linda

contributing team & experts

DR MICHAEL DORER

SHARON CALDWELL

HEIDI VAN STADEN

TIM SELDIN

JACQUELYN PRICE

KYM VAN STRAATEN

PILAR

SARAH SCHERRER

KATHERINE KINZLER

SUSANNE VAN NIEKERK

JEANNE-MARIE PAYNEL

MARNIE CRAYCROFT

contents ARTICLES Establishing Peace – A Cornerstone of Montessori Education

By Susanne van Niekerk 101 Things Montessori Parents can do to help their Children

By Barbara Hacker The Superior Social Skills of Bilinguals

By Katherine Kinzler Practical Strategies for Positive Parenting

By Sarah Scherrer – Montessori Messy Nine Key Points to Sharing New Activities with your Child

By Jeanne-Marie Paynel Art & Montessori

By Pilar – The Full Montessori How to implement Montessori at home without breaking the bank

By Marnie Craycroft Four Steps to offer the least help to Primary age Children

By Leanne Gray MONTESSORI EQUIPMENT & EDUCATIONAL TOY SUPPLIERS Childrens House WonderEquip Montessori Supplier Smart Heart Learning Tools Kid-Ease

Nienhuis Montessori materials Nienhuis Montessori materials meet the demands of Montessori education regarding spontaneous learning. Our high quality products enable children to become independent and critical thinkers.

Our products are based on Montessori education principles and stimulate children's desire to learn.

They promote imagination, increase insight and create a desire for quality. Children can develop without predetermined rules, but they do need individual guidance and supportive educational materials. We believe in personal growth and offer the necessary tools to support this.

Establishing peace… a cornerstone of Montessori education The Montessori pedagogy has at its core the fundamental principal of teaching peace.

By Susanne van Niekerk Not only do we teach it, our teachers are trained to embody peaceful attitudes and values in the children’s prepared environment as well. The peace curriculum forms part of our daily work with children of all ages, for Montessori said that if we want to have a peaceful world, we must begin with the child. In her 1941 book, Education and Peace, Montessori writes, “True peace…suggests the triumph of justice and love among men; it reveals an existence of a better world wherein harmony reigns.” (Montessori, 1971a, p.7) In 1949, 1950, and 1951, Montessori received nominations for the Nobel peace prize. Each nomination acknowledged her work toward achieving world peace through education.

“The Science of Peace, were it to become a special discipline, would be the most noble of

all, for the very life of humanity depends on it. So, also perhaps, does the question of whether our entire civilization evolves or disappears.” (Montessori in Peace 101, 2015)

According to Ursula Thrush (who developed the ‘Peace 101 Project’ in 1982), the three main principles of peace education are: ◦freedom of choice and self- determination leading to selfrespect, security and creativity; ◦respect for and cooperation with our peers; ◦respect for the environment.

One way of helping children take responsibility for maintaining peace in the classroom is our peace table.

This is a place where an individual child may choose to go if feeling out of sorts and in need of time out. It must be stressed that this is a voluntary choice on the part of the child – much in the same way an adult may take a moment with a cup of coffee to re-centre. The peace table may be a low table with a couple of scatter cushions and one or more of the following: a pretty table cloth, a little vase of flowers, a picture of a peaceful scene, a miniature Zen garden with a tiny rake, a bowl of polished gemstones etc.

I have even seen a small cd player and earphones with soothing music that the child may listen to. This affords the child an opportunity to be quiet and mindful for some time and use the available materials to develop inner peace.

The peace table may also be used as a meeting place where aggrieved members of the class may resolve conflicts. In the younger classes, the teacher needs to facilitate the process, but as the children grow in confidence, they manage it independently. The rules of the peace table are explained and practiced over time. One person speaks at a time and we leave the peace table having shared our problem, found a solution and shaken hands to confirm the commitment. The peace table is not a place where a flustered teacher sends children to ‘sort out their problems’, and s/he should never abandon children there either. As Montessori teachers our motive here is to use the peace table as a way of teaching conflict resolution in a peaceful way and with grace and courtesy towards the children.

Sonnie MacFarland, a great advocate for peace education urges us to ‘honour the light in the child’ (Shining Mountain Press, 2015). All children deserve a place to be heard where their feelings and thoughts are acknowledged. If we teach children to be confident in expressing themselves and their needs in a safe and nurturing environment, we and they can be the difference we want to see in the world.

(Heidi van

Staden)

MOVEABLE ALPHABETS

DRESSING FRAMES

GEOGRAPHY

PUZZLE MAPS

NUMBER RODS

PINK TOWERS

Call us: (031)207-3871 sales@wondereduquip.co.za Available for delivery throughout South Africa. Place your orders online:

http://www.wondereduquip.co.za/

101 Things Montessori Parents Can Do to Help Children

by Barbara Hacker 1. Read about Montessori education and philosophy and how it applies to your child.

2. Purchase a copy of The Michael Olaf Catalog(s). These wonderful publications are a clear introduction to Montessori for parents as well as a source book of ideal toys, materials, books, etc. for the home. (http://www.michaelolaf.com) 3. Take the time to stand back and observe your child carefully and note the characteristics he/she is displaying.

4. Analyze your child's wardrobe and build a wardrobe aimed at freedom of movement, independence, and freedom from distraction.

5. Make sure your child gets sufficient sleep.

6. Make both going to bed and getting up a calm and pleasant ritual.

7. Teach grace and courtesy in the home. Model it. Use courtesy with your child and help your child to demonstrate it.

8. Refrain from physical punishment and learn ways of positive discipline.

9. Have a special shelf where your child's books are kept and replaced after careful use.

10. Make regular trips to the public library, and become familiar with the librarians and how the library works and enjoy books together. Borrow books and help your child learn the responsibility for caring for them and returning them.

11. Read together daily. With younger children stick to books with realistic themes.

12. See that your child gets to school on time.

13. Allow sufficient time for your child to dress himself/herself.

14. Allow your child to collaborate with food preparation and encourage your Extended Day child to take at least some responsibility for preparing his or her own lunch.

15. If possible allow your child a plot of land or at least a flower pot in which to experience growing things.

16. Take walks together at the child's pace, pausing to notice things and talk about them.

17. Help your child be in a calm and prepared mood to begin school rather than over-stimulated and carrying toys or food.

18. Eliminate or strictly limit TV watching and replace with activity oriented things which involve the child rather than his/her being a passive observer. When the child does watch TV, watch it with him/her and discuss what is being seen.

19. From the earliest age give your child the responsibility to pick up after himself/herself, i.e., return toys to place, put dirty clothes in laundry basket, clear dishes to appropriate place, clean off sink after use, etc. This necessitates preparing the environment so children know where things go.

20. Hug regularly but don't impose affection. Recognize the difference.

21. Assign regular household tasks that need to be done to maintain the household to your child as age appropriate. (Perhaps setting silverware and napkins on the table, sorting, recycling. dusting, watering plants, etc.)

22. Attend school parent education functions.

23. Arrange time for both parents to attend parent-teacher conferences. Speak together in preparation for the conference and write down questions to ask.

24. Talk to your child clearly without talking down. Communicate with respect and give the child the gift of language, new words and expressions.

25. When talking to your child, physically get on his/her level, be still, and make eye contact.

26. Sing! Voice quality does not matter. Sing together regularly. Build a repertoire of family favorites.

27. Refrain from over-structuring your child's time with formal classes and activities. Leave time to "just be," to play, explore, create.

28. Teach your child safety precautions. (Deal with matches, plugs, chemicals, stairs, the street, how to dial 911, etc.)

29. Teach your child his/her address, phone number, and parents' names.

30. Count. Utilize natural opportunities that arise.

31. Tell and re-tell family based stories. For example, "On the day you were born..."

32. Look at family pictures together. Help your child be aware of his/her extended family, names, and relationships.

33. Construct your child's biography, the story of his/her life. A notebook is ideal so that it can be added to each year. Sharing one's story can become a much loved ritual. It can be shared with the child's class at birthday time.

34. Assist your child to be aware of his/her feelings, to have vocabulary for emotions and be able to express them.

35. Play games together. Through much repetition children learn to take turns, to win and lose.

36. Together, do things to help others. For example, take food to an invalid neighbor, contribute blankets to a homeless shelter, give toys to those who have none, etc.

37. Speak the language of the virtues. Talk about patience, cooperativeness, courage, ingenuity, cheerfulness, helpfulness, kindness, etc. and point out those virtues when you see them demonstrated. (Virtues Project resource information available in the school office.)

38. Refrain from giving your child too much "stuff." If there is already too much, give some away or store and rotate.

39. Memorize poetry and teach it to your child and recite it together.

40. Put up a bird feeder. Let your child have responsibility for filling it. Together learn to be good watchers and learn about the birds you see.

41. Whenever you go somewhere with your child, prepare him/her for what is going to happen and what will be expected of him/her at the store, restaurant, doctor's office, etc.

42. Express appreciation to your child and others and help your child to do the same. Send thank you notes for gifts. Young children can dictate or send a picture. Older children can write their own. What is key is learning the importance of expressing appreciation.

43. Help your child to learn to like healthful foods. Never force a child to eat something he/she does not like, but also don't offer unlimited alternatives! Make trying new things fun. Talk about foods and how they look or describe the taste. Introduce the word "savor" and teach how to do it.

Engage children in food preparation.

44. When food shopping, talk to your child about what you see -- from kumquats to lobsters. Talk about where food items come from. Talk about the people who help us by growing, picking, transporting, and displaying food.

45. Provide your child with appropriate sized furniture: his/her own table and chair to work at; perhaps a rocker in the living room to be with you; a bed that can easily be made by a child; a stool for climbing up to sink or counter.

46. While driving, point things out and discuss -- construction work, interesting buildings, vehicles, bridges, animals.

47. Teach the language of courtesy. Don't let your child interrupt. Teach how to wait after saying, "Excuse me, please."

48. Analyze any annoying behavior of your child and teach from the positive. For example: door slamming -- teach how to close a door; running in the house -- teach how to walk; runny nose -teach how to use a tissue.

49. Spend quality time with people of different ages.

50. Teach your child about your religion and make them feel a part of it.

51. Help your child to have positive connections with people of diverse ethnicities, language, and beliefs.

52. Laugh a lot. Play with words. Tell jokes. Help your child to develop a sense of humor.

53. Share your profession or occupation with your child. Have him/her visit at work and have some appreciation of work done in the world.

54. See that your child learns to swim -- the younger the better.

55. Have a globe or atlas in the house, and whenever names of places come up locate them with the child.

56. Make sure your child has the tools he/she needs -- child size broom, mop, dust pan, whisk broom, duster, etc., to help maintain the cleanliness of the household.

57. Learn to say, "No," without anger, and with firmness and conviction. Not everything children want is appropriate.

58. Arrange environments and options so that you end up saying yes more than no.

59. Refrain from laughing at your child.

60. Alert children to upcoming events so they can mentally prepare, e.g., "In ten minutes, it will be time for bed."

61. Help children to maintain a calendar, becoming familiar with days and months, or counting down to special events. Talk about it regularly.

62. Get a pet and guide your child to take responsibility for its care.

63. Refrain from replacing everything that gets broken. Help children to learn the value of money, and, the consequences of actions.

64. Take a nighttime walk -- listen to sounds, observe the moon, smell the air.

65. Take a rain walk. Wear coats and boots to be protected, but then fully enjoy the rain.

66. Allow your Primary-aged child to use his/her whole body and mind for active doing. Save computers for the Elementary years and later when they become a useful tool of the conscious mind.

67. If you must travel without your child, leave notes behind for him/her to open each day you are gone.

68. Expose your child to all sorts of music.

69. Talk about art, visit statue gardens, and make short visits to museums and look at a couple of pictures. Make it meaningful and enjoyable. Don't overdue.

70. Help them learn to sort: the laundry, silverware, etc.

71. Help them become aware of sounds in words. Play games: what starts with "mmmm?" "What ends with 't'?"

72. Organize the child's things in appropriate containers and on low shelves.

73. Aid the child in absorbing a sense of beauty: expose him/her to flowers, woods, and natural materials, and avoid plastic.

74. Help your child start a collection of something interesting.

75. Talk about the colors (don't forget shades), textures, and shapes you see around you.

76. Provide art materials, paper, appropriate aprons, and mats to define the work space. Provide tools for cleaning up.

77. Evaluate each of your child's toys.

Does it help him/her learn something?

Does the child use it?

Does it "work," and are all pieces present?

Is it safe?

78. Refrain from doing for a child what he/she can do for himself/herself.

79. Provide opportunities for physical activity -- running, hopping, skipping, climbing. Teach them how. Go to a playground if necessary.

80. Teach children how to be still and make "silence." Do it together. Children love to be in a meditative space if given the opportunity.

81. Teach your child his/her birthday.

82. Read the notes that are sent home from school.

83. Alert the teacher to anything that may be affecting your child -- lack of sleep, exposure to a fight, moving, relative visiting in home, parent out of town, etc.

84. Provide a place to just dig. Allow your child to get totally dirty sometimes without inhibitions.

85. Refrain from offering material rewards or even excessive praise. Let the experience of accomplishment be its own reward.

86. Don't speak for your child to others. Give the space for the child to speak for himself/herself, and if he/she doesn't it's okay.

87. Apologize to your child when you've made a mistake.

88. Understand what Montessori meant by sensitive periods. Know when your child is in one and utilize it.

89. Learn to wait. Some things people want to give their children or do with them are more appropriate at a later age. Be patient, the optimal time will come. Stay focused on where they are right now.

90. Play ball together: moms and dads, boys and girls.

91. Tell them what you value in them. Let them hear you express what you value in others.

92. Always tell the truth.

93. Go to the beach and play in the sand.

94. Ride the bus; take a train -- at least once.

95. Watch a sunrise. Watch a sunset.

96. Share appropriate "news" from the newspaper: new dinosaur was discovered; a baby elephant born at the zoo; a child honored for bravery; the weather forecast.

97. Evaluate your child's hairstyle. Is it neat and not a distraction or is it always in the child's eyes, falling out of headbands, etc?

98. Let your child help you wash the car and learn the vocabulary of the parts of the car. With this and other tasks take time to focus on the process for the child more than the end product.

99. Talk about right, left, straight, turn, north, south, east, west, in a natural way so your child develops a sense of direction and the means to talk about it.

100. Place a small pitcher of water or juice on a low refrigerator shelf and a glass in a low place so your child can be independent in getting a drink.

101. If your child is attached to things like pacifiers, start a weaning process.

List courtesy of Barbara Hacker, Early Childhood Montessori Guide at the Post Oak School in Belleaire, Texas.

Enjoy life together!

Bells - 1MM.240 Set of 13 pairs of movable brass bells that make up the chromatic scale starting with the middle C (do) as follows : a) 13 bells with natural wood bases b) 13 bells with decreasing diameters and black or white wooden bases to correspond to the piano keyboard; c) two wooden mallets for striking the bells; d) one wooden damper Mallet - 1MM.240.1 Individual wooden mallet for bells Damper - 1MM.240.2 Individual wooden damper for bells

CONTACT US Mobile: 082 644 6965 sales@montessorisupplier.co.za www.montessorisupplier.co.za

Bell Baseboard - 1MM.241 Set of two wooden boards with grey and white rectangular spaces corresponding to the bases of the bells

The Superior Social Skills of Bilinguals BEING bilingual has some obvious advantages. Learning more than one language enables new conversations and new experiences. But in recent years, psychology researchers have demonstrated some less obvious advantages of bilingualism, too. For instance, bilingual children may enjoy certain cognitive benefits, such as improved executive function — which is critical for problem solving and other mentally demanding activities.

Credit Gérard DuBois Now, two new studies demonstrate that multilingual exposure improves not only children’s cognitive skills but also their social abilities.

One study from my developmental psychology lab — conducted in collaboration with the psychologists Boaz Keysar, Zoe Liberman and Samantha Fan at the University of Chicago, and published last year in the journal Psychological Science — shows that multilingual children can be better at communication than monolingual children.

We took a group of children in the United States, ages 4 to 6, from different linguistic backgrounds, and presented them with a situation in which they had to consider someone else’s perspective to understand her meaning. For example, an adult said to the child: “Ooh, a small car! Can you move the small car for me?” Children could see three cars — small, medium and large — but were in position to observe that the adult could not see the smallest car. Since the adult could see only the medium and large cars, when she said “small” car, she must be referring to the child’s “medium.”

By KATHERINE KINZLER We found that bilingual children were better than monolingual children at this task. If you think about it, this makes intuitive sense.

Interpreting someone’s utterance often requires attending not just to its content, but also to the surrounding context. What does a speaker know or not know? What did she intend to convey?

Children in multilingual environments have social experiences that provide routine practice in considering the perspectives of others: They have to think about who speaks which language to whom, who understands which content, and the times and places in which different languages are spoken.

Interestingly, we also found that children who were effectively monolingual yet regularly exposed to another language — for example, those who had grandparents who spoke another language — were just as talented as the bilingual children at this task. It seems that being raised in an environment in which multiple languages are spoken, rather than being bilingual per se, is the driving factor.

You might wonder whether our findings could be explained as just another instance of the greater cognitive skills that bilingual children have been observed to have. We wondered that, too. So we gave all the children a standard cognitive test of executive function. We found that bilingual children performed better than monolingual children, but that the kids who were effectively monolingual yet regularly exposed to another language did not. These “exposure” children performed like monolinguals on the cognitive task, but like bilinguals on the communication task.

Something other than cognitive skills — something more “social” — must explain their facility in adopting another’s perspective.

In a follow-up study, forthcoming in the journal Developmental Science, my colleagues and I examined the effects of multilingual exposure on even younger children: 14- to 16-month-old babies, who are hardly speaking at all. In this study, led by Zoe Liberman and in collaboration with Professor Keysar and the psychologist Amanda Woodward, babies were shown two versions of the same object, such as a banana, one of which was visible to both the infant and an adult, the other visible to the baby yet hidden from the adult’s view. When the adult asked the baby for “the banana,” the baby might hand her either object — both were bananas, after all — yet if the baby understood the social context, he would reach more often for the banana that the adult could see.

We found that babies in monolingual environments reached equally often for the two bananas. Babies in multilingual environments, including those who were exposed to a second language only minimally, already understood the importance of adopting another’s perspective for communication: They reached more often for the banana that the adult could see.

Multilingual exposure, it seems, facilitates the basic skills of interpersonal understanding. Of course, becoming fully bilingual or multilingual is not always easy or possible for everyone. But the social advantage we have identified appears to emerge from merely being raised in an environment in which multiple languages are experienced, not from being bilingual per se.

This is potentially good news for parents who are not bilingual themselves, yet who want their children to enjoy some of the benefits of multilingualism.

Katherine Kinzler is an associate professor of psychology and human development at Cornell University.

By Sarah Scherrer

Practical Strategies for Positive Parenting

Yesterday, as I walked past the Health and Beauty aisle at Target, I overheard a fight among siblings.

I kept walking past, though I couldn't help but rubberneck: there on the floor were two welldressed young children fighting over a toy. One punched the other hard in the stomach, while the stylish mom turned to say, "Seriously?

We're doing THIS now?" The mother wasn't young and she wasn't old, and the children--who I had observed earlier throughout the store-appeared normal in all respects. It was the mother's reaction that wasn't normal.

What happened to behaving yourself in public?

What happened to treating other human beings with respect? What happened to correcting behavior that is dangerous, disruptive or destructive? Yikes. Is this the best we can do?

I wonder if the past couple of generations of families have suffered parenting amnesia, forgetting how to navigate the extremes of too lax and too strict. I wonder if we are too proud to take a parenting class or two?

RIP'S BASIC STRATEGIES

Unfortunately, common sense parenting skills are rare to find these days, and it shows. That's why we could all benefit from programs like RIP, a Regional Intervention Program that teaches parents basic parenting skills. That was the topic of our fifth parenting discussion, led by my friend Meredith who is a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd instructor with an Atrium of her own, former mommy from our Montessori Mornings, and who went through the RIP program herself.

Use "When‌..Then": Give a simple instruction that tells your child what he must do in order to earn a desired consequence.

Plan Ahead: Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

State Expectations in Advance: Give one clear instruction.

Catch Your Child Being Good: Give specific, positive attention to the behavior that you want to occur again.

Present Limited Reasonable Choices: Learning to take personal responsibility takes support and practice.

Know What is Reasonable: Keep your expectations realistic.

(Part of this is understanding child development, part is knowing your child. If you suspect that your child may have special needs, seek the help of a qualified professional.)

Stay Calm: The more out-of-control your child becomes, the more self control you need to use.

(If you have problems with anger management or depression, seek professional help.)

Use Neutral Time: The best time to talk is when everyone is calm enough to listen.

Extra Stress Luckily, she shared a handout. Now you, too, can get back to basics!

Ed’s Note: The linked site has useful reading material. We are looking into local/South African organisations who offer similar family courses. Your suggestions are always welcome.

Not all couples are on the same page when it comes to parenting. Understandably, problem behaviors can drive a wedge between you two and create terrible stress. If you are struggling while your spouse/partner is oblivious, there are good books and websites that can get you started with parenting help, and you may want to seek help as a couple, as well.

I wish that all parents and teachers who struggle with problem behavior (um, I guess that's all of us!) would participate!

Sarah Scherrer. A fortysomething mother of six incorporates Montessori principles into REAL life.

Montessori Messy

THE NINE KEY POINTS TO SHARING A NEW ACTIVITY WITH YOUR CHILD

By Jeanne-Marie Paynel Throughout my journey as a parent and Montessori educator, I have repeatedly seen how simple activities, offered at the right time and in the right way, can have a huge impact on a child’s behavior.

Children are fascinated by real objects and they will ‘work’ with them to develop different abilities. With this in mind, I’ve created a series of videos of some of my favorite simple and easy activities, which you can share with your child at home or on the road.

Not every activity will interest every child, but by watching your child at play you will start to learn what works best for her. Below are 9 key points to keep in mind when sharing a new activity with your child.

 Choose an age-appropriate* activity for your child  Use a few words to introduce the activity

 Give the proper language for each item used  Sit opposite your dominant hand so you don’t block your child’s vision of the activity (if you’re right-handed, sit to the right of the child; lefties sit on the left)  Slow down your movement, so your child can analyze what you’re doing  Do not talk when actually showing the activity  Only show your child a new activity when he is rested and well-fed  Do not interrupt or correct once your child is engaged  Enjoy sharing these moments with your child  *The appropriate age will depend on the child’s individual development and abilities as well as interest. These are all approximate ages; it is essential to follow your child’s needs by learning to observe them.

Jeanne-Marie Paynel M.Ed, Founder of Voila Montessori, Parent Guide and Home Consultant

A common misconception among Montessori skeptics is that there isn’t enough emphasis on teaching art in the Montessori classroom. If their definition of teaching art includes 25 children sitting together, making paintings that look almost exactly the same, based on the teacher’s original idea, then they are absolutely right: you will NEVER find this type of art instruction in a genuine Montessori environment.

(As one friend says: “In conventional school art classes, the teacher has to write down each child’s name on the paper because nobody has a clue which painting belongs to whom – they’re identical.”)

Art activities in the Montessori classroom are not meant to impress parents.

Montessori artwork might never be featured on the wall of your local supermarket.

Montessori art has a higher purpose: to support the child’s creative development.

He can take as much time as he needs, incorporate skills from previous lessons, collaborate with others, and take risks. He’ll develop concentration through repetition, and will refine his motor skills. His artwork will never be graded, compared, or critiqued by the adults in the classroom.

As with all Montessori materials, Montessori art activities are introduced as individual presentations in Primary and in small group lessons in Elementary. Emphasis is made on learning new techniques and working with care and precision; a specific end product is almost never highlighted (especially not in Primary). After the lesson is over, if the child doesn’t want to work with the material immediately, he’ll return it to the shelf, where it can be accessed at any time by any child who has had the presentation.

Zachary (2yr 11mo) concentrates while learning to glue toothpicks and glitter.

You can bring the Montessori approach to artwork into your home by following some simple tenets:  Choose a medium your child can manage on his own. A great resource for Montessori-inspired art activities for children ages 3-8 is this book (written by a Montessori teacher): “I Want to Paint a Zebra, but I Don’t Know How.”  Set up all the necessary tools and materials on a tray, including containers and clean-up items.  Choose a place where the tray will be stored, which is accessible to your child.  When you present the activity to your child, set out two pieces of paper: one for you (set up between you and the child) and another for the child, placed off to one corner of the work area to inspire him to begin working once the lesson is over. Point out that you’re going to have a turn first and when you’re finished, it’s his turn.  Limit how much you talk and keep your movements slow and deliberate. Don’t talk as you are manipulating the materials, because the child might turn to look at you instead of your hands. If you need to explain something, do it before or after each step of the process.  Keep techniques open-ended and don’t feel you need to show EVERY variation available. For example, if using clay, you can say: “This is one way of rolling a ball”. Let your child discover other ways when it’s his turn.  Focus on introducing skills and techniques (“This is one way of gluing cotton onto paper.”) instead of trying to make something your child can identify (“I’m making a snowman.”), because his potential desire to copy your snowman will limit his creative experience.  When you finish the lesson, decide if you’ll invite your child to work with it right away (best for young children) or whether you’ll show him how to clean up (suggested for some older children).

Always remember to come back to show your child how to clean up!  When you’re done with your artwork, take it with you. Leaving your version in front of your child limits his creativity and can make him feel discouraged if he decides his version is not as “good” as yours.  Let your child work by himself, but keep an eye on him to make sure he’s not misusing the materials. Gentle reminders with positive phrasing are usually all that’s needed to get a child back on track: “Glitter goes on the paper, not on the dog.”  When he finishes, if he seems interested in discussing his work, use descriptive language (“You really enjoyed making circles with the red crayon!”) instead of offering generic praise (“Good job!” or “That’s beautiful!”). For older children, you can also ask questions about their creative process (“What did you learn when you started mixing colors?”).  Respect what the child wishes to do with his artwork once he’s done. He might want to give it away, feature it on the fridge, or even throw it away. There are no bad choices here (other than feeding it to the dog…).  Don’t feel bad if your child doesn’t want to work with the material again. If you want to encourage further use of the activity, you can provide variations (different colors or types of paper/paints/objects for gluing, etc.)  I hope these tips are helpful…

Have fun!!!

Hi, I’m Pilar. My son, Zachary, was born at home in 2012 and my daughter, Nadia, followed in his footsteps three years later.

“The Full Montessori” is my personal journal and soapbox. I write in order to deepen my own understanding of Montessori; I write to share Montessori with other parents; and I write because it calms my soul.

QUALITY MONTESSORI EDUCATION MATERIAL AT AFFORDABLE PRICES

CALL US (011) 574-5739 or 084 777 6655 anthea@kid-ease.co.za www.kid-ease.co.za

There is no question Montessori materials are expensive. It would be nice if we could bring every piece of Montessori material into our homes, but let us be realistic.

Most of us are on a budget, and this Montessori stuff, while we quickly fall in love, can also quickly make us broke. We have to remember, though, that one of Maria Montessori’s key tenets was beauty and quality of materials. Care of the environment is a big deal in Montessori environments for a few reasons not the least of which is preserving the longevity of materials. So, to try and reconcile this situation, below are a few examples of ways to bring Montessori into your home without breaking the bank.

Five Montessori on a Budget Ideas Local Library Some of the greatest resources in life are right in front of our eyes. The library is a gold mine and a great starting point to gather Montessori books for educating yourself on the philosophy and for gathering more specific activity ideas.

Join Facebook Groups Many private Facebook groups exist to help spread Montessori word. Most of these groups are private. So, the environment is safe and supportive. Montessori 101 and Montessori Materials for Sale are two groups worth checking out. I’m in the process of developing a Montessori at Home private Facebook group. Feel free to join as some of my passionate founding members!

Follow Montessori Blogs Blogs are a phenomenal way to learn how to bring Montessori into to home inexpensively. Living Montessori Now, how we montessori, The Kavanaugh Report, and Montessori Mischief are a few that come to my mind immediately. These blogs not only give great background and insight into Montessori teaching, homeschooling, and parenting, the authors give you access into their homes and classrooms for ideas and inspiration. Blogs are a perfect place to research DIY Montessori Materials.

Follow Montessori Feeds on Instagram I know, yet another social media. Trust me. There is something magical happening on Instagram.

Ordinary people – parents and teachers – are sharing unique and creative Montessori ideas to use at home and in the classroom. Use the hashtags #Montessori, #MontessoriarHome, and #VirtualSharingFair for feeds to follow and ideas to inspire.

Inexpensive Montessori Materials One of the best aspects to Montessori on a budget is that you can find great materials inexpensively more often than not.

Consignment Shops won my heart a long time ago when I began noticing beautiful glassware and dishes perfectly sized for my sons at a fraction of the cost. The best part about this approach is that if there is a break (which does indeed happen), the financial pain is not really there. A win, win all around! Eating is only the beginning. There are second hand books, unique pouring items, festive dishes, and, my favorite, old appliances and electronics for tinkering.

Your Kitchen is pretty darn convenient. Often, especially with Practical Life works, we can find the perfect work right under our noses. Rice pouring, tonging, sponging, washing, peeling, chopping, sifting, squeezing, and so on. You can even work Sensorial in with sorting, examining textures, distinguishing smells of spices, and experiencing tastes like sweet and sour, to name a few ideas.

Math is a given with baking and mixing recipes. Grace & Courtesy works its way in at mealtime.

The Hardware Store is one of my all time favorite go to shops for learning materials. Nuts, bolts, seeds, paint sample cards, PVC piping, tools, brushes, and the list goes on.

Craigslist rocks my world. I have a daily habit of searching “Montessori� to see what goodies have come up. Often schools that are closing will post on Craigslist for a steal. I purchased loads of geography and sensorial works on Craigslist a few years back.

Ebay is a good resource for Montessori materials. Honestly, though, it has been hit or miss in my experience in terms of quality, authenticity, and price. Still worth perusing and doing a bit of research.

What about you? How do you make Montessori financially possible? Thanks for visiting! Have you connected on Facebook, yet? I share the latest from the blog but also lots of parenting and early childhood goodies. Plus, I sprinkle in a bit of humor and inspiration because, heck, we all need a little laughter and warm hearts!

Marnie

Our Montessori at Home Environment

How to Create a Montessori at Home Environment that Your Child Will Love

The Best Ways to Implement Montessori at Home {Food}

By Leanne Gray

Encourage your child to solve problems, be persistent, and own her choices.

(Part 1 of 3) As Montessori guides, one of our favourite pieces of advice for parents is to offer children as little help as possible. I know, we're asking a lot here. Let me tell you how hard it is bite your tongue, sit on your hands, and pretend you don't see your child making a mistake, or struggle. It is even harder to find that point of just hard enough, without the task becoming too easy or too frustrating.

This is the challenge. We must continue to facilitate opportunities where our children are working on the very edge of their abilities and growing their skills. In adults, we often recognize this point as “feel the burn” or “push through the pain” It's the struggle that causes the learning and growth we wish for our children.

The least amount of help needed will change as your child gets older, and will also fluctuate from moment to moment. If your child is hungry, angry, lonely, or tired, she will need more of your support and help. If she has built up her confidence and is in deep concentration, she may try harder than usual to complete her task. You can tell the difference by carefully watching your child, listening to what she says, and knowing what she is currently capable of (see step three below).

True independence is a mixture of the ability to problem solve and the skills/tools to make your goal a reality. It’s knowing how and when to ask for help in meeting a goal. It's these independent skills that will lead to self-confidence, self-reliance, and responsibility. So, here's how to help your primary age child solve problems, be persistent, and own her choices by offering as little help as possible.

Step ONE: Create environmental controls, limits, and expectations to provide independence    

Keep off-limit items out of sight and out of reach Only offer healthy things to eat Have interesting, purposeful, challenging activities available for your child.

Set clear expectations about everything you can- bedtime routines, visiting parks, greeting guests, playing with siblings, etc.  Offer limited choices of when, where, or how a mandatory activity gets done: “Do you want a bath first or to brush your teeth first?”

Step TWO: Teach by modeling, not correcting  Model and provide lessons on “how to’s” (brush your teeth, say excuse me, get a drink) Be prepared to repeat these many times, and don't expect perfection.  “Do as I do, and as I say”. Make sure your own actions and words are in line with what you expect from your child.  Use clear, positive language. “We walk in the house. You can run outside.”  Be mindful of how you use your power as an adult. It's easy to command, force, punish, bribe, pick-up, and swiftly move a child, but often this is not the best action for building self-regulation.

Remember your role is to guide your child to make the right choice on her own. And, cut yourself a break when you're tired, angry, or just forget.  Ask questions. This puts the problem solving power back on your child. Where can you look for that? What else might work? Who could you talk to at lunch? When did you see it last? How will you solve this problem?

Step Three: Observe. What skill is your child missing to complete the task on her own?

You might be able to bring her attention to this (like if she needs to rotate a puzzle piece to get it to fit), or you might offer help (like if she's not strong enough yet to pull open the door).

Ask “May I show you?” if she's missing something, or “Are you asking for this?” if she doesn't have the words. Sometimes you might take on the role of narrator: “Hmm, that looks like it surprised you when you fell out of the chair. You were leaning backward so far, and then you fell over.”

Take note of your child's behaviour and try to figure out what she might be trying to accomplish.

Step Four: Create time and tools for your child and yourself to be successful Allow plenty of time in your child's day, especially if you are implementing anything new (like the ideas from this article!)

Respond to the cause of behavior Keep in mind the big picture, understand your child is doing the best she can with what skills she has in that moment, and be as respectful as possible.

Be consistent. Children need clear boundaries, and if you don't provide them, they will push until they find your edge. The more consistent your are at this age, the easier everything will be. Trust me.

Prepare your space, mind, and tools. It's hard to operate if you are constantly looking for things, stressed out, or at a loss for how to react to common situations.

Coming up in our next edition: Part two in this series:

How to Offer as Little Help as Possible in the Elementary Years

with much appreciation to our advertisers, contributors, endorsers and our readers namaste