Discuss the principle underlying the Practical Life exercises and how it fosters independence in children
Discuss the principle underlying the Practical Life exercises and how it fosters independence in children.
What is Practical Life exercise? Practical life exercise means the basic everyday life, all the things we need to for daily living. Dr Maria Montessori felt that children need to be shown and given opportunities so that they learn how to do everyday living activities in a purposeful way. “The child can only develop by means of experience in his environment. We call such experience work.” – Maria Montessori Children prefer to work than to play and they can only be in their natural self, when their natural self is satisfied through work. It’s also through work they acquire concentration, co-ordination, control, independence and order.
Purpose of Practical Life exercise Dr Montessori observed that children need order at a specific sensitive period in their development. If not provided during this period the opportunity is foregone. A routine is important as well as a place for everything and everything in its place. This offers the child for orderly self-construction. Co-ordination refers to co-ordinating large and small muscle movements as well as eye-hand co-ordination that reflect the respective development of child’s mental life. For example, a child who is pouring beans from one jug to another. As they pour, they become transfixed by the look of the beans emptying as well as the sound of the beans hitting the glass jar. It is a satisfying, almost calming sound that they strive to repeat over and over again. They focus intently on the task at hand, developing those concentration skills that are necessary to observe the world around them and to focus on later learning. A degree of co-ordination is required to successfully pour those beans without spilling them. Balancing beads on a spoon, sewing a button, picking up rice with chopsticks, all require great dexterity and strong fine motor skills. All activities in the Montessori Practical Life
What is Practical Life exercise? Practical life exercise means the basic everyday life, all the things we need to for daily living. Dr Maria Montessori felt that children need to be shown and given opportunities so that they learn how to do everyday living activities in a purposeful way. “The child can only develop by means of experience in his environment. We call such experience work.” – Maria Montessori Children prefer to work than to play and they can only be in their natural self, when their natural self is satisfied through work. It’s also through work they acquire concentration, co-ordination, control, independence and order.
Purpose of Practical Life exercise Dr Montessori observed that children need order at a specific sensitive period in their development. If not provided during this period the opportunity is foregone. A routine is important as well as a place for everything and everything in its place. This offers the child for orderly self-construction. Co-ordination refers to co-ordinating large and small muscle movements as well as eye-hand co-ordination that reflect the respective development of child’s mental life. For example, a child who is pouring beans from one jug to another. As they pour, they become transfixed by the look of the beans emptying as well as the sound of the beans hitting the glass jar. It is a satisfying, almost calming sound that they strive to repeat over and over again. They focus intently on the task at hand, developing those concentration skills that are necessary to observe the world around them and to focus on later learning. A degree of co-ordination is required to successfully pour those beans without spilling them. Balancing beads on a spoon, sewing a button, picking up rice with chopsticks, all require great dexterity and strong fine motor skills. All activities in the Montessori Practical Life
References: 1) Maria Montessori, 1867, The Absorbent Mind, New York, Holt, Rinehart and Winston 2) Maria Montessori, 1966, The Secret of Childhood, New York, The Random House Publishing Group 3) Susan Feez, 2010, Montessori and Early Childhood, London, Sage Publication 4) E.M. Standing, 1998, Maria Montessori – Her Life and work, New York, the Penguin Group 5) David Gettman, 1987, Basic Montessori, New York, St. Martin’s Press