What is Our Curriculum? The Universe!

By Jennifer Luetkemeyer, Elementary Guide

“Let us give children a vision of the universe” -Maria Montessori

The first classrooms designed to serve the second plane child in the way we strive to imitate at Renaissance today were found in Holland in the 1920s. Dr. Montessori observed another teacher who was already meeting the needs of the children in a profoundly non-traditional way and thereby developed and refined her ideas into what she called “Cosmic Education.” In a lecture given at the University of Amsterdam in 1950, Dr. Montessori said, “...all methods of education based on centers of interest which have been chosen by adults are wrong. Moreover, these centers of interest are superfluous, for the child is interested in everything. A global vision of cosmic events fascinates the child and his interest will soon remain fixed on one particular part, as a starting point for more intensive studies.”

When asked about our curriculum, then, Montessori guides can confidently answer: the universe, its furnishings, those who live/have lived within it, and all of their stories! As the children’s interests are innumerable, so also are the possibilities of what they might choose to explore! While traditional teachers prepare lessons and areas of study within particular subjects, our work is to give rich, inspiring stories and exposure to concepts and materials - but to purposefully limit what we offer. “We do not want complacent students,” Dr. Montessori warned.

We do not hope they will leave our presentations satisfied but rather itching to learn more... preferably right away! We want the children stirred up at school, noisy and chatty, and then coming home, begging parents to take them to a battlefield or to help them to further research some fascinating detail to fan the fires we seek to ignite here during the day.

Our materials, therefore, are also intentionally limited. We offer a foundation but not the whole story; we leave room for the children to fill in the details for themselves! To this end, we find it deeply satisfying when children make their own materials - either for their own enjoyment or for the benefit of the community.

Letting Your Child Engage in the Struggle

By Jen Ashton, Primary Directress

“The child’s conquest of independence begins with his first introduction to life. While he is developing, he perfects himself and overcomes every obstacle that he finds in his path. A vital force is active within him, and this guides his efforts towards their goal.”

In the Children’s House, a child figuring something out for themselves is where they experience success and growth! The activities of daily life are more about process then the end product. A child polishes a tray because they love the process of setting everything out on a table, choosing a beautiful object in the classroom, applying polish to it and rubbing it off. The next day they choose the same object and polish it again. Perhaps the first time the child struggled with the polish dropper, but we show again how (or maybe another child helps) and then step back to allow practice, so the third time or fourth time is successful in squeezing it out. The joy in a child’s proclamation, “I did it!” is often heard in the Children’s House, from one whose struggle has been long and determined. As the adults in the classroom, if we interrupt it, we not only hinder a child's development in the area of independence but we rob them of the joy experienced with the moment of successful accomplishment!

As adults it is hard for us to stand by and not offer to do something for the children that is struggling with something. However, we understand that it is important for children to take the time that they need to do things for themselves. This is not to say we abandon a child to struggle alone. We are there, offering a quiet presence, watching and observing, and occasionally (just before the tipping point of mad frustration) offering a little point of interest with the words, “let me show you the next step and then you try.” The more time we spend with children and watch their growth and successes, the more we are able to internalize the importance of children being able to do things for themselves.

This is why we wear tie shoes in the classroom. Tie shoes offer the older children, who know how to tie, an opportunity to offer their shoe tying services to others who don't know how to do it. Some of the younger children are aspiring to be like the older who already know how to tie, and it gives them a sense of determination: twisting and looping and lacing and twirling over and over again. This week I heard from one of the younger children, the beautiful shoe tying proclamation, “I made the first tie!” A few other children in the classroom who were nearby came over to enjoy their success. Then the child said, “Next, the loops!” I took so much enjoyment from this moment, and not just for the child who made the tie, but more from watching the other children who also gathered to enjoy this moment when someone succeeded in their struggle.

Another child was struggling to UNTIE his double knotted shoes. He kept pulling the loops tighter and tighter. Several times, I have shown how to find the place where the laces cross over and gently tug them apart until they were loose. Occasionally the shoes would be slipped off his feet with the loops still in place and he would bang the shoes on the floor... This week I looked over at him sitting on the floor, smiling a huge smile with both shoes in front of him.. untied, laces tucked in and super proud of his accomplishment! Maybe the other children didn’t notice this time, but he knew it and I knew it and we both enjoyed the success together!

Preparing the Child through Practical Life

“The exercises of Practical Life are formative activities, a work of adaptation to the environment. Such adaptation to the environment and efficient functioning therein is the very essence of a useful education.” - Maria Montessori

Practical Life Exercises

The exercises of Practical Life in the Montessori classroom help to lay the foundation for work done during a child’s experience in the primary classroom. The main areas of Practical Life include care of the environment (indoors and outdoors), care of the person, grace and courtesy and the control of movement. It is the process rather than the emphasis on the finished product that allows a child to work for the sake of joy rather than the end result. Through these exercises the child is presented many opportunities.

Independence

The dressing frames assist the child in becoming independent dressing himself. The children enjoy seeing the button slip through the button hole on the button frame or hearing the snap when it is positioned correctly to make contact. The various pouring exercises help the child develop control of movement so she can successfully pour juice or milk. Child size cleaning materials are within reach should there be a spill!

Focus and concentration

It is not uncommon to see a child working intently and be oblivious to work being done around him. An older child may be working with multiplication and a younger child scrubbing the table close by. Concentration is the result of inner growth. It can be developed by the exercises of Practical Life and other work in the classroom giving the chance for a lengthened cycle of work.

Completion of a task

The exercises of Practical Life range from simple to complex. Some of the exercises have numerous steps. Table washing, for example, involves many different processes and has several items to lay out in order. These assist the child in developing perseverance and follow –through, while experiencing a pattern having a beginning, middle and end. Sometimes as adults, we do not realize how many steps there may in an activity we do routinely such as tying a bow. The Practical Life exercises prepare a child to successfully carry a puzzle map, to carry a movable alphabet box level so the letters remain ordered, to place small beads in position as they determine the answers for multiplication, to successfully place number tickets next to beads while working with squaring and cubing chains and so on. The more advanced exercises require a longer period of time to complete and the Practical Life exercises lay the groundwork.

Mutual Aid and Cooperation

The children in the Montessori classroom have the opportunity to help each other. Some of the children are wonderful teachers. In our multi-age setting it is possible for an older child to help a younger child. This can help the older child strengthen his experience of that piece of work and feel comfortable being a leader. The younger child begins to trust and respect his older friend-the cycle continues. We see many examples of a child comforting another child who may have tripped on the playground or tying the shoe of a friend or even untying the shoe so he can practice tying over and over.

Respect for the environment

The children feel a sense of pride and love for their environment. They enjoy caring for plants, polishing the material, dusting the shelves, folding the classroom laundry and washing the lunch plates. The list is long! Out of these experiences the children form a sense of care and concern.

Indirect preparation for later academic work

Even in water pouring exercises, mathematical concepts are explored. The young child estimates how much water the glass will hold while pouring from a pitcher. The folding cloths are folded into geometric shapes. The hand is indirectly prepared for writing with circular movements involved while scrubbing a table or polishing a piece of silver. Many exercises involve placing pieces from left to right and top to bottom sequencing, an indirect preparation for reading.

As adults we use skills of daily living constantly at a different level. The children enjoy being included in the day to day activities in their homes.