Reflection Day 14 (language Arts Day 1)
Reflection on Books
--- Language and Knowledge of the World ---
“Therefore the teacher gives a lesson… in the three ‘periods’ which I have described: Period 1. Namimg (This is …), Period 2. Recognition (Give me the …), and Period 3. The Pronunciation (What is this?)” (Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook p. 125-126).
“Necessary for the teacher to guide the child without letting him feel her presence too much, she may be always ready to supply the desired help, but may never be the obstacle between the child and his experience” (p. 131).
--- Qualities of the teacher: 1) to wait while observing, 2) to have endless patience with his slow progress, 3) to show enthusiasm and gladness at his successes.
“We are respectful and courteous in our dealings with children, we treat them as we should like to be treated ourselves” (p. 132).
“All their previous education is a preparation for the first stages of essential culture – writing, reading, and number” (p.138).
“They will imitate us in any case” (p. 133).
--- How the Lesson Should be Given ---
“To stimulate life, - leaving it then free to develop, to unfold, - herein lies the first task of the educator” (The Montessori Method p.115).
“In the giving of such lessons the fundamental guide must be the method of observation, in which is included and understood the liberty of the child. So the teacher shall observe whether the child interests himself in the object, how he is interested in it for how long, etc., even noticing the expression of his face” (p. 108-109).
--- Language in Childhood ---
“There are two periods in the development of language: a lower one which prepares the nervous channel and the central mechanisms which are to put the sensory channels in relation with the motor channels; and a higher one determined by the higher psychic activities which are exteriorized by means of the preformed mechanisms of language” (The Montessori Method p.313).
“The development of articulate language takes place in the period between the age of two and the age of seven: the age of perceptions in which the attention of the child is spontaneously turned towards external objects, and the memory is particularly tenacious” (p. 315).
--- Some Thoughts on Language ---
“Language is truly the expression of a kind of super-intelligence” (Absorbent Mind p. 109).
*language is from man, not nature*
“It is the child who ‘absorbs’ language” (p. 110).
“The tongue may be complex, have many exceptions to the rules, and yet the child who absorbs it learns it as a whole” (p. 111).
*absorbs unconsciously as a whole*
“There is a great disproportion between the powers of expression and the inner work the child is doing. It is also found that visible progress does not go gradually, but in jumps” (p. 113).
*unconscious*
“…bursts out with a number of words all perfectly pronounced… the end of the second year of his life” (p. 114).
- Another bursts of simple to complex sentences
*conscious*
- 2nd period lasts till about 5th or 6th year-child learns many new words and perfects his sentence formation.
--- How Language Calls to the Child ---
“Only human speech had any power to stir him” (Absorbent Mind p. 120).
*child does not learn language unless they hear words from another human being…*
- We are the only species on the planet that speak. Language is the only thing that is different (p.119).
- Children practice movement first (p. 121).
*We use lips and move mouth to speak.*
- A person is in need of a teacher (p.123).
*We teach children how to speak correctly. Parents use “baby talk”.*
- Child experiences first disappointments (p. 123).
*Lack of language is very dramatic for the child.*
Reflection on Books
--- Language and Knowledge of the World ---
“Therefore the teacher gives a lesson… in the three ‘periods’ which I have described: Period 1. Namimg (This is …), Period 2. Recognition (Give me the …), and Period 3. The Pronunciation (What is this?)” (Dr. Montessori’s Own Handbook p. 125-126).
“Necessary for the teacher to guide the child without letting him feel her presence too much, she may be always ready to supply the desired help, but may never be the obstacle between the child and his experience” (p. 131).
--- Qualities of the teacher: 1) to wait while observing, 2) to have endless patience with his slow progress, 3) to show enthusiasm and gladness at his successes.
“We are respectful and courteous in our dealings with children, we treat them as we should like to be treated ourselves” (p. 132).
“All their previous education is a preparation for the first stages of essential culture – writing, reading, and number” (p.138).
“They will imitate us in any case” (p. 133).
--- How the Lesson Should be Given ---
“To stimulate life, - leaving it then free to develop, to unfold, - herein lies the first task of the educator” (The Montessori Method p.115).
“In the giving of such lessons the fundamental guide must be the method of observation, in which is included and understood the liberty of the child. So the teacher shall observe whether the child interests himself in the object, how he is interested in it for how long, etc., even noticing the expression of his face” (p. 108-109).
--- Language in Childhood ---
“There are two periods in the development of language: a lower one which prepares the nervous channel and the central mechanisms which are to put the sensory channels in relation with the motor channels; and a higher one determined by the higher psychic activities which are exteriorized by means of the preformed mechanisms of language” (The Montessori Method p.313).
“The development of articulate language takes place in the period between the age of two and the age of seven: the age of perceptions in which the attention of the child is spontaneously turned towards external objects, and the memory is particularly tenacious” (p. 315).
--- Some Thoughts on Language ---
“Language is truly the expression of a kind of super-intelligence” (Absorbent Mind p. 109).
*language is from man, not nature*
“It is the child who ‘absorbs’ language” (p. 110).
“The tongue may be complex, have many exceptions to the rules, and yet the child who absorbs it learns it as a whole” (p. 111).
*absorbs unconsciously as a whole*
“There is a great disproportion between the powers of expression and the inner work the child is doing. It is also found that visible progress does not go gradually, but in jumps” (p. 113).
*unconscious*
“…bursts out with a number of words all perfectly pronounced… the end of the second year of his life” (p. 114).
- Another bursts of simple to complex sentences
*conscious*
- 2nd period lasts till about 5th or 6th year-child learns many new words and perfects his sentence formation.
--- How Language Calls to the Child ---
“Only human speech had any power to stir him” (Absorbent Mind p. 120).
*child does not learn language unless they hear words from another human being…*
- We are the only species on the planet that speak. Language is the only thing that is different (p.119).
- Children practice movement first (p. 121).
*We use lips and move mouth to speak.*
- A person is in need of a teacher (p.123).
*We teach children how to speak correctly. Parents use “baby talk”.*
- Child experiences first disappointments (p. 123).
*Lack of language is very dramatic for the child.*