Reflection Day 16 (Language Arts Day 3)
Reflection on Books
--- Exercises for the Management of the Instrument of Writing ---
*Stresses the importance of all the work previously done in the classroom has prepared them for writing. etc… cylinders, lead to holding pencil.
“The only new feature of the exercise is that he follows the outlines no longer directly with his finger, but through the medium of a pencil. He draws, he leaves a trace of his movement” (Dr. Montessori’s own handbook p. 144).
“The two colored outlines rouse the desire of the child to see another combination of colors and then to repeat the experience… an inducement to work and hence to final success” (p. 145).
*Without previous practice to fine motor development it puts immense strain on a child when writing (p. 151).
--- Written Language ---
“We shall never see them (children) draw short, straight lines, but long curved ones variously interlaced” (The Discovery of the Child p. 193).
*Dr. Montessori realized that she needed to teach the movement first, before writing (p. 194).
“There are two different kinds of movement are used in writing. Besides the motion for reproducing the shape of the letter, there is also that of handling the writing instrument” (p. 196).
“The children had to touch the letter not simply with the index finger of the right hand as a first, but with two fingers, the index and the middle finger” (p. 196).
--- The Mechanism of Writing ---
“Writing is a complex act which needs to be analyzed. One part of it has reference to motor mechanisms and the other represents a real and proper effort of the intellect” (The Discovery of the Child p. 203).
- The factors of writing (p. 207)
1) Handling the writing instrument: drawing.
2) The drawing of alphabetic symbols.
“The two mechanical factors of writing are resolved into two independent exercises, that is, drawing, which gives the hand the ability to handle the writing instrument, and touching the letters of the alphabet, which serves to establish a motor memory along with a visual memory of the letters” (p. 208).
--- Methods for the Teaching of Reading and Writing ---
“The pupil may be taught: First, to trace the diverse species of lines. Second, to trace them in various directions and in different positions relative to the plane. Third, to reunite these lines to form figures varying from simple to complex” (The Montessori Method p. 247).
“The vertical is a line which the eye and the hand follow directly, going up and down. The horizontal line is not natural to the eye, nor to the hand, which lowers itself and follows a curve (like the horizon from which it has taken its name), staring from the centre and going to the lateral extremity of the plane” (p. 249).
“Let us observe an individual who is writing, and let us seek to analyze the acts he performs in writing,… the philosophical study of writing” (p. 260).
--- Print – Early Knowledge and Emerging Interest ---
“Print awareness: the child’s growing recognition of the conventions and characteristics of a written language” (Early Childhood Experiences in Language Arts p. 492).
*Preschoolers who observe a print-rich environment may discover: 1) print symbolizes oral language, 2) reading moves from left to right, and 3) there is a difference between letter, word, and sentence (p. 494).
“Much of young children’s writing is exploratory. When children show interest and share in discussions about written marks, they begin to understand print’s meaning and functional use” (p. 498).
Three developmental print knowledge and writing (p. 499)
1. First level: children realize that straight and curved lines and dots are present but organized differently.
2. Second level: children do not realize that there is a relationship between sound patterns and print.
3. Third level: children begin to understand that printing uses alphabet letters that represent sounds; consequently, to understand print, one must know the sound patterns of words.
*Children experiment with writing through drawing, tracing, and copying and inventing letter forms: 1) the child notices marks, 2) the child notices print in books and environment, 3) the child can distinguish marks in his/her name, and 4) the child learns the name of marks and begins to pay attention to individual letters (p. 501).
“Realization that written symbols exist is a first step in writing” (p. 505).
Pre- requisite for hand writing
*Small muscle development and coordination; 1) eye-hand coordination, and 2) letter perception.
*Create print activities through: 1) writing table, 2) giving left-handedness accommodations, 3) adding “key word” charts, 4) communicating with parents through notes, and 5) scaffold writing.
Legend of the Gourd
In the district of Ka’u, spread across the Kama’oa Plain, live the Children of the Gourd. This magical tale delves into the past to reveal how the people of this region came to be named. During the old days of Hawai‘i, a young man and woman fell in love. Though both were descended from chiefs, their relationship was looked down upon, and so the young couple ran away together, accompanied by many who cared for them. They crossed the Kama’oa Plain, along the flank of Mauna Loa, where they settled near the shore and thrived. Alas, the people‘s happiness turned to sorrow as the chiefess became ill soon after her pregnancy and did not recover. Follow in the footsteps of the chief as he makes his way from Kama’oa to Kapu’a, guided by a tiny green vine sprouting from the burial cave of the chiefess. What he finds at the end of his journey brings him back from the grief of losing his wife and solidifies the future of his people.
Reflection on Books
--- Exercises for the Management of the Instrument of Writing ---
*Stresses the importance of all the work previously done in the classroom has prepared them for writing. etc… cylinders, lead to holding pencil.
“The only new feature of the exercise is that he follows the outlines no longer directly with his finger, but through the medium of a pencil. He draws, he leaves a trace of his movement” (Dr. Montessori’s own handbook p. 144).
“The two colored outlines rouse the desire of the child to see another combination of colors and then to repeat the experience… an inducement to work and hence to final success” (p. 145).
*Without previous practice to fine motor development it puts immense strain on a child when writing (p. 151).
--- Written Language ---
“We shall never see them (children) draw short, straight lines, but long curved ones variously interlaced” (The Discovery of the Child p. 193).
*Dr. Montessori realized that she needed to teach the movement first, before writing (p. 194).
“There are two different kinds of movement are used in writing. Besides the motion for reproducing the shape of the letter, there is also that of handling the writing instrument” (p. 196).
“The children had to touch the letter not simply with the index finger of the right hand as a first, but with two fingers, the index and the middle finger” (p. 196).
--- The Mechanism of Writing ---
“Writing is a complex act which needs to be analyzed. One part of it has reference to motor mechanisms and the other represents a real and proper effort of the intellect” (The Discovery of the Child p. 203).
- The factors of writing (p. 207)
1) Handling the writing instrument: drawing.
2) The drawing of alphabetic symbols.
“The two mechanical factors of writing are resolved into two independent exercises, that is, drawing, which gives the hand the ability to handle the writing instrument, and touching the letters of the alphabet, which serves to establish a motor memory along with a visual memory of the letters” (p. 208).
--- Methods for the Teaching of Reading and Writing ---
“The pupil may be taught: First, to trace the diverse species of lines. Second, to trace them in various directions and in different positions relative to the plane. Third, to reunite these lines to form figures varying from simple to complex” (The Montessori Method p. 247).
“The vertical is a line which the eye and the hand follow directly, going up and down. The horizontal line is not natural to the eye, nor to the hand, which lowers itself and follows a curve (like the horizon from which it has taken its name), staring from the centre and going to the lateral extremity of the plane” (p. 249).
“Let us observe an individual who is writing, and let us seek to analyze the acts he performs in writing,… the philosophical study of writing” (p. 260).
--- Print – Early Knowledge and Emerging Interest ---
“Print awareness: the child’s growing recognition of the conventions and characteristics of a written language” (Early Childhood Experiences in Language Arts p. 492).
*Preschoolers who observe a print-rich environment may discover: 1) print symbolizes oral language, 2) reading moves from left to right, and 3) there is a difference between letter, word, and sentence (p. 494).
“Much of young children’s writing is exploratory. When children show interest and share in discussions about written marks, they begin to understand print’s meaning and functional use” (p. 498).
Three developmental print knowledge and writing (p. 499)
1. First level: children realize that straight and curved lines and dots are present but organized differently.
2. Second level: children do not realize that there is a relationship between sound patterns and print.
3. Third level: children begin to understand that printing uses alphabet letters that represent sounds; consequently, to understand print, one must know the sound patterns of words.
*Children experiment with writing through drawing, tracing, and copying and inventing letter forms: 1) the child notices marks, 2) the child notices print in books and environment, 3) the child can distinguish marks in his/her name, and 4) the child learns the name of marks and begins to pay attention to individual letters (p. 501).
“Realization that written symbols exist is a first step in writing” (p. 505).
Pre- requisite for hand writing
*Small muscle development and coordination; 1) eye-hand coordination, and 2) letter perception.
*Create print activities through: 1) writing table, 2) giving left-handedness accommodations, 3) adding “key word” charts, 4) communicating with parents through notes, and 5) scaffold writing.
Legend of the Gourd
In the district of Ka’u, spread across the Kama’oa Plain, live the Children of the Gourd. This magical tale delves into the past to reveal how the people of this region came to be named. During the old days of Hawai‘i, a young man and woman fell in love. Though both were descended from chiefs, their relationship was looked down upon, and so the young couple ran away together, accompanied by many who cared for them. They crossed the Kama’oa Plain, along the flank of Mauna Loa, where they settled near the shore and thrived. Alas, the people‘s happiness turned to sorrow as the chiefess became ill soon after her pregnancy and did not recover. Follow in the footsteps of the chief as he makes his way from Kama’oa to Kapu’a, guided by a tiny green vine sprouting from the burial cave of the chiefess. What he finds at the end of his journey brings him back from the grief of losing his wife and solidifies the future of his people.