Reflection on reading: Practical Observation/the Environment When I read these topics, I realized the role of the Montessori teacher. One of the important roles of the Montessori teacher is observer. In addition, Montessori teacher must provide the prepared environment for children. I also realized that the prepared environment is essential for the successful development of the children and order is very important to the children.
Reflection on class:
Today, we reviewed Practical Life. I recognized five goals of Practical Life and four categories of Practical Life. Five purposes and aims of Practical Life are: 1) to help the child gain control in the coordination of his sensitive movement, 2) to help the child to gain independence, 3) to adapt to his society (to learn positive social behavior), 4) to help the child gain skills his need to care of himself, and 5) to help the child to develop the child’s hand-eye coordination. Four categories of Practical Life are: 1) care of self, 2) care of environment, 3) control of movement, and 4) grace and courtesy.
I realized definitions of “control of error” and “points of interest” in Practical Life. The “control of error” is the stuff that moves (water, seeds, rice, soap, ets). The “control of error” does not mean “mistakes” but rather means “a single of skill development,” which includes positive negative attempts as part of the learning process. The “points of interest” are sensory perceptions of movement that lead the child deeper into the activity. They can be visual, auditory, tactile, or kinesthetic. Sometimes a “point of interest” may be vestibular, olfactory or gustatory.
I learned “practical observation”. The “practical observation” is watching, but not judgment. A Montessori teacher needs to be an observer as well as a teacher. To develop the art of the observer requires much practice. The observer is constantly learning. If a Montessori teacher has any secret it is that she is child-centered, not self-centered.
I also learned “sensitive periods”.
“When one of these psychic passions is exhausted, another is enkindled. Childhood thus passes from conquest to conquest in a constant rhythm that constitutes its joy and happiness.” (The Secret of Childhood p. 40)
A sensitive period refers to a transient state that children go through that is focused upon one particular area. Montessori had read about these periods of sensitivity in the development of animals, but soon realized that she was seeing similar qualities in the interests of the children. She saw that during these periods the child could learn at a particularly intense rate and that such learning appeared to come very easily. The sensitive periods included a sensitive period for order, refinement of the senses, language acquisition, walking and movement, small objects and involvement in social life. Montessori teachers were therefore alerted to the existence of these periods of sensitivity and encouraged to observe them in the activities of the children.
Reflection on class:
Today, we reviewed Practical Life. I recognized five goals of Practical Life and four categories of Practical Life. Five purposes and aims of Practical Life are: 1) to help the child gain control in the coordination of his sensitive movement, 2) to help the child to gain independence, 3) to adapt to his society (to learn positive social behavior), 4) to help the child gain skills his need to care of himself, and 5) to help the child to develop the child’s hand-eye coordination. Four categories of Practical Life are: 1) care of self, 2) care of environment, 3) control of movement, and 4) grace and courtesy.
I realized definitions of “control of error” and “points of interest” in Practical Life. The “control of error” is the stuff that moves (water, seeds, rice, soap, ets). The “control of error” does not mean “mistakes” but rather means “a single of skill development,” which includes positive negative attempts as part of the learning process. The “points of interest” are sensory perceptions of movement that lead the child deeper into the activity. They can be visual, auditory, tactile, or kinesthetic. Sometimes a “point of interest” may be vestibular, olfactory or gustatory.
I learned “practical observation”. The “practical observation” is watching, but not judgment. A Montessori teacher needs to be an observer as well as a teacher. To develop the art of the observer requires much practice. The observer is constantly learning. If a Montessori teacher has any secret it is that she is child-centered, not self-centered.
I also learned “sensitive periods”.
“When one of these psychic passions is exhausted, another is enkindled. Childhood thus passes from conquest to conquest in a constant rhythm that constitutes its joy and happiness.” (The Secret of Childhood p. 40)
A sensitive period refers to a transient state that children go through that is focused upon one particular area. Montessori had read about these periods of sensitivity in the development of animals, but soon realized that she was seeing similar qualities in the interests of the children. She saw that during these periods the child could learn at a particularly intense rate and that such learning appeared to come very easily. The sensitive periods included a sensitive period for order, refinement of the senses, language acquisition, walking and movement, small objects and involvement in social life. Montessori teachers were therefore alerted to the existence of these periods of sensitivity and encouraged to observe them in the activities of the children.