The Role of the Adults in the Montessori Environment

Not enough is said about the adults - in particular, the Guides and the Aides - in the Montessori classroom, and I wonder if there can ever be the right words to express the kind of commitment, intensive training, daily practice of patience and presence, and mindful dedication that this team tirelessly exhibits while working with our children. In accordance with AMI certification, Villa di Maria recently underwent an observation period (just for the Primary classrooms this time around) by AMI consultant Cathryn Kasper, who expressed her absolute delight at our school's commitment to Montessori and our recent physical growth. Read more about what she had to say about the roles of the adults in the Montessori environment, below. Cathryn Kasper, AMI consultant, served as a Guide for 30 years, and has been a Montessori consultant for 12 years. She met with the VdM staff to share her knowledge and connection to her experience, and to impart some of her wisdom upon us all!"If we want the 'new child' - the child of the future, the child who is yet to become - to appear, we need to do our own work, as adults," Kasper relays. She encouraged a reflection among the adults: that the classroom staff ask themselves: Who am I while I am doing this work? What aspects of Montessori philosophy and practice help me maintain my role? The reflection itself illustrates the mindful headspace a Montessori Guide or Aide must inhabit during the classroom hours - a space that leaves every personal, subjective piece of herself (or himself) outside of the classroom to make space for the person who is the transformed adult. The transformed adult exhibits respect, trust, and an open heart. She is graceful in her movements, gracious with her words, and listens, and above all else, understands at the core of her being, that every child deserves to feel secure, loved, and heard.Kasper relays, "The aim of our daily practice is to discover the child and effect his liberation." This includes possessing the patience and wherewithal to recognize that change will happen when the conditions are there; we must trust that the child will transform when all the pieces are in place. Part of this, from the standpoint of the adult in the classroom, has to do with noticing: noticing when a child is in need of more, noticing when a child needs something different, noticing that if a child could do better, he would do better, and supporting him in his journey.The Assistant to the Guide is sometimes overlooked, but she (or he) is the "safeguard," the one who notices, the "glue that holds us all together... the oil that keeps the machine running," shares Kasper. We are lucky here at Villa di Maria, that our Guides and Aides are effective communicators, and so graciously show their appreciation of and respect for one another on a regular basis. For that, we are all thankful!Thank you, Cathryn Kasper, for your wonderful presentation.And thank you to all the Guides and Aides here at Villa di Maria, for all of your hard work with our children. We are so grateful for you every day. We hope you enjoy some much-needed rest and relaxation over next week's Thanksgiving break!

Development of the Will: The Emergence of Self-Discipline

Dr. Montessori viewed the assertion of will as crucial to a child's development. Will is the ability to demonstrate self-regulation, to control impulses, and ultimately to obtain the inner strength necessary to make the best decisions in any given circumstance. The development of the will is a stepping stone for a child to discover proper moral development as he or she becomes an adult, and is in constant practice within the Montessori classroom, from the Children's House all the way up through the Sixth-years. Below, Lower Elementary Guide Anna Schwind shares her thoughts on the will, as well as a few ways you can support your child's need to exert his or her will at home. We begin with a fantastic (and excruciating) example of a child exerting his will in an incredible effort to delay gratification; four-year-old Theo can choose to eat his candy (here, called a "sweetie") now, or wait ten minutes and have TWO candies! Ten minutes, especially to a four-year-old, is an eternity; yet, he does it! All of the ways in which Theo distracts himself over those ten minutes is interesting and entertaining: he sings, he chants, he kicks the legs of the table, he plays with the candy, he reminds himself through self-talk about the reward at the end, he changes his physical position several times, he even places the candy (still in its wrapper) into this mouth and takes it back out over and over again - and yet, he does not eat it!If you recognize this scenario, it's likely because of your familiarity with Walter Mischel's famous 1972 Stanford Marshmallow Experiment on delayed gratification. Years later, the study showed a positive correlation between children who were able to delay gratification by waiting for the second marshmallow, and general competence and higher SAT scores. Common sense tells us that learning to delay gratification is a good thing."Dr. Montessori would have framed the marshmallow test in relationship to the will. She thought that one of the most vital purposes of school should be to help children exert their will, and she recognized that the ability to exert will required constant practice. In The Advanced Montessori Method she wrote, 'Our little children are constructing their own wills when, by a process of self-education, they put in motion complex internal activities of comparison and judgment, and in this wise make their intellectual acquisition with order and clarity; this is a kind of ‘knowledge’ capable of preparing children to form their own decisions... they can then decide in every act of their daily life.'" explains Anna Schwind, Lower Elementary Guide at Villa di Maria.Anna goes on, "People often ask why there isn’t enough of every material for every child in a Montessori classroom, and while the reasons are numerous, one of them is to give the children opportunities to exert their will. It is a daily marshmallow test. They learn to wait until the material is available, to delay gratification, to practice patience. The mere act of choosing a material from what is available on the shelf is an exertion of the will: why hand washing instead of table washing? Why the large bead frame instead of the checkerboard? The children practice making choices, because choice is the outer reflection of the inner will. The will is akin to a muscle which can be strengthened with use. This is the vaunted character building aspect of Montessori education, the one that seems so elusive but is increasingly regarded by educators of all stripes as so critical to children’s development."The Montessori classroom, no matter what age or stage, is full of thoughtfully-created, conscious examples of situations and scenarios in which children may practice exerting their will. A Primary classroom encourages independent movement on the most basic level, from walking into the classroom on their own two legs, to hanging up their own coats, to choosing what work to begin with in the morning. Every movement encourages the control of the body through the exertion of the mind; the will is at work in the smallest and largest ways.So, you may wonder, what can be done at home to encourage a child to develop his will? Anna shares some basic and approachable tips, below."Your child’s will is not something to be suppressed, or subsumed by your own, or broken. Give them opportunities to exert it safely. Allow them, for example, to choose what the whole family will eat on a certain week night, perhaps from a set of acceptable options. Then give them a part of the meal preparation to be responsible for. Allow them to choose the movie you will watch or the game you will be playing together or the book you will be reading aloud to them or which of two parks they’d prefer to visit (again, feel free to limit their options).These activities have the side bonus of letting you get to know your child more deeply. What are their interests? What do they like? Your elementary child can easily make their own lunch every day (or perhaps the night before, if your mornings are too hectic). Would they prefer a hard-boiled egg or a cheese stick for their protein? Do they wish to prepare a quesadilla to include in their lunch?Lastly, I will tell you a secret about the will. People’s will goes further when they do not know it is exhaustible. Yes, I know, I just ruined willpower for all of you, now you know you can run out of it at any time. But keep your child safe from this knowledge for now. Do not tell them 'Oh I see you cannot make good choices because you are tired/cranky/hungry'. Expect them to make good choices always. Meet them with compassion when they don’t. Give them the nap/quiet unstructured time/snack they need without letting them know you’ve realized they’re at the end of their tether. And when their will is renewed and refreshed (because it always refreshes itself!) give them more opportunities to exert it."Thank you, Anna, for the idea and the input on this fascinating topic! “We must help the child to act for himself, will for himself, think for himself; this is the art of those who aspire to serve the spirit.” (Dr. Maria Montessori, Education for a New World)

Independence in the Primary Child: Why We Should Let Them Walk

For the young child, walking is a relatively new skill. Some of the children in the Children's House are only two years old, meaning they have only been walking for half their lives! For such children, walking in itself is a skill to acquire and practice: an enjoyable and necessary part of developing muscles, balance, self-construction, self-confidence, and above all else, independence - especially when it comes to walking into their classrooms each day. Below, read about why we encourage parents to allow their young children to walk from the car to their classroom every morning rather than carrying them, and how this can help build independence.It is so tempting to carry our young children in our arms. In our arms, they are close to our faces and hearts; there is comfort there. But when we are trying to encourage independence, it is important that we allow the young child walk into her classroom every morning. "We should bring awareness to the big and small ways we can encourage independence in our children," says Head of School Laura Ceretti-Michelman. When we set the expectation that our child will walk to the classroom door, carrying his or her own items, we empower the child to be independent and responsible, and he will rise to the occasion.If you are a parent to a Primary child here at Villa di Maria, you may have noticed that the Directresses never carry your child from his car seat into the classroom. There is a passivity to being carried around, passed from one set of adult arms into another set of adult arms, that we want to avoid. Instead, if your child needs help unbuckling himself in the car, do so, then encourage him with verbal prompts like "Don't forget your lunch box!" with a big smile and kiss good-bye.If you anticipate walking your child to her classroom in the morning, allow extra time so you won't feel rushed and tempted to sweep her up in your arms to save time. A child will feel much more empowered if she is allowed to carry her own personal items, by way of her own two feet. How grown up she will feel! It is important to allow a child of this age to control as much about her own circumstances as possible, especially as so much is not yet in her control.Talk with your child ahead of time about the expectations of walking to the classroom and being responsible for her own items, and we will set an example for him or her here at school!You may be amazed by the carryover from these small changes; a child who carries her own items will likely take on more responsibility at home, like learning to make her own lunch the night before school, doing her own laundry, doing her own dishes after dinner, and so much more.

A Peek into Primary

It's been awhile since we've peeked into the Primary classrooms around here; the beginning of the school year was an important time for children to settle into their routines and class norms, so I mostly kept my distance to respect that work. Additionally, we have had many parent observers within the classroom! See what the youngest children at Villa di Maria have been up to below.  

The beautiful linen cloths Assistant Cristina Kerr special ordered for P2 over the summer are such a nice touch to the classroom (and very soft too)

The hand-washing station in P2

The October morning light is so inviting in P3

Look at that connection between Directress Heather Steinman and her student! What glowing smiles!

Matching baby animals with their grown animal counterparts

Directress Jessie Braud shares a moment with an eager mind!

The energy in P2 is buzzing with some of the youngest members of the VdM community, who are very curious about the classroom materials

A child reads aloud to herself from the Halloween book collection

We hope you are enjoying the last day of October, and Happy Halloween! Check back soon for more photos - next time we'll catch P1 as well!

Geometric Solids

Some of the most eye-catching materials in a Montessori classroom are the geometric solids. Bright blue and commanding, they draw children of all ages in to touch and explore them. Find out what these materials are all about below. The purpose of the geometric solids are many! First and foremost, they appeal to a child's senses. Through manual manipulation of the geometric solids, a child uses her muscular-tactile senses, as well as sharpening her visual perception of solid figures. They are all the same color so that the child can focus on what is different about the solids: their shape, their appearance, the way they feel in her hands, and the way they act upon a flat surface. Just as important: the guide provides a child with the appropriate language for each geometric solid.When introducing the geometric solids, the Guide invites a child to select three items from the collection and carry them to a mat for the lesson. The enthusiasm here was abundant!This child chose her three solids, placed them in a basket for easy carrying, and proudly transported them to the mat she had already placed in her chosen work space on the floor. There is so much empowerment in all of these independent (but carefully guided) choices. Thus the child is invested and interested before the lesson has even begun!Each geometric solid is presented independently and with careful appreciation. Such care is quickly picked up on by the child, who then also handles the material with care.In this case, the child repeats the name of the ovoid, then the triangular based prism, and finally the cylinder. She feels each with her hands, then carefully hands them back to the Guide.Next, it's time for a game!

"Cover your eyes!"

The Guide then shows each child how to reach under the cloth to feel for a particular geometric solid. In doing so, the child reinforces her tactile experience of each material!Once the lesson is complete, the child returns the materials to their places.Thank you, Reghan, for demonstrating a wonderful lesson, and to Gwen, for being completely adorable!

Cutting on Lines

One challenging and enjoyable work in the Primary environment involves real scissors for children ready to wield them. Cutting on Lines can be appropriate for children as young as 2.5, with the only prerequisite lesson being handling sharp objects. Here, a young child receives the lesson from Primary Guide Reghan McAuley on a sunny September morning. Care is taken in handling the sharp scissors; the Guide places her thumb through the smaller hole, and her fingers through the larger hole of the scissors. She moves slowly and thoughtfully as the child watches.If the child's eyes stray while the Guide is giving the lesson, she stops and gently redirects his attention back to the task. He watches attentively as she lines up the scissors along the first line on the strip of paper, then cuts it so that it falls into the bowl.Now, it is his turn! Completing this straightforward work requires that a child have sufficient hand and finger strength. Once he is given this lesson, a child often returns to it again and again to gain mastery. It is such a satisfying work!If you receive an envelope filled with many small strips of cut paper, you will know the care and hard work that went into handling the scissors, holding the paper just so, and coordinating many movements to make this happen. Cutting on Lines is a wonderful demonstration of fine motor skills and practice in concentration!"A three-year-old educated according to Montessori pedagogy, becomes a master of his hand and undertakes with a joy a variety of human activities.  These activities allow him to develop the power of concentration." (San Remo Lectures, p. 27)

September at Villa di Maria

September at Villa di Maria is one of the most beautiful months! The campus is a gorgeous mix of color. Everything is still green and lush, with the first autumn colors sneaking through; along with the colorful blooms planted last spring that are nearing their end and the abundance of butterflies that visit them, the hawks that frequent the campus, and the beautiful weather we've experienced, September is shaping up to be a real beauty. See what the children at Villa di Maria have been up to below. 

We've found the first fall colors!

It's unanimous; working outdoors is the best!

Upper Elementary Guide Rebecca Callander and her students take advantage of the beautiful weather during an inspirational writing assignment

Wildflowers bloom just beyond the playing fields

The first pumpkins are tucked in all around campus

Elementary children enjoy a pick-up soccer game during recess

Operations Coordinator Jeremy Lang lets his trusty pal Hank tag along, much to the children's delight, which is good practice for exciting things to come...

Primary children enjoy the outdoor prepared environment every morning

Hard at work in the woods at every opportunity

The trailhead to the woods, a favorite place for Elementary children during their recess time

Butterflies and pumpkins!

Primary children test the laws of physics (in a clown-car sort of way)!

We hope you are enjoying this lovely month!

Don't Miss it! Why the Children's House Parent Education Night Matters

This Wednesday evening marks the first of many Parent Education nights for the Children's House (all three of our Primary classrooms). If you are a parent of a current primary VdM child, you should't miss this! Here's why.All Children’s House parents should have received an email regarding this week’s talks directly from the Directress leading their Parent-Ed group. Please be sure to check your inboxes, mark your calendars and plan to attend—the Directresses are going to share some pretty fantastic information. Mrs. Steinman will present “Bringing Montessori Home;” Mrs. McAuley will present “Function of Words: Grammar Comes to Life;” and Ms. Braud will present “The Path to Reading.”Although this is a time to get to know other parents, to check out your child's classroom a bit, and to have an opportunity to speak with your child's Guide directly, the number one reason to attend these Parent Education nights is that it can help your child by educating you further in the Montessori method.In Head of School Laura Ceretti-Michelman's words: "Once a parent begins to understand the Montessori theory and approach, they become more conscious in their support of their child's development in a manner consistent with the approach.  That consistency is ideal for the child."Please check your email and make attending Children's House Parent Education Night a priority. We hope to see you there!

Primary Tour: P3's New Space

Heather Steinman, Directress of Primary 3 class here at Villa, has rolled with so many punches over the past year: taking up temporary residence in a doublewide trailer that served as her classroom for the 2016-2017 school year (and no, she did not live there, but with the amount of time these dedicated Guides and Assistants commit to leading children and their parents down the path of Montessori, she may as well have), going through a personal family move over the summer, parenting teenagers alongside a toddler, and moving her classroom into a new space for this school year. Through all of this, Heather has remained good-natured and has kept her sense of humor. She and Assistant Karolina Hanus put together a lovely Primary space in what used to be Megan Eilers' Lower Elementary classroom. Check out the beautiful, light-filled space below. "We are still adapting to the space," Heather admits, "but so far it's been great." Heather shares that all the natural light that streams through the windows, particularly in the morning, makes the space extra special. She has filled the space with plants, softening the open spaces and making it a calm, inviting place to work.

On this particular visit, the curtains above were softly blowing in the breeze, as both doors remained open to let fresh air flow through the space

"It's not as organized as it should be," Heather shared, "because we still have a lot of children still learning to clean up. But we're getting there!" As it was only halfway through the second week of school when these photos were taken, I'd say they're doing great!

Every corner is thoughtfully prepared and a feast for the eyes!

Thank you, Heather, for inviting us into your new classroom. You have done a wonderful job, and we know the children are enjoying their new space!

First Days of School

The first few days of the 2017-2018 school year have been a huge success! On the first day, the campus was calm and orderly. Other than a huge branch that had fallen the previous night, damaging the pool fence, everything went off without a hitch. We'll take that as good luck! Below, some photos from the first few days of school. Enjoy, and welcome back. We are so happy to have you!Primary children were greeted with smiles and enthusiasm by Primary Directresses, while parents gave quick hugs and kisses goodbye at the door.Many Primary students took immediate advantage of the beautiful weather by choosing to work in the outdoor environment while the rest of their friends arrived.Most of them picked up right where they had left off last school year! Perhaps they had been planning what work they would choose before they even set foot inside the classroom. Amazing how these eager little ones are so motivated by their materials!Old friends met up to walk together to their new environment: Lower Elementary! Some were more nervous than others...

Sisters were reunited and found themselves in the same building once again!

The location for recess has changed; while children are able to roam the school grounds more freely when compared to last year's construction constraints, most Elementary and Upper Elementary children congregate in the Magic Circle for games like banana tag (which, according to Mr. Jeremy, can go on forever and ever...).

Time to line up, according to the triangle

We've been lucky to have beautiful weather this first week of school. If your child comes home with the smell of wind in her hair, it's because much of the day is spent outdoors, working in the beautiful new outdoor environments.As is tradition, the Great Lesson was given this first week of school. There are plenty more pictures and a full blog post coming up to highlight this very special storytelling lesson, so be sure to check back for that!Happy first week of school, Villa di Maria. We couldn't have kicked it off to a better start if we tried!

Geometry in Nature: the Fibonacci Sequence

Dr. Montessori noticed early on that children are instinctively attracted to geometry, in large part because everything in the natural world is geometric. As the child adapts to her world, she takes in impressions that are geometric. All natural symmetries are multiples of 2, 3, or 5. The same mathematical patterns or forms are repeated again and again; there is a logarithmic spiral at the tip of a fern leaf, which is the same spiral that is seen in a sea shell. The child observes such patterns around her from birth. In this way, these shapes are already a part of the child's unconscious mind, and thus attract her attention naturally. Below, how the Fibonacci Sequence presents itself in nature, and how it all relates to Montessori.

How amazing are the similarities between a plant (top) and an animal (above)?!

The Fibonacci sequence contains the numbers found in an integer sequence, wherein every number after the first two is the sum of the preceding two:1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, ...Their constant appearance in nature - such as branching in trees, the arrangement of leaves on a stem, the bracts of a pinecone, or the unfurling of a fern - make them a readily available math resource for young children. For parents with young children, a fun activity to do is to observe the spiraling seeds on the head of a sunflower or to count the petals on a daisy to see if they add up to a Fibonacci number (many sunflowers contain the number 89, or in some cases, 144). Or gaze into the center of a rose before it opens completely to observe the petals arranged in an elegant spiral shape.Seed heads and flower heads often use arrangements that are based on Fibonacci numbers because, as it turns out, that is the most efficient way of packing seeds, florets, or petals into a round arrangement while still allowing more of the seeds or florets to grow from the middle. Nature is just chock full of mathematics!The Fibonacci sequence can also be see in the world's creatures. The nautilus shell is the most commonly referenced logarithmic spiral, and can best be observed through a cross-section of the shell's inner chambers.

photo credit: gofituremath.org

The seeds of a pinecone twist in opposing Fibonacci spirals, and the interesting romanesco, a vegetable that also contains fractals (when you zoom in on each bump, it is made up of its own spirals, its spirals have spirals, and so on!) is a fantastic example of Fibonacci numbers in nature.

photo credit: gofiguremath.org

Plenty of creatures also contain this fascinating arrangement!

The next time you find yourself out on a nature walk, or even walking through the produce section of your grocery store, be sure to point out the wonder and beauty of Fibonacci to your child!

An Introduction to Sensorial Montessori

One of the foundations of Dr. Montessori's method was the belief that early childhood education would be most helpful if it followed the natural developmental patterns of the child. Such development can be observed from birth, wherein the newborn is quite suddenly plunged into a world of sensation. Over the following months and years, the child unconsciously absorbs sensorial impressions from the environment and integrates them into his developing personality. Montessori's educational materials are based on this natural order of growth and are designed to provide a stimulating, enriching environment to meet the child's changing needs. In this way, Montessori materials are not merely educational materials; they are developmental materials. The sensorial concepts and materials in the Primary Montessori classroom play a crucial role in the child's experience within the classroom and beyond. At birth, the typical infant has all the equipment he will ever need for receiving, recording, and associating sensory impressions.  All of these marvelous instruments are present in the infant so that he can gain crucial sensory information about his world. Impressions are taken in unconsciously at first, received and stored until the conscious mind emerges. It is then that the child begins to discriminate, classify, order, and organize the information received by all his senses. In doing so, he develops his intelligence and adapts to his environment.It is through the senses of touch, taste, sight, smell, and sound that the child studies the environment and makes sense of the qualities and place of the things within it. Only by screening, evaluating, and eventually sorting our impressions can we move about in the environment with safety, confidence, and assurance. This crucial ability to group diverse impressions is called conceptualization.At around age 2 - 2 1/2 years, nature gives the child two important sensitivities: the sensitivity for order and the sensitivity for refinement of the senses. Montessori recognized these sensitivities and designed or borrowed materials for the sensorial area. Thus, the materials in the prepared environment help the child to classify and clarify the many sensory impressions he has received and stored over the first years of life.The Montessori sensorial materials aid in the construction of the child's developing mind by appealing to the child's natural tendency to experience her environment through her senses and movement. With the materials, Montessori sought to provide the child with "a materialized abstraction," or mathematics. Each material clearly and concretely demonstrates abstract mathematical concepts, such as diameter, height, width, length, area, and volume.Montessori was particular about the design of the sensorial materials. If the gradation is measured, the observation becomes methodical and scientific. There is a mathematical component in the sensorial materials that can be seen through these measurable differences; the dimension materials (cylinder blocks, pink tower, brown stairs, and red rods) are all designed with precise mathematical measures that encourage a child to notice linear relationships, square relationships, and abstract ideas.What's fascinating about this is that Guides do not explain these things to the child, but the experience is there and it leaves its indelible impression. As a child perfects his abilities, the order and structure of the material is internalized and becomes a part of the child's growing mathematical mind.Montessori put an idea of something into a material by isolating a quality (for example, largeness, smallness, roughness, smoothness, redness, blueness, shortness, smoothness). There is only one quality in a material, and each piece of scientifically and mathematically designed material allows the child to discover for herself the abstract concept the material is designed to convey. For example, the red rods are the same in every way except in length. This results in the child focusing her mind on that quality alone.Once a child has made the abstraction, the Guide gives the child the language to attach to the experience; the child now has the understanding of the sensations and the words to name them. Instead of teaching these concepts, we are organizing thoughts surrounding them so that the child can communicate ideas. It is at this point that the child can apply the knowledge to the outside world and use it beyond the prepared environment.

Montessori Mornings

Primary Directress Jessie Braud just can't seem to get enough of the Villa di Maria children! Her friendly face can be seen all summer long in the P1 classroom as she heads up Montessori Mornings, a camp designed for the youngest VdM children. It's a wonderful way for the children to experience a consistent Montessori environment so their transition back to school in August is seamless. It's also an excellent opportunity for them to see their friends, of course! Below, a glimpse into the peaceful classroom. The children consist of a sprinkling from all three classrooms, but because the materials are all the same, their adjustment to a new directress or space is made easier. They also recognize each other from the playground and school events during the school year, of course!Vegetable cutting: an old favorite. Here, a child confesses she will not eat the green beans she takes home; rather, she will feed them to her guinea pig!The outdoor prepared environment is beautiful on cool mornings. There is plenty of shade thanks to large trees and an aptly placed umbrella. Children are often seen working in the open air, where they now have a great view of the pool house, field, and pavilion (in addition to the new vegetable garden - but more on that later!).It's a lovely day for Montessori Mornings. We hope you have a lovely day too!

Introduction to Care of the Environment

Within the Primary classrooms where we are introduced to practical life work and lessons, care of the environment is a key component to the relationship and connection young children have to their space. Such a relationship is important to foster early on; the Directress and Assistant are not to be seen tidying up within the classroom during the day, as it is the children's role to care for their environment. Such ownership is integral to the workings of the Children's House.Here is what Dr. Montessori had to say about the topic:"The children of three years of age in the 'Children's Houses' learn and carry out such work as sweeping, dusting, making things tidy, setting the table for meals, waiting at table, washing the dishes, etc., and at the same time they learn to attend to their own personal needs, to wash themselves, to take showers, to comb their hair, to take a bath, to dress and undress themselves, to hang up their clothes in the wardrobe, or to put them in drawers, to polish their shoes. These exercises are part of the method of education, and do not depend on the social position of the pupils; even in the 'Children's Houses' attended by rich children who are given every kind of assistance at home, and who are accustomed to being surrounded by a crowd of servants, take part in the exercises of practical life . This has a truly educational, not utilitarian purpose. The reaction of the children may be described as a 'burst of independence' of all unnecessary assistance that suppresses their activity and prevents them from demonstrating their own capacities. It is just – these 'independent' children of ours who learn to write at the age of four and a half years, who learn to read spontaneously, and who amaze everyone by their progress in arithmetic." (From Childhood to Adolescence, p. 66)Part of the role of the Directress in this area is to help each child develop her awareness of the environment by continually providing them with points of interest. For example, a Directress may say, "Oh my! Our plants look dry. We should water them!" or "Look, there is rice on the floor. We should sweep it up!" When a child is aware of his environment and takes ownership over the space, he will begin to truly care for it.Oftentimes, the youngest child will notice a spill on the floor and clean it up without prompting. As a child grows older, she will shift from the mindset of doing the work just to do it, to doing the work with a greater understanding of all who are positively affected by her work. When a child washes dishes, she washes dishes that someone else has dirtied. When she irons cloths, she is ironing the cloths that other children have washed. The work a child does in service to others is a hallmark of Montessori, and lays the foundation for the Grace and Courtesy for the following years. This larger cycle of activity benefits the whole group, which leads to an unconscious society of cohesion. Such is the beauty and harmony of the cohesive working community within each classroom.

An Introduction to Practical Life

We hope you are enjoying your summer break so far, and especially lately, that you are finding ways to stay cool! For the remainder of the summer, be sure to check in weekly as we will cover some "introduction to" topics, designed for those who are new to Montessori or have children entering a Primary classroom this coming fall. Today, we discuss an introduction to practical life in the primary classroom. When the smallest child enters a primary classroom for the first time, he will be introduced to the practical life area of the prepared environment before other lessons. The practical life exercises are comforting to a child, as they are familiar and relatable; these are the objects and work they have seen at home but may not have had the opportunity to participate in just yet. There are also many differences between the home environment and the prepared school environment, such as the use of old fashioned mechanisms (like the washing board and basin) instead of newer technology (like a washing machine).These exercises are motives for activity. In other words, they are exercises that are preliminary, and show a child how to do things without holding real purpose in and of themselves. Instead, these activities prepare the child for more complex lessons to come, while helping a child acquire the coordination needed for more complex work. These preliminary exercises build upon a child's control of movement, attention span, concentration, and self-control.All of the practical life lessons tune in to a child of this age and his need and desire for movement. A child of this developmental stage has an urge to refine movement, and is thus attracted to it. Later, these activities are undertaken for different reasons - namely, the knowledge that this work needs to be done for the good of the group.First activities, such as carrying a tray, opening a door, rolling a rug, or walking around a mat, draw attention to a child's body movements. These activities, which seem simple to us, provide a child with precise and helpful feedback, guiding him to perfect his movements at just the time when he is inclined to do so.There are two lessons that provide no other purpose than for movement itself: walking the line and the silence game. During walking the line, control and coordination of the body is met with grace, balance, and poise. In Primary Guide Jessie Braud's class, walking the line is accompanied by soft classical music. It is used in transition periods and works wonders to coordinate quiet concentration amidst a larger group of young children, signaling a class-wide shift.Exercises of practical life also include lessons on grace and courtesy: how to cover your mouth when you sneeze, how to pass in front of another child, how to knock on a door and wait for someone to open it, how to greet others, how to introduce someone. Emphasis is always placed on the personal dignity of the child and the respect of individual rights. Through work in practical life, a child learns to adapt to her new community."The children of three years of age in the 'Children's Houses' learn and carry out such work as sweeping, dusting, making things tidy, setting the table for meals, waiting at table, washing the dishes, etc ., and at the same time they learn to attend to their own personal needs, to wash themselves, to take showers, to comb their hair, to take a bath, to dress and undress themselves, to hang up their clothes in the wardrobe, or to put them in drawers, to polish their shoes. These exercises are part of the method of education, and do not depend on the social position of the pupils; even in the 'Children's Houses' attended by rich children who are given every kind of assistance at home, and who are accustomed to being surrounded by a crowd of servants, take part in the exercises of practical life. This has a truly educational, not utilitarian purpose. The reaction of the children may be described as a "burst of independence" of all unnecessary assistance that suppresses their activity and prevents them from demonstrating their own capacities. It is just – these 'independent' children of ours who learn to write at the age of four and a half years, who learn to read spontaneously, and who amaze everyone by their progress in arithmetic." (From Childhood to Adolescence, Dr. Maria Montessori)

Practical Life: Making Coffee- Grace & Courtesy in the Primary Classroom

There's nothing quite like the smell of freshly ground coffee early in the morning, and thanks to the Montessori work of making coffee, the Directresses and guests of the Primary classroom are treated to these smells of home on a daily basis! If you happen to be a guest in a Primary Montessori classroom early in the morning, don't be surprised if a child approaches you to offer you a fresh cup of coffee - say yes, and observe the hard work and pride that goes into each cup!The grinder itself is an old fashioned hand grinder that was generously donated to the class, and is perfect for learning about simple machinery. It has a small drawer under the grinding mechanism to catch the ground coffee beans. The handle takes some serious wrist and arm strength to operate, so this lesson is often reserved for older Primary children who have built up their strength through other work. It also directly follows the tea making lesson. In Reghan McAuley's Children's House, only one child has been given the coffee lesson; however, that child has given the lesson to three other children on her own. It's an impressive transfer of knowledge, as there are many steps to remember!The child begins by setting up all of the necessary items and choosing a safe spot to work. After grinding the beans, the child removes the little wooden drawer, dumps the ground coffee into a jar, and replaces the drawer in the grinder.This process must occur over and over again, until the desired amount of grounds is measured (in this case, enough for three small cups of strong coffee: one for the Directress, one for the Assistant, and one for the guest/photographer!). Above, the child's left hand and wrist grip tightly around the base of the grinder to hold it steady while the right hand grinds."I like to use my right arm to grind. My left is too hard," she explains, after demonstrating the difference between doing it left-handed versus right-handed.The next step requires the child to boil water. This is done safely with the use of a glass electric tea kettle. The child flips a switch on the side, then goes to clean up the spilled grounds while she waits a few minutes for the water to boil.She also prepares the coffee filter while she waits. When the water is boiling, she notifies the Assistant, who pours the water into a glass receptacle with a lid, for safety. The child is extremely careful and aware of younger children around her, gently warning them to stay back from the hot water on the table where she works.A major tenant of the Montessori method is teaching and modeling Grace and Courtesy. This includes placing great emphasis on social interactions and thinking of others. In making coffee, the child does so partly for the joy of the work that makes her feel grown up and important, but she also engages in the work knowing that she cannot drink the coffee herself; rather, she makes it for the adults in the room.In this case, the child shares with with great pride her knowledge of how the other adults take their coffee. Without asking, she knows who likes it black and who prefers three spoonfuls of sugar and just a dash of milk! Serving food or drinks to others is a way of showing your care and respect for those around you. This type of work and mindset carry over into many real-world situations outside the classroom: holding the door for a stranger, greeting others, using quiet voices in quiet spaces, etc."Grace and Courtesy lessons give the child the vocabulary, actions, and steps required for him to build his awareness and responsiveness of those around him. This in turn gives the child a better sense of orientation in his social structure."  -Montessori Primary GuideThe tenets of grace and courtesy extend into the wider community from this moment on. They begin early, in treating others with respect and dignity, and move on to thinking of others and prioritizing their needs. Eventually, as the child grows, this service aspect extends to all parts of her life, as an integral part of how human beings should treat one another. It's a huge part of being a social creature, and one that cannot be ignored during the school day."It is interesting to see how little by little, these [children] become aware of forming a community which behaves as such… Once they have reached this level, the children no longer act thoughtlessly, but put the group first and try to succeed for its benefit."                                       -Dr. Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

Every Child is an Artist: VdM Art Show at Reese Gallery

This past Saturday, Villa di Maria celebrated with an art exhibition, Every Child is an Artist. The quote, inspired by Pablo Picasso's quote, Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up, plays on the Montessori philosophy that children live in a natural state of curiosity and it is at first the process of art that is important. We adults tend to focus more on the finished product than the process, but to a child, it is the learning and the doing that means the most (until the child grows older, of course)! This art show was a great opportunity to present some glimpses into the process (the Primary children's artwork) as well as the more deliberate art that was created by the Lower and Upper Elementary students. It was a wonderful success for our little community!Ruth Reese and Tim Gebauer, Villa di Maria parents, artists, and gallery owners of Reese Gallery, which is located in the colorful Cherokee Arts Neighborhood just off Antique Row, so graciously hosted the opening. They renovated the building after it had been abandoned for more than 20 years, back in 2014. The space is beautiful - from the light-filled front room with finished wood floors, to the cozy second room where refreshments and appetizers were served. Tim's studio is upstairs from the gallery.The Villa di Maria Art Show, which was open from 12 - 4pm on Saturday, drew a great crowd, from staff and students to parents and grandparents and friends! Both Lower and Upper Elementary students took shifts welcoming the guests as they arrived.

Above: guests enjoying the paper mosaics from Megan Eilers' Lower Elementary 

Below: Some beautiful paintings from the Children's House

Above: Mobiles from Anna Schwind's Lower Elementary

Below: Left: Children's House paintings; Right: Framed design work from Anna Schwind's Lower Elementary

Above: A few of the Upper Elementary Photographs (see some of the process here) The Upper Elementary students also prepared artist statements of which they were quite proud!

Ruth Reese's pottery was also for sale, with 100% of all proceeds going back to Villa di Maria. What beautiful work, and such a generous gift! At the top of the display case are a few more Upper Elementary photographs.The Lower Elementary students prepared some delicious food, and Anna Schwind so graciously delivered it to the show (along with Hilary Lord, who filled out the offerings of refreshments and snacks). The food was a hit among all ages!

He did it.

Starting at 2pm, certain Lower Elementary students performed for the crowd. There was a poetry reading, a violin performance, and even a puppet show! The Upper Elementary students also performed later that afternoon.Thank you to all the families who came out to support their children, to the staff who worked so hard behind the scenes (and especially to those who put in extra hours after work), to all the children who put their all into their artwork and performances, and most of all, to Ruth Reese and Tim Gebauer, who not only offered up their space and time, but also did an amazing job hanging all the artwork and welcoming us all into their beautiful gallery. We are such a lucky community!

Gardening for Earth Day

Springtime at Villa di Maria is a very special time indeed! Flowers are blooming everywhere; seedlings have sprouted inside classrooms and reached their long bodies toward the sunny windows; and this past Friday, the Primary children celebrated Earth Day by planting parent-donated flowers, herbs, and vegetables all around campus. The weather leading up to Earth Day was sunny and bright, but on Friday, the clouds rolled in and it rained or drizzled on and off all morning. However, this did not stop the Primary children and Directresses from enjoying their planting. Montessori kids go out in all sorts of weather!

Attempting to pick up tiny spherical broccoli seeds while wearing gardening gloves - no easy task!

Each of the three Primary Directresses guided the children, one by one, or sometimes in small groups, on how to clear away mulch, dig small holes, place the plants (or seeds) into the holes, and cover them gently again. The children were quiet and focused during the course of this enjoyable work, and many watched and waited their turns from doorways or over fences while their friends had their chances to plant.Each child had helped make his or her own t-shirt earlier in the week for this special occasion. They turned out so well!It was heartwarming to observe the care with which each child handled the plants. After observing their Directresses use gentle hands and words, they took note and did the same. It was a good reminder of the extension of caring for living things that happens in the Montessori classroom; caring for plants can play a huge role in helping children develop empathy for others.Gardening can teach a child about living things: not only that plants have needs, but that these needs are different from their own, deserve to be respected, and that every child can play a role in helping meet these needs. With great power comes great responsibility! Look at those gentle hands...Ms. Braud's class, who managed to squeeze together for a quick group shot after planting. My how they've grown over this past school year!Be sure to look around the school grounds for all the new pops of color. These wonderful people worked pretty hard. Happy Earth Day!

Metal Insets

The metal insets are a popular work choice in the Primary classroom. If your child brings home endless examples of papers with shaky circles drawn upon them, he is learning much more than how to create a design! The metal insets, which consist of ten metal frames with matching metal insets: square, triangle, circle, rectangle, oval, trapezoid, pentagon, curvilinear triangle, and quatrefoil. This lesson is for a child to acquire mastery of the hand in using a writing instrument and is direct preparation for writing.A child learns to grip and guide his colored pencil, experiencing the effects of pressure upon the writing instrument. Also in doing this work, a child learns to use one continuous stroke with the pencil, which is helpful in preparation for cursive writing. The hand-eye coordination work here is intense for young children, and something in which they obtain much joy. The results are obvious and immediate; a child is provided visual feedback for the outline he has created, as well as for how saturated his lines are and how much pressure he has used to create this work.Through the work of metal insets, a child learns to refine his hand control, increase fine motor skills and muscle strength, and increase concentration. In addition, the child learns about the geometric shapes, including how they look when moved and turned about. As the child progresses through this work, he will use different insets together to create different designs, introducing him to the art he will be more conscious of in the next stage of development."A three-year-old educated according to Montessori pedagogy, becomes a master of his hand and undertakes with a joy a variety of human activities.  These activities allow him to develop the power of concentration." (San Remo Lectures)

The Wheelbarrows

This spring, the Primary playground has been fancied up with a few new additions, including several bright red wheelbarrows! These open-ended play items reinforce the loose parts play that experts say encourages more imaginative, child-directed play than fixed structures do. The children have come up with many games and ideas for using their shiny new wheelbarrows.Sometimes they choose to wheel them around the playground empty; the act of balancing the wheelbarrow on one wheel while trying to pivot and turn can be a challenge in and of itself! Backing up, changing direction, trying to wheel backwards, avoiding tipping over, and avoiding obstacles all teach the child the gross motor skills it takes to control a work tool such as this.Another popular activity is to fill the wheelbarrows with shovels full of wood chips, then to transport the wood chips from one area of the playground to another. Sometimes there is imaginative play happening alongside this act; other times, the simple work of filling, transporting, and dumping the wood chips is satisfying in its own right.Wheelbarrows can also double as shields!Cristina Kerr, primary assistant, shared how the addition of wheelbarrows, logs, and wood rounds have changed the dynamic on the playground. "The children play much more peacefully now. There is less conflict overall. We are so glad the lower elementary and Anna and Melinda shared the logs with us!"Thank you, Jackson Tree Service, for donating the small wood rounds to our school. They are greatly loved and played with often!Read this if you'd like to know some of the ideas the children come up with involving loose parts play!