Montessori Arts and Practical Life Rationale

Practical Life Rationale1

Montessori Arts and Practical Life Rationale

Ruth Ransdell

Lander University

If teaching is to be effective with young children, it must assist them to advance on the way to independence. It must initiate them into those kinds of activities, which they can perform themselves. We must help them to learn how to walk without assistance, to run, to go up and down the stairs, to pick up fallen objects, to dress and undress, to wash themselves, to express their needs, and to attempt to satisfy their desires through their own efforts. All this is part of an education for independence." - Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child

Maria Montessori believed that children are innately preparing to be adults. She further stated that parents and teachers needed to provide a strong foundation of skills and work habits that would eventually allow them to be responsible for the caring of their own families, homes, community and environment. These skills, when taught early in life, allow children to believe in themselves as well as develop the self-discipline needed for success throughout their lives.

According to Montessori (1964), "The child can only develop by means of experience in his environment. We call such experience work."(p. 88)

Children are naturally interested in activities they have seen adults do. Therefore, Dr. Montessori began using what she called “Practical Life Exercises” to allow the child to do activities of daily life and therefore adapt and orientate himself in his society. Practical life means basic everyday life, all the things we need to do for daily living. Dr. Maria Montessori felt that children need to be shown and given opportunities so that they learn how to do everyday living activities in a purposeful way.

As Montessori (1967) stated, “The essence of independence is to be able to do something for one's self.” The purpose and aim of Practical Life is to help the child gain control in the coordination of his movement, and help the child to gain independence and adapt to his society. According to Dr. Montessori, it is therefore important to “Teach teaching, not correcting” (Standing, 1984, p. 219) in order to allow the child to be a fully functional member in his own society. Practical Life Exercises also support the growth and development of the child’s intellect and concentration and will in turn also help the child develop an orderly way of thinking.

Practical Life Exercises can be categorized into four different groups: Preliminary Applications, Applied Applications, Grace and Courtesy, and Control of Movement. In the Preliminary Exercises, the child learns the basic movements of all societies such as pouring, folding, and carrying. In the Applied Exercises, the child learns about the care and maintenance that helps everyday life. These activities are, for example, the care of the person (e.g. the washing of the hand) and the care of the environment (e.g. dusting a table or outdoor sweeping). In the Grace and Courtesy Exercises, the children work on the interactions of people to people. In the Control of Movement Exercises, the child learns about his own movements and learns how to refine his coordination through such activities as walking on the line.

Practical life activities give the child an understanding of his environment and how it works. The child enjoys all types of work. He also enjoys keeping the environment beautiful for all to use. This work builds the child's self-esteem, making him feel valued. In addition, practical life activities also develop manual dexterity.

During the child’s sensitive period between birth and 6, the child is constructing his inner self. It is therefore important for the child to participate in activities to prepare him for his environment, that allow him to grow independently and use his motor skills, as well as allow the child to investigate difficulties he may have in the exercise and problem solve successfully. Practical Life Exercises also helps to aid the child to develop his coordination in movement, his balance and his gracefulness in his environment as well as his need to develop the power of being silent.

The Montessori elementary Practical Life curriculum is a continuation of the practical life skills presented and practiced in the primary classroom. Skills relating to care of self, care of environment and living things, along with grace and courtesy are still important; however, these activities now begin to take the children outside of the classroom and into the greater community.

As children move on to elementary and beyond, practical life becomes more about participating in real life situations. They work together as community members to maintain the learning environment, oftentimes extending the learning environment to areas outside the classroom. They take the practical life skills that they so carefully and repeatedly practiced in their younger years to become contributing members of their classroom and school community. Practical life in the elementary years includes care of the classroom, including plants and animals, care of the school environment and food preparation. Handwork such as embroidery, knitting, and construction help to improve small motor skills, focus and concentration. As parents understand the skills that their children have worked so hard to acquire, they too can invite children to work as contributing members of their household.Practical Life skills such as doing the laundry, making bike repairs and washing the car should be encouraged at home.

Practical Life is a favorite and preferred area in the classroom. Children love to do these activities because they are able to individually engage themselves in real-life, daily activities. By focusing on these adult activities, the child acquires personal growth as an individual. Concentration in these types of activities allows children to teach themselves how to adapt in society, as well as learn coordination of movement and develop a sense of order. The most important attribute learned through these activities is the knowledge of how to be a purposeful and functional member of society.

References

Montessori, M (1967). The absorbent mind. New York: Holt,Rinehart and Winston.

Montessori, M (1963). What you should know about your child. Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Press.

Standing, EM. (1984). Maria Montessori her life and work. New York: Plume.