Montessori 5 | House on the Hill

The Building Blocks of Montessori

The HotH Team July 2020

A Montessori classroom stands out not just in how it functions, but also in how it looks. While it may differ greatly from traditional classrooms, a quick image search or a scroll through #montessoriclassroom reveals something remarkable—Montessori classrooms around the world share a distinct, recognisable aesthetic. At the heart of this consistency is the prepared environment: a thoughtfully arranged space that promotes independence and supports meaningful learning. Central to this environment are the building blocks of Montessori materials, originally developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 20th century. Still used today at House on the Hill, these materials have stood the test of time. So, what makes them so enduring, so purposeful, and so perfectly designed for a child’s development? At House on the Hill, we proudly use Nienhuis Montessori materials exclusively. Albert Nienhuis was one of Dr. Maria Montessori’s original collaborators, and in 1929, he founded Nienhuis Montessori to craft materials that faithfully reflected her vision and high standards. Today, Nienhuis is internationally recognised as the benchmark for quality in Montessori materials. We value these materials for three key aspects of their design: their educational purpose, their intentional method of use, and their aesthetic appeal and enduring craftsmanship. They are the Montessori building blocks. Purpose: Foster Independent Learning Along a Child’s Natural Path of Development Montessori materials are designed with what’s known as “control of error”—a built-in feature that allows children to spot and correct their own mistakes independently, without needing teacher intervention. Each material also focuses on isolating a single concept, such as size, shape, or colour. This helps children fully grasp one idea at a time, building confidence and mastery before progressing to more complex tasks that combine multiple concepts. An excellent example of both these concepts are the knobbed cylinders. A series of four wooden blogs have a series of holes, each with a matching knobbed cylinder that fits perfectly inside. Each block presents a different introduction to height and diameter. It will be obvious to the child if the cylinder is in the wrong hole: either it will not fit according to its diameter or it will be too tall or too short. As the child masters each block they can then begin to use multiple blocks at once. Use: engage with the child’s senses and encourage full-body learning Dr. Montessori was an early advocate for sensorial learning and observed the connection between a child’s cognitive development and movement. Her materials facilitate that link even more. For example, we may not often associate language development with fine and gross motor activity, but Montessori’s sandpaper letters and the large movable alphabet make language learning interactive. As children learn phonic sounds, they trace a sandpaper letter while saying the sound of the letter. Once the child has mastered all the letters, they will use the large movable alphabet (LMA) to begin to spell. Appearance: natural, real, beautiful materials that attract and interest children Our classrooms have almost no decoration, instead, the focus is on the beauty of the materials. The materials are usually simple in colour, but made with excellent craftsmanship. Too many designs, flashing lights or glitter ultimately distract from the learning and overwhelm the child. In the right environment, children will be drawn to the stocked shelves where they can learn, problem-solve, and explore. Dr. Montessori believed that children should experience the real world and learn to carry themselves in it. Everything is made of non-synthetic materials such as wood, metal, ceramic, or even glass. Some of the things are fragile, and so teachers work with children to learn the proper care and gentleness needed. Montessori Infant materials in our Nido Classroom The beauty and genius of the materials are not limited to our playgroup and mixed-age classrooms! Dr. Montessori designed materials for even our littlest children, and they can be found in our Nido Classroom. These materials follow the same design principles; they are purposefully designed, beautiful, simple, and engaging. Some materials are almost exactly the same, just simplified and scaled for smaller hands. All materials have the potential to grow with children as they develop. All the materials focus on developmental stages appropriate to the ages of the Nido. Children are learning the concepts of object permanence with the object permanence box, and begin to practice fine motor precision and matching with the 3D object fitting tray. Dr. Montessori believed that children learn best when they are very interested in a subject. She observed in her work with young children that they have a “natural curiosity and zest for learning”. Her materials, lessons, and educational approach are designed to capitalise on the nature of each child. After many years of watching children learning with these materials at House on the Hill, we can confidently corroborate the legitimacy of these findings!

Making Muscles Move Part Three: Jumping around with Gross Motor Skills

The HotH Team May 2020

Our children are always on the move, as they should be! In parts one and two of this series, we talked about the importance of movement in your child’s cognitive development. We covered fine motor skills from birth on up, but what about that other category of movement? Gross motor skills are all about big body movements using arms, legs and the torso. These skills are very important–inside and outside of the classroom! Gross motor skills let our children do everyday activities like walk and get dressed; they are the basis for sporting activities like running, jumping, and climbing; and in school children need the correct posture for sitting at tables, coordination to carry the red rods to their floor mat, and independence to use the toilets. At House on the Hill gross motor activity is happening inside and outside the classroom, and with every jump, dance, or balanced tray holding we are learning and having fun. Montessori Movement Unlike many traditional classrooms, Montessori children are on the move and moving their bodies in big ways all morning long. Children are not confined to their desks, instead they can choose to work at tables or on mats on the floor. Different materials around the room even encourage gross motor movement. The Pink Tower and Brown Stairs are often combined to create carefully balanced, tall structures that require stretching. When children work with the red rods or the number rods they learn to carry the materials to their floor mats carefully, even when the rod may be taller than them! In many Montessori classrooms you’ll find a line on the floor that children walk on to learn balance, a practice created by Dr. Montessori. Gross motor activity in the classroom has many benefits, too. Beyond the physical benefits of strong muscles and preventing weight gain, there are cognitive benefits. Allowing children to move about during the day increases their attention and memory; exercise actually helps nerve cells multiply, creating more connections. Bouncing Beyond the Classroom Given the health and academic gains that come from gross motor activity, we do not limit it to in-class activities. Our students get their wiggles out and their fun in on our beautiful wooden playground structures where they can slide, climb and swing. At each school we maximize our outdoor space and encourage children to play and explore in the garden and practice their balance as they coast on striders. We balance this free play with more structured gross motor activities, as well. We may create different obstacle courses that teach specific skills such as hopping on one foot, balancing on a plank, or crawling through a tunnel. Of course the element that inspires the most movement is always music. We have Music and Movement time in our playgroup where our youngest learn different dance moves and how to move to a beat. For various events throughout the year, be it Lunar New Year or National Day, you can find all of our children and teachers dancing as one! Gross Motor At Home Getting enough daily gross motor activity time is harder today than ever before. We must be thoughtful and deliberate about making sure our children are moving their bodies all day long, even when they get home from school! By making gross motor movement a healthy habit in your home you will be setting your child up for a future of physical health and success in school. But where to begin? We recommend heading outdoors. Check your neighborhood for a park, and if possible walk or ride your scooter there. Meeting friends at the playground is a great way to stay accountable for getting outdoors and your child will love the play time. As with all Montessori we recommend a mix of structured and free time. You can consider bringing very simple materials with you–a ball, a frisbee, or even a kite and after introducing how to use the material letting your child try on their own for a while (of course you can also join them for a game of catch!). If you are teaching your child a new skill you can use the Montessori model: instead of using many words to explain the action, instead just demonstrate to your child in slow motion a few times and then let them try. If it seems too advanced and they are growing frustrated, try a variation of the movement that they can achieve and build up from there. And most importantly, have fun! This post is part of our ongoing series on motor skills. Check out Part 1 and Part 2 here!

Finding the Truth Behind Montessori Myths

The HotH Team April 2020

“Montessori” can bring to mind many different ideas. Perhaps you think about child-centered learning, or the unique, wooden materials. In a world where there are so many different educational philosophies, it can be hard to know the details of each, and what is accurate and what is not. Thankfully, we are Montessori experts! Here is the truth about seven common misconceptions about Montessori. 4 Beautiful Locations Islandwide At House on the Hill, we strive to embody the true Montessori method and philosophy in every lesson and activity. Book A Tour 1. Montessori is just for preschool-aged children It is true that in Singapore most Montessori schools are for preschool children. However, Montessori is a system that starts at birth and continues for 18 years and we are the first in Singapore to create a true Nido environment for infants. The program guides parents and works with children to create a Montessori foundation from the very beginning. And after 6 years with House on the Hill, parents and children will both benefit from that Montessori foundation in their education and parenting to come. 2. Montessori is unscientific and out of date Dr. Maria Montessori created Montessori using the scientific method and her training as a doctor. Though the method was conceived over 100 years ago, science is only recently catching up to (and validating) Montessori’s claims and encouraging other education systems to follow in her steps. Take, for instance, the link between learning and movement. In Montessori environments, children from infancy are allowed and encouraged to move about, use their senses to discover, and learn from and use hands-on materials. Science now backs this method, demonstrating that movement is crucial to cognitive function and neural development. 3. Children are left unsupervised and can do whatever they want This is a big myth! So big, in fact, that we wrote a whole blog post about it. In short, there is a lot of freedom in the Montessori environment, but the freedom is always within limits and developed under the guidance of the teachers. Children have the freedom to move, freedom of choice, freedom of time, freedom to repeat, freedom to communicate, and freedom to make mistakes. At the same time, they must have respect for themselves, for others, and for their environment. Teachers act as guides to encourage appropriate choices and build up the skills for freedom and independence. 4. There is no play, particularly fantasy play in Montessori, which stifles creativity Young children do not distinguish between work and play the same way adults might. For them, their work is their play! At their age they also require and want practical and reality-based experiences. For this reason, fantasy play is not initiated by adults, but it is considered healthy and purposeful when it is initiated by the children themselves. Children also practice creativity in a variety of ways; in addition to art and music in the classrooms, the environment and the materials encourage creative problem solving. 5. Montessori is too slow and children will not be ready for primary school Sometimes Montessori gets a reputation for being “slow” because children are progressing at their own pace, rather than on a standard time schedule. Expecting children to be fast learners, readers and mathematicians is contrary to the purpose of Montessori, which is to allow children to learn naturally. When each child learns at their own pace they understand the concepts more thoroughly and also gain confidence in their abilities. They become better learners, readers and mathematicians, and they are well prepared for primary school and beyond. 6. Because Montessori focuses on independence, children don’t work or play together It is true that Montessori builds skills for independence from an early age, but it is because this is the child’s natural development. For about the first five years of a child’s life their main focus is building themselves, and thus they often work alone. Group work is not discouraged, rather children are allowed to work however is most comfortable for them. Observing our classrooms you’ll see that throughout the day children will at various times work alone or in small groups, and daily activities such as lunch and time at the playground create space for more socializing and teamwork. 7. All Montessori schools are alike The Montessori method remains consistent, but how and to what extent it is practiced will vary from school to school. “Montessori” is not trademarked, meaning that schools can use the name without any sort of accreditation. At House on the Hill we are a pure Montessori school. Everything from our materials, to our teacher training, to the mission of the school supports Montessori’s purpose of providing exceptional education to each individual child. Schedule A Visit With a dedication to carrying on Dr. Maria Montessori’s educational excellence, our school in its entirety has been thoughtfully designed and partnerships strategically forged to deliver the very best in early childhood education. Book A Tour

Making Muscles Move: A round-the-classroom exploration of fine motor work – Part 2

The HotH Team March 2020

When Dr. Maria Montessori was creating the Montessori philosophy of education in the early 1900s, children in classrooms around the world sat at desks as their teachers tried to pour facts about history and math into them as if they were empty vessels. What we now understand, in great part due to the work of Dr. Montessori, is that this is not how children learn. They are innately curious and motivated learners who absorb their environment and need to experience it for themselves. There is a critical link between movement and cognitive development that is facilitated and encouraged in the Montessori classroom. In education we typically split movement into fine and gross motor movement; gross motor skills relate to big body movements and fine motor skills relate to small movements of hands, fingers and arms that use hand-eye coordination, dexterity and control. We have previously written about how we develop fine motor skills from the beginning, in our Nido. In part two of this series, we are exploring how fine motor skill development is built into materials across the Montessori curriculum and part of every child’s daily work. Mathematics: Short bead stairs: learn quantities 1 to 9 Fine Motor skills at work: As the child counts each quantity they will use their finger to point and touch each bead. This requires precise control of their hand and concentration so they don’t skip a bead! Soon they will begin to arrange and line up the beads precisely to create a pyramid with the single bead on top and the group of 9 beads on the bottom. Cards and counters: associate quantity with numerals and learn concepts of odd and even Fine motor skills: The child must count and place the correct number of red, circular counters under each numeral. In this activity the counters must be placed in a certain way, so the child can see and feel the difference between odd and even. For example, the number 7 would include three rows of two, with the seventh counter in the center. The child will use one finger to trace between the rows, until they hit the remainder, the odd one out. After the lesson the child will roll up the floor mat with fine hand movements! Sensorial Pink tower: stack 10 cubes from largest to smallest Fine motor skills: in addition to the sensorial skills of visual size discrimination, children are practicing fine motor work as they stack the tower. They work on their grip as they grasp the cubes and develop hand stability as they try to place the cube without knocking over the tower. As children progress they will learn to be even more precise with their hand movements, lining up two edges of each cube or placing each in the center of the previous. Knobbed cylinders: matching each wooden cylinder with the correct hole according to length and diameter. Fine motor skills: When the teacher first introduces this activity she will begin by removing one cylinder, tracing her index finger around the circumference of the base of the cylinder, tracing her index finger around the top of the hole, and then placing the cylinder inside. By mimicking this movement the child will understand the relationship between the diameter of the cylinder, and the diameter of the matching hole. It is a fine motor movement that requires stability and exactness. As they learn to hold each cylinder by the knob they also work on their fine pincer grip. Cultural Biology puzzles: learning the names of plant and animal structures Fine motor skills: The biology puzzles include images of various plants and animals. Each piece has a small knob that children use their pincer grip to manipulate. The puzzles are accompanied by cards that follow the same outline as the image and include the names of each part. The child can recreate the puzzle’s image on the card, using careful movements to line up the puzzle piece with the lines on the card. Practical Life Dressing frame: practice skills needed for dressing yourself in various clothes Fine motor skills: Dressing frames help children learn to dress themselves, which is a task full of fine motor skills! Zippers, velcro, safety pins, buttons and more all require pincer grip, hand eye coordination, lots of patience, and different, precise finger movements. Transfer trays: various trays that isolate the skills of transferring materials from one dish to another using spoons, tongs, sponges and more. Fine motor skills: Transfer trays on the practical life shelf each focus on a different kind of transferring, and thus encourage different refinements of fine motor skills. Tongs, chopsticks, spoons, ladles, and droppers all require different manipulations of the hands, and once that is mastered the child must maintain the grip as they transfer the material from one dish to another! Language Sandpaper letters: learn phonic sounds by tracing each sandpaper letter while repeating the sound Fine motor skills: Dr. Montessori knew that children needed physical movement to accompany their learning! The tracing motion across the sandpaper helps children remember the phonic sounds, and it also is good motor skills practice with a built in control of error. The child can feel that when the card becomes smooth they have drifted away from the letter. With practice they stay on the sandpaper and at the same time learn the shape of the letter, which helps with writing. Writing: once a child masters phonics they are ready to put pencil to paper and begin the work of spelling and writing Fine motor skills: Writing is a very complex fine motor skill, good thing children have been practicing fine motor skills in all their other work! To write one must grip the pencil and move the pencil from top to bottom, left to right to form the letters. This post is part of our ongoing series on motor skills. Check out Part 1 and Part 3 here!

Tests Have Failed Our Test: How Montessori Assesses Better Through Observation

The HotH Team February 2020

Tests define most education systems around the world, and consequently, they often determine a student’s success or failure at school. Montessori is different. We do not use tests as a measure of students’ abilities or understanding. In fact, we do not use tests at all. We rely on observation and close work with each individual child to create a non-competitive and non-comparative environment that allows each child to find success. We focus on the process as much as the product, setting our children up for their own successes. Maria Montessori herself used scientific and objective observation to create the Montessori method; she observed how children worked and designed a programme that worked for them. At House on the Hill, we take this practice into the classrooms, but we often get a few questions as to how it works. How do you assess children’s learning if there are no tests? What is wrong with tests? Tests in traditional school settings assume that children learn in lockstep, instead of at their own pace. They create an environment that teaches that learning is about comparing and competing with one another, instead of collaborating. When we value the process as much as the product it is clear that traditional assessments are not helpful, and we have better alternatives. We begin always as Dr. Montessori did, with observation. Children have a developmental progression and they can only begin to learn a new concept when they have mastered the previous. We know when a child is ready to move forward because of our observations of their work. Teachers work with each child individually and come to closely know their abilities. Teachers take notes and follow the child’s progression. At key points they prompt the child to try a new skill, building upon what they have already accomplished. The environment and materials also allow children to correct their own work in many cases. Tests rely on a teacher to make corrections, but outside of school and in adult life it is often the work of the individual to assess their own actions and aim for improvement. Materials are self-correcting, meaning that children can see for themselves when there is an error and work to correct it without the interference of a teacher. What do you look for in your observations? At House on the Hill we observe the whole child, meaning we consider not just what they are demonstrating academically, but also how they engage socially and emotionally in the classroom. Each of these elements is part of the curriculum, and also part of the child’s future success. In short, we are observing for mastery and understanding of concepts. We observe so that we know when to intervene–perhaps this material is too difficult for a child, so we guide them to something suited for their level; or perhaps they have clearly mastered this material, so we guide them to the next step. It is a daily assessment through observation of the child’s progress that guides their individual learning path. As for what can be observed in the classroom, there is no shortage! Was the child able to complete the work independently? Was the child focused on their work? Is this activity too easy or challenging for the child? What other activity would help them more? Does the child often choose this activity and others like it? What other activities could help further the interest and enthusiasm they display? Does the child work well with others to complete tasks? Could the child teach this concept to another friend? Do they work on the activity in a unique or creative way? Does the child make connections between different materials and concepts they have previously mastered? These are just a small sample of the kinds of questions that our teachers are asking themselves in their daily observations of the children. What can be gleaned through this thoughtful reflection is far more robust than what can be demonstrated on a test! How does this prepare my child for primary school where there are tests? The change to a more traditional school setting– and thus tests– will be a transition for each child. However, even if they have not taken tests in their Montessori classes, children have learned the knowledge and skills they need to find success in their new environments. Montessori ensures a strong foundational knowledge that will carry them far in primary school. Because children are not all tested on concepts at the same time, each child has the opportunity to learn at their own pace and only move on when they truly grasp the concept. Montessori children also graduate with the social and emotional skills to cope with the changes they face in the new system; they are independent and curious learners! And you don’t have to take our word for it, studies demonstrate that children who begin in Montessori and later change to traditional school systems test well, sometimes even better than children without Montessori backgrounds.

Keep Up The Good Encouragement!

The HotH Team January 2020

If you listen long enough in a Montessori classroom you’ll be surprised by the phrases that you don’t hear. Good job! Your work is beautiful! Clever girl! These are positive sayings, right? Everyone likes to receive praise! These common praises often slip out of our mouths before we have a chance to pause and think if there is a better alternative to praise, such as encouragement. In our Montessori practice we use encouragement, not praise, to build healthy self-esteem and habits in our children. Praise is the expression of approval or admiration, and it often feels like the natural response that we should use when we are talking to our children. As adults we know that praise can feel good, and as parents and teachers we want to support good behavior in our children and tell them how we feel. Praise can sound like I love it, you’re so helpful, you deserve a reward, you know what makes me proud, you’re such a good girl! In the moment everyone feels great hearing and saying these praises, but long term they are not beneficial to your child. Children find intrinsic joy in their work, and we avoid praising the child to prevent them from doing activities only for our acknowledgment. If we remove the external reward of praise we want our children to continue their effort and work. Additionally, praise can inadvertently put a lot of pressure on children by setting standards they feel they need to live up to. If we say you’re so good at math! they may be hesitant later on to try more advanced work in fear that they will not be able to live up to this standard anymore and let us down. Instead of praise, we use encouragement. Encouragement focuses on the process, not the product. So we may say I saw you working hard. Hearing a parent or teacher take note of their effort encourages children to continue that behavior, without the pressure of creating a perfect product. Encouragement is also descriptive and specific, not evaluative. Instead of saying that is a beautiful picture, we can say I see you used a green crayon in this picture. Can you tell me more? We can take note of their work and place sincere interest in it without evaluating or judging it, and in doing so the child can form their own opinion and be proud of their process without needing the validation of another person. Dr Maria Montessori said that “prize and punishments are incentives toward unnatural or forced effort.” We can think of praise as a prize that externally incentivizes behavior, when in fact children already have the internal motivation to work and explore independently. Our job, then, is to encourage this process without praise or punishment. In the Montessori classroom materials aid in this process; Montessori materials have a control of error that allows the child to determine for themselves if the action is correct. Encouraging words are empowering to children, reassuring them that they have our support, but more importantly that they are capable and independent. The hardest part is breaking the habit of using praise; they are phrases that we do not think twice about using, and saying a descriptive phrase about the process and not the product can feel rather awkward at first. A great place to start is with the phrase You did it! From there you can describe what you saw your children doing– you did it! I saw you worked hard until you got it just how you wanted it. When you child asks if you like the drawing, or if you are proud of them, it is a great opportunity to turn the question around back to them. How do you feel about it? Can you tell me more about what you have done? Are you proud of yourself? Ultimately our goal is to raise our children in an environment where they feel safe, loved unconditionally, and supported in their efforts, and small changes of phrase can go a long way in creating that environment.

Montessori Fun in the Garden!

The HotH Team December 2019

At first glance, the wild outdoors may seem like an uncontrollable chaos that is, well, not very Montessorian. You can’t adjust the height of a tree or the presentation of animals and plants! Yet, Dr Maria Montessori was very fond of nature, and believed there was great benefit to incorporating it into children’s lives. There must be provision for the child to have contact with nature, to understand and appreciate the order, the harmony and the beauty in nature. It is not just Montessori pedagogy that expounds on the importance of nature, there is an incredible amount of research highlighting how beneficial exposure to nature and outdoor play is for children. The cognitive, social, physical and emotional benefits of time outdoors include development of sense of self and independence, creativity, problem solving, cooperation, flexibility, stress reduction, reduced aggression, physical health, happiness and more. There are even positive environmental impacts when children learn to appreciate and care for nature. But how do we do it well, especially in a city setting? Montessori Inspired Outdoor Work At House on the Hill we bring children to nature, and bring nature to the children. We aim for a balance of free play and Montessori inspired activities that help children care for and learn about their environment, many of which are replicable at home! For an activity that combines practical life skills, motor skills, and sensorial development try gardening. At all of our schools we garden, and it is replicable at home, too – check out our Montessori at Home activity here. If you’re really keen you can look into renting a plot in a community garden near you. In our garden in Pasir Panjang we use natural materials for various outdoor lessons. Simple activities like sorting can be fun and educational. Make it into a game by asking them to first find 5 of the same item. Upon their return give them a task, such as arranging their sticks from longest to shortest, mimicking the Montessori red rods. They can practice their basic sense by weighing in their hands different pebbles. Arranging leaves according to a color gradient might be a fun challenge for older children. The Importance of Free Play Don’t underestimate the value of unstructured, outdoor play. As Dr Montessori said, let them run outside when it is raining; let them remove their shoes when they find a puddle of water; and, when the grass of the meadows is damp with dew, let them run on it and trample it with their bare feet; let them rest peacefully when a tree invites them to sleep beneath it’s shade Just like in a Montessori classroom, children outside can be free to choose their activities and follow what interests them. Adults can help guide them and set appropriate boundaries, while still allowing freedom of movement, choice and time. Consider the limits that are set in a Montessori classroom: respect for oneself, respect for others; and respect for the environment. Setting minimal restrictions outdoors will encourage creativity and exploration. Finding pockets of Nature If adding time to your packed calendar for outdoors seems daunting, try and shift some of your regular routine outside. Dinner, lunch, or even snack time can become a picnic. Instead of heading home after the library to read on the couch, bring your books to the park and read outside for a bit. Reroute your way to the playdate to walk along a park connector instead of taking the bus, or better yet, have that playdate outside! Even having greenery nearby can reduce children’s stress and improve their wellbeing, and a 20 minutes of walking in park settings has been shown to help children focus better. If you can’t get outdoors, try and bring the outdoors inside. Keeping a houseplant or two is a great way for children to learn responsibility. Use your plant to talk about the needs of the larger environment; just as your plant needs water and sunlight, so do the plants in the forest. What might threaten the plants in the forest? How can your family help the environment? Look out for events such as tree planting days that provide a hands-on way to help out. As Dr Montessori said, “modern observations and child-study have led us to realise that as soon as the child can go out of doors, we must take him with us.” So head outside this week with your children and see what magic you can discover there! You might just find yourself there next week, too. *all photos taken in House on the Hill’s Pasir Panjang Garden

Montessori At Home: Maths + Kitchen = Delicious Learning

The HotH Team November 2019

Cooking with your children can help discourage picky eating, and it is also a great opportunity to practice mathematics with children of all ages! For children learning to count, “playing” with their food can be a fun way to practice. Help your child follow a simple recipe where the ingredients keep their shape (for example, cherry tomatoes retain their form, whereas cups of flour blend together in the bowl). For snack, they can count out a set number of fruits to make a fruit salad. For dinner, they can make their own pizzas and top it with a specific number of mushrooms, capsicum, or whichever ingredients you have on hand! For children who have mastered counting, you can begin to engage them in more complex recipes and introduce mathematical language along the way. They can even help make the pizza dough, “adding” the cups of flour according to the recipe, “taking away or subtracting” the scraps, and “dividing” the dough into individual portions. The kitchen is full of math, and children are happy to learn in such an engaging and delicious way. Plus, they’ll be happy to eat their vegetable-full creations!

Making Muscles Move: The Fine Points of Fine Motor Skill Development – Part 1: Infant

The HotH Team October 2019

A huge part of a child’s early development is learning to control their movements. There is a progression that each infant and child goes through as they learn to control each muscle from their mouth and tongue down to their toes. As a physician, Dr. Maria Montessori saw the link between a child’s physical development and their psycho-social development; she had children trace sandpaper letters to facilitate the link between muscle and memory, a practice that continues today. There is a lot to say about motor skills, so much in fact that this is just the first of a series on the subject by House on the Hill! This month we’re talking about fine motor skills and how Montessori practice– everything from the environment to the teacher’s behavior– help grow and refine these fine movements. When we talk about movement there are two big categories: fine motor and gross motor. Gross motor skills are the big movements, like crawling and hopping. Fine motor skills are small movements of the hands, fingers and arms that use hand-eye coordination, dexterity and control. For infants, fine motor skills include sucking on their hands and later passing objects from one hand to another. For older children, fine motor skills include writing with a pencil or using scissors. As with any skill, fine motor skills take practice and build on previous mastery. Fine motor skills are essential. They help children master their environment and operate independently in their world, building up their confidence and self-esteem at the same time. Extensive studies performed over the years have concluded that fine motor skills are significantly linked to later performance in literacy and mathematics at school. Developing fine motor skills is not that straight forward, however. The environment, the materials, and the encouragement and guidance of care-givers must all come together with the child’s physical development. At House on the Hill we start fine motor skill work starts at an early age, in our Nido, and continue to grow with the child as they grow and develop. Take a look at this video of an infant in our Nido pouring a glass of water. That is a lot of fine motor work! If we break it down we can see the steps involved in developing fine motor skills. Follow the child: children’s development has a sequence we can’t rush. We can’t run before we walk, and we can’t pour before we can grip. In infancy we encourage reaching and holding everything from balls to milk bottles, developing a child’s grip and hand-eye coordination. Activities such as clay play, stacking blocks and threading hone that hand eye coordination. Imitation is learning: children learn many things from observing adults in their day to day life, but sometimes we need to break it down just for them. We do a step by step, slow demonstration of the pouring process. Curious young eyes like to concentrate on the moving water, but they are also absorbing the sequence of movements. Curiosity to conquest: the child must do, and re-do, the activity to learn. We set up a safe and supportive environment for them to pour, miss, sip, spill and keep on trying. Maybe tomorrow: if the child isn’t interested in the activity they may not be ready yet, or it may just not be their day. That is ok! We pack up and try again another day; consistency is key. Pouring on the support for fine motor skill development: 1. Help them help themselves by setting up the right space. For pouring we prepare a pitcher and a glass that are sized right for their hands, a tray to keep things tidy, and an apron and sponge for catching spills. 2. Let them help themselves by resisting the urge to step in. We demonstrate once or twice, and then let them work uninterrupted and repetitively. 3. It is not about perfection. As much as this first attempt at pouring requires foundational skills, it is also an opportunity to further develop those skills and they will progress with time. 4. It is not about praise. With time children find intrinsic joy in independent work. We avoid praising the child to prevent them from doing the activity only for our acknowledgment. Pouring is just one example of fine motor skill work in the Montessori classroom. Check out this chart to see all the ways that Montessori materials are designed for age-appropriate gross and fine motor skill development! But no matter the age or ability, the Montessori method provides clear steps, excellent materials, and guidance in encouraging fine motor skill development. Psycho-sensory Motor Development Chart, Birth to Three from Voila Montessori adapted from Centro Educazione Montessori This post is part of our ongoing series on motor skills. Check out Part 2 and Part 3 here! Come Tour Our Nido! Meet our team, tour our campus and understand the benefits of starting Montessori early! Schedule a Visit Today!

Practicing Independence and Freedom in the Montessori Classroom

The HotH Team September 2019

Dr Maria Montessori wrote that a child “wants to acquire a knowledge of his own, to have experience of the world, and to perceive it by his own unaided efforts.” A child needs independence and freedom in order to learn and grow, and it is our job as educators and guardians to enable that independence and freedom in a safe and effective manner. The first thing to know about “freedom” in a Montessori classroom is that it is always freedom within limits. Children have the freedom to move, freedom of choice, freedom of time, freedom to repeat, freedom to communicate, and freedom to make mistakes. The limitations on these freedoms are they must have respect for themselves, for others, and for their environment. As such, children can move freely about the classroom using their walking feet, because running endangers themselves and their friends. They can freely choose their activities and change between them, but out of respect for their friends and their environment, they must always leave their materials as they found them. This creates a habit of responsible freedom and social awareness that stays with the child for life. Independence is one of the ultimate goals of Montessori work, and it is a process that requires guidance and patience. Dr Montessori said it is the adults’ job to “help the child to act for himself, will for himself, think for himself,” and a big part of doing so is setting up an environment that is safe and encourages discovery and concentration. Independence is not letting a child do whatever she likes to amuse herself, but rather it is empowering her to make appropriate decisions about her time and conduct her work with little assistance. But what does this all look like? Let’s take a peek inside our classrooms to see independence in action… 8:25 outside the mixed Nursery-Kindergarten class: All the children unpack their bags, take out their water bottles and put their bags in the correct cubby. One by one as they complete this task they walk to the bathroom to wash up before going to class. The new child who is less familiar with the routine is helped by her peers, and the teacher is around in case anyone needs help. 9:00 inside the Nursery-Kindergarten class: Grace decided to have her snack right away this morning. After scooping herself one serving of blueberries, eating, and washing her bowl, she looks around the classroom for an activity to start her day! She decides on the Practical Life dressing board that her teacher introduced her to yesterday. She takes it off the shelf and heads to the table where she practices buttoning and unbuttoning. 9:30 with the Playgroup class: Ethan needs to change his diaper, so he takes his diaper from his cubby and goes with his teacher to the toilet. Ethan takes off his own pants, disposes of his diaper, but he asks for help when he gets stuck trying to put on his clean one. He washes his hands they head back to the class. 10:15 at the Pre-Nursery class: Ivan just finished reading a book in the library and takes a seat at a table. His teacher asks him if he is ready to work on a new sensorial material, and he agrees. She is introducing a new concept to him today and shows him where on the shelf he can find this activity. Ivan fetches a floor mat and they sit together to do the work. When they’re done Ivan is careful to put it back where they found it and roll up his floor mat. Next week Ivan will be able to find this activity on his own and work on it with less supervision from his teacher. 10:45 in the Playgroup class: Regina chose to work on threading big beads at the table with guidance from her teacher. She has been introduced to this practical life activity once before and her teacher is nearby to observe her progress. When Regina struggles the teacher offers another demonstration before letting Regina try it on her own for a while. Although she has not yet mastered the threading exercise, after 15 minutes she is ready to move on for the day and she packs up and returns the tray to the shelf. The hardest part of independence is often on the part of the adult, to accept that a child’s development comes from environmental experience and to allow our child to explore independently and freely. Of course, independence and freedom take different forms depending on the readiness of each child. It is up to the adults to help them grow this skill in the appropriate environment. With guidance, patience, and appropriate limitations each child can have the self-awareness, social awareness, responsibility and confidence to work and move independently in the world.

Category: Montessori