Have you noticed the new pictures along the entrance ramp wall at the front desk? They are pictures of the children doing Practical Life exercises. As you may have heard, this year’s school theme is “What’s Montessori Got To Do With It”. Through the next 9 months, we are going to be very deliberate, conscientious, and intentional in how we look at ourselves as teachers of the Montessori Method here at CHES. Each month our theme will revolve around a Montessori area found in our classrooms. Activities, lesson plans, and curriculum will be built upon each of those fundamental areas and will be explored by the students and teachers. This month’s theme is Practical Life.
Practical Life exploration builds a foundation on which children will grow and carry over into the other areas of the classroom as well as into their every day life. Children engage in activities that promote order, movement, sensorial exploration, and build a love of work. Teachers will help children engage in activities that will continue to build responsibility, concentration, coordination, and social and emotional development.
Practical Life is an area in the Montessori philosophy that encompasses skills practical to everyday life. They are a series of fine motor skills that include cleaning and caring for the environment as well as preparing food. These activities benefit the child because it develops control of movement and hand-eye coordination that form the basis for writing and cognitive skills. Basic practical life exercises include pouring, spooning, transferring, lacing, buttoning, carrying equipment, washing hands, caring for the environment (sweeping, wiping a mat, watering plants), and so on. The integration of self and understanding of process that result from these exercises are important for any serious task the child will undertake. In Montessori’s “Children’s House” practical life exercises started off the day: cleanliness, order, poise, and conversation. They started with checking the children’s cleanliness (due to that fact that the first “Children’s House” was in a slum) and then proceeded to check the shelves and work for cleanliness and order. Poise exercises were incorporated in what most schools now call “circle time.” Children would sit cross-legged, rising to sing a hymn and then sit down again. This helps to teach the children move about the classroom with care. After these exercises in grace were conducted, the directress begins a conversation with the children asking them about the previous day, how they might have helped someone, their attitude toward their parents, etc.
Practical Life exercises are very easy to incorporate into your home. They’re probably already activities your child does or attempts to mimic you doing them! If you haven’t seen the entry way, here’s a panoramic view.
