"When the children had completed an absorbing bit of work, they appeared rested and deeply pleased."
—Maria Montessori (author), Paul Oswald (editor), Basic Ideas of Montessori's Educational Theory
After several months in a Montessori classroom, children as young as three years old are able to pick their own work, focus on, and complete their activities. Montessori found the value of a two-and-a-half to three-hour continuous work period through observation and experimentation. Children are most inclined to pick demanding work in the last hour of a long work time.
A three-year-old was once seen by Montessori repeating the knobbed cylinders activity 44 times. When Montessori tested the girl's concentration by taking her up from her chair and placing her on top of her desk, then requesting her classmates to sing, the girl's concentration did not waver. "...she gazed about with a satisfied air, almost as if waking from a delightful nap," she said when she stopped working on her own. Montessori called this a "never-to-be-forgotten" discovery. (Spontaneous Activity in Education)
These kinds of activities and processes are taught in Montessori teacher education center where the teacher understands the kind of approach that makes Montessori different than traditional schooling.
After several months in a Montessori classroom, children as young as three years old are able to pick their own work, focus on, and complete their activities. Montessori found the value of a two-and-a-half to three-hour continuous work period through observation and experimentation. Children are most inclined to pick demanding work in the last hour of a long work time.
A three-year-old was once seen by Montessori repeating the knobbed cylinders activity 44 times. When Montessori tested the girl's concentration by taking her up from her chair and placing her on top of her desk, then requesting her classmates to sing, the girl's concentration did not waver. "...she gazed about with a satisfied air, almost as if waking from a delightful nap," she said when she stopped working on her own. Montessori called this a "never-to-be-forgotten" discovery. (Spontaneous Activity in Education)
These kinds of activities and processes are taught in Montessori teacher education center where the teacher understands the kind of approach that makes Montessori different than traditional schooling.
Phases of the Work Period
During extensive task periods, Montessori and her directresses attentively watched the phases of children's activity. They discovered that youngsters frequently choose an easy first assignment, followed by a moderately hard activity, in the first hour and twenty minutes. Following that, students appeared restless and classroom noise rose for five minutes, causing "false weariness." Many teachers become nervous at this point and decide to halt the work period. When youngsters choose tough tasks and concentrate carefully, deceptive weariness is actually "preparation for the concluding work." When the project is completed, the youngsters look to be sincerely satisfied and at ease, and there is a period of "contemplation." (ibid)
Because they have the option to choose things that interest them, children in Montessori classes get absorbed in their work. Children rarely encounter the profound attention necessary for jumps in cognitive growth in schools with work periods of less than two hours.
When you will enroll in Montessori training near me, you will understand the kind of tasks that should be assigned to make the children partake in what interests them.
False Fatigue
False weariness is analogous to adults stopping for a cup of coffee after a long day at work. If youngsters are bothering others, they can be politely redirected, but too much meddling prolongs the false fatigue phase. We must trust children to return to work rather than frantically over-controlling or terminating the work session.
Is Circle Time Always Necessary?
Children enjoy individual or small group instruction, work at their own speed with materials they pick, and serve themselves a snack during the morning work session. Near the start or end of the work hour, many schools have a mandatory circle (typically lasting 30-40 minutes). More whole group exercises are frequently required in the start of the school year, before the class has settled in. Any disturbance to the work period (including circle) interferes with the child's exploration, focus, skill mastery, critical thinking, and problem solving. Longer circles reduce the amount of time it takes to complete a task. Children rarely concentrate completely on truly tough work if they don't have enough time.
Instead of having an obligatory circle time, encourage small groups of children to sing, listen to a tale, or watch an art lesson. During the transition to lunch, while the children are tidying up from the work period, a short circle (to do the calendar or sing songs) is an excellent moment. Instead of having an obligatory circle time, encourage small groups of children to sing, listen to a tale, or watch an art lesson. During the transition to lunch, while the children are tidying up from the work period, a short circle (to do the calendar or sing songs) is an excellent moment.
Teachers sometimes worry if today's students can achieve the kind of intense attention that Montessori referred to as a "miracle." Are contemporary children, who are surrounded by screens, incapable of focusing their attention in the same way that children in Montessori's time did? A lot depends on what happens in the Montessori classroom and the adolescent stage is the best period to influence these young minds about the right and wrong.
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