Infants Room Daily Routine

A Typical Day in the Montessori Academy Infants Room (0 – 2 years)

7.30am – Montessori Academy Opens

Good Morning! Welcome to another day of learning and exploring with Montessori Academy. Upon arrival all parents are required to sign in at the beginning of the day. Give your little one a kiss and cuddle at the door, wave goodbye, and hand them over to their teachers for a wonderful day of fun.

8.00am – The Montessori Work Cycle Begins

The early morning is time for our infants to explore and work with the Montessori materials in their room. Educators will often present the children with a material, allowing them to explore the activity. The most popular curriculum areas in the infant room include practical life, sensorial and language.

9.00am – Morning Tea

Morning tea is provided by Montessori Academy and is usually fruit puree, yoghurt, or another healthy snack. If 9am is usually your little ones sleep time, we follow the routine you keep at home to ensure your child’s routine is consistent.

9.45am – Outdoor Play

After morning tea, it’s outdoor play time! Every Montessori Academy child care service has a prepared infant outdoor area, which is a safe place for your little one to discover and play outdoors. Our Educators specifically set up the infant outdoor learning environment to encourage the children to learn and develop new skills every day.

11.00am – Group Time

Group time allows the infants class to learn together, develop strong social skills, and share in experiences. This time is essential for forming classroom communities. Group time activities for our babies often include: story time, music and movement, language activities, and art and craft.

11.30am – Lunch Time

Working hard is hungry work! At most Montessori Academy child care services, we have our families pack lunch for their children. Children who are bottle fed are given bottles as specified and prepared by parents. For our infants who are eating solids, our team are happy to warm up food if required.

12.00pm – Rest Time

Standard sleep time is from after lunch; however, we are happy to work around any sleeping schedule. Each child has their own cot, and we encourage our families to bring their own bed sheets, and a comforter for their little one. Soft music plays while we put the infant’s down to rest, and any unsettled children are rocked to sleep.

2.00pm – Afternoon Tea

Afternoon tea is provided by Montessori Academy and is usually fruit, a healthy snack, or puree. In addition, we can accommodate for almost any dietary requirements or food sensitivities. Afternoon tea is a wonderful time for children to develop practical life skills, such as holding their own cutlery, and socialising with others.

3.00pm – Outdoor Play

Once afternoon tea is finished, the infants head back outside to enjoy the afternoon! Outdoor play varies every day, and may include bubble fun, the parachute game, or ball games. Each of our campuses have a wonderful outdoor area for infants that is specifically designed to meet their needs and interests.

4.30pm – Late Snack and Indoor Play

Children come inside around 4.30pm for a late snack, and are often given the chance to explore the Montessori materials once again. The infant’s class begin to get ready to go home, and wind down from an exciting day of learning and play. Quiet activities usually include reading a story, tummy time activities, or working with the Montessori materials.

6.00pm – Montessori Academy Closes

Good evening, and welcome back! Your little one is now ready to go home happy, safe and sound. Your child’s Educators will greet you at the door and help you collect your child’s belongings. If you have any questions about how your child slept, how much they ate, and when their nappy was changed, our friendly team are more than happy to assist.
*Throughout the day frequent nappy changes are scheduled for the children, and our Educators regularly check if your child requires an extra nappy change.

 

Your Child’s First Day

The first day of child care is a time of excitement and uncertainty for many families. It is common for children (and parents) to experience feelings of anxiety in the lead up to starting care.
In children, these feelings are often caused by a fear of the unknown, as the child has no point of reference to draw upon when they are faced with a new environment or experience.
It takes time for them to adjust to their routine, build relationships, and understand that their new preschool is a fun, safe, and happy place.
Some children take to their new preschool environments with ease; whereas others may initially suffer from separation anxiety. This is completely normal, and will pass in time.
Either way, the tips below will make your child’s first day at preschool (and the days after) a more manageable experience for your little one, and for you.

Preparing for the First Day

Prepare your child

Prepare your child for their first day of child care by talking to them about the centre, the new friends they’ll make, and the exciting new toys they’ll get to play with. It is also a good idea to read to them about their favourite characters going to school. Popular titles include: ‘Mum Goes to Work’ by Libby Gleeson and Leila Rudge, ‘A Bit Lost’ by Chris Haughton, and ‘How to Babysit a Grandad’ by Jean Reagan and Lee Wildish.

Positive Behaviours and Attitudes

Modelling positive behaviours and attitudes plays an important role in the success of the first day of school, and the weeks thereafter. Keep discussions about preschool positive, and focus on things that your child is likely to enjoy. Children pick up on parent’s feelings, behaviours, and emotions, and are likely to emulate them if you are feeling upset or uncertain.

Schedule an orientation

As part of Montessori Academy’s introductory process, we invite all families to come in for a two-hour orientation before your child commences. Orientations usually run from 9am – 11am. Families are welcome to stay on campus and observe how they child adjust to their new environment. It is important to remember that some children take longer than others to settle.

Contact your Centre Manager or Family Care

If you are feeling nervous about your little ones first day, please feel free to contact your child’s Centre Manager or our dedicated Family Care Team in head office. We are happy to answer any questions you may have, and provide with emotional support in the lead up to your child’s first day with us.

Pack your child’s bag

Double check your child’s enrolment kit for their daily list of needs. For most Montessori Academy childcare centres, children will need to bring: drink bottle, cot-sized sheets, school bag, two spare sets of clothes, sun smart hat, nappies / pull ups (if required), and lunchbox. Remember to label everything clearly beforehand. You are also welcome to pack a comforter, such as a toy or blanket, and a family photo.

Your Child’s First Day of Child Care

Morning Routines

Establish a positive and happy morning routine for preschool days. For children over two, this may include encouraging your child to pack their own school bag, find their favourite comforter, or sing a happy ‘school day’ themed song. In addition, always give yourself plenty of time to get ready and arrive on time. Feeling late or rushed can cause children to feel extra anxiety.

Arriving at Montessori Academy

To ensure that your child receives the greatest benefit from the Montessori program, it is important to arrive before 8:30am. Once you have arrived, ring the doorbell and wait for the Centre Manager to welcome you the centre. You will be provided with a security card on your first day of child care, and shown were to sign in your child every day. The staff will also show you where your child’s locker is, the location of the lunch and sleep charts, and program and information display areas.

Saying Goodbye

Montessori parents who establish a consistent goodbye routine typically have better luck with successful goodbyes. Take a special moment with your child to say goodbye. Some of our current parents go with a simple kiss and a cuddle. Whereas others have established a ‘secret’ hand shake for child care! A special goodbye is a great way for your child to start their day feeling happy and reassured. When it is time to leave, don’t linger in the classroom, or stay for “just one more minute.” The best thing you can do is give your child a hug and a kiss at the door, let them know you love them, and reassure them that you will be back in the afternoon.

Pick Up Routine

It is important to be punctual when picking up your child. It easy to lose track of time, but no matter who is picking your child up, always be on time. If you are late, it can cause your child to feel more anxiety, and makes drop off the next time much harder. On your child’s first day of child care, it is wise to pick them up a little earlier so that they ease into their new routine.

Positive Daily Reflections

On the way home, establish a routine where you talk to your child about their preschool day. Focus on the positive aspects of their day, such as their favourite activity, or playing with friends. By consistently reinforcing the positive aspects of their school day, your child will learn that their new environment is a fun and happy place, and their feelings of anxiety will decrease over time.

Orientation

“Free the child’s potential, and you will transform him into the world.”

Doctor Maria Montessori

At Montessori Academy, we believe that the orientation process is an important part of successfully transitioning new children into the Montessori environment.
That’s why we offer a complimentary orientation session for all newly enrolled families. Once your child’s enrolment is finalised, you will be invited to book in an orientation. This will be at a time and date that is convenient for you and your little one.
This is a great opportunity to bring in any outstanding paperwork, and discuss your child’s needs with the Centre Manager and Room Leader. You will also have the opportunity to be there for your child’s first Montessori experience.
At most Montessori Academy child care centres, orientation occurs from 9am – 11am on weekdays. The best time to schedule in a visit is a few days before your child commences care. This allows your child to become familiar with the environment before they start.
The two-hour introductory session provides children with the opportunity to begin building a relationship with their teachers, meet their classmates, and explore the Montessori materials.
Families are welcome to participate in the classroom, or spend time in other areas of the centre’s facilities, such as the Parent Library.

The Importance of Grace and Courtesy

Grace and Courtesy lessons are an important part of Montessori Academy’s Practical Life Curriculum. In fact, the skills children learn as part of the Grace and Courtesy lesson program are just as important as Maths, Music and Language. This is because lessons on Grace and Courtesy provide children with explicit instructions on how to interpret and react to different social situations and behaviours.
Children between the ages of two and half and six years are in the Sensitive Period for learning Courtesy and Manners. This is why the focus for this age group is based on providing students with the vocabulary, actions and steps that they need to develop their interpersonal skills, and respond to their environment.
At Montessori Academy, Grace and Courtesy Lessons are presented in small groups by the Educator who role-plays different social situations. Examples of Grace and Courtesy lessons include learning how to:
1) Say “please” and “thank you”
2) Greet one another
3) Politely interrupt a person engaged in activity
4) Introduce friends and acquaintances
Through lessons of Grace and Courtesy, a student is able to develop and refine social skills while building self-esteem and independence. These lessons also assist children with learning to orientate themselves to their environment, and answers children’s questions about how they belong and participate in the world at large.
In summary, Grace and Courtesy lessons provide children with the social skills they will carry for life. As Doctor Maria Montessori states: “A child who becomes a master of his acts through repeated exercises of grace and courtesy, and who has been encouraged by the pleasant and interesting activities in which he has been engaged, is a child filled with health and joy and remarkable for his calmness and discipline.”

Montessori Education: The Acquisition of Literacy Skills

According to Montessori Theory, the development of literacy begins long before children start primary school, and is acquired in a variety of ways at different ages.
Literacy development is nourished by social interactions with caring adults and supported by access to a wide range of engaging reading and writing learning activities.
Children’s literacy progress, from emergent to fluent literacy, is influenced by a number of factors, including their continuing literacy development, understanding of literacy concepts, and the efforts of parents and Montessori teachers to promote literacy and language development.
Children’s Literacy Development
From the very first months of life, children’s experiences with oral language begin to build a foundation for later reading and writing success.
During the first few months children begin to distinguish the sound of the human voice, whereas between the ages of two to three years, children ‘explode’ into language by learning to speak in phrases and sentences.
Following is an approximate chart of language development that a child follows:
• 3 months: The child turns to the sound of the human voice
• 4 months: The child focuses on the lips of a speaking person
• 6 months: The child produces simple syllables
• 10 months: The child realises that words have meaning and begin to intentionally interpret and use speech
• 10 – 18 months: The child’s vocabulary dramatically increases as they consciously provide names for people, objects, and things
• 21 – 24 months: The child ‘explodes’ into language, speaking in phrases and sentences
• 30 months: The child’s basic vocabulary is compete (approx. 200 words)
• 6 years: The child’s basic secondary vocabulary is complete (approx. 2,000 words)
Promoting Literacy Development
Research consistently demonstrates that the more children know about language and literacy, before they begin formal schooling, the better equipped they are to succeed in reading.
To promote literacy in the classroom and the home it is essential that young children are exposed to literacy-rich environments and receive developmentally appropriate literacy instruction.
Such environments and experiences have a profound effect on children’s literacy development by providing them with opportunities and encouragement to become successful readers.
Literacy and Language Activities
• Read to your child with or without visual stimulus
• Encourage your child to select a favourite book to read with you
• Set up a small child sized library in your home
• Take your child to the library and arrange a tour with your local librarian
• Encourage your child to tell a story about one of their favourite pictures
• Recite poetry with your child in the forms of nursery rhymes, songs, poems and puppetry
• Make newspapers and non-fiction reading materials available to your child
• Create a ‘language mystery bag’ where your child must name and describe the objects in the bag
• Encourage your child to document their experiences by writing stories or keeping a journal
• Place bold printed labels around your child’s room and/or home
Source: Language Arts, North American Montessori Center

Top Five Benefits of Montessori Early Education

The importance of early childhood education to children’s lives is beyond question. A good beginning to life is well recognised as the foundation for future development, health and wellbeing, not only in the early years, but also throughout life. Recent scientific studies have proven that children’s learning and mental development begins immediately after birth, and continues for the rest of their lives, but not at the same intensity that is demonstrated in the preschool years. With this in mind, infants, toddlers and preschoolers need positive early learning experiences that will lay the foundations for their intellectual, social and emotional development, and later school success. So how does Montessori based early childhood education prepare children for school and later life?

1. Key Developmental Stages

Montessori is a scientific method of education that is focused on the key developmental stages that all children move through on their way to adulthood. In each of these stages, children are in a sensitive period for learning different skills and activities that will help them reach their next developmental milestone. Doctor Maria Montessori believed that if children were provided with the opportunities to explore and practice these skills, they would make extraordinary progress. This is why the Montessori method of education has been designed around the unique development needs of the child. The Montessori curriculum, classroom structure, and learning materials have been tested, refined, evaluated, and proven across age groups, countries, and cultures to support and nurture the full developmental potential of the child.

2. Social Development and Collaboration

In a Montessori classroom, children are grouped with different ages and are encouraged to collaborate and help each other. This structure to the learning environment encourages children to share and work cooperatively to explore different areas of the Montessori curriculum. Based on the nature of the classroom environment, children learn to respect each other, develop the skills of collaborative problem solving, and build a sense of community.

3. Child Centred, Teacher Guided

The Montessori classroom is a prepared learning environment where children are free to choose from a range of developmentally appropriate activities. Teachers in the Montessori classroom are there to guide and facilitate the learning experience. They take the lead from the children in the classroom, ensure the ground rules are followed, and encourage children to work independently and at their own pace. Allowing children to direct their own learning enables them to learn in an enjoyable way and develop an enthusiasm for learning, along with self-discipline, independence and positive self-esteem.

4. Self-Assessment and Intrinsic Motivation

Self-correction and self-assessment are an integral part of the Montessori learning experience. As children progress through the education program, they learn to look critically at their work, recognise and correct their mistakes, and learn from their errors. By providing children with the freedom to question, probe deeply, and make connections, Montessori students learn to become confident, self-motivated learners that have an intrinsic love of learning. In this way, Montessori education cultivates engaged learners with a positive and confident approach to life-long learning.

5. Learning for Life

Research conducted by a group of Psychologists in the US, published in the 2006 journal Science, examined the abilities of children taught at a Montessori school compared to a systemic school. The research determined that children who attended Montessori schools were more creative, socially adjusted, and had the ability to adapt to changing and complex problems, which have been seen as predictors of future school and life success. In addition, the research determined that 5-year-old Montessori students were better prepared for reading and math, and that 12-year-olds’ wrote ‘significantly more creative essays’ using more ‘sophisticated sentence structures’. Montessori children also displayed a greater sense of ‘justice and fairness’, interacted in an ‘emotionally positive way’, and were less likely to engage in ‘rough play’ during break times.

In summary, Montessori education cultivates children’s natural desire to learn and achieve their full potential by providing them with the foundations for future growth. Montessori graduates range from the founders of Google and Amazon.com, to Rhodes scholars and artists, through to well-adjusted goal-orientated professionals. Doctor Maria Montessori’s understanding of how and why children learn allows the Montessori classroom to create an excellent foundation for children’s learning that opens the doors to education for life.

FAQ: Why Do Montessori Classes Group Different Age Levels Together?

Parents frequently ask why Montessori classes group children by two to three year age groups, when primary schools group students by their birth year.
This question is often promoted by parents that are concerned that the younger children will struggle and take up all of the teacher’s time, or that the older children won’t thrive because they aren’t given the stimulation and challenges they need to progress. These concerns are misguided.
The reasons why Montessori classrooms are grouped in two to three year age groups are based on the following principles:

1. Community

In mixed age classes, children tend to stay in the same class for two to three years. With two-thirds of the class returning each year, the culture in the classroom tends to remain quite stable. This allows children to focus on learning instead of transitioning to a new classroom each year.

2. Role Modelling

Grouping children of different ages encourages them to develop strong social and collaboration skills. In mixed age classrooms, the younger children learn from the older children, and the older children learn to serve as role models.

3. Development Based Curriculum

The Montessori program and materials in the toddler and preschool classrooms are designed to address the development needs that are common to both age groups. This allows children to find peers that are working at their current level without having to skip a grade, or be held back, which could leave them feeling emotionally or developmentally out of place.

What Makes Montessori Different?

FAQ: What Makes Montessori Different?

 

Families that are new to Montessori education often ask: “What makes Montessori different from play based early learning services?” The goal of both Montessori and traditional preschools is the same: to provide learning experiences for the child. The biggest difference lies in the kind of learning experiences each school provides and the methods they use to deliver these learning experiences. The top ten biggest difference include:
1. Prepared Learning Environment
The Montessori classroom is prepared in advance, based on observations of the student’s individual needs. The classroom incorporates child-centred lessons and activities, as opposed to teacher-centres lessons or activities.
2. Active vs. Passive
Lessons in the Montessori classroom are hands on, encourage active learning experiences, and engage multiple senses. Traditional preschools encourage learning through passive learning experiences, such as listening, memorising, and taking tests.
3. Montessori Work Cycle
The three-hour work cycle encourages children to become self-motivated learners with strong problem solving and critical thinking skills. In the Montessori classroom, children work on lessons for as long as they are interested, and interruptions are avoided whenever possible. Time limitations are mandated by schedules in most traditional preschool classrooms.
4. Teachers’ Roles
Montessori teachers act as guides and consultants for students on a one-on-one basis to assist each child on their own unique development journey. Lessons are dictated by the students, and their unique needs and interests. Most traditional preschools deliver the same lessons, at the same pace, in the same order for all students.
5. Mixed Age Groups
In Montessori preschools, classrooms are flexible and determined by the child’s developmental range, i.e. 0 – 2, 2 – 3, 3 – 6. This allows children that are developmentally ahead, or behind, to learn and develop at their pace own. Mixed age classes also encourage students to develop a strong sense of community, as children stay in the same room for 2 – 3 years. In most traditional preschools, classes are defined by chronological age within a 12 month period.
6. Adaptable Curriculum
The Montessori curriculum covers eight key developmental areas, including: practical life, sensorial, mathematics, language, culture, art and science. Each area of the Montessori curriculum, and the learning materials associated with each subject, are expandable based on the student’s needs and interests. In traditional preschools, the curriculum is predetermined without regard for each child’s individual needs.
7. Self-Made Self-Esteem
One of the basic principles of Montessori education is that a child’s self-esteem comes from an internal sense of pride in his or her own achievements. In traditional preschools, self-esteem is thought to come from external validation and praise.
8. Love of learning.
The aim of Montessori education is to nurture the natural talents and abilities of each unique child, and cultivate a life-love of learning as a positive foundation for future learning. In traditional preschools, children are encouraged to learn because it is necessary for school and later life.
9. Learning Materials
In a Montessori classroom, children are free to choose their learning activities from any area of the Montessori curriculum. Each material has its own set of outcomes, is multi-sensory, and is designed to be self-correcting. In this way, Montessori learning materials facilitate long-term learning experiences that encourage children to work independently, develop strong problem solving skills, and learn at their own pace. In traditional preschools, teachers make the learning materials available to the students when it is time for each lesson, and children are encouraged to learn through play.
10. School and Life Success
Montessori education is focused on the emotional, social, mental and physical development of the child to provide them with strong foundations for future learning. In this way, Montessori education aims to holistically prepare children, not only for school, but for life. In traditional preschools, education is largely focused on school readiness.

The Mathematical Mind of the Child

By Dilki Sonali, Montessori Teacher at Barangaroo Montessori Academy
The human mind is by nature mathematical. From birth we learn the meaning of phrases such as “how old are you?” and “we’re leaving in one hour.” The capabilities of the mathematics mind are present in the mind of the child. An infant is able to understand the difference between one and many. A toddler is able to sensorially distinguish between small and large quantities. A preschooler is able to identify the symbols for numbers and begin to physically quantify ‘how many’ that symbol means. Numbers themselves cannot be easily defined, but come to be understood from experiences with concrete objects that eventually become abstract ideas.
Doctor Maria Montessori believed that children come to absorb mathematical concepts naturally. She recognised that there were specific sensitive periods in a child’s development whereby the acquisition of mathematical concepts were eagerly explored through repetition of activities with concrete, scientifically developed, didactic materials. Doctor Maria Montessori designed concrete mathematical materials to represent all levels of quantities and mathematical concepts after she observed that children who are interested in counting, like to move items as they enumerate them. In the Montessori learning environment, the children not only sees and learns the symbol for a number, they hold the quantity in their hand. For most children, the sensitive development period for learning mathematical concepts is between the age of four and six years.
Through the Montessori Curriculum areas of Practical Life, Sensorial and Mathematics, children experience the concepts of order, measurement, calculations, numeric symbol recognition, counting, and exactness. There are six key skill areas within the Montessori Mathematics Curriculum, including: numeration (numbers 1 – 10), the decimal system, the tradition names, the arithmetic tablets, and the passage to abstraction and fraction. In order to help each child achieve their full mathematical potential, it is the role of the Montessori teacher to set up and organise the materials in a way that is progressive and sequential. Young Montessori students learn about precision and exactness by measuring how many water drop it takes to fill a vessel (i.e. ice cube tray). These Practical Life activities not only help children to gain independence, but also provide indirect foundations for higher level maths skills.
As children develop in the Montessori learning environment, they become ready to encounter more concrete mathematics materials that explore abstract thought, beginning with quantity. Quantity is first presented to the child in the form of variables to avoid confusion. The Montessori teacher will use a material, such as the Number Rods, in order to introduce quantities from one to ten. The red and blue partitions of the Number Rods make the quantity countable. The number rods are then given a name and a number. As the child works with the rods, they begin to realise that the first rod is the unit of measurement, with which the other rods can be measured. In this way, Montessori students learn about the mathematics through their hands.
As Doctor Maria Montessori said: “This system in which a child is constantly moving objects with his hands and actively exercising his senses, also takes into account a child’s special aptitude for mathematics. When they leave the material, the children very easily reach the point where they wish to write out the operation. They thus carry out an abstract mental operation and acquire a kind of natural and spontaneous inclination for mental calculation.“

Ten Reasons to Choose Montessori Early Education

The importance of early childhood education to children’s lives is beyond question. A good beginning to life is well recognised as the foundation for future development, health and wellbeing, not only in the early years, but also throughout life. So how does Montessori Academy prepare children for school and life success?

1. Child Centred, Teacher Guided

Every child learns in a different way and at their own pace. At Montessori Academy, our teachers create a learning program that is unique to every child. Our multi-age classrooms are specially designed to encourage children to achieve their development potential at their own pace, and actively participate in their learning.

2. Holistic Learning Experience

The Montessori curriculum covers eight key areas that focus on the cognitive, social and emotional development of the child. Key curriculum areas include: practical life, sensorial, mathematics, language, science, geography, art and culture. The Montessori curriculum is directly aligned with what children will learn in primary school and beyond.

3. Social Development and Collaboration

In a Montessori classroom, children are grouped with different ages and are encouraged to collaborate and help each other. This structure to the learning environment encourages children to learn to respect each other, develop the skills of collaborative problem solving, and build a sense of community.

4. Confident Lifelong Learners

Self-correction and self-assessment are an integral part of the Montessori learning experience. As children progress through the Montessori curriculum, they learn to look critically at their work, recognise and correct their mistakes, and learn from their errors. By providing children with the freedom to question and make connections, our students learn to become confident, self-motivated learners who have an intrinsic love of learning.

5. Highly Skilled and Passionate Staff

All Montessori Academy teachers undergo extensive training in Montessori education, children’s services, and early childhood education. This ensures that our teachers have the skills and knowledge they need to run a best-practice Montessori classroom.

6. Well Resourced Learning Environments

Our primary consideration in the design of our learning programs, facilities, and classrooms is to create a learning environment that is supportive of children’s interests and development needs as they grow. In this nurturing environment, a love of learning develops that sets positive foundations for a lifetime.

7. Best Practices

Montessori Academy adheres to the best practices of the Montessori philosophy and approach to early learning. Our view of education is that it should prepare children for later school and life success. As our founder Doctor Maria Montessori states: “Education should no longer be mostly imparting of knowledge, but must take a new path, seeking the release of human potentialities.”

8. Education Fosters Independence

Everything about the Montessori classroom fosters independence. The environment is prepared to allow the child to learn to do things for themselves that would otherwise be done by an adult. Over time, children begin to develop a sense of pride in doing things independnantly, such as washing dishes, caring for plants, and folding child-sized wash cloths. This is not only empowering for the child, but it also gives them a huge boost in confidence, and a sense of personal achievement.

9. Parent Satisfaction

Parents are highly satisfied with their children’s learning experience at Montessori Academy, and credit the strong educational foundations their children receive with their later school and life success.
“My son Benjamin has been attending Montessori Academy since June last year and I couldn’t be happier with his progress! When he started at Montessori Academy he couldn’t write or sound out letters. He can now write capital and lower case letters, spell small words, and read and write his name. The centre is always actively looking for ways to make learning fun with show and tell, dress up days, and offering the children something new and challenging every day. My son’s teachers are incredible and I truly appreciate their help and support in shaping my son’s education.” ~ Heather, Condell Park

10. Learning is fun

In a Montessori classroom, you learn about all areas of the curriculum by actively participating in activities that engage multiple senses. For example, children learn about art and culture by learning from teachers dressed up as a character from history, from painting their own masterpieces, and by cooking foods from diverse cultures. Learning doesn’t come from listening to lectures, it is experienced by participating in the world around them in an engaging, real and relevant way.
Choosing an early education program for your child is one of the most important decisions a parent makes. Make the choice to put your child into an educational program where they will learn more than just the core subjects of maths of language, but also the skills of collaboration, self-motivation, independence, and a life-long love of learning. Doctor Maria Montessori developed her philosophy of education because she wanted to create a better world for future generations. With a little research into the benefits of a Montessori education, and a tour of a Montessori preschool, you’ll see why Montessori works.

Montessori and Mindfulness

If you’ve ever been in a Montessori Academy classroom around 9am, you might be surprised by what you see and hear. Young children aren’t usually known for being quiet or overly attentive for long periods of time. However, during the first few hours of the Montessori preschool day, children are highly focused on their own chosen tasks, usually individually, under the guidance of a trained teacher.
While Doctor Maria Montessori didn’t coin the term ‘mindfulness,’ her advocacy for sustained focus, sensory based learning experiences, and practical work, certainly show an affiliation with mindfulness practices.
Mindfulness, as summarised by Angeline Lillard (2011), is a: “Quality of focused attention on the present moment accompanied by a non-judgemental stance.” Simply put, mindfulness encourages a strong awareness of the present, of yourself, and your environment. Mindfulness training has been seen to have beneficial outcomes on adult populations, and has also been determined as potentially helpful to children’s development in terms of developing concentration skills, independence, and intrinsic motivation.
So how do these two philosophies intersect? Montessori favourite ‘walking on the line’ is a perfect example of walking meditation; where the child carefully places one foot in front of the other, exactly on the line. Through this process, children pay attention to the feeling of placing their foot, shifting their weight from one to foot to the other, balancing, and being supported by the floor beneath them. This consciousness of self and others develops into Montessori practical life lessons of grace and courtesy.
In fact, in all activities in the Montessori classroom, children are encouraged to make personal distinctions in regards to the information they receive through their senses as: “The sensory and motor systems connect the mind and the body” (A. Lillard, 2011). In ‘The Silence Game’ the teacher chimes the bell, and the entire class falls silent and listens, as they are encouraged to become fully aware of their surroundings. All Montessori learning activities are an opportunity for children to become more mindful of the world they live in, and how they experience it.
Finally, closely linked to sensory awareness, are the practical life activities, which introduce children to the meaning and purpose of everyday tasks. From toddlerhood, children carry their own food and water to the table, and clean up after themselves, amongst other tasks. These functional goals, created within the practical life activities, allow children to gain self-awareness, as well as an appreciation of the value of the tasks. This again places onus on the child to be mindful of themselves and their environment.
With the ultimate goal of Mindfulness Education being focused on improving a child’s wellbeing, it is easy to see how this partners with the Montessori philosophy to prepare children, not just for school, but also for life. Ultimately, both philosophies work together to build confident and purpose filled children who are aware of themselves, their environment, and their important role as challengers and changers within society.

Fine Motor Skills and Montessori Education

Fine motor skills, or dexterity, is something that we often think develops naturally in a child as they grow older. However, there is actually a close relationship between fine motor development and cognitive development.
Indeed, extensive studies have been performed over the years and results have concluded that although gross motor skills (the movement of the arms and legs, and other large body part movements) are not predictive of subsequent achievement, fine motor skills are significantly linked to later performance in literacy and mathematics at school.
Indeed, children with low motor skills are more dependent on others, and according to the research of Losse (1991) they often have behavioural problems and lower achievement at school. Interestingly, many of these children do not outgrow their initial clumsiness.
This link between fine motor skills and cognitive perception is due to their relationship in a developmental loop. As Adolph and Berger (2006) comment, “Perception allows action to be planned prospectively and gears action to the environment. Motor actions complete the perception-action loop by generating information for perceptual systems and bring the appropriate sensory apparatus to the available information.”
It is therefore exceedingly important to engage and encourage young children in fine motor activities, for the benefit of their future success and happiness.
The Montessori environment is one which keenly engages these skills from a young age. Maria Montessori understood fine motor development to be one aspect of a balanced approach to guided development that included mental, physical and moral aspects.
Montessori education has many benefits, and amongst this is the recognition that the care and management of the environment is the primary means for children to refine their motor skills. This prepared environment is set out to provide children with maximum opportunities to develop toward their full potential.
A distinguishing feature of the Montessori program is the inclusion of what Maria Montessori coined ‘educational gymnastics’. This is a range of planned exercises to develop coordination in fingers. These are specifically found in the practical life materials, which are one of the five key learning areas of the Montessori
curriculum.
This key learning area incorporates activities which at first glance may seem out of place in a childcare setting. Child sized cleaning materials and a practical life dressing frame are popular features, allowing children to engage in hands-on activities. In particular, the practical life dressing frame teaches children the intricacies of zips, buttons, shoelaces and other clothing fasteners.
Another popular Montessori activity which develops fine motor skills is the use of tongs to pick up small objects, like shells or buttons, to transfer them between containers. This activity often introduces the pincer grip (where the thumb, forefinger and middle finger act as a tripod) to children, which is essential for learning to write later on. Essentially, daily practice of fine motor skills takes place in all of these seemingly unrelated activities.
So what difference does the Montessori approach to fine motor development make for children? Researcher Prendergast (1969) found that children who attended a Montessori preschool outperformed children from a similar background attending conventional preschools, specifically in the areas of hand-eye coordination and visual perception.
Other researchers have had similar findings. Indeed, it is now estimated that a 5-year-old who has used Montessori practical life activities for over a year will demonstrate greater accuracy, speed and more hand dominance than a group of students in a conventional preschool program.
Fine motor skills do not develop quickly or automatically. They require understanding, time and patience. The Montessori Academy classroom environment balances physical, cognitive and moral elements of activity which assist this process. Ultimately, we aim to give children the best start to life, and by honing fine motor skills in children from a young age, this can contribute to future successes.

Montessori: The Process of Normalisation

The term normalisation is often met with confusion and concern from parents. However, the good news is normalisation is actually very positive in the context of Montessori education. Indeed, Maria Montessori believed so heavily in the benefits of the process that she is quoted as saying: “Normalisation is the single most important result of our work.”
What is Normalisation?
The term normalisation originally comes from the field of anthropology, where it means becoming a contributing member of society. Overtime, the concept of normalisation has come to be synonymous with the Montessori philosophy of education.
In Montessori education, normalisation describes the process where young children come to focus and concentrate on a task for a sustained period of time. This focused attention was previously thought to be impossible for children so young.
Montessori came across the normalisation process through her research. As a trained doctor, she was not primarily an educator, and did not set out to create an education system. Rather, she observed young children and allowed these observations to help her create materials which would naturally help children’s development.
By observing children using the sensorial materials she made, she noticed that when given an engaging and stimulating task, children could concentrate for extended periods of time. Also, the more they engaged in these activities, the calmer, happier and more self-disciplined they became.
The process in which a child organises their brain activity through concentration is normalisation. Essentially, normalisation occurs when development is proceeding normally.
When Does Normalisation Appear?
The formation of normalisation happens through the repetition of a three-step cycle identified by Maria Montessori, which is referred to as the Montessori work cycle.
The first step is the preparation for an activity, which includes collecting the materials required from the relevant areas of the classroom. During this time the child is preparing to begin the activity, and is calling the attention of the mind to begin to focus.
Next, the child engages in the activity, hopefully achieving a state of concentration. This step is important for the child’s education, as they explore, learn from, and master the activity. Montessori noted in her research that some children were so deeply engaged that she could pick them up, and transfer them to another chair without disturbing their work.
Finally, the third step is rest. Upon completing and packing away the work, the child feels a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. This is the point that some inner formation or integration of the person takes place.
In all of this, it is important to note that joining a Montessori class does not mean your child will immediately begin this cycle of normalisation, or display similar tendencies. Each child develops at their own pace, and Montessori educators note that it can take months of regular engagement in the prepared Montessori environment to see normalisation occur in children.
What are the characteristics of normalisation?
As children continually engage in the Montessori work cycle, four characteristics emerge which show that normalisation is happening. They are as follows.
Love of work
“The first characteristic of the process of normalisation is love of work. Love of work includes the ability to choose work freely and to find serenity and joy in work.” – Maria Montessori
Young children thrive on consistency, and benefit greatly from engaging in a routine. During the Montessori work cycle, which was previous explained, children joyfully go about their work and feel a great sense of accomplishment upon completion.
Concentration
“To help such development, it is not enough to provide objects chosen at random, but [the teachers] have to organise a world of ‘progressive interest’.” – Maria Montessori
During the work cycle, normalised children will be absorbed in their work – each one in a different, freely chosen activity. Teachers will continue to present the children with the next appropriate challenge or task to master, to ensure concentration continues.
Self-discipline
“After concentration will come perseverance… It marks the beginning of yet another state in character formation… It is the ability to carry through what he has begun.” – Maria Montessori
Linked to concentration, self-discipline refers to the persevering nature of normalised children, who complete cycles of work they have begun.
Sociability
“There is only one specimen of each object, and if a piece is in use when another child wants it, the latter – if he is normalised – will wait for it to be released. Important social qualities derive from this. The child comes to see that he must respect the work of others, not because someone has said he must, but because this is a reality that he meets in his daily experience.” – Maria Montessori
The final characteristic, sociability, refers to the child’s relationship with his or her class members, who, when normalised, will display social cohesion. Children display patience as they wait for the materials they want, they respect the work of others, and have harmonious relationships with all classmates.
Normalisation is not a radical or irrational process, and the process is not aimed at diminishing the personality of a child, or conforming them to a certain image.
Rather, normalisation is a natural process of development, with children learning in harmony with their surroundings. Normalised children often are socially and academically ahead of their peers, and the characteristic of normalisation prepare Montessori children for all of life’s challenges.

Montessori, An Education for the 21st Century and Beyond

Montessori and The Four C’s of Success

Ensuring that children have the skills they need to succeed in the digital age is one of the most important issues for 21st century education.
Research has identified that students need to develop specific skills to be attractive to digital age employers. These include: critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication; otherwise known as ‘The Four C’s.’
These skills can’t be taught by teaching children to memorise and repeat. They must develop these skills through rich learning experiences that inspire them to master these skills over time.

Critical Thinking

Montessori education encourages children to develop critical thinking skills by providing them with hands-on learning materials.
Each Montessori material is specifically designed to isolate one concept or skill, and has an inbuilt control of error, which allows the child to ‘discover’ the outcome of the material independent of an adult.
The self-correcting aspects of the materials encourage children to organise their thinking, problem solve in a clear way, and absorb the concept or skill area at their own pace.
The role of the Montessori teacher is to facilitate this learning process and encourage their students to understand and control their own errors. These critical thinking skills lay the foundations for problem solving, analysis, and informed decision making.

Collaboration

The Montessori program encourages children to develop strong social skills through interactive learning experiences and cooperative play. In Montessori, it is common for children to be grouped with peers that are within a three-year age range.
Multi-age classrooms ensure that children moving through the group are exposed to both older and younger peers, encouraging imitative learning, peer tutoring, and all round collaboration.
This structure to the Montessori environment leads to the development of a harmonious classroom community, which creates the optimal learning environment for children.

Creativity

Montessori education recognises that creativity is not a skill that is learned, so much as it evolves from a long process of cognitive development. This process begins when the child is born, and develops spontaneously as the child’s intelligence becomes established over time.
Creativity is crucial in Montessori education as it is viewed as a way that children come to understand their world and construct themselves through self-expression.
The Montessori method fosters creativity by providing children with an environment that allows for freedom within boundaries. Within this space, children have freedom of movement, the ability to choose their own work, and opportunities to create and construct.
The guiding role of the Montessori teacher reduces anxiety and fear of judgement, leaving room for exploration, concentration, and independent learning. Clear rules, a strong sense of community, and supportive guidance provide children with the environment needed to foster creativity.

Communication

In Montessori, the development of communication skills is reinforced through the practical life and language program.
Through practical life lessons in grace and courtesy, children learn to be courteous and respectful of others. Every school day students practice proper greetings, such as “please” and “thank you,” and using eye contact when speaking.
The development of communications skills is also reinforced through the language curriculum, which immerses children in the world of spoken language, writing, and reading.
Montessori materials, such as the sandpaper letters, provide children with the foundations for identifying and writing the alphabet.
Language materials progress in difficulty as children begin to learn site words and develop the visual and auditory tracking skills required for reading and writing.

Montessori and Digital Age Skills

So how does Montessori education prepare children for the challenges of the 21st century? The prepared environment fosters self-disciple, responsibility, creativity, and individuality through freedom of choice and a focus on independence.
The guiding role of the Montessori teacher encourages students to follow their passions, learn from their mistakes, and self-motivate.
Our classroom communities nurture communication and social skills by teaching children respect for themselves and others.
The Montessori materials teach children to think critically and problem solve through experience and practice.
Montessori education has been integrating the four c’s into early childhood education for more than 100 years. For this reason, it is and will continue to be the best way to prepare children for school and life success.

Montessori and Classroom Communities

Montessori and Classroom Communities

Maria Montessori was one of the first academics to link children’s emotional development to their ability to learn at an optimal rate. To support the development of social skills, emotional intelligence, and academic wellbeing, Montessori designed the concept of a classroom community to support the development of these skills over time. But how is such a community built and maintained?
The importance of community has been an essential component of Montessori education since its earliest days. Doctor Maria Montessori called her early childhood classrooms ‘Children’s Houses’, being a place where children belonged and felt comfortable, and also a place where they were responsible. The ideas of grace and courtesy (eg. greeting a guest who enters the classroom), and care of the environment (eg. tidying up after lunch) have continued to be crucial to Montessori learning, now over 100 years since its inception.
Despite community building being present in the Montessori environment, one could think that it directly contrasts with the flexible curriculum that is one of the defining features of the program. This refers to the method teachers employ of ‘following the child’, letting children work on the materials they choose, and at their own pace. However, this ‘freedom within limits’ contributes to the creation and preservation of community in two key ways.
Firstly, it empowers children to make their own decisions, to work at their own skill level, and to personally conquer challenges. The Montessori classroom is specifically set up so each of the 5 curriculum areas has a range of materials set at different skill levels. This means that all children can participate, and contribute to the classroom, whilst working on different, self-chosen materials. Everyone can be accommodated at the same time, and children are not separated from their peers if they need special attention, or are behind their peers in one particular area or another. Montessori is integrated and inclusive, and is proved to benefit children from disadvantaged backgrounds by providing an open and welcoming community (Mills et al. 1975, Pickering 1992).
Secondly, Montessori education encourages sociability, with children able to explore, experiment and create with other children of different age groups thanks to the mixed-age classes. Maria Montessori herself describes a daily situation within the Montessori work cycle where a child must wait for another to finish on a specific Montessori material before they can use it. She notes that “important social qualities derive from this. The child comes to see that [they] must respect the work of others, not because someone has said [they] must, but because this is a reality that [they will meet] in [their] daily experience.” This reality referring to the collaboration and communication needed in any community setting.
Likewise, it is not unusual to walk into a Montessori classroom and find children in pairs working on more challenging materials, one sometimes guiding the other to find the solution. Educator Lori Bourne also emphasizes the importance of Montessori ‘line time’ in being a “powerful way for a group of children to build a sense of family – to really bond together.” After the Montessori work cycle, many teachers gather children on the line for group time, where they combine together in song, lessons, and stories. In due course all children in the classroom benefit from social cohesion, and the idea of classroom community is transferred into actuality.
The Montessori classroom community is unique from any other early learning setting. Children are actively challenged to collaborate and contribute to class life, meaning every individual is important to the community. By being inclusive, Montessori classrooms are safe places where they belong and can grow, surrounded by peers and teachers whose goal is to help them thrive. This ultimately nurtures children’s social and emotional wellbeing.

How to Recognise and Support Sensitive Periods in Your Child’s Development

How to Recognise and Support Sensitive Periods in Your Child’s Development

The phrase ‘sensitive periods’ often conjures up thoughts of moody teenagers, but it actually refers to a period of time when a child’s interests are focused on developing a particular skill or knowledge area.
According to Montessori Theory, the most important sensitive periods occur between birth and age six. In other pedagogies, sensitive periods are commonly referred to as windows of opportunity or developmental milestones. During their first six years of life, children move through five main categories of sensitive periods, including: order, language, sensory skills, movement, and social skills. Each sensitive period lasts for as long as it is necessary for a child to complete a particular stage in their development. These periods of special sensitivity are only temporary and fade once the aim is accomplished.
Recognising sensitive periods in your child’s development may be easier than you think. Have you ever wondered why your child wants to repeat the same song or story a million times? It may drive you crazy, but these are classic symptoms of sensitivity.
Other characteristics of sensitive periods may include mimicking, intense concentration, and compulsive or obsessive behaviours. Interrupting a child while they are in the middle of an intense sensitive period can result in a powerful emotional response such as a tantrum. Break a routine that a child is attempting to understand and master, such as getting dressed, bath time or bedtime, and some children will emotionally fall apart. The ‘terrible twos’ for example, are often an exaggerated reaction to small disruptions in order that may not be perceived by adults. This is because they are likely to be in a sensitive period for learning, and their ‘work’ is being interrupted.

Order

The sensitive period for order begins at birth, peaks in the second year of development, and continues through to around age five. This period of development teaches how to develop their reasoning skills, organise information, and understand their environment. Sensitivity to order can be characterised by a desire for consistency and repetition, where children crave routine and structure. During this period of sensitivity, children may be more interested in putting things in order and packing things away, than they are in playing with their toys. To support the sensitive period for order, it is important to establish ground rules, a solid routine, and create an organised environment where everything has a place.

Language

From birth to age six, children are in the sensitive period for language. Sensitivity to language involves three key phases: spoken language, written language, and reading. The sensitive period for spoken language is from 7 months to 3 years of age. It begins when the child first creates sounds by mimicking mouth movements, and progresses over time, as they learn to form words and simple sentences.
The sensitive period for learning to write is from 3.5 to 4.5 years of age. This begins when the child learns the alphabet, and then sight words, which form the foundation for reading and writing skills.
For reading, a child is intensely interested from 4.5 to 5.5 years of age. Reading skills are often developed after a child learns to write as it involves visual tracking skills.
To support language development at home, it is important to immerse your child in an environment that is rich in language stimulation. This involves speaking to your child in clear language, singing and reading with them, and allowing them to speak their needs instead of anticipating them.

Sensory Skills

Children begin to understand and refine their senses from birth to age five. This period of sensitivity can be characterised by a child’s fascination with sensorial experiences such as touch, taste, sight and smell.
The first phase of sensory awareness, sensitivity to small objects, occurs from one to three years of age. This period can be characterised by a child’s fixation with small objects and tiny details. The completion of this phase indicates that an understanding of order and detail are coming together in the child’s mind.
The second sensitivity phase, sensorial exploration and classification, occurs from 2.5 to 6 years. This phase can be classified by an intense desire to take part in learning experiences that integrate the senses. These experiences provide children with a system to classify objects within their environment.
To support sensory sensitivity, it is important to provide your child with vast opportunities to explore and observe their environment using their senses. At home, you could provide your child with opportunities to group objects with similar traits, describe materials with different textures, and practice sensory based games like ‘I Spy.’

Movement

The sensitive period for movement can be divided into two phases. From birth to 2.5 years, children are sensitive to gross and fine motor development. This begins when the infant child learns to crawl, pull up, and eventually walk without assistance. Over time, children also develop fine motor skills through repeating activities that strengthen their hand muscles and improve hand-eye coordination.
From 2.5 to 4.5 years of age, children enter the sensitive period for refinement and coordination of movement. This is when the child begins to hold items using both hands, develop the pincer grip, and control and coordinate movement.
To support the development of fine and gross motor skills, it is important to provide your child with regular visits to the park or an outdoor environment. At home, you can encourage sensitive periods for movement by providing your child with opportunities to practice tasks, such as drawing or writing, washing hands, threading, and jumping.

Social Skills

From 2.5 to 5 years, children learn that they are part of a group and develop an intense interest in social relationships. During this time, children learn to direct their actions, attention and behaviour towards a group of people. This is the stage of development where children learn to develop friendships and participate in co-operative play. The sensitive period for social skills is an appropriate stage to introduce the importance of manners and basic principles of human interaction.
To support the development of social skills in your child, it is important to provide your child with opportunities to socialise with children their own age i.e. at playgroup or childcare. At home, you can model positive social behaviours, and practice grace and courtesy rituals such as saying “please” and “thank you.”
Recognising and supporting sensitive periods in your child’s development begins with a knowledge of what is typical at different ages. The other aspect is simply observing your child and allowing them to progress at their own pace. To support your child during this special time of learning, it is important to provide them with a supportive learning environment that provides stimulus appropriate to their stage of development. This includes ensuring adequate time and materials are available, and by respecting the individual interests and passions of your child. It is through observation that the needs of the child are revealed. As always, follow the child, and tuck away some extra patience for the days they want to sing the ABC song over and over again!

How Does Montessori Prepare Children for School?

How Does Montessori Prepare Children for School?

Evidence shows us that a person’s life success, health and emotional wellbeing is deeply connected to their experiences and environment in early childhood. We know that if we get education right in the early years, we can expect to see our children thrive at school and in their adult lives.
The quality of a child’s earliest environments, and the availability of developmentally appropriate experiences, are crucial determinants of how a child’s brain develops. Environments that are nurturing and supportive promote optimal early childhood development, and greatly improve children’s education, health and employment outcomes.
So how does Montessori early education prepare children for school and later life?

Optimal Learning Environment

Montessori education is scientifically based on the key developmental stages that all children move through on their way to adulthood. In Montessori, these key developmental stages are referred to as ‘sensitive periods,’ which are periods of time when children’s interests are focused on developing a particular skill or knowledge area.
Montessori education facilitates these special periods of sensitivity by providing children with a prepared environment that is designed to optimise their learning. Characteristics of the prepared environment include: order, hands-on self-paced learning, collaborative social interactions, children of mixed ages, movement, guidance, freedom of choice, and a full selection of self-correcting Montessori materials available on low open shelves.
The prepared environment is designed to stimulate children’s minds, encourage collaboration and independence, and provide them with the time and space to achieve the outcome of their ‘work’. In this way, Montessori inspires children to become independent, self-motivated learners with strong academic foundations.

Preparation for School Skills

In Montessori, preparation for school begins at the age of two, as this is when children transition to the prepared preschool environment. Within this environment, children participate in the full three-hour work cycle, and take part in the Montessori day routine. This sequence of daily activities provides children with an understanding of order, time management, and how to behave within their environment at different times. It also provides children with important preparation for school skills, such as concentration, sitting quietly, lining up, collaborating with others, and the ability to follow instructions.

Strong Academic Foundations

The five curriculum areas of the Montessori Early Years Program provide children with strong academic foundations that align with the key knowledge areas taught in early primary school.
The Practical Life area teaches children care of self and care for the environment. Activities such as pouring, spooning and threading, teach children to adapt to their environment and develop their independence.
Sensorial education teaches children how to express and classify their sensory experiences. By providing children with a system to process their environment, they learn to become keen observers of the world around them.
The Montessori language curriculum is designed to teach children spoken language, written language, and reading. Through language based activities, children learn to develop their vocabulary, compose their own written works, and read the work of others.
Mathematics is first introduced to the child through sensorial materials that prepare them for basic mathematical concepts such as counting and identifying shapes. The mathematics materials offer children a formal introduction to abstract mathematical functions such as multiplication, division and algebra.
Cultural materials lead the child to experience geography, science, history, art and music through concrete materials and experiences. Through cultural activities, Montessori encourages children to develop an awareness and appreciation of diversity in their world.

Holistic Education Method

The Montessori approach to early education is child-centred and teacher-guided. The role of the teacher is to prepare the learning environment, and observe and guide their students in their learning. The focus is on children learning, not on teachers teaching. The Montessori method places strong emphasis on respect for the individual, others, and the environment. It goes beyond the classroom to link learning to the home and outside world.
By providing children with an educational experience that goes beyond the classroom, Montessori allows children to develop socially, emotionally, spiritually, intellectually and physically.
In this way, Montessori prepares children not only for school, but for life.

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Material Spotlight: The Pink Tower

Introducing the Pink Tower

The Pink Tower is the iconic Montessori material. Often called the ‘symbol of Montessori’, it is a welcoming sign in any Montessori environment, and a favourite with educators globally.
Part of the sensorial area, it is comprised of 10 pink wooden cubes, in 3 different dimensions. The smallest being 1cm cubed, and the largest being 10cm cubed. The cubes progressively get bigger in the algebraic series of the third power. This means the second cube equals 8 of the first (23), the third cube equals 27 of the first (33) and so on.

Purpose

Introduced into the Montessori environment when children are 2.5 – 3 years old, the Pink Tower has multiple purposes.
Firstly, the Pink Tower helps a child build a concept of size in three dimensions. This includes working on visual perception, and awareness of dimension, both leading to an understanding of size in the environment.
The Pink Tower also helps develop a child’s fine muscular coordination. The activity stemming from this material work on the perfection hand movements, and the coordination of movement.
Finally, the Pink Tower is a Montessori material which helps prepare children for abstract mathematical concepts. This includes preparation for spatial volume, and the cube root.
The Pink Tower is a perfect example of how Montessori materials require children to use multiple sense at once. They are created in such a way to compliment a child’s stage of development, where they use all their senses to learn.

Presentation

1) Roll out a mat as your workstation.
2) Invite the child to the sensorial area and identify the pink tower.
3) Starting at the top, with the smallest cube, pick up one at a time, with one hand on top and one hand on underneath. Carry the cubes to the mat and arrange randomly on mat.
4) Once all cubes are on the mat, sit on the child’s dominant side.
5) Begin to construct the Pink Tower, by picking up the largest cube with fingertips of each hand on either side of the cube.
6) From time to time, stop and pause to compare a cube to the next smallest one to make certain you chose the appropriate next cube. Also, take time to center using a bird’s eye view as your measure.
7) When the tower is complete, check centering using a bird’s eye view once again.
8) Randomize the cubes again and offer the child a turn. Remember they will make mistakes at first, but will gradually perfect the ability to judge size with practice.

Extension

Once the child has mastered building the tower, invite them to us the Pink Tower in conjunction with the Brown Stairs.

Want to learn more about the Montessori materials?

What Makes an Activity Montessori?

What is it that makes an activity ‘Montessori’? The primary goal of the Montessori philosophy is: “Help me to do it myself.” This is why Montessori activities promote self-sufficiency, independence, critical thinking, and fine motor development. Most importantly, Montessori activities are tailored to children’s interests and developmental needs.

1. Follow the Child

Montessori activities are self-motivated. Each child is free to follow their interests, choose their own work, and progress at their own pace. As Doctor Maria Montessori stated: “I have studied the child. I have taken what the child has given me and expressed it and that is what is called the Montessori method.”

2. Control of Error

Montessori materials are designed with a control of error which makes them auto-instructional. This means that the child is able to discover and correct their own errors without adult intervention. The Montessori materials encourage independence, freedom of choice, and confidence . Children achieve the outcome of the materials through repetition and practice.

3. Sensory Exploration

Maria Montessori discovered that children learn best when their senses are engaged in a learning activity. The child, to Montessori, is a “sensorial explorer”.

4. Learn By Doing

Children learn by doing. Montessori education introduces complex and abstract concepts through hands-on activities that involve sensory based learning materials.

5. Isolated Skills & Concepts

Montessori activities focus on developing one skill or concept by breaking it down into simple steps. Each step must be completed before the outcome of the activity can be achieved.

6. Independence

The Montessori classroom is a prepared environment that invites interest and activity. Children are encouraged to explore at will, experience their own abilities, and learn to do things for themselves.

7. Concentration

The Montessori work cycle provides children with an uninterrupted opportunity to work with the Montessori materials, repeat activities at will, and develop deep concentration.

8. Intrinsic Motivation

Motivation in a Montessori classroom is not focused on punishments or rewards. Children engage in learning activities because they satisfy their innate desire to understand their world.

DIY Montessori: Summer Sensory Bottles

Handmade sensory bottles are a favourite in our Montessori classrooms! They give children of all ages the opportunity to explore all sorts of interesting materials in a fun and engaging way.
Sensory bottles are particularly popular with children aged one to three years, who are in the sensitive period for small objects. During this period, children are fixated on small objects and tiny details, which prepare the child’s mind for understanding how little things make up their world.
To celebrate the warmer months, we decided to make Summer themed sensory bottles using recycled jam jars, rock salt, blue food colouring, and beach shells collected by our students.
When completed by a child, our Summer sensory bottles encourage independence, the development of fine motor skills and concentration. It’s also a great chance to practice practical life skills such as object transfer using tongs, spooning, and pouring.
Some children also find the sensory bottles quite soothing, which makes them a wonderful activity for new children who are still settling in!

What You Need

• Glass jars (for preschool aged children) or plastic bottles (for younger children)
• Beach shells
• Rock salt
• Small bowl
• Blue food colouring
• Work tray
• Tongs
• Super glue

What You Do

1. Lay out all the materials on a work tray
2. Unscrew the jar and fill it halfway with water
3. Add ¼ cup of rock salt
4. Add in the sea shells
5. Add a few drops of blue food colouring
6. Check the water levels, and if you’re happy screw the lid back onto the jar
7. Put some superglue in and around the edge of the lid and then twist it onto the jar tightly. Leave to set, and your Summer sensory bottle should be ready!

Make it a Montessori Activity

1. Lay out all the materials on a work tray from left to right (preferably in the order the child will use them)
2. Invite the child to work with the material and carry it to their work space
3. Explain how to do the activity by breaking it down into simple steps and invite the child to:
a. Pour the water into the glass jar
b. Spoon the salt into the jar
c. Use the tongs to transfer the shells from the bowl into the jar
d. Squeeze a few drops of food colouring into the mix.
e. Screw the lid on the jar shut
4. Follow the child’s lead and allow them to complete the activity independently
5. Guide the child through the activity as they ask for help
6. Encourage the child to explore the different sensory aspects of the materials
7. Assist with the final steps of the activity by ensuring the lid is screwed on tightly and the super gluing
8. Leave to dry for 15 minutes, and your Summer sensory bottle should be ready to shake!