You know you have a Montessori child when...

Photo of young boy squatting and holding a push broom and dustpan

"You know you have a Montessori child when..." I posted this question on my Montessori Facebook page, and I received a lot of responses! Here are a few of my favorites!

"My son was taking a REALLY long time in the children's library bathroom so I peeked in the door and he was wiping the sink and mirror dry with paper towels!" OK, that one was mine!

"When your two-year-old says 'Excuse me' when she needs to interrupt your conversation!"

Tot at small table with cup of Cherrios

Sophie eating snack! Copyrighted: Lianne

My daughter, 18 months, went to get a bib before a meal. When all the bibs fell on the floor she began to sing 'Clean up, clean up . . . ' while picking them up and putting them back."

"Caught my son using his spoon, meant for his cereal, moving milk from his cup to his bowl."

"A few months ago I realized I had a Montessori child in the making when after looking at a book she got up and put it back in the box where it had come from, without prompting!"

And from our Facebook group members...


"When you're killing time waiting at a restaurant and your two-year-old sorts the bottle caps she found on the table by color, lining them up neatly, while your friend's kid plays games on her dad's phone... no judgment... it was a looonnnnggg wait!" ~Becky L.
 

Copyright Bethnany Ann Hutchinson

"When mopping the kitchen floor is exciting and something all three kids want to help with!" ~Bethany A. H.

"When your child calls a shot glass a 'toddler glass.' " ~Jade T.

"Your child is walking towards Target to go shopping and says, 'Look! There's a verb symbol!' He was referring to the round red balls outside of the front of the store." ~Renae M. E.

"When the dog tries to take his toy and he yells, 'No! That's MY work!' " ~Brittney B. B.

"When he puts away a play dough color before taking a different color out." ~Martha A.

OK, another one from me: "When my son keeps all his shoes neatly lined up by his bed! And fixes them when our dog knocks them out of order!"

~Lisa Nolan

Top photo credit: theloushe via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

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And now for my top posts!

A Montessori Teacher's Thoughts on Waldorf Education

As a Montessori 3-6 and 6-9 trained teacher, I have a lot of respect for Waldorf education, even though I was drawn to (fell in love with!) Montessori at a young age (23). And as a Montessori teacher, I have recommended it for a few children (usually two students per year) who were graduating from our 3-6 classroom, because I (we) felt it was a better choice for those particular children. Their interests, or should I say passions, were not with the Montessori materials, and certainly not academics like phonics and simple math, but instead, they loved arts, crafts, practical life, the outdoors, and botany. One of the attributes I like about Waldorf is its sensitivity to the development of the WHOLE child: mind, body, and spirit. Also, there is a lot of emphasis on fine motor (like weaving, knitting, sewing), nature, cooking, playing, arts and crafts, large motor play, storytelling, poetry, songs, critical thinking, and literature. Speaking of large motor, children really benefit from ...

How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Simone Davies of The Montessori Notebook

How to talk with children is a lesson we all seem to need. Even as infants they learn from how and what we say to them. We are thrilled to have Simone Davies back with us to walk us through the How2Talk2Kids method of communicating with our children. It ’ s a pleasure to be back guest blogging here. I love the energy of this group and your passion and interest in incorporating Montessori into your homes. I ’ m exactly the same. When my children were born  (already 12 and 13 years ago!), I wanted to learn a different way to be with them. I didn’t want to force learning on them; I wanted to discover and explore the world together and guide them along the way. But I found my communication skills lacking. A repertoire of “good girl/good boy,” “what a great job,” or “don’t worry, it’s just a scratch” came flowing out of my mouth in the same way we had been raised by our parents. The words I used just didn’t seem to be consistent with the way I wanted to raise my kids, for ...

Montessori Sewing Works by Aimee Fagan, author of Sewing in the Montessori Classroom: a practical life curriculum

If I had to pick just one type of work to stock my practical life shelves with, it would be sewing. I am NOT an accomplished sewer. Actually, I think it has been over a year since I pulled out my sewing machine, and then I prefer to make clothing with elasticized waists. But, when it comes to the classroom, I think nothing beats handwork. Maria Montessori stated that the activities of practical life should be meaningful, looking around my classroom, I wanted to find activities that still had meaning for today’s children. Polishing is great, but how many children really see their parents polishing the silver place settings? Spooning, tonging, pouring, and the like are quickly mastered when we leave the lessons simple and isolated on the tray. What materials could we use that would appeal to the 3-year-old and remain enticing through age 6 or beyond? Sewing. A child’s engagement with practical life materials is what prepares him for later success in the classroom. These handwork acti...

Montessori FAQs About When to Begin Cursive

I have many questions regarding teaching cursive letters. My three-year-old son is in a Montessori school now. However, the teacher is using print letters for teaching him. I personally want my son to learn cursive letters because I know it has many advantages. I have discussed this with the teacher, but she insists on using print letters. Is my son going to be confused because his teacher is teaching printed letters (ball and stick) while I'm teaching cursive letters? Any disadvantages to my son? Also, how can I start? Developmentally, your three-year-old son might not show any interest in cursive letters, so, be careful. The cursive letters are very abstract, more so than print letters (stick and ball as they are often called). And also, cursive letters are taught for writing. And remember, writing comes BEFORE reading in Montessori. The window to begin writing is age four to five (and is highest usually at age 4 1/2 and is called "The Writing Explosion" in Mont...

Montessori & the benefits of the geoboard!

The geoboard is one of the most beneficial materials in a Montessori classroom and at home. It is both a Practical Life activity and a Sensorial activity, depending on how you use it (present it to the child). Practical Life "All the practical life activities, in addition to improving hand-eye coordination and muscle control, are designed to increase the child's ability to concentrate [and to also go from left to right, and from top to bottom]." Montessori on a Limited Budget by Elvira Farrow and Carol Hill Practical Life Introduction from my Montessori training manual: "Exercises in Practical Life are given the greatest importance. Exercises in Practical Life help the child mainly in his efforts to adapt to his limited space, and his group, and to achieve independence. They answer his need expressed by "Let me do it by myself." They are excellent for the toddler old who is struggling to bring his psychic needs in accord with his physical development by de...

Montessori and Baby Sign Language Question

"If Dr. Maria Montessori were alive, would she suggest baby sign language?" I used to ask myself that question a lot! I do not think she would be against it since she worked with handicapped and special needs children early on in her career. But I don’t think she would have included it into her infant toddler curriculum, either—just a hunch. I was opposed to it for my son, who has Down syndrome until I watched a DVD for parents of young children with Down syndrome. And it had to do with auditory skills. For example, if I were to say to my son, “juice,” he might hear “juh” or “u” or “s” but not “juice.” Now, let’s say I hold up a cup of his juice and I sign “juice,” he would understand me by seeing the sign and the juice, but he probably would not hear the word correctly. (It later turned out my son had hearing loss.) So now you sign to him “juice,” and he has a mental picture of “juice” and can sign it back. After I watched this DVD and they talked about sign lan...

Child Screams and Runs Around the Classroom When Asked to Put Montessori Activities Away

I have a child in the class who just turned three. Very smart. His parents are bilingual. Repeats words, phrases, or sentences you say in the third person. He can sit down and do work but when he is done he would start screaming or running around the room wall to wall. Then would have a hard time going back to work. He has a fascination with fans and makes fans out of most of the materials. Recently he has been pulling hair in random no apparent reason and no show of emotions toward the child. Are these signs of something about the child or just simply a child lacking communication skills that will come soon. Thank s. "When he is done he would start screaming or running around the room wall to wall..." I suspect he gets away with not putting his belongings away at home, too, and uses tantrums to get his way. Ask for a good time to talk with the parents over the phone (try not to talk in front of the child) and find out what their child does when he is asked to put s...

Three-Year-Old Having a Hard Time with Montessori Practical Life Activities

I am not very experienced with toddlers and I am having a hard time with my son who is about to turn three in May. I have used Montessori principles with him since he was born, but he has been a challenge lately...I am having a hard time keeping up with his needs and it seems that any practical life work I put out becomes a disaster. He takes great pleasure in dismantling anything and everything I prepare. Currently, my front porch is covered with beans...he will start to sweep with me but then he just throws them everywhere. This is the same for almost all the work I put out. He is very busy. He masters things easily, then becomes bored and will not choose the work again. And I feel like I can not keep up! Sweeping: we had a dustbuster in the classroom (and I had one at home for my son for a few years--it finally died!). And use rice for pouring, because it can be dust busted a lot easier! Try some larger motor movement (gross motor) activities, instead, and focus les...

Can You Give a Toddler a Montessori Lesson?

Want to know the truth? Most toddlers don't really like Montessori three-period lessons: they are still learning how to control their bodies (and bodily functions!). They rebel against help and interference from adults, like diaper changes, getting dressed, sitting at the dinner table, and taking a nap... And they insist on doing everything themselves! The trouble is they (still) need a lot of help! So you are always trying to help while letting them do it themselves! So how does giving a three-period lesson work in a Montessori environment for this age group? It doesn't! (My son's Montessori toddler teacher--with over 30 years of experience, will laugh at you when you pose the question!) If you are working with toddlers, my advice is to hold off on giving those three-period lessons until age three, and put out activities the toddler needs no help with. And you can rotate activities: take out what is too hard or frustrating for her (what she swats off the table, or throws, ...

Child has sensory integration issues and a very short attention span.

My daughter has some sensory integration issues and has a very short attention span. It was improving but the preschool class she was in last year was too chaotic and it seems it's gotten worse. What kind of activities do you recommend I do to help her sit and attend longer. There are two important aspects to child development and Montessori philosophy that you can take into consideration to help your daughter increase her attention span. The first is interest: it helps to find out what your child is most interested in because she will spend more time with a material that has objects (and a subject) she is most interested in. The second is skill level: you will need to continue to work with and observe your child to find out what skill level she is at for each activity. I call it "emerging skills" or skills. When a child has an emerging skill, she is more likely to choose to do and repeat an activity that utilizes the emerging skill. Maybe her new, emerging skill ...