I love this graph from from Spontaneous Activity in Education by Maria Montessori. What you’ll see is a 3-hour work cycle in a classroom in (I believe) a 3-6 classroom. In this graph the children arrive at 9am. For the first 30 minutes you have the children arriving, settling in, greeting and observing each other. Then from 9:30 to 10am you see the children often selecting work they know already, an easier work. Around 10am you see a dip - this is “false fatigue.” This is where the … [Read more...] about What is false fatigue in Montessori?
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Montessori activities for 2.5 years to 3 years
Today we dive into some of my favourite activities for 2.5 to 3 year olds. Children of this age are still sensorial learners so make them hands-on, aimed at refining and strengthening their grasp, their increased language ability, self expression (arts and crafts), challenging their gross motor movement, and practical life activities can get longer with more steps as concentration builds. Here are 6 of my favourites! 1. A more advanced layered puzzle - this one is by Chelona (and looks … [Read more...] about Montessori activities for 2.5 years to 3 years
Montessori placemat free printable
I was making a new placemat for my Montessori classroom and thought you might like to use it for inspiration to make your own or as a Montessori placemat free printable. Then you can print and laminate to use at home. This Montessori placemat is based on the one in my AMI Montessori training where there is an outline for the bowl, glass and cutlery. Then a parent had the lovely idea to photograph their exact cutlery, bowl and glass and I created one for my class … [Read more...] about Montessori placemat free printable
My child always wants to be first – the competitive child and Montessori
Does your child always want to be first? Do they always want to win? I see this behaviour a little bit in some younger children but more around children from 5 years and up. Let’s have a look what we can do in our homes when we see competitive behaviour. Montessori and the lack of competition Montessori is known for its non-competitive peer learning environment. In the classroom, even from the youngest ages, we nurture working together as a community. Things that encourage less … [Read more...] about My child always wants to be first – the competitive child and Montessori