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Freedom, Discipline, Art and Music, Grace and Courtesy in Montessori Education

 

Freedom and Discipline

Discipline does not come from birth, but it is something to be developed. It is an active discipline, being stability in orientation. If the environment is stable, the child feels confident. In environment, presentations are a kind of limitation, rule, how to handle with the instrument. Freedom is not something that letting the child does as he likes. Even cleaning and placing it in the right place after using, is a part of freedom, because he prepares the material for the next child going to use the material.

Freedom of Choice:

1- Material: They can choose any material that they want to work with. The limitation here is that they can choose only known, presented before materials.

2- Place: They can choose where to work, either on table, in garden, on the rug, etc. but there are limitations. The material should be suitable with the place.

3- Partner: The child is free choosing his partner, but the person should be also willing to work with him, this is the limitation. If they are working together, they have to complete the activity together, till the end, in all stages.

4- Time: It is the choice of the child how long he want to work with the material. The limitation is that it should be a real work, not just hiding the object and the child should finish his work once at a time because the material will not remain as he left it.

5- Repetition: They can repeat as much as they want.

6- Break: They are free to give breaks whenever they need.

 

Freedom of Communication:

It is supported through multi-age classroom and group activities in practical life area, games and exercises in sensorial, language and math areas, large group activities (silence game, circle time). They have freedom of movement in class.

Art and Music

They are an expression of feelings.

Self – expression;

·         Activities, for herself, not for the adult

·         Materials, we need to take one key activity for the aim

·         Organization of the area, easiest to hardest and only necessary materials

·         Manner of presentation

·         Our expectation

Indirect preparation:

·         Preparation of the hand to writing

·         Preparation of the hand to drawing

·         Preparation of the senses

Stages of the Universal Developmental Progression:

2-3 years old: Scribbles and scribbling. They are still in gross motor skills development stage. It is a great experience for the child to explore that something changes on paper when she moves the pencil. So, the suitable environment should be prepared, big papers should be provided.

4 years old: The child goes from grasping completely by hand to by fingers. Fine motor skills develop. Outlining shapes and dying inside the shape can be done.

5 years old: The hand is really good that she can draw tiny pieces. And, she is ready to notice patterns, sequences as mathematical thinking. Well-known structures, perspective, using colors as in the real life, design, structured shape, including mandalas.

In art work, it is important that the child should draw hat he wants and in a way of how he wants. The adult should not direct him, and take the developmental stage of him into account.

In order to support the perception of music:

§  sing songs

§  little impromptu on the bells

§  listen to the instrumental music

§  read and listen the stories about composes or instruments

§  listen to the different musical styles and forms (jazz, folk, opera, classical)


  Grace and Courtesy

Grace and courtesy exercises are one of the cores of Montessori education. These exercises are the fundementals of creating discipline in a Montessori class, otherwise there would be a chaotic environment, which leads to interruptions of learning, freedom and development of character of children. 

There are five steps of presenting a grace and courtesy exercise:

1- Tell the child what you are going to show shortly

2- Show the presentation. Use only necessary words and movements. It should be very short so that a child can remember easily.

3- Ask about the details as: "What did you notice?" "What did I do?" "Where did I look?" etc.

4- Invite the child to do it on her own.

5- Discuss with the child that where to apply this behaviour and why it is important.



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