#competent learner

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Early Childhood - Geometric Cabinet

Look at that focus! The Geometry Cabinet is a key sensorial material used to introduce students to plane geometry. The cabinet typically contains six drawers, each with different geometric shapes, including a drawer dedicated to polygons like the hexagon. It enhances children’s visual discrimination and fine motor skills through tracing and matching activities. The use of nomenclature cards expands their vocabulary, while the hands-on aspect fosters a deeper understanding of geometry and spatial relationships.

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Toddler - Transferring with Tongs

Transferring from one vessel to another is a valuable tenant in the Practical Life curriculum. Transferring refines a student's hand-eye coordination, concentration, and fine motor skills while calling to their sensitive period for order. Using tongs is great preparation for writing and other skills that require fine motor control, helping to develop the hand muscles necessary for successful manipulation of writing implements. As they transfer back and forth, the repetition allows them to feel a sense of accomplishment and mastery.

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Lower Elementary - Grammar Farm

As our rising first graders transition to a new classroom, they will notice familiar materials from their Early Childhood classroom that are also present in the Elementary program. One of these is the Montessori Grammar Farm, which encourages children to practice building simple combinations of words and phrases, learning about the parts of speech and sentence structure. Intriguing objects pique a child's interest, as they manipulate the objects to better internalize abstract concepts.

The work begins with labeling each object, animals as nouns, as seen here. As they become familiar with the function of nouns in a phrase or sentence, they can explore adjectives, like "brown horse" or "fluffy sheep." This work lays the groundwork for good communication, reading comprehension, writing, speaking, and storytelling in an approachable way for children.

#grammar #literacy #partsofspeech #sentencestructure #handsonlearning #experientiallearning #focus #order #concentration #coordination #independence #confidentlearner #competentlearner #academicallyprepared #language #intrinsicmotivation #tma #montessori #privateschool #arlingtontx #arlington #texas #infant #nido #toddler #earlychildhood #preschool #kindergarten #elementary #education #nontraditional #themontessoriacademyofarlington

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Lower Elementary - Grammar

This student is working with the Grammar materials to identify and understand the parts of speech for the sentences he has written. The parts of speech are represented by shapes and colors, each having a special meaning. For example, the symbol for a noun is a large black triangle, while the symbols for an article and an adjective are smaller triangles of differing colors to show they are modifying the noun. The symbol for a verb is a large red circle (implying a ball, or movement, since verbs describe action), and the symbol for an adverb is a smaller orange circle, showing that it is related to the verb. These hands-on materials provide an interesting way for students to understand these abstract concepts.

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Early Childhood - Moveable Alphabet 

"To make himself heard, man no longer depended on the volume of his voice. With the alphabet he could be heard from one continent to another, from yesterday to tomorrow. He could reach people distant in space and in time. Without uttering a sound—in silence—his thoughts could be heard all over the world at the same time."- Mario Montessori, quoting his mother #HappyMothersDay

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Infant - Parallel Play

In between social interactions, infants often participate in parallel play in the classroom. As they both work independently, they observe each other and learn from the other’s movements. Parallel play is a common occurrence in the infant classroom and more social than it seems. They learn how to work on their own while still cooperating in their community and respecting others’ space.

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Toddler - Building with Blocks

Children begin the building process by stacking and building upward. Later, this turns into building out and creating structures. Building and balancing blocks develops concentration, coordination, and control of gross motor skills. 

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Early Childhood - Practical Life: Table Scrubbing

Dr. Montessori suggested that the practical life activities be real activities that link the child to the environment and ground her in reality. In the first children’s houses, she observed that the children, when given an option, usually preferred real activities over imaginary ones. They liked making a real contribution to the care of their environment.

Though the child may be conscious of helping, she will be unconscious of the personal growth that comes about through doing an orderly and meaningful task. Dr. Montessori saw layers of benefits in a simple activity such as washing a table: adaptation to the environment and culture, refinement of gross and fine motor skills, development of mental order, concentration, self-direction, and functional independence.

The advanced Practical Life activities involve memory, planning, self-control, and goal-directed behavior, what we call the executive functions.