MONTESSORI EXPERIENCE

I was unable to update the blog 'cause of "techinical problems", but our activities didn't stop!
Since August I am searchind Montessori nusery for M. to stay when the time will come. I went to visit few so called "Montessori" but I was happy with only two of them and I was very impressed by one in particular...I think I now made up my mind. The fact is that Montessori is not a trade mark, so basically anyone can set up a nursery and call it "Montessori" with no knowledge and trained staff in Montessori methodology, and I found out that this is absolutely true.
From the two "good" nursery I observed and then practise at home some good "every-day life exercises", so I got the opportunity to bring some Montessori teaching in our home environment. Moreover I started reading some books about Montessori method and changed the way the furnitures were set around the house to suit M. needs in relation to the Montessori way to teach children independence.
Now M. can easily find any toy she wants and put it back in its place, she can indipendently choose what she wants to play with, without my help in getting toys for her, even pens and paper are readily available at hand whenever she fells like drawing. Only dangerous or very messy things are out of reach because they required my supervision (cutting, painting).
In her room I organized her clothes so that she can easily get a t-shirt or a pair of socks and also sort and tidy up all her cloths once washed, dried and ironed (this is a type of every-day-life exercise).
In the toilet I put a nice mirror at her height so that she can see her self and start brusshing her teeth; I also bought a better step to allow her to reach the sink and the soap dispenser and wash her hand unaided; a higher step is also available for her to reach the "big potty". She is now very confident in going to the toilet completely by her self.
In the kithchen I reserved the lowest drawer for her cups, plates, forks and spoons and also a place mat, so that she is able to set up her place on the table when asked. I have also made available for her a child-size jug to pour her own water. She was already ready to do this without mistakes because of all the exercises she had done putting rice into different size containers and pouring water into different size cups (these are Montessori exercises too in preparation to the child's independence in pouring his own cup of drink).

SPONGE

In the Montessori class-room children are taught how to use a sponge to absorbe water and then how to press it to get the water out onto a container.

WATER POURING

Using different tools the child puts the water into different containers

PEGS

The child learns how to coordinate the movement of two fingers to press the peg to open it

WASHING AND HANGING CLOTHES

BAKING