Friday, July 13, 2007

Nurturing Independence in Montessori Students During the Summer Months

boy in corn summer time NAMC montessori practical life activities develop independence

Ahhhh…summer! Trips to the park, the museum, the pool, the mountains, and the beach. Play dates and sleepovers. Vacations to amusement parks and national parks. Most parents and children don’t give a second thought to school, unless it is in regards to summer homework.... or unless your child is enrolled in Montessori!

This said, Montessori is not just for school. It is, at its core, a method and philosophy for teachers and parents alike that provides the positive experiences children need to have in order to develop habits and life skills that will serve them. This translates not only to children in the Montessori classroom, but well into their adult lives. Parents seek out a Montessori education for their children because they believe that it’s important for children to feel purposeful and valuable, derive satisfaction from their accomplishments, and become independent, confident adults.

So, what can you do at home over the summer to encourage and support your child’s sojourn to independence?

Nurturing Independence in Montessori Students During the Summer Months


Here are few ideas for all ages:
  • Polishing: wood, brass, silver, shoes
  • Setting and clearing the table
  • Dishes: Washing, drying, putting away, loading & unloading the dishwasher
  • Sorting and folding laundry (older children can even wash and dry it)
  • Filling sugar bowl and salt and pepper shakers
  • Collecting the mail and newspapers
  • Washing the car
  • Collecting and emptying the garbage
  • Taking care of the family pet(s)
  • Food preparation: slicing fruit and vegetables, mixing batter, making sandwiches, cutting out cookies
  • Groceries: making grocery lists, comparison shopping, putting away groceries
  • Watering plants
  • Mowing and edging the grass
  • Gardening
  • Babysitting
  • Cleaning and organizing: closets, drawers, collections
As much as possible, NAMC’s web blog reflects the Montessori curriculum as provided in its teacher training programs. We realize and respect that Montessori schools are unique and may vary their schedules and offerings in accordance with the needs of their individual communities. We hope that our readers will find our articles useful and inspiring as a contribution to the global Montessori community.
© North American Montessori Center - originally posted in its entirety at Montessori Teacher Training on Friday, July 13, 2007.

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Have questions or comments? Let us know what you thought about this article!

We appreciate feedback and love to discuss with our readers further.

NAMC Blog Inquiries Contact Form

Name

Email *

Message *

Search the NAMC Montessori Teacher Training Blog

Are you interested in reading back through NAMC's blog articles from years gone by, or for more information on a specific topic?

Browse a select list of our most popular categories below; by clicking on one, you will see every article posted under that topic since 2007. You may also use the lower archive menu to select a year and month, displaying all blog posts in the chosen time frame.

If you are seeking a range of information on a certain topic or idea, try this search box for site-wide keyword results.

Choose From a List of Popular Article Topics

NAMC Montessori Series

Montessori Philosophy and Methodology

Montessori Classroom Management

The School Year

Montessori Materials

Montessori Curriculum

Montessori Infant/Toddler (0–3) Program

Montessori Early Childhood (3–6) Program

Montessori Elementary (6–12) Programs

What is Montessori?

Search Archives for Montessori Blog Posts by Date


Thank you to the NAMC Montessori community!

NAMC has been providing quality Montessori distance training and curriculum development to Montessorians around the globe for more than 25 years. Since beginning in 1996, we have grown to build a fantastic community of students, graduates, and schools in over 160 countries. We are grateful for your continued support and dedication to furthering the reach and success of the Montessori method.