Outcomes

Beautiful, orderly, child-sized environments and sensory exploration are inherent to the Montessori classroom and can be brought into the home environment to enrich your child’s experiences. “Help me do it by myself” is the mantra of the young child and providing opportunities for independence is a sure way to build your child’s self-esteem and confidence.

Some children struggle with self-regulation. Careful preparation of the home environment, along with your child’s participation in meaningful activities, leads to an inner calm and greater level of self-control. Movement and exploration are critical components for the development of self-discipline and should be encouraged.

Focus and concentration are essential skills for learning. Give your child opportunities to explore and engage with activities and materials that interest her. Children need time to think about what they are doing, without unnecessary interruptions. You may begin to see your child demonstrate intense and sustained focus. Children are capable of great concentration even in the midst of noise and activity around them.

We live in a world where children are often praised for everything they do and for every action they complete. But such “praise” can become meaningless when overused and rather than motivating the child can have the opposite effect. Children need to experience the intrinsic value to their activities at home and at school. Of course, your child’s efforts and perseverance should be acknowledged, and expressions of genuine appreciation and encouragement given. But the goal is for inner satisfaction to become its own reward.

Think of the outdoors as nature’s classroom. Children should spend a significant amount of time outside each day in every season. The joy that comes with watching bugs, chasing or raking leaves, growing and caring for plants is immeasurable. What young child would not love to push his own wheelbarrow around or rake the autumn leaves? Exploring nature through movement and his senses, the child discovers new things and makes observations that stimulate thinking.