“It follows that the child can only develop fully by means of experience on his environment. We call such experience “work”.”- Maria Montessori (The Absorbent Mind)
First let me say that our children are incredibly blessed to have grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, and uncles who support their education and make homeschooling possible for our family. Our classroom contains Montessori works that have been gifted to us, some that were inherited as hand-me-downs, and some that have been lovingly crafted by me and others.
When they enter the classroom, my kids are free to choose whichever works they like, as long as they’ve had a lesson on it. Montessori works are, by their nature, beautiful, designed to call to the child from the shelf. There are few limitations on what the child can do within the classroom. The environment is carefully prepared for them, so that it is orderly, beautiful, and functional. Choice is key within a Montessori classroom, and within the framework of the prepared environment, the child is able to blossom through experience.
One of the many, many things I love about Maria Montessori’s method of education is the precision contained in each material. Each material is exactly proportioned and contains the precise amount of whatever is needed. They are designed to be naturally controlled for error, meaning that the child will realize themselves that they have completed it incorrectly when they reach the end and a piece does not fit or match. There is no need for the adult to intervene, the child can self-correct autonomously.
Here is G using the nuts and bolts board. It’s a favorite work of hers. She is drawn to works that have many small pieces that move. This one in particular appeals to the fidget-er in her, and holds her attention because it requires such care. It’s a two-step work: first, the child unscrews the nuts and caps, placing them on her table mat or floor rug. Then they screw them back on.
Each bolt is a different size, and each has a nut that fits it exactly. In addition to helping the child improve their fine motor skills, this work also helps the child to internalize the concept of size.
One of William’s favorite works follows the same principals in a different way. He adores the knobbed cylinders, a set of cylinder blocks that vary in height and width. Each cylinder fits precisely in it’s hole, though it is possible to make “mistakes” by putting one that is too skinny, short, or tall in a hole, but they must be corrected in the end in order that all the cylinders have a place.
There are many more works that my kids are currently loving, but these are consistently their first choices right now in the classroom. They will complete these over and over and over again until they’ve mastered them. The wonder and joy in completing the tasks remain, and is renewed each day. I love the enthusiasm and interest with which they approach each work. Any other Montessori-teachers out there? What are your kids choosing?