Consider an activity suitable for a child between 2-3 years of age. List all the materials needed for the activity and the steps by which you would introduce it to the child.
Montessori St. Nicholas
Foundation Course (Birth - 6)
Unit No. 7
Assignment 7a: In the light of the discussion of sensitive periods given above, draw an annotated floor plan of an ideal room for a child of two. Consider the possibility of providing him with a low bed. What do you think would be the advantage of this? Describe how you would decorate the room.
Assignment 7b:(ii) Consider an activity suitable for a child between 2-3 years of age. List all the materials needed for the activity and the steps by which you would introduce it to the child.
Name:
Lim C. Chong
MSN Student Reference:
4789
Address:
43 Alexander Street
Cockle Bay
Howick
AUCKLAND
New Zealand
Contents of Assignment 7
Contents of Assignment 7 2
Introduction 3
Assignment No: 7a 4
Introduction 4
The Environment 5
Introduction 5
The prepared environment 5
Principles for designing a child's room 6
The Room design 7
Description of the floor plan 8
Advantages and disadvantages of a low bed 8
Decorating the child's room 11
Conclusion 13
Assignment No: 7b 14
Introduction 14
Activity and materials 15
The activity 15
Benefit of learning this activity 15
The materials 15
Preparation for presentation 16
Presenting the activity 16
Conclusion 19
Objective of this assignment 19
Summary of points 19
Bibliography 20
Introduction
Objective of this document
Objective of this document
The objective of this paper is to provide the answers for Unit 7, Assignment 7a & b(ii) of the MSN foundation course.
This paper is separated into two sections. Each section title contains the Assignment number and the associated question.
Document structure
and conventions
Presentation approach
This essay is presented using the Information Mapping presentation style, which is a structured approach to documentation.
The information Mapping presentation style is described in detail in the report for Assignment 1.
The following conventions are applied to the text formats in this assignment:
> Normal essay content in normal Arial 12 font size
> " Quotes taken from text and references in italics, Arial 10 font"
> Titles and headings and author references, in Arial 12 bold or bold and underlined,
> Source of quotes and references in bold italics Arial 8
Information source
Information source
The contents or source of information for this assignment is derived from the course material for Module 7 and the references listed in the Bibliography section on page 20.
Assignment No: 7a
Question: In the light of the discussion of sensitive periods given above, draw an annotated floor plan of an ideal room for a child of two. Consider the possibility of providing him with a low bed. What do you think would be the advantage of this? Describe how you would decorate the room.
Introduction
Objective
The objective of this essay is to
> present a present an annotated floor plan of an ideal room for a child of two (2)
> describe how this room would be decorated
> discuss the advantage and disadvantage of including a low bed for the child
Layout of essay
The answer to this assignment is structured as follows:
. The environment
A description of the environment that supports a 2 year old child in this stage of development
2. The room design
> An annotated diagram of a floor plan of an ideal room for this age
> A description of how the room would be decorated
3. Conclusion
Summary of the practical application of the principles for an the ideal room for a child of two
The Environment
Sensitive period revisited
Introduction
In our exploration and study of the child so far in this course, we have learnt the importance of the "sensitive period" as the guiding force within a child in his journey of growth and development.
(In my opinion, the sensitive periods or the inner urge to be drawn to certain stimuli, stay with us in adulthood long after physical growth is achieved. However, that is the subject of another discussion...)
It is important to support a child during the sensitive periods to enable him to develop to his full potential; physically, spiritually and intellectually, especially during the first two years.
"...the first two years are important forever, because in that period, one passes from being nothing to being something..." (Selected quotes from Maria Montessori's work, http://www.montessori.org/marquotes.htm)
The environment is important
The prepared environment
Dr. Montessori advocates that the environment plays an important part in helping the child in his sensitive periods for development.
"In this sensitive relationship between a child and his surroundings may be found the means for untangling the raveled skein of mystery that surrounds the spiritual growth of a child in all its wonders." - Montessori, Secrets, Psychic development, Chap 7, page 42.
Dr. Montessori believes that we must expose the child both the natural environment around him as well as a carefully "prepared environment." - Text, Unit 4 page 31
Continued on next page
The Environment, Continued
The prepared environment supports the sensitive periods
The purpose of the prepared environment are to ...
This is a preview of the whole essay
"In this sensitive relationship between a child and his surroundings may be found the means for untangling the raveled skein of mystery that surrounds the spiritual growth of a child in all its wonders." - Montessori, Secrets, Psychic development, Chap 7, page 42.
Dr. Montessori believes that we must expose the child both the natural environment around him as well as a carefully "prepared environment." - Text, Unit 4 page 31
Continued on next page
The Environment, Continued
The prepared environment supports the sensitive periods
The purpose of the prepared environment are to ensure that
* plenty of objects that are conducive and relevant to his inner urge or 'horme' during each stage of sensitivity, are available for him
* he is able to exercise independence in exploring these objects without restrictions or danger to himself
* he is able to imitate the adult in everyday practical life
"To ensure his child's positive development, the parent must prepare the proper home environment for him. The child's need is for a home that is a place of beauty...that is not contaminated or determined by any outward need..." - Paula Polk Lillard, Montessori A Modern approach, Montessori and Parents, Chap 4, page 109.
"A child doesn't live in his environment; it becomes part of him..." - Paula Polk Lillard, Montessori A Modern approach, Montessori and Parents, Chap 4, page 110.
Consideration for the physical and mental needs of the child
Principles for designing a child's room
In order to create a prepared environment for a child of 2 at home, the layout and arrangement of the room should take into consideration the physiological and psychological characteristic of a child of this age.
These characteristics can be summarised as follows:
> The child has a natural urge to handle objects and explorer the surroundings around him
> The most effective way for him to develop and learn is by doing the "work" himself, guided by his sensitive period.
> The child must be able to achieve independence in order to gain confidence in himself
> The adult must be his guide and teaching is concentrated on showing him how to use the tools and the environment around him
> He has a strong sense and need for order
The Room design
Map of a child's bedroom
The diagram below presents a floor plan of a child's room. It is assumed that this room is the child's bedroom but there is sufficient space for him to be able to carry out other activities in this room throughout the day instead of just being a room to sleep in.
Continued on next page
The Room design, Continued
Child size furniture and space to work
Description of the floor plan
Illustrated in the floor plan are the following items:
. Low (child size) shelf
2. Low (child size ) corner shelf
* These shelves provide space for books and toys to be laid out and arranged in an orderly manner. A toy box is avoided as it does not enable the child to get to the object he requires easily.
" ...helps the child to sort his belongings and makes putting things away much more logical and enjoyable..." - Michael Olaf, The joyful child, Preparing the environment
* All furniture in the room are child size to ensure that the child can access and return the items in the shelf without requiring adult supervision or help.
3. Floor/Activity rug
* A rug on the floor to spread out any activity that require more space and is not suitable for the table
A low bed to ensure waking and sleeping when required
4. Low bed or mattress
* A low bed or mattress on the floor ensures that the child is able to go to bed and wake up on his own accord, when he desires.
Promotes the child's psychic development
Advantages and disadvantages of a low bed
Dr. Montessori specifically mentioned that a child should be provided with low bed or a mattress on the floor instead of a raised cot to ensure that the child can "...lie down and get up as he wishes". - Montessori, Secret, Obstacles to growth, Chap 10, page 74.
She advocates that the practice of putting a child in a cot is only done for the convenience of the adult and not for the benefit of the child. She compares the child's bed or the cot to "a kind of a cage raised on high so that his parents or nurses can tend to him without the trouble of stooping..." - Montessori, Secret, Obstacles to growth, Chap 10, page 74.
Continued on next page
The Room design, Continued
Parents lose the ability to restrict mobility
In short, the provision of a low bed or a mattress on the floor is an advantage to the child as it promotes his independence and the development of his psychic life.
A mattress can also be a more economical investment for the parents compared to a cot.
It can also be said that the disadvantages of a choosing a low bed or mattress for a child to sleep on is relevant only to parent and caregivers and not the child. This is because the former is obliged to follow the child's lead instead of exercising control over his mobility, as in the case of a raised cot.
A comfortable environment to work in
5. Sofa
* A low sofa that the child can get on and off easily provides a good relaxing place for parent and child to share a book or have a chat.
6. Circular table with two or more chairs
* to enable a child (and his friends) to sit comfortably and work on activities
Ability to organise and look after his own well being
7. Wall hooks and hangers
* A low reachable line of hooks to hang bag, hats, coat and a low stool to sit on for wearing and taking off shoes and socks
8. Wardrobe
* A wardrobe or a chest of drawers, which can be easily open and shut by the child, without getting fingers trapped.
A room with a view
9. Windows that provide a view to the outside of the house
* It is important to have one or more windows in the room that the child can look out and into the surrounding landscape of have a view of the environment outside his room.
* Windows also provide a circulation of air through the room to ensure that there is fresh air flowing through the room.
Continued on next page
The Room design, Continued
Temperature control
The child's room must not be suddenly too hot or too cold or damp, to ensure a healthy environment. In an ideal environment, the temperature in the room will automatically be adjusted or can be controlled easily to maintain a constant temperature.
Use colours and natural
Decorating the child's room
The furniture and the physical objects provide the child with the physical equipment and tools he needs to carry out his activities. To complete the ideal environment in the child's room it needs to be appropriately decorated.
Decorating a child's room to promote the a prepared and conducive environment to support his development includes:
* Painting (or wall papering) the room with a pleasant but bright colour to create a "cheerful" but "restful" place
* Ensuring that the room is has adequate natural and artificial light, where appropriate.
* Installing curtains that are easily managed by the child which provide the ability darken the room for rest at any time of the day
Interesting objects for visual stimulation
Visual stimulation
0. Plants
1. Photographs
2. Paintings
3. Posters or pictures with educational topics
* Plants, photographs, paintings and pictures with educational topics such as the alphabets or numbers or names of animals, can be placed around the room to provide an interesting visual stimulation for the child.
Consider the child's Personality
The actual colour and choice of visuals used for decorating the child's room has to be tailored to compliment the personality and preferences of the child.
Conclusion
Summary of essay
This essay describes the layout and decoration for an ideal room for a child of two years. It will be concluded by reiterating the principles for creating an ideal environment for the child. These principles are best expressed through extracts from Dr. Montessori's writings as follows:
Provide the child with things he can achieve independence with and he will be at peace with himself.
"We must give the child an environment that he can utilize by himself: a little washstand of his own, some small chairs, a bureau with drawers he can open, objects of common use that he can operate, a small bed in which he can sleep at night under an attractive blanket he can fold and spread by himself. We must give him an environment in which he can live and play; then we will see him at work all day with his hands and wait patiently to undress by himself and lay himself down on his own bed. He will dust the furniture, put it in order, take care to eat well, dress by himself, be gracious and tranquil, without tears, without tantrums, without naughtiness - affectionate and obedient." - Montessori, The child in the family, Chap 9, page 53.
A personal observation
I also believe that in creating an environment in the home which is consistent to the classroom environment that he will be going to when he is ready, helps to
* maintain the sense of order within him as there will be a consistency in the way in which things are done at home and in the classroom
* eliminate any unnecessary obstacles to his learning as he will be familiar with the classroom environment (such as the place to hang his coat, the layout of the shelves....etc)
* maintain and builds confidence in himself as he has control of his world and everything he uses (such as the child size wardrobes, beds, etc...)
Assignment No: 7b
Question: (Ii) Consider an activity suitable for a child between 2-3 years of age. List all the materials needed for the activity and the steps by which you would introduce it to the child.
Introduction
Objective
The objective of this essay is to describe how to introduce an activity to a 2-3 year old child.
Layout of essay
The answer to this assignment is structured as follows:
. Activity and materials
A description of the activity to be introduced, the objective of the activity and the materials required for the activity
2. Presentation
A step by step description of the way in which the activity is introduced to the child.
Activity and materials
A cleaning activity
The activity
The activity chosen for this essay is the task of cleaning or wiping the surfaces of the furniture in the child's room. This activity can be managed by a child who is around 2 1/2 - 3 years of age.
Maintain cleanliness of his own room
The objective of this cleaning activity is to equip the child with the skills to maintain the cleanliness of the environment in his own room. The child will be shown the way to clean the surfaces of the chairs in the room.
It will be pointed out to him that the cleaning activity can be applied to any surfaces that he can find in this own room, such as the windowsill, the table surface.
Cleaning helps to promote muscular development
and care of his environment
Benefit of learning this activity
The reason for choosing this activity are as follows:
* this activity is one which is safe for him to manage by himself without adult supervision
* the activity involves the use of his muscular movement and coordination which is supportive of his sensitive period for movement and physical development
* the child is able to imitate his caregiver or parent in everyday life
* the child is able to carry out this activity in future by himself without the help of an adult
* he is learning indirectly to maintain and protect the environment that he lives in (his room)
* this activity also indirectly helps to develop the fine motor skills and movement required for other intellectual skills such as handwriting
Cleaning materials
The materials
The materials required for this activity are as follows:
* A small pail or bucket
* A small dry cleaning cloth
* A soft sponge
* A plastic or vinyl mat
Continued on next page
The presentation
Prepare the materials in a consistent location
Preparation for presentation
Before introducing the activity to the child, the parent or caregiver should plan and prepare the way in which he she is going to show the activity to the child.
It is a good idea to get the child to help gather or organise the materials for the activity if possible so that he is able to perform the activity independently after he has learnt it.
For example, the caregiver or parent should ensure that all the materials required to perform the activity (such as the bucket, sponge and clean cloth), is available and located in a place which is easily accessible by the child. Ideally, this location is maintained so that the child can consistently find them when he wants to perform the activity himself in future whenever he likes.
It is also a good idea to make a short horizontal line on the inside of the bucket about a quarter up from the bottom. This is a good visual indication or guide for the child for the level of water to fill the bucket with.
Presenting the activity in sequence
Presenting the activity
The term Dr. Montessori uses for showing or introducing the child a new activity in a Montessori classroom is "presentation of the activity" - MSN Text, Practical life, Module 19 (Practical life workshop, 2001)
This activity is presented to the child in the following sequence:
. Explain to the child briefly what we are going to do together.
Example:
"We are going to clean the stool in your room"
2. Show him where to get the materials needed to the task
Example:
"the things you need are in this cupboard"
Continued on next page
Activity and materials, Continued
Showing the activity
3. Ask the child to help "itemise" or collect each item needed to do the task
Example:
"We need a bucket",
then indicate to him to take out the bucket.
4. Repeat this action until all the materials required for the task is taken out of the cupboard
5. Show the child how the carry the folded or rolled up plastic mat to the room by putting it under one arm and holding on to it with both hands
6. lay the mat on the floor next to the stool to be cleaned and ask the child to put the stool on the mat
7. Take the child back to the materials and show the child how to fill the bucket with water up to the horizontal line inside the bucket
8. ask the child to put the sponge into the bucket and show him how to carry the bucket with one hand and the clean cloth in the other back to the room
9. ask the child to put the bucket of water and the clean cloth on the mat next to the stool
0. Show the child how to squeeze the sponge in the bucket and how to scrub the surface of the stool with the sponge.
1. encourage him to copy this action straight after he has been shown.
2. When the stool is completed "scrubbed" show him how to put the sponge back into the bucket and use the clean dry cloth to wipe the stool dry of water.
Continued on next page
Activity and materials, Continued
Completing the activity by tidying up
3. When the cleaning is completed, ask the child to help
i. squeeze out the water in the sponge and remove it from the bucket.
ii. take the bucket of water and tip it out in the bath or toilet
iii. return to the room and put the sponge and cleaning cloth back into the bucket
iv. fold or roll up the mat
v. hold the mat under the arm and the bucket on the other hand
4. Return the materials back to the cupboard but put the cleaning cloth into the laundry basket to be washed.
5. Show the child where to get another clean cloth to be placed with the other materials for his cleaning activity.
6. Ask the child to wash his hands or show him how to wash his hands after completing the activity.
7. The parent or caregiver can remind the child that he can clean his stool anytime he wants to and suggests that there may be other things in his room, like the stool, that he might want to try cleaning.
Conclusion
Review and summary
I will conclude Assignment 7b(ii) by reviewing the objectives of the essay and summarising the points for the chosen activity.
Application of principle learnt
Objective of this assignment
I believe that the objective of this assignment [7b(ii)] is to assess the student's level of understanding of the sensitive period and the ability to apply it in a practical manner.
Summary of points
I have chosen to use this activity and the way to introduce the activity, in my essay to:
:) emphasize that there should be a consistency between the way in which the child is taught at home and in the classroom.
:) suit the level of development in a 2-3 year old child which relevant to his sensitive period in the area of :
* muscular development and coordination
* development of concentration and conscious effort
* the eye for detail
* motivation by imitating adult activities
:) introduce the awareness and the responsibility to maintain his home environment and his personal hygiene
Quote from Dr. Montessori
Finally, in the words of Dr. Montessori, when she emphasise the principles for parents to find the best ways for bringing up their children...
"...We must support as much as possible the child's desires for activity; not wait on him, but educate him to be independent." - Montessori, The Child in the Family, The child in the family, Chapter 9, , page 57.
Bibliography
* Montessori, Maria - The Secret of Childhood, Ballantine Books, 1966
* Olaf, Michael - The Joyful Child, (Excerpts from Michael Olaf's web site at http://montessori.edu/0-3environmenttext.html)
* Stoppard, Miriam - Know your child, Doubleday, 1992
* Lillard, Paula Polk - Montessori A Modern Approach, Schocken, 1972
* Montessori, Maria - The child in the family, Clio press Ltd, 1989
Name: Lim C. Chong
MSN Student reference: 14789
Address: 43, Alexander Street, Cockle Bay, Howick, Auckland, New Zealand
2 May 2007 Page 2 of 20 Unit 7 Assignment a&b
