The Role of Practical Life in the Montessori Classroom

Children Need to Feel Capable and Valued:

With this in mind, Montessori developed the practical life component of the curriculum. These activities are an essential factor in the Montessori classroom. Practical life provides a vital opportunity for the child to gain skills necessary to function within her culture, but perhaps more importantly, to feel capable and valued.

The Montessori Environment is Created to Meet the Child’s Need to be Independent and Competent:

To facilitate the child to this end, the Montessori classroom meets the needs of the child because she is allowed to explore her surroundings and construct these practical skills in a safe, encouraging environment. The child is given freedom with responsibility, which is an important life skill in itself. Furthermore, Montessori developed materials and furniture appropriate to the child to support her on her journey for independence.

To educate the whole child, the Montessori classroom supports the child in developing the necessary practical life skills through the maintenance of the classroom environment, the development of skills, which build a sense of self-worth, and the acquisition of language and adeptness required to solve her own problems.

The First Plane of Development and Practical Life:

Montessori initiated the practical life component of her method beginning in the Toddler and Primary classrooms. In the First Plane of Development, the child is in a sensitive period for ordering her environment and strengthening her independence. To facilitate her in this process, Montessori developed specific materials, such as the careful scooping, spooning, pouring, washing and folding, to support the child to this end. These practical life skills help the child develop fine motor skills, as well as increasing her independence and concentration in preparation for more challenging work.

The Second Plane of Development and Practical Life:

With this preparation, the child enters the 6-9 classroom, while simultaneously embarking on a new journey as she moves into the Second Plane of Development. There are tremendous changes taking place in the 6-9 child, physically and intellectually, as her reasoning mind begins to evolve. The need remains, however, for practical life activities to continue to build the child’s independence and confidence. In addition, the 6-9 child becomes more social and enters a sensitive period for moral justice and fairness. Therefore, important practical life skills for the 6-9 child are not only grooming, sewing, gardening, cooking, carpentry or computer skills, but may include lessons in grace and courtesy, as well as problem solving with her peers. These important lessons continue at the 9-12 level, as well as in the middle school, where Montessori children are also given opportunities to be in charge of student-run businesses.

Closing:

With the acquisition of practical life skills, the child becomes independent, while attaining important life-long skills. Montessori addresses the necessity for practical life experiences in the classroom and states, “Today we might define this goal as the preparation of children to live successfully in their world, by which we mean the future, rather than live primarily in ours, which is the present and the past.” (Montessori Today, Paula Polk Lillard, page 3). Therefore, through practical life experiences, the child is provided the skills necessary not only to function within her environment, but also feel capable and successful in her world. The child’s desire to learn new skills and her eagerness to contribute has enabled her to not only feel valued, but to be valued as well, even while existing in the “supernature.”  By gaining practical life skills, the child enables herself to generate useful contributions in the classroom, at home and in her community.