Classroom 1 February in Review

A big thank you to Cathy O’Brien, Anna Simon and Amy Weinberg for volunteering to help at

our Classroom 1 pancake breakfast. It was a very fun morning full of pancakes and beautiful

fruit salad. Thanks to all who donated fruit!

Classroom 1 has been trying to settle in to a work routine with the many snow day disruptions

we have had. Some friends have been lucky enough to go on vacation to warmer places and

have been sharing shells they have found on the beach. We have been exploring shells with

our hands and eyes and learning the names of different shells.

Thank you to Veda and her family for getting Classroom 1 the beautiful Montessori continent

globe, the children are really loving it and it has sparked a new interest in the geography area

of the classroom.

Philosophy

Sharing is a big word often used with preschool children. While it sounds very polite and kind,

sharing is not something we do in the Montessori classroom during our daily work cycles. There are a few good reasons why Montessori classrooms do not encourage the sharing of the materials. Concentration is one big reason. If a child is fully engrossed in a work we don’t want to interrupt that learning time so someone else can have a turn. Often when a child is engrossed in a work they are working towards mastering or acquiring a new skill. The children learn that if a material is being used by someone else than it is not available. When a child returns a work to the shelf it becomes available. Learning to wait is an important skill for children to learn as well. Montessori classrooms intentionally have only one of each material on the shelves so children can learn to wait. It is ok for children to work together in the classroom however it is the child’s choice. They have the freedom to choose to work with a friend or work alone, uninterrupted with the materials.

We do use the term sharing for things like bringing a snack or birthday treat in to share with the class, or sharing pictures or stories from vacations during line time. Sharing has its place but it can be a confusing word for children to understand.