Here at First Steps, our lessons focus on five primary disciplines of teaching. Those disciplines are Sensorial, Language, Science, Math, and Practical Life. Below is a snapshot explanation of what each one entails.
Here at First Steps, our lessons focus on five primary disciplines of teaching. Those disciplines are Sensorial, Language, Science, Math, and Practical Life. Below is a snapshot explanation of what each one entails.
Sensorial comes from the words sense or senses. As there are no new experiences for the child to take from the Sensorial work, the child can concentrate on the refinement of all his senses, from visual to stereognostic.
The purpose and aim of Sensorial work is for the child to acquire clear, conscious, information and to be able to then make classifications in his environment. Montessori believed that sensorial experiences began at birth. Through their senses, the child studies their environment. Through this study, the child then begins to understand their environment. The child, to Montessori, is a “sensorial explorer”.
It is a human imperative to communicate with others and this underlies the emergence of language. Montessori said, “To talk is in the nature of man.”
To help the child in their language development, the Montessori classroom is designed to help them reach the third period of consciousness. Because the learning of language is not achieved through subjects as in a normal classroom, the child learns at their own rhythm. This allows them to concentrate on learning each important step in language so that each successive step comes easily and without any thought on the part of the child. The special material also plays an important role in aiding the child develop the powers of communication and expression, of organization and classification, and in the development of thought.
A keen interest in nature is a natural thing inherent in every human being since the beginning of time. Language can be used as a pathway to science. Children have a great, natural interest in living things and science is the study of everything that is around us.
Children know that science is important. They absorb some sense of it in their daily lives. By giving the child some experiments, we make the child aware and arouse their interest in scientific phenomena. For some children, this can lead to a growing interest and can culminate in a future career choice.
Math is all around the young child from day one. How old are you? In one hour you will go to school. You were born on the 2nd.
As an abstract concept, numbers are difficult to define, and an understanding of number grows from experience with real. No physical aspects of objects can ever suggest the idea of a number, but the ability to count, to compute, and to use numerical relationships are among the most significant among human achievements. The concept of the number is not the contribution of a single individual but is the product of a gradual, social evolution which happened over thousands of years. It is marvelous to see the readiness of the child to understand these concepts.
The purpose and aim of Practical Life is to help the child gain control in the coordination of his movement, and help the child to gain independence and adapt to the society. It is therefore important to “Teach by teaching, not correcting” (Montessori), to allow the child to be a fully functional member in the world. Practical Life Exercises also aid the growth and development of the child’s intellect and concentration and will in turn also help the child develop an orderly way of thinking.