How do the children know what to do during open class time? One of the best ways is for them to see a wide variety of activities going on around them.
This week, one child had a lesson on the multiplication board for math facts, which caused another to rediscover it and a third to get a lesson from her.
One child’s lesson on types of triangles led to a lesson for another on types of angles.
We’ve been making a wall-size map of Asia and connecting pieces of yarn between photos and the country they depict. A group decided to do the same for Africa. Some children found they needed to consider again the differences between continents and countries.
A literature circle book led some to explore silk, which they could then explain to others who were attracted by the fabric. Mr. Ben gave lessons on homonyms. A group of children staged a scene from their literature circle book in which a homonym figured prominently. Some children found a tulip had been picked and, instead of letting it go to waste, they examined the parts with the help of a giant pile of books. Other children planted seeds. Many enjoyed using our new binoculars to find and identify birds.
These are just a few examples from our past week. In addition, we were playing theater games, auditioning for Midsummer Night’s Dream, and making Raku pottery, which we’ll describe in a later post.
We agree with what Montessori said about education, “The secret of success is found to lie in the right use of imagination in awakening interest, and in the stimulation of seeds of interest already sown.”
(To Educate the Human Potential)
Mr. Ben, Ms. Mary and Mr. Robin
El Salon Morado Lead Teachers