Mastering Practical Life Skills with Montessori Elementary Methods

Montessori elementary places great emphasis on practical life skills, which are a critical part of the children’s learning experience. These skills go beyond academics and help children develop independence and confidence. Engaging in these vital everyday tasks enables the children to take more responsibility for their own lives. Praktis and Kohler (2016) argue that this responsibility is essential for the development of the young child’s personality. It is also the foundation for the social role of the child as part of the family, the class, the community, and eventually the adult world.

What are Practical Life Skills?

Central to the Montessori method are easy, everyday tasks– mimicking the work of adults– that children can perform with their small hands, such as fooling and buttoning. These are what we might call basic coordination skills, perhaps even pre-coordination skills. They are what Jean Piaget would call the “foundation for their future” in learning not only pre-academic skills but also skills for remembering the details of life and focusing on ways to act like a member of society. These are the social determinants of health that come from doing socially constructive work.

Why Practical Skills Matter

You might wonder why Montessori puts such a strong focus on such basic tasks. The answer lies in the effect these tasks have on the child’s mindset. In completing them, the child is developing and exercising a set of skills related to perseverance and focus– skills that demand an uncommon amount of discipline. A child who learns to care for their immediate environment is learning a lesson much bigger than that of simple respect for others. In doing these basic tasks, the child’s attitude towards work and responsibility is fundamentally altered for the better.

The Prepared Environment

Classrooms in a Montessori elementary are fundamentally designed to promote independence. Visually, they look different from traditional classrooms. Everything in a Montessori classroom is sized for the child’s use, from tables and chairs to brooms and mops. This allows the child to take control of their personal learning. They might decide to water plants or set the table for lunch. These might seem like unimportant, menial tasks, but they’re not. They provide the child with a sense of accomplishment. Giving the child the freedom to choose makes all the difference when it comes to doing what needs to be done.

Setting the Foundation for Success

Through practical skills, children learn to think critically, break tasks down into easily managed segments, and develop the confidence to try new things. This simplifies the learning process and encourages children to seek out new challenges.

Montessori education emphasizes order. Practical Life tasks teach children to do things in many deliberate steps. The work is purposeful and calm. The methods that the child uses to achieve the task is as important as the end result. A child who learns in structured ways experiences a less chaotic environment, and every adult who has taught a child to clean up their room can appreciate the difference.