Work or Play?

One of the most important aspects of the Montessori Method is that Montessori is not all about academics. Montessori schools pride themselves in educating children as a whole and witnessing growth in all aspects of their lives.

In the classrooms, the jobs that students get to choose from are all grouped into different categories, including math, language, cultural, sensorial, and practical life. Rather than focusing solely on math, writing, science, etc. it is this variety that allows Montessori students to achieve a more complete education.

In previous posts, I have talked about some of the cleanliness expectations that the students are held to as well as some classroom jobs that, mainly cleaning up their jobs and any spills that are associated with their jobs and with lunch.

Today, though, I noticed another example, which, while simple, gives some insight into the Montessori school. Being a beautiful day, a Friday, and a day of high energy, we were outside in the morning for a good amount of time, letting the students get some of their energy out before going inside. Students were playing on the swings, the slide, chase, and house, just like usual. But then one of the teachers decided to bring out two small hand brooms that would go with dustpans incase any of the students wanted to use them. This first struck me as a rather odd idea, and I wondered whether students would want to give up valuable time on the swings (for example) to use them. But I was wrong. A huge crowd (all ten students) ran up to the teacher, wanting to use them. The two lucky students soon got too work, brushing off the play structure and the edge of the sandbox. At first they were content simply working, but it soon turned into a game of Cinderella.

Montessori’s vision is to foster a love of learning that will last all your life. This merging of play time and work time while learning practical skills is just one example of how learning can be anywhere, and learning can be fun. I guess it’s important to learn to turn work into something fun from a young age.