Resource Pick: "Supporting the Elementary Child's Work at Home," by John Snyder
It's clear that Montessori environments look much different from traditional classrooms. At Abintra, we hope to provide our community members with useful resources to help them get the most out of their child's Montessori experience.
Today's resource pick is the article "Supporting the Elementary Child's Work at Home" by Austin Montessorian John Snyder, former Chair of the AMI Elementary Alumni Association and member of the Montessori Leadership Collaborative. In this article, Snyder discusses how parents can contribute to their elementary student's Montessori experience outside of the classroom. As Snyder explains, "It's not worksheets. It's not assignments. It's practicing being an entrepreneurial learner in the context of the family." Snyder points out that "Basically, there needs to be a shift in thinking of the Montessori
school as the place where the child is being educated to thinking of it
as just one of the places in the world where the child pursues
self-development." Rather than asking their child questions about what they're learning, Snyder suggests, "Instead, begin to relate to the child a little more like you would
relate to one of your adult friends. In other words, create open social
space for natural conversations to happen."
Snyder reminds parents that their child's elementary environment is very intellectually stimulating, and urges parents to "Take very seriously the child’s developmental need for outdoor free play, daydreaming time, and rest. Avoid over scheduling with extracurricular activities, lessons, etc." He points out developmental differences between the early childhood and the elementary student by saying, "The child of 3-6 wants adults to 'help me do it myself,' and the child of 6-12 wants us to 'help me think my own thoughts.'" Snyder ends the article by reiterating the importance of communicating with the child's guide, and although it might be difficult, to "give the child and the guide time and space to work."
To read the full article, click here! To visit Snyder's personal website of articles, poems, and other writings, click here.
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| John Snyder |
Snyder reminds parents that their child's elementary environment is very intellectually stimulating, and urges parents to "Take very seriously the child’s developmental need for outdoor free play, daydreaming time, and rest. Avoid over scheduling with extracurricular activities, lessons, etc." He points out developmental differences between the early childhood and the elementary student by saying, "The child of 3-6 wants adults to 'help me do it myself,' and the child of 6-12 wants us to 'help me think my own thoughts.'" Snyder ends the article by reiterating the importance of communicating with the child's guide, and although it might be difficult, to "give the child and the guide time and space to work."
To read the full article, click here! To visit Snyder's personal website of articles, poems, and other writings, click here.
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