Practical Life

 
 

Montgomery school Nairobi

 
 
 
 
 
 
This area is designed to help students develop a care for themselves, the environment, and each other. In the Primary years (3-6), children learn how to do things such as; pouring and scooping, using various kitchen utensils, washing dishes, polishing objects, scrubbing tables, and cleaning up. They also learn how to dress themselves, tie their shoes, wash their hands, and other various self-care needs. They learn these through a wide variety of materials and activities. While caring for yourself and your environment is an important part of Montessori Practical Life education in these years, it also presumes to prepare the child for more: The activities may build a child's concentration as well as being designed in many cases to prepare the child for writing.

For the first three years of life, children absorb a sense of order in their environment. They learn how to act a certain way naturally by absorbing it. In these ages, from 3-6, the children are learning how to both build their own order and discover, understand, and refine the order they already know. Strong concentration and attention to detail. Language preparation comes in many forms in the practical life area. Fine motor skills used in a pencil grip help the child develop that grip in order to use a pencil more easily. Practical life in the elementary years and high school years involves many of the same skills, but also begins to take a bigger drive towards community service oriented activities.