Great video. I have a question that yet i couldnt find an answer to. Im a montesori teacher my students are 2 and 3 years old and i cant get them to focus on any work for more that 5 seconds. All of them want me to work with them individually in order to finsh the work and if I'm helping one child the rest are taliking to me its a maddness and yet I can't find a way to help them nuturalize. Any advice will be helpful. ... thank you!!
Hi Sara, Thank you! I can relate to what you described, having been there many times before. Here's what I did in the classroom when I found the children weren't showing much interest in working independently: 1) Look at the work you have available on the shelves - the work may be too simple, too difficult or not interesting enough to hold their attention. I would spend some time observing the classroom to see what materials you could swap out. I often found inspiration from outdoor play, the questions they asked during group time or by asking parents what types of activities hold their child's attention at home. 2) If they're asking for help, it could be that the work is too difficult for them or they're seeking a connection with you. When this happened in the classroom, I would initiate group activities. Group activities allow you to work with multiple children and gives you a chance to present an activity to everyone at once. If presenting an activity to a group seems too overwhelming, you could also read a book or play some instruments just to break up the energy a little bit. I found group activities to be helpful for modeling the grace and courtesy exercises too. Using a quiet voice, waiting your turn, not interrupting, etc. 3) When a child needs help finishing their work, could you encourage another child to help them? 4) More practical life. In my experience, any time a child was having trouble with concentration in the classroom my mentors would say "direct them to the practical life area." Practical life exercises are fantastic because they involve so much movement and allow the child to refine their movements as they repeat them. 5) Don't worry about them "finishing" the work and invite them put it back on the shelf unfinished. You're trying to foster as much independence as possible and if they're not finishing the work independently just yet then that's something to work on in the coming months. If they're choosing their work independently and getting started independently then you're off to a great start. Try to focus on what they are doing successfully and build off of that. I hope this helps!
So helpful. Great video. Thanks
You're welcome!
Great video. I have a question that yet i couldnt find an answer to. Im a montesori teacher my students are 2 and 3 years old and i cant get them to focus on any work for more that 5 seconds. All of them want me to work with them individually in order to finsh the work and if I'm helping one child the rest are taliking to me its a maddness and yet I can't find a way to help them nuturalize. Any advice will be helpful. ... thank you!!
Hi Sara, Thank you! I can relate to what you described, having been there many times before. Here's what I did in the classroom when I found the children weren't showing much interest in working independently:
1) Look at the work you have available on the shelves - the work may be too simple, too difficult or not interesting enough to hold their attention. I would spend some time observing the classroom to see what materials you could swap out. I often found inspiration from outdoor play, the questions they asked during group time or by asking parents what types of activities hold their child's attention at home.
2) If they're asking for help, it could be that the work is too difficult for them or they're seeking a connection with you. When this happened in the classroom, I would initiate group activities. Group activities allow you to work with multiple children and gives you a chance to present an activity to everyone at once. If presenting an activity to a group seems too overwhelming, you could also read a book or play some instruments just to break up the energy a little bit. I found group activities to be helpful for modeling the grace and courtesy exercises too. Using a quiet voice, waiting your turn, not interrupting, etc.
3) When a child needs help finishing their work, could you encourage another child to help them?
4) More practical life. In my experience, any time a child was having trouble with concentration in the classroom my mentors would say "direct them to the practical life area." Practical life exercises are fantastic because they involve so much movement and allow the child to refine their movements as they repeat them.
5) Don't worry about them "finishing" the work and invite them put it back on the shelf unfinished. You're trying to foster as much independence as possible and if they're not finishing the work independently just yet then that's something to work on in the coming months. If they're choosing their work independently and getting started independently then you're off to a great start. Try to focus on what they are doing successfully and build off of that.
I hope this helps!
Thank you so much for your response and the great tips