TEACH ME TO DO IT MYSELF Oontessori activities r you and your child sf i : Maja Pitamic Ss = —— Kd 5 2 +t wa > | "a 3 = 7 @, © Jam... @SSPreface This is a fun-filled practical activity book for children between the ages of three and five. The activities are based on the Montessori teaching philosophy and will give your child the best possible start in achieving essential skills and developing a greater understanding of the world around him. ‘You act as a guide, taking your child through the activities, to build an essential repertoire of life skills that range from dressing to basic science. No specialized knowledge is required. Who was Montessori? Bom in Rome in 1870, Maria Montessori became the first female medical graduate of Rome University. She was the director of the Scuola Ortofrenica, a school for chilezen with special education needs, and by 1900 she was teaching Pedagogical Anthropology at Rome University. The activities go step by step, and include suggestions for future activities. Only simple preparation is required, with materials that are available in most homes. Not only will your child develop his coordination and grow in confidence and self-esteem, you will gain greater insight into your child’s development. Best of all, you will be teaching your child to do things for himself, and setting him on the road to independence. In 1907 Montessori opened the first Case dei Bambini, a school for children from the slums, While there, she devised her now world- famous teaching method. Word spread quickly of the revolutionary teaching method that was being employed in the school, and soon visitors were flocking to observe. The Montessoriteaching method became internationally renowned. Possibly Montessori’s most revolutionary pelief was the impoztance of the child’s environment when learning, She felt that for children to flourish and grow in self-esteem, they needed to work in a child-centered enyironment. Today, not only Montessori schools, but all schools recognize the part that the environment has to play in the development of the child. Montessori always claimed that she did not devise a teaching method but that her ideas on teaching children merely grew out of close observation of children. From this, she discovered the following needs Joy in learning Love of order The need to be independent The need to be respected and listened to Interest in fact and fiction Montessori maintained these needs were universal, regardless of nationality, gender, race, Or background of a child. Today, more than 50 Introduction #7 years since Montessori’s death in 1952, these needs remain unchanged and are as relevant now as when they were first observed in 1909. ‘This book presents my interpretation of Montessori drawn from my years of teaching. The activities follow the “spirit,” rather than the letter, of Montessori.