Current reading: Montessori Play And Learn

http://www.amazon.com/Montessori-Play-Learn-Parents-Purposeful/dp/0517591820
Montessori Play And Learn: A Parent's Guide to Purposeful Play from Two to Six

Im still reading this book. borrowed on Sunday.

Some Maria Montessori's background learned from this book:
1. She was an italian born in middle class family.
2. She was a doctor and was educated in ROME
3.She started her first school for age 3-6 , The children House in Italy.

The essense of the Montessori Method:
1. All children have "absorbent" mind
2. All children pass through "sensitive" periods
3. All children want to learn
4. All children learn through play/work
5. All children pass through several stages of development
6. All children want to be independent

The Absorbent mind
Mind that soak up all information unconsciously - eg language learns from parents
fisrt 6 years of life

The Conscious mind
Second phase 3-6- mind still absorbent, but now consciousness begins.

The Sensitive periods
6 sensitives periods:
1. Sensitivity to order
2. sensitivity to language
3. sensitivity to walking
4. sensitivity to the social aspects of life
5. sensitivity to small objects
6. sensitivity to learning through the senses

Children want to learn
Learning begins from birth and that the fundamental processes of how children learn are laid down very early in life. To start with, they learn through play, through experimenting with things in the world around them eg, water is wet, it can be cold and hot, it can be poured from one cup to another etc.

Learning through play
Play is enjoyable, voluntary, purposeful and spontaneously chosen activity. It is often creatuve as well, involving problem solving, learning new social skills, new language and new physical skills. play is important to the young children to help her learn new ideas and put them into practice, to adapt socially and to overcome emotional problems eg imaginative games

Stages of Development
Stage one : Birth to six
birth to three - unconscious/absorbent mind
Three to six - develop conscious mind , remain absorbent

stage two : six to twelve
childhood

stage three : Twelve to eighteen
adolescene

Encouraging Independence
exercises of practical life activities

Lots of activities given in this book. I have make copies of them for future reference.