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Trusting The Child's Lead
What does it mean to follow "a developmental point of view"?
It means that we truly understand that children all develop differently.
There is no "right way." Some children learn to talk before
others. Others learn to walk first. Each individual child progresses
at his or her own pace, according to his or her own needs, interests,
and abilities. At Mandala, because we follow a developmental point
of view, we will not hurry or push a child in their development.
We trust the natural unfolding that occurs in each child. In our classrooms,
we have set up an enriched environment that supports this "unfolding."
The teachers follow the child's lead. They demonstrate, model, support,
and encourage. Our curriculum and learning activities enhance four
main areas that are essential to children's development: physical,
social-emotional, cognitive, and creative.
The
Montessori Method
We chose to use the Montessori Method as the basis of our curriculum
because we believe it best supports the developmental point of view.
Montessori education, in keeping with the philosophy of Mandala,
is concerned with the learning and development of the whole child.
Montessori is, in its very essence, a "developmental"
approach to educating the young child. The Montessori classroom
is a prepared environment that gives children an opportunity to
engage in problem-solving and self-discovery through direct ("hands-on")
interaction with a wide range of stimulating materials. (Note: For
more information on the Montessori Method, please see "What
Is Montessori?")
Children
Use Materials Differently At Different Ages
Many parents wonder what a "developmental curriculum"
really looks like in the classroom. The article below shows gives
a picture of how children use the same materials differently as
they go through different developmental stages. At each stage, they
are learning something different.
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Early childhood Education professionals today often speak of quality
programs for young children as being "developmentally appropriate."
In fact, most excellent early childhood programs have always described
themselves a "developmental program." This means that, rather
than planning specific lessons, the teachers have planned the environment
so that it will provide opportunities for the children to have experiences
in all areas of growth and learning: physical, intellectual, social,
and creative. The young child works through direct interaction with
materials. |
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Children
At Different Stages Use The Same Materials DIFFERENTLY
In a developmental program, children at different stages of development
will use the same materials and experiences very differently.
A
Wonderful Example
A clear illustration of this can be seen in a simple common activity
I once watched in a program in which I was a staff member. The children
in the group ranged in age from 2½ to young fives. A table
covered with white paper had been set up in the patio. The teacher
who planned this activity had set out materials for gluing-containers
of cut-up pieces of some used gift-wrapping paper, some thin, lightly
colored glue, and plastic coffee-stirrers for spreading the glue.
The activity was available to any child who was interested. Some
of the youngest two year-olds through some of the oldest four and
five year-olds sat at the table and worked on the project.
If you had
looked at the finished work, you would see examples of the following:
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The child at the youngest developmental
stage is interested in just experimenting with the materials.
He likes to dribble the glue on the paper, feel its sticky texture,
and often use fingers to spread it around. Many times this is the
extent of this child's exploration. This child walks away from the
activity, satisfied with a beginning understanding of "glue"
and leaving only a spot of glue as evidence that he was there. Perhaps
the discarded spreading stick may be left stuck to the paper.
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Another
child who has become more fully acquainted with the medium of glue
is ready to extend the experience to a two-step process.
This
child used the glue to attach the collage materials (small pieces
of cut-up paper) to the background but removes them almost as soon
as they are attached, or perhaps later. Sometimes, then, when he or
she is finished, the area where this child had been working looks
the same as the area where the child had just been dribbling glue
was working-the materials he or she had attached to the backing have
been removed and discarded. This child is a good example of children
at this stage who enjoy the process of the art activity more than
the product. |
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After
the child has experimented with the materials and has become familiar
with their properties and use, he is ready to use them to express
himself in making a collage.
The child's
work now will show the use of the glue to attach the materials to
the backing. The placement of the materials becomes more and more
purposeful and planned. From the beginning experimental stage to this
more advanced, purposeful stage, the child has had many opportunities
to solve simple problems. |
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Children
Become Aware Of Patterns, Which Are The Foundation for Math and
Reading
As children become more aware of patterns in their environment and
of the repetition of patterns (a basic understanding that is the
foundation for understanding mathematics), their work may be done
with definite patterns and repetition of patterns. Becoming aware
of patterns occurs for a child when the knowledgeable teacher provides
simple examples of pattern in the environment-the arrangement of
materials and supplies, the displays of art in the room, or the
arrangement of food at snack time. As a child advances in experience
and
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awareness,
he or she may become concerned with the direction of the project
and materials, such as up and down, or left to right. This recognition
and understanding is important for eventual decoding of letter and
words for reading and writing.
Growing
At Their Own Pace Allows This Kind Of Learning
All of these things are learned best by the child when he or she
is allowed to experiment and grow at his or her own pace. Children
do not learn by sitting in desks and listing to a lecture! When
you look at a child's work-with art materials, with manipulatives
(such as blocks or Lego's), or with raw materials (such as sand
or water), try to recreate the feeling the child must have had as
he or she was involved in the process of creation. See if you can
discover any problems the child may have had to solve during his
or her involvement with the activity. These observations may be
good conversation-starters when the child's day is discussed as
it ends or on the trip home.
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Author: Sylvia
Ann White |
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