Practical Life activities are a mainstay of Montessori education and present in every classroom. While these works are most popular with our younger age groups, all students benefit from these activities. Here's the scoop on practical life...
Like many things in Montessori, there's the immediate result and then there's the longer view. The immediate benefits of practical life are real world skills which allow children to act independently in their daily activities.
The longer view is where it gets interesting! Here are some of the ways that practical life activities benefit students as they prepare for life.
- Concentration - practical life activities engage the mind and the body and encourage immersive concentration, which is something like Csikszentmihalyi's Flow
- Confidence - hands-on experiences affirm that they are capable and helps the child develop faith in themselves and their abilities
- Coordination - improving fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination is a benefit of practical life that directly impacts other areas of the classroom
- Problem Solving - practical life activities often present challenges to be overcome and their open-ended nature means children can explore different ways of solving problems
- Executive function skills - following steps to complete a practical life activity engages working memory, self-control and other executive functioning skills. Take 5 minutes to watch this great video to hear more about developing EF skills
CMS ANNUAL BOOK FAIR
The CMS annual Book Fair will take place October 30th thru November 4th this year. Paper Pie Book Fair will be set up in the office conference room and available during office hours so plan on stopping by to browse! If you prefer online shopping, you can do that too! Preview books or shop online here!
The Book Fair will also be available in the Library during the International Festival on Nov. 4th, from 10 to 11am.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We are looking for a few more families to care for our CMS Chickens on weekends and school holidays.
Tasks include filling food and water, gathering eggs (which volunteers get to keep!), and yes, scooping poop from the inside of the coop. If you're interested in helping our hens out, please contact Rachel at admissions@community-montessori.org for more details.
CMS Calendar
- Oct. 23rd - Conference Day, no school for students
- Oct. 30th to Nov. 4th - Paper Pie Book Fair
- Nov. 4th - International Festival, 10am to 12noon
Save the Date!
The mission of Community Montessori School is to provide authentic Montessori education
in a nature-rich environment that cultivates collaboration, curiosity,
love of learning, and respect for oneself, others, and the world.
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Community Montessori School is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex or gender, disability, or age in providing educational services and programs. CMS recognizes that we live in a diverse and interconnected world and strives to create a community that reflects the breadth of human diversity.
