Montessori elementary children use play-based learning to master academic skills as well as practical life skills. These skills are the types of activities that are necessary for daily life or contribute to being a more dependable member of the group or community. Learning to hold a broom is a practical life skill, for example, but so is learning to hold the door for the next person in line.
Life Skills for Self-Esteem
Building a positive sense of self-worth is important in Montessori elementary education. Learning to understand the feelings of others leads to a willingness to do things for others as well. The act of doing something for another person gives small children a boost in the self-worth and encourages them to repeat similar behavior in the future.
Life Skills for Motor Control
Learning basic life skills also helps children develop fine motor skills necessary for manipulating smalls objects or performing complex movements. Simple activities like learning to tie shoes are excellent practice for using a pencil or crayon, among other things.
Life Skills for Success
Teaching Montessori elementary children life skills sets them on track for greater success in school and in their interactions with others. The Montessori Method addresses the entire child’s development and all activities are intended to serve multiple purposes during the course of education.
Life Skills for Exploring Concepts
Montessori elementary school children can explore concepts such as the inclined plane, levers and more while developing practical life skills. The underlying concept is to put the tools of development in the hands of the children and then gently guide through a positive educational experience.
Life skills are necessary skills for interacting in society and the world. They include things like communication, coordination, and problem-solving, among others. Through a diverse set of learning tools, children develop these skills while building academic skills and exploring the natural world around them.