Explain how the Montessori environment facilitates the child’s creativity.
Children today can take part in an endless variety of activities. From computer games to play stations and violin lessons or from football practice to ballet; there is no shortage of skills to learn. However children also need regular activities that are not focused on structure, skill building or electronics. Whilst all of these activities are good for children, too much can be overwhelming! Something that is essential for developing one of the most amazing gifts of childhood includes imagination and creativity.
In a broad context, creativity is a mental and social process involving a generation of new ideas or concepts, or new associations of the creative mind between existing ideas and concepts. Creativity is fuelled by the process of either conscious or unconscious insight. In other words, creativeness is simply the act of making something new.
During my arts and crafts classes in kindergarten I was amazed at how many children were already critical of their creative abilities. It seems like we live in a time when only the best is good enough. Children as well as the adults tend to consider that people are born gifted and they are not aware of the struggles and hard work that an artist must experience in order to master his potentials.
Every one of us has creative ability. Unfortunately many people are not encouraged to develop their creative abilities when they are children. Recognizing, developing and using our creative ability is vital. Being able to stretch our thinking to include creative solutions to our problems encourages curiosity, improves functioning of the brain, increases happiness in our personal and social life and enhances our coping skills. (MIC, M11)
Creativity in children encourages free expression, problem solving skills and open thinking. Just like other areas of children’s development, creativity needs to be nurtured to thrive.
In the Montessori...