montessori

montessori

INTRODUCATION TO PRACTICAL LIFE
What is practical life?
Practical means- basic, useful, and purposeful.
Life means- the way of living.
Practical Life activities are the activities of everyday life and they are involved in all aspects of life. The child observes these activities in the environment and gains knowledge through the real experience of how to accomplish life skills in a purposeful way.
The practical life activities assist the child in developing his whole self: physical, mental and moral.
A child develops through effort and engagement. His growth depends upon psychic as well as physical factors. Child is able to recall the impressions he has received and to keep them clear and distinct, since the ego builds up its intelligence through the strength of the sense impressions which it has received. And thus through this child’s reason develops.
Movement or physical activity, is an essential factor in intellectual growth, which depends upon the impressions received from outside, through movement we come in contact with external reality.
Purpose of practical life
The main purpose of practical life is to help the child gain control in the coordination of his movement and help the child to gain independence and adapt to his society, with the sense of responsibility.
Children have a different need for moving and it is necessary to observe their spontaneous movements in order to help them to grow up to their full potential. By a habit of work a child learns how to move his hands and arms and strengthen his muscles more that he does through ordinary gymnastics exercise. We must therefore provide a child in his environment with means for exercising his activities. The objects that are used for practical life have no scientific purpose; they are the objects used where a child lives and which he sees in his own home.
The practical life exercises are organized in 4 main areas:





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