Parent Ed Evening 1

The first Parent Ed Evening was attended by 24 parents. The topic for the evening was The Four Planes of Development. We looked at the origins of Maria Montessori's ideas about child development and how children learn. We also looked at each plane of development in closer detail, and how the role of the parent changes at each one of these planes. We spoke briefly about the things parents can do to support their child's development, and what they can do in the Montessori learning environment to give their children the freedom to learn and explore for themselves.

A few quotes shared on the night included:

For parents, caretakers, teachers, and adults who care about children, there is a great challenge to trust children to learn at their own pace, in their own way, and under conditions of their own choosing.
Steve Harrison – The Happy Child

Only as he is able to depend less and less on the teacher outside, and use more and more the teacher inside, will he be able to do well what he wants to do. And so it must always be the first and central task of any teacher to help the student become independent of him, to learn to be his own teacher.
John Holt – Instead of Education

Mothers [and fathers] were the first teachers and they remain the best teachers who have ever existed.
Glenn Doman – How to Multiply your Baby’s Intelligence

A topic not fully explored, I felt it was worthwhile including the following excerpt from the American Montessori Society website on the role of the parent...

As a parent you are a role model and teacher
Know your child well
Be a patient observer and careful listener
Place your confidence in your child
Provide simple, safe and consistent rules encouraging your child to take responsibility and to contribute to his or her home and family.

As a parent you prepare your child's home
Provide safety (physical & emotional)
Provide organization, consistency, a reliable routine
Prepare areas that are child sized — a place of her/his own
Provide your child age-appropriate responsibilities in your home
Provide "real life" experiences
Provide age-appropriate choices and opportunities to make positive decisions

As a parent you set the limits
Offer protection from objects and ideas that can hurt
Always encourage your child to be capable and confident
Limit toys and games to a workable number (rotate toys)
Monitor television and other forms of media (inappropriate exposure can negatively affect social, emotional, intellectual, and physical growth)
Develop consistent routines which encourage your child to develop self-control (self-control, responsible behavior and freedom are outcomes, not starting points)

As a parent you support and encourage your child
Offer great possibilities for exploration in the home environment
Encourage children to do for themselves ("Let me do it myself!")

Encourage your child to be an active agent of his/her own education

The link to the document The Four Planes of Development is here: http://www.box.net/shared/82prnxy5vj

The document is a PDF file.

The next Parent Ed Evening is on March 9th. The topic is Rewards and Punishments - The Montessori Approach to Discipline.