dimanche 1 avril 2018

Le Système d'Éducation, Une Bonne Fois Pour Toutes


Aujourd'hui.

Il y a 100 ans: 

« N’élevons pas nos enfants pour le monde d’aujourd’hui. Ce monde n’existera plus lorsqu’ils seront grands. Et rien ne nous permet de savoir quel monde sera le leur. Alors apprenons-leur à s’adapter. » 

Maria Montessori dans L’esprit absorbant DDB

'L'école est restée dans les cavernes': le coup de gueule de Jérôme Colin sur l'enseignement

'L'école est restée dans les cavernes': le coup de gueule de Jérôme Colin sur l'enseignement.



Je n'arrête pas de le dire ;-)


dimanche 4 février 2018

Comment ranger leurs jeux façon Montessori

Petit clin d’œil à ma meilleure amie ;-)

Fuyez le coffre à jouets fourre-tout:


Trouvez deux étagères: une étagère pour la chambre et une pour le salon, quelques boites, des plateaux, des paniers, une table et une chaise à la hauteur de l'enfant et un tapis pour ceux qui ont la table du salon dessus.

Dans la première boite, vous mettez la dînette, dans la seconde le train, dans la troisième les légos, dans la quatrième les poupées et dans la cinquième les déguisements.

Sur les étagères, se trouvent des plateaux avec des activités: un tableau à peindre, un jeu de société, une modèle d'origami, une expérience scientifique, un puzzle... Suivez les goûts de votre enfant.

Vous devez exercer un roulement des jeux environ toutes les deux, trois semaines selon l'age de votre enfant. Le reste des jeux est rangé dans une armoire. (Bien sûr vous pouvez en sortir un si votre enfant le demande.)

Évitez si possible les activités qu'il a déjà à l'école.

Rangez les jouets toujours au même endroit.

Invitez votre enfant à ranger son jeu avant d'en prendre un autre!

Un sans faute pour cette maman, même pour les petites voitures : (lien)


https://version5point0.wordpress.com/2013/06/27/faire-le-vide-pour-y-voir-plus-clair/


Ne pas oubliez le coin art et le coin lecture.

Pour Elisa, jusqu'à environ ses 6 ans, elle avait le même type de coin art/musique qu'ici: A visiter




Bon rangement :-)





Grace and Courtesy

Grace and Courtesy lessons are more than just the materials on the shelf. These lessons are living and breathing in the Montessori classroom and found all around.  At the beginning of the school year, we focus heavily on presenting and modeling Grace and Courtesy lessons which in turn become the cornerstone of classroom expectations. 

Some examples of these lessons  {which we are currently working on in our toddler environment} include:

  • How to unroll and roll a rug
  • How to politely interrupt someone 
  • How to clean up a spill 
  • How to wait your turn for a material
  • greeting someone
  • introducing oneself
  • shaking hands
  • receiving visitors
  • apologizing/excusing oneself
  • watching and observing others
  • taking turns
  • interrupting/asking for help
  • using a quiet voice
  • speaking in a polite tone
  • saying please and thank you
  • blowing one’s nose
  • coughing and sneezing
  • washing one’s hands
  • inviting and refusing a partner or playmate
  • respecting others and their space
  • walking around people and objects
  • sitting on and putting away a chair
  • walking in line
  • offering food
  • caring for works, books, and the environment
  • carrying work or objects
  • being silent
  • being kind
  • making friends




The desire to be gracious and courteous is naturally present in the child.



Grace and Courtesy lessons are ever expanding and evolving with the children's needs and behaviors. 

Maria Montessori believed children from age 2  to 6 were in a Sensitive Period for order. This means that the child is drawn to order in the external environment so that he can create his own order internally.

"Within every young child is the need for order. The initial lessons of Grace and Courtesy center on building the Montessori classroom community, and are often presented in the context of the Montessori Practical Life curriculum. They answer the child's questions of how they fit into and participate in their environment. Using clear language and modeling, Montessori teachers present these lessons to provide structure so the child can know her place, not only in the Montessori environment, but in the world at large. So in the child, besides the vital impulse to create himself, and to become perfect, there must yet another purpose, a duty to fulfill in harmony, something he has to do in the service of a united whole. ~ " Montessori, The Absorbent Mind, pg 57.
Nikki

samedi 13 janvier 2018

Classroom Limits

Limits are the foundation for discipline in the Montessori toddler environment. Limits are clear and simple rules that are consistently upheld in the community. Young children need limits to feel safe and secure in their environment. Limits also help children establish who they are within a community. Adults maintain these limits and model them to the children. 

"The Umbrella Limits" 


The child in the toddler environment is allowed freedom within these three limits:

  1. Treat other people with respect, kindness, and peace both physically or emotionally 
  2. Treat the materials and environment with care. 
  3. Treat self with respect and care.  

In our classroom, as long as the Umbrella Limits are being followed, the child is free to choose an activity and work on it for as long as they desire.

If a child needs help with following a limit, we may model the expected behavior, provide a lesson, or invite the child to the quiet corner.

Expectations:

 There are certain expectations which we set and model in the classroom.
  • Use a rug to define your space when working on the floor. Roll and return rug when finished.
  • Table works may only be completed on a table.
  • Clean up all materials when finished.
  • Return work to the shelf so it is ready for the next friend to use.
  • Walk in the classroom.
  • Maintain a quiet voice level.
  • Ask to observe a friend. If they agree, observe silently with your hands behind your back.
  • Try to dress self before asking for help from an adult.
  • Try each food item at lunch before receiving the next course.
  • Clean up dishes from lunch.
  • Brush teeth after lunch. 

Expectations grow and evolve along with the children.  As they become more confident and capable with tasks, their expectations will increase.  

Nikki

Firefighters: Thank you Captain Thirot


Throughout the months of November and December, the toddler community learned about the important career of being a firefighter. We read books, sang songs, looked at pictures, and made crafts. 




On December 12, we visited the Coulommiers fire station. Captain Thirot, hosted our tour of the fire station and garage of emergency vehicles.

The firefighters greeted us and welcomes the children.

We got to watch the rescue vehicle send its ladder up into the sky.




The children were able to test out all the machinery used in rescuing people.




One of the most memorable moments was when the children got to dress up in firefighter gear!




We even got to test out the hose!



It was a great day of exploring and learning at the fire station!


Nikki

Montessori in the Home

The Montessori philosophy is not something just for school or home; but a way of living and thinking.


Role of the Parent:
Ask yourself, "How can I help my child do it by himself/herself?"
  • Set proper limits (lien)
  • Trust the child
  • Allow for choices and respect them
  • Allow the child to take care of personal needs
  • Allow the child to choose their clothes and shoes 
  • Show rather than tell
  • Follow their interests (Observe!) (lien )
  • Use encouragement instead of rewards or treats
  •  Set up a successful environment
                        - la chambre et le salon (lien )
                        - leurs jeux (

Depuis que j'ai écrit l'article sur la chambre de nombreux autres exemples sont apparus sur le net.


Nikki et Moi


vendredi 12 janvier 2018

Vacances romaines, vacances à thème, vacances différentes



Autant, parfois, il est agréable de poser les orteils en éventail et de ne rien faire surtout quand le reste de l'année a été éprouvant. Autant, parfois, il est intéressant de découvrir le monde à travers des yeux neufs. Etant maman solo, je suis un peu fatiguée des hôtels où finalement, on se sent assez seule et où on ne s'enrichit pas plus que ça.

Donc, j'ai eu une idée. Je me suis dis plutôt que de découvrir une région, un pays, je vais voyagé avec un thème.

Le thème a été choisi grâce à ma fille qui étudiait les romains à l'école et j'avais envie de rendre cela plus vivant.

Malheureusement, il n'y a aucun guide! Donc lorsqu'on veut voyager de cette manière, il faut faire des recherches.

Pour les romains on pense tout de suite....Rome, Pompéi mais que c'est cher ou du moins pas dans mon budget pour le moment ;-)

J'ai découvert qu'il y avait largement de quoi faire en France.

En descendant, vous pouvez vous arrêter à Alésia (21150 Alise-Sainte-Reine). Il est plus intéressant de réserver une animation:

Les reconstitutions extérieurs sont bien faites :


Puis direction le sud,

A voir le pont du Gard,

Personnellement, je n'ai pas particulièrement aimé le musée qui est pourtant beau.
Mais j'ai adoré la balade au milieu des oliviers et la baignade dans le Gardon. 
Il y a aussi des itinéraires de randonnée et des pistes cyclables.
Prévoir la journée, un pique nique, un maillot de bain.



Le théâtre d'Orange: Magnifiquement conservé! Personnel charmant!


Accueil génial pour les enfants: Les animations sont les mêmes que pour les scolaires mais à d'autres dates:


Vaison la Romaine: 

Juste à côté de l'office du tourisme un magnifique site romain avec visite guidée quotidienne:             http://www.vaison-ventoux-tourisme.com/decouvrir/patrimoine
Nous sommes tombés sur une guide passionnée et passionnante. 


Domus en ruine :-)

Ballade sympa près du pont et plaine de jeux un peu plus loin pour les enfants.

Si nous avions eu le temps, nous aurions aussi fait: Nimes et son ampithéatre et son temple romain, Arles, le mas des Tourelles ( http://tourelles.com/site-archeologique-et-cave-gallo-romaine/) pour déguster du vin comme les romains près de Beaucaire, Antibes, Fréjus ou Glanum.

Il y a aussi quelques traces à Paris:

Il n'y a donc que l'embarras du choix.

Si vous aussi vous avez fait un voyage un thème n'hésitez pas à partager!

mardi 22 août 2017

Ne vous focalisez pas sur leurs problèmes - Don't interview for pain

Je voulais partager avec vous cet article qui vient de ce blog: https://www.mother.ly/child/5-parenting-lessons-i-learned-as-a-montessori-teacher#close

"Children are perceptive. Children want your attention. They will quickly figure out what gets the most attention from you and do more of that thing.


If you ask your child about their day and then focus in on the one negative thing they’ve mentioned and proceed to question them about it for the next half hour and comfort them (even if they weren’t upset about it to begin with…), they will quickly learn to bring up more negative things. Whether or not anything bad has happened. A little disagreement they had with a friend becomes a huge drama where they were the victim. This is not to say your child will lie, but that the way they view what happened will change.
How you see the world impacts how they see the world. Parents do this because they want to make sure their children are OK and are taken care of. Of course it’s a parent’s job to be their child’s advocate and protector. But if you have a big reaction every time your child mentions anything “bad” happening, they will likely begin focusing on these interactions, and becoming more upset over them."
Fifty-four years ago, my older sister Becky attended her first day of Kindergarten. At the end of the day, my mother picked her up and started a critical conversation. While she was driving, she asked some questions:
“How was your day?”
“Fine.” 
“How was your teacher?”
“She is so nice! She is funny too!” 
“Did you make any friends?” 
“Yes. Linda and Susie are really fun.” 
“Did anything interesting happen?” 
“Well...Billy Compton pushed me down in the playground.” 
Stopping the car, my mom turned to my sister and responded, “He did what?!? I cannot believe that. You poor thing! Are you okay? Did you tell the teacher? I wonder if I should talk to his mom.” 
The next day, Mother picked Becky up again. This time, Mother did not even need to ask any questions. 
“Mom, you won’t believe what Billy Compton did today! He called me names and pulled my hair!”  She then waited for my mother’s reaction. 
In that moment, she did something that I personally find extraordinary. She turned to Becky and said, “Oh that Billy Compton is just a silly boy.” Smiling wide and giving her undivided attention, she then added, “Tell me about your teacher. You said she is nice and funny. That sounds like a perfect teacher. You are so lucky. Tell me what makes her nice.” 
My sister was a little surprised at first, but she quickly redirected her attention to the topic of her new favorite teacher. After five minutes of excited explanation, Mother shifted to a new topic, “Did you have fun with Linda and Susie today? Tell me everything that you did together.” 
For 15 minutes, Mom interviewed Becky about the positive aspects of her day. 
She shared this story with me when my wife and I had our first children. She then added an explanation.  
“When I reacted so strongly to the story about Billy, I was telling Becky what stories mattered to me. Those stories would become the definition of her experience at school. I glossed over the good aspects of her day and honed onto the 15 seconds that were unpleasant. By the next day, she could not wait to regale me with new tales of Billy. If I wanted her to see kindergarten as positive, I needed to help direct her attention to the positive aspects.” 
“But did you worry that she would think you did not care about her troubles? Isn’t it important for your child to know that you are 'there for her’?” 
“Of course I was there for her, but I do not have to prove that every moment of every day. By diminishing the importance of Billy, I was helping make Becky stronger. If Billy had been truly cruel, she would not have been so easy to redirect to positive topics. “  
Parents deeply want to be available to their children. They worry that their children might not feel listened to or supported. Empathy and support are important parental skills, but so is emotional leadership."
As I was reading Best Friends, Worst Enemies, I was particularly struck by Thompson’s warning against “interviewing for pain.”
He describes a situation where your child complains about another child’s behavior, and then every day, when your child returns from school, you ask, “So, honey, was Pat mean to you today?”
Thompson points out that children are quick to realize that bad stories about Pat will be a good way to get your attention, and that they may seek to satisfy you, and present the facts in the most attention-grabbing way. Also, Thompson writes,
“I believe that we live the story we tell ourselves–and others–about the life we’re leading…If you constantly interview your child for pain, your child may begin to hear a story of social suffering emerge from her own mouth. Soon she will begin to believe it and will see herself as a victim….
“Please understand that I am not advising you to disbelieve our children, nor am I saying that you should not be empathic…But…don’t interview for pain, don’t nurture resentments, and don’t hold on to ancient history. Kids don’t.”
And although Thompson doesn’t make this point, it also seems to me that by asking this question, we focus a child’s attention on that part of the day. Instead of thinking about the happy interactions that took place, the child tries to remember painful interactions.
Si vous faites ça, vous victimisez votre enfant ....et vous stigmatiser un autre! Ce petit Billy.
Ce sont des enfants. Ils ont tous des qualités et des défauts. Aucun enfant (ni adulte) n'est parfait. Nous avons tous quelque chose à travailler. Je crois que la différence c'est qu'il n'y a pas d'enfant méchant. Lorsqu'un comportement nous parait difficile, c'est un appel à l'aide. Il faut partir du postulat qu'un enfant veut faire plaisir à ses parents, veut bien faire et que s'il ne peut pas, cela le rend malheureux.
Depuis que je m'occupe d'enfants, je n'ai jamais vu un conflit où une seule personne était responsable. Il y a toujours une part de responsabilité de la part de tous les intervenants. (C'est la même chose dans tous les conflits, même ceux parents-enfants ou les divorces et je me mets dans le lot.) C'est pour cela que les meetings sont si importants et qu'ils font partis de la vie de la classe. A chaque fois, que nous voyons un conflit, nous nous asseyons. Nous demandons à chacun d'expliquer son point de vue sans couper la parole à l'autre puis nous demandons: Comment cela aurait pu être évité? Ce que chacun aurait pu faire de mieux pour ne pas en arriver là? Comment il serait possible de réparer? 
Former un couple avec deux personnes n'est pas chose évidente donc former une classe respectueuse de toutes les personnalités n'est pas chose évidente non plus même avec l'aide des médiateurs/éducateurs mais heureusement les enfants ne sont pas figés comme les adultes. Ils apprennent vites, très vites et en 6 mois peuvent se transformer.