“If we think that teaching is simply standing at the front and lecturing our students, we limit them to only being as smart as us.”
By actually observing how our children learn, we provide valuable insights into how they operate independently, who they are and what they love.
As you observe, ask yourself these questions:
• How do they research?
• What happens when things go wrong?
• Where do they like to work best?
• How long can they concentrate for?
• Who do they like to work with?
• Do they need down time?
But more importantly, by inspiring them and stepping back, we allow our children to foster their own excitement around a subject, we encourage them to take the lead.
At my school there is an eight year old boy who knows every species of crab on earth. He knows their predator, their prey and their biome. And when you ask him what he wants to be. He says “A marine biologist.”
And I’m sure that he will be. If I had to teach him about crabs, I’d be researching on google the night before.
Our job though, is to allow him to be a marine biologist everyday, using our knowledge of the curriculum to make links between maths, history, English and science.
“Making strong curriculum links to real life, fosters a deep love of learning.”
#education #montessori #teacher
