What? Maria and Siegfried?
Many of us are not educators or homeschoolers yet, and may never be, but are still very interested in helping our children to reach the utmost in their development, both physically and psychologically.
All parents hear of different approaches to helping a child reach the different peaks of development, but don't necessarily know what types of steps the many different approaches are based on. By different approaches, I am speaking of the orientation taken when many experts develop different styles (the basic thread that runs through, and allows each activity to be performed using the same steps over and over, regardless of what the activity may be).
To help us understand the basic principles of each model a little better, I will distinguish between 6 of the most popular curriculum-based approaches to early childhood education.
(The first 2 are listed below with a physical activity for your convenience!)
The Montessori Method
Based on a self-learning environmental approach in which all items are manipulated, there is no room for stress or stressors of any type in the paths followed by our little ones with this method. "Teachers" or "Instructors" do not exist. Individual adults act as guides to gently guide the children through activities. The model is comprehensive, and covers their social, emotional, physical and aesthetic development. It is based on teaching methods developed by Maria Montessori. She realized that children need to manipulate items in their environment in order to learn.
Activity
Teach your preschooler to swim! Gosh, you say, "This time of year?" YES! Put on their suits and let them swim! Take a small baby pool (one that will fit in the kitchen), fill it with water, and show the kids about the forward, backward, and side movements involved in swimming! Try to keep the water warm! (Use pans of warm water from the sink to fill it!) This activity will probably be best suited to use for about 3 days or so. (Since you used all those pans filled with water to fill the pool!) (Talk about fun!!! They will play for hours!) Let them use different measuring cups and spoons to manipulate the water! You can mop up the floor when they are finished for the day! (One downfall: you will have to empty the pool the same way you filled it. But, just think of all the learning they will do!) Seriously, though, this activity will help with their confidence in the water, as well as how gravity works with the body when water is involved! They should be supervised, though, making it a good time to talk about water safety as they play!
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