How to grow independence

Maria Montessori was a strong believer in fostering independence in children, even at an early age. There are many benefits to cultivating independence in your child. The gift of independence allows children to feel empowered, to feel capable, and, ultimately, to feel they can trust themselves. We want to teach our children to be self-sufficient. There are many ways we can support our children to become independent. The first thing we must do is change our views on our children’s capabilities. We often think that children need our help with certain tasks, but they are very capable of completing the task all on their own the majority of the time. We must provide opportunities for them to be independent.

Here are some ways to encourage independence at home.

• Have your child help pack a lunch for school. They can help you put food in containers, wash fruit and veggies, peel eggs or fruit, and cut food with supervision.
• Have your child pick out clothes and get dressed by them self in the morning.
• Allow your child to pour their own drink.
• Allow your child to help with daily chores at home.
• Set up your environment to make it child friendly. Have a step stool so they can reach things on their own, create a drawer in the kitchen where they can get their own plates/cups.
• For more ideas, please visit https://amshq.org/Families/Montessori-and-Your-Child/Montessori-at-Home

Here are some age-appropriate chores that your child can do at home:

• Put their toys away.
• Throw trash away.
• Set the table.
• Feed pets.
• Wipe up spills.
• Make the bed.
• Water houseplants.
• Clean the dishes.
• Prepare snacks.
• Sweep the floor.
• Fold towels.
• Empty the dishwasher.
• Rake leaves.
• For more age-appropriate chores, visit http://ageofmontessori.org/age-appropriate-chores-for-childrenor-not/

Our class has been studying England. They also have been labeling the Jamestown settlers and the Native Americans on our miniature environment.

Art Shelf:

• Tissue gluing corn
• Building a turkey
• Painting leaves

Calendar of Events

Dec. 6: Winter Fest

Song

Five Little Turkeys
by Jolanda Garcia
Five little turkeys
That I once knew
Fat turkeys, skinny turkeys,
And short turkeys, too.
But the one little turkey
With the loudest gobble,
He led the others with a
gobble-gobble, wobble-wobble.