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Showing posts with label sensitive periods. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sensitive periods. Show all posts

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Help me to get closer to God, by myself

CGS is a program where it applies Montessori principles to the religious formation of children. The course that I attended recently (level 1) was for children ages 3-6 years old. These are the group of children in the formation years. Absorbent mind and sensitive periods are being acknowledged, as those are the inner mechanisms that aid a child's development during these period.

Again, the vital 3 principles of Montessori:

  1. Prepared Environment (which in this case is called the Atrium - a place of prayer, meditation, quiet and peaceful)
  2. Child-directed activity (child choose their own work)
  3. Adult as servant & observer (catechists are not teachers, they introduce work to the child and during this sensitive period, child will get closer to God by himself)




This course is more than meets the eye... As much as I wanted to introduce to my darlings at home, I have to admit that I too was touched and overwhelmed with the whole learning experience. It made me realised that how small and ignorant I am being one of His creations!

So many things to learn and to discover, I realised that this is the journey that both my children and I, towards getting closer to Him.



I have completed the first 50 hours of the CGS Level 1. I hope I am able to return for my Part 2, that is the next 50 hours. At the same time, I want to make my own materials.... just need time for it! Not sure if I can!

This is just the begining.. Will share more!

Friday, October 26, 2007

lil Nosey

Nosing around at his best, annoys his MaMa... Lately, with his languange explosion, he always answer back everything that I tell / ask him to do..
"Wait first, am busy"
"No need"
"I finish my 'work' first"
"Dont titurb (disturb) me"

He has been quite verbal and express his emotion very well.. Recently, he started using 3 syllabel word like difficult (which he pronounced it as 'titikel'), colourful, etc.
"Mama, so titikel to scoop" when he has difficulty scooping his food.
"Wah, so many colourful lights!"

He loves to earsdrop people's conversation. He would always ask,
"What did PaPa said?"
"Kungkung said what?"
"what are those people talking about?"...

He is also very observant esp when a particular arrangement in the house has been re-arranged, as small as a tiny piece of torn paper on the desk.
"Hey, somebody!! Somebody took the thing and put there!!"
When I tried to explained to him that it is where it should be, he would reply,"No, it was over there, and SOMEBODY put it here! Please put back.."

He is quite good with polishing his PaPa & KungKung by using the Magic Word,"Plleeeeeasseee" and kusme (excuse Me).... that would just melt the adults' heart..

He speaks few languages at home, mostly English, Hakka, Mandarin, a little Malay & my broken Kadazan.. The learning process works like magic for him as he doesnt show any difficulty in learning any of the languages. I was told by one of my Montessori lecturers that a child is able to learn four languages at a time, the main language is the one that is spoken by his mom, of course!

So much of a lil Montessori kid! It can be very irritating and tiring to accomodate his demand, but I believe whatever is going through his mind is because of the sensitive period in him. During this time, a young child has a special capability in learning a certain things in a particular time frame given, as compared to an older child.

Dr. Montessori believed that a child was the teacher in that we should observe our children to know what stage of learning or sensitive period they are in. Here is the most used chart for the sensitive periods in the Montessori approach:

Sensitive Periods for learning
Birth to 3 years:
The absorbent mind-the mind soaks up information like a sponge
Sensory learning and experiences: The child uses all five senses-touch, taste, feel, sight, and hearing-to understand and absorb information about his or her environment

1 ½ to 3 years:
Language explosion-a child builds his or her future foundation for language at this period.

1 ½ to 4 years:
Development and coordination of fine and large muscle skills, advanced developing grasp and release skill spawns an interest in any small object (usually dangerous ones on the floor).

2 to 4 years:

Very mobile with greater coordination and refinement of movement, increased interest in language and communication (they love to tell stories- true or not!), aware of spatial relationships, matching, sequence and order of objects

2 ½ to 6 years:
Works well incorporating all five senses for learning and adapting to environment

3 to 6 years:
Interest and admiration of the adult world, they want to copy and mimic adults-such as parents and teachers. One of the few times most children are very open to their parents and other adults.

4 to 5 years:
Using one’s hands and fingers in cutting, writing and art. Their tactile senses are very developed and acute.

4 ½ to 6 years:
Reading and math readiness, and eventually, reading and math skills.

Once the child has pass this period, the 'magic' of learning process has gone!

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