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Caring for our Environment
Keeping a clean, orderly classroom is important in a Montessori environment. The practical life activities teach children how to take care of the space around them—from physically cleaning to, on a deeper level, appreciating one’s environment. At Montessori Kilbirnie, we support our tamariki in caring for their environment right from the beginning.
This all starts in our Nido room (under 2 space), where they learn to tidy up their mahi (work), put their dishes away, water the plants, sweep the floor and help their kaiako (teachers) to reset their classroom.
Our youngest tamariki love getting involved and being invited to take part in caring for environment. They love to water the plants and often go to the back garden and help water the plants in preschool.
Our kaiako model how to clean and they are then invited to join in - sweeping up sand is a favourite of many!
In doing practical life activities, the child can develop a high level of concentration, develop a sense of order, take pride in completing a job, increase independence, develop respect for their community and surroundings, and improve fine motor skills—both in general and with an eye to the particular skills that a child will need for more cognitively demanding work such as reading, writing, and mathematics.