Why my child won't listen?
I get asked this question quite often. Are you interested to know what Maria Montessori's view on this?
We played walking on the line, he couldn't walk in straight line and wiggled like a worm on the chair, pushed the chair with his butts and gave out loud noise, couldn't solve a 10-piece puzzles and wouldn't pick them up when he didn't want to continue.
When we played silence game, he couldn't hear his name being called even though I called his names louder and louder for about 10 times.
By the third or fourth day, he jumped up when I just whispered his name from another corner of the classroom.
One of those paradox of Montessori education. If you want your child to listen, you don't speak louder and louder so they can hear, but to bring him silence and quietness, so that he learned to listen carefully.
Dr. Montessori invented this game when she was working with children who were partially deaf. She found that partially deaf children’s hearing was often improved when they learned to listen carefully to sounds.
Today is the last school day of his third week, he has not broken anything since the last pitcher, he is also able to sit down for 20 minutes, completing a 20 piece puzzle, all by himself. To me, that's a big achievement for the child.
Wrapping It Up: Here's What We Found
- Adaptability to Environment: Initially disruptive behaviors can be moderated with consistent and patient guidance, demonstrating that children are highly adaptable.
- Effective Teaching Methods: Traditional disciplinary methods, like raising one's voice, may not be as effective as Montessori techniques such as the Silence Game, which cultivate intrinsic skills like attentive listening.
- Progress Through Patience: Significant improvements in behavior and focus, such as sitting still for extended periods and completing more complex tasks, can be achieved relatively quickly with the right educational strategies.
- Customized Learning Approaches: Each child's unique needs and behaviors can be addressed through tailored Montessori activities, helping them integrate better into the classroom environment.
- Impact of Consistent Practice: Regular practice of Montessori activities like Walking on the Line enhances basic skills essential for academic and personal growth.
What Can We Do Next?
- Embrace Patience: Understand that changes in behavior and learning take time. Regular and consistent practice of Montessori methods yields the best results.
- Focus on the Environment: Create a calm and structured environment at home that mirrors the Montessori classroom settings. This consistency helps reinforce learning and behavior.
- Engage in Montessori Activities: Incorporate simple Montessori activities at home, such as the Silence Game or sorting games, to develop focus and self-discipline.
- Monitor Progress and Adjust: Observe your child’s response to different activities and be flexible in adjusting methods to better suit their individual learning style and pace.
- Learn Montessori Principles: Invest time to understand the core principles of Montessori education. This knowledge will help you better support your child’s learning and development at home.
- Communication is Key: Regularly communicate with your child’s Montessori teacher to gain insights into their progress and to ensure consistency between home and school learning environments.
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