Working with wood and tools

I'd love to have a shelf in the classroom devoted exclusively to materials related to tools and wood working. It's so hard to resist when I go to the hardware store and there is a tool that looks like it's made for small hands. I've had my partner make us some materials based on the function of some tools and hardware and they are really popular in the classroom. The control of error is really clear, the materials require lots of concentration and careful work with the hands, and since there are usually a number of screws to put in or take out, repetition is built into the material. And although you can't see it in the picture, each set of blocks has a builder's triangle chiseled out on one side so that the children know how to join the blocks so that all the screws will fit.

If you like this kind of thing too, there is a fantastic little book called "Children Can Build" by Susan Scheibenzuber from Laughing Star Montessori complete with presentations to be given on a little classroom workbench for projects using wood and real tools. It includes presentations such as:

Sawing Sticks
Sawing Foam Core
Using a Hand Drill
Using a Sanding Block
Using a Vise

I dream that one day we'll have our own workbench too!


In the meantime, this is what we have:

Using a Philips screw driver to join two blocks of wood:





Using a Flathead screw driver to join two blocks of wood:



Using a hex key to join two blocks of wood together (Warning- this is a dangerous one to teach the children when most of your furniture comes from Ikea):



Putting two blocks together using bolts, washers and wing nuts:



Not pictured because they are yet to be put on the shelf:

Hammering into a block of wood and removing the nails.

Polishing wood with linseed oil.

Inner Observation

Observation takes some serious self discipline. It is hard to stay focused in a room that is sometimes loud, when a child is rolling around the floor, when the three hours go by so fast and lessons could be given! I have to hold my energy back and my judgment. Sometimes what I really "need to be doing" at those moments is to just sit there, observe without judging, see what is really there. In the end, that is a much better starting point for responding to the children's needs than my sometimes frantic putting out of fires.

Based on the fantastic lecture given by Molly O'Shaughnessy at the AMI Refresher Course that took place a few weeks ago in Florida, Jessica and I have put together a list of self observation tasks that we will practice and discuss at each weeks end.

Concentration takes practice! I think that beyond that, focused observation takes humility, friendliness with error, and honesty. Especially when it comes to self observation. Whatever we find within ourselves by the end of the weeks, we will try to improve on by practicing deliberately. Repetition, just like the children.

Tasks:

Notice words and phrases that you repeat a lot each day. Notice how you are saying them. Write them down. Are they effectively communicating your intention? Is there a better/clearer/more respectful way to say what you are trying to say?

Notice exactly what you are modeling when you are taking to a child. Visualize being/feeling how you want the child to behave/feel.

Notice what you are saying to yourself during the day. Notice how the hour and your level of energy. If you are noticing yourself becoming tired/anxious/impatient is there something you can do to help yourself? Ex: take a break, take out the yoga mat, have a snack, go outside for a minute, do the individual silence exercise. During those moments, practice thinking new and positive thoughts.

Examine your preconceived notions and assumptions about each child. Notice what you say about each child. Notice your judgments and recognize that they may be erroneous. Practice visualizing the child at his best. Recognize the child's progress, regardless of how minimal.

Attend to your own focus, mindfulness and attention. What are you concentrating on? Practice paying attention to everything that is going beautifully.

Create space for observations. Take time to observe each other and the opportunity to learn from each other through these observations.

What the world needs.

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." -- Dr. Howard Thurman.

Non Verbal Signals.

Using non-verbal signals in the classroom cuts down on the noise and on possible confusion. It is a clear and direct way to get the children's attention, or to let them share something with me or others without having to tell us. Here are some signals we use:

Signals for the whole group:

The triangle: One high pitched strike on the triangle means stop your work and come to the line. We use this when we have whole group lessons or when it's time to gather for something. It is a whole group signal.

The soft voices bell: When the volume escalates a bit too much, I touch two little Sri Lankan bells together and it's supposed to remind the children to use a softer voice when talking.


"Silence": When written on a small chalkboard and shown across the room, the children know we are starting a whole group silence game.


Bird in and out of the nest picture: my friend Annie has a picture of a bird in a nest that flips to the other side where the bird is out of the nest. She uses this as a signal for going outside.


Individual signs:

Bathroom sign: The bathroom may be used by one person at a time and when you go in, you turn the sign to "stop" and when you leave, you flip it to "go".



Garden Work Necklace: One person may choose to work outside by donning the Garden Work necklace. It lets me know someone is outside when I don't see it hanging on its hook.


Walking on the line necklace: One person may walk on the line at a time with the necklace on. This prevents the confusion of two people approaching the line at the same time.



The lunch chefs chart: Lets the children know which three people will be working in the kitchen making lunch that day.




(If you have signals for other things, post them in comments!)

" Look around and you will see a family, community, we are brothers sisters all"

This week we had our second parent evening of the year and instead of what I'm absolutely more comfortable with (a lecture, bullet points, powerpoint- yes, I know it can be boring, but)we had a "Community Building Night".

I think the activities of the evening were perfectly fitting for a first parent night of the year, but better late than never.

There were three parts to the evening, that was scheduled from 7:30-9:30 on a Friday night.

Post it wall: Upon arriving, parents were given a post it note where they were asked to write something that perhaps not everyone would know about them. The wall we used was in the middle of our room where everyone would kind of saunter by and read and comment on what others had written. It was interesting to find out that some of the parents in our community are or used to be very proficient at certain sports, speak all varieties of languages, have special talents and skills. This worked well for conversation starters.

Introductions: I've never done this before because I always dread it when I'm at a function somewhere and they ask each person to stand and say something about themselves. But finally I caved in. The introductions are done for a reason! With that brief bit of information you do get to know the person a little better. Interestingly enough, since we did this six months into the school year, parents decided to speak about what their experience at the school has been. This was a wonderfully bonding experience. Parents compared their prior school experiences to what their children are going through now (thankfully everyone spoke very positively).

Trivia: And to end the night, I had written up a set of trivia questions. Parents had a number on their name tag which is how the teams were made up. There were two topics: Montessori Theory and Practice, and Classroom Life. The first set of questions was based on information that I thought would be valuable for the parents to know (ex: According to Dr. Montessori at which age are children the most capable of absorbing information?) plus some popular culture questions related to Montessori (ex: who was Not a graduate of Montessori school: Bill Gates, The founders of Google, Anne Frank, Hugo Chavez). The second set of questions was specifically about the children in the class, the teachers, and school policies (ex: What is the latest time at which you are supposed to pick up your child from school every day?) There were prizes (visors that light up, just in time for Carnival!) and it was loads of fun.


Parents had brought appetizers and drinks which made it much easier for us. They also took home fresh baked bread that the children had made earlier that day.

It was the most successful and happily attended parent night I've ever hosted and truly felt like a room full of friends by the evening's end.

Pure Joy

from OK Go- Of the blue colour of the sky - This too shall pass


"You can't stop these kids from dancin'.
Why would you want to?

'Cause if your mind don't move and your knees don't bend,
well don't go blaming the kids again."

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass from OK Go on Vimeo.

The Power of Focussing on the Positive

"The universe is created by what you choose to focus your attention on." from ZENCAST podcast titled "Choices"

We've been trying a little experiment in the classroom, Jessica (my assistant) and I, where we try to keep our attention on the positive elements of the environment. We are trying to notice more during observation the moments of concentration and of discovery. When we meet at the end of the day, we first share the highlights we witnessed in the day. Children who are notoriously mischievous are praised after spells no matter how short of normalized-like behavior. We are keeping the negative talk to a minimum. And in communication with parents, I am trying to accentuate the progress aspects rather than the areas needing work. During a meeting with a parent about some seriously troublesome behavior from her child, all of my suggestions revolved around her giving him attention for his constructive behavior, no matter how short spanned, and cutting to a minimum the scolding/nagging/pessimistic comments.

This practice is changing my life. I am feeling better every day. More motivated to go to the classroom in the mornings. Happier. Feeling better about our school.

Sure, realistically speaking there are many shortcomings, mistakes, problems at school, but choosing to celebrate the small affirmative moments makes the time and effort feel worth it.

Reef fish and creatures cards- for you!

In preparation for a snorkeling field trip to the beach, we're learning all about the wildlife of the coral reef. This is the first set of cards I'll be presenting, and coming up later will be the types of reefs cards. Mind you, these are pretty specific to the Caribbean and to our region in particular, but I'd guess would still be interesting for any group doing things related to the ocean.

Patience, Humor, and Self Forgiveness

Awakening Now

Why wait for your awakening?
The moment your eyes are open,
seize the day. Would you hold
back when the Beloved beckons?
Would you deliver your litany
of sins like a child's collection
of sea shells, prized and labeled?
"No, I can't step across the
threshold," you say, eyes
downcast. "I'm not worthy"
I'm afraid, and my motives
aren't pure. I'm not perfect,
and surely I haven't practiced
nearly enough. My meditation
isn't deep, and my prayers are
sometimes insincere. I still chew
my fingernails, and the refrigerator
isn't clean." Do you value your
reasons for staying small more
than the light shining through
the open door? Forgive yourself.

Now is the only time you have
to be whole. Now is the sole
moment that exists to live in
the light of your true Self.
Perfection is not a prerequisite
for anything but pain. Please,
oh please, don't continue to
believe in your disbelief.
This is the day of your awakening.

Dana Faulds

Dark Room Time

I was always fascinated by the idea my 3-6 trainer mentioned about children needing a quiet time for processing information after a long spell of concentration in order to "incarnate" the new knowledge. She called it "dark room time" after the idea that it's much like processing of film.

It's not uncommon to see a child after an intense work choose something a little lighter, or wander around for a little before they can commit to something else. Like they're working through what they just experienced.

For our school this year, I chose to have a lengthy 3 week winter break, finding it a good time for both the children and the staff to really separate from school and recharge. Today I was thinking that the break is also like a dark room time. Everyone has come back to the school this week seemingly more than they were before.

And curiously, where I have personally experienced this feeling of dark room processing time the most recently has been in my kite surfing training. Maybe it's most obvious with motor skills... Two months ago I decided to give this new sport a try. It involves lots of new movements with my body, simultaneous awareness of body and kite, and awareness of the wind. All of it jumbled together into a very intense learning process.

I take one two hour lesson only once a week because I think it's almost necessary to have a whole week go by without kiting for my body to process what it's learned. When I come back to the beach that many days later, I feel that I understand completely what I did the past lesson. Never more so than during what felt like a qualitative leap when I took 3 weeks off from the lessons during these vacations. I returned to the kite feeling like I had mastered it during our time apart!

It makes me reflect on the importance of quality rest and sleep, and time apart from school in order to fully gain the understanding that comes from our work.

Old New Stuff from another Montessori prodigy