When one imagines conventional educational methods, they might picture a scene like this: stiff desks that restrict flexible seating, blank whiteboards that fail to excite, and an overall lack of movement. Though traditional classrooms like this have existed for centuries, re-emerging modern principles have revealed that they are both out-of-date and unsuccessful at providing children with an engaging education.
Fortunately, there are various new solutions that parents and teachers can utilize to make their children excited to learn. Of these, Montessori principles are one of the most compelling, as its educational values prioritize a learning environment that encourages movement.
Whether by providing floor desks and lap desks for kids to personalize how they wish to retain information or activities that ask students to move around their classroom. Montessori principles are perfect for nurturing independence in children. In this article, we’ll be examining some of the ways it’s successful in doing so.
Students Make the Choice to Learn No matter how obedient your child might be, there will always be moments when they refuse to perform an activity they’re told to do. This could be anything from cleaning their rooms to reading a book, and the phenomenon carries over to education: Children have a harder time learning when their experience is filtered through the commands of others.
Montessori principles flip this issue on its head by allowing children to choose how they want to work freely. When students come to class, they’re presented with various activities to learn. Once they make their choice, flexible seating arrangements allow them to work on the subject for as long as they wish before moving onto another. Providing such respect for the child plays a key part in developing their independence.
Though this seems like a relatively simple improvement, its long-term effects are astounding. Because they have unrestricted choice and control over their personalized learning experience, research proves that Montessori students reflect “significantly greater gains on measures of executive function, reading, math, vocabulary, and social problem-solving.”
Unrestricted Movement Keeps Students Engaged It has long been understood that movement during class maintains student engagement and improves their overall academic performance. As such, it’s no surprise to find that this is another central principle of Montessori education.
Since cognition and movement coexist closely, students in these environments are encouraged to remain active. When provided with supplies such as floor desks and standing tables, children can enjoy an enhanced learning experience that is personalized to their individual needs and interests. Compared to static, conventional school settings that restrict students down to where or when they can take a seat, the benefits are clear. Providing Your Child with A Montessori Education Even if your child isn’t enrolled in a school that follows Montessori principles, you can still provide them with the same experience at home.
One of the easiest ways to start is by providing your child with flexible seating that lets them learn anywhere they want. To begin your search, we recommend the DidiDesk, an innovative and portable lap desk for kids that can transform into nearly any setup imaginable. Try and watch them enjoy the benefits of a Montessori education for years to come.
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