Practical Life - Process vs. Result

Each of our Children's House classrooms has an area devoted to Practical Life works -- which are simple, everyday activities we routinely perform as adults to "maintain and control our environment."  I bet you don't think about washing dishes, watering your plants, setting the table, dusting the cabinet or washing your hands as "controlling your environment" but that is exactly what you're doing!  These activities are more or less completely utilitarian, and for us adults, the satisfaction is in the end result versus the process. 

Your child has watched you complete these sorts of activities from an early age, and has a strong desire to copy them as a way of adapting to the world around them.  The big difference for your child versus you is that he or she is much more interested in the process of the activity versus the result.  It is not to say that the completion of a task for a child isn't important -- far from it!  Successful completion of tasks which appear useful help build their self-esteem and feelings of importance.  But the performance of these types of tasks fulfill the very basic need your child has to feel independent, which is an itch we all know they feel compelled to scratch on a daily basis. 

Maria Montessori herself felt that involving children in Practical Life activities at home was an integral part of the parents' role in Montessori education, so here are some tips to help you get started (and if you're Type-A like me, it may take a few attempts until you find your groove):

  • Never give your child "pretend" tools, like toy versions of cleaning equipment or utensils.  They will soon discover they don't work as intended, and will most likely grow frustrated and give up.  
  • Yes, giving your child a knife is an exercise in trust.  But no one is suggesting handing over the Wusthof!  A butter knife is plenty sharp to cut a peeled banana, and will leave all fingers attached.  Providing real tools will help teach them the skills they need to continue to complete tasks successfully, and how to treat the tool with the respect and safety it deserves.  
  • Repeat repeat repeat!  When you first show your child how to do something, take each step slowly, and give them time to absorb each one before moving on to the next.  And then let them repeat as many times as they would like -- repetition is learning!  If the task is how to fold a napkin, the first 23 times may be haphazard, but it's that 24th time where the edges line up perfectly that will be the greatest delight.  


 

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