The Pink Tower is only one of many Montessori
materials Maria Montessori devised to help the child find and free himself.
Seen but not heard, the silent presentation of movement of the graduated sizes
of cubes by a trained teacher makes the experience mysterious. The child’s
psyche is stirred to watch and choose to do independently what he sees. After
he builds the tower, a challenging self-correcting effort when pieces are left
over, he begins again, doing the work over and over many times with great
concentration until his ego claims a relationship, a union, with the cubes—a psychological
foundation of the lesson.
Recalling this work of the child creating his
intelligence, further developing his brain, and feeling the joy of accomplishment
with a fulfilling sense of independence and freedom, I think of times when I
have done the same. I loved to play with blocks, tinker toys, erector sets—all the
toys my children enjoyed as well. I’m reminded of the happiness and joy just
recently of my becoming a published author. Writing, whether it is fiction or
non-fiction, published or not—it all sets me free, creating a new self.
The child in the womb is born and can feel joy in
his creation of a new self every day when he experiences an environment encouraging
him to work independently. In my book: Montessori--Living
the Good Life, I try to explain how freedom of spirit, for the child, is
possible in our homes and schools.
Shelly@awakeparent.com
has some suggestions in an article about independent activities for children. http://www.awakeparent.com/ Shelly/five-steps-independent- play/
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be made below or sent to connieripleylujan@gmail.com
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