Click here The Montessori Classroom – Sensorial Area
There are many activities or materials to choose from In the Montessori classroom. Sensorial is an important area in the Montessori classroom. The Montessori Method believes that the child learns best from hands-on learning materials. The Sensorial area is a prime example of materials offered to the child to express many concepts. The Sensorial area consists of models of: size, dimension, texture, weight, smell, taste, color and sound that are included in this area of the Montessori classroom as well as comparisons, similarities and differences of all sensory developments. These concepts can be discovered, explored, repeated and perfected in this hands-on area of the Montessori classroom.
To best learn abstract concepts the child can physically manipulate these materials which are designed to teach specific sensory lessons. In the Sensorial curriculum, each of the five senses are offered engaging and meaningful materials for the children to enjoy, manipulate and internalize. The sequencing of materials begins in the Everyday Living/Practical Life area of the room and continues in this area. New activities or ideas are added such as: concrete to abstract, hand to mind, motor to cognitive, sensorial to intellectual, experience to expression, silence to language, and much more.
Montessori materials help children learn the development of order. The development of concentration and fine motor skills help make the child ready for other areas of the classroom. The use of “base ten” directly prepares a child for math, and tracing shapes with fingers develops skills for writing.
The Sensorial materials direct aims are: refinement of the ability to observe, compare, discriminate, differentiate, reason, solve problems, and appreciate the world. Indirect aims are different for each material. Some examples of these indirect aims are: matching, grading, sorting and tracing.
The Sensorial area of the Montessori classroom speaks to each of the child’s senses: sight, sound, taste, touch and smell. We go one step further to say that this area also touches the child’s sense of wonder. The use and exploration of the materials in this area helps the child define abstract ideas involving these senses. Being able to hold an object as it is shown to be, the same color as, longer, thicker, larger or smaller than another object creates helps the child understand these concepts more readily than without hands-on materials.
In the Montessori classrooms the focus is on hands-on materials. The Montessori method emphasizes the process, not the product. It is also good to Note, that in a Montessori classroom we refer to the items in the classroom as: activities, materials or works. We refrain from labeling these as “toys” because children are truly at work when they are in the classroom. They are doing the work of childhood which means that they are learning through play. Play is an invaluable process of building knowledge. While using Montessori materials, the child is learning and developing countless valuable skills.
There are many activities or materials to choose from In the Montessori classroom. Sensorial is an important area in the Montessori classroom. The Montessori Method believes that the child learns best from hands-on learning materials. The Sensorial area is a prime example of materials offered to the child to express many concepts. The Sensorial area consists of models of: size, dimension, texture, weight, smell, taste, color and sound that are included in this area of the Montessori classroom as well as comparisons, similarities and differences of all sensory developments. These concepts can be discovered, explored, repeated and perfected in this hands-on area of the Montessori classroom.
To best learn abstract concepts the child can physically manipulate these materials which are designed to teach specific sensory lessons. In the Sensorial curriculum, each of the five senses are offered engaging and meaningful materials for the children to enjoy, manipulate and internalize. The sequencing of materials begins in the Everyday Living/Practical Life area of the room and continues in this area. New activities or ideas are added such as: concrete to abstract, hand to mind, motor to cognitive, sensorial to intellectual, experience to expression, silence to language, and much more.
Montessori materials help children learn the development of order. The development of concentration and fine motor skills help make the child ready for other areas of the classroom. The use of “base ten” directly prepares a child for math, and tracing shapes with fingers develops skills for writing.
The Sensorial materials direct aims are: refinement of the ability to observe, compare, discriminate, differentiate, reason, solve problems, and appreciate the world. Indirect aims are different for each material. Some examples of these indirect aims are: matching, grading, sorting and tracing.
The Sensorial area of the Montessori classroom speaks to each of the child’s senses: sight, sound, taste, touch and smell. We go one step further to say that this area also touches the child’s sense of wonder. The use and exploration of the materials in this area helps the child define abstract ideas involving these senses. Being able to hold an object as it is shown to be, the same color as, longer, thicker, larger or smaller than another object creates helps the child understand these concepts more readily than without hands-on materials.
In the Montessori classrooms the focus is on hands-on materials. The Montessori method emphasizes the process, not the product. It is also good to Note, that in a Montessori classroom we refer to the items in the classroom as: activities, materials or works. We refrain from labeling these as “toys” because children are truly at work when they are in the classroom. They are doing the work of childhood which means that they are learning through play. Play is an invaluable process of building knowledge. While using Montessori materials, the child is learning and developing countless valuable skills.