If you enter the classroom of any Montessori preschool in Singapore, you would hear lots of noises and see different fun activities of children. The young kids never love to stay quiet or to remain attentive for a very long period. Surely, the attention span of most of the infants and kids are short. With the direction of Montessori teachers, children can concentrate on their chosen activities. Thus, we can say that kids are always self-motivated. However, Montessori teaching technique has the potential to make the kids more mindful and to grow natural concentration with their physical development.
Maria Montessori’s thoughts and mindfulness training–
Maria Montessori opened her first school in 1907. However, the trend of making kids mindfulness through Montessori education is new. We know the science of body and mind connection. That is why Montessori teachers also apply this science to nurture mindfulness in the young ones.
Although Dr. Montessori never used the term, like mindfulness, she had a belief on internal motivation and sustained focus. She applied the best methods for promoting intense level of concentration during the early learning period. Moreover, her main approach was to develop motor skills that stimulate deeper concentration and cognitive improvement.
The kids (of age group, ranging from 3 to 4 years) of Montessori enrichment classes in Singapore deal with various activities- pouring, polishing and sweeping. These are real-life activities, making the kids, more independent. At the same time, these cognitive developments also result in higher attention and more concentration.
In the world of education, it is vital to focus on academics. By focusing on this fact, Maria Montessori once mentioned the importance of making the children ready to learn. The modern Montessori trainers continue looking at the major factors, promoting readiness. The children in a perfectly prepared environment of a Montessori academy will have autonomy and independence. Surely, the Montessori classroom is the safest community to every child.
What is mindfulness?
Let us clarify you the concept of mindfulness. This is a special quality to remain focused and more attentive to your present moment. To say in simple words, mindfulness grows a high awareness-
- Of yourself
- Of your present situation
- Of your surrounding
Blending mindfulness training and Montessori training
You may have heard that a mindfulness training session is highly valuable to the adults. However, Montessori teachers believe that their teaching method would help the kids to be mindful, to have higher concentration and to be more independent.
The question is- How would the Montessori trainers integrate mindfulness training?
If you visit a Montessori academy, you can find that the teachers are asking the kids to walk on the line. This type of activity is the walking meditation. It helps the kids to learn the way of placing of their feet in front of another one. This activity also encourages balance and is valuable as a practical life lesson.
In the Montessori classroom, the kids learn the way of developing emotional intelligence. They can do it by recognizing the emotion and by showing reactions to it. Montessori teachers train them with the technique of concentrating on the present moment without making any judgment. The kids also learn to name various emotions and response appropriately to those emotions
Steps to teach mindfulness to children–
- To adopt self-care techniques- When Montessori trainers apply these techniques, the students would realize that their teachers are controlling their body and mild. Thus, it would encourage students to try out those techniques.
- To develop common language- The kids know the way of identifying stressors, like tiredness, sadness and anger. Montessori teachers help the kids to acquire breathing skills and to do calming activities. While the children repeatedly deal with these skills and activities, they will grow mindfulness.
Thus, we have presented you with the information of how your kids will have the best mindfulness training through Montessori education in Singapore. Clearer and more alert mind would make your kids more matured.
