Key Areas in the Hometessori Basic Collection

Sensorial

The sensorial area plays a crucial role in a child's development as they use their senses to understand the world. Dr. Montessori refers to the sense organs as "organs of relationship" since the child's first experience with the environment is through the senses, and all impressions are stored in the mind and become the building blocks of intelligence. Our goal is to help the child refine their sense impressions.

The sensorial materials refine the senses of a child by training their reception and expression. The child receives sense impressions from the environment. The brain receives, interprets, and processes these sense impressions which lead to the child's perception. The materials focus on these senses, including visual, auditory, gustatory, and tactile senses.

In Montessori, we always follow a gradual progression from simple to complex, especially in the sensorial area. We also move from general to specific, starting with knowing the triangle and progressing to the different kinds of triangles. Additionally, we move from greatest to least contrast, such as the pink tower with three overall differences then to the red rods with only one. Finally, we prioritize moving from concrete to abstract, prioritizing hands-on experience before learning the language.

Language

Language is a fundamental aspect of human civilization, shaping our environment and allowing us to communicate ideas and emotions. Understanding the steps involved in developing speech, reading, and writing skills is essential, not only for educational purposes but also for the childs personal growth.

Dr. Montessori recognized the significance of children learning to write before reading, making writing a pivotal activity at the primary level, contrasting with other educational systems that may overly emphasize reading over writing, to the detriment of students, teachers, and society as a whole. Children possess inherent abilities that help them acquire language, such as the absorbent mind, sensitive periods, and human tendencies. These innate gifts should not only be acknowledged but harnessed based on the child's interests and life experiences. Language is not merely a subject but a joyful discovery. Adults should facilitate this discovery by making language exploration engaging and enjoyable.

Math

Mathematics is an integral part of our daily lives, relevant to all. It plays a crucial role in education by aiding children in organizing their thoughts. In a Montessori setting, we provide scientifically designed materials while also addressing and assessing each child's challenges.

Montessori Math involves a sequence of concrete, symbolic representation, and linking concepts together. Children are first introduced to Math in the sensorial area, where they interact with materials of ten interconnected pieces with precise measurements such as the pink tower, brown stair, red rods, and more. Through hands-on experience, children acquire the ability to extract abstract concepts and comprehend different forms of language, even Mathematic terminologies.

The child is encouraged to fully explore the presented material before progressing, while also keeping his interest in the succeeding materials. Abstraction is not simply taught but rather an internal realization of comprehension. Therefore, it is crucial to proceed gradually, allowing understanding to unfold naturally.

Practical Life

The exercises of Practical Life are tasks encompassing the basic, simple, everyday actions that adults perform to organize, maintain, restore, and enhance their environment. Children naturally gravitate towards real work, observing these tasks regularly but often lacking genuine opportunities to participate in maintaining their surroundings.

The primary goal of practical life exercises is to achieve the seamless harmony between the mind and body, enabling the child to master purposeful movement and concentrate on tasks independently. The practical life exercises aid in intellectual development by enhancing memory, concentration, understanding sequences, and purposeful work.