Welcome Readers :)

Welcome readers !
Thank you for visiting 'Inside the child' and hope that your time spend reading my blog is educational. It includes my thoughts and approach to a child, based on the Montessori educational philosophy that emphasize on independence, freedom within limits and learning concepts of working with materials hands-on, rather than by direct instructions.

My favorite quote by Dr. Maria Montessori “There is in every child a painstaking teacher, so skillful that he obtains identical results in all children in all parts of the world. The only language men ever speak perfectly is the one they learn in babyhood, when no one can teach them anything!”
As a Children's House Montessori teacher, it is my pleasure to share my experience with children of ages 2 1/2 - 7 yrs old, and how small little things makes a big difference. Enjoy reading. Thank you.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Montessori circle time songs

We all know that there is nothing better than learning through songs. I strongly believe in starting and ending the day with the circle time. I will either present some group activity or simply have a good music time in the circle. Collecting music for the circle time is the hardest and most challenging job for me. All these years I wished if there was a place online where I could just click and get all the Montessori songs.

To make life easier for all the teachers and parents, below are some fun and educational songs -

Start the day song -

1. Start the Day (Original Author Unknown)
Sung to tune: "Merrily we roll along"

Clap your hands to start the day, start the day, start the day
Clap your hands to start the day,
How are you this morning ?
Stomp your feet to start the day, start the day, start the day
Stomp your feet to start the day,
How are you this morning ?
Wiggle your fingers to start the day, start the day, start the day
Wiggle your fingers to start the day, 
In the same way, you can do various actions, or ask the child for an action :) 

2. God Bless America -

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home.

Video - You'll love this video. Thank you You tube.





The Continent Song -
There are many many ways this song can be sung. It's your choice, which ever you like better.

1. Tune : merrily we roll along.
There are 7 continents, continents, continents,
There are 7 continents and I can name them all.
North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica.

Video -
Link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_5VCx8iqE0&feature=related

2.  Video -
Link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDO7FTIj3HU

The weather song -

Tune: Clementine

What's the weather
What's the weather
What's the weather like today
Tell us (Matthew) what's the weather
What's the weather like today
Is it sunny (make big cirlce with arms above head)
Is it cloudy (cover eyes with hands)
Is it rainy out today (rain fingers)
Is it snowy (act cold)
Is it windy (windy arms) today ?

7 Days in a week song -

Sunday , Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
There are 7 days, there are 7 days, there are 7 days in a week. 


Video - 
Link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f77PWrBd8HM

Months of the year songs -
1.  Video -
Link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5enDRrWyXaw&playnext=1&list=PL6CC81AB0E5AB1C28


2. Video -
Link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ3msC5pSk0&feature=related


Dinosaur Song 

ALL AROUND THE SWAMP
SUNG TO: "THE WHEELS ON THE BUS"
THE PTERANODON'S WINGS WENT FLAP, FLAP, FLAP,
FLAP, FLAP, FLAP, FLAP, FLAP, FLAP.
THE PTERANODON'S WINGS WENT FLAP, FLAP, FLAP,
ALL AROUND THE SWAMP.
THE TYRANNOSAURUS REX WENT GRRR, GRRR, GRRR,
GRRR, GRRR, GRRR, GRRR, GRRR, GRRR,
THE TYRANNOSAURUS REX WENT GRRR, GRRR, GRRR,
ALL AROUND THE SWAMP.
THE TRICERATOPS' HORNS WENT WENT POKE, POKE, POKE,
POKE, POKE, POKE, POKE, POKE, POKE,
THE TRICERATOPS' HORNS WENT WENT POKE, POKE, POKE
ALL AROUND THE SWAMP.
THE BRONTOSAURUS WENT MUNCH, MUNCH, MUNCH,
MUNCH, MUNCH, MUNCH, MUNCH, MUNCH, MUNCH,
THE BRONTOSAURUS WENT MUNCH, MUNCH, MUNCH,
ALL AROUND THE SWAMP.
THE STEGOSAURUS' TAIL WENT SPIKE, SPIKE, SPIKE,
SPIKE, SPIKE, SPIKE, SPIKE, SPIKE, SPIKE,
THE STEGOSAURUS' TAIL WENT SPIKE, SPIKE, SPIKE,
ALL AROUND THE SWAMP.


Video - The wheels on the bus go round and round

Link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2dCO3enPfk&feature=related

Thank you to all the people who shared their precious videos on you tube !
Hope you all will have fun learning through music.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Indoor fun !

I remember when I was a kid, I used to join 2 chairs upside down and cover them with a sheet to make my fantasy tent. There were times when I used to live in my tent like, eat, sleep and study. I used also play with friends and family in it. Living/playing in the self-made tent is one of my favourite memories from childhood :)

Why not we try our best to give our children these everlasting memories too. Now-a-days there are so many creative and fun tents available in the market.

In our school, we have lots of fun indoor tents for children to play in winter (mostly). These tents, also help in developing large motor skills. Yes, we have running, yoga and playing outside as other large motor activities, but in some places where we have to compromise on going outside due to harsh cold weather, blizzards or hurricanes, these tents come in very useful. Some interesting tents are:

Picture taken from the website. So calm and serene and a great idea to encourage learning the guitar !

Picture website. Children love this. They get to crawl and hide and have fun !

where to buy this, click here. Yayyy !!!

Picture courtesy. and you can accommodate this inside your home !
Picture courtesy. Love this one too !

 These tents are available in all the department stores in the children's section. Check the link here for more options ! It is so much fun being a child !


Have fun :)

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Nurturing the Spirit

Nurturing the Spirit: In Non-Sectarian Classrooms

by
    

It is a big conflict in my mind that there are so many people who are unable to understand the benefits and the structure of the Montessori classroom environment. The Montessori activities are designed based on the scientific methods of control and error, observation, logical reasoning and those that we can use in our daily life. The classroom structure influence independence, freedom, co-ordination and involves activities that encourages a child to help in concentrating. I wonder, why some people are unable to recognize the value of these fundamentals ?!

 

It is not too hard to accept or believe that every spirit need to be free and independent. Yes, knowledge plays an important role but is feeding the knowledge makes more sense or creating an environment to nurture the mind, heart and spirit to retain that knowledge makes more sense !? So far, Montessori classrooms has the most advanced knowledge based activities than any other day care. It gives children from the ages 3-6 years old an opportunity to do Science, Geography, History, Multiplication, and reading books with 8-9 letter words, all at the same time !

 

This book "Nurturing the Spirit" is a very good way to understand the basics of life, nurturing and building the environment for our children. It tells us how the child grows independently with defined freedom and absorbs all the knowledge from the classroom, house, and the environment where the lives.


Thank you for Reading !