Montessori Philosophy: The Power of Observation
In a scientific environment, observation is very important. Scientists learn a lot through what they can objectively observe and use the data for further research. As Maria Montessori was a scientist herself, it is not surprising that she utilized this tool when working with children.
Observations can be very enlightening. Often when we are interacting with our children, we are too involved to see the whole picture. When we sit back and observe without interacting, it is easier to see things that are happening. Sometimes we need only sit and watch for a few minutes, other times we can sit and watch for a longer period of time. One of the best times to sit back and observe is when we see that our child is struggling with something or something does not seem to be working for my child or our routine.
Fixing a Problem
In my own house, we typically enter and exit through the kitchen. We have a coat rack for adults and low hooks for children’s coats. We do not typically remove shoes when we come in, so shoe storage is in the bedrooms. This has always been my routine and I find it works well. However, it was clearly not working for my children. Most days I had to chase after my children to remind them to hang their coats or else who knows where they would end up. Shoes typically went back into the shoe bins, but retrieving them when it was time to wear shoes was a challenge.
This is when observation became helpful. I found a solution to our problem because I took some time to pause and watch what was happening. What I saw was my children coming inside and continuing to walk through the kitchen before even attempting to remove their jacket. It made sense; there is more room in the living room and there are lots of times when we are also bringing things in from the car or playing. Stopping to remove jackets in the middle of the hustle and bustle did not make sense.
I saw that we needed a better location for hanging coats and storing shoes. Near our front door, we had a small unused space – perfect for hanging a few hooks! The hooks are just the right height for my children to hang their coats independently. Under the hooks, I got a small shoe shelf. It is nice and low with space for both shoe bins and a few extra things, such as lunch boxes. Because the storage is in a more convenient place for my children, I rarely see coats on the floor, I rarely have to remind about putting coats and shoes away, and everyone is able to get ready to go out quickly.
What to Look for When Observing
When we are observing, whether it is so we can solve an issue or just to see how things are working, there are a few things we want to make note of. I find it helps to observe what is happening with some questions in mind. These are a few things I consider:
- What is causing frustration for your child?
- If you are feeling frustrated by a part of a routine or something that is happening, what can you see that is happening?
- What location or material is your child drawn to?
- Where or which material is your child avoiding?
- What attributes do the things have that your child is either drawn to or avoiding?
Using This Information
After the observation, I go over my notes. With some things, multiple observations are necessary to get a good picture of what is happening and who the child is. Today he may play with wooden blocks all day and not touch anything else. It may not because anything is wrong with the other materials or setup; the blocks are simply where he wants to be that day. When a child is routinely avoiding a certain area or certain materials, it will be more telling. In a classroom, for example, there are days when a child will avoid the math area completely and other days when she spends the entire day doing various math activities. If you notice a trend that the child is never choosing math materials over a longer period of time, it is time to problem-solve. Are the concepts confusing? Is she not confident in her abilities? Is she unsure of what is an appropriate choice?
When you are already aware of an issue, sometimes it only takes one or two observations to figure things out. With the example from my home, I observed once and saw what was happening. Because I had witnessed it before, without giving it much thought, I realized the same things had been happening daily.
Getting a second opinion can also be very helpful. Sometimes I will go to my husband in the evenings and tell him things I have observed in our children. After explaining what I have seen, he might tell me something from his perspective that is eye-opening for me.
Noticing Interests
A child’s interests will often become apparent through observation, which will allow us to bring in more activities that will benefit. When my oldest daughter was a toddler, she became an expert at scooping dog food. This was great, when the dog needed to be fed, but most of the time it was problematic. Following her interests, I set up a little scooping work. I found some decorative pebbles, low dishes, and a small scoop that fit right in the palm of her hand. She scooped pebbles to her hearts content (the dog was quite disappointed by this!). Perhaps your child looks at books about the African savanna; try bringing in more activities to explore the savanna such as animal figures or work about the ecosystem.
Your Challenge
I challenge you to make a point to observe your children a few times in the next week. Write down what you see and think about it. What is working well for you and your children? What is a challenge? How can you help them? Let me know in the comments!
