Practical Life for Older Children and Teens

When people think about Montessori schools, some of the most prominent materials that come to mind are the beautiful practical life opportunities in our primary environments. There are small wooden trays with pouring and transferring tasks. There are lessons dedicated to the arrangement of flowers and plant care. The children prepare their own snacks and wash their own dishes. They use special “Dressing Frames” that help children practice zipping, bow tying, buckling, and snapping.

Those practical life materials at the toddler and primary levels are so important. They are also very visible, because they take on the form of a standard material on a shelf, so it can appear that practical life is a part of our Montessori education for children up to age six, but not after.

What happens when children reach the elementary years and beyond?

The work of practical life does not stop, nor does it become any less important. It does, however, take on different forms and blend into the daily life of the students. These practical skills are critical steps toward becoming an independent adult and we present them when the child is ready. Is learning to tie one’s shoes any more or less important than learning to balance a budget? No, both are necessary but are best presented at different times in our lives.

The following are a sample of some of the practical life skills taught to our older students. Often embedded into the curriculum, they still help kids reach independence milestones.

●     Time Management

No one is born knowing how to manage their time. First, it takes a good sense of time as well as the ability to set goals and follow directions. Then, once a person has those basic skills mastered, they can gather tools to help them meet their goals within a set time.

In our elementary classrooms, this often begins with a work plan. Work plans can take on different forms, but at its most basic, the plan sets forth a list of tasks that should be completed over the course of the day or week. Students have some choice regarding the order they will complete the tasks and how they will go about doing so, but the expectation is set.

Do children take their work plans and successfully complete them all the time? Not always, that is where the time management learning comes in. Let us assume a child is getting their language work done each day all week, but on Friday it becomes obvious that they have not done much math. This happens and our Guides work with students to find ways to resolve the issue.

When a Guide observes a pattern of unfinished work, they will meet with the student. These meetings are not punitive. The child understands this as the culture in the classroom. The Guide will discuss with the child why they think the math work is not getting completed. Is it too challenging? Is it too easy? Is it just something they do not particularly enjoy? What support does the child need to make sure the work gets completed?

Sometimes a child will be able to reflect and suggest a solution. Other times, they might need ideas from the adult. They may need a refresher lesson, or to be challenged a bit more. They may need to commit to doing their math first every day just to make sure they do not avoid it. Regardless of the course of action, time management is a constant and fluid area of work for all students as they age and will serve them well in adulthood.

●     Development of Social Skills

Learning how to engage with others is not always easy. During the lower elementary years (ages 6 - 9/1st - 3rd grade), children are transitioning from enjoying mostly parallel play in their primary (Children’s House) classrooms to developing deeper friendships for the first time. It is only natural that conflict will arise. As children age and go through the upper elementary and adolescent years, puberty and a developing sense of self and individuality create more opportunities to relate to peers in new ways.

One of the most wonderful gifts of the Montessori classroom is the blocks of flexible time or “uninterrupted work cycles.” Many traditional schools have blocks dedicated to specific subjects, and these time periods are rigid and centered on whole-group lessons. In a Montessori environment, where there is more flexibility, it is simple to call a class meeting when needed. If the children come inside from recess, for example, and there has been a conflict - there is no need to jump right into that planned science demonstration. It can wait.

Class meetings are a wonderful way to help children resolve conflicts. Our Guides manage to create problem-solving structures without pointing fingers at individuals. Rather, they ask students to generate solutions. This approach empowers children, normalizes conflict, and lets them practice a wide variety of strategies even when they are not the ones experiencing the conflict.

A class meeting is not always the solution when emotions are running high. Most classroom environments have a dedicated space a child can choose to go to cool down; all classes ensure the individual’s needs are met. Sometimes this entails a micro mediation session, allowing everyone’s thoughts and feelings to be heard and acknowledged.

●     Self-Care

Self-care is a never-ending process and really consists of a series of daily and other regular periodical practices. Once children reach the elementary years, they have mastered many of the basics, but they are ready to start learning more nuanced and progressively more sophisticated self-care skills.

Nutrition is something we never stop teaching our students, regardless of their age. Food preparation is part of this, but it takes on new forms as children age. Every classroom has different ways of incorporating food prep and nutrition education. Some create special snacks together for birthdays, others explore cultural cuisines from around the world. Children continue to hold autonomy in making choices about their own food needs; they decide when to eat snacks but are responsible for doing so within certain parameters (such as how many children may use the snack table at a time, cleaning up procedures, etc.).

Physical activity and exercise continue to be important throughout our lives as well, and healthy habits built early will make a difference. Classes take walks together, others explore yoga. The possibilities are endless, but the goal is the same.

Lastly, stress management is introduced. Stress and frustration are a normal part of life, but there are things we can do to manage their intensity, frequency, and our own reactions to them. Children may learn a wide range of techniques in the classroom, including breathing strategies, meditation, mindfulness, and more.

●     Entrepreneurship

When children reach adolescence, the Montessori curriculum centers on creating a microeconomy. Traditionally students work on a farm and do everything needed to sell what they produce. Some Montessori schools still operate this way, while others have found creative, modern ways to achieve the same goals. One popular alternative, for example, is to run a weekly or monthly coffee shop.

Students at this level are responsible for all aspects of the business, with their Guide there for modeling and support. They make phone calls, order supplies, make connections with other community organizations, create and balance budgets, manage marketing, and learn about customer services.

Remember that while practical life work is critical for the primary years, it is certainly not the end. This work continues for our students into adolescence. It is essential to learn how to be a citizen in the community and function out in the world.