Assignment #2

Module#2

Submitted By: Ms.Saadia Khan

Roll No: D-7171

Submitted To: assignment@montessori.edu.pk

Q:1 Write a comprehensive note on the importance of practical life exercises.

Ans: Practical: means basic, useful, purposeful

Life: means the way of living.
Practical life Exercises are just that, they are Exercises so the child can learn how to do living
activities in a purposeful way.
MEANING AND PUROSE OF PRACTICAL LIFE:
The purpose and aim of Practical Life is to help the child gain control in the coordination of his
movement, and help the child to gain independence and adapt to his society. It is therefore
important to “Teach teaching, not correcting” (Montessori) in order to allow the child to be a
fully functional member in his own society. Practical Life Exercises also aid the growth and
development of the child’s intellect and concentration and will in turn also help the child develop
an orderly way of thinking.
IMPORTANCE OF PRACTICAL LIFE ACTIVITIES:
Practical life activities give the child an understanding of his environment and how it
works. The child enjoys all types of work. He also enjoys keeping the environment
beautiful for all to use. This work builds the child's self-esteem, making him feel of value.
In addition, practical life activities also develop manual dexterity.
 
In the school and home, adults must never complain about their work in front of the child.
At a young age he learns by imitating the adult. If adults dislike work, the child will learn
that all types of work are to be avoided. He will apply this to school learning as well as
manual skills. He must have a respect for all types of work well done.
 
The child must not be conditioned to work only for himself. As
a mature adult he will choose the type of work that he is good at and that he enjoys. In
doing this work he will earn a living, but at the same time he will be contributing to the
society in which he lives. By working well, he will retain his self-esteem and be happy.
All types of necessary work, done well, contribute to the good of the whole society.
Young people should adopt the kind of work that they enjoy doing. Academic, medical,
manual, and most other types of work are creative.
 
In the home and school, children should be encouraged to put things away in the right
place and to clean up any mess they have inadvertently made in working. In this, the
adult sets an example. In the home or school there must be shelves, etc., supplied at the
child's height so that he can do this.
 
The number of possessions or occupations must be limited to the few basic ones. No one
can choose from among too many things. Very few people can keep a great number of
possessions in order. Only well made, well designed, worthwhile occupations should be
given to a child. To give him masses of cheap, trashy toys is an insult to his developing
intelligence and prevents him from learning.
 
If a child does not want to put his things away for himself, or before he understands how
to do so, the adult must give generous help. "Shall I help you?", "If you don't want to, I
will do it today.", "Who would help Johnny put his things away?", etc. In this way, the
children learn to help each other and the child who is helped will be the first to help
others later and to do the job himself.
 
At home, it should not be "Clean your own room," but "Let us all clean the kitchen today,
and tomorrow the living room, and perhaps the next day your room." The mother soon
has plenty of willing help and older children think of household tasks with pleasure. They
will also have learned how to do the work properly. Later as older children, when their
developmental need to do this work is over, they will help willingly and cheerfully,
knowing that everyone helps to run the home which belongs to all the family.
 
These activities must be taken seriously and taught seriously. The child must be given the
dignity of a worker, for he works very hard.
 
We do not praise him, that is to treat him as an inferior, but we take pleasure in his
achievements. he feels our interest and delight. We can say such things as "Oh! It is nice
to have such a clean table!", "What a beautiful, shiny bell." "It is so nice having someone
to help me."
 
In giving the exercises of practical life, we treat the child
as a serious student. In his early years, he goes through a period when he wants
passionately to learn to do all the work he sees the adult doing. At first, he likes to learn
the work of the home. This age will pass, but if it is used, the child will know how to do
everything well in the home environment. He will grow intellectually. It requires real
intelligence to run a modern home. We should admire the housewife who runs a home
well, making a comfortable and beautiful environment for a happy family. This work
requires a high degree of intelligence and skill.
 
The children in our care are preparing for maturity. When fully mature, they will
probably take on the responsibilities of a home and family. From the beginning then, one
of the first aims must be to raise children with the skill to do this well. Nature urges the
child to acquire these skills. The child who, as a small toddler, is allowed to help his
mother in the house, and learns these skills from her, grows in intelligence, is deeply
satisfied, and develops confidence and a good self-image. He knows he is doing useful
work, and that his work is of value. He feels that he contributes to helping in the home.
He knows he is independent and able to manage for himself. Great harm is done to his
development when he is told, "I am busy. Go and play." It is like saying, "You are of no
use for anything. Here is a toy. It is not worth giving real things to you. The real things
are mine."
 
The child who really lacks confidence has lost the
confidence and courage every child starts with in the first years. One of the reasons is that
his help was not acceptable to the mother or adult in charge. Children lose the urge to
learn these skills by the second period of development. They like then to learn to cook, to
use electric machines, but not to do things they should have learned earlier.
 
Nature allows a certain time to learn each thing. Dr. Montessori called these "sensitive
periods." If this time of special sensitivity is not used, it is lost. It does not come again.
We must understand the force of the urges and also that they are transient. There is no
time to go back. We must go on to the next stage of learning. If we have not made use of
the first stage, how is the second stage to be successful? The foundation is not there; it is
more difficult for the child and those who teach him.
 
If, in a Montessori school, we accept children of 3 years for part of the day, we must
understand that the practical life activities are of prime importance. We must teach each
step correctly and intelligently. We ourselves must know the right way to do the activities.
 
We must teach all the household exercises needed to run a good home. We must analyze
each exercise to be taught and give the necessary steps in order that the child can practice
each step repeatedly until he has gained the skill and knowledge to go on to the next step.
We ourselves must enjoy these activities. The child must feel we enjoy them. He will not
want to learn work the adult dislikes.
 
In the western world, a number of people suffer mental breakdowns today. They are cured
when they begin to enjoy work. No amount of play helps. We must bring the children up
to enjoy all forms of work. They will imitate us closely. We must enjoy what we are
doing in front of them.
 
Children must feel that the school belongs to everyone in it, just as a good home belongs
to the whole family and to all who stay. In Spain, when you visit a house, even as a
stranger, you are greeted and told, "This house is yours." This is the feeling we must give
the children."This belongs to everyone in the school. Not, "This belongs to the school,"
but,the school belongs to us all."
 
Dr. Montessori called her schools "Casa dei Bambini." The English translation is "The
Children's Home." This is the atmosphere we must create for the children under six years
in our schools. They must practice and learn those things they would learn in a good
home. In English we have this very special word, home. We do not say, "This is my
house," but, "This is my home." There is a world of difference.
 
The practical life activities will be those the children see done in their own homes. They
will be carried out in as realistic a manner as possible. Most modern classrooms are built
with a sink and faucets. The practical life materials can be stored in the sink area in much
the same way as a woman stores these things in her own home. The various cleaners can
be stored under the sink. Brooms and aprons can be hung within easy reach. Tableware
can be kept in a partitioned drawer. One or two of the preliminary exercises can be kept
ready on trays on a low shelf, but most of the materials will be stored as they would be in
a home.
 
When the teacher wishes to show a child a particular activity, she will collect the
materials needed for the exercise with him, showing him where they are kept and which
to select. After the lesson, when the child has finished using the materials, the teacher will
help him return them to their place in good order.
 
When a child wishes to practice an activity, he will need to remember which materials
and cleaners were used. He will need to select them for himself from among the other
cleaners and materials.
 
The child will need to act intelligently; he must remember the
cleaner and the type of brush or cloths needed. When he works in this way, he works as
an adult does in the home, the way he sees his mother and father act. The exercise has
meaning for him. Nature is urging the child to imitate and so learn the adult's work, to
orient himself in his environment, to become independent.
 
The work satisfies these needs when it is real life experience. When these exercises are
not related to life, they are meaningless, dead.
 
Little children like order and neatness, so there is a place for everything. However, with
lively, active, intelligent children, it is not a meticulous neatness. Everything is clean, but
it is not the hygiene of a hospital. It is hard to describe the difference between normal
neatness and order and an over-concern with the exact care for the storage and
preservation of the materials. We all know the difference between a well-run home,
which everyone can use and enjoy and a house which has such a fastidious housewife
who keeps everything so perfect that one feels uncomfortable.
 
In a class of little children, there is a hum of activity. There is activity, concentration,
work, socialization, laughter, and movement. At the end of the day everything is
miraculously back in its place, nothing is lost or broken, but the room does look as if it
had been used. The materials look a little worn through much handling.
 
 Children of this age like order. They make a great effort to remember where everything is
kept and to return things to their right places after using them. Making this effort is an
exercise for the mind. The children need to be observant. They must memorize the
environment. They must be aware when something is out of place. If the environment
contains too many things, they cannot do this; there is too much to remember. If the
environment is cluttered with materials, it is too confusing. There is too much choice and
the children do not work well. In a good classroom, there is everything necessary for the
development of the children using the room, but very little else. Materials not in use are
kept in a stock cupboard outside the classroom.
 
The children will memorize the environment and remember where everything belongs.
The teacher must not make it unnecessary for them to remember by color coding
materials or outlining the place for each piece of equipment with masking tape. The child
will not learn true order. These practices prevent the child from seeing the order of the
whole and, instead of the child's building a good self-image because he knows where
everything is, and he knows how to return things to their proper place, and he
understands it is a good way to act, and he chooses to do so, the child is forced to do what
is not natural and normal, because the adult dictates what he should do and exactly how
he should act.
 
Every exercise of practical life must have a
useful purpose. The purpose must be understood by the child or the exercises become
boring and burdensome. For example, before a child can help bake cookies, he must
know how to sift the flour, crack and whisk eggs, measure wet and dry ingredients, etc.
These skills are learned and practiced separately, but the child must know the purpose of
the exercise he practices. The child who loves to sift flour must know that flour must be
sifted for making cookies; otherwise, his actions would be aimless and foolish. He would
not feel he was a worker. The flour he sifts must be placed in an airtight container and
stored for baking purposes.
 
Before this exercise is introduced, the teacher should make a simple recipe with the
children watching and helping. Bread making would be a good choice, as every child
could have a piece of dough to knead and form into a loaf. The teacher should read the
recipe to the children, and demonstrate exactly how the ingredients are measured and
how the flour is sifted. After this, the exercises for sifting flour and measuring dry and
wet ingredients should be shown to individual children and they can practice, knowing
the reason for doing so.
Q:2 Explain the different groups of exercises of practical life. How do you think this
grouping is helpful?
Ans: Practical Life Exercises can be categorized into four different groups: Preliminary
Applications, Applied Applications, Grace and Courtesy, and Control of Moment.

• ELEMENTARY EXERCISES:
These exercises assist in creating routine and order in the environment and are pre
requisite for other activities.
It is sub divided into three categories:
• Basic Elementary Exercises:
In these exercises child learn fundamental activities involve muscle and mind
coordination. Exercises like taking object holding it and put it back, open and close the door, etc.
• Elementary Exercises:
In these exercises child learn a bit more advance and complex activities using muscle and
mind coordination. Exercises like rolling and unrolling of mats, holding a chair, pouring rice
from one jug to another, etc.
• Higher Elementary Exercises:
In these exercises child learn logical and bit more complex activities. Exercises like
walking on the line, silence practice, etc.

• PERSONAL CARE:
These exercises assist in how to deal and take care of one own self. Care of self may
include exercises on how to wash the hands, use the bathroom, brush teeth, wear different
kind of clothes, open and close buttons, lace shoes etc.

• GRACE& COURTESY:
These exercises assist child to learn manners and how to deal with other people. It
also help child to learn different situation and how to behave and react in different situations.
Child learns how to use the words "excuse me" when he needs to interrupt or ask for help.
The child learns how to give thanks and show his gratitude; how to greet someone and
introduce her to others etc.

• CARE OF ENVIRNOMENT:
In these exercises child learn how to take care of environment. Care of the
environment may include exercises on organizing the clutter, sorting and putting things in the
right places, dusting shelves, sweeping the floor, mopping if there is a spill, raking the
outdoor area, taking care of the plants, trees, animals etc.

IMPORTANCE OF EPL GROUPING:

EPL grouping helps to aid the child to develop his coordination in movement, his
balance and his gracefulness in his environment as well as his need to develop the power of
silent. Children are naturally interested in activities they have witnessed. During the child’s
sensitive period between birth and six, the child is constructing the inner building blocks of his
person. By grouping these exercises child manage to grasp each and every activity. Child learn
from basic to complex, from self-control to care of environment, from grace to courtesy each and
everything learned step by step. It helped the child in his entire coming life. When child learn
basic motor skills and then advance complex and logical skills, he become more confident and
satisfied then other children. More importantly, when the child is later taught a skill or an
academic accomplishment, it becomes a part of him.
Q:3 What are the Essential Points that we should keep in mind while presenting EPL?
Ans: There are certain principles we need to follow while presenting an EPL activity to a child.
The most important among all of them are the
i) 'Analysis of movements'
ii) 'Synthetic Movements'
• ANALYSIS OF MOVEMENT:
By analysis of movements, it means that each activity consists of a series of
individual movement which is simple in nature and successively very logical. Analysis of
movement is necessary when giving a presentation in helping the child understand the
movement and the sequence of the movements.

• SYNTHETIC MOVEMENT:
The synthetic movement means performing a simple task divided into several
movements to achieve an intellectual goal.

It’s undoubtedly true that human beings have all the qualities that are needed to develop
their personality from the very moment of birth. Each and every one of us possesses a unique
psyche which is hidden in ourselves. Unlike animals, we do not have hereditary instincts that
are passed down through generations, such that a kitten, a puppy or a tiger cub behaves
similarly to its parents at birth. In contrary, an infant does not inherit styles of behavior from
his parents, but develops an individual personality according to his will relating to his
surroundings. Exercises of the practical life in the classroom are designed in such a way that
the child focuses on the exactness of the action which he performs with great fascination,
immense and unceasing concentration.
For example, tying shoelaces for the first time requires intense concentration to recall and
integrate the various steps previously practiced; either in isolation or presented in a group. It also
involves in the coordination of the hand and eye movement in acting out the steps in sequence.
Hence, normally regarded as a simple task by adults, shoelace tying exercise actually requires the
power of the mind to focus, especially for the children.
Another way in which the exercises of the practical life do work over the mind is exposing the
children to new experiences of life that build their knowledge and information about the world.
In the above shoelace example, where the child is given the possibility to do by himself, the
concrete experience for the first time registers in the child’s mental map and gradually works by
itself into the brain after repeated attempts. Eventually, he masters the process and the task
becomes easy enough to perform without exhausting concentration and effort as before.  This
process is what describes a child’s law of work. The child is motivated from an inner drive and
being satisfied through his sensitive period. He works for perfection, in repetition cycles to
internalize his process of efforts rather than the outcome.
Maria Montessori says,“ an interesting piece of work, freely chosen, which has a virtue of
inducing concentration rather than fatigue, adds to the child’s energies and mental capacities,
and leads him to self-mastery.”
Exercises of practical life serve as a doorway to other curriculum in the classroom. Once the
child is completed this stage, intellectually and physically trained, he becomes an integrated
being, then who is called a normalized child. This is, when a child comes at the age of six, finds
his true natural form and attains an intrinsic love for peace and harmony. Now he is able to
sustain his attention and discipline. After being the fully developed with independence and
intelligence in making judgment and decision, grounded in reality and willing to share keeping
respect of others in his mind, he is able to contribute his unique ideas into the society and
participates in larger scheme of things continuously. Actually, having passion and capacity for
lifelong learning about the universe knowledge secures a professional life of the child.
Montessori believed that it is within the formative years of children lays the answers to
humanity’s ability to renew itself in each succeeding generation.
POINTS OF PRESENTATION:
There are two major points which are considered very essential while presenting any sort
of exercise in EPL. The first basic point is that the directress or the teacher should practice the
activity as many times as possible, before attempting the presentation in front of the child, so that
the possibility of any kind of error might be as less as possible. The second point is that two
types of presentations are performed during the teaching of EPL lessons to the children which are
called individual presentation and group presentation. These two types of presentations are
related to any topic of any subject, like exercises of sensory development, mathematics,
language, handwork and cultural etc.

INDIVIDUAL PRESENTATION:
Only one child is taken in this presentation.
Following are the points which are to be kept in the mind while presenting an exercise.
• The most essential point is that, all materials must be kept at the eye level of the child so
that the child may get interested in it and like to work with it.
• Order of placing things is also of high importance. Use the rule,” A thing for a place and
a place for a thing”.
• Take the consent of the child by saying “would you like me to show how you work with
it.
• Briefly tell the child about the material, the ground rules of how to use it and point out its
place where it is to be returned after using.
• Take the material to the workplace with the help of the child.
• In a gracefully and relaxed way give presentation, do it with an economy of language and
an economy of movements, keep the all the principles in mind, you should not speak
while demonstrating and you should not demonstrate while speaking.
• Make sure that the presentation must be brief and lively.
• After the demonstration, invite the child to carry on with the activity.
• Leave the child, and let him work with the material for as long as he likes, do not
interrupt him.
• Material must be placed back ON its proper place after work.
“The objective is that at the end of the presentation the child must be able to work
independently”.
GROUP PRESENTATION:
Most of the time individual presentation is required. But sometimes group presentation is
also needed in teaching some lessons. Children love to perform the group presentation. Mostly
the same rules are used in group presentation as mentioned above. But there are a few important
points to be observed during the group presentation
Only, if all the children in the group are in the mood to take instruction and obey, then go
ahead with the presentation.
If you, however, feel that any one of the children would disturb the whole class, do not
continue and rather give individual presentations.
At the end of the presentation each child must be given separate material to do individual work.
Thus these are some important points which are considered very essential during presentation in
the classrooms. So these points are followed in the house of children and can be followed at
home by the mothers.
Q:4 Try to explain “Formal setting of a table” and “Making a Chicken Spread
Sandwich” in the same way EPL have been explained in this book for you.
Ans: FORMAL SETTING OF A TABLE:
• The first thing that you need is a table cloth and for formal occasions a plain, white
damask one is ideal.
Place settings should be placed at an equal distance from each other, and crockery, cutlery
and glasses should match. Naturally, you will need to have a sufficient quantity for as
many courses as you are going to serve. If you do not have enough and you do not want
to buy them, renting is an option.
• Knives should be placed to the right of the plate with the one that is going to be used first
on the outside with them moving inwards towards the plate in order. The blades of the
knives should be pointing towards the plate.
• Forks go to the left of the plate and are placed in the same way as the knives so that the
outer one is the one that is used first.
• A soup spoon should be placed to the right of the knives, and the dessert spoon should lie
at the head of the plate.
• Glasses are also set out in order of use, and are placed above the knives.
• Napkins (fabric to match the table cloth, of course) should be placed in the plate position.

MAKING A CHICKEN SPREAD SANDWICH:

Making a chicken spread sandwich is the same as making any other sandwich. You
choose the bread that you want and spread it with butter or a butter substitute, and then put your
filling onto the bread, in this case, chicken spread.

You can also add other things if you want such as salad, or relishes.

Q:5 Write just the names of as many EPL as possible (that you think a child can do) and
which are not mentioned in the book.
Ans:
PRELIMENARY EXERCISES:

• Carry a Working Mat

• Place a Pitcher
• Carry a Tray
• Roll a Working Mat
 • Put Down a Chair
• Sit On a Chair at a Table
• Fold Napkins
• Pour Grain
• Pour Water
• Fold a Dust-cloth to Put Away
• Fold a Dust-cloth to Dust

CARE OF SELF:
• Wash Hands
• Polish Shoes
• Snap Frame
• Hook and Eye Frame
• Button Frame
• Buckle Frame
• Zipper Frame
• Bow Frame
• Lacing Frame – V Pattern
• Lacing Frame – X Pattern
• Lacing Frame – Linear Pattern
• Safety Pin Frame

CARE OF ENVIRNOMENT:
• Dust a Table
• Use a Dustpan and Brush
• Sweep
• Wipe Up a Spill
• Dust Leaves
• Polish Glass
• Care for Plants
• Polish Wood
• Polish Metal
• Wash a Table
• Wash Cloths
• How to Iron
• Arrange Flowers
• Make Lemon Water
• Wash Fruits and Vegetables
• Peel & Cut Fruits and Vegetables
• How to Bake

GRACE AND COURTESY:

• How to Walk Around A Mat
• How to Introduce Yourself
• How to Apologize
• How to Observe
• How to Draw Attention
• How to Accept a Compliment
• How to Blow Your Nose
• Own Grace and Courtesy
 CONTROL OF MOVEMENT:
• Introduction to Walking on the Line
• Walking on the Line
• Introduction to the Silence Activity
• The Silence Activity
VISUAL ART:
• Rubbings (Exploration of Texture)
• Cutting - Snipping
• Cutting - Lines
• Advanced Cutting
• Contour Drawing with Crayon (Exploration of Line)
• Drawing with Colored Pencils
• Cutting and Gluing (Exploration of Space)
• Painting (Exploration of Color)
• Sculpting (Exploration of Form)
• Beginning Sewing
• Sewing a Button
• Advanced Sewing – Running Stitch
• Sewing a Pillow (Student’s Own Presentation)

REFRENCES:
• http://www.montessori-book.com/EPL.html
• http://www.infomontessori.com/practical-life/introduction.htm
• http://www.montessoriworld.org/praclife/pintroim.html
• http://farsiriss.blogspot.com/2012/09/different-groups-of-exercises-of.html
• http://voices.yahoo.com/montessori-practical-life-exercises-they-7043912.html
• http://faculty.fullerton.edu/syen/mts/life/intro.htm
• http://montessori06.blogspot.com/p/practical-life-exercises.html
• http://montessoriexpert.com/2013/02/23/essential-points-in-presenting-epl-lessons/
• http://farsiriss.blogspot.com/2012/09/essential-points-while-exercises-of.html
• http://www.blurtit.com/q9945159.html
• http://www.montessorimom.com/practical-life/
• http://www.montessoriservices.com/all-practical-life-basic-exercises
• http://montessorinuggets.blogspot.com/2012/03/exercises-of-practical-life-table-of.html