practical life at guidepost montessori.
Our approach to executive functioning
Young children don’t want to be acted upon—they want to take charge and do things ‘all by myself.’ And there’s nothing more motivating than doing the real-world tasks they see the adults they love do every day! At Guidepost Montessori, you’ll find children joyfully learning to buckle, zip, and tie various clothing closures, prepare and serve meals, clean up spills, and so much more. And they love it so much, they’ll beg to do it all at home too!
But Practical Life is about more than learning to do basic tasks. By providing a meaningful way to build vital executive functioning skills, logical thinking, and problem-solving, Practical Life sets the foundation for lifelong flourishing.
features of guidepost montessori's practical life curriculum:
Attention span
Because Practical Life activities are so fun, children are inspired to focus for long periods—all while paying attention to small details and exercising precise control over their movements.
Perseverance
With child-sized tools and purposeful lessons, Practical Life activities provide just the right amount of challenge—both to prevent frustration and to build perseverance & a growth mindset.
Self-esteem
Practical Life activities offer a powerful opportunity for children to succeed at something real that matters. The resulting self-esteem they earn propels them toward still loftier goals as they grow.
Nido
In Nido, infants are inspired to take increasing ownership over their care, right as they’re ready, such as:
- Crawling in and out of a floor bed for nap time
- Drinking from an open glass & eating with child-sized silverware
- Helping to dress, undress, and hand wipes or other items to their Guides during diaper changes
Toddler
In our toddler program, children are inspired to take increasing initiative over their own care and the care of the common space, such as:
- Remembering routines like washing hands before and after meals
- Learning each step of toilet independence: from unbuttoning pants to tearing just the necessary amount of toilet paper
- Keeping the class tidy by putting materials away when done
Children’s House
In Children’s House, children tackle bigger challenges with activities that require following a precise sequence of logical steps, such as:
- Washing, rinsing, and drying dishes after a meal
- Scrubbing, slicing, and preparing food for a snack
- Caring for classroom plants and animals
at guidepost montessori, we believe every child is tremendously capable.
But what’s even better, the children believe it too.
Every child at Guidepost Montessori knows they can accomplish real things and engage in real learning. Not because someone tells them so, but because they choose it, experience it, and succeed at it every single day.