Montessori Alpha Plus Education

After learning about the Montessori method, we need to know why the Montessori approach to food is unique. To day, in “5 Reasons Why The Montessori Approach To Food Is Unique” post we will master the concept of why food is important for young minds. Food plays the most important role in the mental, physical, and emotional health of our children.

First Reason is:

Food is important for life. and good health. Food has nutrients. Let’s research together and learn about the food nutrients.

What are Nutrients and Micronutrients

6 Groups of Nutrients and Their Functions

• Carbohydrates
• Proteins
• Fats and oils
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Water

 

These 6 groups as foods nutritional elements perform important functions in our bodies.

• Carbohydrates: They provide primary energy source for our body. Their chemical structure is composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Fruits, vegetables, seeds and grains are the best source of carbohydrates.
• Proteins: Proteins’ function is to support tissue growth and maintenance. Amino acids are molecules which connect to make proteins. Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen form amino acids. Meat, dairy items, nuts, and legumes are best sources of protein.
• Fats and oils: This nutrient is one of the main sources of energy. Chemically, they are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. The Best food sources for fats and oils are vegetable oils, butter, and dairy products.
• Vitamins: Vitamins help with availability of macronutrients needed to building and maintaining our bones, muscles, and blood. They also support our vision and immune system. The Best sources of vitamins in our food are fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, chicken and meat.
• Minerals: Minerals organize amount of fluid and energy production in our body. They also help and maintain quality of our blood and bones. During the process of metabolism our body gets rid of harmful by=products with the help of minerals. Some examples of minerals are sodium, potassium, calcium, and iron. The Best sources are fresh fruits, vegetables, daily products, chicken and beef and mutton.
• Water: Water is so simple but it plays the most important role in order to work all our body functions successfully. They keep fluids balance, help in nerve impulses regulation and muscles’ health. Water is chemically composed of hydrogen and oxygen. The Best sources of water are fresh and clean water, soups, fresh fruits, and vegetables.

Second Reason is the Amount of Food:

How Much of Each Nutrient Do Our Kids Need?

Foods nutrients – 6 groups. Yes, right! We need all 6 nutrients in our food to stay healthy. But how much of each nutrient do our kids need? It’s always important to take just enough quantity of each food nutrient. Normally, a person who eats a healthy balanced diet that includes lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, complex carbohydrates, and water will get the nutrients he needs. For the more clarity, I found an awesome article about how much of each food nutrient do we need ?

According a scientific research, the daily amount of carbohydrates our kids need is 45% to 65% of daily food. Daily estimated fats they require is 20% to 30% and the amount of protein their bodies need is 10% to 35%. Estimated energy requirement is not same for each person on daily basis. We must know about the age and  the daily estimated energy needed. It will help us to maintain our kids health and body weight.

NIH website explains dietary guidelines.

It’s not just how much of each nutrient our kids should eat it’s also important how much of food they should eat. What portion of any food is the best amount  to keep their body well, is also important. We can easily find out the daily estimated energy requirement. Knowing the amount of calories helps us to maintain healthy body weight. What they eat on daily basis, should also provide recommended nutrients to keep them healthy and well.

Mostly, we can find serving size for any food in order to understand the amount of calories or foods nutrients but portion of any food vary depending upon the person or the place where food is served. The portion of food can be small at home but it would be bigger at the restaurants. If we know how to manage our portions then there is nothing wrong to eat and enjoy food outside sometimes with our kids. For example, we can eat just small appetizers. We can also share our main entree with our friends and family. Another way is to eat half of the food. Our kids can eat kids’ meals. We can easily mange amount of calories by decreasing the amount of food.

Third Reason Is That Food and Health are Connected

The food we eat goes into our body and changes into uniform dense liquid. It gathers again after it breaks down in our brain cells, bones, organs and muscles. Food is also main source of the energy our body needs. We are healthy if we have energy and our body organs, bones, muscles and tissues are working well. Our food is good for our health if it has all the important nutrients.

 

 

Vitamins and minerals are essential to keep us healthy did you know that they help us grow help us to see keep our organs bones muscles and skin healthy as well as help us to fight diseases vitamins and minerals can be found in all types of fresh fruits and vegetables

Calcium is an incredibly important mineral. It is stored in our teeth and bones and keeps them strong and prevents cracks and breaks you can find calcium in dairy products such as milk yogurt and cheese as well as leafy green vegetables nuts and seeds fiber is a substance that helps us with the organs inside our stomach this means it helps us to remove the waste from our bodies and stay healthy. It can be found in foods such as brown rice whole grain breads, cereals, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. Water is essential for helping your body digest and use the nutrients found in food.

Having a balanced diet and making sure that our bodies receive all the nutrients is really important.

Our kids need to have energy to stay healthy and continue growing however sometimes we give foto our kids that are tasty but aren’t healthy. So we need to know: What kind of food they should eat and why it is important.

Fourth Reason Is That Only Sound Body Has Sound Mind

This is a famous Latin phrase. A sound mind can only be in a sound body. it means in order to have a healthy mind we need to keep our body healthy. Healthy body needs health food. We have discussed above how we can find healthy food and what is healthy food.

Fifth Reason Why Montessori Approach To Food is Unique

Montessori Approach is about creating and following routines for everything. As we have learned about healthy food, now we need to know when can we feed our kids. Making schedules and setting eating times is a skill we can learn. It means we are able to keep track of  when and how much food our children can eat.

After you follow all these suggestions you will see the real importance of Montessori approach to food.

What type of Kids Thrive In A Montessori Environment

Our kids will thrive in the Montessori environment when they are physically, mentally and emotionally healthy.

One bonus suggestion is to involve our kids in the process. Making them part of the decision gives them ownership sense. We can talk  more about this subject and learn more.

Thank you so much for reading!

Please share your comments and questions.

We as teachers and parents always think and ask, what is the importance of liberty for our child development. The concept of liberty which must inspire educational pedagogy is, instead, universal. Observation of the child scientifically is really important before we start teaching him. This observation can only be real if the child is left to act freely in his spontaneous manifestations. The experimental sciences is where we are looking at now. It is really important to provide the child with an environment that is safe and has a lot of opportunities to work and choose from. Where moving is not restricted. The child is not just given a path to follow. He is given a choice to make his own path. In the world of stationary desks and chairs, children are not even able to move and stand. This kind of sitting and rules to make them sit are not good for the over all development of the child. Think about the muscular movement, psychology, physiology, and instincts of the child. What can we teach to the child in this situation and environment.

Importance Of Liberty

The question is did we try to know the child before we created such an environment. Have we even reflected about the importance of the liberty, movement, physical growth, and psychology? We seek liberation, growth, and positive psychology for our children through scientific education and through Real Montessori method. It is only possible by using mindfulness and reflective teaching processes.

Even some people use the word of Montessori and don’t even know what this method is about and how to apply it successfully.

Social Liberty

The tendency towards social liberty is most evident, and manifests itself on every hand. The leaders of the people make it their slogan, scientific and socialistic publications voice the same movement, our journals are full of it. The underfed workman does not ask for a tonic, but for better economic conditions which shall prevent malnutrition. This is just the one example of social liberty. We can find more examples everyday in our society.

What Do We Need To Do

The question arises what do we need to do to give the right education at the right time. Do we need to push the dried facts into the heads of the future scholars and scientists? Immobility, prizes,  punishments and strict rules, these are the teachers’ tools in todays’ common schools. The prize and punishments are incentives towards unnatural or forced effort, and therefore we can not expect the natural development of the child. We should ask in what stage of civilization we are and if we need the prizes and punishments necessary for our children’ s advancement.

How Can We Bring Liberty into Our Child’s Life

This is your choice. If you like your children to get liberty to develop well, then find some ways. Are there any good school out there? Make sure your child is growing in a nurturing learning environment. Home schooling is one of the best options today especially in Texas. Learn how to do Home Schooling. Read some authentic books. Talk to any Montessori Consultant. I can also help. I will create  the personalized educational plan for your children. Just Contact me.

Thank you for reading.

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Reading and writing are so important for young children, and they should be emphasized in the Montessori environment. If we can teach these two skills without strain, let us do so. But Dr. Maria Montessori says that reading and writing should form but a subordinate part of the experience of a child. With the best of methods, the value of reading and writing before 6 is questionable. Our conscious life is bookish enough as it is, and it would seem on general grounds a safer policy to defer written language until the age of normal interest in it and even then, not to devote to it more time than an easy and gradual mastery demands. Montessori Method of Teaching Reading and Writing is well organized. It is easy and enjoyable to teach one child at a time.

 Teaching Reading and Writing

According to, Montessori method for writing there can be some wait. The child gains ready control over his pencil through exercises which have their own simple but absorbing interest. If the child does not learn to write with an arm movement, we may be quite content with his ability to draw a legible and handsome script. Then he learns the letters, their form, their names, and how to draw or make them, through exercises which have the very important technical characteristics of involving a thorough sensory analysis of the material to be mastered.

Teaching Spelling

In the teaching of spelling, for example, it is comparatively useless for remembering unless the original impressions are made strong and elaborate. It is only possible through careful, varied, and detailed sense impression. Sandpaper letters and numbers of exercises with a proper hand movement absolutely serve the purpose of sensory impressions. Use of the sense of touch and learning how to make the whole alphabet before the abstract and formal character of the material leads to any diminution of interest or enthusiasm. Their initial curiosity over the characters they see their elders use is enough to carry them through.

Learning to Read and Write

The next step is easy. The letters once learned, it is a simple matter to combine them into words. They learn phonetic words first as it is easy to spell them. Then gradually they learn phonograms, puzzle words, sight words, classified reading cards and so much more.

It is a fact that reading and spelling in English are completely separate processes that we can teach a child to read admirably without making him a good speller. The mastery of the alphabet by the

 Reading is Different From Spelling Learning

Montessori method will be of great assistance in teaching our children to write, but of only incidental assistance in teaching them to read and to spell.

All this is a process, and it needs a teacher or guide to be patient, and constructive and creative like a scientist and above all the friend of humanity.

There are picture cards our children can use for reading. We can also use classified reading cards. Children can read picture books. It’s so beautiful to see them making up the story with the help of the pictures.

Montessori Material and Reading

Learning reading is a process. It starts with the inner interest and motivation. The Montessori  offers the guidance and keeps the interest that is needed to learn reading skills and to learn language over all. In a Montessori environment the language area plays the most important role. The  sequence and order of the material with a specific purpose makes the process of learning reading and writing simple and easy.

Storytime and Conversation

Children love stories. There are so many wonderful ways to read and present stories. Children learn easily to speak and express their feelings. They learn the importance of words through stories. They become aware of the connection of letters and words. They can tell, draw, and paint their stories. Stories and conversations are  indirect preparation for reading and writing.

Thank you for reading!

There will be more for reading, writing and language learning.

Please comment and share your suggestions. Let me know if you have questions.

Montessori method of teaching and learning is one of the most effective methods today. How can we apply it to take full benefits? There are 3 ways to apply Montessori method in the classroom and at home. We can apply this method in any learning environment if we understand this method very well. Let’s talk about the 3 ways to apply Montessori method at home.

Montessori Method and Growth

Like all living things, intellect also grows. Montessori method helps us to understand the growth process happening in the lives of our young ones. Children are growing physically, mentally, and emotionally. Growth needs nurturing. At this level we need a willing heart/hearts who can understand and guide through the process. Montessori method is working because it helps  the educators and the parents to be able to guide young minds. So the first important way that we can apply is a beautiful, kind, and loving heart who believes in Montessori method and knows how to apply it like a scientist.

Montessori Environment

A museum, a farm, a shop, a library, a park, it can be any environment. We can transform any environment into a learning environment by highlighting or adding few resources. For example, at home there is a corner where kids can play with their toys. We can bring some materials and child sized furniture in that corner. We can label the chair and the table. Laundry is a complete activity and there are steps in order to complete the whole activity. Think about all the steps in sequence. From gathering clothes to checking them and putting them in the machine and taking them out when washing and drying is completed. It’ s up to you when do you plan to involve your child. If they are interested then good, if not then talk about the activity and make it interesting. Sorting, folding or putting clothes on the hangers, are some activities they can help easily. They can use their table as a center place to fold the clothes or to hang some shirts  on the hanger.

Same goes with other areas of the environment.

Preparation

What do we need? When do we need? How do we want to do it? Where should we do it to make it more interesting and useful? Now we have a lot of ideas and a lot of activities but how, when, where and what else we can do these activities?

Do we need schedules? What is the best time to read stories? What kind of conversation we can do when we are at the lunch table?

Today is Sunday. What a lovely day! Let’s do some gardening. What do we need for that?

Or, How can we plan our day with our children?

Yes, we can do planning of the activities too. We like to see our children do everything by themselves. So let’s enable them to do it. We are just guides and we want to do it with love, care and mindfulness.

Guide them and use these 3 ways to apply Montessori method.

Hope you all are enjoying your day!

Your suggestions, comments, and questions are really important for me!

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Thank you!

Montessori schools are well equipped with the Montessori materials. There are age appropriate colorful and attractive materials in each learning area.  We also need Montessori activities at home. Some activities can  be prepared at home. Most of the Montessori activities are self care activities like:

• Washing Hands
• Folding clothes
• Setting a table
• Eating together with the family
• Washing a plate/a cup
• Combing hair
• Cleaning after every activity

There are also some more activities. For example, coloring, painting, drawing, and wooden puzzles.

The coloring activities keep the children engaged if they are interested. To keep them involved we can join them in the coloring activity. Initially, they will understand the pictures and theme of the coloring book. They will also learn how to color inside the picture.

Montessori mindful coloring develops:

• Hand and eye coordination
• Concentration
• Peace and happiness

There are  a lot of good books to read about Montessori method and Montessori activities. Creating a Montessori environment at home for your children is important as early as possible.

Thank you! I will be back with more resources. You can also check it out. Montessori and Science

Let me know if you have any questions. Leave comments or Contact me.

Thank you.