Jean Kermode

Montessori Consulting

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

The Montessori Work Mat: Everything You Need to Know

Learn the history behind the Montessori work mat and 6 simple tips for incorporating them into your home or classroom environment.

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The work mat: it’s a quintessential Montessori material.

Walk into a Montessori classroom and you’ll see at least one kid flopped on a small rug on the floor, with some material or other strewn across it. (Or arranged neatly, as the case may be.)

What’s the story, and why are work mats an important part of a Montessori prepared environment?

Freedom and discipline, baby.

Why Use a Montessori Work Mat

When Maria Montessori was starting her work with children, there were some pretty intense desks in schools, even in kindergarten. These desks were designed to prevent spine problems in students who had to site for long periods of time at school.

Maria hated these desks. “What the schools need is more liberty, not such a contraption as a desk.” (The Discovery of the Child)

And so in her own schools, Maria Montessori did things differently. She had child-sized tables and chairs, light enough for the children to move. We’re used to those now. But she also let the children work on the floor if they so chose.

The idea is to give children the freedom to choose where they will work and concentrate best.

We all know those kids who can barely stay still in a chair. Sometimes these kids do much better sprawled out on the floor. And if that allows them to focus, it will help them develop the ability to be still.

But Why the Work Mat In Particular?

But the question still remains, why a work mat? Why can’t the kids just work directly on the floor?

The beauty of Montessori is that it works with the natural inclinations of kids to help them develop good habits and self-discipline. It’s not just a do-whatever-you-want-method.

Related: Montessori and Obedience

And, not only do kids sometimes have a natural inclination to sprawl on the floor, but they also have a natural inclination to order.

Really. It’s why they line up all their toys in a line down the middle of the living room or cry when you drive a different way home. External order helps them learn to understand and feel at home in this new world that is wonderful but still very wild.

This is why work mats have a place in a Montessori environment. A work mat allows the child to work on the floor, and gives him an external ordering of his work space. He can’t strew his work all over the place, it must stay on the mat. It also teaches intention and discipline. He has to lay the mat out before he gets the material and put it away when he is done.

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Tips for Incorporating Work Mats in Your Montessori Environment

  • Choose work mats that are attractive but one solid, light color. This way they won’t distract from the work.
  • Use natural fabric for the work mats as much as possible, instead of synthetic.
  • Work mats should be large enough for a good work space, but small enough for the child to roll up and carry independently. You can have multiple sizes.
  • Designate a bin or a shelf for storing the work mats.
  • Show your students, one at a time, how to carry with two hands, set out, (before bringing work) roll up, and put away a work mat. Explain what the mat is for, but use actions instead of words when showing them how to do the above.
  • Show each child how to walk around a mat that is on the floor.

Related: A Montessori Prepared Environment at Home: The Quick Guide

Questions, insights, or stories? Have you seen the benefits of a Montessori work mat? Let me know in the comments!

Jean Marie

free montessori printables

A Montessori Prepared Environment at Home: the Quick Guide

Here are four simple steps to help you set up a Montessori prepared environment at home and on a budget. Using mostly items you already have, create a home environment that will help your child grow in independence, and save you a little sanity.

The quick guide to Montessori any space at home, {shows a picture of a table set with children's dishes and a vase of succulents}

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“The man who does not live in an adaptive environment can neither develop his faculties normally nor learn to know himself.”

– Maria Montessori

It’s all about the prepared environment, guys.

We know how important our own environment is. TV’s on, can’t focus. Desk is a mess, my thoughts are a mess. Ugly environment, no inspiration. Can’t find anything, can’t get anything done.

It’s the same for kids, especially for children under the age of 6. In a quiet environment, they can find concentration. In a beautiful place, they are happy to work. In an orderly space, tailored to their needs, they develop habits and routines and independence.

That last word is the most important. The independence of the child is the final goal of the prepared environment. Even if a room is organized and attractive, it is lacking if the child can’t reach anything. The child needs access to purposeful activities in an environment suited to her basic physical, psychological, and spiritual needs.

It might sound like a lot of work for you to set up a Montessori prepared environment at home. But, if you put in a little effort now, your child will learn to do more for herself. Which is good for her and for you. 🙂

Diagram showing that the prepared environment plus purposeful work leads to the building and development of the mental organs and independence

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{Want to learn more about this process? ↑ Print a free cheatsheet here.}

Sounds beautiful. How exactly do I set that up?

How to Set Up a Montessori Prepared Environment at Home

1. Choose the Space

There most likely won’t be just one space that you want to “Montessori.” Your kids are busy all over the house, and that’s good. In my training, I learned that children should not be the center of the family, they should be part of the family. Which means they should have access to most of the areas of the house where the family lives and works.

This means that you may want to prepare not just the child’s bedroom, but also the bathroom, living room, and kitchen. (Your own bedroom and home office are safe, I promise.)

But to start, just choose one space.

2. Observe the Child in the Space

Before you dive in, spend a few days with your child in that space. If you’ve chosen the bathroom, pay attention to what your child needs in the bathroom. What does he ask for help with, and what could he do himself? Could he brush his own teeth if he was able to reach the toothbrush and toothpaste, and if you showed him how?

3. Make Your Plan

Now that you’ve observed your child’s needs in this space, make your plan. Consider your family routines, or the routines you’d like to set in place.

For example, every evening, Charlie needs to use the bathroom, wash his hands, brush his teeth, and wash his feet if he’s been playing outside. That’s the routine. So you need to plan the environment around that routine.

Charlie can use the bathroom and wash his hands without help, but it would be good too if he was able to replace the toilet paper when the roll runs empty. Is there a place you can store a few extra toilet paper rolls in the bathroom, maybe in a lower cabinet?

Charlie knows how to brush his teeth, but so far you’ve been helping him apply the toothpaste. Can you show him the right amount, and store everything in a drawer within his reach?

Using the tub independently is a little much for Charlie. Do you have a shallow plastic bin for him to wash his feet in instead? He could fill it using a pitcher and water from the sink, and it could be stored in the bathtub or under the sink. And if he has his own towel, he’ll know not to dry his feet on the hand towel. It might be a good idea to store a few rags within reach as well, so he can dry up any spills.

4. Collect What You’ll Need

You probably have most of the items you’ll need, but it might help to make a list and check things off as you gather them.

Using our bathroom example, here is a sample list:

  • step-stool (already have)
  • shallow bin (already have)
  • pitcher (need to get)
  • towel (already have)
  • rags (already have)
  • bin to hold rags (already have)

Of course this is just a sample list, but you can see that you need very little to prepare an environment at home.

5. Set Up Your Space and Implement the Routine

Set up the space, and when it is ready, show your child how to use everything. This can be done in an inviting and appealing way. Kids like to know what is expected of them, and might even find it exciting that they get to wash their feet in their own special bin, and do it all by themselves.

You can show your child the routine as the need arises. For example, on the first evening after you set up the environment, show Charlie how to fill up the bucket with water using the pitcher. Use more actions than words, but do explain when he needs to wash his feet. (e.g. only if they’re dirty.) You can have him watch you fill up the bucket, wash your own feet, rinse out the bucket, dry it, and store it. Then you can invite him to do it himself.

*Note: For potentially fun activities such as washing feet, you might want to set a time limit. You can include a 3 minute timer if you think it would help.

Related: How to Create a Simple Routine for Preschoolers

Related: DIY Reading Nook

There you go! With observation, a little planning, a few materials and routines, you can create a Montessori prepared environment at home and help your child grow in independence.

 

Foster independence with a montessori prepared home environment {shows a table set with children's dishes and a vase of succulents}

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How do you create an environment that fosters independence? Share your tips with us in the comments!

Jean Marie

free montessori printables

How to Help Your Children Pray

Help your 3-6 year-old child learn to pray with this two-part strategy, based on Montessori philosophy, and practiced in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Five practical tips are included to help you implement this strategy. The benefits are subtle, but lasting and beautiful.

Parents of 3-6 year olds: do you want to help you child learn to pray? Check out this strategy based on Montessori principles and used in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. www.jeankermode.com | prayers for kids, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd faith, raising Catholic kids, #montessori

It’s a familiar scene to faithful parents, trying to instill good prayer practices in their youngins:

“Fold your hands, Jimmy!”

“Repeat after me: Oouuuurrrr Faaatthhhherrrrr…”

“C’mon, Jimmy, you can do it!”

Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

Sometimes little Jimmy folds his hands enthusiastically and cutely fumbles through the prayers. Other times, he refuses, preferring to roll around on the floor.

None of this is surprising, but it can be exasperating, and humbling.

I like to believe that Montessori has an answer, tip, or perspective for everything. This one came in the form of a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd catechist.

A Beautiful Example

A group of 3, 4 and 5 year old children, of varying levels of cleanliness and calmness, sat around the catechist on the carpet. On the prayer table was a statue of Mary, the Bible, and a burning candle.

The catechist told the children she wanted to show them something. She closed her eyes, then slowly, carefully, and beautifully, made the sign of the cross.

Next, instead of saying cheerfully, “Ok let’s all try together on the count of three!” she told the children, “I’ll show you again.” And again she closed her eyes, and slowly, carefully, and beautifully made the sign of the cross.

Now, not all of the children were exactly spellbound. Some looked around at their friends, grinning. One remained engrossed in her socks.

But the sense of quiet reverence that permeated the room was present to the children and their spongy, absorbent minds. And this is where our strategy begins.

The Montessori Strategy to Help 3-6 Year-Old Children Learn to Pray

Children Absorb

Quick 60-second recap of the Montessori principle of absorption:

  • Children, for the first 6 or so years of life, have an absorbent mind.
  • This means they take in, unconsciously, everything from their environment. (sounds, sights, ideas, attitudes, etc.)
  • What is absorbed forms the mind, e.g. the memory, will, etc.
  • This is the first element of learning to speak any language perfectly. (They hear and absorb the language, with every grammatical and dialectical nuance.)

This means that if a child sees and hears people praying, she will absorb these sensations into her mind. And you don’t have to tell her to do it. It happens by nature.

So, how to encourage kids to pray part #1:

Pray.

Let them see you pray.

Let them hear you pray.

Don’t make it a show. Make it real.

Surround your children with prayer, and with a reverence towards the sacred. Allow them to absorb these sensations and attitudes to form their minds and stay with them forever.

Children Imitate

You probably saw this one coming. Kids are huge imitators, and we all know it. Ask any three-year-old what he wants to be, and he will tell you he wants to be “just like so and so.” He wants to imitate some great and wonderful older person.

Children by nature are drawn towards the good and beautiful, and they are drawn to imitate it.

We need to trust this instinct.

So, how to encourage kids to pray part #2:

Give them the freedom to imitate you praying.

Your children, who love you and see you praying, will naturally imitate you. It’s wired into them.

This step can’t stand alone. It must follow the first. If you’re kids don’t see prayer as good and beautiful and natural, they won’t want to imitate it.

Parents of 3-6 year olds: do you want to help you child learn to pray? Check out this strategy based on Montessori principles and used in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. www.jeankermode.com | prayers for kids, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd faith, raising Catholic kids, #montessori

Tips for Praying with 3-6 Year-Olds

  1. Introduce your child to certain basic prayers and gestures and tell him when we say or use them. For example, “Before we eat, we say this prayer,” or, “When we want to get our minds and bodies ready for prayer, we make this sign.”
  2. After you introduce a prayer or gesture, say it or do it slowly enough for the child to hear and see, but still naturally and reverently.
  3. Don’t wait for the child to join in, or fold his hands, or make the sign of the cross. Simply begin, and allow him to watch and then join when ready.
  4. Avoid praising the child when she says a prayer or completes a gesture. The focus is on God.
  5. Just because the child doesn’t have to join in, doesn’t mean all behavior is acceptable during prayer time. Decide which behaviors can get a pass (maybe lying down instead of kneeling, looking at a book, etc.) and which will result in the child being removed from the room. (screaming, throwing rosaries, etc.)

The Benefits of the Montessori Strategy

You might be on the fence about this seemingly passive strategy toward forming good prayer habits. Prayer is important, do we really want to just let our kids join in when ready? Shouldn’t we nudge a little more?

First of all, a note: the absorbent mind lasts until the age of 6. So this strategy will not work with your 6 and uppers. There is a time for laying down the law, e.g. “We fold our hands during prayer, and that means you, pal.” This time, however, comes when our kids are able to respond to reason, to pull themselves together, and to fold their hands.

Secondly, here is what we can achieve by following the Montessori strategy when they’re young:

  • The beginnings of a habit of prayer that is based 0% on coercion and 100% on love/the desire to imitate what is good.
  • The beginnings of a habit of listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Those natural instincts that draw the child towards the good come from God. Our goal is to work with God, not instead of Him.
  • Hopefully, a deeper prayer life in ourselves, once we realize how important it is to model the goal in a beautiful way.

Testimonies to the Power of Example

St. John Paul the Great writes about his father:

“After my mother’s death, his life became one of constant prayer. Sometimes I would wake up during the night and find my father on his knees, just as I would always see him kneeling in the parish church. We never spoke about a vocation to the priesthood, but his example was in a way my first seminary, a kind of domestic seminary.” (Quoted in St. John Paul the Great: His Five Loves, by Jason Evert)

And a woman, beautiful on the inside and out, gave this testimony at her father’s funeral, which I attended. I’ve copied it here with her permission.

“I was not a devout child, although I loved Jesus and Mary as most kids love the hero and heroine in their favorite story. My first memory of prayer is of our family gathering for night prayers and the Rosary. I recall stubbornly lying behind the couch, night after night, as my parents knelt before our image of Jesus and Mary and recited the decades of the Rosary. I would braid my rosary between my fingers, hang it around my neck, loop it around my wrists. It was just another plaything, the only one I was allowed during prayers. I kicked my legs in the air out of sheer boredom, invisible behind that couch.

Then, one night, I remember standing up from behind the couch and really listening to the words for the first time, wondering why anyone would say the same thing that many times and what the words really meant. I knew “It’s a small world after all”, and I knew it drove my parents crazy if I sang it enough times in a row. Why would anyone say the ‘Hail Mary’ that many times with love and respect in their voices? Why was there a difference? It was a mystery I needed to unravel.

The two people I loved and trusted most in the world prayed to God every day even though they couldn’t see Him, even though they were tired, even though their kid whined and kicked her legs in the air behind the couch. I didn’t understand why they prayed but I believed there must be a reason both true and important. I decided I would only discover the reason if I tried to do the same thing myself. I was only interested in trying because I saw my parent’s examples and wished to imitate them. My journey toward God with logic and reason would start much later, but routine nightly prayer had pointed me in the right direction.” (Emphasis mine.)

If you’re interested in reading more about Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, the Montessori-based catechesis program, please visit here and here.

Share your advice with us in the comments! How do you encourage prayer in children?

Jean Marie

P.S. Check out the free, printable prayer cards in my resource library below. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd uses prayer cards like these throughout the liturgical year. They are set up on the prayer table and read aloud to guide reflection. Print yours today!

free montessori printables

How Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Can Give Your Child a Lifelong Relationship With God

Through this amazing catechesis program, Christian children of any denomination grow in the friendship and peace of God. You can use Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at home, too!

Want to raise faith-filled kids? Catechesis of the Good Shepherd has some suggestions. Check it out at www.jeankermode.com for tips to raising Catholic kids. #montessori

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What is the single most important gift you can give a child? Is it an education? or siblings? or travels? or financial stability? I believe that these are all beautiful gifts, but that there is one gift that surpasses all of these. This gift is a relationship with God. This relationship will give true purpose to an education, grace to love others, spiritual adventure and a greater security than any worldly wealth can offer.

But can you give this to a child? Technically, no, you can’t force a relationship between two others. But you can set the stage for this relationship. It’s called Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. And it is so beautiful.

What Is Catechesis of the Good Shepherd?

 

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, or CGS, is a catechetical program developed by Sofia Cavalletti and Gianna Gobbi, and inspired by the philosophy of Maria Montessori. It takes the key Montessori principle, that the child carries the seed of learning within himself, and applies this to spiritual education. Cavalletti and Gobbi named this seed of learning, they saw that it is the Holy Spirit himself who helps the child to learn. The Holy Spirit acts within the child; it is He who initiates a relationship. It is He who gives growth and wisdom. CGS is based around this principle.

CGS is appropriate for any Christian child, as it focuses on the key, core aspects of the Christian faith, such as the Incarnation, Salvation through the Cross, and the Sacraments. It is also geared towards very young children; as these children grow older they can learn the various distinctions of their denomination, regarding the pope, etc. The curriculum itself can be tailored to specific denominations, for example, the Sign of Peace happens at different times during the mass for different denominations, and this can be reflected in the individual curriculums.

How Does Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Set the Stage for a Lifelong Relationship with God?

CGS sets the stage for this relationship in several ways.

1. By Giving the Child Time to Grow In Contemplation

Please don’t let the thought of your rambunctious, crazy-pants three-year old sitting quietly in contemplation laugh you out of here. Every single one of us was made to contemplate God, and high energy kids are no exception. And this is where the beauty of Montessori comes in. CGS uses the Montessori principles of self-discipline, whole person education, and individuality to help the child prepare his body and mind for contemplation. 

Through Practical Life exercises, (yes, children sweep and polish in this catechism class) children work on fine and gross motor skills, and learn concentration through uninterrupted focus on a task that interests them. This is invaluable for growing in contemplation. It recognizes that the whole person, body and soul, must praise God, and patiently helps the child grow in mastery of his body. This might look different for different children; a high-energy child may learn to concentrate through kinetic, hands-on activities, such as table washing or molding clay. And artistically inclined child might learn to concentrate through arranging flowers or drawing a picture. The catechist is trained to observe each child and lead her to activities that captivate her. This interest, together with a quiet environment and uninterrupted periods of time, allow the child to grow, however slowly, in concentration and contemplation, allowing the Holy Spirit to do His beautiful work.

2. By Introducing Jesus As a Real Person

 

CGS places a very big emphasis on the reality of Jesus, who walked on the same planet and breathed the same air as we do. As time is a difficult concept for young children, (especially 3-6 year olds) the focus is on place. One of the earliest lessons shows the child a globe. “Here is where we live, and hear is where Jesus lived.” The catechist gives the child time to dwell on this, and invites him to take the globe down from its shelf to look at it and think about it whenever he likes. The catechist says few words, just enough to present the child with a beautiful reality: Jesus and you share the same Earth as home.

Many other lessons show Jesus as a real person. The catechist tells stories from His life, not in her own words, but in the words of the Holy Spirit, the Gospels. Each story is presented separately, necessary vocabulary explained, with an accompanying set of three-dimensional figures to make the most of the child’s concrete thinking. For example, the story of the Nativity is told with figurines of baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, moved along with the story. The catechist always reads the story more than once, and eventually invites the child to move the figurines along with the story. This helps cement the stories in the child’s soul, bringing them to life again, and helping the child understand, with few words, that these are real events.

3. By Letting the Child Discover That Jesus Is the Good Shepherd and We are the Sheep

The lesson of the Good Shepherd is one of the most important lessons in CGS, and the most important thing is that the catechist does not tell the child who symbolizes who. The Holy Spirit, working within the child, lets the child discover this in her own time.

The catechist reads the parable of the Good Shepherd to the child, and helps the child to see how lucky those sheep are, that their shepherd loves them so much that he would lay down his life for them. Through following lessons, the child comes to realize that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and then, one day, the beautiful, joyful thought: “I’m the sheep!”

The combination of quiet contemplation, knowledge of Jesus as a real person, and knowledge that Jesus gives His life for you, is the perfect recipe for a lifelong friendship, one that will carry the child through every joy and sorrow that life can throw at him.

Catechesis at Home

Of course, all three of these elements can be fostered at home. Give your child time to be quiet and concentrate. Introduce him to Jesus as a real person, as a friend of yours. Read her stories from the Bible, leaving time for reflection and questions.  Together as a family, praise God with your bodies and souls. Look for the sacred all around you. Trust in the Holy Spirit to give growth and wisdom in His time.

 

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at home | Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Montessori

I’ll close with an amazing story.

A catechist noticed that a young girl repeatedly worked with the Annunciation figures. The catechist also introduced her to other stories, but the girl kept coming back to the story of the Annunciation. One day, the catechist gave the girl the lesson about the gesture of Epiclesis, showing her the motion of the priest, and helping her to think about what this gesture could mean. Could it be that the priest is asking God to send a gift upon the bread and wine? The moment of Epiclesis is when the priest calls the Holy Spirit to come upon the bread and wine, but the catechist does not directly tell this to the child. Instead they think together about the motion, asking what gifts God can send, and noticing that some of these gifts, e.g. love, are just another name for the Holy Spirit. Could the priest be asking for the Holy Spirit to come upon the bread and wine? The girl listened to this lesson, but when it was over showed no interest in continuing to work with the materials. Instead, she went back to the Annunciation work. And then she did a beautiful thing. She took her hands and made the gesture of the epiclesis over the figure of the Virgin Mary. She understood, though the catechist had not told her, that the same Spirit that comes upon the bread and wine at mass, to turn them into the body and blood of Jesus, is the same Spirit by whose power the body and blood of Jesus came to be conceived in the Virgin Mary.

Your turn. Tell us your stories in the comments. How do you foster faith in the children under your care? How have you seen the Holy Spirit work in them?

I look forward to reading your stories and thoughts, and I will respond to each one.

Jean Marie

Want raise faith-filled kids? Catechesis of the Good Shepherd has some suggestions. Check it out at www.jeankermode.com for tips to raising Catholic kids. #montessori

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