Nature is an excellent teaching aid in Montessori elementary school. Children are able to develop critical thinking skills, physical attributes, study science, math, language, and more. To better illustrate the importance of nature in education, here is a quick look at the educational benefits connected with getting outside.
Academics
For Students of a Montessori elementary school, an outside environment is great for learning everything from arithmetic to writing. Through engaging with things found in nature, children build a larger vocabulary, learn to spell, get exposure to word pronunciation, and more. Additionally, nature is packed with a variety of science instruction, from biology to learning about gravity and other physical sciences.
Math deserves special recognition when learning through nature. Sorting and counting are necessary to learn specifics of things, including counting the rings of a tree and what those rings mean. But math is much more than that and is a necessary part of any scientific exploration. Math is the underlying code that explains why things work the way they do, and cannot be separated from other outdoor investigations.
Intrinsic Motivation
Children become more engaged in the learning process when they can get their hands on the material they are working with. This fosters a love of learning and results in children who are more eager to learn, and engaged in discovering more about the world they live in.
Social Development
Outdoor activities may involve teamwork, collaboration, and sharing of resources, and that helps children develop strong social skills. From a game of ball to construction paper windmills, children develop vital social skills through outdoor interactions.
Physical Development
Hands-on activities promote movement and help kids develop fine and gross motor skills. Fine motor skills hone gripping and manipulation of small objects, and gross motor skills are related to physical activities like climbing, running, jumping, and more.
Montessori in Nature
A simple activity like learning about flowers makes a good example of how all of these benefits work together. Children begin by learning the name of a particular flower, build fine motor skills by plucking a flower, and develop physical abilities by bending and reaching, all while learning to count the petals, study plant biology, and gain insight into life cycles and ecosystems.
The natural world around us is vast, and elementary students are at the perfect age to begin exploring it in greater detail. Through outdoor activities, they become more aware of environmental impacts, the role of people in conserving resources, and first-hand experience in biology and other academic subjects.
The best way to learn more about the Montessori prepared environment is to see it in action. Schedule an appointment for a tour today to see Montessori in action.
