The following is the text from this section of the 2009-2010 edition of Child of the World, Montessori from Three to Twelve Years
To see other sections of this publication return to: http://www.michaelolaf.com/CWcontents.html

INTRODUCTION
Today those things which occupy us in the field of education, are the interests of humanity at large and of civilization. Before such great forces we can recognize only one country—the entire world. —Dr. Montessori, MD

History, geography, and biography—the history of a people cannot be separated from the possibilities of the environment in which it develops, and the leadership of its great men and women.

In the beginning of each year the children are introduced to the study of humankind with stories, beautiful books, maps, posters, timelines and other research inspirations.

Throughout the six years in the elementary class, the child moves from the general to the specific in the following way:

• Age 6-8, the emphasis is on prehistoric life, and plants and animals.
• Age 8-10, the emphasis is on early civilizations, from tribal cultures and ancient civilizations to the development of modern cities.
• Age 10-12, the emphasis is on the child's national and state history.

Of course all of these studies are going on at the same time and the child is free to follow her interests, no matter what the age.

History is essentially a record of how humans fulfilled their physical, mental, and spiritual needs. These can be thought of as:

• Physical needs: food, clothing, shelter, transportation and defense
• Mental tendencies: work, exploration, creation, communication, play
• Spiritual needs: self respect or self love, love of others, creative love and the love of God or "Other".

These subjects are also experienced subjectively in the classroom. For example, as the child learns about how different people obtain food, he learns to grow and prepare food. As he learns about clothing he may learn to knit or to make clothing or costumes. He studies the arts of other cultures while developing his own musical and other artistic talents. And while studying the ethics and religions of other cultures he is exploring his own relationship with friends, family and God.

This creates, not only new abilities, but an empathy with members of other cultures in the present and the past.

Those who do not remember the past are condemned to relive it. —Santayana, philosopher, Harvard University

BIOGRAPHY
The first "biographies" they study are their parents, their friends, and their teachers—and this begins at birth. As teenagers, our children will operate on information—about relationships, marriage, parenting, teaching, working, honesty, love, and so on—that they learned from living with us! As our children go on to learn about the great men and women of the past it is important that we remind them that these people all started out as children—and that the potential to be great and to contribute to the world is in all of us.

Here is a quote which expresses this idea beautifully:

Each second we live is a new and unique moment in the universe - a moment that was never before and will never be again. What we teach our children in school is 2+2=4 and Paris is the capital of France. When will we teach them what they are? What we should say to them is:

Do you know what you are? You are a marvel! You are unique! In all the world there is no other child exactly like you! In the millions of years that have passed, there has never been a child exactly like you.

Look at your body, what a wonder it is! Your legs, your arms, your cunning fingers, the way you move! You may be a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven . . . You have the capacity for anything.

Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is like you a marvel? —Pablo Casals, Cellist

AMERICAN HISTORY
American History begins with the study of those who first arrived on this continent, not the immigration of Europeans. It is the story of the Native Americans and the people from all over the world who have settled here.

American History Timeline: An excellent way to make this point is to take a long role of adding machine paper and put the dates from, say 20,000 BC (or whenever humans arrived in North American according to the most recent archaeological findings) to the present.

Then make little cards with pictures and dates to show the relationship of events in time. Some suggestions are "crossing the Bering Straits," "Height of Aztec civilization" (and as many other Native American events as you and the children can find) "Columbus arrives", "TV was invented" and so forth. Laying the cards gives an impression or overview of American History. Use timelines for any subject.

© Susan Mayclin Stephenson, 2010 (www.susanart.net)
Permission to reprint or link to a website is granted if these words are include:
"Shared with permission of The Joyful Child Montessori Company: www.thejoyfulchild.us"

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