SOCIAL SCIENCES - GEOGRAPHY, HISTORY, BIOGRAPHY

AGE 6-12+ GEOGRAPHY,HISTORY, BIOGRAPHY:
Introduction
American history
Biography

Reprinted from:
Child of the World, Essential Montessori for Age three to Twelve
ISBN: 1-879264-11-0

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.

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:

(1) physical needs: food, clothing, shelter, transportation and defense

(2) mental tendencies: work, exploration, creation, communication, play

(3) spiritual needs: self respect or self love, love of others, creative love and the love of God.

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

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© Copyright Michael Olaf, 2004

TEXT - To return to the Child of the World main page of the philosophy and practice text, go to: michaelolaf.net/ /1CWhome.html

PRODUCTS - For "Age 6-12+ Geography, History, and Biography" products, go to:www.michaelolaf.com/1CW612geography.html

The products selected by the Michael Olaf Montessori staff are very different from those commonly available for children. They are made of natural materials whenever possible; they are beautiful; they meet an important developmental need; and they have proven themselves over the years, or have been well-tested to meet the highest standards. Products which support this section of Child of the World, Essential Montessori for Age Three to Twelve, include: working world maps, map outlines, atlases, books on geography and maps, four geography games, timeline of humans, USA board games, books on ancient and present day America, books on famous people, heroes and heroines, a family tree workbook.

If you would like to order a copy of Child of the World to read at your leisure, and to share with non-internet friends and associates, please see  http://www.michaelolaf.net/ordering.html

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