Developing Concentration

"The first essential for the child's development is concentration.  The child who concentrates is immensely happy."  ~ Maria Montessori 

The Button Frame

Concentration is essential to learning and learning cannot happen without concentration.  How does the Montessori Method develop concentration in children?  

Making Patterns - An Extension with the Pink Tower
 and Brown Stair

Numbers 11 - 19

Firstly, their must be interest.  Montessori environments (classrooms) are beautiful, child-centered spaces.  The Montessori materials are attractive to the children and invite repetition.  This repetition leads to concentration.

The Number Rods

Puzzle Map of Asia

Language Work - The Blue Boxes
(reading and writing phonetic words of four letters or greater)

In a Montessori environment, the children are given the time and opportunity to work with the materials.  The uninterrupted three-hour work period provides children with time. 

The Cylinder Blocks

The adults (teacher guides) in the environment are careful not to interrupt and break the children's concentration unless absolutely necessary.  This is vital to the development of deep concentration.

Language Work - The Pink Boxes
(reading words of two and three letters)

Language Work - The Blue Boxes
(reading and interpreting sentences)

Spelling words with the Moveable Alphabet

The Bead Stair (numbers 1 to 10)

The Golden Beads - The Decimal System

The Subtraction Finger Chart
(memorization of subtraction facts)

Whether a child is buttoning buttons, learning multiplication facts, using a dustpan, raking leaves or tracing the Sandpaper Letters, all work is meaningful.  As the child's ability to concentrate improves, so too does their self-control and self-regulation.  Concentration is essential in schooling and in life.