Floor Scrubbing 101 (Montessori Style)

I am very much enjoying the review of Care of Environment lessons as I prepare for my Oral Examinations at the end of June.  While the children in my class have been introduced to Table and Chair Washing, Window Cleaning and Washing the Easel, they have not been introduced to the formal lesson of Floor Scrubbing.  The main reason being is that our classroom floor is all hardwood and does not include tile - anywhere.  Enter my kitchen floor at home!

I really wanted to put together this lesson for several reasons.  Firstly, I wanted to practice the sequence of steps of the presentation of the lesson in preparation for the exam.  Secondly, I wanted to see if plain baking soda could really clean the grime on my floor.  Thirdly, what a great way to have my own kids help out at home!

Here are the materials I assembled on a tray with a mat underneath:

On the tray: electrical tape, scissors, glass bowl with baking soda-filled shaker placed inside, sponge in small dish, scrub brush, small towel.  Underneath:  mat on which to place materials in use.

To begin, the child uses the tape and scissors to mark off one square on the tile...

...like this.  The laying of the tape provides a meaningful point of interest for the child.  Once this is done, the child then places the items on the mat from left to right:  bowl, jar with baking soda, sponge, brush, and towel.  (This picture does not show the brush and towel on the mat...)

Once the child fills the bowl with water, he then wets the sponge and wipes the surface of the squared-off tile using a top-bottom, left-right motion.  Then, baking soda is sprinkled onto the square.



Next, the child scrubs with the brush in a circular motion moving from top-bottom, left-right.

Scrubbing complete - Can't you already see the difference?



Now the child wets the sponge and wipes the square clean, re-wetting as necessary, using the same movement as before with sponge.

The square is dried with small towel...

...Clean tile revealed! 

Proof that plain baking soda and a good scrub works best!  Now, there are only about 699 tiles left...

In all seriousness, this is yet another Montessori Practical Life lesson which not only builds concentration, coordination, independence and order, but it also trains the eye in movement from left to right in preparation for reading and writing.  Additionally, the lesson promotes the use of both fine and gross motor skills.

Now that the materials are set up, they have a designated shelf in my pantry at home. When I get a few minutes here or there, all I have to do is grab the tray and do a few tiles at a time.  The boys added it to their list of  "Saturday Chores" and have agreed to complete a few tiles at time as well!  Our kitchen floor will finally get the scrub-down its needed for along time...