An Education for the Senses: Part Two

Read the first part of this topic in the post HERE.

Five direct purposes of sensorial education:

• Provides the child the necessary tools to enhance the child’s natural tendency to explore their environment.

The child is a ‘natural sensory explorer’ and has been such since birth.  An education for the senses allows the child to understand all that surrounds him from the colors he sees to the items he touches and feels.  The child becomes more aware of the details not only of his own senses, but also those who surround him.  He is better able to articulate his own experiences.

• Allows the child to distinguish between similarities and differences.

The child is allowed to practice and refine the necessary senses and formulate his own thoughts regarding concepts that are similar and ones that are different.

• Develops skills in identifying sequential patterning.

Intrinsic in the Montessori Sensorial materials is a sequential order of patterns.  This may include the sizes of the Pink Tower Cubes going from largest to smallest.  Likewise, patterns can be seen not only in the individual pieces of material themselves, but also through the sequence of lessons.  For example, the lessons of the Color Tablets build upon each other, creating a pattern of use within the apparatus.

• Allows for the child to acquire information about their environment.

The children are given the necessary means by which they are better able to understand their world.  He is given the language to describe these elements and is therefore better able to contribute to the social world.

Five Indirect purposes of sensorial education:

• Preparation for writing.

The Montessori Sensorial materials allow the child to develop the muscles used in writing through the use of the pincer grasp with the apparatus.  The Knobbed Cylinders or the tracing of shapes in the Geometry and Botany cabinets provide a few examples of this indirect aim.

• Increased vocabulary.

The child is exposed to the precise language of the materials which builds his knowledge of words.

• Enhances the child’s social skills.

Due to the fact that the child’s vocabulary and knowledge increases, he is better able to contribute socially.  He is able to articulate his impressions and share them with others.

• Increased attention span.

As the child progresses through the exercises, he is allowed to practice and enhance his concentration and abilities to pay attention to his own actions and learning.

• Prepares the child’s ‘Mathematical Mind.”

The Sensorial materials are organized with a base of ten.  For example, the Pink Tower and Broad Stairs are each comprised of ten cubes and prisms respectively.  Likewise, there are ten of each of the Knobbed and Knobless Cylinders.  This indirectly prepares the child’s mind for mathematical concepts.