Name of material: Tools Image(s): Photo(s) courtesy of Montessori - - PDF document

Name of material:

Tools

Image(s):

Photo(s) courtesy of Montessori Child. Visit ​ www.montessorichild.com.au ​ to purchase this material.

Video​: Point(s) of interest:

The appeal of using the high quality ​real ​ , ​functional ​ tools that are used by adults.

Primary purpose:

Main objective To learn specific skills and procedures relating to useful, practical tools.

Secondary purposes

Incidental benefits Development of gross and fine motor coordination. Promotion of independence.

Control of error:

Each activity provides the control of error that the real outcome either will or will not be achieved using the real tool. That is, if the child is using a screwdriver then it will either tighten the screw if the child uses the correct techniques or leave them loose if the child does not (unlike a ‘toy’ rake which might be ineffective even if a child’s movements are appropriate or might be designed to always succeed regardless of the child’s input). Therefore when using ​real tools ​ for their ​true ​ ​purpose ​ the ​potential for error ​ is the ​control

• f error.

EYLF Outcome 1.2: Children develop their emerging autonomy, inter-dependence, resilience and sense of agency​ by engaging in self-correction to notice a mistake and seek a solution (rather than relying on an adult to identify the error and suggest the answer).

Presentation​:

Please note: Montessori presentations will vary slightly according to the specific training institute, Album or educator’s experience. The following outline is intended as a guide and highlights important points/procedures. Educators should build on this from their own experience and their understanding of the children in their care, so that all presentations will have some universal similarities but no two will be completely identical because of the unique needs of the child, cultural context of the school and interactions between educator and student. Preparation​:

• The lessons with tools should, ideally, be related to a practical and necessary
• purpose. For instance, a child uses a screwdriver to tighten the screws on a hinge

to fix a cupboard door or the child uses a key to unlock a cupboard to retrieve a particular material. In these cases the lessons can be presented spontaneously when the need arises.

• In some cases the tools may be arranged with specific exercises in mind. For

instance, some classrooms will offer a wooden board with holes for screws specifically to isolate the skill for practise even though it does not lead to a practical/necessary outcome. In these cases the lessons can be presented more intentionally, with the educator inviting the child to participate or responding to an

• bservation of the child independently choosing the exercise.
• The teacher sits to ​the right of the child if the adult is right-handed

​ and to the ​left of the child if the adult is left-handed ​ (this avoids the issue of having the adult’s hand/arm block the field of vision of the child). Lesson 1: Screwdriver Tightening a screw

• The educator starts by naming the tool and its purpose, “This is a screwdriver. It is

used to turn a screw to the right to make it tighter.” The educator can also elaborate

as needed, such as “This is a ​Phillips head ​ screwdriver because it has a cross shaped head”.

• The educator puts down the screwdriver and collects a screw. He/she shows that
• ne end of the screw is pointed (or completely flat/smooth) while the other end has

a groove. The educator shows how to place the head of the screwdriver into the groove of the screw.

• The educator uses the non-dominant hand to align the tip of the screw with the hole

(in the hinge/wood etc). The educator uses the thumb and forefinger to pinch the screw and hold it in place.

• The educator uses the dominant hand to lift the screwdriver and align the head with

the groove of the screw.

• The educator shows how to turn the screwdriver handle to the ​right

​ to turn the screw so that it becomes increasingly tight.

• The educator invites the child to continue the process with the other screws.

Loosening/removing a screw

• The educator starts by naming the tool and its purpose, “This is a screwdriver. It is

used to turn a screw to the left to loosen and remove it.” The educator can also elaborate as needed, such as “This is a ​Phillips head ​ screwdriver because it has a cross shaped head”.

• The educator highlights the head of the screw, pointing to the flat line, or cross, that

forms the groove.

• The educator uses the dominant hand to lift the screwdriver and align the head with

the groove of the screw.

• The educator shows how to turn the screwdriver handle to the ​left

​ to turn the screw so that it becomes increasingly loose. This continues until the screw can be removed completely.

• The educator invites the child to continue the process with the other screws.

Lesson 2: Hammer

• The educator starts by naming the tool and its purpose, “This is a hammer. It is

used to drive nails in.”

• The educator collects a nail and identifies the pointed tip and the flat top. The

educator explains, “We put the point into the wood and hammer the flat top.”

• The educator uses the pincer grip of the non-dominant hand to pinch the sides of

the nail and hold it in place.

• The educator uses the dominant hand to lift the hammer by the handle. He/she

starts by gently placing the hammer head on top of the flat top of the nail. The educator then draws back the hammer slightly and knocks it down firmly.

• This is repeated until the nail is driven into the wood and the top of the nail sits flat

against the surface.

• The educator invites the child to continue the process with the other nails.

Lesson 3: Tape measure

• The educator starts by naming the tool and its purpose, “This is a tape measure. It

is used to measure the length and width of objects or the distance between things.”

• The educator says, “First I will show you how to handle the tape safely.” He/she

demonstrates how to hold the metal clip at the end of the tape in the non-dominant

hand and hold the case in the dominant hand. The educator moves the hands apart to draw out a few centimetres of the tape.

• The educator lets go of the metal clip to demonstrate how the tape automatically

retracts into the case.

• The educator draws the tape out again but this time he/she uses the index finger on

the dominant hand to slide the ‘lock’ mechanism into place on the case. He/she lets go of the metal clip again but this time it remains in place.

• The educator grasps the clip again and slides the mechanism into the ‘unlock’
• position. This time he/she keeps hold of the clip while sliding it back into the case.
• The educator offers the child the opportunity to practise with the locking

mechanism.

• When the child has mastered the locking mechanism the educator explains, “Now

I’ll show you how we can measure.”

• The educator withdraws some tape and locks it in place. He/she directs the child’s

attention to the small numbers on the tape, identifying the measurements (usually centimetres) and modelling the counting process, “one centimetre…two centimetres…three centimetres” and so on.

• The educator replaces the tape into the case and offers it to the child so he/she can

examine the numbers on the tape.

• When the child has counted some of the numbers the educator asks for the tape

measure back and chooses an object in the environment, “Now we will measure (object)”.

• The educator places the metal clip at one end of the object and holds it in place with

the non-dominant hand while pulling the case across to the other side of the object. He/she then slides the locking mechanism into place and withdraws the tape from the object, placing it flat across a table.

• The educator counts the measurements to identify the dimension of the object.
• The educator replaces the tape to the case and invites the child to choose an object

to measure.

• The child continues measuring objects for as long as he/she likes.
• The child may record some of the measurements by drawing an illustration of the
• bject and recording the numerals, or by writing the name of the object and

recording the numerals. Lesson 4: Latches

• The educator starts by naming the tool and its purpose, “This is a latch. It is used to

hold doors in place.”

• The educator demonstrates how to manipulate the latch (the exact presentation will

vary according to the specific type of latch). Lesson 5: Padlocks

• The educator starts by naming the tool and its purpose, “This is a padlock. It is used

to hold the two pieces of a latch together securely so that only the person with the key can open it.”

• The educator holds the ​locked

​ padlock and attempts to pull the shackle from the

• body. When it does not move he/she announces, “It is locked.”
• The educator lifts the key in the dominant hand and uses the non-dominant hand to

hold the padlock body steady. He/she inserts the key into the keyhole on the base (or front) of the padlock. He/she turns the key until the shackle clicks open.

• The educator lets go of the key and turns the padlock body away from the shackle

before threading the shackle out of the latch.

• The educator shows the child how the loose shackle can now swing freely back and

forth and announces, “It is now unlocked”.

• The educator removes the key, aligns the shackle with the hole and clicks it down

into place. He/she then demonstrates that it is now locked again.

• The educator resets the padlock and invites the child to repeat the process.

Lesson 6: Nuts and bolts

• The educator starts by naming the tool and its purpose, “This is a bolt. It has

grooves around the cylinder. This is the nut. It has matching grooves on the inside.”

• The educator holds the bolt in he non-dominant hand and uses the dominant hand

to grasp the nut in the pincer fingers.

• The educator aligns the nut with the end of the bolt and begins turning it clockwise

to tighten it.

• When the nut is tightened the educator begins turning it back anti-clockwise to

loosen and remove it.

• The educator offers the nut and bolt to the child to repeat the process.

Conclusion​:

• After a spontaneous presentation (fixing a real need), say to the child, “You now

know how to use the (name of tool). Let me remind you where it is kept so that you can find it again when you need it.”

• If the child has been using an isolated exercise you can conclude the activity by

saying, “You have used the (tool). Would you like to keep working with it or are you ready to pack it away?” If the child chooses to conclude the activity then ensure that you guide the child to replace it to its correct spot on the shelf.

• This empowers the child to know where it is located so that he/she can

independently choose the material again when he/she is ready and interested. This contributes towards the creation of a ​learning environment ​ and promotes ​EYLF Outcome 4.4: Children resource their own learning through connecting with people, place, technologies and natural and processed materials.

Links to the Early Years Learning Framework Outcomes:

Participating in the Tools lessons with an educator and peers helps the child progress towards the following Learning Outcomes; 1.4: Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect​ by absorbing the idea that tools can be used to fix problems and support others. 5.1: Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes by communicating with a trusted educator, with words and through imitation and engagement, in a mutually respectful context. Revisiting the Tools for​ ​ independent attempts helps the child progress towards the following Learning Outcomes;

3.1: Children become strong in their social and emotional wellbeing​ by feeling the empowering satisfaction of being able to actively and meaningfully contribute to his/her community by fixing problems or creating new items. 4.2: Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, persistence, imagination and reflexivity​ by learning to ​identify ​ problems and respond to them, consider solutions, utilise tools and persist with their use to reach a solution. 4.3: Children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another by utilising tools in a range of situations to fix, fasten or create!

Observation and ​assessment for learning:

When the child is working independently the educator can gather and analyse information about what the child knows, can do and understands by observing the following: Indicators of ​progress​;

• The child collects the right tool to respond to his/her needs (eg. collects the key to
• pen a padlock) but is unsure of how to implement the tools. This indicates

conceptual understanding but not procedural memory. Present the demonstration with the tool when the child collects it.

• The child uses a tool effectively when the teacher is present but does not

independently initiate the use of this tool. This indicates procedural memory but not conceptual understanding. Highlight the ​connection ​ between the need/action and the tool (eg. “You’d like to open the padlock so you will need to collect the key.”) Indicators of ​mastery​;

• The child confidently collects and uses a tool in relation to a particular need.
• The child assists other children with collecting and utilising tools.

If the child demonstrates the aforementioned skills the educator can engage in ​intentional teaching ​ by introducing the following lesson. If the child does not yet demonstrate the aforementioned skills the educator can show responsiveness to children ​ by scaffolding the learning by repeating the presentation. If the child still does not acquire the skills once the presentation is repeated then the task should be broken into smaller, discrete steps. If the child still cannot master the skills presented in the discrete steps the educator can support the child’s learning by reverting to the prior lesson. Questions for reflective practice: After presenting this material the educator might ask,

• Are there other theories or knowledge that could help me to understand better what

I have observed or experienced? What are they? How might those theories and that knowledge affect my practice?

• Who is advantaged when I work in this way? Who is disadvantaged?

Extensions/Variations​:

Please note: Authentic Montessori environments should ideally utilise the existing materials and comprehensive curriculum to engage, support and extend the child. Adult-initiated extensions and variations should, therefore, be viewed with the ‘Three C’s – care, context and constraint”. Extensions and variations should not be introduced for the sake of novelty or presented universally to all children, but may have their place where it helps to care for a child’s unique needs, is relevant to the specific context and is constrained by a respect for the original purpose

• f the material. Extensions/variations should never replace the original material or detract from

its purpose.

• Educators can introduce the use of familiar tools in new or challenging contexts,

such as:

• Hammer

▪ Creating open-ended structures/forms from pieces of wood. ▪ Building specific projects (such as a birdhouse).

• Tape measure”

▪ Engaging in ​comparative measurements ​ , such as guessing whether

• ne object is longer or shorter then measuring to check.

▪ Creating graphs to record the length/width of objects.

• Latches/locks:

▪ Matching keys to padlocks ▪ Locks and latches boxes

• Nuts and bolts / screwdrivers:

▪ Matching exercises can be created with varying sized nuts and bolts that need to be matched to one another. ▪ Construction sets that utilise nuts/bolts/screws can be provided.

• Educators can also introduce other tools including, but not limited to, the following:
• Saw
• Pliers
• Spirit level
• Spanner
• Wrench
• Hot glue gun

Support at home Partnerships with families

At this stage in a child’s development he/she is beginning to master the use of real construction/maintenance tools. A parent/relative could reinforce this and support ​continuity of learning and transitions ​ by;

• Gathering and presenting activities as suggested in the ‘Extensions/Variations’

above.

• Role modelling use of these tools in the home environment. Rather than engaging

in quick, behind-the-scenes repairs, take the time and care to slowly, deliberately present ​ these to your child (and ask for his/her help!)

• Reinforcing the language associated with practical life work, including the nouns

relating to the tools (eg. “tape measure”, “centimetres”, “metres”) and the verbs associated with the tasks (eg “measuring”).

• Investing in high-quality and ​functional​ tools (not just “toy” tools) that your child can

use (such as small brooms, watering cans and so on) and ensuring that these are kept in places where the child can independently access them.

• Creating a ‘Construction Zone’ or workbench where your child can feel empowered

to engage in spontaneous, independent and open-ended construction, creation and fixing!

To learn more visit WikiSori