In Montessori education, it is part of cosmic education to familiarise children with various core themes of humanity through stories. The pupils at the International Montessori School Berlin have just heard the story about the origin of writing.
Around 5,000 years ago, when people had been living on earth for a long time, the Egyptians developed pictographic writing through gestures and stories, pictures and rock paintings. Class teacher Mrs Häusler takes the children on to the Phoenicians and tells them about trade with the Egyptians at that time. The journey through time continues with the Greeks, the Romans and the first letters of the alphabet. The children at our Montessori school learn the alphabet using sandpaper letters, which are very similar to the letters used by the Romans a long time ago.
How do the pupils continue to work independently after the story?
- In the following project week, the children in grades 1-6 divide up into 5 stations (for example “We write hyroglyphs”, “Sumerian cuneiform” or “Runic amulet”) and work on their chosen projects.
Why is the presentation of a story such an important element in Montessori education that is still relevant today?
- In Montessori education, an understanding of relationships is built up from the large to the small. The children’s learning journey takes them from the Big Bang to the creation of the earth, plants, people and eventually to the creation of writing and numbers.