Everyday we witness something that just blows us away. Today, as we were observing the classroom in action, we happened upon a three year old student, working on a sewing exercise. Immediately, we were struck by her concentration, and this seemingly inherent sense of drive, purpose, and determination.
As we watched, she carefully, methodically, and with a tender sense of care and patience, proceeded to tackle the activity, despite any perceived difficulties. You’ll notice how she struggles to remove the needle, but instead of turning to her teachers or friends for help, she refocuses her abilities and manages to accomplish the task on her own.
Imagine the feeling of confidence that she just earned from herself. Next time she chooses to work with this activity, she’ll feel that much more prepared, assured of her movements and her achievements. She’ll get that much better. Mastering a new work, of course, takes practice and perseverance, something that was demonstrated here, with remarkable ease and agility.
Upon reflection, only having the opportunity to re-watch the final moments of the exercise on video, we notice the preparation and hard work that allowed this to happen. Notice the tray, for instance. It’s positioned just so, right in front of her. The scissors are neatly aligned. She’s sitting at the table, with her chair tucked-in. The cut threads are properly placed, waiting to be disposed upon completion. And, the needle, yes a needle!, had already been threaded.
Her perseverance is an inspiration.
Baan Dek
An incredible Montessori foundation for children and an inspirational resource for teachers and parents.