Workshop facilitating the learning of writing for kindergarten pupils according to the Montessori pedagogy
Project carried out in 2019 with Élisa, Joan and Thomas
Montessori pedagogy
The Montessori pedagogy emphasizes the autonomy of the child: he establishes a work area in the classroom, installs the workshop he wishes to take and takes his time to carry it out. Once finished, he keeps track of what he has created and stores the material he has used.
Also based on mutual help, this working method mixes pupils of different levels, from the first to the last year of kindergarten. Therefore, the older ones can help the younger ones.
Observation of a kindergarten class applying Montessori pedagogy
The workshop we created is part of this process. The child must make various forms there, close to recurrent curves of the alphabet. The objective is to develop his motor skills in drawing letters to facilitate his learning to write.
Conceptualization of the workshop
We have therefore created 9 tracks that the child must make with his finger. They are divided into three levels, from the easiest to the most difficult. For the first level, his finger is guided by a visible path. For the second level, he no longer sees the module, but can feel it thanks to its hollow shape covered by a textured fabric. For the third level, there is no longer a module, the child must trace the shape on a piece of paper without motor aid.
Tracks and materials experiments
Workshop product
Workshop product
After different tests of materials, shapes and dimensions, we made our different modules and our box in MDF using a digital milling machine. Our object is divided into two parts: its base serves as storage for the shape plates and manipulable forms, the workshop is carried out on its surface.
Once the structure of the object was finished, we engraved and painted it in three different colors to dissociate its three levels. These additions are nevertheless to be reviewed because they are too ornamental and can divert the child’s attention. To improve these additions, it would be necessary to simplify them and indicate the difficulty of levels with a more suitable choice of colors.
Final achievement