I love the beauty and value that is innate to all Montessori materials. Whether it from a shelf provided for language, one for math, one to peak the senses or for practical life, it is a work designed with great knowledge about child development and a purpose in mind. To the child it is play, to their potential it is a gift.
Take the trinomial cube for example, it is a work of beauty and purpose. Beauty? Look at it. Purpose? Think about it. She is using great care to keep her space and material organized, she is working independently, with great concentration, and will assuredly reorganize the work herself as it is self-correcting- meaning it will fit in the box if the reassembly is accurate. Nonetheless, she can do this work herself and from that fact her ability will grow far beyond what anyone expected.
Montessori is like that. It is purposeful child’s play. It allows for autonomy, purpose and the pursuit of mastery, all while helping each child grow in his/her self-esteem. I think that is purposeful.
posted by Eric Dustman