Introduction
Whereas many educators in her day ran classrooms like battlegrounds between teachers and unwilling pupils, Italian doctor Maria Montessori (1870-1952) was convinced that children rejoice in learning so long as teachers do not meddle. The following anecdote appeared in a pamphlet written for the Board of Education in 1912, and shows that joy in abundance.
ONE beautiful December day when the sun shone and the air was like spring, I went up on the roof with the children. They were playing freely about, and a number of them were gathered about me. I was sitting near a chimney, and said to a little five-year old boy who sat beside me, ‘Draw me a picture of this chimney,’ giving him as I spoke a piece of chalk. He got down obediently and made a rough sketch of the chimney on the tiles which formed the floor of this roof terrace.
As is my custom with little children I encouraged him, praising his work. The child looked at me, smiled, remained for a moment as if on the point of bursting into some joyous act, and then cried out, ‘I can write! I can write!’ and kneeling down again he wrote on the pavement the word ‘hand.’
Précis
Dr Maria Montessori described how she had taken her pupils one day up onto a roof terrace for their lessons. She gave a piece of chalk to one young boy and challenged him to draw a picture of the neighbouring chimney stack. To her amazement, he declared that he could write, and chalked the word ‘hand’ on the rooftop. (59 / 60 words)
Dr Maria Montessori described how she had taken her pupils one day up onto a roof terrace for their lessons. She gave a piece of chalk to one young boy and challenged him to draw a picture of the neighbouring chimney stack. To her amazement, he declared that he could write, and chalked the word ‘hand’ on the rooftop.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, although, besides, just, may, not, otherwise, ought.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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