#atom

Montessori approach to resource sharing

Core Idea: Rather than forcing immediate sharing, the Montessori approach teaches children to share by taking turns, respecting both the current user's need for completion and the waiting child's patience.

Key Elements

• Key principles

  • One activity/material per child allows concentrated work
  • Children can work with an item for as long as they need
  • Waiting for a turn builds valuable patience and delayed gratification
  • Forced sharing interrupts concentration and creates anxiety about resources
  • Turn-taking respects both users' needs while teaching social skills

• Implementation steps

  • Establish clear ground rule: "We share by taking turns"
  • Provide language for children: "You can use it when they're finished"
  • Support waiting child: "I see you're waiting. Would you like to choose something else while you wait?"
  • Help current user recognize when someone is waiting
  • For open-ended activities, introduce reasonable time limits: "I see someone is waiting. Let's count to ten and then give them a turn"
  • Model graciously giving up turns

• Preparing for visitors

  • Before visitors arrive, ask child which toys they'd prefer not to share
  • Put these items away temporarily with child's involvement
  • Establish that remaining toys will be shared through turn-taking
  • Prepare child for the social situation in advance

• Common pitfalls

  • Demanding immediate handover of toys
  • Inconsistent application of turn-taking principle
  • Not supporting the waiting child with alternatives
  • Overlooking opportunities to model sharing
  • Labeling children as "not good at sharing" rather than teaching the skill

Additional Connections

• Broader Context: Respect for the Child (respecting need for completion)
• Applications: Setting Boundaries Around Leaving (similar boundary principles)
• See Also: Managing Hitting and Biting Behaviors (frustration over resources can trigger aggression)

References

1. Davies, S. (2019). The Montessori Toddler.
2. Montessori, M. (1995). The Absorbent Mind, Holt Paperbacks.

#social_skills #sharing #turn_taking #montessori

Connections:

Sources:

• From: Davies-The Montessori Toddler