Ground Rules for Presentations

Even ground rules for the presentations themselves you ask?  Yep!  I’ll be honest here.  I need a little refresher on this myself and need to do a better job of following these ground rules for presentations.  These came from Sister Anthonita Porta, O.P.  She was an amazing woman and a true “Montessorian”.

Ground Rules for Presentations

1.) Starting on the first day of school the teacher demonstrates a ground rule.  Each day another rule is demonstrated.  Begin at the top of your list and move to the end.  When the end is reached move back to the top.  Everyday the teacher demonstrates one.  (I do not necessarily follow this one exactly as it is written because we do go over all of the ground rules several times during that first week of school. Demonstrating one every day after that is something I do need to do better at!)

*This continues for two to three months.

2.) Around November or December choose a child each day to demonstrate a rule from the list.  You tell the child to demonstrate how to carry a rug, etc.  Be sure you choose a child who knows.  Again move down the list one rule a day and then back up to the top. 

*About two or three months

3.) Around March the teacher verbalizes a ground rule each day from list.

4.) Around April or May the children are called on to verbalize the rule.  This goes on until the last day of school.