Earlier this week I introduced the red rods to one of my students for the very first time. I think my favorite thing about being a Montessori teacher is stepping back and watching a child work with a material by himself right after a presentation. To an adult, it is so easy to reproduce something that has been built right in front of us, seconds before. But it’s such a struggle for little ones! It’s real work. And they keep at it until they get it right.
Here is his first attempt right after the presentation.
Round two! See how quickly he’s caught on! He started building at the top of the mat and fewer rods are out of place.
Round Three! The next day he made sure to line up the edges of the rods on the left.
Round Four! He is so close! Only one rod is out of place.
Today after he finished a piece of work, he ran over to me and said, “I almost forgot! I have to build the red rods today!” And off he went.
