"Children are eager to help with all sorts of troubles. And
what's more, they seem to enjoy it!" This remarkable statement from The
Human Sparks series on PBS, highlights how humans are naturally altruistic.
They get great pleasure out of accomplishing tasks for others.
In the Montessori classroom, we help to
nurture altruism by creating an environment that belongs to the children. The
children learn to put their work away on the shelves, roll up their rugs, and
push in their chairs not because the teacher tells them to but because it is
helpful to their friends. With multi-age classrooms, children are given many
opportunities to help each other as well. Older children can give lessons to
younger children, help them put on their coat, and work together with them on
tasks. It is the work of the children to take care of and respect the
environment, themselves, and others - and they derive great joy in doing so!
If you would like to watch the segment of
The Human Spark that shares some examples of the studies from the Max Planck
Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, take a look at the clip below.
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