Skip to main content

National College Credit Recommendation Service

Board of Regents  |  University of the State of New York

Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services, Inc. | Evaluated Learning Experience

Practical Life and Sensorial Materials (180)

Course Category: 
Length: 
45 hours.
Location: 
Various child care facilities associated with the Caritas Training Center.
Dates: 
April 1996 - Present.
Instructional delivery format: 
Traditional classroom model
Learner Outcomes: 

Upon successful completion of the course, students will be to: arrange  and maintain classroom areas of practical life and sensorial materials; create and use age appropriate materials and adjust all materials for these areas to meet different developmental stages; help children function in their own environment,  care for the environment and  increase their attention span, develop self-discipline, and refine gross and fine motor skills through practical life activities; support children's development in sensorial skills of matching, sorting, and exploration of the five senses through the use of concrete manipulative materials; and research and create materials that are age appropriate for preschool children.

Instruction: 

This course introduces students to the materials for Practical Life and Sensorial areas. Students learn to utilize materials familiar to the child's own environment to help the child in the development of an increased attention span, self-discipline, gross and fine motor skills, and a sense of independence; share in the skills of grace and courtesy and care of the environment that aid the child in developing a sense of cooperation and community; explore the sensory materials which isolate each sense and aid the child in sensory discrimination through matching, grading, sorting and other manipulative exercises of order and construction; arrange, maintain, and present these materials within the classroom and adjust presentations to fit the stages of development of children. In addition, students create materials that are age appropriate and serve the developing skills of their children;  illustrate their presentations in an organized album for each area and write essays that summarize concepts and philosophy of the Montessori Method which are applicable to the practical life and sensorial areas. There are nine hours of supervised practice with student partners along with six hours of oral presentation.

Credit recommendation: 

In the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 3 semester hours in Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, or Montessori Education (6/00) (8/06 revalidation) (11/11 revalidation) (11/16 revalidation).

Top