Children in our toddler and primary classrooms engage in Practical Life work inside the classroom. They learn how to care for themselves (through hair combing, teeth brushing, dressing), clean the leaves of plants, prepare snack, polish a shoe, wash a table, and many other important life skills. Children of these classrooms are interested in learning this practical life work for many reasons. They see adults partaking in these tasks, they want to build their own independence to be able to do things independently, and they see that this is real life work.

Children from the toddler and primary classrooms have an extensive repertoire of practical life skills as they finish up their years in these programs. An elementary child, however, is curious about how and why, and wants to learn about everything there is to learn about. Elementary guides purposefully set up the classroom to have only some information about each topic, but with limits. This is intentional so that the children will be able to go and explore in their community to find answers to their questions or to make discoveries. This is the practical life of the elementary child - Going Out.

Going out is different than a field trip. A field trip is a whole class trip that is planned by the teacher. Going out trips are planned entirely by students, who are in charge of gathering the important information, as well as ensuring their behavior is exemplary. The practical life skills involved are suited for the elementary child because it provides them with the opportunity to learn skills such as using a telephone, reading a map, reading a bus route, planning what items are needed for a trip, and finding out any other important information to make the trip successful. The role of the adult in these trips is to drive and ensure the children’s safety.

Elementary classrooms have a Going Out binder that holds information for the children to use for planning their trips. This may have information on places they could visit in the area, such as grocery stores, museums, parks, businesses, and libraries. In addition to information on places, the Going Out resource has a checklist for students so they are able to learn independently what they need to prepare for, bring, and communicate with the school so that they have a smooth trip. Students must show responsibility within the classroom space to be able to plan and achieve their Going Out trip.

Dr. Maria Montessori (1994) wrote about Going Out and its greater purpose, “Let the teacher not lose sight of the fact that the goal sought is not an immediate one - not the hike (going out trip) - but rather to make the spiritual being which she is educating capable of finding their way by themself.” (Montessori, 1994, p 13). The overarching purpose for Going Out within the elementary classroom is for the child to build skills to be able to do it themself. Practical life for the toddler and the primary child helps them to do daily tasks independently, and Going Out supports the elementary child to independently go out into the world to learn and discover.

Montessori, M. (1994). From childhood to adolescence. Oxford, England: Clio Press.

Paige Garmendia, TTMS Elementary Guide