Montessori Education II

The Unimaginable Importance of Young Hands

By Kim Yul

People often say that humans are the only animals that use tools. With tools, we express our superiority as a species and differentiate humans from other animals. If this is so, how do we use tools? The answer to this question is “with our hands.” We do everything with our hands. All the things we use are created by someone’s hands, and through the process of using them, we discover other ways to do things or come up with new ideas. Because we know how to use our hands properly, we learned how to use tools through repetition, and that enabled us to stand as humans, not animals.

The most common thing observable in a Montessori classroom is every child working with materials. They are using their hands to move objects, fold clothes and towels, tie shoelaces, and even wash desks. In this way, through work activities related to daily life, they stimulate their various senses, form life habits, and have opportunities to learn through trial and error. The use of the hands is not just for the purpose of developing small and large muscles but has an unimaginable importance. One of the things commonly mentioned in the numerous books written by Dr. Maria Montessori is the importance of the hands. She said, “What the hand does the mind remembers.” Children learn, remember, and develop through every action they do with their hands. The information received by using the hands is transmitted to the brain, and the brain delivers commands back to them. The greater the interactive stimulation that occurs between the hands and the brain, the greater the quantity and quality of information they process –and the more these exchanges are repeated, the more children’s intelligence develops. Literally, the hand is the window through which everything is received for development.

I feel that the hand muscles of many children these days are not as developed as they used to be. It is natural that every muscle in our body develops and becomes stronger the more we use them. If a child’s muscles do not develop, it may be because they may not be used enough. This may be a side effect from the advanced social environment in which touch screens are everywhere, or it may be a problem of our education, which no longer recognizes the importance of our hands. It must be remembered that hands are not used merely to manipulate tools but as a window through which we accept everything as we go through life.

The Author

Kim Yul is originally from Gwangju and has taught in Cincinnati, Ohio, for many years. He is a Montessori elementary school teacher who believes education can change the world.