Ongoing Montessori homeschooling thread? - Page 8

[jenfl]

Originally Posted by AllyRae

The children we're inviting over already do montessori-type activities in their own homeschool but don't have some of the works that can't be made by hand.

Ah. I think that makes all the difference. There's no one around here who does Montessori at home (and believe me, I've looked!), so anyone I brought in would be unfamiliar with the materials and how to use the room appropriately. I don't think that would work so well one day a week or so.

Originally Posted by AllyRae

Jen...my just-barely-3-year-old would much rather do the paper snipping and the rice pouring than the pink tower or anything I actually bought. :

Good to hear it's not just me! At least yours is still doing Practical Life stuff. I just can't seem to hit on a Practical Life activity that engages her. I'm hoping that maybe she gets enough of that in daily life that she doesn't see the point in/need PL shelf activities.

I've got a new one out today, pin punching, that plays off her interest in sticking pens though pieces of cardboard. So, high hopes!

[LoveToBeMom]

Originally Posted by jenfl

That's so weird. Maybe it's because they know you're a teacher (do they)?

Yes, they do know I'm a (Montessori) teacher, so that's a good point. Thank you for that perspective.

BTW, I decided to have a designated "school room." Thanks for your input on that as well! I'm soooo excited and immersed in the planning! We'll start in August (if I can stand waiting that long!) to get a month under our belt before baby #2 arrives in September!

[jenfl]

Originally Posted by LoveToBeMom

BTW, I decided to have a designated "school room." Thanks for your input on that as well! I'm soooo excited and immersed in the planning! We'll start in August (if I can stand waiting that long!) to get a month under our belt before baby #2 arrives in September!

If you don't mind the perspective from someone else who's getting started while very pregnant.... give yourself as much time as possible before your due date! I was totally motivated and on top of things when we started (and I was about 32 weeks), but it's gotten a lot harder as I've gotten closer and closer to The Big Day. In the evening, I don't really want to swap out activities and create new materials -- I want to relax and try to ignore the primordial contractions or go to bed early.

'Course, you have a lot more experience, so it might not be nearly as intensive for you to set things up.

[jenfl]

Have you guys seen this?

http://www.postcrossing.com/

You send postcards around the world and get some in return. I'm thinking these would be great to have for continent boxes!

I've just sent out my first 5, haven't qualified to receive any yet (the receiver has to validate that they got your card). I sent them to Russia, Brazil, England, Germany, and China!

I put in my profile that I was collecting postcards for my kids' education and that I'd love for people to write a day-in-the-life or their interests or favorite food (or even a recipe!). I'm really excited about what we might get back!

[brennan]

Hi there! I hope its alright if I join! I don't know how often I'll be able to post, but I look forward to reading all of your ideas!

My dd is 16 months old and we've been doing some "montessori" activities from the start, though not much. I have taken 2 NAMC courses, and I really enjoyed them (the 0-3 and 3-6), but I had them payed for in exchange for volunteering full time at a Montessori school before I had dd. I'm planning on homeschooling dd until at least grade 1 (dh is unsure about after that). I do plan on incoporating some Waldorf into our school, but the majority will be Montessori (specifically the academic part will be Montessori). I'm really lucky in that my mom has made a ton of Montessori materials when I was young, and as well in her career as a teacher for children with learning disabilities. I also find that the NAMC have a lot of activities that you can make yourself, as I'm not interested in spending a ton of money right now.

I really need to work on getting her to help more, we have a stool in the bathroom for washing her hands/face and she brushes her teeth and hair with some help. We don't eat most of our meals at a small table, as I find that dd focuses on eating better at the big table. She drinks out of a real glass (we got a set of 6 for 1.99$ from ikea). I want to get her to bringing her own dish to the table, getting rid of the high chair for a booster that she can easily climb in and out of and have her help more in the kitchen, especially with cleaning up.

I love reading about your experiences and what you're doing. We are moving in a month, so I don't want to get anything more structured started now, but I hope after we move and set up a more montessori play room we can have more time focusing on her work. I also want to set up a better rhythm/schedule to our days. I know she's still young, but she enjoys doing a lot of the sensorial/practical life activities that the 3-6 yo work on.

[jenfl]

Welcome, brennan!

Hey, does anyone have any objections to turning this into a seasonal thread (new one in spring, summer, etc)? I don't want people to get too overwhelmed by the length of it.

I just had to write because I was so pleased at our time in the room today! We haven't been doing Montessori lately because DD's been in a really strong imaginitive/scattered thought phase, and I've been too wiped to spend my evenings refreshing materials (39 weeks, 3 days today and a day of primordial labor yesterday!). But she chose to start working on botany puzzles while I was in the shower, and I took advantage of that to put a few new materials out... and we ended up spending 90 minutes in the room! And we had a blast!



I feel so refreshed about the whole thing. I'm also really pleased that she started working in the room herself.

[LoveToBeMom]

Originally Posted by jenfl

Hey, does anyone have any objections to turning this into a seasonal thread (new one in spring, summer, etc)? I don't want people to get too overwhelmed by the length of it.

Yes, let's do that. Good idea.

[jenfl]

Okay, I went ahead and gave us a new thread.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1208498

Hop on over!

[slayergrl99]

Haven't even done my intro post yet...

Before I do my intro post (because I'll get distracted by my son before that happens) I wanted to let you all know that I'll be lurking the Montessori section. I'm a Montessori teacher (3-6 year olds) and have been for 7 years, but I also have experience in 0-3. In 0-3 years I tend to pick and choose with the Montessori stuff (it's not very AP leaning and I don't agree with everything that is published in the Montessori from the Start). I am here for questions and my email address is in my profile (I think).

Off to do my intro post...