Teaching Montessori Math at home

[elmostoney]

There is a crisis at dd's Montessori school, details of which I won't go into.  Anyway, they cannot teach anything with printed words and numbers until another 4 to 6 months.  DD is 4y8m.  She is currently doing 1 digit X 3-digit multiplication with the beads.  She started doing 3 and then 4-digit addition and later, subtraction last June.  I like her school very much and am convinced that I cannot find a school here which balances academics as well as character development, so I have no plans to change schools.  I have found her a learning centre to do Montessori math once a week for 1.5 hours to subsidize the lack of numbers, but I am afraid it is not enough as I am hoping that she will move on to a Montessori elementary school when she is 6.

DH and I are considering doing Montessori Math with her at home.  I have been to a 90-hour training class for 0-3 and 3-6 a few years ago, so I have a vague idea.  We are hoping to do some research on the internet, look up some books and videos will help us in our presentation.  Can anybody share their experiences?

The teacher at the Montessori math class said that DD is not ready for much of anything unless she can write the numbers and proves that she can count (I think she means bigger numbers).  So she is not doing multiplication with DD and said she will start her off from addition again.  The teacher at her existing Montessori school said DD is not willing to write the numbers by herself, so she has always written down the math problem for her.  I am a bit confused.  Can a child not be able to count to 100 and write the numbers before moving on to math calculation with the beads?

[3belles]

This all sounds odd.  Not knowing the story, I wonder mostly why there is a 'math teacher'.  It should all be there, at the same time. 

Sometimes writing comes after the work with the materials, and that's okay/normal.  Cognition in the concrete comes before writing the abstract.

Best of luck.

[MattBronsil]

" Anyway, they cannot teach anything with printed words and numbers until another 4 to 6 months."

::blink::
??????

Did someone steal all their materials?

To answer your question, rote counting to 100 is a separate skill from adding large numbers together. Sure, you can do the math things described without writing numbers well and counting to 100.

[3belles]

I can't stop thinking about this.  I hope they figure out the issue soon, for the sake of the children.  I hope materials didn't get ruined somehow. 

My advice is to count things in everyday life, how many crackers in a sleeve?  How old will you be in two years?  Work with a chalkboard and number writing is good for keeping up with printing or numeration.  I feel terrible for you, that you have to even consider these things.  Keep working on 1-10 work, the basis for many Montessori math activities.  It's hard to know where to point you, given the circumstances.  Feel free to message me, and I can give better advice. 

 

[Rose-Roget]

I think we're all dying for the back story here.  Might clear up some confusion.

I also wonder about the Montessori math tutor.  Is it truly Montessori math, or is it more math with manipulatives which can seem Montessori-like, but not necessarily follow the progression.  Personally,  I think I would look into the Montessori math progression and supplement the math at home, rather than paying a tutor. 

ETA:  Lisa Nolan (google her with Montessori) has a Montessori Math curriculum online, but you'd need to pay a little.  It could help guide the progression.  Also, Shiller Math seems to be Montessori-based, and I'ver heard decent things about it.