How to "school" or not to 'school" and still get things done? - montessori? bible lessons?

[amandajo]

Hello,

So I stay home with a 5 year old, a 3 year old and a 5 month old. My oldest is very bight and on level with a lot of 2nd grade things, my 2.5 year old is pretty typical.

I am to the point now where I want my oldest to start to meet certain standards/objectives. For example he can read books and spells decently, but he can not write because he does not want to practice/try. How do you get this accomplished? I do not want him to hate it, but if someone it was part of a routine he wont mind? Or should I let it go.

How in Montessori do the children "pick their work." He will have great plans, say I have a craft set out he will be excited about it, when it comes time to do it I am ready, middle brother is ready, we said we would do it then (say after lunch) but he gets lost in something (decorating a "police station" or building a block maze) and misses the activity and is then upset.

Also, I like us to sit down and go over their weekly bible story from Sunday School at some point in the morning. One of them wont really want to do it and will be a grump or they will complain about going to do it (as they are always just about to do something great and I should wait.) How can I get this to want and like and do this daily without it going against my other child led ideas? Should I just do it at a set time and see who comes and sits with me?

Any help?

Thanks!

amanda

[Tjej]

For writing practice, could you start it off as mazes and tracing?  Would he like that?  Once he has the fine motor control, learning how to form the letters might be more fun for him. 

For getting them to listen together - mealtimes are often a natural time to do that.

Tjej

[Mittsy]

When we dabbled in Montessori I had small bookcases with about 9 baskets each filled with ready to go activities. I filled the baskets each night, and just let the kiddo's do them in whatever order!