| Author | |
hobbitmom
Forum Rookie
Joined: March 29 2007
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 58
|
| Posted: May 12 2008 at 1:33pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
My ds (almost 3) and I will be starting our homeschooling adventure this fall. I’ve been researching different educational philosophies, gathering materials and planning out our home learning space. I’ve learned so much from everyone here, and after reading (and reading and READING) I think I have a basic grasp of the “what” of Montessori, as well as the “why,” and even the “how” (thanks to the albums I’ve printed out). But I still struggle to understand the “when.”
How do you decide what to prepare and present, say over the course of any given week? I understand the progression of skills and the order of presentations within one area, but not how to combine those areas. Do you have Sensorial presentations on Monday, Language on Tuesday, etc.? If not, what do you do?
I’m so confused about this that I’m tempted by these curricula, even though having a curriculum at all would seem to violate the principle of following the child’s interest. But I’m very much NOT a relaxed, flexible, fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants person. If I don’t have a plan, I feel lost and anxious. Maybe that anxiety will lessen once I have a year or two of homeschooling under my belt, but for just starting out, would these be all right, almost like a set of “Montessori training wheels”? Having some sort of theme to tie a day’s or week’s lessons together—everything from the art projects they do to the picture books they read to the circle songs they sing to the presentations themselves—is very appealing. When I think about trying to come up with these ideas myself, gather the information and materials for them all, AND arrange them so that all the lessons “line up,” I just want to throw up my hands.
On the other hand, these plans seem heavy on the culture and light on the math and language—exactly the opposite of what I would emphasize if I had to choose between them…
Has anyone worked with these, or something similar? Is there such a thing as a Montessori lesson plan?
Amy
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Meredith
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 08 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2355
|
| Posted: May 12 2008 at 2:24pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have seen these curricula pages online before and thought they looked kind of neat, but there is ALOT of stuff there and it may seem kind of contrived for you to do with just your one son. I'm not saying they wouldn't be very helpful as a guideline, but there may just be too much for you to do. I do like that they have divided their year seasonally, that is very appealing.
I also want to suggest (if you haven't already seen these) the Comprehensive Lists from Montessori for Everyone - Toddler and here's the 3-6 List . These are great and well worth the $4.99 & $9.99 for the download. I have found these to be a great guideline and then I can track progress and see what I want to do next without it being too rigid.
I hope this helps you sift through a little bit!!
Blessings in your wonderful new journey together with Montessori and home education 
__________________
Meredith
Mom of 4 Sweeties
Sweetness and Light
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
montessori_lori
Forum Pro
Joined: June 06 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 322
|
| Posted: May 12 2008 at 2:40pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have the New Child Montessori guides, but I never use them. And, they are only guides for cultural activities (studies of animals, continents). They contain no lesson plans for how/when to present the language and math materials.
In Montessori, we don't plan by the day or even the week. What we do is put out a selection of age-appropriate materials and let the child choose what and when they want to do - and how often.
It does require faith on the part of the adult - faith that the child will be guided by their inner voice to know what they need to learn even better than we ourselves do.
I do recommend that you get my comprehensive lists (Thanks, Meredith!). This way, you will see in every curricular area just what the beginning skills and materials are.
For a 3-year old, you're going to start out with some low shelves that contain puzzles, coloring and cutting activities, manipulatives (stringing beads, blocks), some beginning sounds work (pink series), sandpaper letters and numbers, and some beginning cultural activities like parts of a plant and the world map.
If you got one of everything on this list (and you can make many of the items or get them inexpensively on eBay), you'd be set for much of the year: Essentials of a 3-6 Classroom.
Here's a boatload of info from my blog: Homeschooling Posts
The most important thing I can tell you is to let go of any pre-conceived idea of what it's going to be like. You and your child will shape your homeschooling time together as you go on. Always be ready to try new things if something isn't working. And give yourself and your child some time to settle into the new routine of homeschooling. There's an adjustment curve for both of you.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
hopalenik
Forum Pro
Joined: Nov 17 2006
Location: Connecticut
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 230
|
| Posted: May 12 2008 at 9:52pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have a question to add, although maybe I should ask it in a new post. What do you do with a 7 yo? Do you sit down and say we will do math everyday and some reading? I understand about the choices for other subjects, but in my mind reading, math, catechism and poetry memory work is mandatory...I do give them options-would you like to read from this book, or do some compound word work? But the math is a hard one....
__________________
Holly
Mom to dd 10, twins dd and ds (transplant as baby that failed 05/09, permanent dialysis patient) 8 , dd 5 and dd 3 1/2 and dd in Feb 2009. 2 I hope to meet in heaven.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
montessori_lori
Forum Pro
Joined: June 06 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 322
|
| Posted: May 13 2008 at 8:35am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Holly, my son is 7 and we have done Montessori from the beginning. He gets a workplan every month and can choose freely from it. Yesterday we did nothing but Antarctica - maps, animals, flags, etc. I do not require that he do math and language every day. That works for us because I know that he's above grade level in those areas so I don't need to worry.
At the most, you could require some math and language every week, but not every day. Kids go through spurts where they're really, really interested in certain subjects and I like to take advantage of that. If a child *never* chooses math, then you will want to make sure they do it. But if you require that their workplan be finished within a certain timeframe (a month is what I use), then they will have to do math and language at some point even if it's not their first choice.
Here are the workplans I use ("level" means "grade", so "level 1" is "grade 1"). They can easily be modified to fit your materials and your child's interests: Elementary Workplans
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Meredith
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 08 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2355
|
| Posted: May 13 2008 at 9:04am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have to say that I loved having these workplans to use this past year, they were wonderful and much like the Comprehnsive list I mention above, they are a nice guidepost and tracking list of what your child IS choosing frequently and we can then choose any rabbit trails from there if we want to!! My 6yo tends to choose Math alot which is great, but I encourage other choices as well with offering to show him something new or something we've already done in a different way!
__________________
Meredith
Mom of 4 Sweeties
Sweetness and Light
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mackfam
Board Moderator
Non Nobis
Joined: April 24 2006
Location: Alabama
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 14656
|
| Posted: May 13 2008 at 9:52am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Holly,
Math was actually the easiest for us with our 7yo. I did provide a lot of Montessori choices for him. He seemed to relish the offerings, and my biggest challenge was keeping up with him. I did require that some kind of math work be done almost daily, but usually it was his choice as to the work he completed.
I used Lori's guides to steer me and the materials I presented and when. Sometimes, I offered a bit more structure to the day, and offered a "choice time" in the afternoon if I felt he was dragging his feet in a certain subject or area. Sometimes, I even restricted the number of choices in his "choice time." The year evolved quite naturally with him.
 HTH!
__________________
Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
hopalenik
Forum Pro
Joined: Nov 17 2006
Location: Connecticut
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 230
|
| Posted: May 13 2008 at 11:26am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Ok,
So for each one of these workplans, do you make a separate tray? How do you store materials for all these different things? I bought alot of the sensorial things for PReK because my one just 7 twin, a 3 1/2 yo, 2 yo and hopefully more will use it. But I also have a 7 yo twin who is more like 2nd grade and a 3rd grader....how do you prepare individual work for all of them? I have read through about 6 of Montessori's works now, so I have a feel for the PreK environment but the framework of the elementary environment is really puzzling to me.
And what about lapbooking. If I sit down to do a literature or history book/project, I can't let them all choose. I just do one and everyone participates...How do those types of things fit into Montessori?
__________________
Holly
Mom to dd 10, twins dd and ds (transplant as baby that failed 05/09, permanent dialysis patient) 8 , dd 5 and dd 3 1/2 and dd in Feb 2009. 2 I hope to meet in heaven.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Angel
Forum All-Star
Joined: April 22 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2293
|
| Posted: May 13 2008 at 2:59pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Holly,
As far as more traditional projects go (like lapbooking), I don't require that all my kids participate. I use a whiteboard and write up a list of work they can choose from, usually related to our reading, the season, or their interests. Then my elementary-aged kids choose from the list. (I wrote about it on my blog: Setting Up Choice Time)
Um, storing everything...  That's my downfall. I think it's a lot of trial and error, honestly. I don't make up separate trays for each child if the same material will be used in roughly the same way. For instance, we use our snake game beads for lots of different activities, but they are always stored the same way in the same box. My 9 yo and my 5 yo may use them differently -- and not just for the snake game -- but I don't have a duplicate set. So 2 children cannot use those beads at the same time.
I'm not sure that answers your question at all, but I hope that others who are better than I am at organizing everything will chime in.
--Angela
Three Plus Two
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Meredith
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 08 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2355
|
| Posted: May 13 2008 at 4:49pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Holly, I don't do everything together either as my dc are now 3, 6, 9, & 12. The older ones tend to do quite a bit of independent work while I focus on the younger two most of the morning. When we're on a unit I have the older ones contribute what they want and participate if it's something they haven't explored before in depth, otherwise I gear my units to the younger son and the littlest kind of does his own thing 
It's certainly not a static situation and like Angela describes in her lovely Choice time posts, it gives everyone some nice flexibility and control over their learning.
Have fun with all your new stuff, we were all doing the same thing this time last year
Blessings,
__________________
Meredith
Mom of 4 Sweeties
Sweetness and Light
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mackfam
Board Moderator
Non Nobis
Joined: April 24 2006
Location: Alabama
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 14656
|
| Posted: May 13 2008 at 5:14pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Holly,
I do make up individual trays for specific work, like for example a science experiment tray or a fraction work tray. I set up the learning room in zones so that the 3yo would have an area of work to choose from (mostly sensorial) and then another area of work including math, language, geography. I rotate off the shelves FREQUENTLY! That is not a montessori principle, but it was necessary in a house with a toddler. As soon as an item started getting abused, I rotated it out and put something new to present in its place. The shelves always seemed fresh that way. I rotated things on and off throughout the year.
I wasn't super strict with a material. For ex., I had only presented the geometric solids to my 7yo, but the 3yo was quite intrigued by them. He took them out and inspected them quite a bit, but he handled them carefully so I didn't pull it off the shelves.
I copied Angela's choice time and found it to be a very good fit in the homeschool setting where some structure is required by me. The children looked forward eagerly to their choice time. The younger the child, the more choice time they had and the less structure. Does that make sense?
Hmmm...preparing individual work for the children seemed daunting at first, but as the year progressed it just naturally fell into place. It seemed weird having all of my lovely Montessori materials starting the year in the rotation closet, but it was a good choice to start the year with fresh and clean shelves. One by one, I would present and materials would come out. It set up good habits from the beginning. I started with a good stash of baskets and trays (mostly from the thrift store) and used those to bring out materials and display on the shelves.
Lapbooking and other studies take place at the beginning of the day when the children are fresh. Presentations also happen early in the day. Choice time for the older two take place after lunch.
I tried to upload an image of my Montessori shelves for you, but I couldn't figure out how.  If you're interested Holly, you can take a look at my Montessori posts - there are lots of pics there of the rotation closet, the shelves and the kids doing some work. I'm such a visual person - a picture always helps me.
__________________
Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
AndreaG
Forum Pro
Joined: March 25 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 326
|
| Posted: May 13 2008 at 9:17pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I'm chiming in late with my thoughts on Montessori scheduling and organization.
As for scheduling I have done it two ways, either having a list of presentations and just choosing from that throughout the year (this worked best when I had set weekly planning time to plan the week's presentations) and going through all my albums and scheduling 3 sensorial presentations a week, 3 math, 2 language etc so that the whole year was scheduled. I personally had the most luck with the second approach, although it is less "montessori" it gave me a framework to cling too. I still had the freedom to do different presentations, based on what my kids were ready for, but I had the schedule to fall back on if I wasn't feeling very on top of it with following the child.
As for organization, I have a rotation closet, with materials stored by subject and age level. I have found that for my older kids (6 and up) they would rather go into the closet to choose work than pick what I have put on the shelves, so my shelves are more aimed at my 4 and 1 year olds.
I haven't quite hit on the way to do montessori with elementary ages. I do let them choose if they want to do things like lapbooks. I like the choice time idea b/c it gives them more choices than what I do now, which is to present 1 or 2 options a day.
I think Montessori elementary classrooms put a lot of focus on research. I just posted on my blog about a book I read with a guide for the child to create a self-directed unit study which seems to fit with montessori, maybe?
self-directed learning
__________________
Andrea
GrayFamilyCircus
Read Through the Catechism in a Year- For Moms!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
hopalenik
Forum Pro
Joined: Nov 17 2006
Location: Connecticut
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 230
|
| Posted: May 13 2008 at 9:49pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Thank you. this is a bit much to process at the moment. I only just started lapbooking and the oldest three are all so close in age that we do it all together. So I have to do some serious thinking now.
Thanks.
__________________
Holly
Mom to dd 10, twins dd and ds (transplant as baby that failed 05/09, permanent dialysis patient) 8 , dd 5 and dd 3 1/2 and dd in Feb 2009. 2 I hope to meet in heaven.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
AndreaG
Forum Pro
Joined: March 25 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 326
|
| Posted: May 13 2008 at 10:03pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I don't think its contrary to montessori, or even if it was, I don't think that makes it a bad thing, to have all your kids doing a lapbook together! In montessori elementary the kids often work in groups. If you wanted to give them a choice you could have them agree as a group about what lapbook to work on together next.
If what you are doing is working, don't change it!
If you are just getting started with montessori 3-6 stick with getting comfortable implementing that.
__________________
Andrea
GrayFamilyCircus
Read Through the Catechism in a Year- For Moms!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Genevieve
Forum All-Star
Joined: April 02 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 529
|
| Posted: May 14 2008 at 1:06pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
AndreaG wrote:
(this worked best when I had set weekly planning time to plan the week's presentations) and going through all my albums and scheduling 3 sensorial presentations a week, 3 math, 2 language etc so that the whole year was scheduled. I personally had the most luck with the second approach, although it is less "montessori" it gave me a framework to cling too. I still had the freedom to do different presentations, based on what my kids were ready for, but I had the schedule to fall back on if I wasn't feeling very on top of it with following the child. |
|
|
I too have found that this was the best way of keeping myself accountable to regularly presenting new material. Didn't Lori's Elementary workplans had all the presentations completed in the Fall so that a child could explore as he wishes in the following months? I'm looking to continue to schedule presentations, some Montessori & some CM, in the coming year. I've basically listed a few presentation for the month and a rough idea how many to present in a week. Dates just stress me out.
AndreaG wrote:
As for organization, I have a rotation closet, with materials stored by subject and age level. I have found that for my older kids (6 and up) they would rather go into the closet to choose work than pick what I have put on the shelves, so my shelves are more aimed at my 4 and 1 year olds.
I haven't quite hit on the way to do montessori with elementary ages. I do let them choose if they want to do things like lapbooks. I like the choice time idea b/c it gives them more choices than what I do now, which is to present 1 or 2 options a day. |
|
|
Well my oldest is 5.5 yrs but already I noticed his preference to go into the rotation closet by himself. I'm fine with it because he can return things to their proper place and isn't overwhelmed with all the choices. My younger son, however, works better with fewer choices. So his options are out of the closet on shelves and rotated regularly.
Honestly, Andrea, after reading various descriptions of an elementary classroom, I think you have hit a good compromise. I know you use SOTW. Wouldn't reading a chapter there be a presentation? Follow it with a child choosing from the companion activity guide or a Chicago Review Press activity guide the same as research guide? I think it's a combination of finding teaching resources that brings a subject alive and activities & research that motivates the child to explore the subject independently. I still have lots to ponder as I see my son slowly cross the threshold. :)
__________________
Genevieve
The Good Within
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
montessori_lori
Forum Pro
Joined: June 06 2007
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 322
|
| Posted: May 14 2008 at 1:40pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Didn't Lori's Elementary workplans had all the presentations completed in the Fall so that a child could explore as he wishes in the following months?
I'm sorry those are so misleading, but the presentations are really supposed to continue. There are still a ton to do in the spring!
The idea behind giving the child the blank workplan is so they will do all the new work AND the work that has been presented up until that time. In other words, they have much more to choose from instead of just what's on one workplan.
The workplans are more for the kids than the teacher, but I'm afraid that many people use them in place of albums and scope & sequence lists (like the Comp. Lists).
I would use the Comp. Lists to continue to plan presentations all the way to the end of the year.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Genevieve
Forum All-Star
Joined: April 02 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 529
|
| Posted: May 14 2008 at 1:46pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Ahhhh... that makes so much more sense! Thanks for clarifying things.
__________________
Genevieve
The Good Within
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
hobbitmom
Forum Rookie
Joined: March 29 2007
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 58
|
| Posted: May 14 2008 at 2:03pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Argh. I've now gone from confused to elated to confused again in less than 24 hours, just from this thread!
Lori, I went ahead and got your comprehensive list for 3-6. I'm sure it will be helpful -- it clarified things for me to see all the lessons laid out at once like that. But now for the confusion. You said, "What we do is put out a selection of age-appropriate materials and let the child choose what and when they want to do - and how often." I understand the principle, but I don't get how to put it into practice.
Do I a) Start the school year with every piece of material for his age group in all subjects out and on display. Teach him the rule that he may use anything he likes, but not without having me show him how to use it first. Initiate NO presentations myself (except Grace and Courtesy, maybe?), and only offer a presentation when he chooses a material. Then leave him to decide whether to use that material or something else. [This is what I initially thought after reading your list, Lori, and it was my "Eureka! I have it!" moment... until I read everyone's responses! ]
Or b) Start the school year with only the most basic materials in each subject out and on display. Each week (each day?) offer a few (several?) presentations. Let him decide what material to use.
If b), then how many presentations, how often? What criteria do I use to decide which presentations? The next skill in the subject he shows most interest in? Or the next skill in each subject, regardless of where his interest lies? If he never chooses to use a certain material, do I hold off all future presentations in that subject until he does, or simply move to the next lesson?
It seems like most people here have gone with b), but in different ways.
Lori: "For a 3-year old, you're going to start out with..."
Meredith: "I encourage other choices as well with offering to show him something new or something we've already done in a different way!"
Jennifer: "It seemed weird having all of my lovely Montessori materials starting the year in the rotation closet, but it was a good choice to start the year with fresh and clean shelves. One by one, I would present and materials would come out. It set up good habits from the beginning."
Andrea: "As for scheduling I have done it two ways, either having a list of presentations and just choosing from that throughout the year (this worked best when I had set weekly planning time to plan the week's presentations) and going through all my albums and scheduling 3 sensorial presentations a week, 3 math, 2 language etc so that the whole year was scheduled."
I'm grateful for everyone's input, but that leaves me back where I started, with wondering how to decide what to prepare and when to present. Forgive me if I'm making this harder than it really is... I have a tendency to do that to things! 
Amy
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
hobbitmom
Forum Rookie
Joined: March 29 2007
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 58
|
| Posted: May 14 2008 at 2:06pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I looked that last post over and realized I should clarify: by "for his age group" in a), I mean "for 3-year-olds," not "for 3-6 year-olds"!
Amy
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Meredith
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 08 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2355
|
| Posted: May 14 2008 at 2:39pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Oh Amy, first of all BIG  for tackling all this with us. Let's have an example from what I said above:
If I have presented the Pink Reading Sound Bin for the letter "C" and he has worked with the material enough on his own but I still feel like he needs more I might take all the objects and cards from the Bin and ask him to find certain things around the house or I might point to the objects and have him tell me the sound and what the item is and then see if he can think of something with that sound that we don't have in our objects box. We might even do rhyming words. Then I might have him use the Moveable Alphabet to spell some of the words and objects.
Clear as mud??? Don't stop asking this is how we all learned too
__________________
Meredith
Mom of 4 Sweeties
Sweetness and Light
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: Montessori: when to do what?
