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lapazfarm
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| Posted: June 02 2007 at 3:54pm | IP Logged
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In the midst of all this planning/preparing/printing/purchasing frenzy I was wondering about another "P": presenting.
How do you ladies schedule/plan to schedule presentations? Will you do one a day? Two? More?
Will you focus on a subject area a day or try to do a variety of presentations each day/week/etc?
Do you have a set plan for them or do you wing it, or a little of both?
It seems like with all of the new things I am getting/making, I really need to think about presentations pretty thoroughly and not just wing it like I have been, or good stuff is bound to be ignored or not used to it's potential. I am printing off these albums, but they don't really answer the question of scheduling the presentations over the course of a day or week or month.
I have to admit, I am at a loss as to how to organize this aspect of the program. So before I start planning mine I'd like to hear what you ladies are doing. Hopefully I can get a better idea in my head of what I should be doing here.
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
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Meredith
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| Posted: June 02 2007 at 4:51pm | IP Logged
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Theresa, I'm in the process of working this all out as well! I did find this at Maitri Learning Free Downloads. I'm going to sort of use it and all the Album Pages I've been printing out and reading to make my presentation schedule, based on what materials I have on hand and what I will be receiving within the next couple of months.
For Math in particular with my younger two I am going to start at the beginning, even with the 5yo and have him learn the presentations correctly as a matter of practice, even though some of it will be too easy, but for me (and him) it will be part of the Montessori learning process. The little guy will be doing mostly Sensorial and Practical right off the bat (as he has been already) but with more formal and better laid out presentations by ME 
I am just so in Love with Montessori and how much it makes sense for my family, I wish I'd started sooner, but as with CM, it's all part of my learning curve too!!
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Meredith
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Donna Marie
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| Posted: June 02 2007 at 5:19pm | IP Logged
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How timely! I was amidst composing a series of posts about how we are trying to set and meet goals here for our summer session...planning subject areas, goal setting, pacing and plan for follow through. Yes, we are doing school this summer on a relaxed schedule and building up towards the school year....easing into it. I am not done yet...and life needs me right now...but I will let you know when I am done.
God love you!
Donna Marie from NJ
hs momma to 7dc 
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Finding Elegant Simplicity
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: June 02 2007 at 5:55pm | IP Logged
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Meredith, that is a great check list!Plus it gives me so many more ideas for activities! (Like...what in the world is fence weaving???)
I look forward to hearing how everyone implements all this stuff!
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Theresa
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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 02 2007 at 7:15pm | IP Logged
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Theresa -
This is another timely thread! I'm really looking forward to hearing the responses of some of you that have done this.
One of the biggest things I'm trying to keep in mind is that I have children of different ages, which means they will master activities on different levels,and in different times. I only plan on offering a very limited number of activities at once. I know there is a threshold of attention for my children that I don't want to exceed. In other words, like some of you have already noted on another thread, when there is so much great stuff available, it's like a feeding frenzy. And then - nothing...all that great stuff...and no attention to any of it. That's what happens here every year on birthdays - I don't want to burn this out too fast.
Right now, my plan is to provide one activity per subject at a time - one math, one science, one language, one sensory. For my older kids, I think one new presentation a day until all of the activities are out will be fine (just guessing here though.) My 2yo will be different, but he won't get as much either. Mostly sensory stuff, and practicals. So my plan is to be sort of relaxed with him, with all of them really. Present slowly so I set up some really good habits from the beginning.
I'm really going to focus on quiet and slow movements, just like we do in our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd presentations.
If I'm wrong about this, my backup plan B  is to just present one thing at a time, back off, observe, watch for mastery and signs of boredom, then bring out the new activity. That could end up being the best plan, a relaxed, child led method.
I think I will be challenged as I try to organize and implement a philosophy that is tailored for a group setting into our home learning days. Like Theresa, I want to make sure I use these resources to their fulness. I'm going to try to get some realistic plans on paper, a map of sorts to use as a guide for the schoolyear. I'm hoping if I plan things out on paper, even if I have to scratch the original plan, I'll still have a map so I know where it is I wanted to go originally - I'll just have to figure out a better, smarter way to get there.
All of this is just me thinking out loud about the plans I have thumping around my one brain cell. I'm very much hoping to hear from more of you on this.
Thanks for starting this Theresa!
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Jen Mackintosh
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: June 02 2007 at 8:03pm | IP Logged
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Good points about burning it out too fast.
Even though I may have a bunch of new things out at the beginning of the year (for lack of storage space to rotate)I think I will allow access to things only as I present them. In other words, "look but don't touch" until I present. Except for my youngest grandson, this should work well. (Not sure what to do about him yet,or if he and his brother will even be here. I am planning as if they will). But dd (5) and dgs (3) are very good about staying out of things until they are told.
This may seem odd, to make some things "off limits" but if I present a new thing each day, it won't be long until they will be able to work with all of the materials, at least to some extent. Plus they will have plenty of things they already know how to do from this year, such as pattern blocks, puzzles, pink cards, sand box for tracing letters, nature table, etc that can keep their "three hour work period" occupied.
Thanks for helping me think this through some more.
Keep the ideas coming, ladies!
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Theresa
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Theresa
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| Posted: June 02 2007 at 9:28pm | IP Logged
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Meredith that is a GREAT list. I am printing it out as I type.
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Donna Marie
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| Posted: June 03 2007 at 11:02pm | IP Logged
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Theresa,
I have a few things in my binder that might help. I have been pulling it apart and trying to remember where I got them all...LOL...Most of them I got them from a few of my Montessori Yahoo groups.
Are you a member of Montessori Makers? They have a Scope and Sequence Chart in the files that I am finding helpful. Activities in this chart relate to Gettman's book.
Also, the Montessori Storage Grouphas good record keeping forms.
Ok...one more for now...
There are several forms on
Playschool6 as well. Which include planning and observation.
All the above are located in the files sections.
These forms help me to concentrate on pacing, planning and prep work as well as setting goals (both student and teacher) and recording what kind of materials I have and where they are stored, and what materials I am making and at what point I am located in the making...in case they get abandoned for a period of time...then I know where I need to pick up and keep going...saves a lot of frustration and saves a bunch of time.
Gee, I hope that is clear enough...
God love you,
Donna Marie from NJ
hs momma to 7dc
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Finding Elegant Simplicity
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AndreaG
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| Posted: June 04 2007 at 9:53am | IP Logged
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WOW Ladies- I just back from a wonderful weekend away at a Homeschool Conference-and return to find lots of great montessori chat to catch up on! Unfortunately I also have mountains of laundry and fussy kids so just a quick note about scheduling.
I use Homeschool Tracker to schedule presentations. I use the Lesson Plan feature to put in all the presentations for each subject. Then I can schedule them out for the year, for some subjects I schedule a presentation every day, some just 1, 2, or 3 a week. However I don't stick rigidly to this schedule it is just a framework to make sure I don't forget things in my closet. I print an assignment grid each week and try to take Sunday to review presentations and plan things that aren't prescheduled that I think my kids are ready for. This gives a good blend of set plan and winging it.
I tried having a large checklist of presentations and just picking things from there but that didn't work as well for me- I need more structure at least as I am learning all the presentations.
Got to go- I'm looking forward to reading all these new threads!
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Angel
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| Posted: June 04 2007 at 10:42am | IP Logged
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After thinking about this for a while... I *think* what might work best is for me to pull a scope and sequence from my manuals for each child, write down a list of presentations to make in order, and just go down the list whenever the child seems ready for the next one. This is what I've done with my 8 yo dd's math and it's working pretty well. I don't do a math presentation every day to give her a chance to practice the concepts, and I don't schedule them because I don't know how long she's going to need/want to practice before moving on.
Of course... I've only gotten this organized in math for my 8 yo at the moment. If I'm trying to keep up with a few kids in a few areas at the same time... hmmm. I'm a little leery of spending money on Homeschool Tracker Plus, although I've considered it, because I don't know if I'll use it consistently. And I don't really feel that I can schedule presentations because so many unplanned things come up in our lives that have to be dealt with... and sometimes my kids haven't read the schedule and are ready to move on before I think they will be, or need more time than I think they'll need. I think it's a balance of keeping them interested but not overwhelming them.
Guess I'll need to think about this some more!
--Angela
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: June 04 2007 at 10:49am | IP Logged
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Ok I made up a simnple observation/plan sheet that I think will work pretty well for me.
It has boxes for each subject area with room to write observations, list presentations done, or just check off if she worked independantly. I plan to use the back (p2) as the place to list read-alouds or make additional notes.
If anyone can tell me how I can send or attach a word doc here, I'd be glad to share.
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Theresa
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Meredith
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| Posted: June 04 2007 at 11:21am | IP Logged
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Theresa, can you pop it into a word or pdf and link to your blog?? Otherwise, I'll ask admin and we'll go from there 
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: June 04 2007 at 12:03pm | IP Logged
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Ok, lets see if this works. I created a boxnet account and loaded it there.
Can someone please see if you can access it and let me know?
boxnet file:Montessori planning sheet
Thanks!
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Theresa
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JennGM
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| Posted: June 04 2007 at 12:06pm | IP Logged
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Worked well. Thanks!
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Meredith
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| Posted: June 04 2007 at 12:35pm | IP Logged
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That turned out great Theresa, thanks so much for sharing it with us!! 
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Meredith
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: scheduling presentations
