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Angel
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| Posted: Feb 16 2007 at 4:44pm | IP Logged
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I'd love to hear how other moms of many work Montessori into their days and their homes. Our biggest challenges to implementing Montessori have been scheduling and toddlers. We have managed to integrate some Montessori principles/activities into our normal routine pretty well -- for instance one of my twins is (was) sweeping, but now they are both crawling under the table looking for trouble...
Anyway, I have problems with organization, keeping an orderly environment, and just providing enough time to allow meaningful choices, as well as a lack of time for putting together materials. (Also, if anyone has successfully toddler-proofed a Montessori environment, I would love to know how!!!) And yet I still keep coming back to Montessori as a method with real value. Textbooks/workbooks only go so far in our home before I end up being a dril sergeant, which I hate.
--Angela
Three Plus Two
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: Feb 16 2007 at 6:23pm | IP Logged
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I only have one child of my own, but I run a family day care, so we have kids of all ages in and out at various times and days. I can have up to 6 at once, only two under 18 months, and no more than 4 altogether under 30 months. My insight may or may not be helpful, given the differences, but here goes:
We have a 3 hour work period every morning with all kids who are here. This includes infants, toddler, preschoolers and any schoolagers. We use the largest bedroom for our "schoolroom", close the gate at the top of the stairs and have a bookshelf in the hallway - this way the kids can use the bathroom easily, and one or two children can have some "quiet" reading time if they need to get away for a little bit. The not-too-mobile infants have their own little corner, with a mirror attached to the wall (held to the wall by the sofa on one end), and a shelf opens into that corner for older infant toys - the younger infants have a box from which I select items for them as needed. I swap up what type of surface they lie on - a mat, a big thick towel, just the carpet, or others for variety.
Meanwhile the older children have the rest of the room to themselves. The one year olds tend to have the hardest time staying off other kids' mats, but with lots of reminding and hugs, they seem to catch on fairly quickly. For us anyway, I have found that when the youngest ones are getting into the older ones' work too often, it is more likely because I need to swap up some materials for the younger ones, so that they become re-focused on their own work.
I am of course only referring to times that the older ones are doing something on their own - most of the time two or more of the children work together on projects, reading, coloring, cutting, etc - they love to share and cooperate (since I don't require that they do so, it seems to come more easily for them - they know they can work alone if they want to).
I keep the work for the youngest children on the lower shelves, with the bigger kid stuff on the highest shelves, or in the closet. It's not a perfect system, but if I keep the younger kid stuff interesting enough for them, it's not usually a problem.
During this time, I am usually focused on 1-3 children at a time, but if all is going well on its own, I'll have some small project that I work on while up there with them (this might be a time I work on materials - I also enlist the help of the oldest children - even my almost 3 year old has helped make some materials).
We also use that room for naptime, so the older children (or me by myself if I'm so lucky to have everyone nap) enjoy quiet time in the living room during naptime - and if we have time later in the day and children are still around, we will have another shorter work period in the schoolroom. My son usually spends another hour in there on his own in the evening.
For everyone, but also for my very active toddlers (including my own son), we get substantial outside time as many days as we can. If that does not happen, we clear out the living room, and turn on some classical music to dance to, or pile up cushions, pillows, blankets, etc in front of the couch and let anyone under 3 1/2 jump off onto the pile. They make hills and roll down, etc. If they need to move, they need to move!
Throughout the rest of our day, I recruit the help of the children in just about everything, from helping with another child's shoes, to reading to one another, or setting the table, cleaning up, etc. Sometimes, I feel like a drill sergeant if it's just "one of those days" - and then I have to step back and look at all the kids ARE doing and see if there is some need that hasn't been met: is someone just thirsty or hungry, need a hug, have we said prayers, or is there something in the environement missing?
As for toddler-proofing, is there will a such thing?  I did the best I could with moving older kid work up a bit higher, and following as much as I could from the Montessori From the Start book (in addition to required day care licensing rules about secured shelving and the like).
I'd love to see others' ideas as well, as my system still has several kinks in it...
God Bless!
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Meredith
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| Posted: Feb 16 2007 at 8:01pm | IP Logged
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Angel, I'm right there with you on this, it's a constant struggle with my toddler and sometimes the almost 5yo to get them to use the materials as they are meant. Meaning, no throwing the puzzle pieces, and the stacking cups are for stacking and nesting, not whacking all over the room with another toy  I don't know, maybe it's just BOYS I've been blessed with 3 of them. My oldest ds (now 8) would have been perfect for Montessori as a toddler and preschooler, and now I'm finding that he's totally into doing Montessori hands-on manipulatives for Math especially. It's all a learning process for me, that's for sure!
Looking forward to other's responses in this regard.
Blessings!
__________________
Meredith
Mom of 4 Sweeties
Sweetness and Light
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Angel
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| Posted: Feb 18 2007 at 4:04pm | IP Logged
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CatholicMommy wrote:
Meanwhile the older children have the rest of the room to themselves. The one year olds tend to have the hardest time staying off other kids' mats, but with lots of reminding and hugs, they seem to catch on fairly quickly. For us anyway, I have found that when the youngest ones are getting into the older ones' work too often, it is more likely because I need to swap up some materials for the younger ones, so that they become re-focused on their own work.
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How many school-age children do you care for?
I should probably have listed the ages of my kids. I have 5:
Ds -- age 10 (special needs)
Dd -- age 7
Ds-- age 3
twin boys -- age 16 months
(As you can see, like Meredith, I have been blessed with BOYS.  )
I am also not quite 12 weeks pregnant, which makes things a little harder to keep up with.
I need to reread Montessori From the Start, but doesn't the typical Montessori program for under 3's start at 18 months? My little guys are VERY strongwilled and VERY active. (Other people always comment on this fact, so I have slowly come to realize that it isn't just all in my head. ) I think part of our problem is a scheduling one, because when the babies are likeliest to be involved in doing their own "work", I am helping the other kids get breakfast, putting in a little laundry etc. Then we read aloud, because for some reason that works best for us -- I guess because the kids are still waking up. So we've had a hard time working in a real 3 hour work period.
I'll have to come back and add more specifics later; my 3 yo just fell off the arm of the couch and hit his head on the wood floor (after some hugging, he appears to be fine), my dd is having a catastrophe with her Leappad, and the babies are moving furniture. I think Montessori appeals to me because it is so very ORDERLY, but I have NO idea how to start introducing that kind of order into THIS particular house!!
--Angela
Three Plus Two
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: Feb 19 2007 at 9:09am | IP Logged
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The number and ages of the children I have varies - I offer a lot of part-time care. We've had several snow/cold days lately, as well as school just scheduled off already, so I've had 1-4 schoolagers during several recent weekday mornings.
Whenever I have a new child (or children) start, there is always a period of adjustment, particularly for the more 'need to move' ones. We definitely started slow anyway, then made adjustments as needed. We don't always hit a full 3 hours either - I'd say it's closer to 2 hours some mornings. And if we just need to get out in the morning, then out we go!
I would start slowly, with one or two small goals, from one aspect (space, environment, scheduling, etc) each week to work on, and build from there, doing what works best for your family. We are always adjusting around here - that's what I like best about Montessori-style learning is that I can adjust according to what the kids need - lots more sensory when needed, lots more outdoor time when needed.
Keep us posted...
God Bless!
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: Montessori with Many?
