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lapazfarm
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| Posted: July 22 2007 at 6:58pm | IP Logged
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Can you ladies tell me...
1. Are you using exclusively Montessori math with your K age children? If so, how confident are you that it is a complete program? And which manuals are you using?
2. Or are you supplementing Montessori math with another program (such as Math-U-See or any other)? If so, then can you explain the specific reasoning behind why you choose to supplement and which areas you feel need supplementation?
3. Or are you replacing Montessori math with a different program altogether? If so, can you explain your reasons for skipping Montessori math and going with another?
It's down to the wire, ladies and I need to make final decisions.
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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SeaStar
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I am very interested to hear the responses, too. I have the cuisenaire rods and books, plus a good friend of mine highly recommends Miquon math as being very hands on and a friendly program.
I feel better about Montessori math after reading "Montessori in the Classroom", and I am taking Karen's class and hope to gain more insight there.
Still, the math scares me- trying to learn all the beads and chains myself and then teaching it to the kids... my ds is very interested in math right now, too. I am scrambling ( or maybe I should say floundering..)
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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)
SQUILT Music Appreciation
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Land O' Cotton
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We are using the CIMT/MEP free math program (well, you have to pay for ink and paper to print with!). It's very thought-provoking math, and we have enjoyed it so far.
Here's the link:
http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mep/default.htm
Well, I should add that we are adding in the Montessori math materials to our math for this year, so we're not really using just one program exclusively.
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Meredith
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Theresa, I am going FULL Montessori with my 5yo and adding to my older dc's Saxon programs (5/4 & 6/5) with some of the Elementary Materials. I am so excited as they are already totally in LOVE with all the materials we have and to be perfectly honest, I think that Montessori has a major *jump* on math for the younger set, they learn it so naturally that it's not like math, but just fun to work with materials and they assimalate SO MUCH in the younger years that I truly believe it will make their life easier as they get older and get into the more abstract materials 
I am sold, and will be happy to give a progress report down the road a bit, but already my dc are *begging* to do the Multiplication and Division Boards, the Snake Game, the Dot Game, the Stamp Game, the Hundred and Thouseand Chains...they love it 
Great thread...Blessings!
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Meredith
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earthmaven
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Theresa,
We have a 7yo and a 4yo. This past year we used Singapore Math (after following a fairly eclectic/unschooling approach). Our 7yo was into it at first, but she just lost interest and it seemed a bit too workbook-oriented for her after a while. She's a really hands-on, talk- herself-through-it kind of learner and that approach wasn't meeting her needs. She was starting to feel that she just wasn't good at math and it was breaking my heart to see her becoming discouraged before she even opened the book. I was also feeling uncomfortable with trying to fake how interesting it all was. I was bored stupid.
I came to the conclusion that for her, (and me), we needed to try a different approach and the more I read, the more convinced I became that Montessori is what she needs. After just the first presentation with the golden beads, I saw her "get it" in a way she hasn't until now. She was positively radiant, saying math was fun and she was really happy with herself. Seeing her lose her fear of "big numbers" in a single day was worth its weight in gold (-en beads!) I was delighted to see how easily my 4yo took to it too.
They're both really energized and excited by the materials, and it seems to set a whole train of thoughts and connections going in their heads that makes me feel like we've found what we all need. I see us continuing to build on these early successes, and now I'm just trying to stay ahead of their momentum (it's been a pretty steep learning curve for me!) But here's the big plus: I feel genuinely excited by it too, and the girls can see that.
Will we ditch the Singapore Math books? No, I think my daughter may well enjoy them as practice and reinforcement of what she's figuring out with the more hands-on approach, and it's quite likely we'll turn to it more over time, but for right now, I feel that what she needs is comfort and proficiency with all the basic functions and an understanding of how they apply to real life. Our only real supplement at this point are some wonderful story books about the origins and history of numbers and mathematics, which I find as fascinating as they do.
So that's where we are, FWIW!
Tracy
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JoJo
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We are doing some Montessori math with my 6yo and some worksheets as well. That's mainly because we do not have the space / equipment etc to do it exclusively Montessori way. However, whenever we use a worksheet, she can choose (at this stage) to use Montessori materials with it.
Based on her experience at montessori preschool, there is no need to use anything else to supplement it. It is extremely comprehensive - often there are several activities that teach or reinforce the same skill. I believe that the same can be said for elementary level.
Whenever I introduce a new concept, it is my goal to do it with a Montessori presentation, and only after I'm sure she understands it, then to use worksheets for extra practice.
Maths of course is all around us, so my aim is to include her in those everyday conversation and activities to put her new skills into practice.
IMO Montessori maths equipment is a tool to help them grasp maths concepts and ideas, and build their understanding. Then that knowledge and understanding can be applied to life activities.
Jo
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Celeste
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My 2 older children "arrived" at our homeschool after going through a local Children's House. The first year I taught concepts with Montessori materials and used inexpensive drill books for them to practice what they learned. (I let them use the materials with the books, if they wanted.) Considering I had dd #5 that year, and extensive travel, they did great.
The second year I switched to Singapore. Our experience was (almost exactly!) like Tracy's--to the point that if I even say Singapore my oldest dd gets a panicked look on her face and begs me not to make her do it. So I got a couple of the RD math manuals--fractions and decimals--at the end of the year. The experience was great, and I think their grasp of the concepts was much broader and deeper; and quicker.
So this year I'm back to 100% Montessori, using RD manuals. Dd 3 will be joining us (from the Casa) and she can't wait to start.
I've been exploring Math 1, 2, and 3 to get the materials ready, and I'm amazed at how thorough they are. They really strive to teach MATH.
Celeste
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Celeste
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| Posted: July 23 2007 at 10:43am | IP Logged
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Forgive me for the double post; I had to share these quotes from the statement of philosophy in RD Math 3:
"Throughout history humankind has learned by:
1. experience, followed by
2. comprehension, after which is formulated
3. rules (algorithms)
"The algorithm must be the point of arrival and not the point of departure. If one begins with the algorithm, the child then closes his/her mind and learns only by memory. First, give the child experiences with concrete materials, then mathematics becomes a joy. As Maria Montessori says: 'By nature man is endowed with a Mathematical Mind.'. . .
"Through the child's own efforts with concrete manipulative materials, the internalization of abstract concepts is achieved. This process of autoeducation is in contrast to the traditional method in which the teacher drills the child in the memorization of facts and algorithms."
In another place Montessori says that the "learning by heart comes 'at the end, after they have experienced.'"
One more quote to support Montessori math, and then I promise I'll shut up. This is from E. M. Standing, in "The Child in the Church" (p. 70 in the reprint edition):
"The whole Montessori Method is based, and based successfully, on the spontaneous activity of the human intellect. Hence its value as against most other systems, for as St. Thomas says: 'There are two ways of acquiring knowledge. (1) by invention or finding out, and (2) by discipline or learning. Invention is the higher mode and discipline stands second.'"
Standing equates Aquinas's "invention" with Montessori's "autoeducation."
Celeste (shutting up . . . for the present)
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julia s.
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Celeste,
I'm sorry to ask such a basic question, but what is the RD manual?
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julia
married to love of her life
with ds12 ds8 ds3 and ds1
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Celeste
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Sorry. Montessori Research and Development
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: July 23 2007 at 1:16pm | IP Logged
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Thanks, ladies, for sharing your experiences. I really want to stick with one single method for math so I think now I just need to decide on manuals. I have the ones I printed up from MWEI and MTC, but I am not confident that they are complete enough. The R&D manuals really sound like the way to go.
Celeste-wonderful quotes!
Meredith, Tracy, and JoJo-which manuals will you be using?
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
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Meredith
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I'm leaning seriously towards the R & D Manuals, but mainly for Elementary not Primary. I am planning to follow the MWEI and MTC album pages, plus the online training Classes, plus the Montessori Method books mentioned in this book (thread).
HTH!!
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Meredith
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earthmaven
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I'm using Montessori Matters: A Mathematics Manual by Lori's teacher, Sister Mary Motz. It's for lower elementary 6-9, although there's a lot there for the younger ones, too. I got it through Nienhuis along with her history manual (quite possibly the only two things I could ever afford from there!)
At $24.90, it's a good deal. It includes two books: the first "includes presentations and variations for numeration one to ten, numbers beyond ten, and work with the four operations. It includes many memorization games and exercises". The second "introduces the concept of fractions and provides equations for the four processes. A complete study of of the hierarchical materials and the Test Tube Division" are found there.
I like the fact that it comes with some basic line illustrations for the conceptually impaired among us  Those really helped me figure out some of the presentations.
I do still need to get a geometry manual, and will go with R&D for that.
Tracy
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Angel
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The Elementary R&D manuals are a lot more detailed than
the MWEI and MTC manuals, and Elementary Mathematics I seems to include a lot of the more basic, primary-level presentations. It would be nice to have pictures, but I think it's also clearer than the MTC manuals. (Still working on reading through these things, though. It was a busy, busy weekend.)
I think the Montessori math curriculum is very complete, especially if you follow it from the beginning, or close to it. All four operations are introduced at the primary level (roughly up to age 6), and children are encouraged to work problems with and without regrouping up to 4 digits. Plus there's the emphasis on geometry.
Personally, I wish we had just gone Montessori from the beginning, especially with my 8 yo. Montessori just can't be beat for hands-on learners. I've tried Singapore, Miquon, Saxon, and Horizon Math with my 8 yo, but none of them have really worked very well for us. When she was 6.5, I tried using Singapore as a spine with the Montessori materials, which worked all right... but there just wasn't enough practice to Singapore and I was constantly having to fudge things. Then we went Montessori for a while (using NAMC's primary manual plus some work with measurement, thermometers, and clocks), and that worked pretty well until I decided I was falling down too much in planning the presentations and keeping her moving. We switched to Saxon 3 for a very brief period last spring, and both of us hated it! So we went back to Montessori, and I am not planning on changing again.
I will say that it's been easier to let math slide doing it this way than if I were to just hand her a workbook. I have to be on top of things, and without a regular work period, I've found that I need to require math every day. And when math becomes a requirement -- even if I let her choose the particular activity -- she only does the bare minimum necessary to complete the requirement. One of my goals for the year is to change this situation by trying really, really hard to provide a real 2-3 hour work period in the morning.
--Angela
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mom2mpr
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I am just chiming in here a little with a different track.
For my 4 1/2 year old dd I am using Shiller Math and she loves it. I just don't have the time to read all the Montessori manuals and figure it all out. I really wish
I could. Shiller is laid out pretty well and makes it easy for me. She is really enjoying it.
Ds who is now 9 is also using Shiller. When he was younger I didn't know about Montessori and we did enjoy Scott Foresman math and used a lot of manipulatives. We also did Miquon(spelled wrong I am sure) while he enjoyed it at a certain point it got to be too much for me prep-wise. So, now he is pretty happily learning with Shiller and (we just started) Singapore for extra practice.
Just wanted to put it out there as an idea. Not for you Theresa you are the Montessori queen. I wish you could live down the street from me so I could learn from you. Though I do learn a lot from your blog. Ds is so Montessori geared, naturally, even his portfolio reviewer(who teaches in the public school)picked up on it and suggested it over public schools for him--if I ever started thinking of sending him to a school.
My 2 cents for anyone else who might consider Shiller.
Anne
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earthmaven
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One other thought just occurred to me. For coin learning, we really liked the site called h.i.p. pocket change hosted by the US Mint at http://www.usmint.gov/kids/
There are some great games, lesson plans, reproducible coin sheets, state information connected with the 50 quarters program, history of each coin, etc.
Tracy
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Meredith
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mom2mpr wrote:
| Just wanted to put it out there as an idea. Not for you Theresa you are the Montessori queen. I wish you could live down the street from me so I could learn from you. |
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Oh Anne, don't we ALL!!!
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Meredith
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: July 24 2007 at 12:25am | IP Logged
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Meredith wrote:
mom2mpr wrote:
| Just wanted to put it out there as an idea. Not for you Theresa you are the Montessori queen. I wish you could live down the street from me so I could learn from you. |
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Oh Anne, don't we ALL!!! |
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OK, now you guys are going to give me a big head!
Honestly, though, I am just learning this stuff right along with you all.I wish we all did live close enough to learn from each other. But I thank God daily for the blessing of this forum so that at least we have this way of coming together and sharing.
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
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JoJo
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lapazfarm wrote:
Meredith, Tracy, and JoJo-which manuals will you be using? |
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I'm not using a manual as such. At the start of our school year (we're half way through it at the moment) I did a plan / overview for each of the subjects (learning areas) from our local dept of ed website. That became my goal post.
Then I figured out how we're going to get there, based on what she's already done at Monte preschool, and on what materials / presentations I'd like to do for her. We don't work in order - it's mainly based on what she's interested in at the time.
I've used the albums at Monteaco (spelling?) as a guide, plus Elizabeth Hancock's Teaching Montessori at Home - School Years as main guides, plus what I've already learnt by watching dd at preschool and from lots of talking to her teachers.
Jo
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montessorisbev
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So mine is not so much a reply as a question. I have 2 children 5.5 and 3 years old (approx. My plan was to do Montessori math almost exclusively, with them. When I say almost, I was thinking of using some workbooks or just make my own worksheets up at some point.
However, I was under the impression, I could do it using Hainstocks books and the math albums onlinepretty much. Do the Montessori RD manuals have extra presentations? Would they be the same as the Math album build class that Karen is offering? I am really confused now. I am still in the process of creating an outline of study for this coming year, but it seems like the more I think of it - the more there is to think  do the RD manuals give a better outline to follow. Do I need to supplement the manuals with other teaching materials?
Thanks
Bev
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Topic: Montessori math
