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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 27 2007 at 2:36pm | IP Logged
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I decided to just start a new thread here.
I'm in the throes of set-up, re-organization and creative carving in the learning room and Montessori closet - it's CHAOS!!! 
I know I'll have more questions as I go along. I've had to rethink my entire Montessori storage closet as I've emptied shelves from the learning room. I've planned out on paper my learning centers - trying to group my subjects together on the shelves in the learning room.
Montessori down low - books and upper level Montessori up high...
Ok - question Theresa - or any of you trying to refresh old wineskins before pouring in the new wine...
As I organize, I find that more and more, my shelves are just bare!!! I mean, I long to set out the materials, but I haven't made any presentations yet, and I know if I don't start out right and lay down good habits as I go, it'll be like trying to put the ocean back in a bottle - KWIM?
I've left the rugs out, a couple of play puzzles, and I'm considering leaving the counting bears and beads out with a few plastic sorting bowls so the little guy feels like he has something to do in there for the summer.
Do you guys have anything set out???
If you do, what methods do you employ to keep the little hands from abusing or developing bad habits?
Drowning in pattern blocks here...I'm back off to get as much done as I can while it is still blissfully naptime....
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19 , ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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Meredith
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| Posted: June 27 2007 at 3:00pm | IP Logged
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Oh Jennifer, big  coming your way. Step back...deep breath..now, it's only June 28th. When are you planning to start back up officially?? IMHO you have more time than you think. I am reading Montessori in the Classroom (and LOVING IT) and she has only a toy box set out for the first whole week  I know, can you imagine the restraint she must have had 
I am an organizing guru, and I am trying not to go gung-ho before I am ready  I know this will be painful for you, but I really am feeling that the less is more concept is the way to go and will ultimately be less confusing and frustrating for all involved as you will have laid the groundwork with your prepared presentations 
Upholding you in prayer, slow and steady 
Blessings!
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Meredith
Mom of 4 Sweeties
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AndreaG
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| Posted: June 27 2007 at 3:14pm | IP Logged
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Jennifer,
I am in the same boat- learning room = complete chaos! There are piles everywhere old stuff to be packed away, new stuff to find a home for... I am definitely a bit anxious about getting it all back together into some sort of montessori organization by August. Especially with all my little ones running around. I have a few things on the shelves, the pink tower, some pink reading, and some math things. But for the most part I am trying to keep everything away for proper presentations in the fall, or at least until I figure out what kind of centers I can have and where to put them. So thanks for sharing, I'm glad I'm not the only one in a montessori muddle!
I got my copy of Montessori in the Classroom from the library, ready to start reading- motivation to get done with a bit more organizing.
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: June 27 2007 at 3:38pm | IP Logged
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I have to admit to finding this thread more than a little comforting. I've been working on moving everything into the living room for the summer so I could use the big bedroom (schoolroom) for storage, organizing, etc. It's been a disaster on both ends! But in the last 48 hours, it just sort of fell back together - there is floor space in both rooms, I have recycled so much paper it's embarrassing we had that much, and I can finally see that really, we could survive with much less space - it's all in how it's used (don't ask me to repeat that a month from now when I move to what I hope is NOT a smaller apartment!).
So no advice here, as we're moving and such as well. But definitely prayers, and understanding, and perhaps some hope?
God Bless!
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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 27 2007 at 4:34pm | IP Logged
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Ok - I'm better now.
I do have a reason for moving quickly - though I can't go into detail right now. Hoping to start school in early August - so I've got a month or so to go before I need to be fully ready! That's comforting at least.
I think I was freaking out because you know that part of organizing where absolutely everything is down, scattered, and in utter chaos - that's just where I was. I'm not done by a long shot, but I've gotten a lot of major organizing finished! I have shelf centers set up, and my Montessori closet is re-organized now. I set up a geography center in the learning room. I have several shelves cleaned off in the learning room to be ready for science baskets/trays, etc. Tomorrow, I'll be re-organizing in there, moving books to coordinate with the learning zones that are set up. Today was a good start, and since my dh is working out at his parent's farm tonight, I might get a few more things done tonight, unless I find a gushy movie to curl up in front of. 
I decided not to set out much of anything. The Montessori shelves are bare! My Montessori closet is utterly PACKED! But, I reminded myself that I'll be moving things out as the schoolyear progresses, and I'm happy that I can fit my materials in there, and grateful I have the space to store and organize it. I don't want to set up bad habits.
I can't wait to start reading! I checked every library in town, and no-one had a copy - no worries though - Amazon is my friend Hopefully, my book will be here in the next day or so, and I'll be done with the set up for the most part. Meredith, thanks for the preview and letting me know that she only sets out a small toybox. It is good to know that I'm on the right track.
You guys are so awesome! Thanks for all the prayers and encouragement! Keep it coming! I still can't figure out where to put the computer and computer table
If anybody has any other wonderful organizing ideas - I'd love to hear them!
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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melanie
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| Posted: June 29 2007 at 10:12am | IP Logged
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Hello,
Wow, glad so many others are in the same boat! How many Montessori lessons do you think to have out at once? Our space is limited...and so I'm trying to decide where to put lessons.
I have two of those toy shelves with the tilted, multicolored open plastic bins...do you know what I mean? If you go to target.com and search toy storage you will see them. Anyway, these are full of toys right now, but I was thinking of loading them up with Montessori lessons instead, rotating them around from my closet. My other option is to use the little bookshelves we have, but that would only allow me to put a few lessons out at a time, very few per child as I am setting up stuff for a 7 year old and an almost 3 year old.
I've also even thought of hanging the lessons up in bags with pictures taped to the front on a suspension rod and letting the kids pick their lessons from there...you know, how the library sets up their picture books on tape kind of style?
Ok, I'm all over the place, but which of these methods sounds most sane? lol
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Mackfam
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| Posted: June 29 2007 at 3:43pm | IP Logged
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Melanie -
Welcome! I'm glad you jumped in with some of your questions. Sounds like you have some really neat ideas already! Go with what works for your family...if it's not working...just tweak a little!
We just roll with the moment as far as how many lessons we have out at once. Now, this year we have substantially increased the number of materials we have access to, so it gives me more options for presenting and covering ground. I'm going to be flexible. I'll present, let them access the materials, and if they're hungry for more, and master materials quickly, I'll bring more out. If they all of a sudden take off on geography, we may pull out all the stops there, while slowing a bit in another area. KWIM? I'm just going to be as relaxed as I can about it. For your little guy, in all I've read, it's very important that all of "his" materials be accessible to him at all times because the child of age 0-6 has an especially absorbent mind. The child is naturally curious and the sensorial experiences especially are very important for those little minds!
Can you carve out some creative spaces in hall closets, guest rooms, cabinets? I know we've talked about some of our spaces on these threads - if you read back a little you're bound to find some ideas. Maybe a few rolling carts? One for sensorial, one for math, one for language?
I know exactly what you're talking about with those tilted multicolored plastic bins. I've got 'em too! I didn't like the problems we had with the dowel rods to support the bins. Ours were wobly, and I had trouble fitting items in the bins when they were tilted - so I just ditched the shelf/rod structures and use the bins on our shelves to hold a ton of stuff. For example, I have a lot of old National Geographic maps from the library store (at a dime a map) and they fit perfectly standing up in the bins. I made some cardstock dividers to organize them, and they sit perfectly in the geography area. I'd rather have some pretty baskets, but I had the bins already, so I use them! Can a person really have too many colorful plastic storage bins? I say no! Since you've already got them, I think they'd make wonderful organizers for some of your materials.
I think your idea of hanging up the lessons in labeled bags is a really cool one!! I might borrow that if you don't mind  I could hang some specific grouped basket materials in my rotation closet.
Don't know if any of this helps or not. I'm glad you jumped in though.
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Jen Mackintosh
Wife to Rob, mom to dd 19, ds 16, ds 11, dd 8, and dd 3
Wildflowers and Marbles
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melanie
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| Posted: June 29 2007 at 9:52pm | IP Logged
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I found a website to buy those hanging bags in...but I was looking at one from our library and they wouldn't hang on a regular closet rod. It would have to be skinnier. Something I didn't think about. 
I remember reading somewhere about putting things in ziploc-type bags and then securing the bags on hangers with clips and hanging them up that way. That's a thought.
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AndreaG
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I'm trying to figure out a storage system also- I have been using large mailing envelopes to store my card-type activities and keep them in a plastic bin. They are labeled, and the label has a picture. I will probably just have the envelopes out- divided by age and subjects, but I may only put out a few at a time for my 3 -year-old, whereas my 8-year-old will have a bin for each subject to look through. Large things like the Geo cabinet, pink tower etc are stored in cubbies in my closet until they are put on my shelves- I only have one bookcase with 4 shelves.
I am going to try to somehow fit centers into my learning room:
-a writing area with insets, papers of different kinds, colored pencils in those colored holders, copywork and writing prompts.
-a geography/history area with globe, postcards, flags, a puzzle (hopefully we'll get more puzzles!) and geography envelopes
-a science are with experiment trays, nature box, magnifying glass, science envelopes
-a math area with all the math goodies
-a music area with cds, instruments, and cards about instruments and composers
-we already have an art area in our laundry room- conveniently located by sink and washing machine!
-practical life is stored in a microwave cart in the kitchen - trays are set up on the cart
-and of course sensorial will probably be right where it is now on one of the shelves of my bookcase
-Oh and of course a special shelf for my soon to be toddler
Where will I put all this? I don't know! Stay tuned...
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Andrea
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Kristin
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| Posted: July 01 2007 at 11:22pm | IP Logged
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I cannot tell you how comforting this thread has been!!! It really helps to know that others are going through the organziation / reorganization / incorporation / explusion chaos! Like many of you, I have made some decent progress and have moved from the total chaos stage to a much more manageable place! But, I must admit, new montessori materials have not started arriving yet! YIKES!!! My plan is to have an out-of-the-way place to put these things (geography materials and bead materials) until DH and I can tackle a couple more reorganization projects!
We are going to turn our coat closet, which is never used, into an upstairs Montessori storage closet! No more going up and down to switch out those practical life works!!! Will have to assemble map cabinet when it arrives and work out the nitty gritty details on where to put the bead work and some science things we're getting.
My friend who used to be a primary Montessori directress (she also plans on homeschooling her little ones using Montessori) has shared with me that it was always so much fun at the beginning of the year to set up the classroom. Each teacher would have a different "area" to set up --- imagine that! We are trying to set up multiple areas, albeit with fewer materials. She also said that she fears it will be very lonely to set up her home school classroom by herself, a stark contrast to the camaraderie she felt in the school setting.
All of this helps me to appreciate even more what is happening on this forum. Right here, our camaraderie!!!
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Mackfam
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| Posted: July 02 2007 at 9:27am | IP Logged
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OK - I'm pretty much done. I'm pleased with the learning room - I have a section of shelf space set up for the following areas: The Sciences (Botany, Zoology, Earth Science, Astronomy,) Geography and Culture, Math and Geometry, Art (Appreciation and Supplies,) Music, Sensorial, and Language. All of my sensorial shelves are down low. I tried to group books with materials in the corresponding section.
By far my most cramped space is The Sciences. I may have to rethink and expand this area - It takes up 4 shelves right now, and I had to really consolidate a lot of our nature collection! I've got to brainstorm that area over the next couple of months. I did come up with a really cool storage solution for a lot of our little nature specimens - dead butterflies, small rocks and fossils, pieces of moss - I gathered and sorted them and the kids put each item in these watchmakers cases I got for Christmas one year. They are the perfect storage solution for the nature shelf. The kids labeled and dated each case on the bottom.
My biggest challenge is my lack of wallspace (I use what should be my dining room as a learning room.) I re-organized the Montessori Rotation closet (which is packed! but functional so I'm very pleased with that!) I purged as I went - a few redundant books and manipulatives we never really used that I'm just going to sell (inspired by Theresa's post on Simplicity.) I still need to re-organize my supplies closet which has my printer/copier and cd player in it. I somehow cleared up TONS of space in there! Yippee!
I do still have some work to do in organizing all my nomenclature cards. I had to put some of those plastic drawer containers in my Montessori Rotation closet and they really helped store and keep some smaller stuff!
All in all - the learning room is very pleasing - visually decluttered! I labeled each shelf with its theme so the kids and I have a little help at first at remembering where the different materials and books belong.
I agree with Kristin! It is so wonderful to have all of you guys here to bounce ideas off of...and panic with! You keep me grounded! Can't wait to hear all of your organizational ideas to see if there is something I can improve on!
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Jen Mackintosh
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Meredith
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| Posted: July 06 2007 at 4:52pm | IP Logged
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This is great! As I re-read this after my week away I can now see a little light at the end of the tunnel My only problem is that I think we will have to move again before we officially start school in August, so my organization is two-fold, purging and packing and then preparing to prepare an unseen room??
Living vicariously through your organization and planning!
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Meredith
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MarilynW
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| Posted: July 06 2007 at 5:12pm | IP Logged
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Just a quick note here - I have set up some materials for my three year old - I got this storage cube unit from Target
Cubes
We just put it up last week - and it is working out better than regular shelves. The cubes are not for bigger items - but take our Montessori and Michaels trays. It is easier for my little guy as he can focus on one thing in each slot only.
I got it on sale last week. I would have gotten a second, but not enough space in our learning room.
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Marilyn
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hobbitmom
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| Posted: July 06 2007 at 5:14pm | IP Logged
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Did you all see Lori's post on setting up and organizing the classroom? How timely is that?
Amy
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Meredith
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| Posted: July 06 2007 at 5:48pm | IP Logged
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Marilyn, these are wondeful!! I'm really thinking my 2 yo would benefit with this too!! And I also loved Lori's post on how she set up her classroom, it's so nice to have a visual
Thanks for sharing this one!
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Meredith
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Mackfam
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| Posted: July 06 2007 at 6:53pm | IP Logged
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Meredith wrote:
This is great! As I re-read this after my week away I can now see a little light at the end of the tunnel My only problem is that I think we will have to move again before we officially start school in August, so my organization is two-fold, purging and packing and then preparing to prepare an unseen room??
Living vicariously through your organization and planning! |
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OH NO! A move Meredith! Good grief! I hope it's to allow your sweet family to be closer to your dh - didn't you mention he was working away from home during the week? I do love the excitement and potential of new schooling duds though. So fun to think of all the possibilities!
I had to get moving rather quickly in the learning room because I'm pregnant - and I get quite sick.  I'm hoping I have 1-2 more weeks before the bottom drops out here. I finished my liturgical area in my learning room supply cabinet just today. That was the last of the big re-organization projects. My geography area is set up, and I found some great boxes at Michaels just yesterday for holding all of my continent materials. I love them. I labeled them today, and set them up in the area of the cabinet under the maps. They fit perfectly. Next week, we'll go scavenger hunting throughout the house to see what kinds of things we can find to include in our boxes. The only area I'm not happy with is my science area. I love nature walking, and it shows I'm afraid. I think I have every book printed on the subject. And then there's our nature collection. And I'm a sucker for science goodies - there are just so many cool things - the mini tornado, the color paddles, the prisms, the list is endless. I feel cramped on the shelves as I have them set up right now. I have to rethink this area. All my other learning centers are just awesome! Shelves are basically empty, and the kids curiosity is piqued! Now, we'll just have to wait for me to come out of the green fog! So...I'll have to be living vicariously through you for a while!!
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Jen Mackintosh
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Wildflowers and Marbles
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Meredith
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I KNEW IT!!! Congratulations, did I miss this somewhere else on the boards, sorry if I did!! I'm so excited for you and will add you to my morning mommies rosary!! Bless that sweet little one, yeah another Montessori baby!!
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Meredith
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Mackfam
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Thanks Meredith - we could use all the prayers we can get!! You're so sweet.
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Jen Mackintosh
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AndreaG
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I had my suspicions! Congratulations!!!! I'll pray for you- I get really sick too
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Andrea
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lapazfarm
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First of all, congratulations, Jennifer!!!!
Mackfam wrote:
| The only area I'm not happy with is my science area. I love nature walking, and it shows I'm afraid. I think I have every book printed on the subject. And then there's our nature collection. And I'm a sucker for science goodies - there are just so many cool things - the mini tornado, the color paddles, the prisms, the list is endless. I feel cramped on the shelves as I have them set up right now. I have to rethink this area. |
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We are in the same boat with all of our science/nature supplies. They pretty much take over the house if I don't stay on top of them. This year I have dedicated an entire small room to science and nature. We have one side wall lined with a workbench dh made for wet or messy projects, misroscopes, rock tumbler, etc. The other side has a table for working on things that need to stay clean, such as the botany cabinet, plant and animal puzzles, etc. Then there are shelves and plastic drawers full of supplies underneath both the table and the workbench, and a tall bookshelf full of books, field guides, and science kits. On the wall are some antique typesetters trays with little compartments in which we are putting our insect collection and small nature finds, and there are hooks to hang our nature-walk bags.
PERHAPS that will be enough to keep it all contained. But I doubt it!
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: Setting up the materials and organization
