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Land O' Cotton
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| Posted: July 12 2007 at 2:45pm | IP Logged
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I have another question today.
I am getting into the Montessori "mode" here, and in looking back at all the 3 - 6 yrs. activities, I see there are some that I would like to cover. My 6 y/o (grandson) will be 7 soon, but I think I would still like to cover some of the early lessons.
Silly question, but is it ever really too late to start, or better yet, what is the point at which I should start?
Vicki
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: July 12 2007 at 3:00pm | IP Logged
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I have used several of the 3-6 materials with 6-9 year olds (while tutoring them). Most were beneficial, a few seemed to not be needed, but I discovered they just needed to 'see' it quickly and they got it.
I have to admit that I myself learn from the materials as well. Things/ideas that are there, are just suddenly more clear, as in, "OH! That's how that works!"
I would suggest just looking at the beginning of the 3-6 materials, seeing if there's anything he could benefit from as you go down the list, and start with those materials/works. You will likely be able to get away with homemade stuff or alternate materials since he's older and can handle not having 'perfect' control of error in the materials.
I have a 8 1/2 year old here right now who once spent about 2 hours with the pink tower and the cubic cm blocks, exploring volume, multiplication, area and such. She saw me present it to my 3 year old and couldn't wait to do it herself. Every once in a while, she still stacks it up and compares other items to it, determing volume and such. I really thought this was just a 3-6 year old item, but being something she didn't have at that age, she is really taking it in now! This is one of the initial materials too... Other things she used once or twice, and got it, or we just developed alternate methods/materials for her.
Hope that helps. :)
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Land O' Cotton
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| Posted: July 12 2007 at 3:06pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for your help!
I have been mulling over which purchases I need to buy, and which I can either make myself or substitute. It seems that the brown stairs and pink tower were two things that I have read about which are integral to Montessori schooling.
Some of the things I wondered about were sorting activities (which I think he'd love!), pouring, smelling bottles, and possibly even a couple of the dressing frame items (buckles, snaps).
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Mackfam
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| Posted: July 12 2007 at 3:26pm | IP Logged
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Hey Vicki. I've observed some of the same things CatholicMommy has. I have 3 children (right now  ) - one 2 1/2, one 6 1/2, and one 10 1/2. I have found that my 6 yo really enjoys some of the sensorial materials that are "meant" for his 2yo brother, but his take on them is different, a little deeper. He loves the color tablets, arranging and rearranging. My 10 yo too has found a connection with many of the 3-6 sensorial items. In fact, I am remediating my 10 yo's handwriting with metal insets, an item intended for the 3 yo.
In short, I think it is very possible to "remediate" with some of the materials, and have them be purposeful to the older child. The only trick here is that we are leading a child into a material at a time that is often not when they are "sensitive" to it. I don't think this sabotages the effort, just something we need to be aware of.
I know you'll be reading "Montessori in the Classroom" and she talks quite a bit about having the children use materials that were meant for younger ages. They used them, and she was sorry they missed the opportunity to use these materials at a sensitive time, but they were necessary to move in a sequential order to lay the proper groundwork for another material/work.
I hope this helps in some way. Also, I know you're just jumping in here - thought I might link you to a tool that I have found absolutely invaluable in terms of helping me figure out what should come first at what age. These are Lori's (of Montessori for Everyone) Comprehensive List of Materials and Concepts. The presentations covered are for a 3 year period, and are listed in the order of presentation. Extremely helpful!!! You might consider both the 3-6 and the 6-9 lists. This might help you narrow down his weak areas and identify the presentations you'd really like to work on. Good luck and God Bless. BTW, we're right next door in Alabama! 
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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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Land O' Cotton
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| Posted: July 12 2007 at 3:55pm | IP Logged
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Thank you, Jennifer.
I can't figure out how to quote, but you're right about the part in the book in which the teacher was sorry for the missed opportunity. It's kind of a sense of "loss" in that the time has passed, and there's no getting it back. I wish I would have known about (or even considered) homeschooling years ago. I'm just now figuring it out (very late in life, I might add  ), so I'm trying to play "hurry and catch up!
I think once I get into the book (I've skimmed it a bit while on vacation at my Mom's with a library copy), I will have a better understanding. I'm also going to look at the list of materials and concepts. That looks very helpful!
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Meredith
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| Posted: July 12 2007 at 4:37pm | IP Logged
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It's never too late to start IMHO Vicki, and there will be different aspects of Montessori's principles that will apply to the different ages, but at 7 year old, he will greatly benefit from MANY (if not all) of the Elementary education, and perhaps some of the 3-6 to help him with the *method* to start.
I totally second Jennifer's recommendation of the Comprehensive lists, I too have them all and have found them invaluable thus far, and are a blessing for me in my planning stages right now!!
So glad you're here, and keep asking, we'll find the answer if we don't have one already!!
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Meredith
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: What age is too old for 3 - 6 activities?
