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Eleanor
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| Posted: July 18 2007 at 4:17pm | IP Logged
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Last weekend, while getting rid of redundant materials from our learning closet, I discovered that some of the presentations listed in my NAMC math album are actually "extras," rather than authentic Montessori activities. This was obviously the case with their language album, but I had thought that their math album was more traditional. Well, okay, now that I think about it, I did realize that the Insta-Learn board was a supplement... but I would never have guessed the same thing about, say, the hundreds board, since it looks so simple, and is mentioned on so many Montessori websites. (In fact, I'm still finding it hard to believe that the hundreds board isn't part of the traditional apparatus... but I heard this from a Montessori teacher, so I'm inclined to believe it unless someone has evidence to the contrary.)
I'm feeling a bit down about this.  I don't mean to put down these other activities, but the whole point of my taking the training was to learn about all of the materials and presentations used in the full Montessori primary method, and how they work together. These materials were specifically designed to cover all the bases in a systematic way. If we do end up modifying or supplementing them to suit our family, I'd like to make that choice for myself. With the limited space and time we have available, I'm not interested in filling up the house with a lot of generic preschool and kindergarten manipulatives that some teacher, somewhere, decided to add to her classroom.
As a result of this, I'm looking for lists of the traditional presentations and materials for each subject area (other than Practical Life, which is pretty much open-ended) -- or, at least, lists in which the "extras" are clearly labeled as such. (Of course, I'm very disappointed that NAMC didn't do the latter.)
We have some R&D albums, and they seem to stick to the basics, but I'm not certain; can anyone comment on this?
How about the various online albums?
(Maybe what I really need is an AMI-trained primary directress to go through my NAMC albums with a pad of sticky notes and a big red pen. From my encounters with AMI people online, I'm picturing a lot of "gasps" and tut-tutting.  )
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Meredith
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| Posted: July 18 2007 at 5:24pm | IP Logged
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Eleanor, I can see why you might be extremely frustrated, and I do commend you in your efforts to streamline your materials and pair down the redundancy that I'm certain we all possess to a certain degree 
I am buzzing through my copy of The Advanced Montessori Method: The Montessori Elementary Material (mentioned in this thread) and she has them preparing their own tables which then becomes a confirmation of the Pythagorean Theory on paper. Here is a direct quote:
"The child has built up his own multiplication table by a long series of processes each incomplete in itself. It will now be easy to teach him to read it as a 'multiplication table,' for he already knows it by memory. Indeed, he will be able to fill the blanks from memory, the only difficulty being the recognition of the square in nwhich he must write the number, which must correspond both to the multiplicand and to the multiplier. We offer ten of these blank forms in our material. When the child, left free to work as long as he wishes on these exercises, has finished them all, he has certainlly learned the multiplication table."
So it would be my impression that the creation of the *wood* Pythagorean Boards available at all the suppliers, that this would replace the 10 sheets(???)
How do you see this, anyone else have an thoughts here?
HTH somewhat, or perhaps this is totally redundant for you as well
Blessings!
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Meredith
Mom of 4 Sweeties
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: July 18 2007 at 6:59pm | IP Logged
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Just bouncing ideas around:
I promise this applies: I finally received my globes in the mail yesterday; and I went to Target to get the $1 they had (wish I'd known they were going to have them!). I spent today painting and sandpapering my ordered set and had my 8 year old tutoring student working on the Target (she doesn't know it, but I plan to give them to her). In between paint coats and just for a break, we looked up pictures of the earth from space on NASA, other pictures of various sections of the earth, went through pages in the CHC map skills book, look at various books I had on hand - we started from the Montessori viewpoint of 'the big picture' and just followed her questions as we worked, etc.
The point is this: SHE created the type of materials that my son and her little brother will use. She worked through it all, asking and answering questions, creating, discovering, exploring....
And I think THIS is the best part about Montessori is allowing the children to discover and create for themselves. It's making me rethink the need to have everything (either made or bought). My son helps me make so much and I think he learns something as he does it, even if it's just appreciation for the material.
I think it makes perfect sense to not have 'extras' on hand, BUT to perhaps have ideas for further presentations (as mentioned in the NAMC manuals) - so that you have ideas where the older children could create for themselves or for the younger children.
i.e. creating one's own tables and control charts when possible; making the globes, the number rods.
Just thinking off the top of my head.
As far as adjusting goes: Yes, I entirely agree with the idea of learning the truest form and making your own adjustments from there. This is one of the main reasons I am going for AMI training, rather than AMS or the online courses - though those are wonderful too and I will do them in a heartbeat if AMI becomes impossible - but I want the closest I can get to the original 'stuff' then I make my own adjustments from there.
For what it's worth, I plan to share any and all information I get from training with anyone who asks - none of this "clique" business around here!
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Eleanor
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| Posted: July 19 2007 at 1:51am | IP Logged
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Meredith, I don't know much about the Pythagoras board, as it's not mentioned in my 3-6 albums. It looks like it might be similar to multiplication chart #5 (the one on the lower right, here), which is a blank chart, with rows and columns numbered from 1 to 10, that's used with a box of "product stamps." If the two charts are used in the same way, then it seems as if at least one of them is redundant. But I'm going to resist the temptation to look into this further. Something else I realized over the weekend was that I should just focus on the primary level, and not try to plan ahead to the elementary materials. Otherwise, I'll get distracted. (Seems to be a common theme! ) So, whenever I see an interesting post that relates to the elementary curriculum, I'm going to stick my fingers in my ears and say, "Laa laa laa, I can't hear you!" 
CatholicMommy, I think the issue with AMI teachers is that they're not allowed to train other teachers in the Montessori method (unless they're certified "teacher trainers" working in an AMI-approved facility). If they try to do this, as I understand it, they'll lose their accreditation. They can share some information, though, if they're just offering it as their perspective on a specific issue -- i.e., "in my training we were told to do it this way."
Despite their tendency for pernickitiness, I have a strong preference for the AMI philosophy myself, and actually suspect (based on my understanding of the history) that the AMS was a product of the infamous "spirit of Vatican II"... but that's another story.
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Meredith
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| Posted: July 19 2007 at 9:30am | IP Logged
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Eleanor wrote:
| But I'm going to resist the temptation to look into this further. Something else I realized over the weekend was that I should just focus on the primary level, and not try to plan ahead to the elementary materials. Otherwise, I'll get distracted. (Seems to be a common theme! ) So, whenever I see an interesting post that relates to the elementary curriculum, I'm going to stick my fingers in my ears and say, "Laa laa laa, I can't hear you!" |
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Eleanor, I love your perspective and your sage advice to yourself We'll try not to tempt you too much with any "ATTENTION ELEANOR, THIS IS AN ELEMENTARY THREAD..." I say this in jest. I appreciate you not slamming my somewhat patronizing post from above Have a great day!
Blessings!
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Meredith
Mom of 4 Sweeties
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: ISO list of "traditional" 3-6 materials
