Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.



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missionfamily
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Posted: May 05 2008 at 8:36am | IP Logged Quote missionfamily
If you are using a Waldorf-inspired or more eclectic approach in your home and value the better late than early philosophy, how do you engage a preschooler who wants "work" that mimics the work of the older kids? My four year old is not content with play dough or puzzles if everyone else is doing math, or even with using manipulatives while the others work. His work has to look like theirs. I have to be very conscious of the fact that I have a seven year old who is going to tend to gain most skills on the very late side of the spectrum. If I let the four year old breeze past him, it will be a huge blow to his confidence. I want to work on some Montessori-type centers for him this summer, but I am not drawn to a very specific Montessori environment. Thoughts, ideas, conversation welcome.

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Colleen
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Mackfam
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Posted: May 05 2008 at 12:20pm | IP Logged Quote Mackfam
Colleen,
One of the things I enjoy the most about using Montessori is how the children's work is made available to them in a beautiful way. It has worked so well with my 7yo who was so greatly in need of this type of approach.

Why not set up a few trays for him of "his work?" Setting materials out on a tray or in a basket allows him to see all he needs to accomplish his work, and allows you to gather things for a tray on a weekend or evening - and not in the middle of everyone else's math lesson whilst you are simultaneously doing laundry, changing a diaper, and contemplating dinner plans. KWIM?

Some tray ideas...

Handwork - like scissors and paper with curvy patterns to cut, or simple origamis. Here is a whole page of printables to include in a basket or tray for this kind of work.

Math work with some downloads from JMJ Publishingor Montessori Materials

You can find free downloads that you can then print and use in about every subject at JMJ and Montessori Materials.

One last, great source is Montessori For Everyone. Lori offers some great things for sale, but do check out her free downloads too!!! We use A LOT of her things and they have been a big hit with my 7yo!

Providing rich and beautiful art materials and supplies has been a big hit as well.

Is this helpful at all?

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acystay
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Posted: May 06 2008 at 2:54pm | IP Logged Quote acystay
My four year old loves to do computer games when we do some learning. We just started the 1,000 chain. He also does the 100 chain w/o help. We started as well the 10 board. He also loves Kumon books. The progress in skill and you can even get some for the older child then they will have similar books. The cutting book my son LOVED and my daughter (now 6) loved the arts and craft one. There is also a folding one that is fun to do. The both love the mazes books.

What I do (now keep in mind I am not consistent and fail many days!), is when the 4 year old runs to play on the computer I do a lesson with dd. I have to say right now we are not doing much progression on things. If the 4 year old comes out I direct him to something he likes. The trouble I have is with my 3 year old. I think that is why we haven't done much lately. He has been really into a ton and doesn't talk much so I'm trying to work on that.
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MarilynW
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Posted: May 06 2008 at 3:31pm | IP Logged Quote MarilynW
I had a 3 year old who was similar. I had a shelf set up with Montessori type materials, Lauri Math puzzles, tangrams, Mighty Mind etc in trays - he got to choose his tray - and had to tidy up and put it away. I also had a lot of cutting and pasting activities. We then made the transition to Singapore Early Bird Math, various School Zone preschool workbooks, Kumon Workbooks, Mazes and Join the Dots etc - he loves to have his "books" on his shelf.

How about some computer time like Starfall?

Activities from Encanted Learning?

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