Montessori Homeschool Classroom Differences

Help me build this list everyone!

I want to create a series of blog posts each highlighting a particular difference between Montessori homeschooling and a Montessori classroom (in a school). As an AMI trained Montessorian and dedicated homeschooling mom, I am bound to see and miss different things than those with different backgrounds, so please let me know! :)

• 30-35 children in a 3 or 6 year span vs. 1-8 or so in a 1-16 year span. 

1. observation - positive "peer pressure"
2. availability of materials
3. inspiration and direction of interests

• Dedicated space - ramifications in both settings
• Longevity of materials - amount of use and durability requirements
• Resource availability
• politics - administration
• amount of time needed
• (ADD MORE!)

Our first year co-op room -
designed for homeschoolers ages 3-10, attending once a week

Toddler Montessori At Home

Ok, in the last 2 weeks I have been asked for varying levels of insight into toddler-hood by no less than 15 individuals! I preface the entire following post with these points:
--I am not infant-toddler trained *at all*.
--My initial Montessori experience was in a wonderful AMI school in the after-school care, the lower elementary and the toddler room (somehow I was never needed in primary at that particular school!). These experiences were strong ones and truly formed my whole Montessori way of thinking - in comparing to later experience, I find that the children were full of joy, with very bright eyes, and the teachers were expert observers!
--I have raised exactly one child through the entire infant-toddler stage.
--I have played a role in providing Montessori environments to countless children on a part-time basis, including providing a Montessori environment in my own home for daycare purposes.
--I am not an expert; I would love to go back for more AMI training, but I (like most of my readers) simply can't do that. I did primary and elementary - those were two miracles by themselves. My official training time is done :(

But I love to share what worked for US!



So here we go: 


For toddler-hood, I did use Montessori from the Start (separating the wheat from the chaff ;) ) as well as my observations at local Montessori toddler programs (which wasn't all that great); I drew as much as I could from my past experience of working in an AMI toddler room as the routine substitute - to this day it is probably the best toddler Montessori environment I've ever been in - other AMI rooms came quite close; and none of the non-AMI ones suited me at all, sad to say - and at the time I didn't even know the difference between AMI and AMS.
NOTE: If I could begin again, I would set aside Montessori from the Start and read "The Joyful Child" by Susan Stephenson - available at MichaelOlaf.net. While Montessori from the Start has more detailed activity descriptions, it was really hard to separate the wheat from the chaff!

A simply grand infant-toddler activity.
Yes I bought this salt shaker set specifically
so my son could do this work of mounting toothpicks.
Solid glass, heavy, and a metal cap.
Step 1: toothpicks into wide-mouth jars
Step 2: tootpicks into water bottles
Step 3: Mounting toothpicks on salt shakers.
CONCENTRATION.
COORDINATION.
FOCUS.
FILLS their inner drive towards TINY work.
It's real (glass and metal).
(I don't care for pepper, so this is actually the pepper shaker -
we use the salt one for salt!)

My very strong advice on this age is to worry less about teaching anything in particular and focus more on:
--real experiences
--real materials (heavy glass tumblers are more appropriate for an older infant sitting at his chair, then a plastic sippy cup knocked off the tray or traipsing around the house)
--whole/real language - and verbally labeling all things in the environment.
--beginning the sound games just for the fun of it
--including the child in all activities possible
--lots of snuggling, reading, conversations (encouraging responses)
--trust the child's ability to learn, including learning boundaries. Maintain them. (provide toothpicks for mounting on a saltshaker lid, but no they do not go in the mouth)
--Develop good habits by allowing good things to happen. Don't interrupt a child's attention and focus for example.
--Cull bad habits by stopping them immediately. Those keys on the table with the swiss knife attached? Yep. They're enticing, but they stay there when you've said 'no' and the child has been given something else to explore.
--OBSERVE your child.

I can't emphasize any of the above enough! Perhaps some day I will be able to write a blog post (or series of blog posts) about each of those points. In the meantime, take them one by one and consider what you can do to implement them. What does it mean? What new habits do you need to work on for yourself? What environmental changes do you need to make?


For inspiration - we have always had small homes; for a few months at different times we did live with other families in larger houses (and I had less control over those houses, in regards to safety features) - so my posts focus on the smaller spaces - and limited budgets.

Three previous posts:
Practical Life for the Toddler Years
Infants and Toddlers at Home
Toddler Montessori Home Environment

See the full set of toddler posts by clicking here.

Patterns in Homeschooling

Over our years of using the Montessori approach both in schools and in our homeschooling, we have found some patterns emerging:

We always start our "new school year" with the Church's new liturgical year - the first Sunday of Advent (4 Sundays before Christmas). This is a time of new beginnings and lends itself well (for us) to the avoidance of burn-out that others experience much more strongly. We also school year-round, so we have natural rhythms and breaks that allow us to take advantage of various opportunities without compromising the integrity of our homeschooling.



Patterns:

Thanksgiving and into Christmas and January precipitates a season of "games" - board games, dice games, card games. We always re-institute our "game-night" which we fall away from in the summer time. Strategy, logic, etc. A recent discovery at our favorite kids' game store (Once Upon a Child) yielded up "Where in the United States is Carmen San Diego?" - and suddenly Legoboy actually *cares* about learning US geography and history ;) He gets a kick out of the time-traveling agents!

By February, we are back to a LOT more hand-work such as crafting, crochet, weaving, and the like.


While we really hit the botany album HARD every single spring, we typically start the basic presentations and experiments again every Christmas-time. We have a south-facing balcony, with sliding glass doors; thus we have a very sunny living room in the winter time as long as it's not too cloudy. When it is cloudy, we still have a rather light living room space because the sun is still in that direction! The situation of our building on a hill allows the sun to rise in our window, shine all day, and set in our window. Can't beat that! This arrangement allows us to work on those "experiments" (this year, we are adding a lot more that he came up with himself or that were found in various books) in more focused isolation; then in the spring-time we can work on the main things we want to grow. Admittedly, our indoor tomatoes grow better in the winter-time than our summer outdoors ones - just because of the sun!

We tend to work on school more intensely on the bad weather days - super-hot and no fun to be outside; or super-cold/windy and I refuse to drive anywhere. These are the days we get the most school work done (and the days I get the most business work done!).

While we "plan" to do school 6 days a week, just to keep up the routine, in the end, we really "officially" do school more like 3 days a week. School gets done on those other days because there are certain projects that count as school or are extensions to previous presentations. I guess I say it's a school day if *I* have done something with him directly or have checked something off of a list. But he does school-related projects every day of the week. When we sit down every week or two weeks to go over the current work-plan, and set up the next week or two weeks' worth, we always find areas that we no longer have to "plan" because he already moved into those areas.

Autumn is our time for food preparation and looking at those home-making skills that every child learn. So we have the canning and the freezing of the jams, sauces, meats, etc. The food preparation and baking continues well into the winter time.

Summer-time is the time for him to get out his "boy-books" - carving walking-sticks, tracking weather patterns, cooking with the sun, preparing foods for long hikes and long camping trips. Legoboy has not yet been on a long camping trip, but he's been making sure he's ready!

Advent and Lent are always times for a focused study of our faith, though we have atrium and other studies throughout the year. This Advent we studied a Jesse Tree sequence in-depth. Lent 2012 we did an in-depth Psalms study.



School-work and other projects have a much higher intensity of work, completion rate and satisfaction rate when our home is de-cluttered and organized. Always. Every time.

Advent and Lent, as well as mid-summer seem to be our seasonal times to clean up and ship out. Transitioning from one time of year to another and we want to be prepared.



Daily Lego time. He *needs* daily Lego time ;)

Montessori Homeschooling - Socialization

Every homeschoolers faces the socialization question at some point or another, and usually repeatedly. And frankly, the answer lies in what definition for socialization is being used in the question.

• getting along with age-based peers in a group project
• getting along with age-based peers on the playground
• interacting with adults as co-learners
• interacting with adults as teacher-student (boss-employee)
• sitting still in a desk when told to; waiting in line when told to; ask to use the bathroom every time; other incidents related to being a very large group

Socialization is all of these - and more. Homeschoolers can gain all of those skills - it will just look different, though the skills remain the same. My son learns to wait in line at the various stores we visit, when waiting to get into the museum, when more than one of his mates/friends in various activities all need a drink at the same time --- it is natural learning, not arbitrary. 

but... 

My all-time favorite line? It was said with ALL sincerity and love. And seriousness.

You should really put Lego Boy into public school. 

Why is that, dear Grandma? Not even a private school?

A public school. Yes. So he can learn to be teased. And he needs to ride the bus. 

Ok. So we'll ignore that private schools in our area share bussing with the public school kids, who all spend anywhere from 20 minutes to 90 minutes (yes, 90 minutes!) on the bus each way.

And we'll ignore that teasing can happen anywhere, any time, any place.

And we'll ignore that not all children ride the bus anyway.

And we'll ignore that I spent 13 years in public schooling, sometimes riding the bus and sometimes walking (sometimes walking when I should have been on the bus and usually begging rides to avoid the bus!). And all the "teasing" left me was bitterness, a refined talent for nasty come-backs, a brick wall surrounding my true self, and hopelessness.

Did public school do that? Not directly. It was a much larger picture. There are fantastic public schools and private schools available; there are fantastic teachers and fantastic classrooms.

But of all the wonderful reasons to send my child to school, learning to be teased isn't anywhere near the list.

Would I send my son to school? Yes. When it meets our family's needs. He has already attended school. He attended a private Montessori school at age 3, 50 hours a week (coming from my having been a stay-at-home mom with a daycare in our home...); he attended a 3-day-a-week non-Montessori preschool (full days) at age 4; and he attended another private Montessori school for 3 months in kindergarten (I was subbing in another classroom). He spends an hour a week at the local public school. And he currently participates in a weekly middle school literature class (it's online).

This is in addition to the other daycares, camps and other educational institutions that met our needs from time to time.

And we sometimes ride the public transportation bus (or subways or other forms of public transportation). It's not the same bus experience from public school - but for those who live in the city, it's the bus that they could be riding a lot longer. Doing it every day doesn't make it a better thing. It just is.




So what about socialization?

What activities can fulfill this "socialization" without going to rows of desks in a line with the teacher gabbing on and the students sneaking notes to one another? or falling asleep? or (gasp!) doodling? Does it have to be either/or?

Yes, all of the following can be done by families who use public school as well. The point is that public school doesn't provide the be-all-end-all. And neither does homeschooling. There are options. You can't do it with public school alone, but neither can you do it sitting in a desk or at a table in your own home all day. REAL socialization happens in society. Period.



Please add your ideas below!

• martial arts: typically multi-age settings, with ranks according to skill not by arbitrary age. Children and adults of all ages have basically the same expectations to promote to the next belt, for which a test is provided when people have met the requirements and are ready - not forced ahead or held back arbitrarily. 
• cub/boy scouts: typically the smaller groups meet within their age groupings, but the  boys are able to move ahead at their own pace and there are bigger meetings with boys of multiple ages. They focus on skill and character development. 
• why not girl scouts? most troops tend to be focused on one grade level; if you have access to a multi-age group that allows for the girls to move ahead when they are ready and not too muh before/after, then great. There can be other issues present, so be on the look-out.  
• Other sports - whether personal or otherwise. As long as they don't rule your life (unless that is what you want) - that provide personal growth and team-playing. 
• just play with other kids. Nothing fancy - this is where MOST socialization happens - in the adult-left-out interactions between children - whether at recess, on the playground, playdates, just getting together with other people of all ages. The adult guides moral behavior, but the children work most things out on their own. Older children will naturally lead into group projects, short-term or long-term. 
• Goings Out: this is a Montessori concept of a "field trip" - the child helps to plan the outing, it is usually related to other things going on in the child's life or education. The children make the phone calls, map it out, interact with the other people involved, all with an adult's guidance. 
• Being out in society: interacting with the people at stores, the employees at various businesses, people on the street, just being out there - and working through the various customs of various cultures. Isn't this the society that the children will have to interact with as adults? Might as well start now! 
• All the better if you can visit as many other cultures as possible. 
• church groups can count, depending on the situation. Multi-age settings such as Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atriums, Godly Play worship centers, youth groups and the like. 
• other classes: whether for fun or for specifically academics. Face to face is best, but online classes can provide for certain socialization skills. 

What to look for: 

• multi-age - to reflect real society. My mother works with someone with whom I went to high school. They are co-workers. My first "real" job outside of summer camp programs, I had higher qualifications than the 40-60 year old women working there - and I quickly had authority over them. Yet I still needed to respect their years of experience and they respected my educational background. We learned a LOT from each other. This was not something to be gained from "school" of any sort. 
• respect for all members - my son's tae-kwon-do has 3 rules: never mis-use martial arts, never criticize, and never forget your instructor's name ("master ___ "or "sir"). If they follow those rules, they are laying a strong foundation for RESPONSIBILITY when they have a power that someone else does not; RESPECT for those in authority over them; and respect for those under you and equal to you ---- they must NEVER laugh or make fun of someone else in class or out of it. There is also a foundation of respect, period; found in all 3 rules. No name-calling, no inappropriate fighting... that sort of thing. 
• let the adult in charge BE in charge - we parents have to back off and share our authority. We will not always be there for our children despite our best intentions and desires. We need to help our children discern appropriate authority figures, so they do not naively put themselves in danger later in life. If YOU don't trust, then pull out of that activity (at an appropriate time - because we also want to teach our children commitment) - do not stay without that trust and that ability to pass the baton - it will only set up the children for confusion. 
• fit with your family's values - yes we want to expose our children to other ideas and develop discernment in them; but that doesn't mean we "throw them to the wolves" until they are ready. :) 

Command Cards - Elementary Montessori

This post started as a quick note about Geometry Command Cards, but quickly got off on other tangents as 3 ladies asked me related questions at the same time ;) Talk about coincidence! (or alignment of the moon or something!)


ORIGINAL POST: 

Fast drawing the concept on paper
From a command card for "two lines"
note the opposite direction of the stick work
showing mastery of the concept in a different layout

Just a quick post to say that I have added sample basic geometry command cards at the end of the following previous post:

Geometry Command Cards Original Post

This file includes additional pre-formatted pages to add your own additional ones; I have left it in Word so you can edit it as you like.

More advanced versions are being added to the Keys of the Universe Geometry album.





ADDING ON: 

NOT ALL CHILDREN need these command cards. Sometimes (in the case of my son) they are a great way to provide quick reviews for a slightly older homeschooled child without the benefit of having watched his peers doing the work, or helping younger ones, before moving on to more advanced work.

Sometimes a child just needs a little push into ways that he can work independently with a material.

In pure Montessori terms, the command cards should be presented only when needed to get work going, then pulled out as the children are finding ways to work independently and come up with their own ideas.

EDITING (11/27/2012) TO ADD this sentence:
*Writing* command cards is an excellent exercise for a child to develop skills in planning and organizing --- especially when there are many ideas going through his mind at once and he can't go all directions at once! So if a child hears a lesson and has 5 ideas, he can write out each of his ideas on a card - choose one to work on now, and now he has 4 ideas in back-up to pursue later that day, later that week, or just later in life.





Again - in the homeschool, I see more of a use for them from to time.

• get work going
• encourage working independently when toddlers and babies and teens or home businesses need a parent's attention
• as review for that middle aged child (8-9) to review concepts not explored recently before moving on to more advanced work. 
• As a way of monitoring work, combined with the work plan and work journal. 
• I DO NOT recommend using as your child's sole source of inspiration for work. Use them judiciously. 

How do I feel about the curriculum cards created by Albanesi?
You are about to read a completely wide open, honest and blunt response.

You have been forewarned ;)

• I think (my opinion!) they are ridiculously expensive for a homeschool (even though homeschoolers might have a greater use for them, supplementing the cards where 30-35 children are not present; but then you have to buy the materials too!? And still have the albums!? NO WAY!?)
• And entirely unnecessary in such large quantities and sets for a classroom where there IS the influence of so many other children. 
• These curriculum cards are not command cards so much as almost everything is done by the child, with very minimal work with the adult. This is NOT Montessori - this is independent learning - not really the same thing at all. And it is too "curriculum-like" to borrow my primary trainers term (for another Montessori-styled item) - it's not about following the child or meeting the child's needs of the moment. 
• Yes, there are a couple of yahoo groups that are trying to do something like these sets for homeschool purposes. They (we, actually - since I am in on those groups), continue to hit brick walls because of these conflicting notions of what they are meant to be and how they are meant to be used. So yes, I have looked into these cards extensively. And a homeschool version is likely to be created at some point in the next year or two - but it won't be like what the original project set out to do. 
• I do NOT recommend purchasing them, for home (expense) OR for school (appropriateness in the environment). If someone gifts them to you, then great - use them as you see fit. But don't spend your own money on them! 

How's that for an honest response? ;) 

Daily life Montessori style

I've received a few comments that I don't post much about my son's actual daily work and it would be nice to see how it all works together.


The trouble is - I don't monitor everything he does. I wish I could! But he has his work plan, his work journal, times to meet with me, and he does a LOT of independent researching; a LOT of building with Legos; a LOT of reading high-quality literature (re-reading Fellowship of the Ring as I type this); and as much snuggle time as we can get in. Within there somewhere are the Montessori math materials, the language materials and some geometry yet. But mostly at this point he is working with materials that are not specifically Montessori in nature, but are used in a Montessori way.

That is the result of a Montessori education ;)

We start with the Montessori materials and presentations and totally branch off from there.


For example, this past year we delved into the Montessori botany album heavily again, re-discovering eco-systems, parts of seeds and plants, classifying leaves, etc. A friend offered some space in his not-so-great-but-better-than-nothing-at-all garden space and we planted beans, broccoli, squash and watermelon. We didn't get much (in fact we got a bit more off our balcony space and that wasn't much either!) but it did provide lots of all-too-real lessons on sunlight, wind, soil, gravity and nutrients. We also had a variety of plant leaves to explore; flowers to dissect; unripened and underdeveloped fruit/vegetables to explore the various stages of growth (did you know certain squash, if under-developed, can be treated as though it were zucchini - just chop it up and add in with mixed vegetables where you would have zucchini. ???)

This same friend gave us some mint to grow in our home. Noone can kill mint. HAHA! I did! Three times over in fact! And then, suddenly, it lived! And we have had our own fresh mint tea for several months now! This, along with references to natural poultices in his literature as well as his Young Man's Handybook, led to some interest in plant usage for more than food and fun tea.

mint, dried, laying on the stove
because our counters were full at the time. 

grinding mint leaves with mortar and pestle

Somehow or another we discovered a children's herb book on Amazon. I finally purchased it and it arrived. My son was interested but not overly excited at the time of its arrival. Perhaps that is because the order also included the long-coveted Minotaurus Lego game ;)

But he did sit down to read it - and now he is devouring it! It is so nicely laid out for children, including silly songs, interesting information, decent size font, with non-cluttered pages.... recipes, remedies, history, and more; it even gets into the best materials to use for tea-making (earthenware and the like is best; stainless steel if metal must be used, but preferably not) and all the reasons why. It far exceeds my expectations! And he has started a list of herbs he wants to start growing this winter inside - just a few for the most important things.

He gets a kick out of this one:

He said to me, laughing,
"Just give me this when I start whining, Mama -
you'll never have a problem with me again!" ;) 

I could get used to this song ;) 

All this, from starting with the Biology album again!

So, in a nutshell what happens in elementary Montessori is that the albums are used heavily at first - but then you SHOULD BE MOVING AWAY from the albums. Mathematics is relatively continuous, but all the other albums keep moving away and coming back, moving away and coming back. The albums are touchstones to personal and practical research, daily learning and personal growth. We don't need an album presentation every single day, because we are taking advantage of a multitude of learning opportunities - branches off from the album presentations.

Homeschool Montessori

Many people in the Montessori-trained world "thumb noses" at homeschoolers. "You canNOT do Montessori in a homeschool."

I beg to differ. And I have the "nose-up" AMI training ;)


Why can you not do Montessori at home?

• Classroom dynamics. This is a BIG one. Children interacting, sharing interests, encouraging one another - lots of positive peer pressure (and learning to handle the minimal negative peer pressure - a true Montessori school just won't have as many issues in this regard). 
• Environment focused on learning and exploration. 
• Scheduled time. 
• I am struggling to think of more reasons. (please add in comments!)

But children in Montessori schools SHOULD be doing Montessori at home too - because Montessori is not an educational method. It is a way of observing and responding to a child's needs at the varying ages (planes of development). Parents of children in Montessori schools receive guidance on setting up the environment at home in a Montessori-friendly manner, encouraging independence  interdependence, simplicity, exploration, living lots of experiences. 

These families will not have the educational apparatus, but their environments will be imbued with Montessori results of observations. 

So what is a Montessori homeschool, but a blending of the classroom with the home environment???? 

I couldn't resist sharing the day the Montessori shelves
became home to all the critters who live in our home ;) 

So sweet! 

In our small apartment (about 850 square feet), we had most of the elementary materials, along with running two businesses... Yes, at this time a good deal of our materials are at the local church school building where I rent space to run a Montessori homeschool co-op, but it is possible to do in a small space with 1-2 children. Don't get me wrong - the more space you have, the better! ;)




How do you do Montessori at home and keep some semblance of the classroom benefits?

• Classroom dynamics: to encourage additional interests and not having the adult hover constantly (so that the adult does the work and the guiding, the child does NO leading or limited personal work), the adult should do his or her own work when the children are working. Use that work plan to keep each other accountable; schedule some items; then be busy, or in the corner observing. 
• Classroom dynamics 2: Consider very-very select additional resources that help you "keep the story going", keep the conversation going between presentations. In math, consider "living math" selections; in geography and biology, consider a science resource that focuses on conversations (not for the children, but for you the adult), 
• Classroom dynamics 3: Build in group interactions that have a Montessori flair: cub/boy scouting, tae-kwon-do, and the like - as much multi-age and user-led as possible. 
• Environment focused on learning and exploration. This is precisely why most of us homeschoolers chose this path! The only real concern is making your home so "academic Montessori" centered that the free time and real experiences are minimized - so keep that balance - real Montessori is about getting the children working in real life (Goings Out, work plans, freedom and responsibility). 
• Scheduled time. There WILL be rules in your home that are different from school; the younger the children the more you will want to have a specifically school time and a specifically home time, with a LOT of gray-area time. Older children will reveal their needs at various times for this type of scheduling.
• Schedule Time 2: Be sure that you are not "doing school" all day; however your schedule is going to be different. There may be more free time during the typical school hours but the child is working on a project in the evening with dad or older sibling instead. As long as the work plan is a reasonable amount of work and is mostly being accomplished, then all is well. 
• And there are numerous benefits to homeschooling of any kind, pure and simple. The most critical being the family dynamic. 

I frequently wonder (but will NEVER put words into her mouth!) if Dr. Maria Montessori would have encouraged homeschooling if she could have seen where education has gone (or not gone as the case may be). She lived in a time that institutional education was the direction of the model. If she had more time and had seen the movement back towards homeschooling... what would she have said? I will NOT put words in her mouth. I just wonder. After all, the life of the Montessori elementary classroom looks so much like a family environment. Hmmm.... 

These are the thoughts of a woman alone in a car for 2 8-hour drives and then sick for countless hours over the course of three weeks. Please share more ideas and questions! 

Montessori Albums - Part 2

My last post got so wordy!

I wanted to answer some questions about the AMI Montessori albums I use, and offer for sale, but from the perspective of being a mom, a homeschooling parent, a Montessori homeschool co-op teacher, and not just a Montessori teacher or seller of albums.


I USE these albums. In their entirety. Yes there is one area I am saving for upper elementary (discussion of evolution), but that is a personal family choice; within the albums I sell, everything is left where it belongs from AMI training.

• I have provided minor adaptations to improve continuity. 
• I am adding a small astronomy album. 
• I am fleshing out the art section so that it is more clear what the expectations are. 
• I am looking at typical state standards and trying to tag where the most pertinent "hidden" presentations might be (i.e. graphing starts in geography, not in math)

I have had one person tell me that the albums have been dumbed-down for homeschoolers - this is simply not true. The entire main content is straight from my training, what I submitted for album review, what was returned to me with comments, the changes I made in response to those comments and instructor requirements and what I received in final album checks - within the context of AMI training. All I have done is correct typos, write out material descriptions more clearly, change a few sentences in the elementary language album (there was a solid week where almost all sample sentences used in my training had references to alcohol (long story) - I do NOT find these appropriate to have within albums that you will use to present to children, even if you do not use THAT sample sentence. My son READS my albums from time to time - my albums are intended to guide me in presenting materials to children. (my last post mentioned by abhorrent feelings towards my particular elementary training). Stepping off that soapbox.)

The point is, I have made minor modifications to the album pages themselves. I did add a substantial number of references for quotes and statistics noted in the introductions and theory albums. These items make the material at hand meatier than what I received in training, not less. I have not chosen just my favorite album pages or presentations - I have included EVERYTHING, in its purest form, so that *you* and *your family* can choose to make the modifications (or none) that *you* see fit.

UPDATED 2/1/13 - for the accusation of 'dumbing down,' it is interesting how many errors I still find with ALL those album checks. Including a safety error in the geography album (which has now been corrected). Indeed, the albums are much more academically sound, professional appearance and still open to further clarity.


I also use these albums to tutor other children. When I have been in schools, these are the albums I use. I *rarely* need to go elsewhere for alternate album pages, although the temptation is always there ;) Why don't I need to? Because the children's interests are enticed to explore on their own - and the children have TIME - and they end up studying all the areas I would have pulled in something from another album anyway.  or they go so far beyond the album, that I have little to do myself ;) (haha like a homeschool mom, CGS formation leader, atrium and co-op teacher, who also runs two businesses from her home as "little" to do!).
For example, my son is studying a high school geometry book right now (another post).


So yes, these albums are usable in a homeschool setting, though designed for classroom use. Does that mean they are perfect? Not a chance! But I do have a fantastic group of ladies online and a couple of local families that report any discrepancies to me, so that they will be one of the best options available for homeschool families. I also provide online support via e-mail or online discussion board. And I am slowly but surely adding in a few components that others have found truly necessary to pull from other albums. These sections I am writing myself in the same format as the rest of the album, so that they are as comprehensive as possible while still maintaining the "foundation and framework" structure that makes them so perfect for my own family.

AMI Albums - Framework vs. Every Detail

I am asked a LOT why AMI albums don't seem to have as much information as, let's say, the NAMC albums. And why would I choose the "stripped-down" version for our homeschool when my son obviously craves to learn SO MUCH.

All those impressionistic charts - and timelines
INSPIRING! 

Well.... admittedly, it was not at first a conscious decision. However, I can say this: my sons craves to learn so much because *I* do not give him every detail. Because our albums are *not* the only source of information. He cannot learn all that he wants or need from me - and he doesn't even need me (or my albums) to tell him what to study next and at what age. If I knew back when, what I know now, I would saved so much headache reviewing other albums!

Mathematics and Language are closer to what people expect with lots of details. Language does not include "writing assignments" as much as guidance on setting up an environment (both physical and psychological) that integrates writing into all components of the child's day and provides guidelines for what to look for at which ages. I love the follow-up on one album page to write a paragraph in active voice, then re-write it in passive voice. But that is a follow-up - not the main presentation - and should be an inspiration to the child, not a mundane exercise.

History and Geography though - these are frameworks - and they continue to cycle back around on each other so that new studies are done every year, prompted by the child's interconnected interests and the adults continued presentations of "tidbits" here and there to spurn that interest on. I give the presentations, using an enticing voice; then I provide the necessary materials for repetition, exploration and research, and away soars my son's imagination! He ends up learning everything this is set up as "required" in other Montessori albums, with the complete freedom to go DEEP.

He is years ahead on some topics; right on par on some; and "behind" the guidelines in others.

And that is exactly where he needs to be right NOW! :)

Provide the right environment, provide the right support, and don't waste a child's time with something that he is likely to study on his own next month, but with the benefit of it being connected with his own most recent studies.

Exercises of Practical Life in Infancy

An infants' focus is almost entirely on practical life and sensorial experiences. And almost everything requires NO materials.


In our home, we had the following material-required skills for the infant years - up to 12 months old.

• toothpicks into a jar wide mouth jar, then water bottle, then mounting onto salt shaker holes
• beginning to cut with scissors - at tray on booster seat with blunt-tipped scissors and narrow strips of paper on special tray that is indicated just for cutting
• using slots and holes (balls into holes; large poker chips into a slot on a coffee can lid --- start with objects that require no force to push through, then ones with more force required)
• feeding self

Mostly we focused on movement skills, language, reading, and being together. We had the mobiles, floor bed, long mirror, and lots of loved ones to provide love and attention. No specially purchased materials here:

• couch cushions for climbing and tumbling - remove cushions from couch to create a safe climbing and tumbling game
• can or heavy jar that rolls across the floor to encourage crawling
• stairs with a gate across the 4th or so step (move it up as the child is safely climbing up and down)
• textures of various fabrics

Above all else, focus on reality - and encourage baby to participate in his own way. Talk to him with whole language (yes, high-pitched motherese is fantastic for the youngest babies!), smile, interact - all those grace and courtesy lessons coming in a few years in primary. 

Everything is practical life and sensorial at this age! 

Infant Montessori is so easy in retrospect - it really IS a minimalist approach! 

Climbing the couch cushions for the first time
(look at the happy face!)

waiting for his new friend to join him

Adolescent Montessori - Homeschool - Can it be DONE!?

I have fielded more than a few questions on this topic.

The short answer is YES.

The long answer involves a lot of discussional points with those who say "No" and have extremely valid points.

Now, I do not personally have any training or orientation for the adolescent age. NAMTA and AMI are now offering an Orientation to Adolescents course that is great time-wise, but it is frankly more expensive per day than primary and elementary AMI training combined.
OUCH.

And they don't even "have all the answers." It's not a full training - the MES Fund does not consider it a training for scholarship purposes. It is simply an orientation. And it is geared for a group setting (which I am ok studying and practicing, then adapting for homeschool purposes).

It sounds LOVELY anyhow, but I cannot afford to attend :( I need to finish paying off primary and elementary first!

In the meantime, I have started consolidating all of the resources provided in both primary and elementary, along with the required reading list for the Orientation and other resources.

I am putting together a small online discussion group specifically for this age, with reading assignments on a suggested schedule, discussion topics and sharing of ideas and resources. Everything will be from a homeschool perspective.

If you are part of our Keys of the Universe discussion board, you are already in! I will begin the official group June 21 in the adolescent section and Keys of the Universe participants have full access as part of their regular participation.

If you are not part of the Keys of the Universe discussion board, join us here:
Keys of the Universe Individual Album Support - Adolescent Montessori Discussion Group Access
One-time payment; life-time participation

We will begin June 21 in earnest; but anyone can join at any time.

The ideal participant:

• you have a child age 10-16 right now, with or without elementary Montessori experience
• you have an older child and would like to contribute from that perspective
• you have Montessori adolescent experience
• you have extensive other experience working with the adolescent group and you are familiar with Montessori principles; and want to apply those principles to the adolescent group

Anyone with any age child can be participate, but the earliest stages will be better suited for someone in the field right now or very soon; or who has been there and can provide some insight. 

If you are looking for something totally put together with all the answers handed to you - we're not there yet! This initial group is for those who want to explore and share, together. 

Goals - Main Topics:

• establish foundation of understanding of the adolescent age
• including their needs, tendencies; how to meet them
• difference between societal expectations and reality of needs and tendencies
• What if we provide all that Montessori suggested? What will happen?
• Compare our own experiences and work through personal barriers. 
• Establish the universal principles of an adolescent Montessori homeschool
• Lend support to filling in the specifics for each individual home
• Establish collection of resources for use by homeschooling families for this age

Already part of Keys of the Universe: no cost
Join separate from Keys of the Universe: $15 - permanent access

Exercises of Practical Life in our Home - Toddler Years

Many of the simpler exercises of practical life can be done by toddlers; this frees up their primary years for deeper, more purposeful work. Included in our practical life was a lot of sensorial as well - for us the two areas overlapped a LOT in the toddler years.

In our home, we had the following for the toddler years - approximately ages 12 months to 3 years.

• continue cutting with scissors on thin strips - by age 2, using most of the primary cutting exercises
• mounting toothpicks into a mound of playdough
• continue other infant work as long as needed (see June 7 post)
• cutting banana and other very soft items with a butter-spreader
• opening and closing boxes, latches, etc. 
• twisting: caps on bottles, large nuts/bolts
• matching lids to pans (my son put this one together himself!)
• wiping up spills
• preliminary stages of getting self dressed
• how to wash hands
• walking on a wide line
• walking carrying items (such as porcelain statues)
• sweeping with a child-size broom
• safety rules (ie hold hands in parking lots)
• respect rules (ie do not touch visiting friend's keys on the table without asking)
• spooning grains (cereals in particular)
• pouring from small pitcher
• stringing large, then smaller beads
• using knobbed shape puzzles (large knobs, then smaller; all geometric shapes)
• using large eyedropper (a medicine dropper)
• matching shapes
• dressing frames as appropriate - dressing self as appropriate (shoes on)
• matching colors
• hanging loose items on a hanger
• completing work cycle of putting things away
• using spray bottles to clean windows and tables
• setting own place at the table (with an outlined place mat)
• putting away laundry and other household items

Exercises of Practical Life in Our Home - Primary

The Exercises of Practical Life are the oddest subject area in Montessori.

On the one hand, they can be entirely overlooked because it's not "academic" (it is academic and necessary for a child's development, but that's not the point to this post ;) ).

On the other hand, they are easiest to WAY OVER-DO - getting into areas that aren't, well, practical. This is where we start getting into the area of "independent learning activities" that aren't really Montessori. Useful, perhaps. Interesting, perhaps. Not going to harm your child, most likely. But NOT Montessori.
And can definitely over-burden a homeschool mom who "just wants to do it right" but sees everyone's ideas and thinks they are all necessary. No, they're not necessary - this is where you can have some creativity if you like, but it is NOT necessary!

Exercises of Practical Life: think practical. What is practical for YOUR life?

Montessori = Keys.

We actually started with old medicine droppers
at home - transitioned to glass ones later.
You can see our "supply shelf" in the back!

Home versus school = small available space.
(it could be argued that schools need to follow the same guidelines because they have more children who have less time with the materials than homeschoolers have, but I am writing about MY home right now :) ) .

Therefore, in our home, we stick with the practical exercises of the "Exercises of Practical Life" album.

At primary, that meant we had the following throughout our home - not all in one place:

Preliminary Exercises (any special materials introduced here are removed when the child is competent at the related activity)

How to Carry a Working Mat

How to Place a Pitcher

How to Carry a Tray

How to Roll a Working Mat

How to Put Down a Chair

How to Sit On a Chair at a Table

How to Fold Napkins - basic - styles added later in elementary

How to Pour Grain (dry pouring - something with weight - removed when competent with pouring)

How to Pour Water (wet pouring - removed when competent with own pitcher in the fridge)

How to Fold a Dust-cloth to Put Away (we just used the regular dust-cloths)

How to Fold a Dust-cloth to Dust (just used the regular dust-cloths) Transfer with Eyedropper - liquid from one bottle to another (related to polishing) Clothespin on edge of a jar (removed when starting to competently hang clothes in such manner)

Care of Self

How to Wash Hands

Snap Frame

Hook and Eye Frame

Button Frame

Buckle Frame

Zipper Frame

Bow Frame

Lacing Frame – V Pattern

Lacing Frame – X Pattern

Lacing Frame – Linear Pattern

Safety Pin Frame Combing Hair

Care of the Environment

How to Dust a Table

How to Use a Dustpan and Brush

How to Sweep with a Broom How to Vacuum (kid-sized vacuum)

How to Wipe Up a Spill

How to Dust Leaves

How to Polish Glass, Metal, Wood - I had separate trays, but the processes are streamlined for function within the home.

How to Care for Plants

How to Wash a Table AND counter

How to Wash Cloths

How to Iron

How to Arrange Flowers

How to Make Basic Food items (orange juice, fruit salads, pbj sandwiches)

How to Wash Fruits and Vegetables

How to Peel & Cut Various Fruits and Vegetables

How to Bake (a toaster oven is ideal; we did not, so he did everything EXCEPT when the over door was open - that part was my job) --- a primary aged child can help make almost anything from cookies and muffins to salads and sandwiches - even pizza!

Grace and Courtesy

How to Walk Around A Mat

How to Introduce Yourself

How to Apologize

How to Observe

How to Draw Attention

How to Accept a Compliment

How to Blow Your Nose

How to Sit on Upholstered Furniture appropriately (still working on that one!) How to answer the door

Control of Movement

Walking on the Line - rolled up ball of string - stretched out when ready to use

The Silence Activity

Visual Art

Rubbings (Exploration of Texture)

Cutting - Snipping

Cutting - Lines

Advanced Cutting

Contour Drawing with Crayon (Exploration of Line)

Drawing with Colored Pencils

Cutting and Gluing (Exploration of Space)

Painting (Exploration of Color)

Sculpting (Exploration of Form)

Beginning Sewing

Sewing a Button

Advanced Sewing – Running Stitch

Basic cross-stitch Exposure to crochet Others adapted for our home:  Grating soap "Guard" when Mama makes soap (have the vinegar and water buckets ready for accidents) Safety precautions around home-made soap Holding and carrying lit candles Other candle-care Cleaning the inside of a fridge or freezer Using tweezers to pick up small items - this was a novelty experience, but taught the use of the tweezers when needed for medical purposes. Other than medical or dissections, tweezers just aren't used here.  Rock sorting within a set of tackleboxes - this was very nonchalant - his work but not on a shelf of its own within "Montessori" work.  SPUR OF THE MOMENT activities that did not become permanent in our home: washing rocks, sorting shells Chores appropriate to age and ability Using other kitchen utensils - we just taught/learned as needed, not with a specific tray activity Stringing buttons - or any other activities that are not typically done ROUTINELY in real life. Something that is done once in a great while (ie stringing popcorn for Christmas decor), is taught at the time it is needed. There is NO need for a tray activity for such activities.  Art activities - again learning what is needed in the moment after he'd all the basic art lessons from the EPL album; including play-dough, clay, painting, drawing, gluing, etc. Beyond the basics I did NOT have a tray activity for everything. He knew where the supplies were (organized in a simple, Montessori-like manner) and he knew when he had free time to create as much art as he wanted.  Other games - we like to play lots of games here - so many things that some people put on trays and use as an independent learning activity, we just used as games. Repeatable, but not necessary to have on a tray and called "school".  "Inspired" unit studies that last for a time, but are not permanently on a tray or shelf.  Cultural experiences as appropriate - related to books being read, people visiting, videos watched, people or animals met. These were not permanently on display, but cycled back into our regular life (ie chopsticks are in the utensils drawer).

We did NOT have the following - either space or philosophy:

• polishing shoes (it is in the albums, but we just don't have shoes to be polished)
• anything with those little pom-pom, warm-fuzzy things. They have NO weight, so serve little purpose when applied to real life. We used cotton balls with polishing and these needed to be replenished, so there was plenty of work to do with carrying weight-less items. Activities that others have created are cute, but when do you ever spoon or tweeze soft weightless objects in real life? These activities are novelties; not harmful, but should be kept to a minimum (and Zero is an acceptable amount ;) ). 
• trays for EVERYTHING. It's just not necessary. Many things at home can and should be done in their proper context. Yes, sometimes a preliminary presentation is needed and that might be on a tray for a while; thereafter, the materials are kept where they belong (whisks belong in the utensil drawer) and are used at appropriate times. No tray needed :) 

Elementary Montessori Homeschool Information

There is a great blogger-Montessori-mom-teacher posting a series of elementary posts.

Visit Living Montessori Now - Elementary Posts for a great consolidation of elementary level resources.

Goals for this Montessori Blog

My goal is to share our journey with everyone interested in using Montessori at home - whether full-time homeschooling or with children at a separate Montessori school.

As I chronicle our past adventures, and add current-day happening, please share with me any questions you have about our family did something - I am happy to share!

Elementary - Sample of our Day

Here is our Monday morning thus far:
(please note, we have late evenings, so we also have late mornings - today was actually an early one!)

Rise at 8:30, morning prayers, morning chores, breakfast
(today he made wild blueberry fritters for us both)

Go over the contract for the week (this was already written out this past Saturday) - scheduled events for the week, any changes to chores or other routine tasks, mark down if particular academic items need to be done on a particular day, discuss questions, concerns, plans.

He's off to work on his Narnia unit study (a self-chosen project that incorporates many subjects) and a history timeline he is putting together; I've been working on an atrium project and two Garden of Francis orders. We are about 4 feet apart and come back and forth for occasional hugs, quick snuggles, he'll read to me favorite quotes he is writing out for his binder or show me the maps he's making.

Right now (11:40), he is preparing himself a snack of apple slices - he prefers to use a sharp knife rather than the corer/slicer because it wastes less apple and he can get thinner slices for sharing purposes. I do have to remind him that it is not a weapon as he likes to stab the apple as if he is hunting an animal.

When he is done, he plans to work on his faith formation lesson and practice for speech therapy.

This afternoon, he'll have speech therapy, then we meet with some ladies at the local atrium, followed by tae-kwon-do.

It doesn't look like we'll get to math today, but he'll have had history, practical life, geography, art, time management, grace and courtesy (interactions with me while I'm working; and with the ladies at the atrium as he assists us with our project there), family business (part of his morning chores was to take packages down to the mail-box), language arts, and organized movement. To make up for the "lack" of mathematics, we will likely play WFF: The Game of Modern Logic this evening before bed.

Today - Our Co-Op

Today we run a part-time Montessori co-op, renting space at a local church's school building.

The year started with 3-9 year olds and as long as we continue, I'll keep inviting the 3 year olds while increasing the upper limit. I am happy to have the older elementary children now, their just are not any in my area that are currently interested.

It has been an interesting experience having this mixture of children:

• one with consistent Montessori experience
• several who have attended the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium varying amounts
• some with some Montessori at-home
• most with no Montessori at home
• children who can read relatively young
• children who can not yet read at older ages
• children for whom learning comes quickly
• children for whom learning is a chore (or at least they think it is)

Well, I hooked the elementary children with the volcano! 

And I use "challenges" to get their hands on the primary materials that are not really intended for them. But I have a small number with the worst writing grasp, so we play games (challenges) to get them using the knobbed cylinders and other materials that encourage proper writing grasp. And, since they are elementary age, after they've worked with the challenge a bit, I ask them, "Did you know this is helping you to write beautifully?" They are amazed! And go at it with more interest. 

But what has been the greatest insight? Something I "knew" but I now I *know*?

That cosmic education begins in the primary level. In primary, each of the pieces is already being laid in place, in regards to providing the basic keys in the areas of botany, zoology, time, and more. I am ever so thankful I have one form of training (AMI) for primary and elementary - because that flow is SO present from one level to the next. 

• I can allow the children to just BE where they need to be in any given area, allowing them to receive presentations in a given area that is perfect for them - several children are not entirely primary and not entirely elementary - I can just present to the child. 
• I can be presenting the Timeline of Life with the elementary children and introducing the Biological Classification with the young ones. Each age has their corresponding lessons. 
• When I follow the albums, I have the greatest sense of ease from the children; when I try to veer away, they become restless and things don't "work". They provide the keys - and I provide the time for the children to explore beyond the keys. 

Being in a co-op, I have the blessings of homeschooling, a classroom experience and mentoring the parents, providing follow-up ideas for home. 

It has been a wonderful year thus far! 

Welcome to Montessori Trails

Pic from a year after this post was written

As a way of introducing myself:

I am currently an elementary Montessori homeschooling mom - of a precocious, beautiful 7 year old boy - the light of my life.
(Update: November 16, 2019, Joshua Alexander passed away at age 15 - delivering a customer's package to the outgoing mailbox across the street. He was Montessori homeschooled his entire life.)

I have officially been with Montessori for 15 years and have embraced it whole-heartedly. You'll see that I've made some adaptations for our particular circumstances, but they all "fit" into the Montessori philosophy of cosmic education.

I have way too much college education: associates in child development (anti-Montessori professors); associates in liberal arts; bachelor's in theology with unofficial minors in business administration and child development (still anti-Montessori); master's degree programs in Montessori education and in theology.... and AMI Primary Montessori Training for ages 3-6 (more like 2 1/2-6) and AMI Elementary Montessori training for ages 6-12.

I run two small businesses from my home:
Keys of the Universe and Garden of Francis - with some offshoots!
Keys of the Universe - Online Montessori Training
Keys of the Universe Montessori - Materials, Mentor access (videos, albums, online support)
Keys of the World - Materials, Mentor access to Montessori homeschool curriculum for ages 3-6
Garden of Francis - homemaking, educational materials and Montessori supplies
The Shepherd and The Vine - Montessori-based religious educational materials


I also run a local part-time Montessori co-op, lead atrium sessions for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, and otherwise keep myself far too busy for my own good!

My son has officially attended 2 Montessori schools, and unofficially attended a countless number, in addition to our homeschool and co-op. But all those details are to come!

I have also run a Montessori-based daycare in two of our homes. I had children ages 6 weeks to 13 years at varying times. I had my home available 24/7, and I accommodated part-time, full-time, routine-schedules and sporadic schedules - we lived in a college town so this worked wonderfully for everyone involved.

My hope is that this blog will provide inspiration for others while I chronicle our Montessori Trails from my first discovery of Montessori through infancy, toddler, primary, and now in elementary - to this morning when my son spent most of this time organizing "business finances" and scheduled a trip to the bank for some currency exchanging. Yes, at 7, he runs his own business too: Hearts in Wonderland on Etsy

From sub, to aide, to homeschool, to tutor, to mentor, to so many roles - please join me!