Reality vs. Fantasy Before Age 6 - My Experience

I knew about the Montessori principle of focusing on reality before my son was born. So I was good to go from the start. And I fully supported it because it made sense - it fit with my own experiences working with children that I had not been able to clarify before.

A not so scientific survey - well, it's scientific, just anecdotal/observational science:

Children founded in reality in the first plane of development (conception to age 6) have stronger imaginations, greater creativity and are generally still in awe of the world around them into the elementary years, as compared to children who were surrounded by other people's imaginings in those formative years.

For example, I can tell what sort of 0-6 upbringing a 6-8 year old child has had in response to the first Great Lesson: God with No Hands. Children founded in reality, recognize immediately that there is some amount of fantasy here (the inanimate world does not actually whisper "I hear my Lord, and I obey" nor do angels actually carry heat up and bring cool down). The children immediately recognize words such as "like" and "as if", referring to analogies. The children understand these analogies and pick up on them, even if they have not had an explicit lesson on "analogy." These children can immediately get into the exploration of the actual facts and have JOY in the imaginative pieces - 'those particles, "like" people, like some but have a strong dislike for others', the children find such amusement in this line!

On the other hand, the children who have had experience with a lot of other people's imaginations (things that are not real, adults telling stories that couldn't possibly be true for the fun of it, cartoons, etc.), even when they tell you they "know" the difference between fantasy and reality - will ask at the end (or interrupt in the middle!) of the First Great Lesson, "Is that real?" Or they will say, "Well, that's not really what happened."

Yes, you are correct my child, but did you actually listen?

The story itself doesn't say that it is really what happened - the analogies make this clear. But these children have been set up to argue something that wasn't an argument. They have to repeat to themselves the concepts in the story itself to say that the story is an imaginative event, with a good deal of real facts. So 1) they consciously miss the clues that are obvious to the other children yet 2) they are re-stating those very clues in their own words ("this isn't how it exactly happened").

It becomes almost a difference between true pure joy and a building cynicism.

Wow. And I just wanted to tell a story to open up the geography album.

It happens in other areas too.

The children with the mixed experiences before age 6 seem to spend several of their elementary years sorting out the difference between reality and fiction. I wonder, if a longitudinal study were done, if this carries over into their adolescent and adult years - leading to people questioning objective Truth in this world. Even those without cynicism waste those elementary years still sorting out real versus fiction.

The children with the solid foundation in reality spend their elementary years enjoying the awe and wonder of the world around them, asking many "what if" questions that explore the very real natural laws around us; then testing them out and seeing what more they learn. This is true imagination - to test the limits of reality.

The children with mixed experiences generally consider fairy tales to be girly stories (if they are boys) and baby stories (if they are boys or girls). They might participate because they know there is something there, but there is a rough exterior that says, "I'm actually too cool for this but I'll go along with it since everyone else is." Or they tend to tease the other children who actually still like fairy tales.

The children with the reality experiences DELVE into fairy tales (which are actually moral tales), reading the original versions and various re-writes. They explore the moral dimensions, they re-write endings, or write alternative viewpoints. They explore the cultural dimensions and what it meant to have Cinderella's eyes pecked out by ravens. They are fascinated with Rudyard Kipling's "Just So Stories" and can actually sit through a reading of the original Jungle Books.


Now does this happen with EVERY child? Probably not. But think about this: even the children who SAY they understand the difference, and verbally state they know and then proceed to prove it... doesn't mean they really get it. And sometimes, the fact that they have to verbalize it, means that they have not entirely internalized it. Sometimes the whole talking through something is a sign that the child is still working through it.

And it has been consistent with all the children I have personally observed in this area.

Learning to Read - changing the words on the page

As my son was allegedly "learning" to read, he would make some of the following changes to words on the page:


"three angles" on the page, he says, "triangle"
"Holy Trinity" on the page, he says "God" (or vice versa)
"Mary" on the page, he says "Mother of God"

His mind was seeing the words and interpreting them - and the words coming out of his mouth were on the same topic, and appropriate, but NOT what was on the page.


Makes me wonder ---- all these years later.... is it possible my son was already reading at 2 and 3, but because he wasn't speaking, he wasn't sharing what he was reading (and Montessori does not require reading out loud from the youngest children - they should read and match labels with objects, follow commands, etc. - other ways of showing their comprehension ---- or practicing the words away from the adult and reading the words aloud when comfortable).


I wonder if some of our angst could have been spared if I had adjusted my in-the-moment expectations and just trusted that he COULD read (even when he was reading aloud, then afterward saying he couldn't read because some girl at school told him he couldn't).....

Rolling Mats at Home

When we moved several states over for Montessori training, my son attended a Montessori school full-time. Despite having learned how to roll mats and the like at home, he truly honed in on this work within the school setting.

So much so that he brought his work home with him. One evening, after he had rolled literally everything sensical that he could find to do so - he took my paper and began to roll it as well! I was laughing too hysterically to think to photograph the rolled blankets, aprons, placemats, coats, washcloths and towels - but I did get the paper!

So much for the ladies at the training center telling me that children who attend Montessori school will be put off by having the materials at home (it didn't happen in our case - his work was enhanced by me making materials at home for him to "test" despite being at school 10 hours a day in a fully equipped classroom).

A few weeks later, he started in a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium at our local parish (yay! I was so happy to be at a parish with an atrium! He had such a wonderful catechist too!) - and he was showing HER how to roll the mats because apparently she didn't do it the way HE had learned it. ;)

Hi Mama! I'm rolling mats!
(notice the one behind him? already rolled)

He even PATTED the ends - just like the teacher did!
I so did not teach him that part.

Unrolling his work.

Got to to do it again!!! Unroll and do it over!
Now it's a fun game because Mama is laughing and the camera is flashing. 

Oh the memories this brings back...

Montessori Co-Op Language materials

I have these two language materials stored in my elementary impressionistic charts box - mostly left over from co-op, but Legoboy recently found this one and loves it:

I made this parts of speech display for my elementary co-op children - to remind them what each symbol meant. They had not had these symbols in primary, so this was a very helpful chart for them. 

This is one of the handwriting charts from my AMI primary language album. It used to be framed - not sure where the frame went ;) This is a sample of the banded line paper (faded on one side), placement of the letters on the paper and one of the several handwriting charts the children should have in primary (and sometimes in lower elementary) - I find the ones with cursive and print together especially helpful for children who learned print first.


These two very simple charts allowed my lower elementary co-op children with no primary level experience to fully integrate into a part-time Montessori classroom, without the need for outside resources or modifying the true Montessori experience in any way - any modifications made were the same ones I would use in a full-time classroom.

Sample of Banded Line Paper

Lots of people ask about "Montessori Paper" and there are some mis-conceptions about what it is:

Banded Line Montessori Paper:
(note that there are further versions - these are just 3 types)

:)

Quarter-paper

full-pages cut in half

Full page

Coconut Oil and Chocolate

Legoboy wanted me to add this to our list of uses for Coconut Oil - while he had baking noted, this isn't baking really... it is SO simple, it could be a perfect primary level cooking activity, following a simply-created recipe booklet! And OH my! The variations a child could come up with!

Glorious chocolate ;)

http://healthimpactnews.com/2012/how-to-make-irresistible-coconut-oil-chocolates/

Add 3-4 tbsp of honey or maple syrup instead; and at least make sure you have a full tsp of vanilla.

Our final version: 

Simple Coconut Oil Chocolate Candies

• 1/2 cup Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (raw cocoa powder is preferred)
• 3-4 Tbsp raw (preferred), local (if at all possible) honey or maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Melt the coconut oil and add the honey. Whisk and add the cocoa powder. Whisk occasionally while pouring into a silicone ice cube tray or silicone mini muffin tray. Makes 12. Cool for 30 minutes in the fridge or freezer.

Note: Time varies depending on how hot the coconut oil was when you started. If the oil is only just reached its melting stage, these will set in as little as 15 minutes.

These were just the perfect first use of our silicone shaped-trays - perfect for candies, soaps and ice cubes! A young child could melt these over a hot cooking pad, or in a pan of warm water - the coconut oil liquefies at room temperature, so you just need to get it slightly warmer than that (so the other ingredients don't harden it up while stirring and pouring). The quantity is perfect for a child's first recipe!

Delicious! Perfect for Once Upon a Time withdrawal symptoms.... ;)

Legoboy spilled some; I spilled some more. No problem!
Still delicious!

Popped out of the tray - I love these silicone trays!

What should be in a Montessori environment?

I started one blog post and it became two! So I just finished writing them both together, then I'm separating them, so you might see some similar sentences here ;)


What physical things and areas should be in a Montessori environment, homeschool or otherwise?

For many of us homeschoolers, on the internet, we get overwhelmed - or we get bored - when we set up what we think is the perfect Montessori environment only to discover that it's not working for us the adults, or it's not working for the child(ren).

In that case, it's not a Montessori environment ;)

The environment must meet the needs of the children. 

At all ages, there is a freedom of movement, a freedom of choice of work, a respect for the internal workings of the child... but how those needs are met vary with age. At infancy/toddler, we provide smaller spaces with various items to explore. At primary we have more "academic-looking" materials, and the child has few to no requirements for his 3 hour work cycle (keeping in mind that group dynamics help the classroom setting; at home the adult does need to provide SOME guidelines). Kindergartners are moving into the initial use of work-plans, so that by elementary there is a work plan or work contract, along with a work journal. Nothing prohibitive - this does not make it "school by choice" (meaning a child must do all typical school work but at his own pace or in his own order) - instead, the plan is worked out between child and adult, with some items to ensure proper foundation/framework and the adult helps guide the child in his project planning.

Yes, that's right! Projects! Elementary children should be working on PROJECTS! Research; timelines; creating their own materials! OH! The FUN!




If your elementary children are not exploring their own interests (or they express an interest and you fill in too much, too fast for them), consider backing off for a bit. And examine your environment.

Start with the psychological environment - what nuances are you putting out there in your speech, your gestures, your focus during your child's school time. Are YOU learning? Exploring? Connecting with the world? Asking questions and seeking answers? Using your own creativity to explore possibilities?


Then start to consider the tools you need to get there or remain there.

The most obvious inclusions in a Montessori environment will be the materials described in the albums of your choosing (and YES, you should have albums - pulling it together from the internet is not going to give you REAL Montessori - I've been there! I know!).

The one trouble with albums is that not everything is laid out so precisely when it comes to the physical and psychological nature of the environment, hence the emphasis by many about not really "getting" Montessori unless you've been trained. But even training doesn't promise full understanding; I have many trained Montessorians come to me with videos of their environments and ask me, "What is going on here? It's not working - what should I do to change it?"

The following is a list of items and areas that SHOULD be in a Montessori environment that may or may not be specifically delineated in your albums (but it IS there if you have a truly Montessori set of albums - and very likely is in the theory album (that if you don't have - you have NO IDEA what you are missing ;) ):

• art area (some albums have art lessons, some don't; some have it in practical life or in culture; but it is rarely in an elementary set of albums - because it is presumed that you have the supplies for the children to research and create their own projects)
• project-making supplies (boxes for dioramas, posterboard, mat board, clay, etc. - while this area kind of goes along with "art", consider this the "junk drawer" of creative art projects)
• historical tools of the (various) trade(s) - you might rotate these in/out or explore them on Goings Outs to historical locations -- in primary we like to teach the children to wash cloths on a washboard; in elementary we can use hand-mills, soap-making tools, combing cotton or wool and spinning it into yarn, and much more.
• hand-craft work such as weaving, knitting, crocheting, cross-stitch, sewing... in primary this is practical life; in elementary it is part of the child's life.
• Minimal tray work in elementary; minimal themed sets; we want the children to be thinking, imagining, creating - and to be building practical skills so that they can fulfill their imaginations. Too much planned out for an elementary child or too many (in this case, too many is a very low number) themed sets and the children's imaginations are thwarted and/or are developed in an artificial manner. You provide the basic materials and LET them start combining stuff to create their own themed sets. 
• Science supply area (in elementary) - you want the generic supplies available, along with a few resources to generate ideas, so that if they have a question about something, they can work it out relatively quickly. Anyone using AMI-style elementary albums now have the option at Home Science Tools to purchase a kit for the geography and biology albums - with just about everything you need in one package! (I do not make any money when you purchase that kit - it is simply something I set up to make the obtaining of the needed materials easier for those who are using AMI elementary Montessori albums). 
• I cannot under-emphasize: STREWN BOOKS. Read a book yourself that you want your child to read; let him see you read it. Have a small book basket in each room with a small number of books you'd like them to read. Just this environmental touch provides a huge fuel for interest-led studies. 
• A work-plan and work-journal - elementary. Accountability. Not something that hinders, but something that provides boundaries. It is interesting to note that the most creative artists will tell you they need boundaries in order to harness their creativity and create something beautiful. Totally open-ended? It just won't happen. Framework and foundation. 
• Beautiful works of art - not just 2D work, but all forms - nice tables and chairs and furniture (or nicely covered!). Think "aesthetics". When the mind is at peace, it can flourish in beautiful ways. 
• Space: your elementary child in particular needs space to spread out - he will get messy and look disorganized; while he still needs to be expected to put this things away properly when he is done, while working he SPREADS. Let it happen! ;) 
• Outdoor space - playing, plants, animals, air. 
• Phone books and other resources for locating appropriate Goings Out. 

Consider that you WANT the children to be creative and have as many practical skills as possible in the creative arts, BEFORE they hit the emotional/hormonal times of adolescence. Trust me on this one. And if you don't trust me, there was previously a Margaret Homfray video up where she said the same thing. ;) 

The above listed materials sound a lot like project-based learning, because PBL indirectly stemmed from Montessori. But I have separated that post out for tomorrow! ;)

Students Not Engaging: My Student Teaching Experience

UPDATE: If you are looking for more details, please visit this page for more of the nitty-gritty.


This blog is intended to detail our entire Montessori journey and part of that journey included my own training. I had AMI training at both primary and elementary. Primary was done "academic year format", with weeks in the fall for observation of at least 10 Montessori schools (1 full week in one; 1 full week in another; then additional mornings spent in a variety of other schools for a total of at least 90 hours of observation and one very sore bottom ;) ). Student teaching was done in the spring, with two full weeks at each of 2 schools.

At the first school.
Checking the records. 

Some of you will recognize that doesn't sound like much, especially compared to AMS' 1 full year of student teaching. I had one Montessori school principal I know say that AMS teachers come out of training strong on the "teaching" aspect, and AMI teachers come out of training with intuitive depth of the materials and how to apply it to various situations.

This past fall, I heard a woman speak to this question of "what is the difference? and isn't the 1 year better?" and her response was: I can't speak for AMS. I can only speak for AMI. I came out of training with 10 different classrooms of observation, 2 very intensely; and 2 more classrooms of putting it all into practice. When I started teaching I had 12 different ways I could approach a situation with a child. 12 different role models to guide my responses. And I felt like I breathed those materials. I didn't need to bring in anything else, because I knew Maria Montessori had already provided a solution in the materials we had on hand.

Hm. Interesting. So, in that regard, AMI teachers DO come out knowing how to teach - they've just not had *as much* practical experience just yet.

My experience was a wee bit different than most of the other ladies in my training.


I loved my primary training; and I loved my student teaching experiences - as different as they each were.

Summary of the first session:
The kids weren't working. They'd not been truly connecting with the materials consistently for a few months (only when I filled in for the teacher). They were cutting each other's hair and creating golden bead birthday cakes instead. Can we say 'madhouse'? The assistant was about to quit. The lead teacher was sick and had to take a leave of absence. The sub came in and was PHENOMENAL - but she could only be there part of the day. She and I made things happen - and part of that serious, intent work with the sensorial materials, with the language materials, with the math materials. We worked intensely with the children and they THRIVED.


My second set of student teaching days were at a Catholic Montessori school, with a well-run, peaceful environment that truly felt spiritual. When something happened (outside of school and I don't recall now what it was) that a child suggested they pray a rosary for the intention, the children went about their work, while praying the rosary, some with beads, some without. It was so beautiful to experience!

Oh, and there was one little boy with these large eyes, who just watched my every movement. When I invited him for presentations, he just watched my face with these large eyes - I had to remind him to look at the sandpaper letter. The teacher and the aide thought he had a crush on me! He just melted my heart with those eyes, his soft eyes, and his "Yes, Ms. Jessica." to everything I said. :)

It was such a blessed relief and a balm to my soul to be in that school. And those are the days when the joy returned - the joy of working with children - the joy of being in their presence and exploring the world WITH them - not as an automaton as they wanted in the child development program I was in (at two different colleges, no less!). Sigh. I loved that school!


My first student teaching wasn't so heavenly. In fact, it started out QUITE the opposite.

I had this van that was having issues - serious issues. And unbeknownst to me, I'd just given it a HUGE one (I'd put too much oil in at one point - it leaked oil pretty bad - I was waiting for it to leak out enough to deal with putting more in - I should have just gone in for an oil change - turns out it was measuring accurately and it ran OUT of oil. Completely. While driving. On the interstate. Yeah.)

Such peaceful displays as this
 uncluttered but
nicely decorated shelf.
The children kept the order
and decorated the room.
(Catholic Montessori)

But before I knew about that part.....

I had requested to student teach at the school where I'd been working the mornings most of the school year. That was no-no #1. They want you to expand your horizons. That's great and all, but let's just say I was already the back-up replacement for that position as it was ('morning hallway aide' to ensure state licensing; the original lady was in training with me and couldn't handle working and training - they hired me with trepidation because I would be working, training AND I was a single mom to one of the students...) - then once I was in, the before-school caregiver asked if I could take over her position as well - so I had two positions! (that's another blog post- by the time of student teaching, I'd already subbed for the lead teacher several times as well, at least for the mornings; in the afternoons on those days, the k-ers just went to non-Montessori "afternoon care")

and they didn't have anyone to replace my position(s) for such a long period of time - they could fanagle ONE block of student teaching if I could agree to work the after-school care from 3:30-5:30 (that parent volunteer would come in the mornings to cover my before-school position, and a rotation of parent volunteers would cover my normal morning position). During my time of student teaching with them, the usual aide would take my usual position during the morning, but I would still do the before-school portion of my position(s).

No-no #2: it was my son's school - they only had the one classroom. They don't want you student teaching in your own child's class.

No-no #3: The children were not in a state of normalization. Everyone knew it.

One way or another, my wonderful trainer finally said YES.



I go in the first day - all went well. I mostly observed the afternoon routine and gave a couple of presentations in the morning and a couple more in the afternoon. Went home "early" (end of the actual school day, rather than not picking up my son until 5:40). I had also been told I could rearrange the classroom if I saw fit. This seemed odd to me, but then, I had worked with this teacher all year and she did want me to have the best student teaching possible. Little did I know!

Day 2: Legoboy is acting funny. Not funny like "my mom is in the classroom messing me up" funny - just funny. "Something is off" sort of funny.
He went down for nap IMMEDIATELY after lunch. Didn't eat much - maybe 2 bites. Then sat there. He looked wiped out.
About an hour after literally conking out, he sat up, crying (he doesn't cry). The main aide came to get me and when I walked in, he had green slimy lines running down his face out of his eyes. I called his doctor and we got right in. By this time, he was asleep and didn't really wake up for anybody or anything.
Diagnosis: influenza, double eye infection, single ear infection. Go get meds, go home and rest.

Well, the meds were going to take some time so I took him home and a friend of mine picked up the meds and brought them over for me (went totally out of his way to do so!).

Day 3: 19 hours after his last bite to eat, I sit down on the couch next to my son who has not woken up, not eaten, fights me when I wake him enough to use an eyedropper for meds into his mouth, and barely lets me put the eyedrops in... I pick up Alice's Adventures in Wonderland to read for a bit. Author bio at the beginning: Lewis Carroll died of influenza.

ACK!!!!!!!!!!!

I call the doctor: "At what point do I start pureeing food and injecting that into his mouth like I do the meds? He hasn't woken up since we were there yesterday. He's not eaten in 19 hours."
'Bring him in in 40 minutes and we'll take a look at him.' (that's how long it would take them to clear their waiting room of current patients so he doesn't spread anything)
15 minutes later, I am gathering his snowsuit, getting ready to lug him down three FULL flights of stairs (I'd just carried him UP the afternoon before), when he sits up - looks right at me - "I'm hungry. I'm thirsty."

OH! The words of the LIVING!!!!

The kid ate half a box of graham crackers and a TALL glass of water before coming up for air.

I called the doctor and canceled the appointment.


DAY 4: We came in later in the morning and he stayed away from the other children, but he wasn't contagious by this time according to the doctor and he was calmer, but otherwise normal. I was able to do some work with the children, and still go home at an "early" time - I liked this!

DAY 5: Finally a normal student teaching day. I don't remember much from that day. But I have it on my calendar as having happened. That may have been the day the teacher unloaded on me all of her personal problems (no children were present). It is the day I realized why she'd given me so much control.

DAY 6 (Monday of week 2): I come in, do the usual before school stuff, transition the children into the children's house environment because the lead teacher isn't there yet and I just got started; the teacher finally comes in a bit late. "Jessica, you have the prime opportunity! You are now the lead teacher for the next 2 weeks. I need a break, I cannot work." While not entirely out of the blue, I had a feeling Molly (my trainer) wouldn't like this!

• No-no #3: Being in charge of the classroom more than an hour or so at a time. 
• No-no #4: Being in charge of the classroom as the lead teacher - there *must* be a lead teacher there to monitor the student teaching experience. 

She called Molly. And Molly called me. They  made arrangements for me to teach in a different school. I could NOT do my student teaching alone. I was NOT to be the lead teacher. (remember all the subbing problems just to replace me??? now to replace HER too????)

I did finish out the rest of the day because it was impossible to set up anything fast enough for that day.


DAY 7: Drive van through lots of inner-city traffic to this other school. Due to not being able to drop off Legoboy until 7:30 and dealing with traffic, I arrived 45 minutes late. Minnesota weather; it's still winter. Enough said. I sat and observed, got to know the children and the classroom. I LIKED it, but the teacher insisted I must be there on time the following day.

Drove back to get Legoboy and called Molly - I can't do this. I will be late EVERY day, I'm already a week behind if you're not counting this past week's experience. My van can't take this! Then the aide realized I'm in the office crying on the phone with Molly; he silently hands me two chunks of hair in two different colors. He mouthed the names of the girls to whom the hair belonged. He made a cutting motion and mouthed the culprit's name. My big eyes must have invited him to then proceed to indicate "golden bead birthday cake - (with a large scattering motion) - you NEED to be here."

I shared this with Molly. She was livid about the situation; she felt I was trapping her despite my assurances I was so stressed out at the time I wouldn't even know how to trap someone! ....but - but - but - within 20 minutes, we finally had a sub - they'd found a sub for the school that was, get this: AMI trained - and WONDERFUL! (we didn't know THAT part at the time) While it was NOT in Molly's list of preferred circumstances, she very reluctantly let me do it: Go back to my son's school. Finish student teaching there. "You MUST make the most of your second student teaching and I will observe you THERE." (turns out she observed me at the first school because she realized she had schedule conflicts - the Catholic Montessori was a ways out). An hour of tears, no food since lunch, scared of what I would find, not sure WHAT I was getting myself into, I looked across the after-care room at the aide. Just stared at him. He told me later, he thought I was saying, "This better be worth it!" He said I looked dead.

I thought I was over-reacting. Turns out, I wasn't reacting enough.

I went to see the damage in the classroom. Oh my. It was bad. Really bad. I can't even describe it. But let me try:

• more hair. 
• golden beads. Everywhere. Did I mention, "Everywhere." We had a fish tank. With fish. They like birthday cake too. Or so it would seem. 
• nothing - and I mean nothing was on shelves where it belonged. 
• can I just admit I've blocked out some of the memories??
• Oh those poor fish. 

Who subbed that day? I don't even know! But by this point in the year, these children should have been able to handle ONE morning in that environment without a Montessori trained adult present. How do I know this? Because I've seen that too! And Montessori herself describes it! 

Took care of the incident reports and the discussion with the president of the parent board (his daughter needed some hair repair that evening and he was LIVID - anyone noticing a theme of anger here? This is NOT Montessori!). All these livid people. And I just want to student teach! (insert WAHHH!!!!) I assured him I would take care of it, but I was not yet ready to divulge those details. (besides the kids will share it anyway, right?).
(by the way, I DID take care of the situation)



DAY 8: Usual before-school stuff - greeted the before-school care children warmly - perhaps overly so. The birthday cake girls came in. Upon finishing their breakfast, I set them up in the children's house immediately. You have used this material inappropriately. I will show how it works later this morning. Right now, you will gather every single bead and organize it thus. (I placed a sample of each item where it belongs) Come get me when it is properly in place. Do not touch the fish tank. No emotion. Very matter of fact. Get it organized. It's not anyone else's responsibility. You are all 5 and 6 years old and know better.
Yes the hair-cutter was in this group. She had some additional sweeping to do when the bead work was pulled back together.

The joy in his eyes while
doing this work. WONDERFUL!

She was later given the initial presentation on how to cut with scissors, keeping the tip of one blade always touching the table or mat. She was not allowed to do anything else with the scissors until she showed some responsibility. Harsh, perhaps - but she could have nipped an EAR or an EYE! Thus she clearly  need to go back to the 2 year old presentation on the scissors.

Meet the new teacher, explain the situation. She would be running late each day since she dropped off her brother at an adult care center. Ok. I'm there, I can get things started.

OH. Was SHE FANTASTIC! Because she so emphasized the sensorial materials, delving into their depths with children of all ages, I was able to take the math and the reading with the 5 year olds and focus in on them. We both mixed things up (I needed to do everything for student teaching and she needed to cover everything since I'd be gone for 2 weeks), but we had our primary areas of focus. Mixing it up allowed her to get to know all the children before I left for my "other" student teaching, and I could learn from her too.

Did I mention the word MARVELOUS yet!? The regular aide stepped out to become the hallway aide, but he kept poking in and asking, "are you sure these are the same children?"

Reading with the K-ers

Kids who couldn't read to save their lives, were reading 2nd grade reading level 2 weeks later. I worked with them all for 2 weeks  (we had 5 weeks off of training to do our student teaching, with Friday afternoons required to come in to the training center - two weeks at each school, with one week for spring break - well the way the schools had different spring breaks and the way things were going.... I didn't take a spring break).


At the end of DAY 8, the usual aide and I rearranged the classroom (not so much in areas, but more the items on the shelves) to perfectly align with my albums. It was like a visual album for me. And the children felt that flow of the work when they came in the next day. The environment was just so much more soothing for them and truly met their need for order.


DAYS 9-15: 

• Children not reading were reading. 
• Children who could have cared less and had low self-worth were smiling proudly and holding their heads high. 
• Parents were commenting that their children were different kids at home - not whiny or complaining or overly tired, but peaceful and joyful. 
• The aide decided he didn't like me after all when I had the thousand chain stretching into the lunch room and nap/after-care room from one afternoon into the following morning. It really messed up his work. Yeah well, we're there for the kids, right? This kid held his head up HIGH - and his mother couldn't believe he could count to 1000. He had to show her! This was a child with low self-worth previously, mumbled all the time, was routinely crabby and you could tell would be the child in regular school who "just doesn't care" because he doesn't learn the same as everyone else. Yet, he could count to ONE THOUSAND! THIS was meaningful work! 
• I played the bells with them every single day. This really set the tone. Those bells are SO valuable!!!!
• Some of the bells exercises were re-designed to be group in nature to get the older kids up to work that was valuable to them, deep enough for them. The younger ones were then presented with the basic presentations individually or in pairs, to get the work going. 
• The children saw the work coming next and anticipated it. They better prepared themselves for what they saw was coming. Because it was already out. 
• Once the work got going, it SAILED. 

The difference? They were engaging with the materials. We each (the sub and I) observed the children's needs and found a material that fit their current spiritual needs. Sometimes, that meant we skipped some of the basic presentations because the older children needed what for them was "real" work. For most of the children that meant telling them their choices of A or B, and then they could choose something else. It meant more presentations than usual for that time of the year. But it was necessary.

They were doing REAL WORK. And THRIVING.


Then I had 2 weeks of student teaching at the Catholic Montessori school. Wonderful. The joy finally returned and I can't speak of the teacher and her environment highly enough! Everything I experienced affirmed everything I had just done at the first school; and I was still going back to the first school in the after-school-care hours, many times still working with the children on reading practice or math presentations, just to keep them going.
(on my way home that first day is when the van's engine blew out, due to having no oil; during my 1st student teaching time, we'd mostly walked to the school (a block away) and I only drove the 1 1/2 mile to the training center on Fridays; no time for the engine to heat up and use more oil... I made it to the school and almost made it back. It was bad. For the next several days I actually borrowed the car of the original teacher's husband who was out of town - then a good friend of mine had parents who were looking to get rid of their van; so it was given to me and Legoboy. There were and continue to be many blessings such as these that keep me humble! Thank you to EVERYONE who took care of us during that time!)

When it all ended, I was tired. But I had definitely grown in my faith in the method, my faith in remaining TRUE to the teachings of Maria Montessori. There is just no going back for me. And there is no compromise. We can use other resources, for sure! But the underlying methodology will always be Montessori for me. It just meets the children's spiritual needs.




Now, don't get me wrong. I loved Legoboy's guide. There were personal problems. She did come back after 6 weeks of absence and finished out the year. Enough foundation remained that the rest of the year was good, but the parents commented that they felt the difference and some of the unsettled nature had returned.

She went back to her home-country for most of the summer, as she did every year. When she returned, she intended to come back to work, but she passed away before the school year started. She had already been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and had sought treatment. I pray for her soul every day. She was wonderful in so many ways and I know she wanted what was best for those children and her own two young sons.

Her experience shows me there is one downfall to Montessori: if Montessori is not coupled with a spiritual expression, it CAN leave people hanging. Even Maria Montessori herself said something loosely to this affect. We are meeting the inner needs of the child, which will touch their souls, their identities as they construct themselves from all that we provide.

I had one little girl in the children's house there with whom I was working on the bead material. She sailed through everything I had in my album with the chains and all. She loved it and just ate it up and worked with it for hours (and still worked on reading skills, the language games, the sensorial materials work for 5 year olds and had time for practical life - she was really busy and loved it!). When we got to the last work I had for her, she asked me what is next? I said, This is all I have for now. "When will you have more?" I didn't know what to say. And she looked downcast. As if she were standing over a precipice and there is nothing there. I had taken her to such heights and (not having the elementary material to move into), I had left her hanging there. I felt terrible.

But then it was like a whisper in my heart. I knew her family was Catholic, so I asked her mom if they prayed the rosary. "No, I'm not sure she could sit through it - it's so long - we do the introductory prayers as a family." I suggested they do it. Just see where it goes.

CUTIE!!!!

This girl came in the next day, headed straight for the bead chains and started counting them up, making various matches to the rosary beads - "5 Our Fathers, 10 Hail Marys, but it was really 50 Hail Marys; 3 Hail Marys at the beginning. 1 for the creed." She laid out all the corresponding chains. Then she got out the bead bars and created the rosary on her mat with the bead bars. Then she changed up the colors. Finally, after about an hour or so of this (with minor interruptions to tell friends what she was doing), she came over to me to say, "I found something more! I can pray while doing math! Jesus is with us always and if He created the world, He created math too!"

WOW.

That precipice had a golden bridge!

Montessori & Foundations of Scientific Understanding

Back in October, I wrote about one of the resources we use to complement our AMI albums:
Foundations of Scientific Understanding

(click here for) The Original Post where I also have a downloadable Excel document corresonding AMI albums with all three volumes of Foundations of Scientific Understanding. 

Recently, I have received several individual requests for my opinion regarding the suggested use of this resource. What follows is only my general opinion and should be taken with (iodized, sea-) salt ;)

Dr. Nebel, when creating his resources seems to have been focused on a school-based audience. That these guides could be used within a school setting with or without a range of ages, thus making them very adaptable and meeting the needs of individual learners; hence still very useful for homeschoolers. He also focuses on what can be observed - repeated - studied - examined - in the here and now. Sounds great! And it is.

There are psychological differences between the regular school system, homeschooling and Montessori. And that is where any suggested "age ranges" get a bit fuzzy.

So. If you are homeschooling in general, or particularly homeschooling Montessori, or schooling Montessori:

• A good deal of Volume 1 (grades K-2) could be covered in the primary years, with some of it overlapping into typical 1st grade (1st year of lower elementary in Montessori). 
• Volume 2 (grades 3-5) is really then much more aligned, Montessori-wise, with lower elementary into some of upper elementary. 
• Volume 3 (grades 6-8) seems most appropriate for upper elementary and reaching into the lower adolescent years (particularly for review, conversation and to find areas to be built upon). 

But what about astronomy??? 

Anyone with that file above or with a table of contents in front of them, will see that such topics as astronomy are not really covered until Volume 3. I entirely agree with Dr. Nebel on this. The fact is, astronomy as we know it today is a very abstract concept. At the younger ages (primary and lower elementary), it is much best to focus on what a child can see from ground-level (Earth-ground that is!), with or without a very strong telescope. Stick to ONLY that for primary age children (before age 6). 

Lower elementary is also a time, if you have a highly interested student, to bring out really good NASA videos of space - ones that start with the earth and expand outward; then come back in. Go to a planetarium that does something similar - go ahead and do those things - IF your children are interested. If interest is lagging, then focus on ancient history (they'll get to astronomy that way! I promise!!!), and pick up more intense studies in upper elementary and then into middle school with the more technical details. 

Just make sure your children are "getting it" before you go too intense. ;) What happens more times than not, is that the adult suddenly "gets it" and wants to study it, so the children are dragged along. But if your children are interested and just eating it up - go for it! Have fun! Just plan to do it all again in another couple of years, because this is DEEP stuff! But if they're not quite getting it, hold off for a bit - it's ok! Focus on what they can see with their bare eyes - looking up at the sky during the day and at night; provide all the AMI geography presentations; delve into those history lessons; and I promise! The astronomy will come! 

Dwyer and AMI Primary Language Album

In the last couple (now 3-4) weeks I have taken quite a few questions along the same lines and thought a blog post might be a great place to sort it all out ;)

1/7/12 - let me just reiterate right here - YOU have to decide what will work best for your family. My experience is my experience; while much of my opinion is based on a seriously high amount of observation, even I find myself outside of statistics many times, so I will not lock anyone into them ;) I can only help guide you based on your situation ;)


Within the English-speaking Montessori homeschool world, there are 3 language development "schemes" (anyone have a better word for that!?) that are most prevalent. I am sure there are many variations on these, but as a homeschooler coming to the internet getting started on Montessori, here are the three you will find most often, of late:
(when I was first getting started and before I went to training, #3 was not readily available and I never came across #2, though it was available)

1. Pink/Blue/Green - altogether the most prevalent. It was developed specifically for the English language  and is heavily promoted by AMS (the Montessori organization with the strongest presence in the United States; and the most accessible to homeschoolers and new Montessori teachers). This system has to work because it is so prevalent, but it can be very overwhelming for new homeschooling parents, and tends to be heavily modified by each user because of these overwhelming aspects. It was not developed by anyone in the Montessori family (Maria, Mario, etc.), but is a specific response to the English language, in a Montessori-inspired manner. History is sketchy on the internet, but it seems to be in response to American-English, versus English in general or British-English (can someone please verify this for me!?). In any case, it may be more appropriate for schools (over homeschools) when seeking to apply it in a pure form. But I would personally not send my child to a school that uses this approach, if I want a true Montessori school.
2. Dwyer Pamphlet - published by NAMTA - becoming more prevalent as families are really getting burned by the p/b/g work. I wrote up my first post about it here: Analysis of Dwyer booklet compared to AMI Primary Language Album. The emphasis of her pamphlet is "The Exploration of Language" - utilizing keys to unlock language. Keys - what Maria Montessori called her sensorial materials (keys to the world). And while it simplifies the process, it potentially over-simplifies it by mentioning some topics without going in-depth. The reason is that Muriel Dwyer summarized the approach that AMI uses; this booklet was never meant to be a complete step by step guide. 
3. AMI Primary Language Album - growing in prevalence only because certain AMI-trained Montessori teachers are taking AMI out of the cloistered elite and sharing it with the world. However, picked up straight by a homeschooling parent without Montessori training - it can feel almost as overwhelming as the p/b/g work. If you have a detailed scope and sequence with the album, you're much better off, but there can still be questions. Support and understanding of how the album works is growing. 
4. There are other resources as well, that seem to be variations on the above: Gettman, Montessori Read & Write, Hainstock's books, and the like. Much more user-friendly and designed to speak to the homeschooling mom, but not as complete as they could be. Excellent filler resources. 

So overall - no one perfect solution for the homeschool mom who would like to pick up a straight-forward guide and run with it. Why is that? Because every child is different, thus modifications are necessary. The nice thing? There is plenty of online support available through e-mail groups and generous Montessori-trained teachers who want this work in the hands of homeschoolers. 

Some other bloggers who have posted fantastic resources or reviews on the differences between pink/blue/green and the Dwyer pamphlet: 

• What Did We Do All Day?
• Kingdom of the Pink Princesses
• Dream Before You

There are many more - and you are welcome to add your link below if you have a blog post/series up about it :) 

Who developed each approach? 

The booklet by Muriel Dwyer appears to be a(n excellent and useful) summary of the AMI approach, which would have been approved by Maria Montessori (2020 edit: Muriel Dwyer worked with Mario Montessori on this approach that works for *any* language for AMI to continue to use in non-purely-phonetic languages). The AMI language album is not heavily focused on learning a language in the same style as Italian - instead is truly keys-based in its exploration of any language. There are conflicting sources for who developed the pink/blue/green series and it seems to be a collaborative effort. I am unfortunately short on time to look much further at this time, but would love if someone else could share this information if they know it for sure :) (see comments)

I think that clarifies most of the questions I have received thus far, except one other main one: 

If I want to follow your recommendation to use the AMI Primary Language with the Dwyer booklet, how do I do that? 

ANSWER: The Dwyer booklet is like the framework, the how-to, and the areas of absolute emphasis; and most parents who are interacting with their children right now, will be able to apply it right away. However, there are some "meaty details" that, if you have the Primary Language album, you will have so many aha moments, that your children will wonder why you're so excited! ;) 

DETAILS: 

The Dwyer booklet corresponds with large portions of the Primary Language album in the following manner (see the chart below)

As you can see, the Dwyer booklet gives the framework and the main things to emphasize, allowing for you to see at a glance what is most important within the foundation. From there, you can better apply the primary language album pages. Best scenario: use a detailed scope and sequence with ages to determine what should be done within a general time frame (parallel works); then use Dwyer to see where in the framework that is, so you have your "place in the grand scheme of things"; and use the language album for your actual presentations.


I hope this all helps! Keep asking questions as they come up!

Dwyer on the left; AMI Primary Language album (Keys of the World modified) on the right.
Note that where it says "mentioned" or "listed" in Dwyer, it means she refers to it, but provides no or very few details. The chart clearly shows that Dwyer summarized the AMI approach - they are the same, just a different level of detail. 

(not included)	Prologue
	Education as an Aid to Life
	Development of Language (from Theory)
	Introduction to Language
	Introduction to Spoken Language
Aural Development (ages 0-4+)	Spoken: Vocabulary Enrichment
	Orientation Game
	Naming Objects in the Environment
	Collecting Classified Objects
	Practical Life Objects
	Parts of an Object
	Language of the Sensorial Materials
	Three Period Lesson
	Classified Cards - Social
	Related Objects Game - Presentations A & B
	Description/Definition Game
	Stories – Biological Classifications
	The Story of Living and Non-Living Matter
	The Story of Plants and Animals
	The Story of the Five Classes of Vertebrates
	Sorting Game – Biology Classifications
	Nomenclature Cards – Scientific
	Life Cycles
	Oral Language Games
Aural Development (ages 0-4+)	Spoken: Language Development
	Storytelling
	Reading and Books in the Library
	Poems
	Conversation
	Question Game
	Cultural Folders
	Extension: fictional story telling
	Land and Water Form Folders
	Land and Water Form Outline Maps
	Biome Folders
	Art Folders
	My State
	Writing
	Introduction to Writing
Aural Development (ages 0-4+)	Sound Games
	Sensitizing Fingers
Symbols for the Sounds (3 1/2 or so + )	Sandpaper Letters
Done WITH the above individual letters	Sandpaper Phonograms (Additional Sandpaper Letters)
Typically around 4, earlier or later	Movable Alphabet
Separate development (not in Dwyer)	Metal Insets (12 Stages)
	Small Metal Insets
	Map Making
	Writing - Art of Handwriting
Lightly touched on (hinted at) in Dwyer booklet	Sand Tray
	Chalkboards
	Paper Material (10 stages)
	Initial Strokes
	Green Boards (Initial strokes)
	Handwriting Charts – 6
	Book Making
	Reading: Phonetic Reading
	Introduction to Reading
Dwyer: Object Box 1	Phonetic Object Box
Dwyer: “Beginning of Reading”	Phonetic Reading Cards
Dwyer: “Activity Word Game” (part 1)	Phonetic Reading Commands
Dwyer: “Beginning of Reading”	Phonetic Booklets
	Rhyming Words
	Reading: Phonograms
Dwyer marks this as Object Box 2	Phonogram Object Box and Alphabet Boxes
(only hinted at)	Phonogram Shadow Box
Dwyer has “folders” for a version of these	Phonogram Booklets
	Phonogram Cards
(not covered in Dwyer???)	Phonogram Alphabet Exploration
Dwyer: “Activity Word Game” (part 2)	Phonogram Commands
Dwyer: kind of the Phonogram dictionary, but a bit different – would be great to do both versions	Research
	Spelling
	Dictionary
	Personal Dictionary
	Reading: Puzzle Words
Puzzle Words in Dwyer, under “The Test” (introduced with the movable alphabet according to AMI)	Puzzle Words
	Reading Classification
Mentioned in Phonogram Dictionary and Dictation as parallel work.	Presentation I – Classifying the Environment
	Presentation II – Cards with Labels
	A. Social
	B. Scientific
	C1. Biology Classifications: Living and Non-Living
	C2: Biology Classifications: Plant and Animal
	C3: Biology Classifications: Five Classes of Vertebrates
	Extension: Mix and sort - work up to 5 sets
	Presentation III – Definition Stages
	Reading: Function of Words
Mentioned in Phonogram Dictionary and Dictation as parallel work.	Introduction to Function of Words and Background
	Article
	Adjective
	Logical Adjective
	Detective Adjective
	Conjunction
	Preposition
	Verb
	Adverb
	Logical Adverb
	Continuation of Commands
	Symbol and Phrase Game
	Word Study
Further exploration of reading skills and language exploration – much of this can and should be done orally to begin with (with some details left out to be discovered when the child can read for himself), so that the reading portion becomes a deeper work for the children as well as a way to enhance whole reading skills with something familiar. Mentioned in Phonogram Dictionary and Dictation as parallel work.	Introduction to Word Study
	Compound Words
	Suffixes
	Prefixes
	Word Families
	Adjectives
	Singular and Plural
	Synonyms
	Antonyms
	Homophones
	Homographs
	Animal Collectives
	Animals and Their Young
	Animal Sounds
	Animal Homes
	Animal Families
	Contractions
	Reading Analysis
Dwyer: Listed under “Dictation”	Introduction to Reading Analysis
	Simple Sentences Stage I
	Simple Sentences Stage II
	Simple Sentences Stage III
	Musical Expression
Not touched on in Dwyer’s booklet.	Introduction to Musical Expression
	Notation with the Bells: whole step, half step, tetrachord
	Note Names with the Bells (Name Lessons with the Bells)
	Introduction to the Musical Staff: Staff, Ledger Lines, G-Clef
	Note Names on the Numbered Staff Board
	Note Names on the Unmarked Staff Board
	Unmarked Staff Boards – Parallel Exercise 1: Matching Cards with Bells
	Unmarked Staff Boards – Parallel Exercise 2: Nomenclature Cards
	Unmarked Staff Boards – Parallel Exercise 3: Grading
	Unmarked Staff Boards – Parallel Exercise 4: Descriptions/Definitions
	Composing on the Bells
	Reading Music
	Language Extension
Much of this work falls under real life experiences, aural and oral language development. We want the children to have real experiences so they have something to write about with the movable alphabet.	Who Am I?
	How to Teach a Song
	Clapping – Rhythm
	Introduction to Biology
	Introducing Animals
	Plant Study and Experiments
	Telling Time
Additionals particular to Keys of the World albums - not included in straight AMI albums or in Dwyer's booklet.	Appendix
	Language Scope and Sequence
	Language Materials List
	Master Copies

Related printable and physical materials available here: 

Keys of the World Language Arts

I am getting a lot of off-blog questions - mostly along the same lines. I get wordy in my responses, but here is a quick response ;) 

Can I just use the Dwyer booklet (summary of AMI)and not use the (AMI) full primary language album at all? 

Yes. *If* you are looking to just focus on learning to read and write, and that's it. As a homeschooler you are probably already providing a rich language experience, just living life, using real vocabulary, reading with your child and having lots of real experiences. 

Slightly longer answer: As you can see, the primary language album also includes music, science, as well as all the language studies that come after learning how to read and write. Yes, there are variations on these in elementary, but these are primary level lessons here, and if you have time and a ready-child, the primary language album will serve you well. There is SO much more available in the AMI Primary language album.

It just depends on your situation :)

1/5/12 - See My Boys' Teacher's comment about the albums. This answer also depends which albums you are using.


Click here for a link to the Montessori Trails page correlating Dwyer with AMI with Pink/Blue/Green - aligned next to each other according to stages.