Wednesday - and done with the WEEK!?

(I am typing this on a Wednesday)

Legoboy woke up this morning to check his work plan before getting some breakfast. He discovered that despite our busy days Mondays/Tuesdays, and other than the daily practice stuff, he is actually done with the work plan for this week.

He has some choices -

• we could go over things and see where to go deeper with work, adding a bit here and there to maintain and/or grow throughout the week
• blow off the rest of the week and just play with Legos (aka live in  heaven for a week)
• re-write a new work plan for the rest of the week
• hire himself out to Garden of Francis for the rest of the week and finish earning money towards this next tae-kwon-do belt test

recognize it? ;) He's been making all
sorts of things out of Legos lately.
Montessori things

Well, Mama has stitches in her finger and lots of orders to still work on - SO. He has committed to reviewing math every day (via Life of Fred elementary series and the Fractions book), and hiring himself out. With some Legos on breaks. 

And he had one last request: listen to more of the Maestro Classics CDs. He is studying them one at a time, just listening for now and making lists of project ideas he has on each one. He would later like to do a day for each CD to just work on his chosen projects - down the road a bit. Right now he says, "I'm just absorbing it."

Sounds good to me! Nice relaxing week - he earned it! 

Click here for our original post about Maestro Classics.

Sharing Work Plans and Journals

I have set up a separate page on this blog to share links to posts about Montessori work plans and work journals.

I just put up a couple of sites that I've read most recently with the topic, but I know I've read others and I'll add them as I have a few minutes here and there.

In the meantime, please feel free to leave a comment with a link to your own posts or articles/posts that are particularly helpful for you. I'll add them to the main part of the page. Best yet, if you have a search tag so we can link to the blog/site and just have those posts up :) Though particularly insightful posts I will likely link directly as well.

Eventually, I'll put together a chart showing some options.

I DO have more posts coming - everything is in draft form for now (stitches in my finger have slowed down my typing!). However, I also wanted to answer two questions about work plans/journals:

1) The work plan (or work contract) are what YOU make of them - signed by the adult/child or just a loose agreement or a verbal discussion about the child's plan for the morning/day/week. A checklist feels great to those of us with more traditional backgrounds, but if it is a pre-filled checklist with work options by month, then it's probably not going to fit YOUR child who has particular needs and interests, may be far ahead in math and not so much in language, or vice-versa. You might not have some materials ready; a child's interests might be something else of equal (or greater value); etc. So that is my one very personal and very professional piece of input: design it for YOUR situation; try not to make it look like "school at your own pace" - we are aiming for exploration, responsibility, freedom, community dynamics... :)

2) Pretty much the same goes for work journals. Pair up a contract(plan)/journal combo that works for YOUR situation. Mine won't always fit yours; yours won't always fit mine; but swapping ideas encourages creativity and we adjust and adapt as time goes on (see my own previous posts about Legoboy's changing needs).


:)

Work Plan for 6 Year Old - Yes? No?

I was asked to give more information on the following statement I made in a previous work plan post:
     With that said, I find that 6 year olds without a work-plan at all, are missing out on a *huge* piece of Montessori elementary. 

Aren't we supposed to follow the child?

YES! That is why there should be some form of a work plan and/or work journal, and best is both - starting around age 6.

Remember the 4 planes of development?

In the first plane, the inner teacher of the child directs their learning and growth. Children will generally grow and learn and develop certain skills regardless of what WE do. Most parents know to give their children food, warmth, snuggles, conversation. Thus children who are even abused and neglected gain SOME skills, develop at least SOME. I realize there are extreme situations, but here we are focusing on *most* parents.

The child's inner teacher guides that growth. All that we adults can do is provide the *optimal* environment. I say "all that we can do" - but I also say "that IS what we should do."

And we trust that inner guide to utilize the good things we have placed in the environment to develop that child before us.

By the second plane, as the absorbent mind peters out and the social connections become hungry, children now need societal expectations; they live on rules and order - creating their own clubs, their own languages - that herd instinct that still craves identity. The first plane achieved strong identity of self, the second plane now works on strong identity of group dynamics.

Just as we fed that ego in the first plane, now we feed that need for group dynamics in the second plane. If the need is fulfilled now, we will have adolescents who seek to be members of the world, not clinging to the vestiges of "group belonging" that should have been fulfilled in the second plane.

Wow. What does that have to work plans? ;)

This work plan and/or work journal is one small way we create those societal expectations. We also have the following:

• studies on the fundamental needs of man
• meeting those needs throughout time
• reasons for laws in society
• taxes
• continuing the same skills from primary - preparing work for the next child, completing a work cycle
• environmental expectations (chores)
• Goings Out - formal or informal - interacting with society
• prepares for 3rd and 6th year in elementary when the child should be working a bit with the local school standards
• there's more but Legoboy keeps interrupting me with some Lego creations I need to post about soon!

In essence, the true definition of following the child is to observe carefully, note the child's needs, have an understanding of where things are going and providing those things that fulfill current needs in order to lay a strong foundation for what is coming up. 

The work plan does not dictate a child's every waking moment, or even a majority of it. It simply says, "Here is a slightly bigger plan than you usually have in your mind right now" (for some children it might be a morning, or a day, a couple of days and most 6 year olds can handle seeing a week) - and "here is what we can likely work on this week/today" (keep it light at first). Now today is Monday (or it is 8 am and we have lunch at noon). Today (this morning), let's continue that language study you started last week and I have a new presentation for you in biology. Come get me when you are ready for those things."

Or "Tomorrow, we have the men coming to cut down those dead trees. They will be here at 10 am. Let's write that down on our work plan. If you would like to watch, here's where you can take a chair, will you want your camera?" (then write those things on the work plan, as a reminder). 

Then for the work journal - anything will do - a notebook of blank pages - note the date, write down what was done; later the child can be required to write the beginning time or the ending time, then both times. It can be drawings of what was done, a sample sentence/problem, an interesting statement - pretty much anything that notes that the child is recording his/her choice of time spent. So when Grandma asks, "What are you learning in school?" The child will stay say, "Nothing," but Mom can pull out their work journal and say, "Maybe you can show these things to Grandma?" Although Grandma likes to see the art work and actual math problems ;)

The work journal is most handy when preparing for the upcoming work plan - review what was done, how much progress was made, ask further questions.... "You didn't really do anything after our story on the (fill in the blank). What have you thought about that story since then? Let's have another story in that area this coming week - here are some choices, which would you like?" (this doesn't force an interest, but does develop other important social skills, such as making choices in an area of no interest, taking some ownership for learning, and could potentially develop an interest). 

One last thought - an analogy: 

When we grow plants - at first we let them grow how they will. See which ones will be strong. We cannot control which seeds will sprout - but we plant them all, give them all the optimal conditions for growth. 

Then it is time to transplant them - or perhaps you're not needing to transplant them because you planted them where they will stay. Ok. 

(end first plane of development)

But now those tomato plants are going to go all over if you don't stake them; that tree sapling is going to bend in the strong wind, so we prop it up. We provide it *guidance* as to where to go, modifying and later lessening that guidance as time goes on. 

(second plane of development, moving into 3rd and somewhat the 4th)

Eventually the tree is strong enough to do what it will do without our interference and the tomato plants are producing fruit. 

(fourth plane and life beyond)

Elementary Work Plan: Another Sample

DISCLAIMER/BACKGROUND - See these links for more information on what work plans and work journals are intended for. If your current plan isn't meeting the mark, time to change it up. Work plans aid a child in going deep, not moving into checklist mentality.
Montessori Nuggets tagged "work plan"
Montessori Nuggets tagged "work journal"


Due to the ever-present interest in work-plans, I thought I'd share yet another idea for the lowest elementary children, and perhaps some of the kindergarteners out there.

This is a sample of something I did with tutoring children through the summer-time. I set this sample up for you as if I were to do it for LegoBoy today, with his list of subjects.

Daily stuff is straight-forward - must be done each day. Move the paper-clip for that item over to the right-side when it's done.

School stuff - this is where we keep the Montessori principles! And there is a LOT of flexibility. While some of that stuff, I would like to be everyday, realistically it won't happen, and I like to keep the daily must-dos really short, sweet and simple.

So if there is an actual presentation or assignment, those are noted on another page - perhaps one for the whole week like a weekly plan, but it has less on it than a full weekly work-plan. It might have for math "1 new presentation this week", "review small bead frame", "work with 2 operations in fractions" - otherwise the child chooses for himself what to do.

The point is, once a subject is done by the child, for as long as he wants to work on it, and whatever your agreed upon work is (some assigned, some free-chosen; or all free-chosen), the clip is moved to the right-side.

At the end of one day, NOT all the clips are moved. The goal for this day is to have each line on the right-side filled with a clip, so that a minimum variety was worked on each day (for some of my students, this was 3, for some it was 6).

The daily clips are moved back to the left side. The school clips are left alone, unless there is a specific assignment yet for the child (a new presentation or a required work OR the child knows there is something more to do). Try to limit this as much as possible, because....

...the goal is to then hit the OTHER subjects the next day. And clear out that whole left-side. For some children, the goal was a 3-day rotation, especially because some things DID need to be moved back over because they needed daily practice for a short time (not long enough to justify going under the daily list), thus leaving less time for the varying subjects.


So this plan is good for situations that require all subjects be worked on over a 2 or 3 day period - whether due to the local educational requirements or the needs of the child (retention of the learning, especially with particular special needs).

The work-journal system that fits best with this work-plan is one where the child can take a photo of their work, or otherwise have something to show of their work --- OR can be used without a work-journal for the youngest children just getting started, as they are already "marking" their progress with the paper-clips; and the adult can note their work at the end of the day in a conversation. "I saw you worked with the bead squares for math - tell me about that work." etc.

First Work Plan and Work Journal

At 5 1/2 or so, Legoboy started his first work-plan, elementary Montessori style!

It really started a year or so earlier when he would continually ask me the plans for the day. Now, I'd already made a habit since he was newborn (and I bet it started in utero... ;) ) of letting him know what to expect at various times. He may or may not have remembered everything, but at least he heard what was going to happen at least twice before we got to the part where he actually had to start thinking about doing something about it.

Around 4 or so, it really became almost an addiction of his - he could handle *anything* - just let him know ahead of time. There was a span of several months, he truly did not handle sudden changes well at all. But we lived through that.

And he continued to ask for the daily schedule, asking the night before what to expect for the next day, and slowly started caring about what was coming in upcoming days. Then he was following up with it all, and trying so hard to remember everything and be independent about things.

It was time for a work-plan, whether *I* was ready for my little boy to grow up or not!

I created some of these from the Catholic Heritage Curricula Lesson Plans, and I added a LOT, to cover all the possible bases for our own family's particular needs.

I printed them and Legoboy helped color the pictures.
I laminated and trimmed them. 

Each card indicates something to do. I would select the cards from the basket and place them in the "work basket". Sometimes I housed certain ones together in an envelope or with a paper-clip, to show that I expected those things to be done together or in that particular order. The others could be done in any order. 

Sample of handwriting, geography, and music. 

We didn't do everything every day, but if he had the "free time" or "free choice of work" card, he could go back to the original basket and pull out additional items he wanted to do. Sometimes he would bring the card for a new lesson; sometimes he went further with his own work. We had a third basket into which all the completed cards were placed so I could mark down what he had done, or make adjustments for the next day - we could call this third basket his work journal. 

Oh, I also had sticky notes that I sometimes added to the back if I had a particular task in mind or he had asked for a reminder (the music card might have had "practice for choir" and "new song from 'Our Liturgical Year'" with stars for "must do" and another couple of suggestions related to the bells or something else for what he wanted as a reminder or because I knew a new lesson was upcoming. 

Every evening, I gathered the completed cards, changed up any notes that needed it and laid out the new cards for the next day. This took me about an hour of preparation in the very beginning - to make the cards and print them; another half an hour to laminate and cut. Probably another half an hour to find the right baskets ;) (we're a bit picky around here!). Once we had the sticky-notes going and my album scope and sequences laid out, it really took less than 5 minutes every evening to plan for the next day. Then if he was going to be off to someone else's home for the next day, I'd take another 5 minutes to gather together the supplies he needed. 

The end result is a happy, creative, high-functioning planner and do-er ;)

UPDATED 1/23/13 to ADD: 

The Word file I used to create many of the above photographed cards. Additional images came from CHC (Catholic Heritage Curricula) First Grade Lesson Plans - Character Development - so those are not included in this file. Brushing teeth would be in that set for example. 

I printed it all in black and white and my son helped me color them in before laminating them. I intended to round the corners but never did. I have left it in Word, so if you would like to use it, you can modify it as much as you would like. Feel free to share by sending others to this post. :) 

File of our first Montessori work plan and work journal (click here to download the Word file)

Montessori Homeschool Schedule and Work Boxes

The last two months have been a time of transition for us. We typically start our new school year with Advent (the first Sunday of the new liturgical year for our church). While he started to tell people he is now in 4th grade and he's 9, Legoboy is one (wanting to be) confused little boy!

He is 8. But during this study of ancient civilizations we came across the Chinese belief that life starts at... conception. Ok, perhaps that's not so novel. What is novel about this teaching is how it is applied: the child is counted as being alive since conception, hence 9 months old (even 1 year old) at the time of birth! So Legoboy knows he began life in August and after 4 years running of being 5 years old (an age he wanted to be forever), he is now firmly decided that he is 9 and has been 9 since August. And indeed, I certainly now have more than 9 years of memories of this beautiful little boy, having seen him for the first time 9 years ago in early September!
(note on the link above - I can't find the book where we read that, and I am having trouble finding solid information on the internet about the belief - this article was the one that explained it the most, but it's not entirely my preferred article either - just saying: that's NOT the article Legoboy read!)

Well, so back to that time of transition - I had a LOT on my plate, we were just coming off of 3 months of non-stop sheer craziness of roller coaster experiences (I hate roller coasters, by the way) - and we just didn't get our new year in gear... until today! (this is being scheduled a bit out from the time I actually write this ;) )


Some background: 
Legoboy has been working with a weekly and a 2-weekly plan for 3 years now. At age 5 1/2 we started on a weekly plan, but it really more of laying out the plan for the week, then either at the beginning of the week or the beginning of each day, marking with an appropriate letter what was expected each day of the week. He had the option of doing more in each area as well, which he routinely did, but he was also learning how to budget his time, earn free time, get his responsibilities fulfilled, all while I was right there helping him.

By age 7, we were creating the weekly or 2-weekly work plan and he would rarely need to ask for guidance on what to do and when - he had the plan, we'd already discussed it, he knew the expectations and he had his personal research. There were times I would do as my training and theory albums suggests and ask during our planning sessions, "When do you plan to work on this?" or "What is your plan for this project?" and provide feedback based on his answer. If it's a great idea, call it what it is. If he has a not so great plan ("I'll do that one on the last day of the week" - translation: I am putting that one off because "I don't really want to do it" OR "I am putting it off because I need help and I don't know how to ask for the help I need despite my insistence that I don't need help"), then I provide a suggestion or even a requirement: "It is Monday 9AM; this particular aspect of the project or this math practice (or whatever it is) needs to be done by 2PM Tuesday." or "Let's meet about (this thing that is troublesome) at 1 pm on Wednesday and we will work on it together." I am telling him at that point that I am helping, not asking him.

This has worked well for almost 2 years! But I think he's hitting that odd pre-puberty thing that boys hit around age 9. Yeah. HARD. Oh the Rebellion! He still has a heart of gold, but there is a new creature living in that body!

So here we are at 8 1/2, re-adjusting how we do our Montessori work plan yet again. I love following the child - not a dull moment! During this transition time, he needs a lot more hand-holding, but at the same time, he needs to prove his independence, while continuing to cultivate proper relationship skills and practical skills to have a strong foundation for the adolescent years ahead (did I just think 'adolescent' and 'my son' in the same sentence? Oh, I'm going to cry.).



So here is what we spent 4 hours working out: 

Legoboy wants a specific structure. So we created a quick and easy chart: 

DAILY: We have listed the subjects that must be covered every day. This includes both new lessons and continuing the work himself (ie reading analysis would count under "Language" here). We went through our scope and sequences (ours are fully-detailed excel spreadsheets, organized by ages), selected and printed just what we wanted to accomplish in the next 2 months, worked out what would need to be done and approximately how often. He selected to do most subjects daily, figuring that even he does 20 minutes each day on sentence analysis for example, it will "keep it fresh" (his words!). 

WEEKLY: Next, we have the subjects that must be covered at least one day each week. This usually entails specifically doing something NEW or more intense or another nuance - not just repeating the same work (he is moving towards upper elementary when desired repetition is a thing of the past but is still very necessary. For this month, that includes a Latin lesson, performing a piano lesson for me (whether he moves ahead to the next lesson or not), and selecting a big chore or project to do around our home. 

DAILY PRACTICE: Then there are things under daily practice - that could very well be nothing new at all; current month's items here include: piano practice, Latin flashcards he creates during the weekly Latin lesson, tae-kwon-do practice, speech practice, some form of art (he currently has a cross-stitch project in-progress, is working on his own version of a Book of Kells, and frequently looks to learn other skills - this way, he has built-in time each day to develop these skills). 

With this plan in mind, we will still create a weekly or 2-weekly work-plan to show what the goals are for the coming 5-12 days as well as to evaluate the work done in the previous 5-12 days - see where we are in the scope and sequence, what should be practiced more, what areas we want to go more intense with and select a new biology or geometry topic (we are reviewing these subjects by topic area, now we've done the full albums, we'll review each area in-serious-depth and see where it takes us). 

     I am sometimes asked my thoughts on monthly work-plans. I personally and professionally cannot, in my heart, recommend them for any child younger than a mature upper elementary. Why? Because there is a longer time period to "see" the results of one's planning. There is a greater responsibility and maturity gained from making plans and seeing them through; evaluating and adjusting, with more immediate feedback. That is why we adults will look to the next semester or set of months, then make our plans for about the next month, then sit with the child to focus on the next *week*, and depending on the child's needs, let's just focus on each day, but the child is still visually exposed to the weekly plans - not the rest of it - that is too much for a 6 year old to truly learn from. Now at almost age 9, Legoboy is getting towards upper elementary and is ready to see the scope and sequence plans I have, but I *only* print out the sections that I think we can feasibly do in the next 2-3 months -- and even then we might not finish one area, but go far beyond in another area. 

     With that said, I find that 6 year olds without a work-plan at all, are missing out on a *huge* piece of Montessori elementary. See this upcoming post for more information. 

We have always held to a daily routine, which is difficult to put onto paper at times because every day is different. For now, we finally have some morning consistency because Sunday mornings are our only morning out-of-the-home commitments (starting in February we have twice-monthly Monday morning homeschool classes at a local-ish museum, which we will then count as "morning work cycle" for those days). Afternoon activities might be more work time, or speech, or tae-kwon-do or atrium. 

Finally, we have reached an age where the workbox system is much more readily modified into a Montessori environment. Others have modified Montessori to make the workbox system fit; we've modified the workbox system to fit elementary Montessori. Essentially we have ONE box (could be two or three), with the usual supplies needed for the day and for the week - it is essentially the "hard-copy" of the work-plan. If a larger material is required, those can be placed nearby, or noted on that week's work-plan and he knows to go gather the materials. This works great for those pre-puberty boys are losing EVERYTHING, ALL, THE, TIME. 

At primary age, we would do something similar when traveling, in a backpack, to keep skills going. Or if I were sick or had a big project and wanted him "occupied" he'd have a planned out box to go to if he had nothing in mind. Typically, he didn't use it ;) In elementary, if he were to be spending the day with another homeschooling family or when I traveled for a week for a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd training, I packed him up a box and a notebook with a list of assignments we created together - enough to keep him busy when needed, but if it didn't get done the world wouldn't come to an end. 

But now, he developed this solution to keep us on-task and not "forgetting" to do things each week. We have one place to store the small items that are used daily. Like the tae-kwon-do breaking boards, the books we want to read together this week, pencils and erasers and sharpeners in a nice pouch not buried in his desk somewhere, but actually available ;) The clipboard with the work-plan. It might hold the Life of Fred book we are currently reading. 

So there's our January plan. We'll see how it holds into February!

Montessori and 'Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding'

One non-Montessori resource we use is Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding, Volumes 1, 2 and 3. Together, these books comprise 109 (or 110) lessons covering grades K-8, with approximately one lesson per month for a year-round school (give or take in Montessori fashion! Technically it comes out to 12.2 lessons per school year if you really want an average...).

I use these volumes to guide my further conversation within the context of daily life. Guide "natural" follow-up experiences; help me to be sure I have the bases covered beyond the AMI Montessori albums.

But why am I adding in this resource when I have these fantastic AMI albums?

Short answer: because AMI albums tell you to do so.
(people want me to give a short answer, but my short answers always beg more questions ;) hehe)

WHAT!?

yep.

You want a longer answer ;)




Long answer: 

• AMI albums are a framework with lots of meat. But if your children learn ONLY what is in the albums, they will not have everything they actually need. The point to the framework/meat analogy is that there is a LOT there - but your children are SUPPOSED to be exploring their own interests, going deeper. They are NOT supposed to have everything handed to them. Period. No long tedious lessons just because they need to get it (even if it is a great Montessori lesson! if it is long and tedious and does NOT spark interest, toss it out!). If you present everything in AMI albums AND provide time/space for interests to develop, THEN your children will get *everything* they need. 
• Therefore your children will NEED other resources. Of your choosing as to appropriateness, but of their choosing as to personal interests. 
• Yes, you can dictate some outside requirements (have I said this before? ;) hehe) - family requirements, local educational standards. But these requirements plus the Montessori albums should still not be ALL your child learns. 
• Thus children should be taking cues from the lessons, exploring on their own and with classmates and coming to new discoveries of new subject areas. Positive peer influence! We want more of that!
• But within a homeschool setting, especially with an only child (or the oldest child), well... it doesn't happen quite as much. You will want something to spur on conversation and interest that replaces that classroom dynamic. You don't want more work for work's sake, but you do want to provide for what is negatively lost when homeschooling Montessori. We do this in a variety of ways - doing work when the children work; creating materials when the children are working; doing a lot more Goings Out; focusing more on the family dynamics. And pulling in resources that will help guide our conversations. 
• And if you have limited science background or just don't trust your background/skills, the AMI Montessori albums are great, but what do you do with those expanded interests that are outside the realm of the albums? (ah! now I am seeing why so many people want the fully detailed albums with an album page for every single topic and possible interest of science and geography! despite the fact that now the child's interest will be dictated by the album rather than the inner guide. I understand those feelings - I am a homeschool mom too - and there are areas where I had doubt in my abilities too! there is hope!)

Benefits of BFSU specifically:

• BFSU is set up as a conversation of sorts - it is NOT meant to be read to the child or even with the child; it is meant to be read by YOU and then discussed with your child. Dr. Nebel lays out the information your child needs for the topic at hand. This is a great way to take the Montessori lessons and extend them. MOST especially for those people who are just not confident in their science skills and knowledge. You probably know more than you think you do; but it is nice to have a guide to show that to you! 
• There are 4 main threads (Nature of Matter, Life Science, Physical Science, Earth/Space) which are interwoven with suggested flow charts - COSMIC EDUCATION! 
• All the lessons point out ways to look for the taught concept in daily life. Cosmic Education again!
• The Earth/Space section is a blessing when it comes to fleshing out the AMI albums (one weak area in AMI - see previous posts on this one), without adding undue stress of a multitude of lessons. It is one of two bases I am utilizing to organize an AMI astronomy album. 
• The idea is to spur interest - at 12.2 lessons per year, it's ok if a new lesson doesn't happen every week; it is ok if one lesson takes a month because (get this!) it spurs interest! And conversation! And insight in daily life. 
• The threads can be intermingled and jumped around or follow one straight through the particular volume until interest and ability hit a brick wall. Then take a break and jump somewhere else. Just like AMI albums!
• There is a lot of what we in the Montessori world would call "theory and application" so that the adult comes to have confidence in oneself. 
• The author focuses on science we can see and experience, so until ONE lesson at the end of the 3rd volume (intended for middle schoolers), there is no direct discussion of evolution or not. However, there is a lot of preparation for it (Baloney Detector guide, development of scientific process and reasoning) so that the child is prepared to deal with the plethora of information that fly from both sides and can enter into the conversation leaving emotion out of it. 
• Downloadable (but not printable) pdfs are available for $5 at the publisher's website.

Drawbacks: 

• Those of you with a strong science background and/or are very-very confident in your abilities in this area, will find it stifling. Don't use it - it's ok! 
• Planning: Some people have commented about planning taking too much time. I have not personally found this to be the case, but perhaps I approach it different? I look ahead to suggested books and resources, try to locate those on Netflix, library, etc. Make sure I have any needed materials on hand (almost everything is from around the house or the grocery store). Then read through the lesson before I do it with my son. I might read it a month ahead, a week ahead or right after I tell him, "Hey (insert the pet name I use for him on that particular day), meet me in the big chair for snuggling and a chat in 5 minutes." I really-really-really try to emphasize the rather impromptu nature of science, because the principles are ALL AROUND US all the time, so science is not something that is 20 minutes every day or 1 hour once a week. It is always - all the time. Exploring. Asking questions. Testing answers. Finding exceptions. How do they all fit into the big picture? Yes our Montessori work plan might say that we meet at a particular time (and we do), or it might say "cover this lesson at some point" and we do it that way too. Some things just have to be planned into a time slot. 
• It IS one more thing to read ;) 

One last benefit: 

• I have put together a spreadsheet with the title of every lesson and where it is found in AMI primary and elementary Montessori albums. This is NOT a perfect work, but a general idea of what connects where. Please use this as a guide only - for introducing the Montessori album page and material, and following up with BFSU (right after, or even years later); or starting with BFSU earlier on and working on the Montessori album pages later. At least you can see basically what fits together. 
• The document is here (click here and it should download to your computer) currently in Excel; open to modification (and spell check! My keyboard keeps sticking and Excel does NOT have spell-check!). Please leave a comment or send an e-mail if you have any feedback, suggestions for changes, questions, type corrections, or you want to come help me clean my house ;) (just thought I'd try anyway ;) ). 

Timelines: Doing the child's work for him

The contents of this post might offend some people - that is NOT my intention at all! I do acknowledge it might hit some of us personally, so please see this as an opportunity for personal reflection and growth of your own choosing.

Why, in Montessori environments, are we doing the work FOR the children? Why are we providing them with materials they are supposed to make on their own?


Per this Montessori Nugget on Timelines in Elementary, I field many questions on this topic.

In a nutshell, there are 8 key timelines for the elementary environment. Just 8. One is SO easily handmade; the others you will have to decide about making or purchasing based on your time, abilities, beliefs, and financial situation. (teehee - you'll have to look at the Montessori Nugget to find which 8!)

Any MORE timelines present in the elementary environment should be made by the children. Pique their interest, provide them materials. The materials are SO SIMPLE - you will simply LOVE how simple they are - the burden is OFF OF YOU! Why buy or make more timelines when you don't have to!?

What are these mystery materials? You'll see at the end ;)


Purchased timelines, outside of the 8 keys, are someone else's interpretation about what is important. They are an opinion. What about your child's opinions? Do you notice how the key 8 timelines are based on key information that is pretty universal in regards to importance? Montessori selected those points of interest for very good reasons - they ARE universal, and correspond to fundamental human needs, not someone's opinion.

What if you are in a situation that the child has some educational requirements (state-mandated requirements, family requirements) and there is just NO INTEREST at all in this subject matter? You've tried everything to entice their interest, it isn't happening, but they MUST do it!?

Well...

1. Hopefully you have laid a strong foundation for freedom and responsibility. Use that work plan - freedom to choose within a day or within a week or within a month - filled with the requirements for that time period. You must be using some form of work plan in elementary to truly have a Montessori environment. Some form - not any  particular form!
2. You may need to create a timeline for them. A sketchy timeline, that only displays the bare requirements - they can study this timeline, learn what they need to learn and MOVE ON. The elementary history album should have information on how to go about doing this in a very Montessori fashion. 
3. It is very possible that the particular topic is just not going to be of interest at this time of life - wait a few more months if you can. But if it's a requirement that you can't get out of, refer back to #2. 
4. By the time a child gets started on the bare minimum requirements, we find that most children are then enticed by the information involved and will add in at least a few things that are of interest to them. If there is still a continuous hitting of a brick wall, either the adult is pushing too hard, too fast and at the wrong time; or the child is pushing back because the adult is being too forceful. More often than not, the issue is with the adult's pressure and expectations than the child. We need to follow the child's developmental needs and abilities. 

Our home life:

My son (the ancient history buff!) really could not get into American History despite it being a "requirement" for this past summer - well, we're late on it now. So we found a family study that we just started on yesterday. This study includes only the most pertinent information for memorization, with which we will create note-cards to lay in order and create a timeline; along with additional suggested activities in case interest has indeed been piqued and further study is desired. I am NOT going to sit and make a timeline of US History for him; and I am not going to spend money on one either - because he can make it himself when the time is RIGHT for him. In the meantime, we do what we need to get through any requirements.


Interestingly enough, here is a selection from our local public school requirements for grade 2 social studies:

Chronological Thinking, Historical Comprehension, Research
2.1.5 Develop a simple timeline of important events in the history of the school and/or
community.
2.1.6 Create and maintain a calendar of important school days, holidays and community
events.
2.1.7 Read about and summarize historical community events using libraries and a
variety of information resources*.
Example: Write paragraphs or draw illustrations.

And THIRD GRADE:

Chronological Thinking, Historical Comprehension, Analysis and Interpretation,
Research
3.1.5 Create simple timelines that identify important events in various regions of the
state.
3.1.6 Use a variety of community resources to gather information about the regional
communities. (Individuals, Society and Culture)
Example: Libraries, museums, county historians, chambers of commerce, Web
sites, and digital newspapers and archives
3.1.7 Distinguish between fact and fiction in historical accounts by comparing
documentary sources on historical figures and events with fictional characters and
events in stories.
Example: Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, John Chapman (Johnny
Appleseed) and Harriet Tubman
3.1.8 Write and illustrate descriptions of local communities and regions in Indiana past
and present.
Example: Shawnee villages in Southern Indiana and Conner Prairie settlement

Even THEY want the children to create their own timelines!


Fourth grade in my area even wants the children to study the history of artists and musicians - in the history standards, not just the art and music standards! So, if the public schools require the making of timelines by the children - why are we just handing them to the children?

In essence, why are we doing the children's work for them?




The materials - do not have a cost a fortune and YOU don't have to work for it!

First: History Question Charts; the 8 key Montessori timelines
and:

register tape
or call a local paper company and
ask for ends off their rolls
(usually free!) - in various widths

Add scissors, writing pencils, a ruler
and maybe sets of blank notecards or small paper
to take notes, place in order; then add to the timeline

That's all folks!

Last Year in Lower Elementary - Singing the Blues

I am so happy - and so sad... My little boy is growing up!

He is entering into this last year of "lower elementary". While we use AMI albums and consider elementary a continuum from 6-12, there is a certain sense of moving forward in this next year that is the typical parental bittersweet moment ;)

For the first two years of lower elementary we have almost entirely just followed the Montessori albums, throwing in our own interests and my own requirements here and there. For the sake of our personal situation, I also have "traditional school" lesson plans on which we mark off accomplished skills and record attendance (our state only requires 180 days per school year of attendance). According to those plans, he finished 3rd grade back in January (of his normally 2nd grade year). Montessori just does that ;) And we have plenty of time to explore all his own interests! A year and a half of Ancient Egypt has been a bit much for me personally, but it has been GREAT for him!

For this third year, we'll have a bit more planning to do. I have pulled all the state standards for 3rd grade in our state. He is responsible, over the course of the next year, to ensure that he has all listed skills, knowledge and experience.

Occasionally items from this list might make it onto his weekly work plan, but mostly it will just be up to him every so often to check the list and decide how to proceed. If he knows something intuitively, he can just let it go, but knowing my son, he'll likely make a little booklet that demonstrates each skill listed on the standards. I will actually be surprised if this doesn't happen.

We're doing mathematics, language arts, science, social studies, art, and physical education (the last two only because he "wants" to - ok, fine ;) ).

Looking things over, the only areas he might be "missing" are contained within social studies, particularly local history. He will develop his own plan for going about the requirements, with my assistance. We'll head to the library for books and videos, then expand from there - he might make dioramas, art projects, timelines, charts, posters, lists, diagrams or who knows what. There are SO many ways to fulfill those requirements - and there is no one right way!

And for the record, it's not that local history is left out of the Montessori elementary albums - it is that local history MUST be developed by the local teacher and the students in conjunction with one another. Montessori history covers the framework within which to study history; and the details are left to personal research. Culture and all other aspects of social studies are covered in-depth.

As homeschoolers in our state, we do not HAVE to follow those standards; but I choose to follow the Montessori elementary albums in this regard; there is a focus on the local public school requirements in the 3rd year of lower and of upper elementary. I believe it will help to instill a sense of responsibility to and respect for local authorities, strengthen his work ethic, provide practice in a safe environment for the future when he has to do things he'd rather not do (without overwhelming him now), and set a sound pattern for a mature adulthood.


So here we are at a benchmark. Leaving behind the total freedom of primary; and the relative freedom of lower elementary; to embrace a year of outside requirements. Then we'll have two more years entirely to ourselves before we repeat at age 12 years.


Ok. Reality is that the public school requirements take an average of 5 minutes per week, if that! So this is just a mommy making a mountain of a molehill ;) Hehe.

A bit of a Break

We've been taking a bit of a break from homeschooling this week - but Montessori continues ;)

I have been assisting a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd formation course (in the same building where we have our co-op class during the school year, so most of our Montessori materials are there right now).

Between some review mathematics work (yep, even older kids need to review concepts like fractions equivalency once in a while ;) ) and atrium presentations, as well as helping me organize some of the materials, I guess it's not so much of a break from Montessori or homeschooling as much as it is a break from the "work plan" - there is no work plan for this week except to enjoy it ;)

School Shopping!

School shopping season is coming up (at least in the US and Canada) and I thought I would put together a list for what items to be on the lookout for when you're stocking up:


Target Dollar Rack possibilities:

• miniature globes (for primary Montessori, get 3-6: sandpaper (land and water), continents, political, climates, oceans (you may want a larger one for the oceans), and a 6th topic I can't think of right now)
• flashcards - buy at least 2 copies of each; 2 sets creates 3-part cards with a control set and a cut set; 1 set creates flashcard games and/or classifying by type; 2 sets uncut could be matching games; 2 sets with one cut or uncut could be mounted onto cardstock and made into a booklet; you could overlap some of these ideas. 
• Flashcards for elementary - animals and plant images can be used for classification rather than hunting down and printing images or using magazines to cut up - usually one set is sufficient, unless you want to have a separate set for the information on them; or a third set so you have 2 to make a booklet and  a third set for the classification. 
• Small writing notebooks if they carry them this year

Any Back to School specials: 

• quadrille paper - either loose-leaf or in bound books - used for almost any subject in elementary (we prefer loose-leaf to create our own notebooks via binders or other binding)
• spiral notebooks for taking notes of various sorts - single subject: stock up on a lot; 3 or 5 subject, smaller quantity, but they will be used too (perhaps the whole notebook is on Ancient Egypt with each of the 5 sections being a particular theme)
• pack of loose-leaf notebook paper: wide-rule for primary and college rule for older elementary
• package of large erasers - the ones on pencils just aren't enough and the ones you add to the pencils have too much waste
• decent colored pencils in the basic colors (you might have a family set for everyone, but everyone should have their own set of basic-basic colors - prismacolor are my favorite)
• pencil pouch (better a thinner pouch than a large box - easier to transport when needed) - holds the eraser, a couple of pencils, a good sharpener (all metal is best), set of basic colored pencils, and perhaps a tiny notepad, you might have a pen in here too
• tiny notepads - they usually come in 3 packs and they are small - they are great for field notes, quick notes, short lists, and just anything that would otherwise waste a large sheet of paper -- easy to transport in a pencil pouch ;) 
• lunch bag and drink bottle - even homeschooled children can use a lunch bag and bottle for outings, trips, picnics, etc. And this is the best time to buy them. 

NOTE: For the most part, assignment books are the not best equipped to handle an elementary child's work plan or work contract; but if you find one that does work, post a link or image here!

PLEASE ADD YOUR OWN INSIGHTS HERE!

:) 

A Day in Elementary

Tuesday: Wood-cutting day.

I run a home-business, a portion of which includes 2D wood figures among other items. My son is the mail-boy, picker-upper, and general handy-man for the business. We go to a family friend's house for the cutting of the wood; his big part there is just taking the cut pieces (in separate bags) back out to the car and keeping things separated.

The plan for the rather unschooly-school-day:

enjoy breakfast together
morning prayers
morning chores
gather school work and games

drive to the other house: listen to "Can You Hear It?" along the half-hour drive (he's re-living the joy of first using this book in primary, having re-discovered the book/CD after about 2 years of not having it around)

When we first arrive, no-one will be home; so he will do some studying while I am tracing wood; we will have conversations during this time. He will then work independently in the living room while I am with the saw. At what work? Whatever he has chosen from his weekly contract, as well as his independent research studies. This week, it is likely he will take some of the science books we have, a magnifying glass, and a drawing pad, to see what kind of crystals he can find in various locations. They also have a piano, and until he gets his late Christmas gift from Grandma (shhh - don't tell him it's a keyboard so I can start giving him piano lessons), he will likely spend some time teaching himself (one of the children in that family uses the same books we'll be using; and he's been teaching himself for the last few weeks, but only practicing once a week...).

The family who lives in the house will return for lunch and the children, including my son, will go outside to work in the garden they are setting up (we have a space there this year too!). My son has responsibility for choosing the remaining "crops" to be planted (I've made my choices; and we've chosen our mutual agreements - now he has his space to fill).

They'll then play games (more in another post! these are part of my son's schooling as well) together for the rest of the afternoon; and I'll probably have them clean out the inside of my car (since the three of them are the culprits!) ;)

 We leave after supper and go to tae-kwon-do practice in the evening. We love tae-kwon-do - it's all about self-control, self-defense, mixed ages, earning rank based on effort and merit not on "privilege", NO criticism of anyone, always being helpful and considerate of others.


So this is actually a typical Tuesday - our busiest day of the week. Lots of planning; coordinating what is going to happen when; following that weekly contract, but also being able to live a real life. Both the school and life get done not in spite of one another, but by supporting one another! 

This is the sort of day that exemplifies why I chose this approach to life and school - Montessori methodology provides the framework, the initial point of departure, and life takes care of the rest. There is nothing artificial here - only joy and peace.

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.

Discovery of Montessori

For years I've wanted to be a teacher, and spent most of my high school time at the local elementary school as a teacher's aide, assistant, leading special topics, volunteering in other capacities, observing, interviewing, etc. Something wasn't right, but I'd determined to be a special ed teacher, working with children who have emotional and social handicaps.

I started college before finishing high school, beginning an associate's in child development so I could transfer into elementary ed at a 4-year school and have my ZA endorsement. Yep. I had it all planned out!

But a student in one of my child development classes asked about Montessori. The professor said that she didn't know much, but she'd observed one day. She described the following incident and asked us, "What is missing?"

A child went to a shelf and chose a tray with items on it. He brought it back to a table and sat down. He removed all the items from the tray, did something with them, and after a little while, he put everything back on the tray, carried it back to the shelf and replaced it. He then walked away to wander the room for a little while before choosing another tray. 

Of course we all responded, "Socialization!" But still it didn't sit right with me. Why would all these people go to an elite school (I really didn't know much about Montessori at the time except it was a unique program and anyone earning their associate's degree while working at this type of school had to have modifications made to their requirements), spend all that money, for their children to work with items on a tray?????

I didn't have time to research it, but I did sign myself up to be a substitute at all local area schools, daycares and the like.

One day I was called to sub at a Montessori school. I thought, "This will be great to see what is going on with all this hoolaballoo!"

Oh my! I had NO IDEA what I was in for! At first, I only subbed in the childcare room at this particular school - designed for the 3 and 4 year olds in the afternoon who did not nap but whose parents were working (the nappers joined when they woke up); then the elementary children came in after school until everyone was picked up. Not all of the materials were pure Montessori materials, but the methodology was there, the attitude, the respect ---- the entire atmosphere, environment and the prepared adults. I was told to just sit and observe - quietly notify the main teacher of any issues she didn't see right away, and to please do intervene for anything dangerous. Ok - that makes sense - it's a new environment for me, so I appreciated the expectation that it would be all new and overwhelming for me.

The children - get this - they *socialized!* They worked together, they played games, they watered plants, read stories to each other (whether made up or actually reading, I don't know!), they had a loft that was set up for housekeeping play (this was the childcare room after all), they had some of the typical Montessori materials, and they had some additional building materials. They even had work on trays. Everything was very well laid-out, organized, inviting... The children were cooperative with one another, respectful.... I can't say enough!

I was HOOKED.

The following week or so, I was asked to cover in a lower elementary room. The main teacher would be out, and the assistant would take her place, so I was the fill-in assistant for the hours I was available. She was very gentle in guiding me in my expectations and how to interact with the children - verifying their work, rather than "checking". These children were so peaceful, so joyful, and working so hard!

The grammar materials, what I now know as the Logical Analysis material, were what hooked me at this level. These children were writing or copying these beautiful literature phrases and studying the function of words and analyzing their meanings... and of their own free will, writing them out again with the symbols above their words - and even further illustrating their work!

Another group of children were working on a BIG project that was nearing completion. I was not fortunate enough to be there for their final presentation - but if it was as good as the portions I saw - WONDERFUL!

These were "normal" children - without the typical attitude and lack of respect you find in so many other schools. They were cooperating, responsible, following work contracts and journaling their progress - and these were only 6, 7, and 8 year olds!


After that, I subbed in several of the other classrooms as well as the first two again. The infant/toddler room just threw me off. I couldn't grasp it at first or even for a quite a while, but I had a deep appreciation for it. Now I get it, but that is another story!