Montessori Elementary Homeschool Blog - with documentation of our infant Montessori, toddler Montessori, and primary Montessori experiences; as well as preparation for the upcoming adolescent Montessori homeschool years.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Music of the Orchestra - Maestro Classics


My son has had a fascination with the orchestra for many long months now. I've been a bit concerned about how to continue to support this interest without squelching, without making it my own and dictating every aspect, and still encouraging it with limited means. AND at an elementary age level (gone are the 3 part cards! although he will sometimes create 4 and 5 part cards as sets of card games!).

A few weeks ago, Homeschool Buyer's Co-op had a deal I couldn't turn down. My son has been saving up money to purchase more of the CDs at Maestro Classics, but other expenses have always gotten in the way and then we just couldn't decide which ones to get if purchasing individually.

And these things do NOT go on sale!

Well.... Homeschool Buyer's had them for 44% OFF the usual price if more than 50 people bought them. We signed up! Shipping was included (media mail shipping), $1.95 for HBC's administrative fee - and we have the most wonderful CDs for learning and appreciating orchestral music.

10 CDs! One is a duplicate but in Spanish - so 9 unique CDs!

Each CD comes with a little booklet with information on the instruments used on that CD, the composer, the conductor, a word search, another word game, synopsis of the story, music sample, music theory lesson, historical reference... all in one booklet!


Each CD has the full-length music of note (oh how I LOVE having full-length music!), along with sections on the life of the composer, something more about the music as well as patterns of the music and the moods it creates, "want to have some fun" section and more.


We have listened to several already - probably too much for one day in order to really "get" everything that is on each CD, but we just LOVE listening! And the patterns even in "Sorcerer's Apprentice" - I'd picked up on many of them they noted, but there were several new ones for me too! Very cool!


Now we are currently analyzing "The Story of Swan Lake". With an 8 year old boy to boot! LOVE it!


Thank you Montessori and thank you Homeschooling ;)



Friday, October 19, 2012

Homeschool Montessori


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

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


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

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

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


So what is a Montessori homeschool, but a blending of the classroom with the home environment???? 
I couldn't resist sharing the day the Montessori shelves
became home to all the critters who live in our home ;) 
So sweet! 





















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




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

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


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







Thursday, October 18, 2012

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 ;) ). 





Wednesday, October 10, 2012

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!



Thursday, September 27, 2012

Fiction versus Fantasy - Thoughts


It can be so hard for a family coming into Montessori yet wanting to provide the stories they had as a child: Beatrix Potter, fairy tales, and more.... Then we discover that Montessori is heavy-handed about "only reality" for the first plane of development, ages 0-6.

Here are some thoughts and experiences from a recent post I made on a Montessori group. Just random thoughts concerning our experience. I am happy to share more details and answer specific details :)




I personally and Montessori-wise hesitate to suggest any titles of the particular sort you request, because my own experience as well as the Montessori "way" is to build a very strong foundation on reality at this age. 

This (strong!) foundation in reality provides fodder for the greatest of imaginations in the elementary years. They can understand timelines, grasp the concept of ancient times and future years, with an intensity those of us who lived in a fantasy world in our primary years can never fully grasp. When a child know what is reality, what is possible; and in elementary years begins to see that all is not well with the world, by adolescent years, the child can fathom great but realistic plans for DOING something about it. There is a JOY in delving into moral tales and imaginative tales in the elementary years, and a TRUE HOPE that carries them through the adolescent  years, sometimes already truly DOING BIG THINGS. 
(sorry all caps - it is for very heavy emphasis ;) ). 

If we give too much fantasy before age 6, that JOY, that HOPE... is gone before it starts. Yes, it can be inflamed to a point (and should be whenever and wherever possible! it's not ALL lost), but the intensity is gone. The depth.

Look at our world of teenagers living in fantasy worlds that are self-destructive, because they didn't get a strong foundation in reality in their primary years. Do we want that for our own children? Really? 



I have personally found that when children are only exposed to reality during this precious first plane of development, they are ready to delve into stories with talking animals, bears on bikes, etc. around age 5 (even earlier than the official "end" of the first plane of development); however, when you wait to expose the world of pure fantasy to them until at least 5 1/2, you will find an intense love, an intense JOY, they will not be calling Beatrix Potter stories "baby books" - instead, they will be delving into them wholeheartedly and with true JOY.

The child can then delve into fairy tales (which are actually "moral tales" - intended to teach right from wrong in a strong-image-based way - not just to "entertain") on the level the stories were intended.

For example, my son right now LOVES to explore fairy tales - he is a healthy, normal 8 year old boy - yet all those fairy tales that his friends call "girl stories" or "baby stories", he an tell them about the knights, the fighting, the red-hot-iron shoes and the birds pecking out evil stepmothers eyes - and he can explore the question of "what if" these characters came to life today; what if someone we know is living the Cinderella life (before she became princess) - there are no fairy godmothers, but what can WE do to help? 

All of this because he had a STRONG foundation of reality. He can truly just ENJOY the tale without wondering about the possibility of magic ruining his life or unnaturally helping it thus that he owes a debt to it (Rumpelstiltskin). He also learns moral lessons on debts, on black magic (which is real), on attitudes towards others, on maintaining hope, on making the choice to help others in need, etc. etc. etc. THESE are the lessons of fairy tales and his male friends who have lost that, are starting to get a taste of the depth of these stories from my son telling them about it in a way they never thought possible.

And he can ENJOY all those books about animals doing human things, although he wishes some of them were written with the vocabulary of an elementary child. 

We CAN give fiction in the first plane - but realistic fiction. Something that could actually happen. While a child who has had lots of fantasy fiction can verbally tell you it's real or not real, in fact, they are still confused in their minds; little girls starting watching for their fairy godmothers or for a prince to "save them", they worry about curses being placed them; little boys also worry about these curses as well developing unnecessary fears of things in the dark, when we want to build them strong to face those fears.

Now - will little boys fight dragons even if they've never heard of them? YOU BET! There is something in the human memory about some sort of creature of this type. And THAT is fine! But magic swords are not yet appropriate for the first plane child (0-6). Wait until age 5 1/2 at least and watch how deep it goes! It IS amazing!



And do I WANT my son to fight dragons??? YES! I want him to recognize those dragons for what they are in the "real" world and fight them whole-heartedly, with confidence, a humble fear that keeps him prudent in choices, and LOVE.