Work Plan - Balancing Freedom and Responsibility

One more work plan post - then I promise to start posting about our journals :)


MBT over at What DID We Do All Day? has put up some posts that have generated quite a hubbub of conversation. (what would we all do if MBT shut down her computer??? ;) )

Part of the conversation in the comments on the posts, as well as private e-mails with individuals, have revealed a few more questions....

The main one being - how controlling are these work plans?

The answer is... Follow the Child.

I'm not very creative on that one, huh? ;)


What follows are totally random thoughts as I sort through e-mails, past blog posts on work plans, the current ones with their ensuing conversations, and questions raised in elementary training.

I will try to organize these thoughts, but in case I run out of time, I wanted them out of my head at least! ;)



Here's the thing - I personally homeschool and I personally chose Montessori (whether school or homeschool) because I want to live in a structured environment that can handle spontaneity. Thus, I have chosen to Montessori homeschool so that we can live out moments like this:

LEGOS!!!!! Yes, we really LIKE our UPS man here! 

His goofy smile - when he's the MOST excited!
Um. The work plan is out the window for the *rest* of the day!
Although he'll still do his daily stuff at some point. 

Structure: For a child just starting out, you'll provide as much structure as they need to assure that all subject areas are being covered in some manner at some point - the details are up to YOU, your environment, your child.

Individualized: Every subject every day is unrealistic and does not provide near enough depth. But however you rotate through a week or a month, or work in blocks - no-one can plan that out ahead of time for a child unknown to them; hence work-plans that are already set up for "February cover these things" - are most likely not going to work because your child might be ahead or behind in varying subjects.


Freedom and Responsibility: We want the child to still continue to choose their own work and not be locked into this work plan/contract dictating their every move and interest. HOWEVER, it should also be built according to their needs as well as their interests, which in elementary don't just always correspond.
3rd year elementary example: Legoboy needs more work in decimal fractions; but is much more interested in history (it's always history around here!) - thus our work plan balances "this specific presentation in decimal fractions on Tuesday or Wednesday"; "enough follow-up to truly master the concept" (this can't be checked off until it is mastered); "possible new presentation if ready"; and what he tells me are the next things he plans to do in history for the week - "I'd like to look for books on the Vikings at the library" - "I would like to look up more information about the evidence for monasteries in North America before Columbus arrived". These are specific, but also child-led.)

Responsibility with freedom. Freedom with responsibility. 


THE BASIC DEFINITION: Essentially, we are at first taking their primary level "morning planning in my head" that they did, and putting it on paper or some other visual format. We are not DICTATING at this point as much as getting them visually organized.

Work Plan as External Order: Remember at the second plane of development, they have internalized the order they've had around them during the primary years, for good or bad, and an elementary child is outwardly "messier" than the primary child. THUS, the work plan is one place to have that outward order in place. Something to show the order that is in their minds.

Plus there are simply expectations of elementary children we just didn't have for primary children (local educational requirements and the like).


Meetings and Nuances: Most of the nuances of the work plan/contract - no matter the format you choose - is going to be in your meeting/discussion. The children should know they have these requirements but they should also be verbalizing their mental plans with you so those things can be noted. They should also have enough freedom to learn the consequences for their work choices - the good, the bad, and the ugly!
(I worked hard Monday through Wednesday - I have Thursday and Friday as light days; vs. I slacked off Monday and Tuesday, and now Wed/Thurs/Fri are going to be harder ---- these sorts of things should be worked out in a loving manner with the adults involved, so that lesson is learned but spirits aren't quelled - best done in homeschools ;) ).



Type of Requirements: The requirements can be vague (something in "math - squaring") or very specific (Math - squaring/cubing - Game 3A) - and usually a combination of both. I might have 2 presentations to give to my son in history this week, but he is expected to do something more with it of his own choosing; or he is expected to follow-up with a previous presentation.

Verbally discuss the plan for the day/week: We can ask the child to plan his day - not everything needs a particular time, but to say, "When do you plan to work on Game 3A? Let's plan a time so I can make sure I am available to show you." Now, this could be "after I am done with XYZ" or it could be "Tuesday at 1 pm or so, when the baby is down for nap".

Working beyond the plan/contract: Then the child is expected to find additional work to do - again, this needs to be emphasized within the environmental set-up, which includes the conversations and nuances with the adult. That just because they have done one bead chain, doesn't stop them from doing much more.


Work plans should match the child: My problem with reading and seeing such examples as a child NOT doing another bead chain because they've already "checked it off" - is that those are the children who have the wrong kind of work plan for their needs. They need something that will set them off to do MORE work, while assuring they have a base minimum of variety. There is a clear mis-match AND the adult has not set up the proper environment.

MBT has a neat system where if her boys work heavily with something, they could see it disappear off their plan for the rest of the week. In terms of a written work plan, such as the one I posted yesterday, if there are 5 boxes to checkmark, they could mark off all 5 in one day! (in which case, I might ask for something to be followed up later in the week or to move on to the next presentation in that sequence, just to keep things going).

Routine check-ins: Hence, in the beginning we want to check in throughout the day; then at least daily. As homeschooling parents, unless we have very large families or lots of other commitments, we will probably touch base every day; in schools or those with very large families/commitments, it might be touching base with each child 2-3 times a week. At least through lower elementary and possibly into upper elementary; older children might do a longer-span work plan and officially check in with it once a week. Throughout all of that, you are still going to be involved, so it's not like you don't know what they are doing  and can offer guidance along the way.



Areas of Interest are included or not - usually both: A child should also be working in his areas of interests - perhaps those are planned in (once your daily stuff is done, you work on your own items; or you work on your own project for the morning and the afternoon is the required stuff; or you don't have to say anything; OR if there is something your child needs, such as a trip to the library, you write that on the work plan - "Thursday morning: library").


Daily requirements???
Depending on your work plan style, yes a child could foreseeably do nothing but math on Monday, nothing but language on Tuesday, etc. And if that works for the child - GREAT!

But typically we do have a very tiny number of items that are daily (but are also generic - just something that meets my definition of real work (see yesterday's post) must done in these areas each and every day) - in our home, it is daily math skills, piano, tae-kwon-do practice, drawing, and Latin practice.


Our Montessori, spontaneous, work-plan organized crazy thing we call life: 
Back to those Legos above? It was mid-morning when they'd arrived; he had already done some of his daily stuff, and started on a project in history. I let him spend 20 minutes or so exploring the box and its contents, long enough to decide he really wanted to set everything else aside for at least a few hours. He then spent some time cleaning things up he'd gotten out; then finishing up a few chores so he wouldn't have to stop to do them later. He made himself some lunch to have on hand so he could keep building. Then he DELVED right in!

He had time to spend with it; then made some proper plans so he could spend longer with it; executed those plans; and had one HAPPY day!

I attribute almost all of that to Montessori and a good deal of it to the process of working with an adaptable work plan and journal system that taught him those skills of organization, planning, follow-through, consequences (he could work for 4 hours on those legos, but then be hungry and grumpy, having "missed" lunch - so he prepared ahead of time (I would have made him something at the proper time, but HE thought to make his own food for himself and not "burden" someone else with the task of waiting on him - thoughtfulness! Now, I did have to bring him water later - he'd forgotten to get that ;) )) - and again:

Freedom and Responsibility in action. 

One more time because I LOVE this smile! 

A Work Plan - Planner

Here is yet another work plan that we have used. This one has lasted the longest, but I am seeing the need to move away from it for a bit; try something different according to my son's current needs (described in previous posts, such as this one)

This was inspired by my long-term subbing work in an upper elementary classroom, but for us it worked well for two years of lower elementary. 

I used the first page to fill in our current resources - the sample here is a generic one I set up with not too much on it. At various times we have used various resources to pursue particular interests such as astronomy books, math books, science kits and more. Sometimes I would do this on the computer and print it out for myself; other times I would fill in a blank one for myself with our resources and goals. This chart might last ME anywhere from a month to a semester-ish. 

Then the blank page, I printed 2-3 on one side, then one less than that on the backside. They could then be folded together to make a booklet for the 'month'. Legoboy got lots of practice writing in the dates for the week up above. He also could decorate the cover and the back; or leave space for additional notes. 

We would fill in the information needed for the week; he used the small boxes on the right to check off when he was done. If something needed daily practice or more than once a week, we'd draw that number of squares next to the activity so that he could check each one off as he did it, filling the main box when all was done. 

What do we write in there? It might be the page numbers of something we are reading together or the name of a book he wants to read on a subject; it might be "new presentation from mom"; 

The blank space at the bottom left was used for recording his commitments, such as choir, speech, atrium.

Yes, for us, in our situation (work at home), I felt the need to include even our family stuff - so for *us* this work plan was really more of a "family planner" for the week. Most families just need a work plan for the school hours; but this kept us organized in all areas ;)

He didn't do every subject every day, and over the course of a month, various weeks might be very light in some areas and heavier in others. The goal was proper pacing and planning. 

At the time we put this in place, I intended to start having by-the-clock work periods. It never actually happened. We have our routines, and work periods fit in there, but they are NOT by the clock by ANY means ;) Thus, rather than say "the work period is over, you may choose to continue working or you may have free time" we had to work things out by day so that he knew when he was "done" regardless of how long it took. Many times he still would do more, but sometimes he was ready to be done for the day. 

Each morning (or the evening before), we would mark the upcoming days' items with the letter for the day; we would discuss his current work and what he wants to do next and I guided him in learning how to assure he gets both his interests and his responsibilities in. These two items are NOT exclusive of one another - my requirement might be to do something with history this week (could be specific, could be vague), his interest in ancient history means that almost everything he does is history - he just has to record it as such. 

And no, I didn't make a huge deal of him not finishing a particular day's works if he was working deeply. If I didn't see him truly working, then I would comment that he chose not to work well that day, it would mean more work the next day.
(note: if you've not quite noticed yet, I'm a single mom; while what I just said above might sound a bit "harsh" to some, the fact is, I have to provide a lot of that "boundary" stuff in a way that doesn't come natural to me; by having just such conversations as I just now mentioned, my son is aware of his boundaries, aware of the consequences both good and bad, and it is really starting to show through his work on the tae-kwon-do STORM team - a bragging post for another day ;) ). 

Definition of true work: diligence, depth, interest (even if the interest is a "requirement"), appropriate breaks as needed. 

If you are interested in a Word (.docx) file of the above shown items - entirely adaptable to your own use, here it is: 

Montessori Homeschool Planner

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).


:)

Prepared Card Materials

prepared card material - one of the definition stages

What are the benefit to already prepared/purchased cards over ones created on the fly? 

That answer depends on the age of the child!

Consider how the cards are supposed to be used - a teaching tool or review?

At primary, the language album (in AMI the language album includes some of the music, science, geography, and the like, thus almost all-encompassing) emphasizes that the card material should only be brought out after the child has had experience with the real thing.

So we bring out the classifications of vertebrates/non-vertebrates and the sets for classes of vertebrates, AFTER visiting the aquarium, the zoo, the farm, pet stores, or having had some of those creatures as pets or visitors. Then we use the cards to emphasize the vocabulary, review the concepts learned and provide an easier method for sorting the animals. We can also introduce new micro-concepts with the cards at this stage (such as "animals of another continent").

We bring in the leaf nomenclature cards, and the botany cabinet, after going outside and exploring leaves on the trees and other plants.

We do have some cards already prepared that are "keys". Otherwise, it is preferred to follow the child's interest at the first plane of development. And you'll likely want to purchase sets either already printed, or to be printed, rather than make them up as you go - fun, but time-consuming if someone else has already done the work. (but if you do make more - share them with the world ;) ).


In elementary, we have a very few (MINIMAL) number of prepared "keys" card sets that the children utilize in different ways than they did at primary. And there are definition cards/strips (could have been added at age 5 in primary, but the elementary definitions are split up different), and other components - making these more "5-part cards".

The main thrust at elementary though, is still review. The child must still have real experience or study first, then the cards come after. Unless something is a key (found in a key-based album), or is on the local educational requirements, then the children should be creating! Creating charts, diagrams, nomenclature card material for his own review or to create as a game or presentation for other children (yes, it's ok for these things to come from the other children - because it inspires the recipient children to then know they can create their own as well!).

The above is my professional opinion. 

My personal opinion as a homeschool mom is that even with the local educational requirements, it is very possible and potentially even preferable for the children to still create their own material. Rather than hand them a timeline of American history for study, our local educational requirements for 3rd grade, actually require the children to MAKE the timeline - and that's not even Montessori! Yet timeline making is a very big deal in Montessori history, thus it seems to an odd mis-match that the public schools want it child-made and Montessori schools/homeschools could just hand it to the child. And honestly, really, this mom is busy and just wants to spend TIME with the child, not always creating, finding, printing, preparing, or otherwise working to earn the money to purchase materials, that he can TRULY do himself.

Legoboy has taken various sets of nomenclature material, re-created it himself, making his own booklets and charts; then moving into elementary starting making his own subject matter. We (or he by himself) do some reading, watch some videos, go see/do real things, then he chooses the media and method of his own review: a notebook of lists, photographs, nomenclature cards, nomenclature charts, games, Legos, clay figures, crafty projects, word-based projects (such as reports), or I can't even think of what all else! Off and on, he is working on a now 3-year project of combining the timelines of various ancient civilizations, only looking at the ancient time period itself. Could I hand him a timeline from ETC Montessori for just this purpose? YEP! Am I gonna? NO!

This was HIS project; HIS idea; HIS organization; HIS learning. If I hand him that timeline, I have taken away everything that makes the work personally his. Everything that makes it valuable. By allowing him to create the timeline, think through the placement, change things up, he is learning SO much: even spacing, how much spacing, how to add more details in busy areas (fold-up pages was his solution; sometimes he has little booklets glued on), decisions on colors that will keep things organized and visually appealing. What happens with a BIG mistake? how do we correct that? (problem-solving, emotional control, channeling of anger and disappointment into something constructive); What ARE the most important events? which events are just interesting? which events are so funny they have to be included? Which ones make no sense or have uncertain dates - how shall we note those ones? storage of the material while in-progress; at what stages do we want photographs or ready to share it with someone? Perhaps there are places to add a little pouch into which are inserted homemade 3-part cards for these various civilizations? I can't remember what all he has on there right now, but I know he has Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Ancient Mesopotamia, specifically Ancient Israel, Ancient China just for comparison.
(and no, this was work was not initially inspired by the Timeline of Civilizations, but its continuation most certainly was!)

The creative expression, the cultivation of the intellect and the imagination as an integrated unit. 

That was my goal and despite not always feeling up to par in many areas, this is one goal that has been achieved and is still being achieved - and it is why I fell in love with Montessori.

So, yep, I'm passionate about ;)

a girl re-creating a biology impressionistic chart

It is an aspect I see fading away in so many of the schools I visit or sub at - where the children are handed "everything" instead of just the "keys" - and the outcomes are such that I would not want to send my child to that school.

Montessori without creative expression is what so many people see when comparing Montessori Waldorf or even Charlotte Mason. But Montessori without creative expression isn't really Montessori.


BENEFITS OF PREPARED MATERIAL: It's ready to go.
ON THE FLY MATERIAL: The children should be making it, not the adults.
BALANCE: Provide the keys with prepared materials along with the tools needed for the children to create their own.



But what about those personal interests? How do we provide without going crazy with constant last-minute preparations?

Provide resources on the subject at hand: books, videos, outings, opportunities, discussions. Discern the pertinent information and invite the child to take notes on keywords with bare-bones descriptions (so they don't end up plagiarizing - and yes, note taking can start in primary, with keywords and pictures, and the adult can write a minimal amount for the child). To inspire the child, the adult might need to show a list of keywords/images on paper or on notecards just once to show how it might be done. Just enough to get them started!

Provide paper varieties, pencils, colored pencils, paints, clays, Legos, wood, whatever! Provide a few basic tools, then provide a few more basics as interests expand.

Don't break the bank or your patience! ;)

Tracing the beaded 100-square. Why nine circles in each row/column?
Because those are the gaps between the beads - not the beads themselves.
He accidentally discovered the concept of "negatives"
and the art concept of "negative space."

Recognize this one? His ode to completing the material.
He says, "It is so beautiful I had to make it just one time!"

Re-creating scene from a piece of literature