Primary Albums - Elementary Albums - TOO MANY ALBUMS!

Elementary looks different than primary - but there is a continuation and there are connections even where we don't see it at first (most of this information is found in the theory papers as well as the introductions to sections within albums).

I am one to find connections and build upon them. It helps my brain and my sanity. Instead of 5 albums at primary and a separate 8 at elementary; elementary actually does build on primary.

First let's look at each album from primary to elementary:

Theory builds into Theory. That's the easy one ;)

Mathematics: depending on the child and the albums used, some overlap or some gaps - but mostly it continues on into elementary Mathematics. The overlap is in content, but the style of the presentaiton is different.

Sensorial branches out: Geometry is now its own area, as is Geography; as is Music.

Language: appears to be overlap - that's because some of the basic presentations are similar, but address just slightly different aspects and provide different information (if you have primary and elementary, most grammar presentations can be given to both ages at the same time, just directing certain information to the older children). Some children may need "remedial" work (this is not a bad thing!). For all intents and purposes, the core of primary builds into elementary Language.

Note: Language in primary with the AMI-style also incorporates Geography, Biology, Music, Geometry, and Sensorial. 

Exercises of Practical Life: also becomes Geography in elementary.

The only area we really add in elementary is History. While children could have time-telling and timelines of their lives in primary (especially surrounding birthday celebrations), and we tell stories about last month, last year, before you were born, etc; and they have the cultural activities within language and sensorial, the fact remains that it takes a certain skill in abstraction to TRULY contemplate history. So we wait until elementary to formally introduce it.

There we have it. It is connected after all :)

Theory Album available for Purchase

Theory Album - Elementary (ages 6-12)

Options available for download or printed/mailed.

Child-created Materials

Here is an example of what I mean about the children creating their own materials - we adults do NOT need to kill ourselves making everything FOR the child - especially the elementary child.

power switch
(crop image for "safety lock")

Earlier this week, I allowed my son to use our new video camera to experiment with - take some nature pictures and the like - he's been working on a nature book and we were at Grandma and Papa's home, with 60 acres of land at his disposal. I thought he could take some pictures of some things he'd seen on the property. He didn't get far on the nature book because of the new technology in his hands. He's really been working at perfecting his photography skills (the video camera takes stills too), getting interesting angles, working on lighting and such.

Today, we're not officially back to doing school again - but our Montessori way has allowed learning to take place anytime. We've also not entirely cleaned up from our trip away from home; and the old scroll saw (it's dead; it had been in my car trunk before we left; then placed in our living room while we were gone) is still sitting in our living room.

My son decided to make a "Parts of the Saw" booklet for our co-op class. And away he went.

He will organize the photos (with me) in a file, with the titles (he will type it in) and we'll print them out and make a booklet. I am with him, guiding him, but it is he who is looking at the object, noticing the details, deciding what is important, discussing with me any areas of disagreement, coming up with a definition or using resources (yes, I count as a resource) for finding a definition; organizational skills; leadership (he will present the work to the younger children so that he catches his own errors or just finds something that could be explained with more detail or less detail). This is HIS experience, HIS learning, HIS growth.

And I'm right here with him, enjoying the journey, but respecting his space to explore and discover for himself.

He's only missing the blade ;)

Elementary Montessori Homeschool Information

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

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

Mathematics Sample

I love Montessori kids ;)

My nephew is 11 months younger than my son (1st grade in public school but way ahead of his peers) and keeps telling me, in reference to my son, "He's GOOD!" (at math). My nephew keeps asking him questions like what is 400 plus 900? (because in my nephew's mind those are HUGE numbers) Of course my son knows it's just 4 of something plus 9 of something, so it's just as easy as 4+9 - but he gives his cousin both answers when applicable (13-hundreds and 1-thousand-3-hundred). It astounds my nephew every time! So my son showed him the pattern and he's picking up on it. :)