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).
:)
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Prepared Card Materials
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| prepared card material - one of the definition stages |
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 ;)
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| 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! ;)
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| 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." |
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| Recognize this one? His ode to completing the material. He says, "It is so beautiful I had to make it just one time!" |
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| Re-creating scene from a piece of literature |
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
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:
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).
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)
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
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.
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.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Decimal Fraction Board - when to start
Here's a question I am asked a LOT - whether this particular material or others. And most particularly those material that in reality bridge lower and upper elementary, making that "break" between the two ages within some albums cumbersome at best.
(this particular material has been asked about 5 times in the last month alone, hence I pick on this one ;) )
First "years" - definition: my numbering of "years" assumes the child will have the opportunity for a full 6 years' worth of elementary Montessori. If this is not going to be the case, then it can very roughly be considered as equivalent grade levels - in the US, a 6 year old is 1st grade; 7 year old is 2nd grade; etc. as of the beginning of the year.
When should a child start the Decimal Fraction Board?
It's really whenever the child is ready and depends on how strong was their primary and earliest lower elementary experiences. My albums have them noted as beginning between years 2 and 3 - so definitely starting in lower elementary. Year 2 if they have a very solid foundation or catch on quick; and year 3 to begin if if they needed a lot of remedial work or have teachers using albums that don't have the same foundation OR just plain don't have interest in fractions enough to get them there until year 3.
Anecdote: my son was voracious about fractions and I thought he would get to this work early - NOT SO. He took a seriously long break from all things fractions, but applied what he knew to real life, and only recently (year 3!) has come back around to fractions-study in general - and now he is starting this decimal fractions work. He had a bit of an intro to it because of a strong interest in money in years 1 and 2, but this material just wasn't cutting it for him. I backed off and now he's going at it full-force.
With the extensions, it definitely lasts a year or a year and a half, so for most children would start in lower elementary and finish up in upper elementary (some children won't need it in upper elementary if they started in year 2 and "get it").
This is one of those works that shows how difficult it can be to delineate between lower and upper elementary ;)
Here is what my album page has for pre-requisites (the most important thing than actual age) -
Shortly after working on this material, a few months, a year, maybe even days if you have a child for whom this material truly connects, you'll move the child on, at the right time, to the decimal fraction checkerboard:
(this particular material has been asked about 5 times in the last month alone, hence I pick on this one ;) )
First "years" - definition: my numbering of "years" assumes the child will have the opportunity for a full 6 years' worth of elementary Montessori. If this is not going to be the case, then it can very roughly be considered as equivalent grade levels - in the US, a 6 year old is 1st grade; 7 year old is 2nd grade; etc. as of the beginning of the year.
When should a child start the Decimal Fraction Board?
It's really whenever the child is ready and depends on how strong was their primary and earliest lower elementary experiences. My albums have them noted as beginning between years 2 and 3 - so definitely starting in lower elementary. Year 2 if they have a very solid foundation or catch on quick; and year 3 to begin if if they needed a lot of remedial work or have teachers using albums that don't have the same foundation OR just plain don't have interest in fractions enough to get them there until year 3.
Anecdote: my son was voracious about fractions and I thought he would get to this work early - NOT SO. He took a seriously long break from all things fractions, but applied what he knew to real life, and only recently (year 3!) has come back around to fractions-study in general - and now he is starting this decimal fractions work. He had a bit of an intro to it because of a strong interest in money in years 1 and 2, but this material just wasn't cutting it for him. I backed off and now he's going at it full-force.
With the extensions, it definitely lasts a year or a year and a half, so for most children would start in lower elementary and finish up in upper elementary (some children won't need it in upper elementary if they started in year 2 and "get it").
This is one of those works that shows how difficult it can be to delineate between lower and upper elementary ;)
Here is what my album page has for pre-requisites (the most important thing than actual age) -
Prerequisites:
- concept of parts of numbers (fraction work);
- knowledge of multiplication facts (esp. multiplying by ten – large bead frame, bank game);
- familiarity with decimal system categories (golden bead, wooden hierarchical);
- hierarchically colored beads/pegs (stamp game, pegboard, decimal system number cards, multiplication checkerboard, racks and tubes, etc. - enough of this work that the colors are intuitive to them now)
Shortly after working on this material, a few months, a year, maybe even days if you have a child for whom this material truly connects, you'll move the child on, at the right time, to the decimal fraction checkerboard:
By the time, they have the decimal fraction board, they have typically had the regular multplication checkerboard, and it is now just a matter of merging a few concepts. Wait until the child has each of the concepts down pat - or if there is a struggle, the particular type of struggle would be addressed with a synthesis - and go for it. The introductory lesson itself (just laying out the individual square of felt) will be enough to tell you if the child is ready or not.
Thus the Decimal Fraction Checkerboard is potentially a lower elementary work as well - indeed, upper elementary prefer to use fewer beads, so introduce this work as early as is appropriate for the child in question.
Above all else - have FUN with it!
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