shehmeth Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Hi I was wondering if any of you were doing Montessori with your kids? Just for the preschool/Kinder level? or the upper levels as well? Do you buy your materials? Make them? Please share your insights- you can send me a PM if you wish... I got a book on Montessori (focused more on the classroom), but is not quite clicking how to do it that at home with my Little one (thinking of my 19 month old boy now... ) - specially because of the materials needed... Do you adapt the materials needed (for example use the MUS blocks instead of the Beads for Math)? Also, do you have a list/guideline of the skills to work on each stage/age? If you do it with the older kids, how different is this from other Student-Led methods of instruction? Thanks.... Kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidbits of Learning Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 (edited) http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=montessori+teach+me+to+do+it+myself&SZE=10 This is a great little book to lead you through Montessori. It has ways to make your own materials and suggestions for substitutes. It really is a great book. Oh and I bought these clearance trays and baskets from Montessori Outlet. http://www.montessorioutlet.com/cgi-bin/item/P-006-1/1003/-Stackable-Plastic-Storage-Basket-%285-pcs%29 I have bought quite a few of their clearance items and love the scissors for young children to learn. http://www.montessorioutlet.com/cgi-bin/item/P-007-2/1003/-Safety-Children-Scissors-%28Blue%29 Edited November 10, 2009 by OpenMinded Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAberlin Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 I just checked that book out at the library and it looks really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakotajm Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Probably the best book for beginners is Elizabeth Hainstock's Teaching Montessori in the Home-the Preschool Years. It has ideas and even templates for making some of the material. I got a lot off of the internet: montessorionline group (geared more toward professionals) and montessorimakers group which is just about making the materials. Then there is playgroup6 (did I get that right? May be playschool6) for parents trying Montessori at home with preschoolers. The main problem is there is so much to try and even making them can be costly (don't forget time cost.) So you may have to determine what you can live without, what you make, and what you try to buy cheaply. Try Montessorri Swap yahoo group for that, as well as retailers online. Then there is the space and organization to deal with. I was doing Montessori for our 2nd year of preschool. It really got to be overwhelming to try to make all that stuff. I kinda gave up. I have my felt continents map only started, and that is where I left off. But if you try a simple program using what E.H. has in her book, you'll do fine for one or two years. I found a book from a library sale once that is like a gold mine. It is called The Build-it Book of Learning Playthings by Wolverton. See if you can locate a copy. Lakota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 I'd also like to recommend the two catalogs put out by the Michael Olaf Montessori Company. They are The Joyful Child (for children up to age three) and Child of the World (for children from age three to twelve). They are meaty catalogs with lots of great suggestions and products. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in AUS Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 We use some aspects of Monti but not in true Monti style. I might set up a pouring station one day and let them take turns or maybe a spindle type activity again as a station. I don't leave things out as i just don't have any space in our very small house. I might do a station once or twice per week and they will spend alot or a little bit of time on it. In the main i just use regular household items. For the spindles i used craft sticks and disposable cups with numbers. Sometimes i think you just need to think outside the square a little :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Don't forget that a lot of the Montessori concepts are present in other, more easily available materials. There was very little to work with when Montessori began her schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crowscreek Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Great resources!! Thank you for sharing. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 I really like the Montessori philosophy...but somehow I think she would chuckle at homeschool mothers reproducing some of her materials which were initially produced to imitate a home....:lol: Still, I admit wishing I owned a whole roomful of the stuff. I think the important thing is to understand the wisdom behind the method b/c then it's pretty fun to adapt things to your specific child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
az_momy Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Have you seen this book? I think it is a great resource for ideas to build your own little activity bags out of stuff you have around the house. It's great for building familiarity with letters, shapes, puzzles, etc. Blessings to you on this journey ahead! Beckey in AZ MOMY to 7 (who is about to figure out how to make a signature block so I don't have to type all of them out ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakotajm Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 Some more resources to try: Montessori Services/for small hands catalogs www.montessoriservices.com Oriental Trading Co.'s educational catalog: Hands On Fun! www.orientaltrading.com These have some items that are much more reasonably priced than fancier Montissori retailers. Again, adapt what you already have first. The scooping/funnel and tonging exercises are easiest. Set that out for a week while you work on making the spindles, etc. (we used toothpicks.) There are great templates online for stuff like the sandpaper letters, red and blue rods, nomenclature cards, etc. Good luck! Lakota Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shehmeth Posted November 12, 2009 Author Share Posted November 12, 2009 Have you seen this book? I think it is a great resource for ideas to build your own little activity bags out of stuff you have around the house. It's great for building familiarity with letters, shapes, puzzles, etc. Blessings to you on this journey ahead! Beckey in AZ MOMY to 7 (who is about to figure out how to make a signature block so I don't have to type all of them out ;) I haven't seen it.. I'll look for it online... Thanks Kate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shehmeth Posted November 12, 2009 Author Share Posted November 12, 2009 Some more resources to try:Montessori Services/for small hands catalogs www.montessoriservices.com Oriental Trading Co.'s educational catalog: Hands On Fun! www.orientaltrading.com These have some items that are much more reasonably priced than fancier Montissori retailers. Again, adapt what you already have first. The scooping/funnel and tonging exercises are easiest. Set that out for a week while you work on making the spindles, etc. (we used toothpicks.) There are great templates online for stuff like the sandpaper letters, red and blue rods, nomenclature cards, etc. Good luck! Lakota I've been doing some things with him, that as I read the book are like : "oH this is a Montessori activity?" Like spooning (with the hope that he gets the hang of it).. he likes to be very independent, so we've been working with transfer from one cup to another, first with beans, then as he got better I started using rice (I colored the rice with food coloring, which he loves), and eventually planned to change the rice for water... Thanks Kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shehmeth Posted November 12, 2009 Author Share Posted November 12, 2009 I went to Barnes and Noble and they don't have it in stock - and I tried the Library and they have 2 copies (Checked out)... Hopefully one of them will come in next week.. Thanks, Kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shehmeth Posted November 12, 2009 Author Share Posted November 12, 2009 I really like the Montessori philosophy...but somehow I think she would chuckle at homeschool mothers reproducing some of her materials which were initially produced to imitate a home....:lol: Still, I admit wishing I owned a whole roomful of the stuff. I think the important thing is to understand the wisdom behind the method b/c then it's pretty fun to adapt things to your specific child. ;-) I know what you mean.... ;-) Kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidbits of Learning Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 I went to Barnes and Noble and they don't have it in stock - and I tried the Library and they have 2 copies (Checked out)... Hopefully one of them will come in next week.. Thanks, Kate Barnes and Noble can order it for you and it only takes about a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 I've encorporated some of the cards and materials into our homeschool. We are doing 2nd and 4th. I think the grammar sorting activities and a lot of the math manipulatives are great. These are my Montessori posts: http://closeacademy.blogspot.com/search/label/Montessori The first two are about materials but the third one has a lot of links to get started. There is another about 6 posts in on yahoo groups that have great resources for making materials. Hope this helps.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyAberlin Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Get an educator's discount card from Barnes and noble if you decide to purchase the book there. You get 20% off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shehmeth Posted November 13, 2009 Author Share Posted November 13, 2009 I've encorporated some of the cards and materials into our homeschool. We are doing 2nd and 4th. I think the grammar sorting activities and a lot of the math manipulatives are great. These are my Montessori posts: http://closeacademy.blogspot.com/search/label/Montessori The first two are about materials but the third one has a lot of links to get started. There is another about 6 posts in on yahoo groups that have great resources for making materials. Hope this helps.:001_smile: Thanks for the Link to your Site... Pretty interesting and insightful.... Kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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