Montessori

[akmyilee]

What do ya'll think about / know about this style of learning? I am reading a book about it for birth to 3 yrs. It is not what I thought it was?

[Lyn]

I love Montessori, but was unable to do it at home because it is highly structured -- and I'm not! :lol If we hadn't homeschooled I would have sent my kids to a Montessori school. Since we have ADD in the family I think it would have helped them a lot.

Which book are you reading?

[Chris3jam]

I know just enough about it to get me into trouble! :lol

Anyway, we have a kind of a modified old-fashioned Montessori set-up at our house. That means all kinds of things set out to stimulate, encourage learning, etc., and the freedom (including any needed assistance/supervision) to explore and create. I saw no need, though, to buy expensive Montessori products, when I could substitute reasonable alternatives, or make my own. Also, they do "play" baking and cooking, but they help me, too. We saw no need in buying or setting up separate little "cook centers" or anything. Just include them in ours!

We have kind of tried to combine the best of everything we learned from what we've read (Holt, Montessori, Gatto, "Jesus Didn't Use Worksheets", etc.)

PS -- The original Montessori, as according to Maria Montessori, set-up was very much child-directed, delight-directed learning. It has become very structured, though.

[cobluegirl]

My sis is a montessori teacher. I think it is a really good method. I need to read my book some more...along with all the other books...hehe

[akmyilee]

I am reading MOntessori from the Start by Paula Polk lillard and Lynn Lillard Jessen. It is talking about an 18mo old cutting up his apple and making sure that kids are self suffecient and stuff. I mean I agree with that but I guess it seem slike they are pushing it on them. Maybe this is just one persons interpretation of it? I like the idea of self directed learning, but I am not sure if I could go all the way with unschooling so this seemed kinda like a middle ground? Am I off on that one?

[Chris3jam]

You could possibly try to read something about Montessori by Montessori herself, or older books. It is my understanding that the Montessori method became very structured, which was not her way. It was structured in a way (it had to be, as she worked in a clinical setting as a ped.), but not so rigid. If I remember correctly, she did speak of children being self-sufficient, but learning in a real-life way, when they were ready. It was focus on real-life skills, not worksheets or textbooks. She did mention certain age-brackets where they might be ready to do certain things, but that was based on physical development of motor skills, etc. She worked mostly with children who were diagnosed as retarded or otherwise mentally deficient. She realized that many were not, but had attachment issues, non-stimulation issues, etc. So her method came about as stimulating children, to grow and learn, not so much as a "school" thing. Therefore, also, the emphasis on getting them ready for real-life self-sufficiency. There was no pushing a child who wasn't "ready". Also, (again, if I am not confusing her with other of my readings), she was big on respecting the children, and talking to them, so matter the age. I think I need to go back, and re-read a lot. I *could* be getting all this stuff confused in my head!

[cobluegirl]

yes I believe the older books are better.

[allisonintx]

I have a full on montessori pre-school setup at my office which is where we do school. It is a great system, and so many of the "works" you can make yourself. I wrote a couple of posts about it in the thread about dealing with younger, toddler siblings while schooling olders.

[waremock]

I love Montessori also. We have a school here in town which is very expensive thou. I have done most my my readings online :) I have not found anything that I disagreed on. My Aunt in Florida use to work as a assistant to a school down there...and she says they teach you to let your children explore anything and everything and if that means touching the hot coffee so be it..as a learning tool :( If this is true, I do not agree with this however.. ~Michelle

[kcasmama]

I agree with looking to older books. It is my understanding that the term "Montessori" was never copyrighted, so you do want to be careful what you read and even what Montessori school you choose if you decide to take that route.

[Lyn]

Your description is accurate Chris. It's about self-sufficiency and life skills. When I was in Montessori preschool we had all the traditional implements -- button boards, size graduated weights and rods, pouring pitchers with beans, etc. I studied Montessori after I got my B.A. and was going to pursue certification when I met my dh.

I'm a bit confused about children burning themselves though. :think That doesn't seem to fit.

[lmgeenw]

I read a book about a year ago, for doing Montessori preschool in the home. It was written in the 70s I think, but I don't remember the name. Anyway, I thought it was really neat because it had all these ideas for helping your child learn through daily activities like washing the dishes, setting the table, cleaning the floor, etc. It did a good job of helping to incorporate learning in everyday life.

[lmgeenw]

I found it. It is called Teaching Montessori in the Home:The Preschool Years. Hainstock. 1968.

[puffballpopple]

There are two things about the Montessori philosophy that I've read about and don't like. Now, I don't remember where I read this (might have been a John Holt book) so maybe it's not what Maria Montessori had intended.

I've read that traditional Montessori preschools discourage fantasy/pretend play. Why I don't remember exactly.

The other thing that I disagree with is that if the directress sees a child using, for example, the pink tower as blocks and playing w/ them instead of using them "correctly", she will show the child how to use them properly. If the child still plays w/ them and doesn't use them correctly, then the directress puts it away because the child isn't ready for it. Ooookay.. Does anyone know why this is?

Amanda

[Chris3jam]

There are two things about the Montessori philosophy that I've read about and don't like. Now, I don't remember where I read this (might have been a John Holt book) so maybe it's not what Maria Montessori had intended.

I've read that traditional Montessori preschools discourage fantasy/pretend play. Why I don't remember exactly.

The other thing that I disagree with is that if the directress sees a child using, for example, the pink tower as blocks and playing w/ them instead of using them "correctly", she will show the child how to use them properly. If the child still plays w/ them and doesn't use them correctly, then the directress puts it away because the child isn't ready for it. Ooookay.. Does anyone know why this is?

That doesn't sound like what Maria Montessori was about. Montessori encouraged pretend play, from what I read. I don't know specifically about the second one, but it doesn't sound quite right either. Learning, creativity and exploring is important. Many people have used the name Montessori, without even really finding out about how the "method" started. It didn't start out as a "school" thing. It started out as a method of working with those children thought of as mentally deficient or retarded, and making them useful members of society and self-sufficient. Help me out, Lyn, here. Because my memory is still fuzzy.

If you really want to know about it, and get more of an idea of what she did, read about the woman herself and what she wrote herself.

There's http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805209220/qid=1113057093/sr=2-4/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_4/103-2196441-0304664,
and
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805041567/qid=1113057093/sr=2-3/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_3/103-2196441-0304664
and
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0195168682/qid=1113057093/sr=1-6/ref=sr_1_6/103-2196441-0304664?v=glance&s=books
and
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0805209212/qid=1113057093/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/103-2196441-0304664?v=glance&s=books

Your library should have them.

There is ONE thing I really don't like -- the evolution thing. But that's easy to get by.

[Lyn]

School was ages ago for me :O but I think I read a biography about Maria that gave wonderful background info on her method.

I don't think you need my help Chris ;) you seem extremely UNfuzzy to me!