Live & Love Montessori
Nap Time Narratives with Morah Rachael:
Squeezing in a blog post here and there during the sacred nap time. Grab a snack, tiptoe over, and join me as I discuss living and learning through the Montessori method in the modern world. I’ll show you how to ‘live & love Montessori’ through my experiences teaching and parenting young kids. Shhh, don’t wake the baby!
MULTI AGE CLASSROOMS: PART 2
Me, Myself, and I
2.13.20
Let's talk about individualized learning! In Montessori classrooms, children are free to learn at their own pace, without the added pressure of keeping up with the whole group, or even being held back by the whole group. In multi age classrooms, children always have someone they can work with, regardless of skill level. Imagine how much more comfortable and confident a struggling reader would feel reading to a younger student vs a same age peer. Imagine what any child can accomplish if he/she is exposed to a wider scope and sequence of material, spanning 3 years of learning and lessons!
It’s awesome to watch a kindergartener do division as I saw last week! Amazingly, this work is a 3-6 material with many extensions into the 6-9 curriculum available should the child be ready. In Montessori we always move from the concrete to the abstract. The materials are designed purposefully to provide hands-on learning and make abstract concepts clear.
Lately in my house, everything is being counted. It’s like Census 2020! My littlest one is 3.5 years old and counting with enthusiasm into the teens and twenties. She has an understanding of one-to-one correspondence and loves numbers. A peek into her classroom this week gave me a glimpse of where this passion came from. Ahhh, the teen frame! In Montessori, the decimal system is a celebrity. I can see why she is so entranced with numbers!
Here with the number rods: She is beaming!
Home Tip:
Acknowledge your child’s enthusiasm or dedication to an activity in the moment. Emphasis the process vs. the product. “I love watching you play/ work/ read/ count.” Having enthusiasm for learning leads to lifelong learners. Thankfully in Montessori classrooms, most children are excited to come to school!
Party in the kitchen! Kids of all ages can pick up so much math (and language) while cooking and baking. Measuring, counting, naming ingredients to name a few… Plus, when they help make it, they have more buy-in to eat it!
Hi!
My name is Rachael Thompson. My 3 kids keep me feeling simultaneously loved, tired, and busy. In between work, raising kids, and daily trips to Kroger, I might squeeze in a run, do home improvement projects, or take a nap in my minivan, in my workout clothes, in the Home Goods parking lot — the ultimate in Mom multitasking!