Inadvertant Montessori Moment? LOL

With last month's hospital visit, DaHubby's sudden full-load of college classes while still work 43 hrs a week, and re-starting homeschooling, I've been missing several weeks of Montessori Mondays. With school-type, learning-related stuff more on my mind, I've captured and/or noticed more teachable moments lately like this is one...

The Vikings are responsible for emptying the silverware and sippies from the dishwasher after a run. Once day, I was doing it myself in the interest of speed and Pojke frequent "I help" voice sounded from behind me. So, on an impulse, I said "then put the tops on these and tell me what color they are." He was so excited to help he forgot his kitchen stool! LOL

Now, Pojke's still a little rusty on his colors...still answering "pink" to any one color word he can't immediately come up with...but this was fun and turned into a 2-3 minute mini-lesson on colors, matching and sorting.

For more Montessori Mondays ideas, stop by Barbara's site later today.

Montessori Monday

As an education pioneer, Maria Montessori was very interested in children exploring with their five senses. And, I've read that Montessori classrooms are a great place for budding tactile learners to bloom even further.

While both Flicka and Pojke are definintely hands-on types of kids at this point, I'm beginning to see a difference between Flicka's age-appropriate hands-on exploring vs. Pojke's growing tactile learner qualities.

Case in point: despite our cutting back financially and living within our means more frugally in the interest of debt reduction, we saved up for a family membership at a local kids' museum. We've dropped other "extravagances" like magazine subscriptions and eating out but this membership is worth every dime - especially when seeing Pojke playing.

One thing Montessori based programs are known for is their open-ended play. There are no "finish" or "winner" or "rules" so to speak. One good example is a water table.

Now in the interest of our frugality, I haven't gone out and bought (or even made) a water table (yet). The Vikings are perfectly fine with a tub or kiddie pool filled with water or "helping" with dishes or "washing" the sink after teeth brushing. But, there is just something about the look on Pojke's face here:


Now, THAT'S a concentrated learner trying to figure out how this works! LOL



The museum's "water table" causes Pojke to come to a stand still for long periods of time - longer than anything but playing with his beloved Matchbox cars.

My mother-in-law describes a time when she would buy small kitchen appliances at garage sales to bring home so a pre-teen DaHubby would have something to take apart to destroy/explore and figure how it worked.

I have a feeling that gene has been passed down! And, I think I've got a tactile learner on my hands! LOL

For more Montessori Monday discussions and examples, visit Barbara's page here.

Montessori Monday

In looking for opportunities for Flicka to practice fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, a subscription from Grandma P to the preschool level Highlights magazine, High Five, has been just the ticket. Each month there's a cut-out project and Flicka is hooked:



For more Montessori Monday ideas, stop by Barbara's site here.

Montessori Mondays

A short and sweet one:

Grandma's "duster" and a broom from the dollar store cut down about 12 inches...makes for Vikings so eager to "help" with housework! LOL

This reminds me of my advanced middle school teacher training that described the ideal middle school as one where the students had a voice and were active in the runnings of the school at an age-appropriate level which gave them an "ownership" that caused them to "buy into" what the staff was trying to do. And, as a result, fewer discipline and procedural problems!

Got the broom idea here and thank you to Barbara for hosting this week's Montessori Monday!

Montessori Monday

Well, this post is late today...at least late in the day. Monday's are such a "pick up clean up" type of day from the weekend...laundry, extra dishes, extra toys and messes, extra bags to unpack, etc.

Plus, I was having the hardest time coming up with something this week for some reason. I'm *so* in the midst of Pojke's "I do it" stage that it's been a full time job and then some to stay one step ahead of him, trying to think of ways to let him safely and within reason do the things he thinks he's ready for. And, then it struck me! *BAM*

Encouraging independence and the very brainstorming I'm doing is a perfect example of Maria Montessori's theory, just as Montessori Monday's host, Barbara Curtis, says here.

Anyway, one idea I thought I'd share is one of the ways I keep the Vikings close while transversing a parking lot or something similar. Both seem to generally feel that they are "too big" already (at 2 and 4 years old) to have to hold my hand! LOL But, for obvious safety reasons, keeping them close while crossing streets, crossing parking lots, and the like is imperative.

So, some time ago I heard this idea...and I wish I could credit to this blogger but I can't remember where I read it. I just have the Vikings stand on my shadow.

Now, immediately, this "trick" has some limitations...early mornings, late evenings, and cloudy days to name a few. LOL But, by them focusing on "stepping on Momma", they're close enough to be safe (meeting my need) while not having to hold my hand (meeting their need).

And, they get to feel like the big kid.

For more Montessori Monday ideas and examples, go here.

Montessori Monday

Generally, this is led by Barbara at MommyLife.net but it appears she's out of town with family today. But, I had this prepared and, for a certain reason that will become obvious soon, I wanted to make sure I posted this today.

One of the Montessori ideas I have the hardest time implementing is teaching little hands to use "fragile" grown-up items (like real plates, glass glasses, and the like) through training, explanation, and practice with "the real thing". Having so few nice things, I'm so so so paranoid about it by habit. But, there's been one neat benefit of letting go of those fears.

Flicka's natural skill with a camera:

Here's to hoping we can learn to continue this practice with equally successful results!

Montessori Monday

Ok, not my best example to date (LOL), but bear with me momentarily!

Background: Began doing homeschool preschool last fall. Using my teacher training, I researched expected skills, curriculums, etc. and made up plans with all the ambition of a rookie.

Then, about 2 months in, Flicka quit cooperating.

My focus on letter recognition and letter writing was too much too soon. So, I let it go for a while. We worked on letter recognition in a slower, less-intense, more everyday way and left the writing of them until the next attempt felt more Flicka-directed.

Well, I know the photo doesn't really do it justice since I use pseudonyms for the kids' safety but behind that nifty little rectangle is the first full all-the-correct-and-recognizable-letters attempt at writing her own name! We were at church and she called me into the toddler room where we were waiting for DaHubby to finish his before-service musician warm-up.

"Look what I did!"


And, the smile says it all!

Teacher-directed 0, student-directed 1! LOL

Go by Barbara's place for more "Montessori moments"!

Montessori Monday

Well, as I look for more research about integrating Montessori ideas around here, we are also looking for easy, everyday activities with which to experiment. Despite waking up feeling entirely "done" and wore out with mommy-hood Friday morning, I pushed through it, packed up the Vikings, some PB&J's, our "swampers", and a second set of clothes and headed out to our local nature center.

"How often is the soul of a man, especially of that of a child deprived, because one does not put him in contact with nature." - Dr. Montessori

And, how they reveled in it...in the large of it:


And, in the small of it:

In the nooks and crannies of it:

And, in the wide angle view:

For more Montessori explanations, experiments, and examples, go by Barbara's place today.