You might know that I am interested in getting Hannah into a Montessori preschool program for the fall. I found some good resources about home learning using the Montessori-style teaching, so I thought I would give it a try. Hannah and I play "school" for about 90 min a day and she LOVES it. She looks forward to it and asks to play school all day long. We have some specific toys and learning materials we only use during school hour and she's so eager to learn and use them.
Size Sorting Game
I am basing my information off a book called "Teaching Montessori in the Home:the Preschool Years" by Elizabeth G. Hainstock and though it sounds like it may be a guide for actual home-schooling, it is full of great activities that highlight the Montessori concept and can be used as a type of planning guide.
Working on the block tower
Ryan and I wanted to get a feel of the Montessori philosophy before committing to the myriad of registration process & fees, etc. Basically that instead of actively helping a child learn a task (by talking them through the struggle, or lending a literal hand), you simply show them how it's done to start, using as few words as possible, then step back and let them figure it out. It is a little more challenging for me to not assist in the process, like helping her know where something needs correction, but she seems to handle it very well. Hannah is really taking to the ideas and style of learning. The simple tower of blocks (one larger than the next, either stacked or nested) seems to be a favorite although I was skeptical of it's ease & simplicity.
Montessori enforces the ideas of quiet and focused learning, without loud distractions and also keeps an orderly, organized, classroom - emphasising on "a place for everything and everything in it's place." Perseverance is taught through the child finishing an activity before moving on to the next and tidiness is learned by each activity being put back where it was taken from. These are things that Hannah is already very strong at, so it seems to be an easy fit.
I did it!
In addition to the learning sessions, and possible deviating from the Montessori style, we do a drawing activity and Ryan also takes the lead on one of the classes to do some PE-type learning with her so that she can develop some physical skills. Yesterday they worked on kicking a ball through a goal and controlling the ball without using hands. Hannah loved it.
Hannah draws elephants
This is the first week of "class" but I will be excited and interested to see how we progress. I'll keep you updated!
