I feel the need to change my blog description. What I am seeing around the blogosphere labeled Montessori is not our Montessori. Here is our Montessori, in a nutshell, as told by Michael Olaf.
Q. Can I do Montessori at home with my child?
A. Yes, you can use Montessori principles of child development at home. Look at your home through your child's eyes. Children need a sense of belonging, and they get it by participating fully in the routines of everyday life. "Help me do it by myself" is the life theme of the preschooler. Can you find ways for your child to participate in meal preparation, cleaning, gardening, caring for clothes, shoes, and toys? Providing opportunities for independence is the surest way to build your child's self-esteem.
At the school level many homeschooling and other parents use the Montessori philosophy of following the child's interest and not interrupting concentration to educate their children.
When parents decide to follow the Montessori method for homeschooling the tendency is to start purchasing materials. I , on the other hand, shy away from materials because I am not trained to present them.
Wait a minute Coedith, are you suggesting Montessori can be implemented in to the home without the materials?
Exactly! Of course the materials are wonderful tools for carrying out the philosophy. But without them you can still have a solid foundation, but you cannot with just the materials and their instructions.
Wait a minute Coedith, are you suggesting Montessori can be implemented in to the home without the materials?
Exactly! Of course the materials are wonderful tools for carrying out the philosophy. But without them you can still have a solid foundation, but you cannot with just the materials and their instructions.
It isn't my intention to put anyone, regardless of their curriculum choice, down-after all we are all simply trying to make the best decisions we can for our children. Montessori is not perfect and it is good to give and take what can be most useful to each of our situations. What I don't like seeing is curriculum being put before the child. I find Montessori has been reduced to just that, "curriculum", bought and sold as albums. The term Montessori is not trademarked and any one can create Montessori albums, just as anyone can open a Montessori school regardless of training or experience. It is essential parents research and understand the philosophy/spirit and then seek (if you must) to find authentic albums. Be aware, some go against Montessori principles with a timeline/schedule for lesson giving. I recently ran across these disclaimers with albums-
"If you are not a trained Montessorian, always seek the aid of one who is before presenting materials to the child"
and
"Simply downloading the albums and working through the lessons will still fall well short of what a good Montessori training program will provide."
And yet, they are still shared and sold, knowing full well most users will not "seek the aid" of a trained Montessorian and that "the lessons will still fall short". So what is a parent to do? Lots of homework. Begin here with this reading list. I believe AMI is the truest form of Montessori. (AMS would be the next best, in my opinion.) No imitations, learn about pure Montessori before "Montessori homeschooling". Then you can decide how you would like to adapt the method to fit your situation. Observing in an AMI accredited school would benefit any parent.
Dr. Montessori founded the Association Montessori Internationale in 1929 to preserve her legacy. AMI ensures that Montessori schools and teachers are both well-grounded in the basic principles of the method and ready to carry those principles forward in the modern educational world. AMI offers teacher training and conferences, approves the production of Montessori materials and books, and, through their AMI-USA branch office, accredits schools.
And finally this also from Micheal Olaf-
In school only a trained Montessori teacher can properly implement Montessori education, using the specialized learning equipment of the Montessori "prepared environment." Here social development comes from being in a positive and unique environment with other children -- an integral part of Montessori education.
We can bring as much Montessori into our home as possible, but we are always going to be missing that integral part. I am okay with that and I am sure you are too. I have spent enough time in the classroom to recognize attempts to duplicate aspects of home which fall short.
As a homeschool and attachment parenting mama I admit there are gray areas as well as parts I completely disregard.
In today's homeschooling climate I believe the term unschooler is a truer representation of Montessori than the label Montessori.
I hear you. I see something similar with folks assuming that Godly Play means "telling Bible stories with props". Whereas Berryman says, "Without any materials at all, two teachers can make a Godly Play space that greets the children, shares a feast and blesses them goodbye each week."
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way! It seems like homeschooling with Montessori in the classroom way is disingenuous and loses much of the benefits the children get in a large classroom environment. But some aspects of the classroom are really just trying to recreate the home environment, which is much better implemented at home.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant post. As a home educator in the UK, and past Montessori teacher I've just been browsing materials for use in the home with my two year old. But you're absolutely right, it isn't the materials that make Montessori, it's the principles. And I should know that. (Although I still really want a pink tower. And a binomial cube. Is that wrong of me?)
ReplyDeleteThis an interesting discussion. I am probably a
ReplyDeletemoderate in this regard. There is nothing wrong
with owning and using the materials and/ or the
method. Your home, your kids your adaptation.
Montessori is not a method with a copyright and
there are as many versions as there are homeschoolers
and dare I say it? SCHOOLS! Everyone adapts the
philosophy to fit their own needs and biases.
Kathy