What works for one family doesn’t always work for another, for a variety of reasons, and what works for one child often doesn’t work well for another in the same household. Thankfully, as homeschoolers, we have many options, along with the ability to pick and choose what suits our (and our children’s) needs.
If you’ve read very many of my posts, you may have caught on that I am in love with the Montessori Method. When you hear the word Montessori, you might instantly think preschool … and that’s understandable. I most definitely used hands-on Montessori materials when my children were in their preschool years. However, here’s the reality: Montessori is a method with no age limit. It’s a teaching style more than a curriculum, which means that—just like utilizing Charlotte Mason or unschooling approaches to education—you can apply Montessori-inspired principles to many curricula already on the market.
So what is the Montessori Method? Where did it come from? Why would a home educator want to implement it? And where would you start?
Dr. Maria Montessori was an Italian doctor and educator in the early 1900’s. She was highly educated, especially for a woman of that era. The Montessori Method is based on her scientific observations of how children learn naturally. Dr. Montessori opened her first Children’s House in Rome, in 1907, and her principles have endured and spread through hundreds of countries. There are now literally thousands of Montessori schools around the globe.
Dr. Montessori’s approach stems from the idea that children are naturally eager learners, capable of exploring and discovering on their own when exposed to the right environment. Rather than a focus on teaching specific subject matter, Montessori education encompasses the whole child—physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively.
Ever noticed how the productiveness of a school day is directly affected by your (or your child’s) attitude? Yeah … me, too! With my kids, there’s a cut-off point when the child is tired and just done. (Thank goodness homeschooled kids don’t have extra homework assigned every night, right?) Those morning hours are golden at our house; any time after 3-4 p.m. is more trouble than it’s worth! Same can be said when a child is hungry, or easily distracted. Our children aren’t robots. Unless they’re functioning happily in all areas, meaningful learning is difficult, at best.
One of the Montessori trademarks is the idea that multi-age groups are ideal for learning. We learn by example, and when our children observe other children—or adults—learning and mastering things, it encourages them to push on to conquer the concept for themselves. Well, obviously this plays right into a homeschool family with multiple children! Give me a lesson where I can integrate all four of my kids at the same time, and I’m one happy mama. This dynamic also mimics real life; when my children come into contact with other age groups, I want them to be capable of interacting comfortably!
In early Montessori education, a large portion of the work is practical or sensory in nature. They learn to do things for themselves: for example, tying shoes, putting on a jacket, fastening a button or a snap. Proper hygiene techniques—brushing their hair and teeth, hand-washing, and giving themselves a bath—are also a focus. In addition, students are not only allowed but encouraged to touch, smell, feel, and otherwise explore the world around them, learning as they go.
Montessori manipulatives are built to be sturdy and beautiful. Some of the widely-used items (like the knobbed cylinders and moveable alphabet) can be a little pricey—especially compared to many “toys” available for kids—but you won’t find cheap plastic items that are easily broken. They are eye-catching, designed to attract a child’s attention and inspire a desire to learn. The bonus of being such great quality is that you can use them for multiple children, and they’ll still be in excellent condition. If you purchase them used, you can often resell the items (once your kids have outgrown them) for close to what you paid. There are Montessori groups on the internet where you can buy and sell gently used Montessori manipulatives at a discounted price. One of my favorites is the Montessori Swap Yahoo group, and you can also search Craigslist or Facebook for other sources.
As you progress into the elementary years, the child starts to move into the more abstract ideas like thoughts and emotions, equality and freedom. Montessori education emphasizes respect and kindness toward not only the people around them, but also animals, plants and property. Instilling these important ideals before a child reaches the more emotionally challenging adolescent years is so important. When a young person has learned to behave with a respectful tone and demeanor, teenage independence is actually a good thing … after all, we do want them to move out and be responsible adults someday, right?
Montessori education is a mindset in which educators step back and allow children to be themselves, uninterrupted, within a safe learning environment. Rather than imposing a structure that makes sense to an adult, we let kids learn the way that comes naturally to them. You will find that many Montessori activities have a built in self-correcting mechanism; you don’t have to step in and say, “No, that’s not how you do it.” Instead, the project will obviously not look right, and the child will brainstorm how to get it to mirror the example that was set before them. A good example of this is the 3-part cards (read an explanation here). These you could make yourself, or even scour the internet in search of free printables from someone who’s gone before you.
A fun and easy Montessori-inspired idea for a middle- or high-schooler might be encouraging them to study for a test by designing and creating an original game. Science, history, or geography are perfect subjects for this approach, but let the creativity flow … your child just might be ready for the test by the time they finish making the game!
If you want to embrace a Montessori feel in your homeschool, one of the very best places to start is just stepping back and observing. Watch how your child approaches a problem. See how he interact with his peers and siblings. It will help you know what you might want to implement into that child’s education, and may even open your eyes to how each of your kids learns best.
You may have a child who’s driven to touch everything; she needs a science curriculum that goes beyond books, allowing her to be hands-on and discover how things work.
Does one of your kids have an amazing memory for everything he overhears? Take advantage of that and immerse him in audio books. He may even think he hates reading, but who doesn’t love a great story? There are many fun, educational CDs available. Volumes in the Christian Heroes Then and Now series come immediately to my mind. The Jonathan Park and Your Story Hour sets are favorites around my house, also. Even my teenagers love for me to put them on in the car, or at bedtime when everyone is winding down the day.
The next school year is approaching at lightning speed. Whatever approach you decide is best for your family and situation, I pray your year is blessed, peaceful, joyful, and full of fun. Education can’t get any better than that.
