When I get emails and messages from families with a new Montessori homeschool, the number one struggle they share is implementation. They armed themselves with philosophy, prepared their environment, and they were totally ready to jump in.
Only it isn’t going the way they hoped.
In most cases, the problem is not with what the parents are attempting to teach but rather with what they have forgotten their child does not yet know.
Here are three important concepts to remember in starting a new Montessori homeschool, and one way to improve all three!
*This post is aimed at families starting a new Montessori homeschool from toddler ages and beyond. You can browse posts on Montessori from birth here.
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1. Process is the foundation of Montessori homeschool.
For all children, but particularly for an older child starting Montessori, it can be tempting to jump right to core subject work at the proper academic level. Your child is ready to start learning to read so why not start there, right? With Montessori, however, you are introducing a new way of learning. The properly prepared and engaged student needs time to learn the cycle of the work.
It is easy to underestimate the mental and physical effort that go into learning to prepare a work space, retreiving a material from the shelf, bringing it to a work space, completing a task, and returning both the material and the work space to their original condidtion.
By starting with academically “challenging” work, students can become quickly overwhelmed by learning two things at once. In homeschool it can be tempting to pass up “easy” work due to space constraints, but in work that covers content already mastered your child is able to learn the process of Montessori learning without becoming overwhelmed by new information they are trying to master at the same time! A mix of lower level works also allows the student more opportunities for independence as their Montessori confidence grows.
2. The hand is the new tool of Montessori homeschool.
Text and workbook driven forms of education focus primarily on the eyes as the method of transmitting information to the brain. In Montessori, however, the primary method of transmitting information is the hand.
In addition to mental fatigue from learning a new process, it is not unusual for new Montessori students to stuggle with hand fatigue*. Especially if they are switching from another method (as opposed to starting their schooling here) or have had a lot of screen time as opposed to outside time.
The great news about this one, is that its usually not a concern for long and if there are any lasting motor challenges, there is a lot of built in opportunity for children to strengthen the hand through the works of the environment.
*While not the topic of this post, this is actually becoming more of an issue across all educational approaches. Due to reliance on IPads and other technology, children are not developing the muscles of their hands and arms properly to prepare for writing. Thankfully, as a Montessori parent you have the solution built in!
3. Indirect aims are learning in a Montessori homeschool.
In Montessori albums and training programs, you will (should!) hear a great deal about the indirect aims of learning. For example, in practical life we move from left to right in setting up material. This prepares and internalizes the left to right progression of reading. Small objects across the curriculum promote a three fingered grasp, strengthening the hand to hold a pencil correctly. The metal insets focus on control of pencil movement in a way that introduces all of the basic handwriting strokes long before the writing of any letters.
I mention this mainly as another encouragement not to be afraid to have work available below a child’s perceived learning level. While learning the new process and strengthening the hand, be encouraged that the child is still building foundational skills that will be needed when they are ready to jump into the next concept. Indirect aims are built in across the scope and sequence of all Montessori curriculum areas. Even if you aren’t familiar with indirect aims, be assured they are there!
So if you aren’t going to start with the full, specific academic or developmental level of your child-
Where DO you start your new Montessori homeschool?
My answer is simple and the same regardless of the age of the child.
Practical Life.
In many Montessori schools early practical life exercises- called the introductory exercises- are used to transition new students into the environment. They are engaged in this work of real life, learn the process and procedure, and strengthen their hands preparing them for the full scope of the Montesori curriculum. These transition works are kept on a specific shelf and comprised of familiar materials and equipment. Puzzles, stringing, sorting, simple art exploration- all work that can be easily adapted to any cognitive level or experience.
Puzzles
Puzzles are a core component of the traditional Montessori curriculum into the Elementary years. Here are some suggestions and examples for when you are just starting out. I usually keep an eye on thrift stores for new puzzles and rotate them regularly, but often for a birthday or other special occassion I will purchase a new one as a treat!
For toddlers, it is best to start with jumbo/large knobbed shape puzzles with realistic pictures- doing double duty as a language building opportunity. For younger preschoolers, you can move to smaller knobs and simple jig saw puzzles gradually increasing the number of pieces (again sticking to realistic pictures). With jig saw puzzles, small puzzles with boards and floor puzzles use different muscles so its great to integrate both as your child is ready!
For older preschoolers, you can start with jig saw puzzles and by introducing the Montessori biology, botany, and geography puzzles as one of their first offical lessons. If you have an early elementary aged child you might want to consider adding 3 dimensional puzzles, mind challenge puzzle cubes (see below for examples), balancing games, and more. With all ages, you can start wherever your child is interested and capable rather than be concerned with the type of activity specifically.
(Just a note, I would put these puzzles out individually rather than all three together.)
Stringing, Sorting, & Sewing
Beads can be sorted and strung and so can buttons and a variety of other materials! Even before a child can string a wooden bead on a shoelace, they can string a bead on a wooden dowel. Pony beads can be strung onto pipe cleaners. Lacing cards isolate early sewing skills. For older children, mastering the motion of stringing leads to learning to thread a needle. Thread a needle and a child can learn to string seed beeds to make a friendship bracelet. Seed beeds can also be used with wire to make other jewelry.
(Please note that beads can be a serious choking hazard. I trust you can use your good judgement about which size beads to select for your child and any younger siblings they may have.)
There are literally endless possibilities for both puzzles and stringing, sorting, and sewing activities. Observe and adapt to your child’s interests and levels. It might not feel like this is why you started Montessori homeschooling, but investing the time in these activities early will build your child’s confidence with a new approach to learning, strengthen their hands, and prepare them for success with Montessori materials!
Beyond the introductory activities of practical life, you can browse all of my posts on practical life here.
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