Today we will be looking at the second method of homeschooling in our series, ‘Wait! There’s More Than One Homeschooling Method?‘ Last week we looked at at our first method, Eclectic with the help of Lisa (The Canadian Homeschooler), Kathy (Simply Homeschool Living) and Karen (Tots and Me). Our expert on the Montessori way of homeschooling will be Katie Furlong.
I first became interested in the Montessori method of teaching during college. I was taking my early childhood education diploma.
Toddlers love to move and copy adults!
In 2005 my 3-year-old daughter started attending a Montessori school a few towns away. I was so impressed that I decided to go to Montessori teachers college and start my own Montessori school.
Maria Montessori was a genius who discovered many important key facts when it came to educating children.
- Children love to move and learn more effectively when they are moving.
- All children learn at their own pace
- The teachers role is to set up a beautiful environment with materials so that the child can explore what interests them
- The materials are designed to allow the children to check their own work and correct their own mistakes
- Young children love to copy adults. This is the perfect time to teach them manners, how to care for them self and the space around them
- Children want to use real materials to bake, clean and build instead of using “toys” to pretend to do this activities
My son at 12 months old. Toddlers love practical life activities!
There are so many pro’s to Montessori education it would be impossible to list them all. I will list some of the pro’s that I have seen as a Montessori teacher and homeschooling mom.
- Montessori education works for all children and abilities
- Montessori education is timeless. The lessons and materials created over 100 years ago will never go out of style and will always be effective in educating children
- Children love Montessori education
- Montessori children develop a life long love for learning
- Whether it is math, language or geography every Montessori activity involves movement to allow children to burn energy and develop fine and gross motor skills
My daughter at 4 years old. Preparing her own snack the Montessori way!
The only con to Montessori education is that the materials can be costly if you were to purchase them brand new. The good news is they can be found used online or you can make your own for next to nothing!
On Thursday we will be walking with Joelle of Homeschooling for His Glory, Deanna of The Frugal Homeschooling Mom and Heather of The Principled Academy. Heather will be looking at the biblical side of Classical homeschooling.