The Montessori Cult

Not! There is not a Montessori cult ( that I know of)! There are a LOT of people that strongly believe in the philosophy and some who may seem a little too enamored. I believe a big part of it is that finding out about the philosophy and experiencing it firsthand is like a light bulb coming on. It just makes sense to a lot of people and they want to share it.

Math Lessons

Here is an easy to put together lesson for teaching greater than, less than, and the same as.  Using word or some other software (or even writing by hand), make several labels stating each of those things.  (You may want to do the phrases on different colors to make it easier for clean up.  I plan on re-doing my labels for that reason.) Add in a deck of cards and you have a new lesson for your shelf.  You could also use the red and blue rods (more concrete for the child) or even the sandpaper numerals, instead of playing cards.

Language Lessons

   

Nouns:  This one comes from a mentor teacher named Cheryl Spencer.  She may have seen it somewhere else herself.  Teachers are such “thieves” anyways, right?  This lesson is pretty self explanatory, very easy to make,  and the children love it. 

Where Has the Concentration Gone?!

As the end of the school year quickly approaches, I find myself doing a lot of chin scratching and hair pulling. Ok, not really pulling my hair out but wanting too! I consider myself to be a pretty patient teacher and I'm often complimented on this by visitors, but I guess the end of the year is affecting me some too. Who are these children and what have they done with my focused, hardworking students?! Am I the only one going through this?

As we wade through the last few weeks (sorry if I'm being pessimistic; just being realistic) here is my "attack plan":
*keeping to our routine as much as possible
*reviewing ground rules at line time
*having a daily goal of a ground rule that our class needs to work on
*having shorter line times
*keeping them busy learning
*rotating out lessons, especially if they are not being used meaningfully

I know the concentration will come back and that we ALL need some R&R, so until then we'll just keep doing the best we can do.

-Upcoming: lessons ideas

Just Sharing Some Ideas

If you’re like me then surely you are constantly looking for some lesson ideas and extensions for your classroom.  Here are some!  Maybe you’ve seen them.  Maybe you haven’t.  Hopefully you can find something to use.

Not a Member of the Montessori Cult and Not a Perfect Parent Either

Follow the child was Maria Montessori's mantra and while I firmly believe in it, I've had to add an addendum as a fairly new parent. Follow the child and your parenting instinct.

Truly Blessed

FYI- this was not intended to be my first post. I have another piece that is incomplete and was intended to set the tone of this blog. Oh well! As I was laying beside this sweet slumbering baby with a melting heart, reading posts on the July 2010 Birthclub Board on Babycenter, I felt compelled to write. It is Mother's Day after all and so the topic is...

Dear Little One,
There are not enough words or even the right ones to express how much I love you. But even so I will try. You are my greatest accomplishment. The best thing I ever did. A blessing from God above. And so I say to you on this Mother's Day, thank you for being you. I love to love you and I have learned so much from you already. I can't wait to continue this journey with you and your daddy.
Love,
Mommy

Happy Mother's Day!