Montessori- Inspired Class
Five weeks ago, I started a 2-day Monte- inspired preschool class at home for my daughters and a few homeschool friends. Due to space constraints and being cautious as it was my first time handling a group, I did not invite more. It was something I have been toying with for a long time. It hit me this year that I have been homeschooling for 10 years, so what better time than now or I'll die with regrets : )
Weeks before the programme actually started, I have been revising my Montessori readings for a sharing session with some homeschoolers. That really got the ball rolling. I started clearing my house (amazingly I still have some space-hoggers left), I re-arranged my furniture, took out the basic equipments and the week after my eldest finished his exams I started the class. Any more procrastination might take forever!
At that same time that I was planning to do this, my second son rebooted my laptop and wiped out everything in it. My decade-old collections of files were gone. Thank goodness for online-bought materials and the variety of great websites available now.
I got myself a curriculum form that lists all the basic Montessori activities as my core, had a general idea of how the flow of work will be for each class and asked the mums if they wanted to start earlier than planned.
Initially we started with 1.5h sessions that stretched to 2, 2.5h and finally 3h; the work period for Montessori schools. I was the main teacher and the mothers who were around helped me when needed. My daughter helped when there was no one else around. Most of the time however, the girls, yes all of them are girls, were doing fine on their own.
Initially, the shelves were bare except for the few items I was presenting for that particular day. The children played with toys I placed on a side cabinet and were told that they can only use the materials if I have presented it to them.
As the weeks passed, the toys were slowly taken away and more items were added to the Montessori materials shelves. As of now, whatever toy left was related to skills that I thought the kids could practice like wooden tools that encourage motor skills and bean bags for sensorial activities.
As this was the first time the girls, other than my children, participated in a Montessori classroom, I had to familiarise them first with its quirks; the mats for individual work, movement around the classroom and taking and returning of materials. The children are still getting used to this and choosing their work. My own children had to be "re-trained" too as I was quite slack with these when it was just them. The most difficult time was the first class; everything was new and they wanted to do everything, at the same time if that was possible. How adorable their enthusiasm was!
As with the materials, I relinquished control over activities gradually. Over the last few weeks, out of over- eagerness to do things with the girls, I think I had over-planned activities. There was one day we had baking, storytelling and craft leaving little time for individual work. I do have to check myself.
When the girls were done with a lesson, I would record it in their individual files. I have not been diligently recording my observations though. This is something I need to work on. From these lessons, i would be inspired to make extension activities for the children.
For example, after our colour bead stair presentation, we made counting bracelets last Friday. The idea was to have beads in different colours from 1 to 10 and for them to use this when they do their homework. I give them work to do on other days when I can. However, the girls got excited seeing the different coloured beads and started stringing them in no order. Being the liberal teacher that I was, haha, I didn't see the need to press on my vision of the lesson though.
My lessons have also been Waldorf-influenced. One day, I was inspired to make homemade playdoh for the children. I made a set of 3 colours for the class and had smaller quantities made for them to take home. After a few minutes at the playground (it was hot), we sat at the shelter nearby and played with the dough.
After passing the different colours around, I showed them how to warm each ball of dough in the palm of their hands as we closed our eyes and feel the heat flow through it. It was a zen-like experience that continued as I watched the children get absorbed with working their dough, oblivious to the world around them.
Weeks before the programme actually started, I have been revising my Montessori readings for a sharing session with some homeschoolers. That really got the ball rolling. I started clearing my house (amazingly I still have some space-hoggers left), I re-arranged my furniture, took out the basic equipments and the week after my eldest finished his exams I started the class. Any more procrastination might take forever!
At that same time that I was planning to do this, my second son rebooted my laptop and wiped out everything in it. My decade-old collections of files were gone. Thank goodness for online-bought materials and the variety of great websites available now.
I got myself a curriculum form that lists all the basic Montessori activities as my core, had a general idea of how the flow of work will be for each class and asked the mums if they wanted to start earlier than planned.
Initially we started with 1.5h sessions that stretched to 2, 2.5h and finally 3h; the work period for Montessori schools. I was the main teacher and the mothers who were around helped me when needed. My daughter helped when there was no one else around. Most of the time however, the girls, yes all of them are girls, were doing fine on their own.
As the weeks passed, the toys were slowly taken away and more items were added to the Montessori materials shelves. As of now, whatever toy left was related to skills that I thought the kids could practice like wooden tools that encourage motor skills and bean bags for sensorial activities.
As this was the first time the girls, other than my children, participated in a Montessori classroom, I had to familiarise them first with its quirks; the mats for individual work, movement around the classroom and taking and returning of materials. The children are still getting used to this and choosing their work. My own children had to be "re-trained" too as I was quite slack with these when it was just them. The most difficult time was the first class; everything was new and they wanted to do everything, at the same time if that was possible. How adorable their enthusiasm was!
As with the materials, I relinquished control over activities gradually. Over the last few weeks, out of over- eagerness to do things with the girls, I think I had over-planned activities. There was one day we had baking, storytelling and craft leaving little time for individual work. I do have to check myself.
When the girls were done with a lesson, I would record it in their individual files. I have not been diligently recording my observations though. This is something I need to work on. From these lessons, i would be inspired to make extension activities for the children.
For example, after our colour bead stair presentation, we made counting bracelets last Friday. The idea was to have beads in different colours from 1 to 10 and for them to use this when they do their homework. I give them work to do on other days when I can. However, the girls got excited seeing the different coloured beads and started stringing them in no order. Being the liberal teacher that I was, haha, I didn't see the need to press on my vision of the lesson though.
My lessons have also been Waldorf-influenced. One day, I was inspired to make homemade playdoh for the children. I made a set of 3 colours for the class and had smaller quantities made for them to take home. After a few minutes at the playground (it was hot), we sat at the shelter nearby and played with the dough.
After passing the different colours around, I showed them how to warm each ball of dough in the palm of their hands as we closed our eyes and feel the heat flow through it. It was a zen-like experience that continued as I watched the children get absorbed with working their dough, oblivious to the world around them.
This will be the last week before our December break. I hope to be rejuvenated and get more crafty so I can come back fresher and better next year insyaAllah.
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