Montessori education is frequently associated with Montessori schools, however, it doesn’t stop there. Enrolling your child in a Montessori school isn’t the only way to reap the educational benefits of this educational model. Although most people are already familiar with Montessori education programs, in reality, many are still unaware that Montessori’s philosophies are also concepts that can be successfully implemented at home. Anyone, including parents, caregivers, and educators, can create a Montessori environment in their home. Additionally, it is also a perfect way to supplement your child’s education. Continue reading the article to learn how to conveniently set up a Montessori environment at home.
Learning at home can be fun, especially if it is from BRIA Homes. You can assist your child in realizing a dream with Bria Homes. Ease of application (for as little as P1,897* per month), you won’t need a sizable sum of money to grant your child’s request of learning at home.
What is Montessori Method?
The Montessori Method of teaching and learning was developed by Italian physician Maria Montessori more than 100 years ago. It is based on the belief that kids are capable of creating their own learning experiences. Montessori school is an educational method that emphasizes self-directed activity, hands-on learning, and participatory play. Children make creative choices in their learning in Montessori classrooms, while the school and the trained and experienced teacher provide age-appropriate exercises to guide their development.
What is a Montessori Home?
Essentially, it is a home designed with the child’s needs in mind. It is a home where children can make contact and explore, as well as use and master ordinary household objects. The adults would look at the home from the child’s point of view. They’ll use this perspective to help them create a home where the children are fully involved. Children’s opinions are solicited and respected in the development of this environment.
Why Choose a Montessori School at Home
Early childhood development begins at home, and the best teachers are their parents. Another excellent way to receive Montessori education and promote the best possible child development is to convert your home into a Montessori school. Children can learn at any age, but they develop differently than older children. Children normally have an insatiable curiosity. They learn by unconsciously absorbing information from their surroundings, and they learn quickly.
Prepared Environment at Home
A prepared environment is the very foundation of the Montessori experience. Montessori classrooms are intended to be spaces where kids can freely explore and learn. For an organized lesson plan, you might not see rows of desks facing a teacher. Alternatively, kids in Montessori classrooms are free to move around as their interests change.
The 5 learning areas of a Montessori-prepared environment
1. Real Life Exercises
The Montessori classroom is built on practical life exercises. They offer a valuable selection of activities that help the kids gain control and coordination in their movements, awareness of their surroundings, organized thought patterns, independent study habits, responsibility, and a host of other qualities that can only be developed through random, purposeful work.
2. Materials for Sensors
The five senses of a child are developed and honed with the use of Montessori sensorial materials, which are materials used in the Montessori classroom. The next level of difficulty after that of practical life is created by the use of these elements. Sensorial materials, like many other teaching aids, contain what is known as “control of error,” which means that the child can verify his or her own work without going to the skilled teacher. This is carried out to encourage the child’s independence.
3. Math resources
In harmony with the sequence of perceptual awareness established in the development of the senses, the Montessori method considers a child’s mind as mathematical. It is believed that learning mathematical concepts progresses rationally from tangible to abstract and from simple to complicated. The development of ideas like numbering systems, decimal points, fractions, and the fundamental mathematical operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with numbers up to 9999 are all included in the Montessori math curriculum.
4. Language
The child teaches himself to write and read with the help of the Montessori Language resources. The child makes use of movable alphabets, metal insets, and letters made of sandpaper. From mastering the phonetic sounds of the alphabet to blending and reading simple three-letter phonetic words, the child advances gradually to lengthier phonetic words, non-phonetic words, phrases, sentences, chapters, and books. Through the use of the Montessori grammar resources, the child gains proficiency in print, cursive, and word function.
5. Creative Arts
A natural curiosity for the world and his environment exists in every child. The Montessori-trained teacher satisfies the children’s curiosity by explaining the elements that make up the earth, land, water, and air. She then guides them in grasping the idea of a globe, distinct land and ocean formations, and the world’s various continents.
Creating a Home Learning Environment
When parents talk about using the Montessori Method at home, the concern of expenses frequently comes up. There is a misconception that implementing Montessori in your house is costly, it need not be that way.
We’ll go over the information you need to make Montessori at home simple and inexpensive. It’s crucial to remember that Montessori at home is an endeavor involving the entire house. So that every member of the family may live independently as much as possible, each room should be set up. Practical life activities, like grooming, clearing the table after meals and taking care of one’s belongings and the belongings of the family, help children develop inner discipline.
Here are three ideas that make Montessori at home beneficial for both you and your child before we explore what it looks like from room to room.
Maintaining objects at eye level.
Keep things in order so that your child can quickly reach the things they require for self-directed learning. To ensure that your child has access to the materials when they need them, consider adding a child-safe shelf to your kitchen, bathroom, and other rooms.
Less can be more.
Parents are constantly tempted to enrich and amuse their kids’ environments with new toys and books. However, less is more when it comes to the Montessori way of learning. Use smaller bins and trays to arrange books and toys by themes rather than large, deep buckets. As your child’s interests change, monitor them and introduce new things using your knowledge of Montessori parenting techniques.
Give them their own cleaning tools
Place child-safe cleaning tools like brooms and clothes at your child’s eye level. By doing this, you’re empowering your kid to take charge of activities like getting their own nutritious snacks or cleaning up a spill.
Montessori at-home materials
Fancy toys are not required to establish a Montessori home, even if the Montessori philosophy strongly advocates learning through play. When used in the proper setting, common home products, and activities from everyday life can also be used to create educational activities for kids. Young children learn the language, math, fine and gross motor abilities, sensory skills, and other life skills through these activities.
The five main categories of learning in the Montessori way have already been discussed above which are, real-life experiences, materials for sensors, math resources, language, and creative arts. Having these five main categories of materials, you can curate Montessori at-home materials.
The following materials are frequently used to make Montessori activities:
- Writing supplies
- Paper and building supplies
- Food and related products and vessels
- Around the house, “odds and ends”
- Textiles and clothing
- Wood and other natural materials
Simple Montessori activities
These popular and well-liked Montessori activities below are so easy and simple to make at home. Some people may suggest particular tools, such as a piano or an abacus, although other options are given that would be more practical and affordable.
- Painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture, jewelry making, glass blowing, woodworking, knitting, and sewing are just a few of the art activities available.
- Singing (opera, pop, etc.), dancing (ballet, tap, hip-hop, etc.), and more for musical activities.
- Baking and cooking include combining ingredients, decorating baked goods, kneading and shaping dough, and more.
- Puzzles and games can be used to develop patterns, create outlines, practice strategy, work in teams, and more.
- Sorting clothes, putting away dishes, matching cleaning supplies to materials, exercising pets, and other household chores.
- Candle-making, wax sculpture, scrapbooking, flower arranging, woodworking, and other specialized activities.
- Creating volcanoes, making slime, looking for fossils, breaking geodes, building rockets, and other activities for science experiments.
- Using multiplication tables, abacuses, sorting beans, stacking blocks, connecting legos, and other interactive math activities.
- Building fake bird nests, devising diet plans, erecting enclosures, imparting fundamental obedience, and other activities involving animals.
These activities incorporate a variety of interests, capabilities, talents, and educational levels of a child. The above-mentioned activities are all engaging on a physical, intellectual, and artistic level, making them appropriate for people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy and learn from.
How To Set Up a Montessori School at Home
We all yearn for a dedicated workspace where we can work, whether it be an office, a cell, a computer desk, or a coffee shop. Many kids have the same need for a special place where they may learn and explore.
The Montessori Bedroom
Your child’s bedroom serves the same purpose as your own as a retreat from the activities they are involved in on a daily basis. When creating the Montessori at-home bedroom, many of the same Prepared Environment principles can be used.
Starting with the bed
Even though many of us had childhood fantasies about having a race car or a princess bed with four posts, a Montessori child’s bedroom benefits most from a straightforward floor bed. A floor bed gives your kid the independence to begin each day on their own, regardless of whether they are rolling around, crawling, or learning to stand still.
Dressing themselves
When your child can get out of bed without assistance, they can choose their own clothes and get dressed. They gain internal discipline and a greater sense of independence as a result.
Owning one’s space and possessions is a necessary step toward independence. Include your child in the process of folding and storing their clothes, teach them how to make their bed, and demonstrate to them that everything has a place in your home and that cleaning up is an important part of learning and play.
The Montessori Kitchen
Families gather in the kitchen. Everything is shared there, including meals and daily events, making it the center of activity. Making your kitchen a place where your Montessori child may observe, participate in, and contribute is part of setting up your kitchen for them.
Use of real utensils
Use real plates and utensils with your child instead of play or toy-themed utensils. By using the same utensils as the rest of the family, you can teach your children about their value and inspire them to use, clean, and store their plates, cups, and glasses with care.
Use age-appropriate stools
In the kitchen, it’s not always possible to have seating and furniture that is appropriate for the child’s height. Bring them to counter and sink height using stools that are suitable for their age. Toddlers can watch adults wash dishes and pour water since they are at the perfect height to execute these tasks when they are old enough.
The Montessori Bathroom
Your child has the chance to learn how to take care of the surroundings and themselves in every room of your house. This is especially true in the restroom. A strong, independent child must learn how to take care of their hygiene.
The bathroom is a room in your house that can be modified for your Montessori child as they develop, just like your kitchen can. You can set an example by brushing your teeth and washing your hands in the bathroom to show others how to behave properly.
Parents unquestionably appreciate their children’s education. It may be difficult to decide which school is best for your child. But in the meantime, you can try incorporating the way of Montessori at the comfort of your BRIA Homes to develop your child. Check this article if you’re ready to enroll your child in a proper school– How to Choose a Good School for Your Kid?
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