All About Montessori

[MumandMe]

Hi, is there a Montesorri school at Bukit Timah 6th Ave?

[MumandMe]

Cantbearit2,


I’m keen n the Montessori Grammar workshop. Would you share more details pls? Location, fees, duration etc. Thanks a bunch.

[cantbearit2]

MumandMe:

Cantbearit2,


I'm keen n the Montessori Grammar workshop. Would you share more details pls? Location, fees, duration etc. Thanks a bunch.

Hi MumandMe,
e nex workshop e trainer has lined up will b e Montessori phonics (Sep), followed by e Maths (ard Oct). Grammar will b aft tat. But no harm checking wif e trainer, Nafisa.
Aft e phonics workshop, i will oso chk wif her on a follow up grammar course.
You may chk out e link below. ey sell Montessori materials as well.
http://enrighten.com/specials.html

[laughingcat]

Hi cantbearit2, check with you… is the 3hrs on the grammar workshop sufficient?

[cantbearit2]

laughingcat:

Hi cantbearit2, check with you....... is the 3hrs on the grammar workshop sufficient?

e 3 hrs only covers e basic (noun, adjective & verbs). However thru tis workshop, i learnt more abt e delivery of lessons than e grammar rules itself.

Eg. i always thot of using grammar assessment bks to teach my DD & each time we go thru e ans, I will explain e grammar rule to her. However it doesn't seem to sink in. :slapshead: Aft tis workshop, i will b using a diff approach to teach her. Of course, i need 2 spend time doing some DIY stuff b4 i can start. It involves making some coloured cards (wif words) wif e diff components of a sentence & some concrete materials to support it.

But i will definitely chk wif e trainer on e follow up workshop as e one i have juz attended is really basic. It is gd for 4-5 y.o. to build a solid foundation, which is v impt. My DD1 is already P1 but i will use e same approach to teach her as her foundation is pretty weak.

Tink grammar workshop shld be at least 4 weekends (3 hrs each time) like e phonics & maths workshop. Tis will prob satisfy pple like me who have e impulse to attend a montessori diploma course, haha...!!! :rotflmao:

[cantbearit2]

buds:

I was already sure cantbearit2 would enjoy the workshop. The Montessori Method helps directresses and parents to guide their children in the refinement of the senses.. to make use of all that we have and maximize learning potential. Through the sensorial experiences as well, we (directresses) have the ability to zoom into early detection of certain learning or sensorial deficiencies. As the children we work with are all uniquely their own, teaching using the Montessori Method is a pleasure as there is always something new to learn and discover abt the wonders children CAN achieve... if only we let them. :love:

buds, u really noe me.... :snuggles:
wen someone in e class ask e trainer abt starting e sensorial workshop, my eyes open big big cos oso interested mah. v greedy hor???!!! :evil: already got phonics & maths in e pipeline still not satisfied. IM like a teenager hooked onto gaming, can't seem to stop. :oops:
Actually was wondering Y din u consider starting up workshop like these since u have \"sacked\" yur boss. :scratchhead:

[buds]

Oh, but I did..

Way before anyone did actually.. :please:

Like I mentioned, I don't want to be popular
or cater to the masses. I'm happy just doing
the small groups I have. I help parents,
grandparents, teachers, helpers n volunteers
while finding time to volunteer for children
from underprivileged families n also agreeing
to teach students who are in dire need of help
with reading and literacy.. basically the odd ones
out who have trouble with foundation and cannot
cope with school. Usually these students have either
been shunned from tutors who bank in on results or
many others have given up on these students incl
their school teachers who may not have time to
spare at all to personally look into the real problems
and left them to play catch up on their own.

Put it simply, I'm mostly low profile. I like it that way.
Am not so commercially inclined.. Just that I like what
I do very much.. I keep all of my classes small & cosy
plus i only take them when they come by only word of
mouth... as my frenz are sworn to secrecy not to make
it like I'm running a school or business or anything like
that. I'm really just happy with simple things in life.. I
keep things simple. Placing family needs as priority, I'm
that I can do this on the side n yet be there for my
children at the same time...all the time. :love:

[sean wife]

Hi buds,


My DD1 can count and write sequentially from 1-100. But she seems to have difficulty recalling from memory what the number before and after a certain number is. That’s why when I teach her simple addition using the count forward method (numbers only, no pictures), she needs to refer to the number line or start to count from 1 onwards….Is it a matter of more familiarity or other things I need to re-inforce? My younger twin seems a bit more sensitive to numbers and can recall the number sequence better i.e. no need to start from 1….

Very hard not to compare their outputs when all the inputs are the same….But then, the jie-jie seems better at Chinese word recognition… inputs and efforts also the same but somehow some words cannot stick to my mei-mei’s little brain…

[buds]

sean wife:

Hi buds,


My DD1 can count and write sequentially from 1-100. But she seems to have difficulty recalling from memory what the number before and after a certain number is. That’s why when I teach her simple addition using the count forward method (numbers only, no pictures), she needs to refer to the number line or start to count from 1 onwards….Is it a matter of more familiarity or other things I need to re-inforce? My younger twin seems a bit more sensitive to numbers and can recall the number sequence better i.e. no need to start from 1….

Hi again sean wife..

In our Montessori classroom, being able to count in sequence from 1 to 100 or more is not made an emphasis what more with children of your twins' age. Instead the emphasis is the importance of foundation... of understanding the concrete before we go on to the abstract. While we do cover the recognition of numbers 1-100 using our Hundred Board, it is midway down the line within the Montessori Math method. Montessorian children are taught to see the numbers in concrete form.. feel the numbers (sensorially).. and in turn to relate them to the abstract.. that numerals are used to represent the materials they have had sensorial experience with. The introductions are done systematically with many many many sensorial experiences to ensure the children truly understand the quantity before the actual numeral. Hence, Montessorian children may have less confusion when it comes to number sequence, more & less, number bonds.. etc.

I recall that i have mentioned to you before that your children are very very advanced for their age with the stimulation that you have relentlessly given to ensure this. The problem with being advanced beyond their age is maturity and that if executed properly can see obstacles. These obstacles can be challenging to go back to (to fix) as the children will find that they have already covered the areas and may not want a re-run of what has been taught to them. Even if they do allow for repetition, most times not willingly.. at least in my experience.

Nevertheless, here is what i can offer in order to maybe help you to troubleshoot the matter at hand. If it were a matter of familiarity, you can try working the before and after concept with ten numbers at a time.. perhaps with number cards. Using the same cards, you can diversify the reinforcement activity by playing a snap game of before and after. One player suggest a number and calls for a before or after number, everyone takes turns to put their cards down the middle pile and the person who snaps them at first sight of the answer wins all. You can extend the activity by asking for the answer to... 3 numbers after the number 5 per se. You can also change/twist your question to... i am thinking of a number 2 more than 7..

As for single digit addition, you may want to try this. For example for 2+7=____ ... i usually tell my children there aren't enough fingers and toes to count the future additions that come their way. So for simple ones they practise working with heart counting. It goes like this.

> First number in your heart... which is 2.

> Second number in your hands.. which is 7.

They would recite...

\"2 in my heart and seven in my hands!\" (while putting up 7 fingers)..

\"After 2..\"(beginning to count forwards & putting down each finger as they are counting)

\"... is 3.. 4.. 5.. 6.. 7.. 8.. 9!\"

\"So 2 plus 7 equals 9. \"

When they were little, they counted aloud. As they grew older, they learn to count in their hearts still in whisper mode.. .. and later on in their mind. Since you are already using a number line, you can use the number line concept too. Ask them to see the line in their mind... move the counting curves as they are adding up the simple sums you are giving them.

By kindy days, i taught them number bonds... which in P1 comes super handy. Both my children have never attended brain training or abacus lessons. Just fun reinforcements of foundations with me. Of course, i diversify my reinforment lessons with my treasure trove.. of resources.

sean wife:

Very hard not to compare their outputs when all the inputs are the same….But then, the jie-jie seems better at Chinese word recognition… inputs and efforts also the same but somehow some words cannot stick to my mei-mei’s little brain…

Understand where you are coming from.. :hugs: I'm sure many parents are guilty of this (myself included).. :oops: Since we always say, no two children are alike (twins regardless)... then their sensitive periods of picking up concepts and skills will not be the same regardless the amount of input driven into them.

Hope this helps somewhat. :imanisland:

[cantbearit2]

Hi Buds,


my DD2's teacher mentioned tat she's not doing blending but rather sight reading during phonics class. eg. 'at', she's able to read it but not using e blending way, as in sounding 'a' then 't' then blend em together. Though she's able to read e words too wen putting a consonant in front of 'at' (eg. 'mat', 'rat', 'fat' etc), teacher says she's juz not blending but sight reading. :oops:

How shld i encourage her to blend rather than sight read? I will only b attending e montessori phonics workshop in Sep. Meanwhile, shld i slow down e pace for sight reading since IM not sure how to teach her phonics blending at e moment? :?: