All About Montessori

[buds]

Nope. I doubt so. Because most of them aren't full-fledged Montessorians. Attending one or two crash courses or workshops of sorts does not make one a Montessorian at all. It takes a very long time to understand, to live and breathe the Montessori experience for an educator herself before imparting all that knowledge, experience and patience to see through the programme with conviction to the children. Unless perhaps a full-fledged Montessorian is only running the enrichment part in that normal childcare then perhaps it can be possible that it can be of relatively comparable quality bah.


As for IF a parent were to ask if a Montessori childcare and a Montessori enrichment centre were to provide / offer comparable quality of those two subject enrichment lessons... Hmmm... Equally good? :scratchhead:

They're exactly the same.. well they should be. The only difference is that childcare hours run from 7-7pm for full day or 7-1pm for half day, which means that the timetable can be dragged to schedule Maths can either be everyday or alternate days where the same curriculum is taught to the children. Just a matter of enrichment may finish faster (not equating to children understanding it faster or better though). But childcare set-up children get more practice... more hands-on... more concrete foundation.

For enrichment programme is usually for those children who are not in any childcare or even kindergarten or/and aren't in a Montessori kindergarten or childcare set-up and the current kindergarten/childcare they are attending does not really prepare Mathematics foundation that well as compared to the Montessori Math. They attend weekly classes of 1hr or 1.5hrs in a span of saaaayyyy... 1yr to 1.5yrs to finish an entire programme, unlike children in a Montessori environment who may get hands-on experience on a daily basis or on alternate days when scheduled in between getting to get the other wholesome / holistic areas of the Montessori Method like grace and courtesy, music appreciation, art, geography, cultural studies, practical life and soo many more!

Did i just confuse you more? :oops:

[Jav]

Hi Buds, have u heard about the Montessori enrichment by BARKER ROAD METHODIST KINDERGARTEN. it is held for 3 hrs Mon-Fri. I just wonder whether it will be well equipped w Montessori curriculumn.

[cantbearit2]

buds:

Just read this and saw your PM as well. Will reply to you shortly..
Thank you for dropping your note & appreciating my work / sharings.
You certainly made my day, cantbearit2! :snuggles:

Yes, Montessori offers non-threatening.. non-pressurizing learning environment at yours and your child's comfortable pace. Yes as well to some materials being more worth to purchase than DIY especially if you're looking to teach more than one child. However, i find the pricing for enrighten products have seen a hike over the years. Hence i prefer to look for other options wherever possible. I've purchased from them before so i observed the price hikes are quite substantial. Plus some of their items are also China made. Some China made ones are pretty much ok if you aren't fussy and if it's meant for homeschool. There are different quality grades between the different companies/manufacturers.

As for more extensive parent-programmes, i will keep you in the loop cantbearit2.. I really got sooo many requests. So i supposed it'd be good to put into action. Only thing is i will only cater for closed-group only... no big-scale. To buds' kakis... we'll keep in touch.

Buds, u R back!!!

Yes!!!! Pleeeeease keep me in e loop. :thankyou:

I have no lobang to buy reasonably price items but yet in a hurry to teach my DD2. thus I bought quite a few thgs fr enrighten too. Actually I did some comparison on e pricing but unfortunately i can't compare e quality as i have not ordered fr overseas yet.

Thru e current workshop, a lot of us mummies r scouring e internet to do some comparison. Esp for e more ex items like the golden beads. :moneyflies: Sad to say, tis is e MOST IMPORTANT maths material to me so have to spend a bit. We mummies r consolidating our requirements & have not ordered yet.

As for e price hike in Enrighten, i have no basis to compare too since I only started buying fr not so long ago. :scratchhead:

[SAHM_TAN]

I'm no expert but like to search internet.


I once came across a blog or site by an overseas mummy who made her own golden beads. It can be done. It's like doing beading but use sturdier wire.

May I know how much does a maths workshop cost? Thanks

I thought the shop has a cheaper China made version of the beads? The colour of the beads is more yellow than golden.

[cantbearit2]

SAHM_TAN:

I'm no expert but like to search internet.


I once came across a blog or site by an overseas mummy who made her own golden beads. It can be done. It's like doing beading but use sturdier wire.

May I know how much does a maths workshop cost? Thanks

Err....I have DIY quite a no. of stuff for phonics (& still doing). Dun tink I still have time 4 maths DIY.

As for e maths workshop, I tink it is ard $400 plus. As i've paid for it quite some time ago, i can't remember e exact amt. :oops: U may wish to keep a lookout for e workshop next yr.

[SAHM_TAN]

cantbearit2:

Err....I have DIY quite a no. of stuff for phonics (& still doing). Dun tink I still have time 4 maths DIY.

As for e maths workshop, I tink it is ard $400 plus. As i've paid for it quite some time ago, i can't remember e exact amt. :oops: U may wish to keep a lookout for e workshop next yr.

I can't make it for the workshop, timing not right and bb with me. I was just trying to make a comparison of the cost for that and teaching manual. Thanks

[jancy]

buds:

I seem to have also read your enrighten recommendation in other forums as well.. :evil: So, it's not entirely incorrect to presume you might be a sales rep isn't it?


Sorry arh.. you mentioned you wanted to save $ by homeschooling your two kiddies. I'm just a little confused here cos you indicated in your profile that your elder child (boy) was born Apr 2000, which makes him 11yrs old oredi and should be doing psle nx year and your younger (girl) is a May 2005 baby which makes her already in K2... :scratchhead: I'm sure she should already have completed all aspects of the English Language isn't it? So when you say you homeschool your children... do you mean to share that you homeschool / will homeschool both of them all through primary school education? :scratchhead: Bbbb.... bbbuut.... you shared very recently that you have purchased the Ants On The Apple book from enrighten a couple of posts back? > http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?p=606044#p606044. Can't be that you're in the process of only teaching single letter sounds to your daughter right? She's gonna be in P1 nx yr correct?

I do have lao hua yen so i initially thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.. :?

Btw, i have strongly emphasized that i am no expert. Never was and never will be. All that i have shared are based on genuine sharings of my teaching journey and also my personal experiences as a parent. Since i have been on both sides of the fence (educator and parent), i can try to rationalize and as much as possible... or run through certain grey areas parents may have doubts with; pertaining to education in general or the Montessori Method of Education.

LOL . :xedfingers: .. Buds you are really getting serious! The Ants on Apple Book was for a gift ... and my daughter has completed the single sounds but still not that good at reading lah.. Still need to do a lot of work with her.
I am not fully homeschooling but actually jsut supplementing at home only ... but still onsider myself a long way away ... Please I don't want to be in your bad books!

[buds]

cantbearit2:

Buds, u R back!!!

Dun get too excited. I happened to have some time.. tts abt it.
Plus all the sweet PMs & messages i've been receiving from u
guys here really make me miss all of you. :love:

cantbearit2:

Yes!!!! Pleeeeease keep me in e loop. :thankyou:

You ARE definitely in the loop babe.
Will keep you posted okie?

cantbearit2:

I have no lobang to buy reasonably price items but yet in a hurry to teach my DD2. thus I bought quite a few thgs fr enrighten too. Actually I did some comparison on e pricing but unfortunately i can't compare e quality as i have not ordered fr overseas yet. Thru e current workshop, a lot of us mummies r scouring e internet to do some comparison. Esp for e more ex items like the golden beads. :moneyflies: Sad to say, tis is e MOST IMPORTANT maths material to me so have to spend a bit. We mummies r consolidating our requirements & have not ordered yet.

MOST IMPORTANT?
In a hurry? :frustrated:
Dun fret. I'm coming to your rescue now. :hugs:
Here are other quick alternatives. :imanangel:

Here's the link for the base ten set from Growing Fun. Best bargain, babe. $29.90 nia!
http://www.growingfun.com/product_details.cgi?PROD_ID=600

The operations felt mat is also quite expensive.
http://www.bambini-montessori.com/price_list.htm

You can DIY, you can purchase a thick green felt material & line
your columns with fabric paint, big enough to work the base ten set
from Growing Fun. The thicker ones at Spotlight can work fine too cept'
won't be able to roll it oni.

Here's another link of a set of blue linking base ten starter set
from The Learning Store for $66.90.
http://www.learningstore.com.sg/product_info.php?products_id=874

You can buy from here too. They have a membership account with
KiasuParents as well. Their nick is the name of their store.
http://www.learningstore.com.sg/product_info.php?products_id=1756

[buds]

SAHM_TAN:

I thought the shop has a cheaper China made version of the beads? The colour of the beads is more yellow than golden.

Which shop? Enrighten's wan oso yellow. Montessori beads of poor quality have sharp finish at certain edges. Watch out for those. I dun quite fancy those with the wires sticking out on both ends. Looks unsightly especially for the thousand cube but of course still can use laa. I have the Growing Fun base ten set, the actual golden beads and also the wooden ones. Kiasu anot arh?

I have a serious fetish. Buying too many materials.
But they are sooo good & i love all of them. :please:

Serious problem hor.

[mamajen]

Hi there,

I noticed you visited Whitelodge. Did you like the school? I am thinking about sending my 18 months old there but not sure if it is a good choice. Hope to hear some thoughts from you.