All About Montessori

[sean wife]

Hi phttp,can u pm me your friend’s email?thanks.

[sean wife]

phtthp,


Have sent you a PM...hope to hear from you soon..

:please:

[cantbearit2]

phtthp:

the training material Nafisa provides for the class is more than sufficient for you to kickstart teaching your child Maths at home. Only thing is that you need to buy the Tool. Without the Tool, you can’t teach. Those beads – representing units, hundreds, thousands, 10 thousands … are costly.

some of our classmates bought the entire full Maths set from Nafisa.
But some didn’t. We went internet, google, compare the prices for individual items, then purchased from a US Montessori website instead, cheaper. However, shipment costs very ex, because most Montessori Maths tools are heavy, because made of wood. In the end, one of our classmates order in bulk quantity for all of us from a Montessori website in US, then we spread out the shipment costs evenly amongst ourselves. If you need my classmate’s contact email, I can give you. You may email her, ask her which US Montessori website she ordered from.

Hi phtthp,
Can I check wif u the approx. cost of e entire full Maths set? Or juz e tools? If not convenient, can PM me too. thanks.

[phtthp]

my classmate was so eager to buy the entire full set from Nafisa, after training ended. He has 2 kids. He was the first one to order, say his wife want to start quickly to teach the kids, so quickly urge him to buy. Inside that huge box got golden beads, plus some other stuff. He paid > $240 for that box.


the rest of us were hesitant. Din want to folk out so much $. One of our classmates, an ex-kindergarten teacher, said she wants to go internet first, google for cheaper alternatives. The rest wait for her to do homework first, then order in bulk qty together, to save on shipment costs. Most of my classmates have more than 1 kid.

for me, i only 1 kid. Din want to buy too much, bec after she use, no one else will use, din want to store up white elephant later. House also no space to keep. So i thought of substitute, smaller size and cheaper.


i improvised. i din buy those golden beads. In the end, i used subsitutes. I saw those rubic cubes (colorful) ones. So i substitute the 100s, 1000s golden beads with these. Each small cube costs 60 cents. Can buy from that mini-supermarket right in front of the bus-stop, along Bishan street 22, one bus stop AFTER Catholic High primary school. From Bishan bus interchange, can take bus 410W (White plate). Take only white plate bus, not green plate bus (another route, go somewhr else) Alight one bus stop AFTER Catholic High primary school. Dun know what's the name of that mini-supermkt.

I bought 45 of these small cubes - representing 1000s golden beads cubes. Come home, i quickly wrap them up using brown paper (buy from Popular bookshop), bec the assorted colors for each cube too distracting for child, when learning.

if you dont like brown paper, you can buy green wrapping paper used to wrap up xmas presents, or choose any color you desire, so long as the color not distracting for child, when comes to learning. I asked my mom's maid help me wrap up all 45 cubes, using brown paper. Extra pair of hands help to chip in, wrap up faster.

so when i teach my girl say a smaller number minus a bigger number, and tell her there is no way for a small number to subtract a big number - you need to 'borrow' - so must go to a 'bank' to 'exhange' the 1000s. I told her this - the 'brown paper' cube in your hand represents 1000s.

she holds the small cube in her small palm - feel the cube shape, touch it, got some idea, then she understand the meaning of why she needs to go 'bank' to exchange or borrow, when a small number can't subtract a big number.

btw, you may also buy rubic cubes from ToysRus, but not sure how much.
may not be 60 cents per cube.

then i go Toyogo at Toa Payoh, buy those white plastic containter, to store up these 45 cubes.

i thought of rubic cubes cheaper substitute, bec those golden bead cubes sold by Nafisa also in cube form.

but i also buy those number cards from Nafisa. No time to make or DIY on my own. Plastic number cards not ex, can buy from her.

btw, i also attended this grammar workshop under Nafisa, which smurf mention. Excellent, very good. Should also go for it. After i attend, then i was told and realize that not all montessori pre-schools in SG teach Montessori grammar. Bec these pre-schools may not have sufficient time. Yes, they do teach Montessori Maths and Montessori Phonics to kids, but not necessarily Montessori Grammar.

if you got time to attend, also go for Nafisa Montessori Grammar workshop. Very worth it!

btw, if you enrol yr kid into a montessori pre-school, remember to ask the P if the school got teach & incorporate Montessori Grammar into their curriculum. If not, then better sign up for Nafisa's grammar workshop ... esp. if you think yr child needs help in Grammar.

[smurf]

Just want to point out something:


Those Montessori kindergartens dun teach grammar is because it's supposed to be taught at primary level (in USA, it's grade 2 in think). But I think there is one kindergarten near serangoon that teach Montessori grammar.

[phtthp]

hi smurf,


what’s the name of this montessori pre-school in Serangoon that teach montessori Grammar to kids ?

[phtthp]

My friend shared this email with me … can read:-

================================

we also need to understand that montessori products are meant to be artistically appealing and are traditionally made of natural wood to last the wear and tear of usage, as well as to let the child be closer to nature.

Unfortunately in Singapore, we do not have the natural wood resources to manufacture our own materials, that's why educational companies import them. As you know, the Montessori method is still relatively new and unsupported by main stream education.

There are a few websites that you can check:-

1) http://www.bambini-montessori.com

the products are produced in Malaysia.


2) http://www.montessori-outlet.com

a US company with an ISO certified China factory.

3) http://www.nienhuis.com

the grandson of Maria Montessori runs this place, so their products are of the best quality and design (original designs from Maria herself), observe their prices and quality.

Now, you know why the fees for Montessori schools are high - they need to pay off all the materials that they bring in.

4) http://www.kydzedu.com

- a local company that imports in many educational products including montessori materials. Their prices are steeper, but quality is so much better.

There a few ways to cut down the cost spent on educational products, which unfortunately become white elephant and take up excessive storage place at home, after the children gets bored with it.

a)\tMake your own

It will be good if after attending the workshop, fellow classmates can meet up together, share ideas and show each other how to create certain things together.

There is an unspeakable delight in making something out of love for your child. In fact, you may get your child involved.

I recently bought some coloured beads and wires to make the Bead Stairs 1-10. I do have some beading background, hence I love to experiment. If you would like to join me and share more ideas, do drop me a line.


b)\tConsolidate orders and shipments with others to save shipment cost.

if you are planning on ordering from the US or Malaysia, can do together with your classmates, do a bulk order & shipment.


c) Replace it with another similar product that does the same function.

Sorry I never mentioned this earlier, but I just realised that it would be cheaper to get a few Base Ten sets to replace the Banker Game Golden Beads set.

So what if they are not round beads, it serves the purpose and function, only difference is the shape, that is in squares!

Children, they all learn differently, and they are able to adapt to not using beads - show them that it is the same concept by letting them observe that 1 unit of round bead is the same as 1 unit of square, 1 rod of 10 beads is the same as 1 rod 10 squares!

You may also observe that there are different versions of the montessori method - this came about naturally, just like a school's curriculum. So you will see that some have golden beads banker game, some have the wooden hundred squares and thousand cubes, while others have just number cards. It all really depends on the child - using which type of material does he/she learns the most out from?

There is no 1 PERFECT curriculum for a child.

Folks, you have to remember that there is no such thing as perfect. Please throw that expectation out of your mind, your system and life.

Another example, instead of the counting wooden spindles, you replace them with chopsticks, fat straws and even ice-cream sticks.


d) Rent an item.

In reality, how many hours a day or a week does your child spend using the educational aids that you have bought?

With the increasing amount of time they spent in school and at enrichment classes, how well used is the item versus the amount that you have spent on it?

By renting, you could lessen the storage space needed, and expose your child to various learning manipulatives, without blowing a hole in your budget.

Having been in the preschool education and tutoring line for the past 9 years, I have collected an assortment of educational products.

Since I am now full-time house engineer , I am able and willing to rent out what I have, as well as share with you whatever child educational concern that you have.

==========================================


If you wish to rent Montessori material for your child's use, or learn beading from my friend, I can provide you my friend's email. You may contact her directly yourself.

[smurf]

What’s house engineer??

[phtthp]

'house engineer' means take care of the whole house. :lol:

[buds]

phtthp:

i improvised. i din buy those golden beads. In the end, i used subsitutes.

Heyya phtthp, you could also have considered to just get the base ten
blocks set from Growing Fun. $29.90 nia. Should be complete to begin
early introduction to operations.

Naf's beads are to the yellow side instead of gold. So if you don't mind
the colour, then the Growing Fun set (comes in a box too) is sufficient
for home teaching. Just sharing another alternative.

Here's the link for the base ten set from Growing Fun.
http://www.growingfun.com/product_details.cgi?PROD_ID=600

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

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

If you wanna 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.

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

Just swinging by to add more suggestions. :imanisland: