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    All About Montessori

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Child Care, Kindergartens & Student Care
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    • J Offline
      jul04
      last edited by

      buds:
      Just that my P4's homework has been a KILLER! :frustrated: There is almost

      a few pieces of homework for every subject every single day! Not inclusive
      of all the enrichment/supplementary lessons the school is giving. I'm not complaining.....
      Wah! Scary.. Nvm let's not think abt that yet. Let me settle my boy's 4 yr old education before thinking of Pri 4! :scratchhead:

      buds:
      jul04:

      So confused and torn between Montessori & \"traditional\" pre-school. Very stressed, u know? :?:

      I remember answering this similar question somewhere within these pages..
      Hmmm... gotta dig now.. šŸ˜“ Aniwaes, below are some links to some sharings
      i did some time back.. if it helps. Btw, goggle-eyed sounds cute. šŸ˜„


      http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=906&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=70

      http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=906&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=120

      I read \"Montessori Children\" by Caroline somebody Baily??? :oops: Apparently she went to observe Dr Montessori's Children Houses in the Wordl War I years & wrote this book on the case studies & I'm just fascinated! I mean.. abt how the kids learn though their senses, how they start to write on their own, how they change from a terrible child to one who self-disciplines! Sounds almost like a quackhouse! Like.. really meh???? :idea:

      However, I notice that the \"pure\" montessori method is very difficult, very tedious, & almost impossible to follow in our lives unless we intend to establish some Montessori commune! I mean, how do you make sure they have small furniture to work on, all the tools at hand, all the proper equipment like real plates & crockery & gym equipment. I'll bet what Spore Montessoris do is just adopt the \"academic\" things like the alphabets, some toys to insert the cylinders stuff (dunno the name lah :oops: ), & the counting beads for Maths right? I doubt they have the frame to practice clothes buttoning, or the gym equipment. As in.. the \"lifestyle\" bits? Right?

      Aiyoh.. I sound hopelessly blur & inarticulate coz I dunno the terms! :x Anyway.. the point I'm getting at is :

      1) What do Spore Montessoris do in their curriculum? I suppose most don't follow the full Montessori \"lifestyle\" but just use bits like Phonics, Math, some toys like the Ahem.. insert cylinder thing? They don't use the gym gear & other things?

      2) If I enroll the boy into a Montessori playgroup/kindy.. it'll be like only 3h. After discounting the time taken for assembly, queuing up for food, toilet time, washing hands.. etc miscellaneous stuff, what time is there left for Montessori teaching? Not to mention those 1h or 1.5h playgroups for over 18-mth olds.. got time to do anything meh???

      3) Does this mean I shd enroll the boy into a full-day childcare to reap the benefits of Montessori \"lifestyle'?

      4) With all the time constraint mentioned above, do Directresses really take the time to do what you did? Be very aware of children's sensitive periods & go all into the country & state maps, costumes, languages etc? Don't they need to take care of the other kids?

      Lastly, I though abt enrolling my boy into a parent-accompanied Montessori playgroup on weekends.

      1) But it's only 1/1.5h.. again.. enough time to learn?

      2) I think they do Phonics. But my boy doesn't know his ABCs,.. wouldn't learning Phonics now confuse him?

      3) Would learning a bit of Zoophonics now.. then Montessori phonics in pre-nursery & nursery,.. then Letterland or whatever phonics in kindy screw him up on reading & writing for life?

      :gloomy:

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • A Offline
        autumnbronze
        last edited by

        buds:
        Blending two letters first to make one sound like say... \"at\"...

        followed by reading the words that rhyme using one beginning single
        letter sounds with that same ending sound like... bat cat fat hat mat pat (etc)
        is using the word families styled reading.

        Some children have been known to memorize words using the above way
        to read and yet still unable to spell when asked to (perhaps due to the
        lack of emphasis and solid teaching of single letter sounds during the
        initial stage... while others have the ability to catch on that the sound
        combinations represent two separate single letter sounds & effectively
        use them to read and spell other words with that combination.

        The other, which blends single letter sounds separately... c... a... t... is the
        word building styled reading.

        Both are learning styles that can work. No right and wrong. I do suppose
        the Montessori method is no longer rigid as in.. it can bend in some ways
        as long as it benefits the children. šŸ˜‰

        I personally prefer to work with my children, students and parents the
        word building way as it has proven to be more effective and concrete on
        top of helping the child to pave the way to independent reading as they
        learn to hear sounds in words to be able to read them & like wise also
        decode sounds in words to spell them.

        Hope this clarifies. Cheerios!
        Yes it does, Buds. Thanks a lot :celebrate:

        Have started DS with 3 words blending so this will come in handy šŸ˜„ šŸ˜„

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • J Offline
          jul04
          last edited by

          buds:
          you asking me about my lessons arh? :lol: But hor... oredi got waitlist.

          Kekekee.. You willing to do PV anot? :rotflmao:

          Nope, not running the classes yet. Coming... coming...
          I also wanna join your classes! I can do PV! I can.. er.. :idea: I can.. what can I do ah? I can't drive.. I know! :idea: I can take temperature & distribute hand sanitiser at the door!

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • B Offline
            buds
            last edited by

            autumnbronze:
            Yes it does, Buds. Thanks a lot :celebrate:


            Have started DS with 3 words blending so this will come in handy šŸ˜„ šŸ˜„
            Fwaah! Someone goin' pretty fast there aye? šŸ˜‰

            For his age, he's quite advanced... then again with the mommy
            very ONz... i'm not surprised. šŸ˜‰ Lemme noe if you require
            any assistance, k?

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • B Offline
              buds
              last edited by

              jul04:
              buds:

              you asking me about my lessons arh? :lol: But hor... oredi got waitlist. Kekekee.. You willing to do PV anot? :rotflmao:


              Nope, not running the classes yet. Coming... coming...

              I also wanna join your classes! I can do PV! I can.. er.. :idea: I can.. what can I do ah? I can't drive.. I know! :idea: I can take temperature & distribute hand sanitiser at the door!

              I scared later you take checklist and see that i do all the wonders that the
              Montessori Method has promised to transform your child in record time.. :siam:

              Cause I see you've done your homework... šŸ˜‰

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • B Offline
                buds
                last edited by

                jul04:
                buds:

                Just that my P4's homework has been a KILLER! :frustrated: There is almost

                a few pieces of homework for every subject every single day! Not inclusive
                of all the enrichment/supplementary lessons the school is giving. I'm not complaining.....

                Wah! Scary.. Nvm let's not think abt that yet. Let me settle my boy's 4 yr old education before thinking of Pri 4! :scratchhead:

                Scary hell awrite! :lol:

                PSLE oredi looming around for me.. *gulp* :scared:
                jul04:
                I read \"Montessori Children\" by Caroline somebody Baily??? :oops: Apparently she went to observe Dr Montessori's Children Houses in the Wordl War I years & wrote this book on the case studies & I'm just fascinated! I mean.. abt how the kids learn though their senses, how they start to write on their own, how they change from a terrible child to one who self-disciplines! Sounds almost like a quackhouse! Like.. really meh???? :idea:
                Yah boy, i get watcha mean! :lol: Especially the quackhouse part! :laugh:
                I, coming from mainstream initially was sworn into the drill method, with bits of
                thematic work & also learning centres... and so... jumping into Montessori then
                i was like, \"Wuh? Sure not? Cheh..\" Sceptic i was really. 😐 I was like who the
                hell wants to do an individual curriculum, that's helluva lotta extra work! And like
                how to do all that with 37 children ( i had that many on my first day at work ) 😐
                with only these two hands and only 3 hours? :siao:

                Then, as i slowly gave it a chance to unfold itself through theory and eventually
                hands on, you could say, i was sold. :love: But the upper hand advantage i had
                was i had dual knowledge of both mainstream AND Montessori, so the children i
                got to work with also got double of everything. To clarify, definitely not 37. I got
                to work with 3 and eventually 6 and eventually when they (the management) saw
                i could work the Montessori magic :roll: they piled me with MORE! :roll: Bosses. šŸ˜›
                They start with reasons of pure passion (for the quality teaching method and
                environment) and somehow wherever i went... they would eventually end with
                reasons of commercial passion. Bwaah. šŸ˜›
                jul04:
                However, I notice that the \"pure\" montessori method is very difficult, very tedious, & almost impossible to follow in our lives unless we intend to establish some Montessori commune! I mean, how do you make sure they have small furniture to work on, all the tools at hand, all the proper equipment like real plates & crockery & gym equipment. I'll bet what Spore Montessoris do is just adopt the \"academic\" things like the alphabets, some toys to insert the cylinders stuff (dunno the name lah :oops: ), & the counting beads for Maths right? I doubt they have the frame to practice clothes buttoning, or the gym equipment. As in.. the \"lifestyle\" bits? Right?
                Ekkh.. *buzzer sound* :lol: Wrong! :politebleah:

                One question.. have you visited any Montessori centres yet? :idea:
                jul04:
                Aiyoh.. I sound hopelessly blur & inarticulate coz I dunno the terms! :x Anyway.. the point I'm getting at is :
                Hey, no worries... i totally get what you mean. :hugs:

                Know why?

                Cause you are like almost all other parents i have spoken to (some at great length too)..
                parents who were sceptics like me... who went, \"Go playgroup play masak-masak arh? :?
                Cheh.. at home oso can. :roll: Then, when i learn what the work was intended for and so
                on... i realized wow... there's more to everything than meets the eye... like seriously..
                and of course, i slowly became the articulate one... ta daa! :lol:
                jul04:
                [1) What do Spore Montessoris do in their curriculum? I suppose most don't follow the full Montessori \"lifestyle\" but just use bits like Phonics, Math, some toys like the Ahem.. insert cylinder thing? They don't use the gym gear & other things?
                Wow. Blanket sweep question! Cannot answer! 😢 For each set up is built according
                to its own space constraints, to its mission/purpose, to serve certain services that does
                benefit children in the name of the methodology. For example, some Montessori schools
                are run as per childcare, kindergarten and/or enrichment hence each set up has its
                own conditions and limitations of service. And ehem... cost is also another factor.
                The materials are expensive... teachers are also expensive... by that i mean good ones
                and by that again... i mean, teachers who believe... that learning can come naturally
                from the heart.. :love:
                jul04:
                [2) If I enroll the boy into a Montessori playgroup/kindy.. it'll be like only 3h. After discounting the time taken for assembly, queuing up for food, toilet time, washing hands.. etc miscellaneous stuff, what time is there left for Montessori teaching? Not to mention those 1h or 1.5h playgroups for over 18-mth olds.. got time to do anything meh???
                Yes yes... your questions and concerns are ALL valid. Valid cause in Singapore we rush
                everything and try to do everything we can within what little time we have.. this is
                one of the constraints. :roll: I have done the 1.5s and the 3s... and am happy to note
                that yes, time may not be of an advantage... but when we have smaller group of
                children to work with (small teacher:student ratio)... have complete set of materials
                to work with... a prepared environment & curriculum... throw in a knowledgable directress
                and may i add... who believes and has faith in the method... it works all on its own...

                Here i'm saying... i believe and because of that belief it slowly became a passion
                that i have faith in cos i've had personal hand at it and can tell you that it works. šŸ˜„ We work the curriculum not the curriculum works us... cos then,
                we'd be chasin' waterfalls ain't it? With small group of normalized children,
                guiding & observing them... facilitating the programme becomes manageable
                on certain days... easy. šŸ˜‰
                jul04:
                [3) Does this mean I shd enroll the boy into a full-day childcare to reap the benefits of Montessori \"lifestyle'?
                Not necessarily. As mentioned above, with good educators... much can be accomplished
                even with limitations of time... and not something that we have a choice with cos we are
                but only; the employees.
                jul04:
                [4) With all the time constraint mentioned above, do Directresses really take the time to do what you did? Be very aware of children's sensitive periods & go all into the country & state maps, costumes, languages etc? Don't they need to take care of the other kids?
                Yes we do... And that goes to answer for all the questions in (4). šŸ˜‰
                jul04:
                [Lastly, I though abt enrolling my boy into a parent-accompanied Montessori playgroup on weekends.
                Fantastic start i say.. :idea:

                Parent AND child will get to slowly learn more about the learning approach and both
                can have the time and option to gauge if Montessori is indeed what you want and
                would like for yourself and your child.
                jul04:
                [1) But it's only 1/1.5h.. again.. enough time to learn?
                Yes... and it will leave you wanting more at the end of each week's lesson. šŸ˜‰

                Enough time to learn... enough time to believe... :love:
                jul04:
                [2) I think they do Phonics. But my boy doesn't know his ABCs,.. wouldn't learning Phonics now confuse him?
                Montessori is about the 5 areas ain't it?

                You can do the alphabets and let the centre do the sounds.
                Whaddya think of this arrangement? šŸ˜‰ If you work together, it can work. :celebrate:
                jul04:
                [3) Would learning a bit of Zoophonics now.. then Montessori phonics in pre-nursery & nursery,.. then Letterland or whatever phonics in kindy screw him up on reading & writing for life?
                Screw? :rotflmao: Naaah.. the child will only be getting loads more vocabulary i say! :idea:
                Zoophonics and Jollyphonics have interesting hand-gestures (actions) to accompany
                the letter sounds. Letterland has colourful & fun characters plus beautiful music/songs
                to accompany the learning of the letter sounds...

                And finally.... Montessori has complete resources and by complete i do mean...
                every step of the way... level by level... to complete the much needed skill of
                reading and writing to equip the child for life.. :love:

                For single letter sounds honestly, it is fine... the only part that needs work is
                the transition from learning the sounds with characters and songs into the
                actual print.

                Hope this helps clarify some doubts you may have.. *gulp*.. read : \"hope\".. :lol:
                Aniwaes, kudos to you for having done your homework. I'll give you some more
                homework soon and then.......

                Of course....................

                I WILL TEST YOU......................... :evil:

                My turn to ask the questions. :rubhands:

                QUACK! :lol:

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • J Offline
                  jul04
                  last edited by

                  Er.. no lah. I only browsed through ONE book while colouring my hair at the salon :dancing: And it was written in 1915 some more šŸ˜‰

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • J Offline
                    jul04
                    last edited by

                    buds:
                    jul04:

                    I also wanna join your classes! I can do PV! I can.. er.. :idea: I can.. what can I do ah? I can't drive.. I know! :idea: I can take temperature & distribute hand sanitiser at the door!


                    [I scared later you take checklist and see that i do all the wonders that the Montessori Method has promised to transform your child in record time.. :siam:

                    Cause I see you've done your homework... šŸ˜‰

                    Oops! U caught me there! :laugh:

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • B Offline
                      buds
                      last edited by

                      Aaaahhh.... 😐


                      So des...

                      You scared now no? :lol:

                      Ok, be very scared cos i'm going to reply you
                      with the homework books you asked for. :evil:

                      They are definitely not written in 1915. I bring
                      you back to the now hokie? šŸ˜‰

                      I go fetch my daughter first...

                      Uhmmm... :idea:

                      Help with killer homework too after that...

                      And then, i come give you. Dun flame me after
                      that orh... for you asked for it. :politebleah:

                      Wait? :idea:

                      You can take jokes in puns.... :scared:... right?

                      I mean, better be sure in case ya know... some
                      may not be able to take it the right way... so i
                      better double check. šŸ™

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • J Offline
                        jul04
                        last edited by

                        buds:
                        Wait? :idea:


                        You can take jokes in puns.... :scared:... right?

                        I mean, better be sure in case ya know... some
                        may not be able to take it the right way... so i
                        better double check. šŸ™
                        Yes, yes, no worries. I have a GREAT sense of humour. Just ask my Hubs. He married me didn't he? And I must say he made a very good choice :imanangel:

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