I am a Mainer and mother to a spunky young girl. When my daughter was a baby, I worked weekends so that I could stay home with her. Then, around 2 years old, she started showing interest in numbers and letters. Her seemingly natural love of learning drove me to see what preschool options were available. However, there weren’t many quality options in the rural area we were living, and we were on a budget. I decided that we would do home school. I spent HOURS preparing cute crafts and activities, thinking that it would be worth it. Except it wasn’t. She would spend about 1 minute total engaging in the activity, if she participated at all. I burnt out very quickly! Ultimately, I went searching for preschools again that were farther away.
Eureka!
I found the perfect school. It was a little one room cottage schoolhouse with a large shaded yard with gardens, goldfish ponds, and natural play equipment. It was a Montessori school with a 6:1 student/teacher ratio. Kids at this school learned to write in cursive, to meditate, and to cook. They were learning about world cultures, and fractions, and the scientific process, and reading at advanced levels. I was blown away at the advanced things the children were learning, and all in a fun, natural, child-led learning environment. The biggest problem was, of course, money. As nice as it was, it was not going to work. After seeing that school, however, none of the others measured up.
My Montessori Love Affair
The little Montessori school had an impact on me. I ended up doing more research into the Montessori method and fell in love with it. I decided that I would adapt the Montessori principals the best I could in my home. To save money, I made many materials myself, and bought what I could not make. The natural tactile materials grabbed her attention for long periods of time, without any influence from me. The materials themselves, allowed her to teach the concepts to herself. My role was to merely sit next to her as a coach and observe her love of learning.
Montessori My Daughter’s Way
Now, I’m not a certified Montessori instructor. I am self-taught (as is the Montessori way ;)). I have used many Montessori ideas but have also included many Reggio and Waldorf activities. Basically, I have molded educational activities to fit my child’s learning needs. Our educational process is personalized to our lifestyle and helps promote balance for us. It is a Montessori inspired homeschool on a tight budget. My single child home may have different needs than say, a home with several children of different ages, or a home with children with special learning needs. My goal in this endeavor is to help my child learn about the world around her and equip her with what she needs to live a full life.
Good luck and enjoy your time with your little ones!
