Information on how to start a Montessori program at home.
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| To start a Montessori program at home you should have some training in the Montessori Method of education. There are many kinds of training experiences available, from distance to correspondence courses, and if the idea of a having a Montessori program at home is for the benefit of your children, then such a course may suffice. A non-Montessori trained teacher cannot be expected to teach "Montessori", as teaching this method is challenging, but also very exciting and rewarding. Ideally your home should have a small garden and an enclosed outdoor environment as the children should be able to go outside as they wish, to work in the garden, observing nature, either painting or playing educational games outside, if the weather permits them to do so. Montessori system is not based in a traditional classroom but rather a comfortable, clutter free, home environment. Therefore make your living room look pretty and cozy. You should have enough floor space for the child to comfortably get around, working with the material or the relevant educational apparatus. You could have a separate room where child size shelves will be kept and the material is placed for the child to choose what the child wants to work with, as the choice is made by the child. Do not use blackboards, as the ‘institutional’ look should be avoided. Have a place to display the child's arts and crafts. Let your home have as many natural plants as possible, as it would keep your indoor air healthy and provide a host of practical life activities. Avoid cartoon like posters and an alphabet on the wall, instead hang originals or reproductions of high quality art at the child's eye level. Paint the walls with harmonious colors and the floor should ideally be wooden, tile (not institutional looking tiles) or stone. But in some countries, wall to wall carpets are the norm and in such cases it is important that at least the area where the child works on practical life skills and art has a non-carpeted floor, to avoid damaging the carpets. Make sure that the paint used for decorating does not have any toxic substance. Regular vacuuming and cleaning tiled areas is a necessity, to maintain a healthy environment. Keep the outdoor environment neat and tidy and the grounds carefully tended, and depending on the weather patterns, grow pretty flowers and beautiful plants. Montessori specific material is a core requirement to this method of education, and it will be important to purchase the material from reputed suppliers who certify that their products conforms to Montessori specifications and are non-toxic. Avoid material that are made out of plastic and make it a point to stick to wooden and glass products. Ensure your home Montessori program follows the proper guidelines and try your best to maintain originality, quality and discipline, at all times. Experience the beauty of your Montessori classroom and its environment, while enjoying your home based venture. | |
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