Letters From the Homefront

MOVEMENT : an act of changing physical location or position, or of having this changed. Movement in Montessori I watched a video online a few weeks ago - Youtube, Vimeo, I can't remember which one, about a Montessori class in action. I love to watch the children in a classroom - it does  not look the same as a montessori homeschool. There is a different atmosphere, and although I don't covet it - I enjoy my homeschool - it is neat to watch. I came across a video that was of a young girl attempting to do a work (the stamp game) that she was not ready for. This particular video struck me immediately, because her reaction is one I've commonly seen with my Bug, though for different reasons sometimes - she burst in to tears.  The mother in me wants to comfort her, the teacher in me wants to guide her - and the woman in me generally has no idea which one I should do first. Maybe that doesn't sound very *montessori* - but it's true. I watched the teacher guide he...

*WHEW*  While we did *officially* start school August 1st, we've kept the days slow and have been focusing on trying to just get back to routine. I've been working a lot the last few days on some introductory History research packs, hopefully to give a small bit on direction to start with, and encourage some personal research. Anyway, no great pictures from last week's school week - we did do school, just had little time for pictures, and I haven't loaded them yet. So...... I'll share someone else's with you!  Living Montessori Now is hosting a great Montessori Services giveaway on her blog! Some of my personal favorite Montessori Services items, in several areas: PRACTICAL LIFE These are absolutely my favorites, and at the top of the list!!! SENSORIAL Sorting Beads - I just love sensorial work! MATH Bead Bar Stamps (how fun would these be, especially if you didn't have the beads? You can do the same things with the stamps, for much ...

August 1st was our official 'First Day Of School'. We hit this yearly milestone the homeschool way - by not being at home at all. We went to the local Nature Center in town. Of course, it was classified as a *field trip*, so I didn't let it slide away without trying to get some inspired learning in.  Armed with food and a backpack full of goodies, off we went. During lunch, we got our first zoology observations with the geese that frequently come up out of the water and walk all over the grounds. My kiddos had a blast throwing them bits of cheese and banana (turns out, these geese wanted nothing to do with bananas) and seeing them come as close as within a foot or two to eat what they just threw down.  After that, I pulled out our printable journal pages, pre-stapled together for them, and we had a little botany-inspired art.  Leaf Rubbing My only mistake was to NOT get some blank paper stapled together for Buddy Boy, thinking he wouldn't be in...