{"id":446,"date":"2022-03-26T01:05:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-26T01:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buoyantbloomer.com\/?p=446"},"modified":"2022-03-26T01:05:00","modified_gmt":"2022-03-26T01:05:00","slug":"montessori-method-at-home-small-apartment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buoyantbloomer.com\/montessori-method-at-home-small-apartment\/","title":{"rendered":"Create a joyous play space with the Montessori method at home"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
One of the only reasons we survived 16 months without childcare at the start of the pandemic is that we had already set up a dedicated play space for our son following the Montessori method at home. As a graduate of a Montessori school myself, I knew that I wanted our son to have the learning experience that an authentic program offers. However, the reality of our long-term financial goals meant that I had to get creative about implementing the Montessori method at home in a tight space and on a budget. Happily, this strategy paid off in the long-run, and I am so grateful that we live in a time where it’s straightforward for parents to learn how to design a Montessori-aligned home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Until our son was 3, we lived in a 700 square foot apartment that also became a home office for two adults in the depths of the pandemic. This meant that setting up Montessori-style spaces (plural) was out of the question for us. But, this didn’t preclude us from Macgyvering a joyous learning space that followed Montessori principles. Here’s what we did room by room:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two other things that are frequently recommended for the Montessori method at home are 1) low hooks for your child’s coat and bag at the entrance, and 2) low hooks with cleaning equipment (dustpan, brush, etc.). While we could have done so, our set up precluded the need for such things because we already stored these items on shelves at his height. Still, they are very cute and functional ways to welcome your child into your home, so if you have the space, do it! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Montessori activities are so satisfying because they have a distinct beginning, middle, and end. They also require that a guide model the activity: set it up, break the activity into little steps, and demonstrate (without too much talking) how to do the steps. For me, one of the things that required a mindset shift in the Montessori method at home is this attention to set up. This means purposefully creating a visual set-up that encourages play. Some ways to do so:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This year, I’m investing in a number of trainings for myself that run the gamut from business development to executive presence. To be a good professional in any field, it’s important to keep learning. It’s no different for teachers – think of all the random personal development days in the school year! It’s a disruption, but one that I’m glad exists because stagnating isn’t good for us and it’s not good for our kids. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are things that we do which won’t make sense to young children, but the act of sharing that we are learning something new is the key. It’s important to model that learning doesn’t end just because we’re out of school, and having those conversations about “hey, today I learned something new!” or “wow, I didn’t know I could do something but today I did it!” sends the signal that understanding, perseverance, and the act of trying new things are important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pair what you share in acknowledgement of the effort your child has put in to do something new or learn something they didn’t know before. Observing that they built train tracks in a different way or recognizing that they did something hard goes a long way towards encouraging them to keep striving even in the face of adversity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s impossible to recreate a Montessori classroom at home – some of those items like the bead cabinet for example take up so much space. Very few NYC apartments could comfortably take that on in addition to the myriad other items that constitute a well-rounded learning experience. So don’t set that goal as your standard. Instead, set the mindset and principles as your standard. It’s all about independence, hands-on learning, respect, and observation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are times when your child is going to drive you bananas. Our son does it when he’s feeling sick, when he’s hangry\/tired\/over stimulated, or because he’s had a long good streak and he just needs to be a kid. The beauty of the Montessori method at home is that the discipline of offering this type of environment shapes you as a parent as well. It forces you to really see your child, the progress he or she has made, and the learning\/challenges that he or she is facing. Kids are blank slates – they truly are innocent, and they aren’t born good or bad. The Montessori method is perfect for raising curious, independent, responsible self-starters. Don’t let budget or space deter you from offering a Montessori education at home – you’ll be surprised at how inventive you become in the process!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
One of the only reasons we survived 16 months without childcare at the start of the pandemic is that we had already set up a dedicated play space for our son following the Montessori method at home. As a graduate of a Montessori school myself, I knew that I wanted our son to have the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":450,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-446","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-preschool-at-home"],"yoast_head":"\n