Homeschooling is the Perfect Kind of Montessori Magic
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Maria Montessori knew a LOT about education, but unfortunately, she wasn't sure that parents were willing and able to do what it takes to offer their children a prepared environment that fosters independence and resilience.
Well, guess what, Maria. We ARE! Using Montessori methods at home with our own chilldren is not only possible -- it's downright *magical*.
Homeschooling is unquestionably different in approach from being in a classroom but offers unique benefits that modern homeschoolers are well aware of. I’ve been a Montessori homeschooler almost as long as I have been a mama, and I’ve found it the perfect way to live out my passion--both for educating my children, and for sharing that passion by educating other mamas. I feel so lucky!
Self Care for Your Shoulders
If you’re reading (or listening!) and you’re finding yourself pulled in a few different directions, I totally get it! Take a deeeeeep breath, roll those shoulders back (I know as a mama my shoulders are shrugged forward much more than they should be), and do your best to find your mindful space in the midst of the multitasking and busyness.
Tend Your Spaces
The winter season in general and also the rainy days in spring are excellent times to reconsider whether your home spaces are functional and beautiful, as we often spend more time in them. Something a lot of people don’t know about Montessori is that Maria didn’t intend for people to start by focusing on lessons or tray work.
Don’t get me wrong: those sweet Practical Life lessons are totally a part of the equation! It’s just that Maria really meant for us to start her methods by preparing the environment first.
The more prepared the environment, the easier it is for the child to follow those natural drives that are occurring within them and benefit from the work they are doing. When you think about it, this remains true throughout our lives; before any big adventure, new business endeavor, or other mundane lifestyle change, we take the time to prepare space in our physical and mental environments.
For example: if I’m going to go LIVE on video for you, first I go into my office and make sure everything is ready. Is the lighting right? Is it prepared for my audience? I also make sure it is prepared for me. Do I have my notes? Is the camera ready? Once everything is in place, I can go live. I can share that lesson. And I know that everything is set up for it to be successful.
If we’re taking the time to prepare spaces for our OWN success, why wouldn’t we also want to do the same for our children?
I hope you’ll take the time to maybe evaluate your spaces in a similar way. Think of your home as a space you can tend for education. Not just for making it prettier, or for making it easier to live in. Think about how decluttering (thanks to Marie Kondo and other minimalist entrepreneurs) can clear a space and make it available for its best use. One of the things that we can be clearing space for is our children’s best opportunities for learning.
Real talk: I am a minimalist at heart, but in practice, I am more of a hoarder, always socking things away for the future just in case I need them. This rubber band the broccoli came bundled in? I might repurpose it!
This work is ongoing for me, too! Not only are there things that I bring in, but gifts my children receive (and the junk they collect as a part of their developmental drives in the second plane) start to build up, and need maintaining. People ask me about preparing homeschool spaces all. Often people prepare Montessori spaces for very young children and then, as they get older and they do need access to a little bit more STUFF, they lose sight of those cultivated spaces. I promise it’s worth the effort to continue the journey!
Gratitude
Today I am so grateful for the learning journey I share with my children as we homeschool. I have been knocked off of my Montessori pedestal and learned SO MUCH MORE about valuing my journey as a parent than I think I might have if I’d have gone straight back into the classroom. I value my ability to take this journey myself. I hope that you, too, can find gratitude for whatever journey you are on with your children right now. Whether you find it easy or hard, no matter what the outcomes--it’s worthy of gratitude.
