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After studying the Montessori materials, both originally-created AND traditional, for decades, I'm giving you my top tips for identifying the products that are not true to the Montessori method. 

From concrete materials to printables, get ready for some red flags! 

I'm Aubrey Hargis, Montessorian and mom of two, and Montessori is my jam. If you want to talk non-stop about Montessori with me and live the peaceful, conscientious way of life with your child, this is your podcast. Parenting isn't without its challenges, but Montessori can help, and it's worth studying. Because education is a journey we take with our children, and the opportunities for learning start over every day.

Hey Sweet Friend (1:09)

So I woke up this morning, feeling really, really good...feeling kind of jittery, happy. It's kind of at odds with what's going on right now in our family life, we are under a lot of general stress. My husband's father is in the hospital, and he's very, very ill. We've all been worried and grieving with what's going on...and that includes having a lot of difficult conversations with my children.

I think that after having spent the last several days really trying to process what's going on, and figure out how to support my husband through this, I woke up this morning feeling much more balanced. We’ve made some decisions about what to do and how to handle this stressful time, especially given that COVID is everywhere...and now I am feeling more grounded, and calm.
I know that seems like it's at odds with what is going on. But it's funny how resilience works, isn't it? We teach our children resilience through Montessori. The method itself is designed to help children learn perseverance, and resilience as they make mistakes while they work with the materials...and also as we focus on having genuine and kind partnerships/relationships with our children.

This morning I woke up feeling like “I got this, I can handle this.” We're going to do our best to focus on what is happening RIGHT HERE, now. What is happening right here and now, in this moment in your life with your children is a huge, huge gift, especially if your children are little! Little children are so much even closer to the awareness of just that present moment, joy and bursts of emotions that are based in the here and now.

As adults, we tend to fret and worry and stew over the things....we worry about our children, ourselves or our family, about the world. And very little children do not do that!  So if you have little children, use them as a way to escape into that joy of the present. That's my little Montessori recommendation for you today!

Meet a member: Louise (5:51)

I know that so many of you come to this podcast to learn about Montessori, and are interested in figuring out your routine and your rhythm, and also wondering how to get started with it all. So, I asked the Constellation members  if I could interview them, and for them to give some helpful tips about Montessori about what they've learned about their own journey, and maybe offer a little bit of insight into what their days look like with their children. So today, I am spotlighting Louise!

Spotting the Difference Between Montessori and Montenonsense (13:15)

Louise reminded us that you don't need the expensive authentic Montessori materials. But if you are scrolling through social media and find something that intrigues you, or you’re at the store getting ready to buy something--how do you know if it’s really Montessori? Well, there are some red flags that I can share with you. There are some things that I can tell you to be skeptical about when you come across it. The greatest way to know the difference, though, is through practice, and study! There is no official “list”.

That being said, even if you’re new, I can give you some tips that you can use as general guidelines to know if something is within the Montessori scope or not.

My Tips for You (15:04)

First things first, just because Maria Montessori didn't create a material or approve a material herself does not mean that something is not a Montessori material or Montessori aligned. Modern Montessorians make up new work all the time, and it is a creative and exciting process! It's so fun! But it’s not easy. It takes time and real thought!

These are some of the things someone might consider:

It shouldn’t use rewards, punishments, points, or grades (16:13)

In general, Montessorians are really firm on the no rewards rule. We believe that children give themselves intrinsic feedback, found directly in the joy and engagement of doing that work. They don't need anyone else judging them by offering rewards or punishments for their success or error. So no sticker charts, no point systems, and no little voice saying good job! (Descriptive praise is different--I discuss it over on my blog).

It should be a realistic interpretation (18:40)

Remember the big googly-eyed octopus we talked about last episode? It’s back! Whether it’s a detailed artistic rendering or a photograph, we want whatever materials we use to help a child learn to have images that will give them TRUE information. Random cute images to decorate a worksheet page? Cards with cartoon character animals instead of real ones? Probably not Montessori.

It should teach just one concept (21:42)

Rather than an education center which has many activities compiled into one, look for something designed simply, which lets the child focus on just one activity. It should be designed such that the child can see the activity they are supposed to work on--without lots of loud colors or distracting designs.

It should let the child do the work (23:35)

Note whether the child actually does the work or whether the toy or printable leads the child to the answer or does the activity without the child actually engaging. This is something especially to consider when looking at learning apps--I generally don’t recommend them because of this, and because they don’t offer the child sensory feedback.

It should have aesthetic appeal (26:12) 

It should be something that allows the child to focus on the work itself. Simple--you should love to look at it but it shouldn’t be distracting. It should appeal to the senses and have realistic depictions.

It should focus on more than just memorization (27:28)

The Montessori approach is to use tactile experiences...that's why when we're having the child memorize their alphabet sounds, we're using the sandpaper letters to go along with that. What the child knows with their hands, they know with their hearts. Activities focused on rote learning rather than experience are not Montessori aligned.

Be wary of themes which don’t focus on the child’s interest (29:57)

Genuine, authentic Montessori themes are really just cultural studies. We're just taking a  concept, we're kind of expanding it and digging into the layers of it. Know that just because something fits a theme doesn’t mean it is Montessori-aligned, even if it has the name in it.

They don’t need to change according to the calendar--they shift with your child! And just because you’re doing one particular deep dive on a topic with your child doesn’t mean that EVERY item on your shelf needs to be shifted to tackle that theme.

Gratitude

Today I am grateful for health, and I am grateful that my husband has the opportunity to spend some time with his father, who is ill. Family is one of the most precious things in the world. I'm grateful for the time I get to spend with my children, with my parents, and with my sibling, who lives all the way in FL, and who I am missing so much.