Long term homeschool plans

This morning, for some reason, I felt that I had to consider our long-term home education plans. I have no idea why, and obviously things may change, life and our experiences may change the plans, as they so often do. So far, my ideas have not changed in the last couple of years, but what it looks like in reality at the moment is not what I expected.

Here is what I want to do in our home education journey.

Age 0-2
Lots of experiences, movement, language rich environment, starting to do some practical life exercises.

Age 2-2.5
Lots more practical life activities, language, experiences of the world.

Age 2.5-6
Montessori primary programme, using the Keys of the World albums, spending 1000 hours a year outside (influenced by Charlotte Mason). A major learning phase based on developing practical life skills, handwork skills, developing the senses, having a rich language programme, based on phonetics and within which by the age of 4, approximately, they should be 'writing' using the moveable alphabet or writing on paper, mathematics developing to being able to, by the age of 6, undertake basic mathematical operations. Through language and sensorial learning, comes a good foundation in the natural sciences, botany, zoology, physical sciences, geography, arts, music and a sense of history.

Age 6-12
Montessori elementary programme, using a combination of the Keys of the Universe albums and other Montessori elementary albums. This will include a study of the Great Lessons, which open up learning across all subjects - language arts, including modern foreign languages, mathematics, sciences - biology, botany, zoology, physical science, matter, astronomy, ecology, chemistry, geography, history, the arts, health sciences, peace and citizenship, design and technology. A focus on creativity, action and service, learning the arts, serving the community, being active and participating in sports. The aim, through the Montessori approach to develop learners who are enquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective.

During this stage, and in the first part of the next stage, I am planning for us to travel the world. At the moment, I do not think that is possible in one chunk, so possibly over 3 years, 3 months at a time.

Age 12-16
Combining the approach of the Montessori adolescent programme, entrepreneurship and business, and the structure of the International Baccalaureate's Middle Years Programme - learning in the 8 areas of Language and Literature, Language Acquisition, Individuals and Societies (geography, history, politics, social sciences, economics, civics, business studies, psychology, sociology, anthropology), Sciences (environmental sciences, life sciences, physical sciences, sport sciences, health sciences, earth sciences), Mathematics, Arts (visual arts, media, dance, drama, music), Physical and Health Education, Design (digital and product design, coding, etc). Within these areas, there is a large opportunity for personal choice and autonomous learning. In addition, there will be goals in creativity, action and service, and a personal project to be undertaken each year (similar to the personal project undertaken at the end of the MYP5). It is my intention to encourage my children to pursue a GCSE or iGCSE or whatever the qualification is a the time in each of the 8 areas as a minimum. We will also start looking at the theory of knowledge which is part of the IB Diploma Programme.

Age 16-18
We will continue to follow a Montessori approach to learning, with academics falling within the IB Diploma Programme structure of 6 subjects - Language and Literature, Language Acquisition, Individuals and Societies, Sciences, Mathematics and the Arts, creativity, action and service and continuing the study of the theory of knowledge. Either this or something more career-related.

Creativity, Action and Service
This is another influence from the International Baccalaureate, and is quite loose in its structure. Creativity is defined as "arts and any other experiences that involve creative thinking", Action is defined as "physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle, complementing academic work" and Service is defined as "an unpaid, voluntary exchange that has a learning benefit for the student". The CAS programme is part of the Diploma, but is something I would like to put aims on from the age of 6, to an extent. In the Diploma programme, it used to be a requirement that students had to complete a minimum of 50 hours of each across the programme (150 hours minimum), and many students completed hundreds of hours over the two years. I have no idea if I will put hourly requirements on the children, but I think it is important for a balanced education to cover these.

Obviously, all of my plans will probably change, and we will be child-led, so some areas may blur, some may be omitted or added to. I do want to have a form of structure to our learning, because I feel this is what will work best, but within a Montessori approach, so they have to have a well-rounded education, and there will be minimum requirements, but there will be a lot of room for maneouvre for personal study and following individual pursuits.

I felt that I had to do this, for whatever reason I felt prompted to. I know it might seem a little too 'planned out', but hey, I am a planner! I actually think that, given the Montessori elementary curriculum is, in places, akin to GCSE level, we may have to look at the 12+ curriculum when we get there!

I also know that many people follow a less structured approach, following the interests of the child. Although I seem to have everything planned out until 2032 (!), I am definitely not saying that it is set in stone. I would like to have what I feel is structure. We will not be sat at desks for hours every day, but I will follow the approach to learning that is established in the Montessori elementary years.

Watch this video for an idea of how that happens:

Elementary Meetings and Conferences from Montessori Guide on Vimeo.

Homeschool early days...

We started school 'officially' on Monday. I have to say it is proving to be much more tiring than I expected, but then my pregnancy this week has started taking more of a toll anyway. Up more times in the night, and also started having Braxton Hicks contractions, so it isn't too ideal for starting homeschooling!

Anyway, Monday was a little different too, as my nephew JJ had a teacher training day, so he joined us for school at the last minute which I was not prepared for! He got on with the workplan we had set out for his homework while I tried to present some things to Addie.

                        

 



After a couple of days of homeschooling, I feel very overwhelmed actually, and very inadequate as a home teacher. I am a little out of depth with working with a toddler, to be honest. Not as a Mum, of course, but as a teacher. I am going to be studying a 0-3 course soon, so hopefully that will help me. For now, what I have realised after observing Addie, is that there are quite a few things she is reluctant to do, so at the moment it is all about giving her new experiences in preparation for homeschooling, so right now she is playing with soapy water and getting wet! She is wiping the floor though to dry it when she spills some, so that is a good thing in itself! 

Sensitive periods
Between the age of 0-6, Montessori discovered that the child went through sensitive periods when they are more psychologically predispositioned to learn certain skills. From birth these are movement, language and a sense of order. All of these are characteristics that Addie is displaying, including putting back the towel in its right place after drying the floor! I will be writing a lot more about these in the coming weeks, but it is good to see these characteristics emerging in my own child.

In my element: The First Great Lesson

I am now part time schooling my 9-year old nephew, who I will call JJ. He attends state school Monday to Friday, but he is coming to me for 'extra' lessons on a Thursday after school and Saturday mornings to help him get where his teachers feel he should be. He is already above the average, but he has potential and should be further ahead.

I have been thinking what I would do to get him to where he should be in Maths and English without him feeling bored or overwhelmed with work, so I have decided to take the approach I know best - the Montessori way! I was just going to get him to do worksheets etc because that is what he is used to, but what does that teach him? Why would he want to learn if all he does is do the same thing over and over again, which gives him no fun or joy in learning. Isn't he much more likely to learn if he is doing something different?

So, I have told my sister I have a long term plan, and that it might not be completely obvious what direction I am taking with this. 

JJ would be in upper elementary in a Montessori school. However, I am having to adapt what I am doing to take into account that he has not had the first 3 years of Montessori elementary (primary in the UK), where a lot of groundwork is laid. He cannot, for example, do independent research to the level that is needed, and would struggle to do self-directed work. I am therefore using an approach which gives him choices, but within limits, and I will see how that goes.

Today I taught him the first Great Lesson - the Coming of the Earth. This introduces one version of how the world came to be - the Big Bang theory. There are several experiments that are done within it, and the concepts of atoms, different states of matter, land, air and water, volcanoes, the planets and the weather are introduced in this story. JJ picked up most on atoms and volcanoes, and didn't even pick up on the weather link, which is fine, because these lessons can be taught over when enthusiasm for learning wanes, and then they can pick up on the new ideas. What I love about this lesson is that it is introduced as the scientific theory, and follow up work is on creation myths, and can include the Biblical account of the creation also. 

JJ loved the experiments and is very keen to find out more about atoms. The next great lesson (the Coming of Life) will be taught next week, and he was hoping I would cover it today too, but no, he has to wait (the anticipation is a great way to build enthusiasm!).

Because I do not have JJ all week (although I would love to homeschool him!) I have set him some additional work to do. I have set it around three different areas - Personal, Research and Personal Finance. I am hoping that by approaching English and Maths from a different perspective, he won't feel like he is doing Maths or English, but doing something that is more fun. I took the idea of how to do this from a Montessori teacher who uses this method with students who have trouble deciding what work they will do, and I think it will work well, but we shall see. 

What I have given JJ is a table of choices of things he can do to earn different points, either 1, 2 or 3 points. By next Saturday he has to have done enough activities to have earned 12 points or more, and he has to do at least one activity from each of the areas. The activities for 1 point are simple, the ones for 3 points are more in-depth and the 2-pointers are somewhere in the middle. Each is designed to test and see how well he can do doing different things he needs to achieve, such as reading different types of text, summarising, writing a factsheet/bullet points, researching and understanding, describing characters and plots of fiction (note that 'describing' covers the grammar he is meant to know), making up his own writing and using different styles and lengths of sentences etc. This week his tasks revolve around the following areas:

Personal - goals and describing what it means to be a good friend

Research - reading his fiction book and describing characters/plot; reading non-fiction books (volcanoes or the solar system/a planet) and interpreting, understanding or summarising the facts and applying them; reading creation myths and making his own (with some illustrations included)

Personal finance - I want to make maths personal, and money is the way to go, so this revolves around his pocket money, and also budgeting 'Imagine you have £200 to redesign your bedroom - what would you have in there?'... I want to see how he applies maths, so I am hoping this will go well, although he already wants a big TV for his room (I think that blows the budget already!)

  

This is what the task list looks like, and each week I will give him a new one. He currently wants to do all the activities for 3 points, so we shall see how much he does. 

We also discussed what we need for learning to work, and we had a great discussion on what was important, which we will add to. This will become our ethos of his time with me on these days, and as he wants to learn more about atoms, then Martin will cover that one on Thursday with him.

I am in my 'element' (puns intended) because I love teaching 6-12 Montessori and now I get to! Woohoo! Keep reading for more Montessori adventures!