Meet a Mama: Montessori in the home

Continuing our Education in the Spotlight Series. This week we are examining Montessori learning in the home and so lucky to have been able to interview Jennifer from Montessori Mart.

Hello and welcome to Jennifer, a Mama to one beautiful girl who shares her parenting journey as a full-time, stay-at-home-mum and she wouldn't have it any other way! Jennifer has worked in a Montessori Children’s House (school) and now implements Montessori principles as a parents and shares her journey on Instagram and you can follow her at nanayjennifer. Jennifer also is an amazing sewer and is opening a shop for my handmade Montessori-inspired materials very soon, at Montessori Mart, think grasping balls, aprons and even custom orders!

I have had the privilege of talking to Jennifer and getting the low down on how she implements Montessori within the home, her perspective is down to earth, easy to implement and really focuses on the core principles at the heart of Montessori education.

How did you first become interested in Montessori and what is your background in Montessori education?

Initially, I only briefly learnt about Montessori as part of my university studies. When I moved to Australia, I was hired for a maternity leave position as a Kindergarten teacher in a Montessori Children’s House, where I also received my Montessori training.

Coming from a mainstream school teaching background, I felt culture shocked when I stepped into a Montessori classroom for the very first time. Inside the 3-5 room, there was a big area for the kitchen, complete with a fully functioning sink, refrigerator, oven, microwave and eating equipment. There was an area for toileting, showering, washing hands and drying hands. There were separate big mats for different floor activities that the children chose themselves. Everything in the room was fitted to the size of the children who used them. It suddenly made sense to me why it was called a “Children’s House”. But most of all, I was intrigued and I wanted to learn more!

For you, what is the Montessori method? 

The Montessori method involves three main things:

1.     OBSERVING – When your child is concentrating on an activity or playing with a toy, stand back and just watch.

2.     TAKING NOTES – When you notice or observe your child showing an interest in a certain activity or achieve a milestone, it’s important to take notes (either in the back of your head or maybe a literal notepad).

3.     FULFILLING – Through your observation of your child and the important things you have noted, you can fulfil your child’s interests and needs by offering appropriate materials and/or activities.

As a parent, what 3 key principles do you think define Montessori at home?

1.     FREEDOM OF CHOICE – Giving choices is free and is something that can be done easily by anyone and everyone at home! By giving limited choices to your child, it shows them that you respect them and give value for their opinion. Giving choices can be as simple as having two sets of clothing for them to choose, or asking them what food between the two they would prefer, or allowing them to choose an activity from a limited selection of toys on a low shelf.

2.     ACCESSIBLE MATERIALS – If you have the means to provide a child-size kitchen or handwashing station, go for it! Otherwise, accessible materials can also mean placing your child’s things in the lower drawers and shelves to aid their independence in accessing them without help from an adult.

3.     DEFINED AREAS – To help with your child’s sense of order, it is important to have defined areas for different activities in the house: a shelf for activities, an area for reading books, a place for eating, and so on.

When parents first find Montessori, it could be seen as overwhelming if they could only do one thing what would it be?

Since the Practical Life area is a great foundation for Montessori education, one thing you can do is to include your child in everyday activities.

By trusting your child in helping out with daily activities, you will be able to see how capable they are! For instance, when cooking meals for the family, your child can help scrub potatoes or even cut vegetables using appropriate tools. When doing laundry, your child can help sort out clothes. When cleaning the house, your child can help sweep the floor or wipe windows. These all sound like simple tasks, but these purposeful movements help develop motor skills and eventually lead to independence.

How can the Montessori principles help children learning?

Children learn best through EXPERIENCES! For instance, if they are going to learn about a flower, instead of reading a book about it, they can go outside and look at an actual flower, smell its sweet scent, feel its soft petals, or even taste it (and learn that some flowers are actually edible). In the same analogy, a big part of Montessori is about learning while TOUCHING, FEELING and DOING. At home, instead of telling your child how to do something, it is best to show them and let them work with you to experience how it is done.

What is your go to book or resource for parents wanting to learning more about implementing Montessori?

For parents with younger children wanting to implement Montessori at home, I highly recommend starting with How To Raise an Amazing Child the Montessori Way by Tim Seldin and The Montessori Toddler by Simone Davies.