I was first introduced to the Montessori method one summer lifeguarding, when classes from a local Montessori school would come to the pool. The idea of having children within a 3-year age range in the same class sounded weird to me. I remember talking with another lifeguard about how we thought it must be embarrassing and difficult for the older children to have to be in the same class as children 2 or 3 years younger than them.
At the time I was getting my degree in English Education and when we learned about different philosophies and schools of education, my professor introduced Montessori schools as a place where children ran free and there was little learning. I’m pretty sure she even laughed. Needless to say, my first introduction to Montessori was not favorable.
Not long after that I found myself looking for a job and ended up interviewing for the position of Assistant Teacher and Bible Teacher for 3-6 year-olds at a Christian Montessori school. Even then I wasn’t too sure what Montessori was or looked like, I just knew I needed a job and when I toured the classroom what I saw intrigued me. The room was orderly. The children were focused and excited about their work. I even remember a few little ones coming up to me eagerly telling me what they were working on.
Over the next three years I worked at this school and fell in love not only with the children, but the Montessori philosophy of education as well. The representation I was given of Montessori in college was obviously false. As I grew to understand more of the method and see it put into practice I knew this was the way to learn and the way I wanted to teach my children.
A few months before my son was born I quit working to prepare for those final months of pregnancy and was eager to stay at home full-time with my new baby. My husband and I decided that we wanted to homeschool our children in the Montessori way, so later that year I began to study for my Montessori Infant/Toddler diploma through the North American Montessori Center.
My husband and I love Montessori and the benefits have been obvious in our children. Â As my husband says, “It just makes sense.”
I hope you’ll join us as we discover more of the world and ourselves as we homeschool the Montessori way.
