Last week we started talking about landforms and it was really interesting to hear what the children had to say about iconic landforms. Lucy and Marco debated about the location of the Grand Canyon as well as its size. Bless Marco and his love of documentaries!
This lead to some considerable discussion (and heated debate - e.g. is there anything bigger than that Grand Canyon) which has led me to make some cards of iconic, natural Australian landmarks. Little Rogue will make use of these just as three part cards (unless something strikes her fancy), while Marco and Lucy can use these as a starting point for discussion and research.
I am debating as to whether to make a research card to go with these or not or if I should let the research be completely shaped by the children. I will decide tonight when laminating these!
P.S. This is my "Oceania" album which also contains New Zealand animals at the moment.
Update: I have made my research cards available
Sunday, 15 March 2015
Tuesday, 3 March 2015
Write Off Day
Well, with two disastrous lessons this morning we threw the plans out the window and went for a drive. I am hoping I am not the only home-schooler who does this!
We headed out to the National Park and went for a walk. The kids were reluctant at first, and I think this is part of getting used to this whole home-school thing, but as we headed up the track I noticed Lucy started taking pictures of different plants and birds.
By the end of the walk the children were talking amongst themselves about what they had seen and how they had successfully navigated the stinging nettles (something we don't have back home). I pretended not to be listening but it was so lovely to hear them speaking so nicely to each other and without being aware of it they were learning. How does it get any better than that?
It is amazing the feeling we get when we get back to nature. Everything just melts away and we are reenergised by the experience of being in the open air.
We headed out to the National Park and went for a walk. The kids were reluctant at first, and I think this is part of getting used to this whole home-school thing, but as we headed up the track I noticed Lucy started taking pictures of different plants and birds.
By the end of the walk the children were talking amongst themselves about what they had seen and how they had successfully navigated the stinging nettles (something we don't have back home). I pretended not to be listening but it was so lovely to hear them speaking so nicely to each other and without being aware of it they were learning. How does it get any better than that?
It is amazing the feeling we get when we get back to nature. Everything just melts away and we are reenergised by the experience of being in the open air.
Monday, 2 March 2015
Invertebrate Sorting
Today I added some images to my photobucket for the various phylum of invertebrates for sorting.
I thought I would also share my PDF version in case that is easier for anyone who is interested.
I thought I would also share my PDF version in case that is easier for anyone who is interested.
Sunday, 22 February 2015
Botany Links
I have been busy preparing for Lucy's study of types of fruit and thought I would record and share some of the links I found useful:
Parts of the fruit from Elementary Observations
Fruits (although a couple of important omissions but other wise useful)
http://theseedsite.co.uk/fruits.html
Fleshy fruits http://www.botanical-online.com/frutoscarnososangles.htm
Fruit types chart http://www.vplants.org/plants/glossary/plate11.jpg
Dry fruits chart http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/botany/images/p23-2large.gif
More dry fruits http://www.bio.miami.edu/dana/pix/dryfruit.jpg
And for when we get to the seeds in the coming weeks - how seeds travel
This botanical field guide is an excellent resource for navigating key aspects of botany:
Parts of the fruit from Elementary Observations
Fruits (although a couple of important omissions but other wise useful)
http://theseedsite.co.uk/fruits.html
Fleshy fruits http://www.botanical-online.com/frutoscarnososangles.htm
Fruit types chart http://www.vplants.org/plants/glossary/plate11.jpg
Dry fruits chart http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/botany/images/p23-2large.gif
More dry fruits http://www.bio.miami.edu/dana/pix/dryfruit.jpg
And for when we get to the seeds in the coming weeks - how seeds travel
This botanical field guide is an excellent resource for navigating key aspects of botany:
Sunday, 18 January 2015
New Year, New City
So 2015 is here and so glad it is. Everyone I know had an awful 2014.
For us the new year has brought us an unexpected interstate move. From the west coast to the east sees our little family somewhere new and finds us having to make an unexpected decision - to school or not to school.
I have never put much thought into home-schooling before, but this move has meant that I do not have a job to go to. So, do I stay at home and school/unschool the kids or enrol them in the nearest Montessori school and *hope* I find something soon? The choice may even be made for us as we are waiting to hear if there are even any vacancies at the school we are looking at.
In the meantime I am researching and reading up and basically getting all-round inspired by all those amazing mums out there that do home-school.
For us the new year has brought us an unexpected interstate move. From the west coast to the east sees our little family somewhere new and finds us having to make an unexpected decision - to school or not to school.
I have never put much thought into home-schooling before, but this move has meant that I do not have a job to go to. So, do I stay at home and school/unschool the kids or enrol them in the nearest Montessori school and *hope* I find something soon? The choice may even be made for us as we are waiting to hear if there are even any vacancies at the school we are looking at.
In the meantime I am researching and reading up and basically getting all-round inspired by all those amazing mums out there that do home-school.
Wednesday, 12 November 2014
The Issue of Units and Themes
I have read two blog posts recently on the topic of units and themes. Firstly this post from Elementary Observations, in which the writer gives a brief outline against. Secondly this post from Study at Home Mama, in which the writer makes a case for the use of unit study.
In my training, and my mentor was AMI (Bergamo, Italy) trained, I was told that themes do not work. More explicitly that to teach to themes or to only do botany one term and zoology another term doesn't work. It probably works great for the teacher, but our focus is the child.
The beauty of the Montessori 'curriculum' is that it is not necessary to organise and plan in the same way mainstream and other methods do. The learning areas are already laid out - the sequence of key lessons - so that the child is able to make the many discoveries on their own. It is the core objective that the child constructs himself and his learning from his experiences - the key lessons, the cosmic fables and the prepared environment - rather than the teacher imposing knowledge and opinions on the child.
Units and themes are unnecessary because we are giving children the key experiences they need that serve as a launching pad for their exploration and learning.
To me it appears to be a lack of faith in the method to be bringing in mainstream ideas and tools of education into the classroom.
In my training, and my mentor was AMI (Bergamo, Italy) trained, I was told that themes do not work. More explicitly that to teach to themes or to only do botany one term and zoology another term doesn't work. It probably works great for the teacher, but our focus is the child.
The beauty of the Montessori 'curriculum' is that it is not necessary to organise and plan in the same way mainstream and other methods do. The learning areas are already laid out - the sequence of key lessons - so that the child is able to make the many discoveries on their own. It is the core objective that the child constructs himself and his learning from his experiences - the key lessons, the cosmic fables and the prepared environment - rather than the teacher imposing knowledge and opinions on the child.
Units and themes are unnecessary because we are giving children the key experiences they need that serve as a launching pad for their exploration and learning.
To me it appears to be a lack of faith in the method to be bringing in mainstream ideas and tools of education into the classroom.
Friday, 17 October 2014
Teachers, Privacy and Opinion
In our modern time of social media, teachers are being equally encouraged and discouraged to share and engage with their peers and other interest groups.
Many schools have policies that restrict members of staff from sharing photographs of their classrooms (understandably when there are children included), what they are able to discuss outside of the school environment (e.g. schedules, policies, procedures, etc) and even whether or not they are allowed to mention/display what school they are employed by.
Not all schools are restrictive, but many of my peers and colleagues are restricted in their online life by their employers. I have one friend who blogs, but is not allowed to show any photos of her school or name her school. I have another who blogs who cant do either of those things and has been asked to refrain from using her full name so that no one makes the connection between her and the school. Now these are smart and respectful women who handle themselves in a very professional manner, and are being censored.
This doesn't just happen in education. Many corporate employees are not allowed to state who their employer is on social media either. This is all about protecting corporate image, which is possibly the same mentality of private and independent school boards.
The difference is that it makes it harder for teachers to network and engage in meaningful conversation. I was recently reading a post (and when I find it again I will link it - I've searched my twitter feed to no avail) about how teachers are more engaged in more meaningful discussion and reflection through online discussion rather than traditional PD.
Is it a case of we all pay for those who hastily push the post button? Or is it that we are living in an increasingly litigious and judgmental world? Is part of the problem that not everyone understands that opinions are part of healthy discussion?
Personally I feel part of the problem is we are becoming more individual-centric and focused on our rights and neglect our responsibilities.
What are your thoughts?
Many schools have policies that restrict members of staff from sharing photographs of their classrooms (understandably when there are children included), what they are able to discuss outside of the school environment (e.g. schedules, policies, procedures, etc) and even whether or not they are allowed to mention/display what school they are employed by.
Not all schools are restrictive, but many of my peers and colleagues are restricted in their online life by their employers. I have one friend who blogs, but is not allowed to show any photos of her school or name her school. I have another who blogs who cant do either of those things and has been asked to refrain from using her full name so that no one makes the connection between her and the school. Now these are smart and respectful women who handle themselves in a very professional manner, and are being censored.
This doesn't just happen in education. Many corporate employees are not allowed to state who their employer is on social media either. This is all about protecting corporate image, which is possibly the same mentality of private and independent school boards.
The difference is that it makes it harder for teachers to network and engage in meaningful conversation. I was recently reading a post (and when I find it again I will link it - I've searched my twitter feed to no avail) about how teachers are more engaged in more meaningful discussion and reflection through online discussion rather than traditional PD.
Is it a case of we all pay for those who hastily push the post button? Or is it that we are living in an increasingly litigious and judgmental world? Is part of the problem that not everyone understands that opinions are part of healthy discussion?
Personally I feel part of the problem is we are becoming more individual-centric and focused on our rights and neglect our responsibilities.
What are your thoughts?
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