We continue our Montessori at home series this week with Leila. In fact, Leila is the reason I decided to start this series. We got to talking about how much pushback Montessori homeschoolers get just for trying to offer their kids the best education at home possible. She shared with me how a larger Montessori material supplier had emailed her saying that Montessori isn’t for the home but only certified and trained guides; we commiserated a bit, and I felt compelled to offer this little series on the topic of Montessori at home.
I’ve personally experienced pushback on homeschooling from many angles. There’s the purists who don’t think any deviation from Maria Montessori’s original handbook can be called Montessori. There’s plenty of people who will argue that you shouldn’t try to duplicate the Montessori classroom at home — that it requires certification, and it’s both a waste of time and money to buy or make the materials needed. Then there’s those who generally look down on homeschoolers at large (we the weird, traveling our own way).
On the flip side, I do understand how seeing the name Montessori tossed around, used as a buzzword affixed to many things that are decidedly not Montessori at all, should be protected against. But does that mean you cannot be self-taught in Montessori? Does that mean Montessori materials lose their value when they’re in the home? Is some Montessori better than no Montessori at all?
I feel so passionately about Montessori homeschooling that I’m compelled to address this topic. Firstly, Montessori can be self-taught. Yes it requires a lot of reading and good albums, but it’s worth it. Montessori materials are expertly designed, invaluable tools that allow children to work through often abstract concepts in concrete ways, whether in a classroom or not. Montessori is a philosophy, a methodology of educating children more than anything — so yes some Montessori is better than no Montessori. I say this emphatically having brought my three kids through primary and now into elementary. I’ve seen the magic firsthand even battling a steep learning curve. It is worth it!
Montessori is for everyone.
Enough with my tirade though — without any further ado, here’s Leila who has done such a beautiful job with her own self-taught jump into Montessori. I hope her interview inspires you too!
Please introduce yourself:
Hello, my name is Leila. I am a K-12 French teacher, a homeschooling mom at the moment, and a mother of three. My children attended several Montessori schools up to first grade, and are now 9, 7, and 2. In 2018, I was expecting my third child, and decided that I would stay at home, and homeschool all my children for the time being.
I am known as a Montessori enthusiast in my community, although all I have is a strong passion and endurance in teaching. I run a Montessori, Mommy, and me playgroup to share basic Montessori principles, and often meet and collaborate with other Montessori teachers in my area.
I have been blogging for the past several months, mostly to share visuals about various materials we liked using. It’s my way to contribute to our Montessori community. You can find my Montessori materials review on www.montessorisecondplane.com
Why do you choose to homeschool your children?
To be honest, I’d love to have my children continue attending a Montessori school, but it was not financially sustainable. Since I already delved into Montessori philosophy and pedagogy, I decided to give Montessori homeschooling a shot.
With all of the options, methodologies and curriculums available to homeschoolers today, what drew you to Montessori homeschooling specifically?
In the past, I had considered Waldorf education, and explored the Reggio or the Freinet method. However, only the Montessori education seemed to be as comprehensive as a method can be. One mastermind, Dr. Montessori, had designed a whole interconnected education. I also strongly adhere to using manipulatives with young learners, especially in math. Today, people are questioning the way we teach math in public schools. Schools are trying to shift from procedural math to conceptual math. Montessori had it right all along!
I love, love, love this chemistry set up!
Do you have a dedicated homeschooling space? Why or why not?
We have a large basement we could have used as a space for learning, but I found that the children just want to be close to me. We then covered the living room with shelves! We have the floor and small desks to work, and our slide window is our “blackboard.” People often ask if I own a daycare. That’s when I turn back and realize that my classroom has totally invaded the house!
I can relate to this! We recently had a house appraisal and the only thing the person conducting it said to me was, “Oh you must homeschool.” 🙂
When it shows, it shows!
If you had the chance to tell yourself one thing at the beginning of your homeschool journey, what would it be?
I remember starting 2 years ago with lots of worries. It was not conventional for my husband to homeschool, let alone that I am French, and homeschooling is quasi non-existant in France. I didn’t tell anyone I was homeschooling, I needed to be stress-free. As time went on, I could see in my children joy and proud in learning. They were extremely excited to talk about what they’ve learned. Therefore, I would tell myself not to worry about what people would say, not to worry about the outcome of our journey. At the end of the day, we feel accomplished and united. We work together to understand life around us, to develop new skills, to contribute to someone else’s life, and to understand what we are and who we are.
Beautifully said — thank you so much to Leila for sharing your journey and look inside your incredible space.
Be sure to check back next Monday for another interview — and check out the others in our series so far.
