- Always start at the shelf, demonstrating how to carry the materials properly. Never carry more than one item/tray at a time. Return to the shelf for separate trips if necessary.
- Motion for the child to sit on your left if you are right-handed (or on your right if you are left-handed). This position makes sure your arm won’t block the child’s view.
- Place the work in front of the two of you, centered between both you and the child.
- Always have a clearly defined area designated for the work, whether it is a table or a mat.
- Demonstrate how to use the materials slowly with concise movements. Use a steady hand and don’t make mistakes. Some people show how to try multiple sizes of an object before finding the right one and this is not beneficial for the child. If you show him or her the correct way, the child can use his or her own problem solving skills to find the correct solution.
- Use as few words as possible, but as many as are necessary for the child to understand the concept.
- Allow the child to interrupt the demonstration at any time to finish it, once he/she has figured out the purpose of the work. (I learned this concept from Margaret Homfray who was a student and colleague of Maria Montessori.) If the child waits until the end of the demonstration, offer the child a turn.
- If the child is uninterested in the work, return the material to the shelf and try again in a couple of weeks. Never require a child to work on a material he/she is uninterested in.
- Always end at the shelf, demonstrating how to clean up the materials and return them to the shelf.
I need to work on a few of these things :) Especially the certain place to work and cleaning up after :)
Great post, Lori! I like that you explained where to have the child sit to have the best possible view. There are always some variations of how different Montessorians present materials. Good job of making the most important points clear! :)
Thanks Deb and thanks for sharing the link on FB. I’m getting lots of views from it so thank you!
Perfect. Three period lesson for the most part. Only I would add step 3…have the child teach it back to you. 80% of retention comes from teaching it back.
Great addition! :) Thanks for sharing Adrienne.
The positioning is my favorite thing about being a lefty! My girls are all righties, so we can all see perfectly!
That is quite lucky! Now, I’m wishing I was a lefty. :)
Great post! I have a question about #7. In that case would you sit nearby and jump back in to show how to put the work away? I need to think about this – I know I’m hesitant to let children do the parts they can, because the desire to do it all alone seems to bleed into other moments when I need to show the work. I think I may be too rigid on this! Thanks for the post!
I usually quietly observe them as they do their work on a material for the first time. That way, I know if they need it presented another time and I’m also there to make sure the work is returned properly. After they fully understand the material, they chose the work and do it independently whenever they choose. I think I may have been too rigid during presenting until I read that the children should be able to interrupt the presentation and finish it if they understand the concept. That made me a little more laid back and allowed me to follow my child even more.
Very good overview. I needed a reminder of some of these. I tend to sit across from the child for most lessons, unless it’s a dressing frame or penmanship, but that’s just the way I was taught.
I think everyone has a different style and everyone is right. You do what feels right for you. This is just how I present. :)
I’m pretty late on this topic, but am a newly-”commissioned” SAHM to my 2 year old. My 6-year old attended a Montessori program throughout preschool and we loved it. For many reasons, we are not sending our 2 year old to preschool, choosing for him to stay home with me instead. I have a background in child development, but it is not strong in the Montessori method, so we’re sort of floundering along till we find our rhythm. :) My question is about the rugs/workspace and cleaning up. I realize in a classroom of 20 children, it’s important to clean up your rug/mat whenever you’re finished working with a particular project…however, it seems SO redundant to have my 2 year old (the only one at home right now) roll his mat up and then back out when he switches activities. It may be that I’m over thinking this (or am way off), but do you have thoughts about leaving one mat out during the whole work cycle? Or…in a home environment, are mats absolutely necessary? Thanks!
Hi Melissa! I’m so glad you asked. I love it when people comment…really I do. :) I don’t think rugs/mats are necessary in a homeschool environment unless you have many children that need to define their spaces. We don’t use rugs in our homeschool. As for cleaning it up in between tasks, I definitely don’t think that is necessary. I believe one rug can be left out for the entire work cycle. That’s just my opinion though. The wonderful thing about homeschooling is you can tailor it to fit your needs, regardless of what Montessori (or other) trained professionals think. Make it work for you. So happy to meet you through the blog. Good luck in your homeschooling adventures. :)