Schedules

"One test of the correctness of the educational procedure is the happiness of the child." 

- Dr. Maria Montessori

Last week we talked about Work Plans and how outlining a list of tasks each day is helpful. This encourages the child to prioritize their own work and responsibilities. But there is more we need to consider here. And that is OUR schedule. I don't know about you, but the lack of a clear beginning and end to OUR work day has been one of the hardest parts during this enormous transition. We are parents, professionals, parents again, trying to work again, and then parenting some more. No separation. Someone once said that when work comes home, home is what seems to suffer. Truth, right? Work is always there, calling us. And the children need us, too. How can we find our balance once again? How do we claim those boundaries for ourselves, our jobs, and our families? The answer I keep coming back to is a Weekly Schedule.

In the classroom, Montessori philosophy is all about structure, routine, and community. We are home now and those principles don't have to disappear. Whether you use a planner, a wall calendar, or your phone, we need to record our schedule for the week- and honor it. For me, the very act of writing something makes it feel more official. When does work start and end? Write it down. When do we take a break for lunch? Write it down. When can we help our children with school work and help facilitate their scheduled virtual class meetings? When can we check our emails or make phone calls? Write it down. And last, but certainly not least, when can we schedule self-care? Just as we tell our children to run around and play, we, too, need to heed this advice. To take walks, do yoga, read, or garden. If we don't model to our children the importance of caring for ourselves, how will they learn it? As parents, OF COURSE, we prioritize the happiness of our children. But, OUR happiness, our work-life balance, is important, too. And if we can stick to that schedule we create, in the end, everyone benefits.

Shifting Gears

"The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, "The children are now working as if I did not exist." - Maria Montessori

This past week was hard. Life as we once knew it, is no more and as a parent, it is easy to feel overwhelmed right now. I sure do. So many questions, fears, concerns, pressures from work, and academic resources flooding in at an astounding rate. It's a lot. But let's pause for a moment. Let's breath and validate ourselves. We did it. We got through. In fact, we did better than that. We succeeded. Our children are safe, content, and working on various tasks. It's easy to focus on the negative, or all that we didn't get done. But let's try and shift gears here. Let's hold our chins up high.

Everyone's home situation is going to be different during this unprecedented time and what works for the next person, may not work for you. And that is understandable. So how do we get through each week- each day- without feeling paralyzed? In the spirit of shifting gears, I will use this platform to help you bring Montessori into your home. You have more skills than you realize and are already sharing your many gifts. But, let me remind you that your job is NOT to sit and teach your child all day. You have work, life, and a whole slew of other responsibilities to tend to. So let's put some onus back on the child. The biggest goal of a Montessori education is independence. And your children are more than capable.

The key for all of us, children and adults, is routine. This starts with a schedule, or "Work Plan". Your children can look at their options and chart their own course for the day (see my daughter's plan above.) You can make one, too. Decide when you will do YOUR work and discuss with children that they have THEIR work to do as well. If you have times you are not available, put it on the schedule and set clear boundaries. Children can always read, practice math facts, draw, play games, go out in yard, and even (gasp!) watch cartoons while they wait for you.

We can't do it all. That is a never-ending battle, and one that we will not win. You have a lot of resources at your fingertips. Choose what works for YOU and push the rest aside. I can't stress that enough. Having a Work Plan helped me as a parent last week. This does not mean every day went perfectly. It did not. Some days will be better than others. Some days children will be motivated, while other days will feel like a struggle. As we shift gears, and find our new normal, I am working to practice patience and to extend some grace to my children... and myself. 

Answering Big Questions

"We should help the child therefore no longer because we think of him as a creature, puny and weak, but because he is endowed with great creative energies, which are of their nature so fragile as to need a loving and intelligent defense." -Maria Montessori

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Children have many questions, about many things. And it is our job to give them the information they seek, either by answering directly or finding someone else who can. We may sway them to a reference book or even an online source. Children want to know all of the why's and the how's. They want to know how the stars came to be or what the first human being was like. They want to know how stuffed animals are made or where our food comes from. And the Montessori child especially craves such answers, often in as much detail as possible. Don't shy away from answering your children's questions. They trust you and depend on you to help them to understand and make sense of complex ideas and things. It is important we answer on their level, of course, with honesty, but also with discretion depending on the age of the child and the topic. And the Coronavirus is no different. Many parents have asked me how I am talking to my students and my own children about this health emergency. Well, I am being honest. It is a flu-like virus that is making people sick all over the world and the best thing we can do is wash our hands often and keep away from those who are not feeling well. Yes, I mention that the Coronavirus has taken people's lives but that the threat to most of us is still quite low. Then I wait for their questions, and answer honestly and matter-of-fact. Below is a great video put out by BrainPop, an educational website where children (and adults) can learn just about anything via a short, animated film. My children are 12, 8, and 5 and it was a great starting point for a conversation. BrainPop - Coronavirus