Freedom with in Structure

These past few weeks have been very busy as well as very exciting for me.....
Our journey in homeschooling so far has been pretty easy!  Mason is just a natural learner, he always has been! (James we will have to see!) So we have taken it pretty easy so far.  I must admit that back in September we were both gunho to sit at the table everyday when James napped and got as much "school" done as we could.....then November happened, Warren got layed off work and was home, the holidays, sicknesses, including poor James with nemonia.  I had a lot of time to think about what we were going to do come September, well June really..........Lesson learned, "I think we need a little structure"

Since Mason will be turning 6 this year (YIKES!!!) I have to send a Letter of Intent to the superattendant of schools with my intentions of what I am going to be teaching Mason for Kindergarden, got me thinking. 

Then  I stumbled on a blog from a homeschool mom who uses the Montessori Method, and I was smitten!  Never thought I would use a set curriculum, just figured I would use a little of this, a little of that, what ever Mason was interested in at the time , along with supplemental basics. 

Little did I realize, I allready used alot of the monessori method!  I am a big beleiver in self help skills and freedom within structure! 

What I like about this method of teaching children, for homeschooling:

It allows the children to choose what they want to "work" on during "school" time, but you provide what thier choices are!

Each lesson is presented to the child, step by step, then the child is free to work on it.  there is usually a control card to help them if they need it, so it is a NO FAIL approach to teaching children from ages 2-6, but they have the freedom to explore the lesson and ask questions.

It promotes
 peacefullness
 orginization
 self control
 life skills
 courtisy
 manners
 and a big emphisis on Math and Science!

I am only in the beginning stages of my learning about the Montessori method, but I have signed up for an online course and I am receiving the curriculum through the course, I like what I see.
There is a HUGE community of other Montessori homeschoolers for support too!
I hope I can keep up with my blog and share with you our journey as we go.
Keep checking in!

our little classroom space!