We have been enjoying our first year with an Elementary child in the house! It’s been 9 months since he entered mainstream school (primary school in Singapore) and the Montessori foundations of self-direction and consistent work have stood him in good stead in primary school.
What we do, is to be very mindful of the time that he has at home. We’ve figured out a system for him to manage his homework almost independently. We do not overschedule him with this extra class and that, because the time at home is to decompress. After a structured day at school, that downtime is almost certainly what they need.
I asked my 7yo which was his favorite toy, and to my delight, he replied, “the things I like are not toys at all”. Here are some works my 5.5 and 7yo have been enjoying, which correspond to the interests and sensitivities of the elementary child. Your child may be liking other topics, and that’s totally normal!
Money
A keen interest of the second-plane (6-12yo) child. I made a Singapore currency work. Often, they will do this alongside a toy cash register filled with real coins, exchanging 10 10-cent coins for a $1 coin and so on. The older child “gives lessons” to the younger and it’s heartwarming to see!
A really easy tip: provide a dish of coins and let your child top up their pocket money themselves every day. Natural, real-life practice!
Grammar
I have spoken about the importance and compatibility of Montessori grammar with traditional English education, which doesn’t emphasize grammar. It’s so valuable to have a strong grasp of grammar, that supports all future writing, reading and communication! I printed these grammar labels and my children, especially my 5.5yo enjoy playing games with them, such as hunting around the home, playing charades, or using the pop-up grammar book pictured as a reference.
During one such grammar game, my child strew these color pencils on the table. Her word was “messy”!
Handwork
Art and handwork have continued to feature in our elementary prepared environment. Sewing, painting, bookmaking, are works the children have chosen, over and over again, this past year. Not only is it calming and inviting, at its best handwork can be used to synthesize learning from various subject disciplines. For instance, a child reading about the history of writing and the invention of paper, may have a go at making his own paper, experimenting with different pulps, mix-ins (like petals), and turning that into a booklet.
The pinboard loom has been so versatile as setting the pins differently allows us to create different shapes. Eco-friendly too, as you can save your fabric scraps and ribbons for weaving!
My husband bought them 3D pens, which moulds technology and art, as well as being comfortable with a certain amount of heat and risk (safety note: build up to this and supervise without over-protecting, working with electricity is not something I throw them into the deep end to). The children are mainly making 2D pieces now as decorative items or keychains, but the possibilities are endless. They could also make 3D items like pencil holders and sculptures.
How things work
Toys that allow them to explore how things work, are huge in the elementary stage. We have some Lego simple machines that can be added on to any Lego set to make seesaws and gears. I’d love to add some pulleys!
These electric snap circuits are a classic- I got a Lego-compatible set so they can incorporate existing Lego and build bigger.
An amazing home library
Of everything to put in an elementary environment, this is it. If you choose well, and choose books that support and expand their interests, the best books are like an elementary classroom in book form.
A Childcraft encyclopedia (out of print, but available secondhand) inspires ocean research and a follow-up mural artwork.
A Math Lab book has fun Math activities for school-age children to try, such as drawing of parabolas and maps.
This collection of books keeps growing!
Here’s an unposed snapshot of elementary children at work. How different it looks from the neat compartmentalised trays of the first plane (0-6yo)! On the left, my child is reading Greek mythology and illustrating a drawing with 30 storeys. On the right, my other child is using the Montessori beads and some multiplication tables I printed, while making a booklet to record her sums. They’ve made a “rubbish bin” from Playmags to hold paper cuttings, and brought an alarm clock to help them keep track of time.
It’s been incredible seeing the expansion of my children’s minds and the ambitiousness of the work they set themselves in the elementary years (6-12yo). The key is to trust your child, but also prepare an environment where self-initiated, challenging work, can happen and happen regularly. At the same time, know that we parents can set the stage, but it is the children who have to choose to learn.
If you enjoyed this, I teach a 6-week online course on the Montessori Elementary Child, where we delve deep into
- the changes in the child’s mind
- cosmic education at home
- supporting the transition to elementary/ mainstream school
- developing self-responsibility over homework and studies
- preparing a child’s workspace
- all things prepared environment
- taking learning outside the four walls of the classroom or home
The course includes 8 weeks of facilitation, where I answer all your questions on the lecture videos or in the optional private Facebook group. Maria Montessori described the elementary years as “the greatest intellectual period”, so our approach has to shift from how we Montessori-ed for 0-6yo. My course is designed for parents of children in mainstream school, who still wish to provide a Montessori experience at home and keep the love of learning alive, but homeschoolers have found it terribly useful as well. It’s been described as “mindblowing”.
Client Elsa says: “It really assured me that I can continue to nurture my child with the same principles and I will not “lose” my child to the mainstream school system. It gave me confidence that my prepared home environment and my principles of raising my child is still going to be the primary influence in her life. She can thrive in mainstream education with the same enthusiasm for learning and intrinsic motivation we have worked hard to protect.”
This course runs once a year. It’s open for enrolment now and begins in October.
If you’re not ready to commit yet, that’s totally ok! You may find these blog posts useful: