Asking if something is “Montessori” or telling other parents, “That’s not Montessori!” has become a common theme of Montessori groups on social media. I like to believe everyone is well meaning, though I know it can feel otherwise. There seems to be a lot of anxiety tied to making our homes wonderfully “Montessori.” Especially when we see beautiful setups with large, open shelves and large windows overlooking a beautiful outdoor play area. And of course there is never an out of play toy or activity!
After seeing some lovely photos and reading about some great activities, you decide to try something new yourself. Looking for confidence, you post a photo to the Montessori group you belong to and some kind person informs you that, “This is not Montessori.”
I’ve been there – and I was teaching in Montessori classrooms well before I had children! It is disheartening. And if we are looking at strict Montessori, that person may be right.
Montessori Home vs. Montessori School
Something I try to keep in mind for myself and when speaking with other parents, there is a big different between my home expectations and the expectations I have in my classroom. This is true whether we are talking about a Montessori aligned home environment or a Montessori based homeschool.
The materials are the biggest difference in home versus classroom. In a classroom, I want to have high quality materials, as I know many, many children will be using them through the years. Any materials we have in the classroom, if not specifically Montessori, still need to be close-ended and have other key features of a Montessori material. I will also prepare many extra activities to accommodate different interests of many children, such as a yoga corner or available sewing materials.
At home is different. For one, we have a mix of open- and close-ended materials available for our children. (See my post on the differences and benefits of each here!) We also use non-Montessori materials or printed versions of certain materials. They may not be as nice as the beautiful wooden ones, but they still help my kids learn things.
How did we get here?
When you go through Montessori training, you learn there are very specific ways of acting, using materials, and arranging the classroom. The materials were built to certain specifications. Maria Montessori found specific ways to do many things in the classroom- and they work! While no two Montessori classrooms will look the same, and different teachers will still teach a little differently, there are many similarities. Often a child transitioning from one Montessori school to another can easily transition due to so many familiarities.
As more and more people learn about the Montessori method, more people are incorporating it into their homes. This makes us Montessorians so happy! The philosophy behind Montessori – respect of the child, kind and firm discipline, encouraging independence, following and supporting a child’s interests- are the best ways to incorporate Montessori at home.
At Home
When we make our own activities or buy materials, they do not have to replicate Montessori materials! That beautiful nesting, stacking rainbow you bought is not a Montessori material or toy. I am sure a well meaning person has informed you of this while you showed it off on your Montessori shelf. And the recommendations of only photos on the wall, rather than artwork, I would not say is Montessori aligned. (That may be a post for another day!) I am sure it’s tempting to inform people of their “mistakes” because many of us know how strict about things Montessori can be.
At home, let’s try to lighten up a bit, take a deep breath. Rather than worry about whether or not something is “Montessori,” or feel badly, think about why you have that activity for your child. Is is because…
- Your children are learning something new or interesting from it?
- Your child can practice a needed skill?
- You want to expose your child to something new?
- Your child has expressed or shown an interest in the material/toy/subject area?
- Something else?
Final Thoughts…
You don’t need to have only wooden materials and toys for your child, nor do you need genuine Montessori materials. Open ended toys and materials are not Montessori, but they are wonderful additions to your home and homeschool environments. Themed shelves are not traditionally Montessori, but I have found they work well for home especially. Your family and child may had different needs, interests, and abilities and this should all be accounted for when designing your home.
