hello sorry this comment is not relating to the robots. i'm considering to do activities with my 2 yr old daughter using montessori approaches and eventually homeschool her and see that you have recommended the NAMC course. can you please tell me what do you like about it? may i ask did you do the infant/toddler or the presch/kindergarten course? also just want to let you know your blog is great. many thanks, alice
Hi Alice, thank you for your comments. I did the 3-6yrs course with NAMC and it was about 3 years ago now. I would have liked to do a course with actual real life training and since I have a teaching background I know how important hands on training is but because of where we live the only option available for me at the time was online and NAMC was the best of the bunch. Apart from the actual course work my tutor suggested extra reading and books that she would be of interest to me and she also answered my million and one questions (she was probably glad to see the back of me ;o) ) I know some courses insist on you making your own albums and as a hands on learner that would have been great for me but again it would have been impossible because I didn't (still don't) have access to all the equipment. So far the albums have been great, I have found the maths album a bit confusing because of the layout and I end up scratching my head trying to decide which of the work should be presented next. If you do the course I do recommend extra reading, the course work materials by themselves is not enough. I have Maria Montessori's books 'The Absorbent Mind' and all the ones that followed and also found 'Montessori, the science behind the genius' very helpful, insightful maybe a better term. The course was split into three and we studied a particular area each semester, the question papers we very easy as long as you read what you are supposed to and I really enjoyed the essays I had to write. I know some Montessori teachers poo-poo the online courses and some are blind to the fact that not everyone lives in the States near a college that teaches a suitable course or that not everyone has the time/money to do a full on course but for me, this was the the only option. I am glad i chose to ignore those who said I would be wasting my time, I feel that I am giving my son the best start that I can and for me, that is what is important.
Re: homeschool - I won't be homeschooling Ebi-kun, once he is old enough he will go to a Japanese elementary school, again this is the choice that I think is best for him, to help him grow into a well rounded boy. He will also go to a Japanese kindy next year. The one we want him to go to is not Montessori but many of their ideals are similar .
hop this answers your questions, you know where I am if you have any more!
thank you so much jo for your reply. i'm interested in doing the 3-6yrs course as well and the way NAMC presents their materials is more appealing to me than the others. i don't have an education background how do you think i can prepare my 2 years old (she just turned two last friday) for the 3-6yrs course? i saw that they have a course for 0-3yrs at NAMC as well but i'm unable to afford to do both courses. is there a book you can recommend that is more activity-based?
Hi Alice, Tim Seldons book http://astore.amazon.com/abitofthianda-20/detail/075662505X is quite good, gives you a good idea on how to set up the home too. I would go for the 3-6 course, you may find that your little one will start some of the activities early if they are there. Ebi-kun was not quite two when he started with the pink tower and cylinder blocks http://jojoebi.blogspot.com/2007/06/pink-tower.html and it was around his 2nd birthday he started to recognise letters which took me by surprise and I had to make the sandpaper letters and pouches quick sharp! So there are posts in my archives which will give you some idea - of course all kids are different and what interested Ebi-kun at 2 might not interest your daughter. Also, I highly recommend Chasing Cherrios blog, the link is in the side bar on the left, she does loads of great activities with O who is about a year younger than Ebi-kun.
hello sorry this comment is not relating to the robots. i'm considering to do activities with my 2 yr old daughter using montessori approaches and eventually homeschool her and see that you have recommended the NAMC course. can you please tell me what do you like about it? may i ask did you do the infant/toddler or the presch/kindergarten course? also just want to let you know your blog is great. many thanks, alice
ReplyDeleteHi Alice, thank you for your comments.
ReplyDeleteI did the 3-6yrs course with NAMC and it was about 3 years ago now. I would have liked to do a course with actual real life training and since I have a teaching background I know how important hands on training is but because of where we live the only option available for me at the time was online and NAMC was the best of the bunch.
Apart from the actual course work my tutor suggested extra reading and books that she would be of interest to me and she also answered my million and one questions (she was probably glad to see the back of me ;o) )
I know some courses insist on you making your own albums and as a hands on learner that would have been great for me but again it would have been impossible because I didn't (still don't) have access to all the equipment.
So far the albums have been great, I have found the maths album a bit confusing because of the layout and I end up scratching my head trying to decide which of the work should be presented next.
If you do the course I do recommend extra reading, the course work materials by themselves is not enough. I have Maria Montessori's books 'The Absorbent Mind' and all the ones that followed and also found 'Montessori, the science behind the genius' very helpful, insightful maybe a better term.
The course was split into three and we studied a particular area each semester, the question papers we very easy as long as you read what you are supposed to and I really enjoyed the essays I had to write.
I know some Montessori teachers poo-poo the online courses and some are blind to the fact that not everyone lives in the States near a college that teaches a suitable course or that not everyone has the time/money to do a full on course but for me, this was the the only option. I am glad i chose to ignore those who said I would be wasting my time, I feel that I am giving my son the best start that I can and for me, that is what is important.
Re: homeschool - I won't be homeschooling Ebi-kun, once he is old enough he will go to a Japanese elementary school, again this is the choice that I think is best for him, to help him grow into a well rounded boy. He will also go to a Japanese kindy next year. The one we want him to go to is not Montessori but many of their ideals are similar .
hop this answers your questions, you know where I am if you have any more!
thank you so much jo for your reply. i'm interested in doing the 3-6yrs course as well and the way NAMC presents their materials is more appealing to me than the others. i don't have an education background how do you think i can prepare my 2 years old (she just turned two last friday) for the 3-6yrs course? i saw that they have a course for 0-3yrs at NAMC as well but i'm unable to afford to do both courses. is there a book you can recommend that is more activity-based?
ReplyDeletethanks again jo i really appreciate it. alice
and also want to add that i've just ordered 'the absorbent mind' from amazon. thank you for your recommendation. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Alice,
ReplyDeleteTim Seldons book
http://astore.amazon.com/abitofthianda-20/detail/075662505X
is quite good, gives you a good idea on how to set up the home too.
I would go for the 3-6 course, you may find that your little one will start some of the activities early if they are there.
Ebi-kun was not quite two when he started with the pink tower and cylinder blocks
http://jojoebi.blogspot.com/2007/06/pink-tower.html
and it was around his 2nd birthday he started to recognise letters which took me by surprise and I had to make the sandpaper letters and pouches quick sharp! So there are posts in my archives which will give you some idea - of course all kids are different and what interested Ebi-kun at 2 might not interest your daughter. Also, I highly recommend Chasing Cherrios blog, the link is in the side bar on the left, she does loads of great activities with O who is about a year younger than Ebi-kun.