YOURMONTESSORI HOMESCHOOL PLANNER 2021

Aubrey Hargis, M.Ed.

2021

YOUR MONTESSORIHOMESCHOOLPLANNER

© Child of the Redwoods, LLC 1

WELCOMEHi there, homeschooling friend! This planner hasbeen designed for a parent currently teaching a 2.5 -6 year old at home with a Montessori focus.

If you chose to download this packet, whether you’reintending to homeschool full time and long term orjust part-time or briefly, it still means that you arededicated to helping your children learn and growinto their full potential as human beings. Hooray foryou!

Feeling a little apprehensive about all of this? That’snormal. As a homeschooler of two boys now elementary age, I’ve had all the ups anddowns myself in those earlier, more energetic and insatiably curious young years.Teaching your own young children can be a challenging experience, but the benefits areimmense.

No one else knows what makes your child tick like you do, cares about them moredeeply, or has the scheduling ability to continue the lesson while in the car, while eatingpancakes for breakfast, or while reading that bedtime story at night.

Education isn’t something you do to your children. It’s something you do with them. Andit all starts with you, creating an individualized, workable plan for your family.

With love

Aubrey


FOLLOW THE CHILDIt’s going to take time to find the right rhythm for your homeschool experience — howmuch structure versus flexibility, what days work best for what subjects, what times ofday suits your little one’s natural cadence.

And, truthfully, even after you’ve figured a routine out, it’s not going to work forever.Children are constantly learning and growing, and we have to keep pace bycontinuously re-evaluating your techniques, strategies, rhythms.

It’s what we mean by “following the child.” We let the child’scuriosity and need drive the learning experience, but we makesure we prepare the learning environment (in this case, thehome) with the kinds of experiences the child is most likely tobe curious about or need.

It might sound like a guessing game, but, thanks to MariaMontessori and other researchers, we have a goodunderstanding of what children at different ages are most likelyto need and want. If we couple that research with goodplanning, we set ourselves — and our children — up forsuccess!


USING THIS PACKETI can’t overstate how important good planning is to a happy homeschool experience.Even if you value flexibility, writing down your intentions for each month will make thingswork so much smoother.

The process I'm sharing basically follows three steps.

1. Brainstorm the month's activities and goals. Because planning is so important,we'll walk through your first month in detail. Later in the packet, you'll find blankjumpstart and curriculum brain dump templates.

2. Lay your plans out on a monthly calendar. After brainstorming, it's time to paceevents out over a calendar month. I've included a blank monthly calendar template youcan use.

3. Record your child's daily actions. Here's where you "follow the child" — observingwhat they do throughout the day. I've included both a weekly and a daily template; youdon't need to use both.

While you can record lesson plans on the daily planner, most Montessorians use themfor observing and record-keeping instead. That way, you can include all the lovelythings you do with your children outside of any academics.


JUMPSTART YOUR FIRST MONTHReflections are always a healthy way to begin any planning session. If we aren’t fullyaware of where we’ve been, it’s hard to know exactly where we need to go. Take a walkwith me for a minute into the recent past and the present.

YOU, FIRSTA child’s needs are important (and never-ending!), but let’s consider your personal well-being right now as your child's teacher. A great part of your success as a homeschooleris dependent on your own attitude.

In general, how is your stress level in relation to homeschooling this month?(select one)

1 Relaxed & rockin’ it!

2 Overall pretty good, but I can prioritize some more self care.

3 I’m anxious and tense, but I have hope.

4 Help me, I’m drowning!

If you answered 1, keep on! If you answered 2, 3, or 4, resolve to take some concretesteps toward a more relaxed, happier month.

Fill in the sentence below to help yourself make a change. Let's set an intention. Forexample, This month I will drink herbal tea in the afternoon because I know that itrelaxes me.

This month I will _________________________________ because _______________

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Most resolutions fade in the hustle and bustle of real life, but they don’t have to! Thetrick to remembering your self-care priority is to associate it with another daily event.

Put a sticky note reminder just above your child’s shelf or place that pretty ceramic mug(for tea) next to your laptop. Write down your association below.

This is how I will remember to follow through

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NEXT, EVALUATE YOUR RHYTHM AND ROUTINEReflect on your current rhythm (ebb and flow of your day or week) and routine(sequence of events or activities). What’s working well right now?

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What’s not working well? Are there any imbalances or disruptions that you would liketo work on smoothing out this month? Write down the problem areas here.

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Make a change. What are you going to do differently this month to shift these problemareas into a better flow? Don’t forget to write down the association that will remind youin the moment.

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CELEBRATIONSTake a look at your calendar. Are there any holidays or cultural celebrations you’dlike to introduce to your child? Write them down here first, along with any projects thatcome immediately to mind.

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THE GREAT OUTDOORSName three possible field trips to interesting places you could take this month. Hereare some ideas to get you going: the post office, a hiking trail, a museum, a new grocerystore, viewing a construction site or vehicle from afar (be safe!), a nature center, thebeach, a local pond, a library, or an ice cream shop.

There is no reason to stay home all of the time unless you really, really want to. Theworld around you is full of educational opportunities!

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WISH LISTMake a list of materials or supplies you need to gather this month or preparations youneed to make for the activities or projects you have in mind.


CURRICULUM BRAIN DUMPNow comes a bit of fun! Remember that at this young age, so much of your child’slearning will unfold naturally. You supply the fun things to play with, and your childlearns and grows.

Some homeschooling parents do not feel the need for curriculum planning at all.Instead, they focus on a more spontaneous approach, taking in the learningopportunities that naturally arise. This is a fine method if it works for you!

Other parents enjoy and benefit from brainstorming some ideas for each subject area.Best of both worlds: think of this as not a “must do” list but a “wish” list of activities,ideas, or projects, and you’ll have a plan and flexibility to boot!

It’s perfectly fine to leave some subjects empty as many activities and topics may cross-over into one another. You may also have some uncompleted ideas to bring over fromlast month.


EXAMPLE LESSON IDEAS AND ACTIVITIES

Alternative to this chart – Make a mind map of your ideas. If you have taken theHomeschool of the Redwoods course with me, select appropriate lessons from yourToolkit the Montessori scope and sequence) to help you do this part.

Sensorial Music

Practical Life Art

Language Math

Geography Science

Smelling bottlesPlay jazz anddance w/ playsilks

Sing continent song Living/Non-livingcards

Sink & floatexperiment

Introduce goldenbeads

Paper tearingwatercolor w/red & blue

Sandpaper letters -

m, c, a, t

Mopping lessonPouring pitcherto cups


TEMPLATES


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Wish List

Places to go and people to see

Events and holidays not be missed

Changes I will make

This routine is NOT workingThis routine is working

I will remember to follow through by...

This month I will...This month I will...

Help!4321

Iʼm Relaxed

My HomeschoolingStress Check

Month


Sensorial Music

Practical Life Art

Language Math

Geography Science

Month


ThurMon Tue Wed

Month


Fri Sat Sun

The child is a well-spring of love. Whenever we touch the child, we touch love.- Maria Montessori

When things don'tgo as planned, Iwill tell myself...

Don't forget to...


Date Date Date

Week OfMonday Tuesday Wednesday

Even

ing

Afte

rnoo

nM

orni

ng


Date Date Date

Thursday Friday WeekendEv

enin

gA

ftern

oon

Mor

ning

- Maria Montessori

The child can only develop fully by means of experienceon his environment. We call such experience ‘work.’


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Evening Nourishment

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To-Do List

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Letʼs Make Some Montessori Magic

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Morning Nourishment5

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SUNSHINE AND RAINSTORMS WHAT HAPPENED?

- Maria MontessoriThe child has a mind able to absorb knowledge. He has the power to teach himself.

Today I am grateful for...

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YOURMONTESSORI HOMESCHOOL PLANNER 2021