Montessori Site

Loads to read: http://www.montessorimom.com/baby-introduction/

BB's teething update - 8th teeth

This one takes awhile to pop out, but finally it's out !

Montessori:The Three period lesson

one of the approach in Montessori is the three period lesson, which i touch on in my previous entry on the book i Read esp in sensory development. I think i will blog in more detail on this approach for my future reference.

The three period lesson has 3 stages:
Stage 1
take 3 objects. Place one of the objects in front of child and say its name clearly. Do the same for each of the other two objects.

This stage is characterised by the words "This is a.."

Stage 2
Place all thees objects together and ask for one of them by name. Once your child has identified the object you want, mix all three up together and ask for another one. repeat this until she is able to identify the objects swiftly when you ask for them.
Encourage her to repeat the name of the object after you from time to time, but don't at this point ask her to try to remember the name.
Keep this stage interesting and fun by varying the requests you make and keep them short so that her attention is not distracted by the command.

This stage is characterized by the words "Give me the ..Show me the..Put the..Hold the..Touch the..Point to the.."

Stage 3
Point to one of the objects and ask child if she knows its name.Do the same for the other two objects. Repeat this step a few times until she is really convinced that she knows the names of the object.

This stage is categorized by the words "What is this? Do you know what this is ?"

The lesson follows a logical process, which helps children associate objects and ideas and, through a more flexible application, it can also be used to great effect in learning any new knowledge.

The first stage clearly sets out the parameter of what is to be learned.

The second stage gives your child time to actively connect the new information to her own experience, If you don't give this phase long enough she may not have had enough time to gain the new knowledge. If she is unable to remember the names of the objects during the third phase, this usually means she has not spent enough time learning them properly in this stage.

The third stage helps your child to identify what she now knows that she didn't know before. To know that you know gives confidence. She may use her new knowledge to extend her ideas and experience .

mm.. maybe i should start with fruits like apple/orange/pear with my missy ? since she now knows orange is on the altar and apple is in the poster..shall try out.

Rhymes progress

After i keep singing the rhymes with action to little missy, she seems to like
(1) Pat-a-Cake
(2) The Wheel-on-the-bus

whenever she is running away from me, i can just sing these rhymes to get her attention back, she will stop, and clap hands then come back to me.. haaa.. cute !

Itsy-bitsy spider, im still learning.. i keep finding the words a bit tongue twisting.. haa.. old woman learning kid's rhymes !

Current Reading: Montessori Read & Write

Do some quick reading during Missy's nap time.

Some guidelines to develop concentration in children:
1. cut down the number of Tv/videos programmes that your child watches
2. if you are playing a game, try to have the table or floor clear of other distratctinf item
3. Make sure you have everything you will need to play before starting
4. When your child is concentrating on an activity, try to avoid interrupting.

Still reading the book

Body Weight matter

Wanted to record this for ages, just never got around to do it.. today i started my SAHM's life till end of this week, so, while missy is catching her morning nap, here i am in fron of my PC and of course, cooking her porridge at kitchen at the same time. Never HOPE maid to help, she din even know when things are boiled. wonder what kind of training they got before coming over to SG. *Thumbs DOWN*

From 0th month - 11th month

At birth(sept07) - 3.305kg / 49cm
Oct'07 - 5.1kg
Dec'07 - 3rdmonth assessment - 7.825kg/63.5cm - 50 percentile
Jan'08 - 8.4kg
Mar'08 - 8.6kg
Apr'08 - 9.165kg
May'08 - 9.1kg
Jun'08 - 9thmonth assessment 9.7kg/72cm - 90 percentile for weight & 75 percentile for height
July'08 9.98kg/74.8cm

Certain month, we never weigh, thus, teh above statistics..Missy had her very first diarhoea end of Dec'07 which lasted for 1 week plus. her first flu, in June'08 (9th month) and of course her very first UTI/hospitalisation due to duplex kidney in Aprl(6th month plus)

Just wish she grows up healthily and happily..that will make her mummy happy and healthy too.. heee

Rhymes with action - The Wheel son th bus

This ryhmes will be in used later.. just put it in my blog first.. cos i need time to pick up all these ryhmes..

The wheels on the bus go
round and round
roll forearms forward in a circular motion

Round and round,
continue to roll arms

round and round
roll arms

all through the town
draw a circle in the air

The horn on the bus goes
beep beep beep
press imaginary horn with hand

beep beep beep
press horn with hand

beep beep beep
press horn with hand

The horn on the bus goes
beep beep beep
press horn with hand

all through the town
draw a circle in the air

continue with:
the wipers on the bus go
swish swish swish
sway forearms back and forth

the driver on the bus says
"move on back"..
point over shoulder with thumb

The lights on the bus go
blink, blink, blink
open and close fists

The baby on the bus goes
waah waah waah
make cradling motion with arms

The parents on the bus say
"i love you"
hug child

Rhymes with action - Itsy Bitsy Spider

so far, missy already knows when i do the round the garden means tickle her armpit after circle her palm.. pat-a-cake means we clapping hands..little piggie still on going as she refuse to let me wriggle her toes when i sing the rhymes..she will just pull her leg up..

anyway, i shall add one more rhymes into our repertoire..:

Itsy-Bitsy spider

Th witsy-bitsy spider
went up the water spout
walk fingers up in the air

down came the rain and
washed the spider out.
wiggle fingers downward to make rain

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
form a circle with fingers above head

and the itsy-bitsy spider
went up the spout again
walk fingers up again

This fingerplay suppose to train fine motor skills;listening;tactile stimulation

Current reading #2 : Teaching Montessori in the Home: Pre-School Years:

Teaching Montessori in the Home: Pre-School Years: The Pre-School Years (Teaching Montessori in the Home)

http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Montessori-Home-Pre-School-Years/dp/0452279097

Another Montessori reading.. just got this book from col who help me to borrow from woodlands library.

Sort of glance through the whole book.

Summary of the book, extracted. Will make a copy of the detail of activities to be done in this book, follow the montessori way.

Montessori early years education ( 2- 6 )
- focus on precious formative years from birth to 6 years of age.

(1) Sensitive periods:

Birth - 3 years absorbent mind; sensory experiences
11/2 - 3 years language development
12/2 - 4 years coordination and muscle development; interested in small objectes
2 - 4 years refinement of movements;concern with truth and reality; aware of order sequence in time & space
21/2 - 6 years sensory refinement
3 - 6 years susceptibility to adult influence
31/2 - 41/2 years writing
4 - 41/2 years tactile sense
41/2 - 51/2 years reading


there are some misunderstanding with Montessory method due to her writing, as she stresses "word" instead of learning.

(2) Practical-life exericises:
For many parents, this mean asking their kids to do housework in school ?

opening & closing drawers - 21/2 - 4
busy board or dressing frames - 21/2 - 5
pouring rice - 21/2 - 5
dusting 21/2 - 5
carrying a chair - 21/2 - 5
folding a napkin- 21/2 - 5
setting a table 21/2 - 5
washing dishes - 21/2 - 5
washing hands - 3-4
washing a table 3-4
sweeping the floor - 3-5
polishing silver- 3-5
shining shoes - 3-5
lcaing a shoe- 31/2 -5
tying a bow - 4-5
bead stringing- 11/2 -4
bottles and tops 2-4
using a dropper 21/2 -5
cutting 3-5
painting & coloring - 3-5
working with clay
doing puzzles
sewing
nature study
geography


(3)Early sensorial exercises

three period lesson: ( repetition required)
first perioed : recognition of identity - make association btw the object being shwon and its name
second period : recognistion and contrast - to assure the child understands
third period : descrimination between similar objects - see if the child remembers the name itself


The tower - 21/2 - 4
cylinders & solid insets - 21/2 - 5
fabric basket - 21/2 -5
thermal bottles - 21/2-4
button games 21/2-3
rough and smooth boards 21/2 -4
silence game 21/2 -5
walking the line 3-5
basic tablets 3-5
mystery bag 3-5
sound bottles 3-5
color tablets 3-5
scent bottles 3-5\geometric insets 21/2 -5
geometric shapes 31/2-5
naming the colors 41/2-5

(4) reading and writing exercise
sandpaper letters- 3-5
command cards 3-5
pictures and sounds 31/2-5
the movable alphabet 4-5


(5)Arithmetic exercises
number rods 3-5
the spindle box 3-5
sandpaper numbers 3-5
writing numbers 4-5
number progression 41/2-5
measuring exercise 4-5

Current reading: Montessori Play And Learn

http://www.amazon.com/Montessori-Play-Learn-Parents-Purposeful/dp/0517591820
Montessori Play And Learn: A Parent's Guide to Purposeful Play from Two to Six

Im still reading this book. borrowed on Sunday.

Some Maria Montessori's background learned from this book:
1. She was an italian born in middle class family.
2. She was a doctor and was educated in ROME
3.She started her first school for age 3-6 , The children House in Italy.

The essense of the Montessori Method:
1. All children have "absorbent" mind
2. All children pass through "sensitive" periods
3. All children want to learn
4. All children learn through play/work
5. All children pass through several stages of development
6. All children want to be independent

The Absorbent mind
Mind that soak up all information unconsciously - eg language learns from parents
fisrt 6 years of life

The Conscious mind
Second phase 3-6- mind still absorbent, but now consciousness begins.

The Sensitive periods
6 sensitives periods:
1. Sensitivity to order
2. sensitivity to language
3. sensitivity to walking
4. sensitivity to the social aspects of life
5. sensitivity to small objects
6. sensitivity to learning through the senses

Children want to learn
Learning begins from birth and that the fundamental processes of how children learn are laid down very early in life. To start with, they learn through play, through experimenting with things in the world around them eg, water is wet, it can be cold and hot, it can be poured from one cup to another etc.

Learning through play
Play is enjoyable, voluntary, purposeful and spontaneously chosen activity. It is often creatuve as well, involving problem solving, learning new social skills, new language and new physical skills. play is important to the young children to help her learn new ideas and put them into practice, to adapt socially and to overcome emotional problems eg imaginative games

Stages of Development
Stage one : Birth to six
birth to three - unconscious/absorbent mind
Three to six - develop conscious mind , remain absorbent

stage two : six to twelve
childhood

stage three : Twelve to eighteen
adolescene

Encouraging Independence
exercises of practical life activities

Lots of activities given in this book. I have make copies of them for future reference.

Rhymes with action - This little pig

Another Rhyme for me to learn.. tiring huh ! i have to learn the rhymes one by one.. but when i see missy enjoying it.. all is worth it la.. heee..i still cannot recall learning all these rhymes back then.. mmm..

This little pig went to market.
This little pig stayed at home;
This little pig had roast pork <-- i change beef to pork, cos i don't eat beef..
This little pig had none.
And this littlw pig cried
"Wee.Wee.Wee."
All the way home..

Action: wiggle each of baby's toes in turn, starting with the big one anfd on the last line run fingers up to baby's leg and tickle tummy..

Weekend reading- Baby Read-Aloud basic

I managed to finish this book during this weekend, due to backache, i have to rest on bed and have the luxury to do some reading ..Thanks to MIL for helping me to entertain my little missy


I started reading to missy when she is around 5-6 months..i started flashing her flash card earlier.. as early as 2-3 months..as i think what's the point of reading to an infant who does not even have clear vision..haaa.. seems like im very wrong..

The book describe how important and useful, later in a child's life if we start reading to them earlier, as soon as she is born..this book introduces stages from 0 2 years old..

Summary of this book:

age 0-2 months - The listener
age 2-4 months - The observer
age 4-8 months - The coor
age 8-12 months - The babler
age 12-18 months - The word maker
age 18-24 months - the phrase maker

my bb is now 10+ months.. she is still in the babaler stage. suggestions on types of books to read to her:
1. homemade books about baby's first birthday
2. books with rhymes with repeating words
3. word books with label of objects
4. books that explore concepts : in/out/under/inside
5. books that illustrate action -running/jumping
6. books that flaps and noise buttons


Im thinking of making a family book with photos of her closer family member so that she remembers everyone..

and im thking when she is 1 year plus, i shall make small booklet with pictures for every places we visited, e,.g zoo, bird park, beach.. etc.. so we can always refer to these books for things we have done, such as in zoo, we see tiger/monkey.. we play sand on beaches..swimming in the pool.. we see peacock in bird park..mm.. lots of ideas but have to get it out first..

Busy mummy..

This week Reading - Gymboree Play

Found this Baby Play (Gymboree) book from lib. Interesting as it gives pictorial sample of activities to engage with baby of each month.

Shall try out some.

There are many activities to play with bb.. some that i wish to do woth missy as below:

1. Bubbles for baby - watching bubbles float: cause and effect/eye-hand coordination/visual development

2.Surprises Inside - wrap toys and let bb unrwap - fine motor skill/problem solving/tactile Stimulation

3. Little Drummer baby - pots/container for her to play as drum : cause & effect/eye-hand coordination/listening

4.How puzzling - big wooden puzzle pieces with colorful pictures - bought these matching puzzles some time back, it's about time to introduce to missy : fine motor skill/problem solving/size & shape discrimination/visual discrimination

5.searchlight - use torch light to let her search the direction: balance/eye-hand coordination/gross motor skills

6.Pouring Practise - play with sand - im thinking on her 1st birthday we shall go beach : eye-hand coordination/fine motor skills

7. Boxed set - give her few boxes with things hidden inside for bb to search : fine motor skill/problem solving/size& shape dirscrimination/spatial awareness

8. Rhymes with action -itsy-bitsy spider/The wheel on the bus

That's about all for bb's age activities.. shall continue to exploe more games for little missy


Games for 1 year-old
1. fun fileed jars - learning to remove lid and take out toys : fine motor skills/language development/social skills

2. Shake it up, baby : playing with handmade instruments

3. sand skills : sand is wonderful for artistic exploration. grasping and releasing the sand and using tools to manipulate it exercises toddler's fine motor skills and stimulate senses of touch

4. photo fun - help children sharpen memory skills by filling her world with images of familiar faces and intriguing objects

5.crayon creations: grasping and using a crayon build fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination. it also helps to identify colours and express herself by choosng her colours and scribble in her way pleases her..

6. Shape to fit - classifying skills/eye-hand coordination/fine motor skills/size & shape discrimination

Current Reading - Charlotte Mason Method

This week, my reading is about Charlotte Mason Method in parenting. Got this link from one the of the SAHM, as usual. They are full of information. heee.

http://simplycharlottemason.com/planning/eyguide/

mm.. Quote CM
"Education is a discipline - That is, the discipline of the good habits in which the child is trained.

education is a life, nourished upon ideas and

education is an atmosphere - that is, the child breaths the atmosphere emanating from her parents; that of the ideas which rule their own lives "


The quotes make me so determine wanting to nurture my child to be a well-behaved girl and grow up in a happy and cheerful environment.

Somehow, i already changing my home into a more cheerful, more child-like place compare to before.. i guess im on the right track..

Now, i may need to put in more effort in ensuring my child grow up to be a well-mannered and well-behanved girl.. her mummy aka me has a lousy temper, i hope she don't take after me. means, i've got to have my temper in check !

Nursery Play-A-Long - Pat-A-Cake

Recently, i've borrowed this book which i've longed to master since little Missy comes around.. I have never heard this rhyme when i was younger. Don't remember it at all. LGG too said he can't recall reciting this ryhme during his childhood day.. But it is everywhere.. librat/parenting books/activities..so i decided to learn it..

I can recite it now..heee Missy loves to hear it too when i recite it..but, we haven reach the stage that she is able to do the hand action..

Pat-A-Cake:

Pat-A-Cake Pat-A-Cake Baker's man
Bake Me a cake, as fast as you can..
Pat it.. Roll It... and Mark it With B
And out it in the Oven for Baby and Me..

Simple right ? must read it with rythm.. heee..there is a story behind the rhyme.. i've photostated the whole story, in case i forget next time..

The next Rythme, im going to learn is "Hickory Dickory Dock.."