HOW ARE MONTESSORI AND WALDORF SIMILAR? Combined Histories + Present Overlaps

[@ashlyntyre7781]

I love this series! I would also love to see a video that breaks down the characteristics shown in children that would make them a good fit for either Montessori or Walfdorf

[@confidentlymom]

Oh i love this idea! I'll add it to my list!

[@shreyamago4636]

Sawstika is a symbol used in many religions. I am an Hindu and this symbol has been represent everywhere and almost in all temples. It is considered one of the holiest symbols. It’s sad it was used by nazi. However, we should not throw away the original the real meaning of swastika.

[@confidentlymom]

Thank you for addressing this! I referred to it as the whirling cross to convey that it long existed and meant something in other cultures before it was co-opted by the Nazi's but also didn't want to turn the video into a history on it. But yes that's exactly what I was trying to say!

[@adesiperson]

The Hindu symbol and the nazi swastika are actually mirror images. The symbol used by the the society is the Hindu version not the Nazi version.

[@gabrielulloa7007]

True that Swastika is a very universal and ancient symbol (it does not even have a "original real meaning", to the kuna indigenous communities in the caribbean sea - with no asian influence - it was the symbol of their rebellion against colonialism, just to give one example that is absolutely opposed to fascism). But to use it in western europe on the early 20th century has no relativism.

[@TheBakingGirlShow]

Thank u for the deep dive into the history!! Didnt even think to look into it til you mentioned it 👏🏽

[@confidentlymom]

ah of course!

[@Savingmomma]

So excited for this series and looking forward to the information you share! I personally gravitate towards the montessori toys. I wanted less stimulated and more focused play. I honestly hadn't looked into the "whole" overarching themes of either of these. I still plan to parent similar to how I have with my 4 older children. I do believe that structure, guidance, and discipline are essential to not raising children who think they run the show 24/7. I believe freedom within respectable boundaries is a better way to phrase that. Either way thank you for sharing what you know!

[@confidentlymom]

Awe thank you! I think those values are found in both! And i actually am so curious after the series ends to hear what you align more with (if either of course lol) because that statement of "running the show" is part of the montessori criticisms (though I totally agree, the freedom within respectable boundaries is a Montessori concept). I decided to break that into a 3rd video since the differences became so long.

[@Savingmomma]

@theconfusedmom I truly think this series will help me as I am busy with a new baby...Mom of 5 and just discovering the Montessori concept. I bought all the "toys" and anxiously await getting to play with my baby. We do a lot of reading already. 📚 I mainly do that just because it's bonding and hopefully helps her recognize a broad vocabulary and eventually a love for reading herself. As an older Mom (37) I am seeing things much differently than I did over 8 years ago with my last child.

[@confidentlymom]

@@Savingmomma Reading is truly one of the best things! You may already be doing this, but take advantage of the new baby days and read books YOU want to read at this age. Thats what I did mostly with my first, and I think it also led to her love of reading. With my second, i was reading more "kids books" to his sister and he's always trying to grab pictures (versus with her there was no pictures to grab). I dk if there's ANY truth to that haha but just permissions to give yourself some fulfillment rn!

[@LexitaMai]

I'm over here binging stuff like this because I'm getting a degree in teaching and trying to figure out if I want to open a small waldorf or a small Montessori school . Its a hard choice, because I tend to agree with aspects of both 😭 But I know that most parents wouldn't be looking for a blended sort of school. I agree largely with Montessori schools, but just can't get on board with the lack of imaginative play for children.

[@confidentlymom]

I have a video coming out next week that I think may help! It's a question I've gotten often about "how to tell if my kid is a waldorf or montessori kid" I go into (a little) more detail on why we decided not to teaching reading to my daughter until after 6 (Waldorf way) which I think is the biggest push for Montessori with most families (controversial stuff aside). There is a school in Jacksonville FL called the play garden, it's a preschool that then goes onto Spring River school for primary years, I think they did a good job of modern Waldorf without some of the cult-ish aspects. It started as a parent group and grew from there over the last 20+ years. If you do choose to go that route, I think they are a great model to look at as I wouldn't jump into a full accreditation of a Waldorf school right away.

[@sarahvirginiasparkes8809]

So the myth that Montessori doesn't include imagination is not well understood. In fact, Montessori herself spoke multiple times about the benefits of imagination! Montessori just stays away from fantasy stories and concepts for the youngest children. There are many really solid reasons, one being that young children cannot differentiate the difference between real and fantasy. But I think the main thing is the way we view fantasy. Let's take Star Wars for example, just like all fantasy, it has some basis on reality. There are animals, there are space ships/rockets, there are planets, and there are humans. Lucas put these together and created a story! In Montessori we want to have the youngest children begin learning about fantasy by creating their OWN stories. If we give them harry potter, tinkerbell, etc. then they are less likely to branch out and create their own characters, or understand that fantasy all works by a basis in reality, or even that fantasy is unlimited and totally up to their imagination! Think of it like this - if someone gives you a chocolate cake, it might be super delicious, perhaps they give you another one! But receiving a chocolate cake wouldn't teach you how to make a cake, or that there are almost limitless varieties of cake flavors! So, we start off the young children by giving them the ingredients to make a cake, flour, sugar, eggs, etc. In the classroom this means we give them real information - about animals, humans, culture, the world, the planets in our galaxy, etc. As they transition into 'first grade' and beyond, they have opportunities to make their own cakes, and even taste others (maybe they'll start reading fantasy stories, or writing their own with entirely new characters that they made up!) But this way, they'll always know how to make a cake, and they'll be able to use that knowledge to make anything they can think of, not just consume what is on TV and in books. I hope that this helps to explain it a bit better.

[@alika207]

I would totally teach in your blended school! :-) I am a music teacher at a local Waldorf school and a local Montessori school.

[@greatnessisrare]

I know this is way late but if you are still on board with the blended school, please let me know. Do you have content explaining what a blended program would look like?

[@kirstenschnell7674]

The “swastika” symbol that you mention is actually the wheel in Buddhism. The Nazis took the symbol and moved it slightly. If you look at a swastika, it is different than the wheel in Buddhism. I learned this in my art history courses I have a bachelors degree in art history.

[@princesskaitlinhazelwood4703]

My niece goes to a Waldorf school. And yeah the whole spiritual and race issues is really wacky. But I don’t think her schools teaches any of that stuff. Actually most of the people I know who send their kids to Waldorf are really left progressive people.

[@iertjeee]

Loved this video❤️

[@confidentlymom]

Awe thank you!

[@mihaiviteazu7296]

Too much intro talk

[@Hitogata]

Oh wooow 🤯 I do Montessori at home (which I mostly learned from the Hapa Family channel) and my son goes to Montessori school. I'm an Atheist, so I don't believe in souls/spirits/gods or any of that. So one of the things I'm attracted to in Montessori is that everything is based in reality, no fantasy until at least 6. Everything is new to children and reality is exiting enough and much more useful to learn about. I knew Maria Montessori was a Catholic (I guess not exactly after all? 😆) but that didn't seem to have a huge influence in the method. I always stayed the heck away from Walforf because when I hear Waldof educators speaking they sound like they still live in fairy land themselves and never accepted reality as it is. I really don't want my son to become confused by adults literally confirming that the tooth fairy is real. We don't even pretend Santa is real in our home. I like the beautiful natural materials (which Montessori also has) and open ended materials (which are great to play at home and avoid repeating Montessori materials from school), but that's it 😅 I'm mind blown by this little backstory! I didn't even know that weird religion ever existed. Definitely teach us more, because it's really interesting 🙂

[@confidentlymom]

Ahh thank you for sharing your experience! Yeah we definitely do a pretty strange hybrid in our house lol Our philosophy is that we don't lie. So we don't lie about Santa and instead tell the story of Saint Nicholas and we call the commercial version "pretend Santa." But then again we build fairy houses haha Not saying fairies come (she usually just uses her stickers) but it brings some fun into playing with sticks. I really hope in this series parents just learn to figure out what works for them and meet their kids with where they are at. It's not about one being better or worse, it's just good to know this stuff wherever you send your kids. Yeah it really underpins almost everything that came out of Europe in the late 1800s and early to mid 1900s! And only gets more interesting as your dig further and further back which if you're interested in ancient history @funnyoldworlde KZbin is super interesting and fun to watch IMO!

[@Hitogata]

@The Confused Mom I'll definitely check out that channel!! 😄 Just "don't lie" but still be able to have fun with things that unavoidably he sees (like Santa in the mall) is a great way to do things, in my opinion! But I saw a Waldorf lady on a video actually explaining how it's perfectly fine to confirm the existence of all the little fantasy stuff children sometimes believe in 😱 I was shocked she went thaaat far. Pretend play is amazing, but sometimes people don't understand that pretend can be reality-based and doesn't have to be all fantasy 😅 Thank you so much for your reply!! 🙂❤

[@orangemanbad]

I love how the presenter thought a swastika means nazism 😂 kinda lost credibility.

[@confidentlymom]

That’s literally the point that I was making - it’s misunderstood and meant something before it was co opted by Nazis.

[@deeeno6867]

Damn bro, your comprehension isn’t so good is it?

[@orangemanbad]

@@deeeno6867 being a PhD I’d say it’s very high. Yours ehhh not so much. I’m guessing you’re a fast food server?