How I Plan My Montessori Homeschool

Welcome to Child of the Redwoods! We make Montessori education affordable and accessible to families at home. Curriculum and support for homeschooling parents at www.childoftheredwoods.com.
Planning is critical to a happy homeschool life. It’s also one of the biggest areas parents ask us for help with! In this video, Aubrey walks you through five tried and true tips for getting started with a Montessori Homeschool-aligned approach to planning.
• Tip 1: Don't Try to Plan Like a Classroom Teacher 2:54
• Tip 2: Homeschooling is Better in a Community: 13:13
• Tip 3: Assess Your Child 15:57
• Tip 4: Keep the Larger Family in Mind: 19:30
• Tip 5: Focus on a Limited Number of Subjects at a Time 25:09
• Final Thoughts 31:55
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[@thanzilakhatun8481]

There’s so much value in this video, cannot overstate this. It’s one I will likely come back to when I feel like I’m going off track. Thank you so much Aubrey x

[@aureecee3781]

I just graduated with a bach in Early Childhood and I want to homeschool some of my family members and children in my community and I've been feeling so overwhelmed and this video helped a lot.

[@vickyg3474]

ohh my ! I could describe how I feel better. thank you very much for your advice and kind words. I was about to cry 😢

[@childoftheredwoods]

Chin up, friend! You can do this!! ❤ xo, Aubrey

[@AmmaraSHAH773377]

I finally got around to searching you up once i started looking into the home education option as i couldn't find any Montessori aligned schools in our area. I am so greatful for this backlog of podcasts and videos like this are so helpful. I am excited to get into this and feel so reassured with your approach.

[@childoftheredwoods]

Yay! I'm happy you found us! Montessori is such a beautiful way to raise children. xo, Aubrey

[@dianalevy1434]

I am so happy I found this video. You have given me such great information as well as renewed hope.

[@childoftheredwoods]

I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it! xo - A

[@elizabetchai]

Thanks a lot mareng, Audrey!!! You clear the haze in my planning.

[@fairydust720]

Thank you so much for this video! After watching, I feel much more confident in homeschooling my lil guy. You are awesome, again, thank you🙏😊

[@childoftheredwoods]

Thank you so much! Glad it resonated :)

[@haniroble3544]

Very informative thanks 😊

[@freshleap]

Thank you for sharing this. Helped me a lot!

[@childoftheredwoods]

Glad it helped!

[@adventureswiththemacs8066]

These are great words of wisdom!

[@childoftheredwoods]

Thank you! ❤️

[@AmmaraSHAH773377]

Ahahha that discussion about maths loll exactly how i feel about the subject though i loved algebra and geometry i don't think i had chance to learn aboutthe subject properly in school or outside

[@ingridbooksbilingues6169]

Amazing content. Thanks Aubrey! Just a quick one. In Montessori classrooms teacher doesn’t intervine much or interrupt the kid when working but, in homeschooling, do you explain to your kid some lessons and also give them the freedom to choose the times they want study? Or they have an specific schedule? What about the very little ones like 4 y/o? They can’t really make decisions and manage their time. It’d be great to know more about that aspect. Thanks!!

[@childoftheredwoods]

Thanks for the compliment. Phew, that's a big question! I can't really answer it fully in a comment, but, generally speaking, as a homeschooling family, we try to block out "learning time" each day. It's not that the kids don't do "school" at other times or that we weren't flexible about the schedules, but having a dedicated time makes it easier for us to balance homeschooling with our other responsibilities. When the kids were younger, we had shelves and baskets out with materials (e.g., books, math materials) and encouraged our kids to explore, much like you would in a regular classroom. Also like in a classroom, we were careful not to interrupt them during periods of concentration. We would give lessons, but we always focused first on rhythm and routine. Now that our kids are older, we still follow the "learning time" approach though we now structure the day a bit more closely, partly because they take some classes outside the home (though mostly virtual). Overall, though, our goal remains the same - follow the child!

[@ingridbooksbilingues6169]

@@childoftheredwoods That makes perfect sense. Thanks for taking the time to answer to this Aubrey :) I am an absolutely geek of curriculum myself as well and I am so glad I found you to know that I am not the only one hahah. Take care!

[@marlonmunroe9598]

Thank you so much. Is there a syllabus or curriculum available for children age 6 or 7?

[@childoftheredwoods]

Glad it was helpful!, Yes, there is a Lower Elementary curriculum for kids in the first half of the second plane - ages 6 - 9. It's really a wonderful curriculum with an excellent focus on helping guide children on their journey into abstract thinking. It's also where you'll find the famous Great Lessons, like the Story of the Coming of Life. We have some free resources about it on our website if you're interested.

[@simplyraisingarrows7369]

Hi , new subscriber, I am new to doing montessori my boys are 7 and 12 but I can't figure out where to start for second plane . What books should I get to learn about second and third plane homeschool ?

[@childoftheredwoods]

Hey new subscriber! We actually offer a course + curriculum for the Lower Elementary ages. (6-9yo) that would be perfect for your 7yo. You can find info on our website Child of the Redwoods. Third planers...they are wonderful, but when homeschooling at that age, it really varies how we teach them because they are specializing in their interests - AND because Maria believed that children need an academic break at that age (more social, fewer lessons!). It feels counterintuitive, but it's developmentally aligned. xo, Aubrey

[@avrolinabhuyan2350]

How can we incorporate Montessori education in middle school?

[@childoftheredwoods]

Great question! The basics of the method don't really change. We follow the child. We help curate an environment that fosters discover. We engage with openness and curiosity. Kids in the third plane typically experience intense intellectual growth and development somewhat akin to the first plane, so their curiosity about the world can seem insatiable. Feed that. They're also prone to asking big questions and taking righteous stands. Don't be afraid to engage. At the same time, they're going through a period of dramatic physical and emotional growth - puberty - and that places their emotional needs on a much more intense footing. The patience we need for a 13 year may not feel too dissimilar to what we need for a 3 year old! The more stability, love, and compassion we show, the better. For academics, many families start focusing more heavily on making sure their kids have the prerequisite skills needed for success in high school and college, especially math, reading, and writing. But as much as possible, give children a chance to explore things that engage their natural curiosity. It's less important what they compute, read, or write and more important than they practice those skills and find joy in learning.