Ask Maitri

Question

We are moving. How do I find a great Montessori school in our new location?

Answer

There are three main routes I can recommend to help you find a school. First, just do an internet search for Montessori School near your new local. Get familiar with the names of the schools that exist. If there are none, maybe you should start one!

Next, ask around. A school's reputation means a lot and asking people who already live there (the librarian, your realtor, etc.) can give you a lot of information.

Third, go to the website for the Montessori association in that area.

Question

My son is four and understands the sound form of alphabets. He can also read simple three letter words. But we want to increase his reading abilities. What is a good way to start?

Answer

Excellent question. You can expand the phonetic words he's able to read with our phonetic reading cards (level 1 and level 2) and phonetic activity cards. 

If he doesn't know his phonograms/key sounds yet, you can introduce the phonogram alphabet. Once he knows those, encourage him to phonetically spell any word he wants by using the phonogram alphabet alongside the traditional movable alphabet. It is this practice building words and expressing their own ideas that really helps children love language. From there you can,... 

Question:

I'm wondering if you are aware that all of your 'wedding' photos in geography folder set 2 are heteronormative. If you have plans to adjust that I would love to hear about it. I felt the need to remove that theme from my folders. Otherwise I think the set is great! Thank you so much.

Answer:

Question:

I just bought two sets of phonogram booklets at our AMI/USA refresher. We love them! I'm wondering if you've ever made "sh" and "ch" and if it would be possible to have those two added to the set? Thoughts?

Answer:

Hooray! I'm glad they're working well for you! We intentionally don't include the sh or ch because the phonogram folders are meant to teach spelling variations, not phonograms. And yes, sh is also spelled with the ti(on) and ci(on) variations. However, those are not in Muriel Dwyer's book and it's not necessary to teach every spelling variation, just enough so we give the child confidence that they can crack the code on the rest.

The folders that are included all include common spelling variations in English, that's why we have a folder for j, s, and e (even though they aren't phonogram).

Here's a list of the folders and the spelling variations included in each one.

Again, you don't have to worry about teaching every possible pattern of spelling variation in English; that would be an overwhelming task. Instead, we just show the children enough examples to convey that English spelling follows some rules but also requires flexibility and practice. The rest comes with reading and writing experience.

We hope this helps!

Question

I purchased the Nienhuis montessori cursive sandpaper letters. The set includes 17 letters. It does not include the "ng" sound but does include : "er" "wh" and "au". Which one's do I need?

Also, do you ever offer multiple sounds, like the way "g" can be both "guh and juh" or do you just stick to one sound? I've wondered this, particularly with many of the vowels. I should also teach "y" as making the sound "ee" because we also have "oy" that makes the alternate sound, right?

Question:

I am raising two children. My daughter is 4 years old. My son is 10 months. He is not crawling. The difference between them is 3.5 years. But the feeling and state is like becoming a mother again for the first time.

Question:

Good evening I have recently completed my AMI 3-6 Guide training and have three daughters at home ( 6 months, 2.5 and 4 years) and I have started setting up our basement with the intention to homeschool and wanted a bit of guidance as the space is not a typical classroom size. I’m leaving most of the practical life work upstairs near the kitchen but wanted to create sensorial language and math downstairs.

Question

I understand that each child develops at a different speed. However, I was wondering if you have (or can recommend), content appropriate for the age of 4.5/5? I will be starting a new job as Nanny/Governess to twin girls of 4.5 and as i have only recently started my Montessori training, I am looking for content that will really help bring structure to the support I provide.

Question

Your albums does not consist of the first stage of teaching, Origin, history, methodology and application. Why is that?

Question:

I'm wondering if the phonogram folders kit correlates with the pink series in montessori or the blue or the green?