Colored Pencils or Un-Montessori

I realized as I was loading these photos that the boys are still in their jammies in every picture! We've been putting off getting dressed in the mornings as long as possible this past week- it's been so cold no one wants to venture into cold (but clean) clothes. Anyway, the real purpose of this post is to show you a totally un-montessori thing one kid did, and the great realization the other had.


I don't let Ezra have any crayons unless I'm able to sit right next to him, reason being that he ate literally half of a purple crayon not long ago in less than 2 minutes. They're non-toxic, but I don't want to have to change another purple diaper. So we always have colored pencils and paper on a clipboard available to him since he really loves to scribble.







I can't leave this kid alone for even 5 seconds because he is creative in dangerous ways. I did a really quick run to the bathroom the other day, came back and he'd pulled out his styrofoam block and toothpicks. Apparently it got boring:









Yes, those are the colored pencils.


Those same pencils inspired Ender later in the morning. We've been talking a lot lately about how many sides different shapes have. He's been able to use manipulatives to make all kinds of shapes up to an octagon (hexagon is his favorite for some reason) but he has not been able to make a triangle on his own. He tries to make it like a square missing a side and then doesn't seem to understand why they don't connect. It suddenly clicked with those colored pencils for some reason. He grabbed them out of the cup and formed his first triangle completely on his own.







I did notice that he brought a fourth pencil though- maybe in case the triangle didn't work out? I don't know, but he was so proud of himself that we left his triangle on the floor for everyone to see (and of course took pictures!) until he said it was okay to put it away.

Beyond Homemaking Daybook 5

Weather: This has been a bitter December! It's so cold out that your skin seems to freeze instantly, not to mention your eyeballs, lips, nose . . .

 

This Week: I'm working most of today, we're spending Christmas Eve with my inlaws, and Christmas morning is just the four of us. Christmas afternoon will be spent with my family. The rest of the week we're just at home catching up on things and hanging out together.

 

Current Fiction Read: Kushiel’s Chosen by Jacqueline Carey. I'm about 1/3 of the way through- I've been heading to bed early instead of reading at night this week.  

 

Current Non-Fiction Read: Real Learning by Elizabeth Foss.

 



Craftiness: The kangaroo for Little Bit just isn't going to happen. I've run into a major snafu and I don't think I'll finish it in time. But I picked up a board book for him the other day that I'll add to his presents in place of the kangaroo. Maybe it will be a happy new year present. :)

 

Learning at home: I'm working on a short bone unit for Big Kid since he's very interested in bones ever since our conversation a few days ago. He had a look at some xrays my mom has and was really fascinated with them. As far as their actual work this week, all their usual materials will be available to them, but I think we'll be so busy with cooking and presents that those things will be the last thing on their minds.

 

New work: I finished collecting the spooning and pouring works to introduce over the weekend, so we'll be starting those. Also Big Kid received his moveable alphabet on Saturday and that was the first thing he asked to do on Sunday morning. I'm sure that will be his main work for the next little while.