Montessori
Homework
Is There Homework in
Montessori?
Or can there be?
Dr. Michael Dorer
© Michael Dorer
What is Homework?
•  Homework is meant to support children and their development.
•  Homework in a broad sense includes many activities the children
may participate in with their families and peers, such as scouting,
campfire, shell/rock collecting, working in community shelters,
reading aloud, sports, etc.
•  In this sense “homework" is any out of school activity that
augments and amplifies the curiosity and exploration of the child.
•  It shouldn’t be just worksheets, or
commercial products.
What homework means to many people
•  Too much work
•  It adds little value when it
comes to student learning
•  Homework is stupid
•  Boring
•  Hateful
•  Homework is the worst
Homework’s Negative Effects
The negative effects of
homework are well known.
They include children's
frustration and exhaustion,
lack of time for other activities,
and possible loss of interest in
learning.
Alfie Kohn 2007
Many parents lament the impact of homework on their
relationship with their children; they may also resent
having to play the role of enforcer and worry that they
will be criticized either for not being involved enough
with the homework or for becoming too involved.
Alfie Kohn 2007
Let’s Re-define Homework!
Let’s redefine Homework.
Think of things that can be
exciting, beneficial, familial,
intergenerational, thoughtful
and more.
Now let’s identify these activities
as homework.
These can be assigned and
documented
Not More School Work
•  The Montessori
classroom is rich in
reading, language and
mathematics activities.
•  Children cannot bring
the Montessori
materials home.
•  Thus, Montessori homework aims
to extend the classroom work into
the home environment, while
involving the parents and possibly
other family members.
Kinds of Homework
•  Generally, homework should fall into one of two
classes.
ü It might be work in which some additional repetition
and practice will aid in gaining fluency.
ü The other sort would be work or activities that simply
cannot be done in the school setting.
Homework Values
•  The primary merits of homework should be establishing
healthy work habits outside the formal classroom
environment and fostering each child's innate desire to
learn, to know, and to be an active participant in their family
and culture.
•  It should be a living link between
the classroom and home
environments and a catalyst to
growing into a member of world
culture. As such, it should allows us
all a window into the child's world of
learning.
A Suggested Homework Plan
Children’s House: (Ages 3 - 6,
including Kindergarten)
•  Daily living tasks
•  Talk with children from birth on.
During the preschool years, talk
with them about everything that
is happening.
•  Try reciting poetry and play
rhyming games
Reading and Language
•  Read aloud to children for at least 20 minutes per day.
Remember to talk to them about what has been read,
telling your impressions and feelings.
•  As they become fluent, ask them to read a bit to you as
well.
•  Be sure to take some time to read yourself, for yourself. It
is very important that young children see their parents
reading for information and pleasure.
»  Remember to converse with your children
every day. A target is a conversation for at
least 15 - 20 minutes daily.
Screen time
•  Be sure to carefully monitor TV
watching.
•  Allow as little as possible, perhaps on
special occasions.
•  Remember that a television is not a
babysitter or child minder.
A Suggested Homework Plan
Lower Elementary: (Ages 6-9)
There are three forms of homework that we encourage for
lower elementary children.
ü  Reading and language activities.
ü  Math activities
ü  Other activities
ü Remember to always focus on strengths,
encourage developing expertise and
abilities.
Reading and language activities
•  Continue to talk with your children every day. A target is
a conversation for at least 20 - 25 minutes daily.
•  Read together with your children for at least 30-35
minutes per day.
•  Remember to take time to read yourself, for yourself. Do
this in front of your children. It is important that they see
you engaging in literacy.
» Encourage your child to express his
or her opinion, talk about feelings,
and make choices.
Other language activities
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Visiting the library.
Practicing a foreign language,
Memorizing a poem or passage,
Spelling practice,
Playing word games, etc.
The teachers may occasionally send home certain sight
words for the children to practice.
» Be sure that you have clear
directions as to what is expected
with these words.
Mathematics activities
•  The Montessori classroom is rich in mathematics
activities. However, some practice at home can be
helpful.
•  Arithmetic facts that are being studied may sometimes be
sent home for practice.
•  Go through these with your child in a positive, upbeat
manner. Do not be discouraging if your child struggles. It
is important to be supportive.
More Mathematics activities
•  With older children of ages eight and above, a weekly
sheet of math problems may be sent home.
•  These should never be commercial worksheets, but will
be prepared by the teacher-guides at the school.
•  They should only cover activities that have been fully
completed with Montessori materials.
»  Story problems may sometimes be
included in these sheets. These can be
activities that include the parents.
Remember to talk about them.
Things to avoid
•  Do not try to push your children to abstract work
in areas that are not on these sheets.
•  Avoid jumping to new math areas that may seem
easy or clear to you.
•  Avoid showing them “short cuts: or “math tricks.”
» Remember never to be discouraging
if your child struggles. If it seems
hard, it probably is. It is important to
be supportive
Other Activities
•  Involve children as much as possible in daily living tasks,
such as help in the kitchen or gardening and yard care.
•  Visit a museum, attend a cultural event, participate in
scouts or campfire, cooking, arrange flowers, other
“Practical Life” activities, sing and practice music, visit an
ethnic or historical site, discuss reading selections, etc.
•  The teacher-guides may provide lists of options. The lists
prepared by teachers are by no means exhaustive, but
they are a place to start with your child.
A few ideas
For Children’s House and Lower Elementary
•  Count all silverware in your silverware drawer: how many of each
type?
•  Take a walk: List 8 things that are red, orange, brown, green, Etc.
•  Ilist 6 items that are rough and six that are smooth.
•  Identify 10 plants that you see. Name 5 leaf shapes you see.
•  Stake out one square foot in your yard. See how many living things
you can list.
More ideas
•  Try a regular Silence Time. They do this in school too.
•  Go to a botanical garden. Name 10 new plants.
•  Take a bird walk. Name five kinds of birds that you see.
•  Visit a local farmers market. Name six foods that are
new to you, or that you love.
» Think of many other ideas like these.
A Suggested Homework Plan
Upper Elementary: (Ages 9-12)
•  Homework continues to be a weekly expectation.
•  Homework can become more formalized at this
age, but still has considerable freedom of choice
attached.
Forms of upper elementary homework.
Upper elementary homework falls into four
major groups
•  Writing and Reading,
•  Mathematics,
•  Community Service,
•  Other.
Guidelines
•  Homework of each kind should be due at school on the
same day each week. For example, writing work might be
due on Mondays, Arithmetic work on Wednesdays, etc.
•  Each child should be responsible for recording (writing)
what homework he or she has done during the week. The
written record should be a bit more formal than a list, but
a full-fledged report is usually not necessary.
More Guidelines
•  The writing should be neat, cursive, named and
dated. Spelling, punctuation, and paragraphing are
skills being learned and practiced at this time.
•  The children should be encouraged to put forward
their best effort and take pride in their work.
•  Corrections can be made as time and the interests
of the children permit.
Writing and Reading
•  All of the activities listed above for language
under lower elementary should continue.
•  Each upper elementary age level is usually
asked to do clear-cut language activities,
specifically in writing.
Fourth Year Writing Suggestions
•  One or two paragraphs weekly on topics
identified by the teacher guides. The focus
should be on writing skills, aiming at good
paragraphs, proper format, topic sentences, etc.
•  One writing assignment per month is usually a
book report based on either an assignment or
personal choice.
Fifth Year Writing Suggestions
•  Three short essays per month. The teacher-guides
generally set topics. The focus is on writing skills,
aiming at good essays made up of good
paragraphs, proper format, and topic development.
•  One writing assignment per month is usually a book
report based on an assignment or personal choice with an eye toward challenge.
Sixth Year Writing Suggestions
•  One essay each week. The teacher-guides generally set
topics. Focus on writing skills, aiming at good and detailed
essays made up of good paragraphs, original thought, and
proper format and topic development.
•  One of the monthly essays should be a book report based
on personal choice with an eye toward challenge.
•  One of the monthly essays should reflect their community
service work.
Mathematics Activities
The Montessori classroom is rich in mathematics activities.
However, some practice at home can be helpful.
•  Arithmetic facts that are being studied may sometimes be
sent home for practice. Keep an upbeat positive attitude.
•  Some activities will be geometric.
» Do not be discouraging if the child
struggles. It is important to be
supportive. Remember to talk with
them. Be part of the activity.
More Mathematics Activities
•  A weekly set of math examples may be sent home. These
should never be commercial worksheets, but will be
prepared by the guides at the school. They should only
cover activities that have been fully completed with
Montessori materials, both geometry and arithmetic.
•  Children may be sent mathematical songs and chants to
enjoy with their families.
•  Story problems will usually be offered weekly.
»  These should be activities that
include the parents. As mentioned
above, do talk about them.
Watch Out!
•  Please do not try to push children to abstract
work in areas that are not included in these math
sets. There is a plan in place in which the
children will move forward at an appropriate
pace.
•  Avoid jumping to new math areas that may seem
easy or clear to you.
»  Avoid showing them “short
cuts or “math tricks.”
Community Service
•  As part of involvement in their culture, upper elementary
children may be asked to participate in community service
at least one time per month for at least one hour.
•  Whatever form this service takes, it should be work done
altruistically, without payment.
•  In order for it to be truly a gift from the child to the
community, free choice is essential. Montessori guides may
help generate ideas in the classroom.
Supporting Community Service
•  The more supportive and excited you are about this work,
the more the child will reflect those qualities. It is
suggested that community service be planned for several
months at a time.
•  While offering community service, the children learn
about others, gaining respect and compassion at the
same time. It is a good example of thinking globally and
acting locally.
» These activities will serve the
children now as well as throughout
their lives.
Some Community service ideas
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Pick up litter at a park.
Make treats for a local senior home.
Improve the school grounds.
Develop and maintain a recycling program at school.
Collect food, warm clothing, toys, or personal care items for
the needy. Deliver to shelters. Remember shelters are in
need of supplies all year long!
» Hold a Teddy Bear and
Friends (Stuffed Animals) Drive.
Donate the collected animals to a
Homeless Shelter for new arrivals.
Some more community service ideas
•  Collect unused cosmetics, perfume, and
toiletries for a center for abused women.
•  •Make centerpieces, holiday cards,
birthday cards, and notes for assisted
living facilities, children hospital wards, or
meals on wheels.
Even more community service ideas
•  Write letters to service men/women.
•  Put together a care-package for service men/
women.
•  Form a litter patrol on school or park ground.
•  Make a holiday basket for someone in need or
crisis.
» Think of many more ideas.
Other activities
•  All of the activities listed above as other activities
under lower elementary should continue.
•  The guides can provide lists of options. The lists
prepared by teachers are by no means
exhaustive, but they are a place to start with your
child.
Other activity guidelines
•  We suggest selecting two activities of different sorts for
each week's work. Allow the child their creativity to veer
from the lists.
•  Sometimes they may choose a work that is too big to be
finished in a week - let them discover that on their own. It's
all right to carry work over as well.
•  Occasionally they may not choose enough work for the 60minute target time, discuss and encourage as you can.
Good ideas
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Remember to let your child know you believe in him or her.
Talk, sing, and read with your child.
Limit your child's TV watching and other screen time.
Involve your extended family and friends: aunts, uncles,
grandparents, cousins, godparents, baby sitters, neighbors,
friends and others.
•  Keep an upbeat positive attitude toward school and
learning.
Be Amazed!
Children learn by doing. They want and need to participate
actively in all areas of family life and living. At this age they
are physically strong and healthy, gregarious, capable of
responsibility and are becoming more and more reflective.
They are capable of great endeavors at this time in their
lives (6-12 years old). As adults we must help them find the
work they love to do and leave the rest to the children. They
will continue to amaze us with their spirits and efforts!
Any more
questions?