Comments on: Working Montessori Math into Homeschooling

By: Lori Bourne

Lori Bourne — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:44:34 +0000

I bought them directly from ShillerMath…but as both I and Esther point out, there are better math books out there for far less money.

By: viji

viji — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:43:24 +0000

hi esther/lori bourne

where did you buy shiller math books..

i am looking to buy only the books for Kit one..my son is 4 yrs old and i want to start math

any help is appreciated,,

By: Lori Bourne

Lori Bourne — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:49:54 +0000

Hi, Esther! Never too late to join in the discussion.

I too was disappointed with Shiller Math when I tried it. I felt the lessons weren’t well laid out and frankly, sometimes made no sense. Actually, anyone looking for a workbook-based program might want to check out “Math Made Easy” books by Dorling Kindersley. They are extremely well done.

By: Esther

Esther — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:43:55 +0000

I know this thread is pretty old, but I wanted to put in a few comments about Shiller Math in case it might help someone…I bought it because I thought it was the closest I could get to Montessori without spending HUGE amounts of money…I also got it because I was feeling overwhelmed about pulling the Montessori together in a way I could present it even if I could afford the materials…(I have no Montessori training.)

I’ve got to say I’m disappointed. First, Shiller doesn’t help me to set up materials in a way that lets my children work independently and really discover on their own. (And reading his philosophy makes me think he wants you always to be with your child, coaching him along.) Second, some of my favorite Montessori manipulatives aren’t included…I’m still making some for my kids to work with. Third, some of the lessons just seem dumb to me!

At least for now, we’re not going to abandon Shiller. I’m hoping that by the time my oldest is done with Shiller Kit 1, I’ll be able to pull things together so we can go on with true Montessori.

By: Originalkat

Originalkat — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:41:58 +0000

Although this comment comes nearly 2 years after the original post, I would still like to add my thoughts. I am a homeschooling mom of preschoolers and just came across this awesome blog and resource website. Here are my two cents on Shiller Math as a Montessori alternative for homeschoolers…
I first learned of the amazing aspects of the Montessori method informally through a coworker about ten years ago. (I am a former “traditional” preschool teacher). Now that I have children of my own, I wanted to implement some Montessori aspects (Math, language, and geography for now) into my Charlotte Mason inspired curriculum. When I googled Montessori Homeschool Math, Shiller Math came up. I have really thought, prayed, debated, and read reviews about this program. For me it came down to…it’s really not true Montessori. Even with my limited knowledge and experience with Montessori, I believe my children will not be able to truly grasp the math concepts the way they were designed unless they use the materials themselves.
Since I don’t have formal Montessori training, I have decided to buy the (costly) NAMC manual because it is nicely organized with full color photos with detailed descriptions of the presentations. I also think I will buy my math materials from Montessori Outlet which has quality products at a much lower cost.
It is worth the time and money for my children to learn math the Montessori way. And you never know…your kids might want to use the materials for their own child one day!

By: montessori_lori

montessori_lori — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:15:00 +0000

I agree, the math materials definitely cost more and are harder to make than math/language/cultural. For someone completely impaired, purchasing a Montessori-based curriculum like SchillerMath wouldn’t be a bad idea.

And of course, eBay is full of deals if you don’t mind slightly lower quality or used items.

By: Kim at Montessori House

Kim at Montessori House — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 07:02:00 +0000

The cost of Montessori materials for math seem to be the biggest barrier to using them at home. The language and practical life materials lend themselves pretty well to DIY, especially with Lori's help!

The math spindles, red rods, red and blue rods, golden bead sets, binomial and trinomial cubes, all the math charts, and fractions material would be on my list of minimum requirements. If you use a combination of DIY and second hand purchases, it is doable...

For the little girl mentioned in the blog, what about reintroducing her slowly to math? Have her pass around a plate of cookies, breaking the odd cookie in half, and other non-traditional exercises until the bad association with math is a bit behind her.

By: montessori_lori

montessori_lori — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 15:06:00 +0000

Great question! I’m not familiar with the NAMC manuals – can you provide a link? The Montessori Foundation Manuals are excellent, but I can’t compare the two.

By: Aqueelah Rasheed

Aqueelah Rasheed — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 07:13:00 +0000

Hi Lori,
My daughter is almost 3.5 and I am planning to homeschool her. I have decided to purchase montessori curriculum manuals. However, I am not quite sure if there is a big differnce in the quality of the manuals from The Montessori Foundation and NAMC, North American Montessori Council. I do know that there is a HUGE difference in price. Do you have any adivce on which set of manuals would be the best?

By: montessori_lori

montessori_lori — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 15:06:00 +0000

You’re right, Montessori math definitely produces better results than traditional math. As far as Schiller math, I have glanced over it but never seen it in person.

My advice is to stick with traditional Montessori math materials – many can be made at home and others can be purchased from lower-priced Montessori vendors. I agree with you, the manipulatives shown with Schiller Math look like common items found in the home or a teacher store – probably for a lot less $.