When imagining myself with a large family, I never really thought about all the unique stages that we would have going on all at once. So many individuals and so many amazing stages. Here, I wanted to continue my lately posts on my bigger kids by sharing a little about life in our Montessori home at 11-years-old.
This past week, Henry started his culminating year of upper elementary in his Montessori school. This is the traditional, 6th grade year. I'm happy to get another year in elementary school as most of his non-Montessori friends move into middle school this year. Eleven is a really interesting age. Henry is right on the verge of the third plane of development - scary - but still mostly feeling second plane.
As he has gotten older, I feel like this interests have gotten more specific and often more and more similar to many of his peers (Montessori school or not.) Everything is about making big plans and often he is able to follow those plans through to a place where he is happy with them.
Montessori Child at 11-Years-Old
Here are a few things that I want to remember at this moment of 11:
- Academically: in Math he loves coordinate planes, and really enjoys science experiments (especially those related to the Montessori great lessons). Could also learn about and talk history all day long especially interested in Greek Mythology right now
- Practical Life: is super great with Penelope and watching Teddy. Also loves to plan outings and meals, cooking for the family
- Books: No longer interested in any picture book, but loves to listen to chapter books. Obsessed with Percy Jackson books - Current read Percy Jackson's Greek Gods.
- Socially: friends are super important, less and less interested in being with parents or hanging out with friends near adults, looking for more independence with friends
{Mario LEGO with Nora | Lots of reading | Cooking for the family | Making a timelapse of building a LEGO}
- Games: loves longer games and group sports. Baseball and basketball are favorites, but for board games he is getting into classic monopoly and chess (and beats me every time!)
- Toys/Play: Really not using many toys these days. Still loves LEGO, especially the Mario themed sets.
- Freedom/Independence: is independent in most tasks, can travel a little bit away from home on his own. Uses a smart watch to call/text to communicate with us when needed away from home.
- Art: art has become more based in multimedia productions, loves to make videos - live action, stop motion, and time lapse - and does everything from writing a script, planning out what will be in the scenes, shooting and editing them.
I hope you enjoyed this look at a Montessori child at 11-years-old:
