It's been really interesting to watch my three oldest children dive into reading and writing work. While they have all attended a Montessori kindergarten, they have all taken wildly different paths when it comes to language work. And supporting their reading and writing skills here at home have meant that I have had to adapt to those specific paths.
Henry loved to read and started reading easily but never ever wrote. Nora loved to write and wrote all day long but reading is a struggle. Gus, now at 6, falls somewhere in the middle. Reading is coming along but not a passion. Writing is fine, but not something he chooses often. And, honestly, I'm fine with sitting back and following their own unique paths toward these academic milestones. Just like walking, talking, or riding a bike - these skills will come with time and opportunity.
But, I do want to provide that opportunity for practice here at home. So, I stumbled onto this idea - mini post-it notes. Gus found some extras in my office and has been obsessed ever since. They are perfect for small amounts of writing. They aren't overwhelming and they don't have any rules.
Draw a picture, write some words, share a note, or write a hint in a game. There are so many things you can do with these simple little pieces of paper. These notes are also nice because they don't move around. The sticky side keeps them in place which takes away the complexity of also trying to manage a moving piece of paper. I love that they are small, so they are helping him automatically refine some of his letter sizing to fit.
We've used these little post-it notes for all sorts of fun! I've been writing him notes and leaving them in his "love jar" and we've been playing all sorts of labeling games. It's been really fun and engaging for him and really sparked a lot of fun writing work. So far, I've paired with a gel pen which feels really special for him (since it's definitely not something he would use in school!)
Have you found a good way to engage a reluctant writer in your Montessori home?
