Essential Learning Materials
Montessori is famous for its materials — the pink tower, the golden beads, the moveable alphabet. These are iconic, often replicated masterpieces of early education.
At Child of the Redwoods, we are frequently asked about these materials… especially whether or not a parent MUST buy them in order to “do Montessori.”
The simple answer is – no! Learning materials, even really amazing ones like you’ll find in a Montessori classroom, are ultimately just tools. They exist to help students explore concepts.
Maria Montessori used research and experimentation to identify when children were entering different periods of readiness and then created or modified materials to fit those “sensitive periods.” In other words, the purpose of materials is to support children at these different stages.
Maria’s Marvelous Beads
For example, Montessorians use colored beads when teaching mathematics. Why? Because children under the age of 6 have a much more concrete understanding of the world and grapple with abstraction, so we use beads to make an abstract concept – a symbol representing a count of something – more concrete – an actual count of objects.
For the concept to come through clearly, we need the beads to be of uniform color, material, and size. Any differences introduce confusion, so we make them identical so the child can focus on the concept that matters - in this case, all beads are of equal value. We call this principle Isolation of Quality, and it’s one of Montessori’s essential discoveries.
Accuracy, Not Purity
Bottom line — accuracy is required; purity is not. If the materials are accurate — regardless of what they’re made from or how beautiful, pure, or natural they are — you are on the right track! Use that DIY set of colored beads! Embrace that paper moveable alphabet! What matters is the PURPOSE!
For example, when deciding whether to buy, make, or skip a material, ask yourself a few questions:
What is my child’s level of readiness?
What is my child trying to learn?
What does the material do to help teach it?
Can I teach the same concept with something different?
How durable do I need these materials to be?
What’s my budget?
Learning to answer these questions like a Montessorian takes time and support, but you can do it! In fact, it’s one of the core concepts members learn in our Homeschool of the Redwoods: Primary and Homeschool of the Redwoods: Lower Elementary programs. For those looking for more immediate support, we also offer Constellation, which takes the guesswork out of materials and lessons planning by providing members each month with a curated set of thematic activities.
