Montessori and High Schoolers

The 15yo tends to be fairly self-motivated, but the motivation she used to have is flittering away. Part of it is that her sleep cycles have changed and she's tired most mornings. But there's something else. And I'm not sure what it is. I think it could be the added pressure of having to do certain coursework. But that's just a guess.

She was so eager at one point last year to finish school early. That eagerness is gone. She wanted to improve her typing, but she's not willing to do what she needs to in order to improve. It's this element that has really got me thinking about Montessori and high schoolers.

The tricky part in Montessori is always to know how much and when to step in and how much and when to step aside. I'm feeling lost at this point with her. As I write that, the idea comes to mind that I need to conference with her more. Set aside some time where she and I can talk. Something that's set up with a set time so that it's being done because that's the schedule, not because there are problems. She's at an age where she really wants to and can direct her studies and life much more, even if she's not ready to be totally on her own. I think if we conference more, it'll help her become more aware of what she wants for her education and schooling.

I think I'm going to try to find some Montessori high school websites, see what I can glean from them. The Montessori approach worked so well for her in junior high, but she's hit the next age level and the curriculum has no choice but to be more restricted because she's going for an Alberta high school diploma. I need to have a better sense of what my role is for her right now.