Montessori Binomial Cube Video

An original Margaret Homfray video!

Years ago, I knew that someone had recorded Margaret Homfray’s lectures for a group of Montessori teacher trainees. I found it!

Margaret Homfray was one of the first students of Dr. Montessori to become one of her authorized teacher trainers. Ms. Homfray took over Dr. Montessori’s teacher training organization, the prestigious London institute, after Dr. Montessori’s death. The last parts of my mother’s Montessori courses were with Ms. Homfray. I have long regretted that I never captured my mother’s teacher training seminars on video, so I was delighted to find Ms. Homfray’s work online.

One of the historic disasters of Montessori is that unqualified people began teaching “Montessori” method presentations without the proper training to do so. This culminated in the mess we now have in many schools.

When I was lazily looking on YouTube for a binomial cube video to share, I realized that I could not find a single correct presentation! Really, it is so simple, and every Montessori teacher knows (I thought) how to do it, surely some young teacher had made a video nicer than one I could shoot here. No luck.

I ordered a tripod for my iPad, so I will make a video for all of you parents and teachers. In the meantime, this grainy video is an absolute gem!

You will notice all the details that are given to the adults, it is important to remember that few details are given to children. In the Junior class (equivalent of 1st grade and up), we re-visit the binomial cube in a more advanced format. Now, however, it is very important for your child to work with the binomial cube, so these algebraic foundations go into their minds when they are small. These will become natural for them.

If your algebra is rusty, it is helpful to work with the binomial and trinomial cubes until it feels natural. Handle the cubes as you look at the equations in our binders.

One thing about algebra that most people do not realize is that the equations describe physical things. Learning the equations should follow physical familiarity with the concepts in real form. There are virtually no jobs where someone wants you to solve an equation. Rather, one will have a real problem to solve and reach for the appropriate equation that can help.