even at 12 the montessori mantra of
“teach me to do it myself”
rings true.
yeah, you can buy the perfect pair of earrings at a local store,
but you can also take a class to learn how to make your own.
radianceGirl took a kids metalworking workshop
at brentwood arts exchange
and learned small metalworking techniques
including torch work and cold manipulation.
she came home with some new experiences
and three very unique jewelry pieces
made by her own hands and infused with her spirit.
math is one of my favorite subjects.
teaching math the montessori way
— using the hand to mold the mind —
is always fascinating work.
Google celebrated the 142nd anniversary of Maria Montessori’s birthday
with this creative Google Doodle.
Montessori (August 31, 1870 – May 6, 1952) was an Italian physician and educator,
a noted humanitarian and devout Catholic
best known for the philosophy of education that bears her name.
Her educational method is used in public, private
and home schools throughout the world.
i remember crying from awe while reading The Absorbent Mind.
i remember a huge surge of emotion when I visited my first Montessori classroom,
thinking EVERY child should have the opportunity to learn using all of their senses,
with freedom of choice combined with responsibility, with joy!
share her story with your favorite child:
Mammolina: A Story About Maria Montessori, by Barbara O’Connor
and share her gift to the world with an adult friend
who may be just beginning their journey in parenthood (the first teachers)
or the teaching profession:
when introducing new topics
even at the level of 6-9 years
when math is getting increasing more abstract,
it still helps to learn through all the senses:
the hand leads the eye.
the voice penetrates the ear.
eye and ear connect in the mind.
amazing, subhanAllah! glory be to God!
ever had a child that liked to count?
let them work with the thousand chain.
either they’ll count themselves hoarse
or whatever it is that they are working out in their mind
will get solidified.
maybe both.
living montessori now has teamed up with alison’s montessori to give away some high-quality montessori tools: a land and water form cabinet, a leaf cabinet and a geometric cabinet.
just click here
http://livingmontessorinow.com/2011/11/15/giveaway-alisons-montessori-materials-worth-480/
see the quality wood tools that would definitely be a hit in your homeschool toolkit.
if i had my choice i’d pick the leaf cabinet described as “A mahogany finish cabinet with 3 drawers containing 14 leaf shaped insets in green and red.” ooooh.
hurry because the giveaway closes 10:01pm MST on Tuesday, November 29.
even a homeschooling-rookie like me is often asked:
“where do i start?”
North American Montessori Center (NAMC) is providing another option
for those who want to get rolling quickly.
NAMC has been on my montessori homeschooling radar
even before they offered this new
comprehensive and quick-start primary homeschooling program
providing the step-by-step curriculum AND the montessori materials.
check em out: montessori-home-schooling.com
a sampling of our new work in december 2010:
montessori tools can be quite an investment,
but the good thing about many of them
— especially the practical life and sensorial exercises —
is that, using inexpensive supplies, you can make them yourself.
one of the things i like to do
is browse catalogs like the one from montessori services.
i may not buy anything,
but i’ll go through with a highlighter
and circle exercises i can easily put together myself
or books to check out from my local library.
while it can often be convenient to let someone else do the running around for you,
i decided to put together this lacing exercise using inexpensive supplies from my local craft store.
another example, the description of this book, “the story of salt”,
looked so interesting that i searched my local library for it.
i found out why this book was a part of the montessori services catalog:
it was an entertaining and informative read, even for me.
i have purchased from montessori services before.
they have quality products and excellent customer service.
request their free catalog,
but when you browse it
keep in mind that you can not only use it to purchase tools to
prepare and enrich your homeschool environment,
but also use it make some things with your own two hands.
images courtesy of montessori services.
good tree montessori homeschool 