Practical Life with a Toddler

As an AMI trained Montessorian, I've been trying to incorporate Montessori into my parenting ever since my son was born a year and a half ago. I'll admit that a few times (or more) I have caved in to the convenient option as opposed to the one that lent my son more independence. Even so, he is now an energetic yet cautious toddler, who has a decent attention span for his age, and loves to explore things. He constantly gives me great living examples of the "cycles of activity" that Montessori always talked about, like the other day when I was unloading some small cans of paint that we'd bought earlier that day and he spent a full 10 minutes taking each can and, one by one, taking them to a table, then bringing them back to me, and so forth. At the end he just looked at me, smiled real big, and went off to do something else. It was very cool. =)

So far the "Montessori" aspects of my parenting have been limited to attitudes, and how I set up our home. I try to follow the mantra of "follow the child" as much as possible. I give him plenty of unstructured play time, and interrupt his activity as little as possible. I'm using shelves to display his toys as opposed to jumbled toy boxes, and am limiting how many toys he has out at once so they each have a chance to be used, loved, and paid attention to (while keeping the others a bit more novel).

However now that he's about 18 months old I've been thinking it's time to incorporate some Practical Life activities into our days. I've been planning out items to gather or buy, like small pitchers for pouring exercises; a box and some fun items to put inside for some opening-and-closing work; a toddler-sized broom so he can help sweep our patio with us. Then today I suddenly had the idea of letting him help me unload the dishwasher. It was full of clean dishes, all of which are inexpensive and easily replaceable at Ikea, so why not try it out? The worst that'd happen is a broken plate, right?

Well, no plates were broken! I showed him how to get the plates out and hold them with both hands, and he'd hand them one by one over to me to put them away in the cupboard. He loved it! He looked so proud of himself the whole time! So I think we'll have to make this part of the routine. He keeps surprising me this way, being much more capable than I expect him to be. I'm reminded of something we were often told in training, that if a child masters something on the first try you waited too long to show it to them. So I need to fight this idea that he's too young for many things, and just try it out and see how things go. I'd love to help him start setting the table for himself now, and perhaps I can get him to help me with laundry, as well.

If any of you (particualrly those who have completed the Assistants-to-Infancy course) have ideas for activities to do with a young toddler, I'd love to hear them!

-Marcy

Toddler-ism

This is the poem that Jan Lee had recited so beautifully at the Montessori Materials Workshop.

Toddlers………
Wear their hearts on their sleeves.
Are amazed by life.
Hear the softest sounds.
Smell the sweetest scents.
Discover the smallest objects.
Touch EVERYthing.
Trip over a piece of tape…AND their own feet.
Fall down when standing still.
Fall from their chairs while merely sitting on it.
Forget they have juice in their mouths and begin talking.
Can spill as little as 1/8 of an inch of that same juice still in the cup.
Delight at the sight of the simplest things.
Don’t really know what to expect, while still demanding to get it.
Feel proud when they love coming to school.
Trust everyone who is in their life.
Can be confused by change and empowered by routine.
Love everyone.
Give back without even knowing they do so.
Depend on adults for guidance, nurturing, warmth, and nutrition………….
And yet teach adults what is really important about life.

Montessori Materials Workshop

Bay Area Montessori Association held its annual Montessori Materials Workshop at the Renaissance School in Oakland,CA.

We had local Montessorians, Jan Lee, Anne Diamond, Monica MacDonald, and Carolyn Daoust share their knowledge about practical life, language, sensorial, and math.

Jan Lee, is a head teacher for a toddler program. She has 18 years experience in Montessori education and 15 of those years in the toddler classroom. She not only received her Montessori infant-toddler credential from the San Leandro Teacher Training Center but also has pre-school and elementary Montessori training from St. Mary’s College.

Anne Diamond has earned her BA in Philosophy from the University of San Francisco, a Post Baccalaureate in Child Development from Virginia Commonwealth University, her Primary Level Teaching Credential from American Montessori Society, and certified with her California State Supervisor Credential. Anne has over 24 years experience working with children in Montessori and non Montessori environments.

Monica MacDonald has been an advocate for Montessori Education for over 20 years. She holds an AMI diploma from the St. Louis Montessori Training Center. She has worked at all different sorts of Montessori Schools in her career and owned her own school in Wildwood, MO. She worked as an AMS Trainer here in the bay area. Presently she is working at Marin Montessori School directing 30 children. Monica's passion is bringing Montessori to the basics so that the children are well served by what Dr. Montessori taught us.

Carolyn Daoust is Associate Professor, Director of Interns, and Elementary Coordinator at Saint Mary’s College of California. She is American Montessori Society(AMS) primary and Association Montessori Internationale(AMI) elementary certified. Carolyn is an AMS Research Committee member and Winner of the AMS 2005 Dissertation Award for her research titled, An examination of implementaion practices in Montessori early childhood education.

Cindy Acker shared about the work of Montessori Council of California (aka MC squared). Their public policy platform is as follows:

The purpose of the Montessori Council of California is to influence public debate and public policy in support of quality education for the children of the State of California. The Montessori Council of California identifies and supports educational principles that lie at the foundation of the Montessori method, and supports those practices as they are found in other educational models. The Council seeks support and recognition for these proven educational principles at all levels of State government.

In particular, the Council seeks recognition by the State Department of Education for accredited teacher training centers including Montessori accredited teacher preparation programs. The Council seeks parity in funding, stipends, and awards for teachers with coursework from accredited teacher preparation programs including Montessori. In these goals we seek to:

1. Monitor regulations generated from State agencies to ensure their accommodation to proven educational principles and in particular the tenets of teh Montessori method of education.

2. Lobby for legislation that supports and honors the uniqueness of each child's learning style, and the need for an individualized approach to education, as articulated in various educational models, including the indvidualized, self-paced Montessori method.

3. Educate legislators on the research data that supports the Montessori principles of education in order to bring the proven benefits of this educational methodology to all children.

4. Require the California State Department of Education to recognize alternative accredited teacher preparation programs including accredited Montessori teacher preparation centers in the State of California.

5. Require the California State Department of Eudcation to recognize the teacher credentials issued by accredited teacher preparation cetners as equivalent to the State teacher credential indluing the credentialed Montessori teachers.

6. Require that special funding, stipends, and awards distributed by First Five become equally available to teachers of various methodologies without barriers to access.

MC Squared contact info:

101 Callan Ave, San Leandro CA 94578

510.278.1115 phone

510.278.1577 fax

Monday, March 30th Meeting Agenda

March 30th Meeting Agenda:

• follow up about the International Montessori Council Conference
• Montessori Materials Workshop (location update, mailing updates, hospitality, speakers, exhibitors, bulletin/announcements board)
• Montessori Myth Revealed Workshops hosted by BANANAS and 4Cs of Sonoma
• 2009-2010 "The Cultured Child" (Compassionate Communication, AMS Conference, Music, Montessori Materials Workshop,
• Brainstorm ideas for 09-10 to focus on outside of the workshops we host
• Treasurer Report
• Next Meeting (General and/or Board)

See you all there!

Going to India For Montessori

In January, I was lucky enough to attend the A.M.I. International Montessori Congress in Chennai, India. I am an AMI primary trained teacher who runs a three to six year old class at a school in Oakland, California. For so many reasons, I felt thrilled and honored to be traveling to India for this experience. I have always been very curious about the country and it's ancient and spiritual culture. Dr. Montessori and her son, Mario Sr. spent close to ten years there and although their time in India has been of great interest to me, I somehow had never had the privilege or opportunity to learn more about it. My trip seemed more than just a trip, it seemed like a pilgrimage. I had always wanted to go to India and finally I had an opportunity to go with a real purpose.

Dr. Montessori's time in India was significant in many ways. She traveled to Chennai, known then as Madras, in 1939 after being invited by George Arundale, then president of the Theosophical Society. The first Montessori Teacher Training Course was held at the Theosophical Society in the same year. Dr. Montessori lectured in Italian in the Olcott Bungalow (see photo) and was famously translated by

her son, Mario. What I was most surprised to learn was that in 1940, with Britain entering the Second World War, the Montessoris as Italian citizens, became enemy aliens. They were not allowed to leave India and Mario was interned for a short time in a concentration camp. They were estranged from their family including Mario's wife and children and were only to return to Europe in 1946. After a short while they were drawn back to India until 1949.

Much of Montessori's great work was completed in India. It was here that she and Mario developed the Cosmic Education Curriculum and ran the first ever 6-12 years Training Course.  Dr.Montessori also published many important books in India including "To Educate the Human Potential" and the "Absorbent Mind", both in 1948. Mario Sr. says in his article " The Impact of India" that "...there is a period that looms above the others for it's dramatic nature and for the completion she attained in her vast vision. India could be compared to a united Europe for the diversity of the people, language and mentality that compose this vast country..."

Being at the congress in India, I could truly relate to Dr. Montessori's inspiration. Listening to Montessorians and non-Montessorians speak to us about her work and vision, surrounded by  

so many people from all over the world in this beautiful, spiritual, ancient culture, was a wonderful reminder of all of her vision's simplicity and universality. She wants us not to look to her as a leader, but to the child. This was a remarkable opportunity to get in touch with the pure essence of what she saw in every child and how best to be, so as to support and cultivate this potential. In Chennai at the 1939 course inauguration, Dr Montessori quotes a poet by saying: " The child is the eternal Messiah, who is sent continually among fallen men, in order to uplift ourselves, their nation, the world and the heavens."

I was reminded in India of BAMA, as it's vision is similar to the spirit of the congress: to put aside our differences so we can move forward with this important work of ours. And so I share this experience with anybody who is interested in Montessori's vision, so we can all continue to be of service to the child and in doing so hope for a more peaceful world in the future.

-Sidney Leck

Montessori Materials Workshop Meeting Agenda

BAMA apologizes for the confusion and inconvenience, however, please be aware that this meeting has be CANCELLED. BAMA has scheduled two Planning Meetings on Monday, March 2nd and Monday, March 30th at 7:15pm. The location is to be announced. We will be discussing further about the Montessori Materials Workshop and 2009-2010 Workshop Calendar. Again, all are welcomed!

Montessori Materials Workshop Planning Meeting
Date: Monday, February 9, 2009
Time: 7 - 9 pm
Location: Coffeebar - 1890 Bryant Street (between Mariposa and Florida), San Francisco, CA.

All are welcome to join us in planning BAMA's Montessori Materials Workshop scheduled for May 2009. We would love to use the resources and experiences of our community.

Please RSVP bayareamontessorians@gmail.com or 808.551.6585

Meeting Agenda:
- workshop focus
- date, time, and location
- publicity
- hospitality

Book Review: How To Raise An Amazing Child The Montessori Way

I love when someone new asks me about Montessori-- being able to expose someone to the philosophy and make them a potential "convert" is always exciting. The only trouble is I sometimes have a hard time being able to give a concise explanation of what Montessori is all about. There's just so much!! I have found one book that's pretty great at summing it up, particularly for parents who are wanting to add a bit of Montessori to their (and their childrens') lives: Tim Seldin's How to Raise an Amazing Child the Montessori Way. This book gives a brief intro to Maria Montessori and how Montessori schools work, and then also has chapters about how to set up a Montessori-like environment in your home for your infant, all the way through to older kids. It also has great activity ideas to do with children that encourage exploration and foster a love of learning. At times it might almost be a bit too vague, but I like that it's a book I can recommend to people that won't be overwhelming due to have too much information to absorb. For anyone who's more seriously interested in Montessori there's tons of follow-up books, but this one is a really great introduction to the wonderful world of Montessori.

-Marcy