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Cultivating Independence in Children
Henry watching the mobile above our bed Independence is at the heart of the Montessori approach, but not in a Puritanical-I-can-do-it-myself-and-don’t-need-anyone way.… Read MoreTo a Montessorian, helping children cultivate their ability to do things for themselves is how we respect children. We honor that they are capable of doing things for themselves and that they are eager to learn how to do those things.
For example, at my Montessori class last week, my teacher explained that her three children (ages 6.5, 4.5, and 2.5) each pack their own rolling suitcase and backpack when they go on a trip. Then they are responsible for rolling/carrying their own luggage through the airport. She
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Book Club: Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
One of my big, hairy, audacious goals in life is to start a public, Montessori charter school in Austin, TX. For those of you who aren’t too familiar with charter schools, the short story is that they are free, public schools that receive per/pupil funding just like schools in districts but they are not part of the school district. They do not have to use the same curriculum, the same hiring and firing procedures, the same technology, etc. They are still held accountable by the same state assessments that the children take each year, but beyond those required tests, they are pretty much free to innovate.… Read MoreThere’s a lot of
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Book Review: Secrets of the Baby Whisperer
I have to confess that I didn’t have a chance to thoroughly read The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer. I still use two hands to breastfeed, which means I only get to read when Henry is napping. Since I had to return some books to the library, my reading time was only about an hour. So I guess I should call it a “Book Scan” instead of a real “Book Review.”… Read MoreBased on my one-hour glimpse through the book, I would definitely recommend this book to those of you who are trying to learn more about living with newborns. The author takes a very moderate approach between the “cry
