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Gardening with Kids: A Montessori Home
One of the very first blog posts I ever wrote (back in 2007) was about gardening. It’s been quite a journey over the years! Matt and I built awesome raised beds when we lived in Colorado. However, we ultimately failed to grow very much at all. When we settled in Houston, our house had too much shade for gardening. We then lived in a rental house in Austin and didn’t want to start anything. Finally, we settled into our current home. I fretted about whether or not to put raised beds in the front yard. I’m so glad I did! Gardening with kids is now a regular … Read More
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Montessori Going Outs: Elementary Field Trips
I think Maria Montessori was brilliant! As a scientist, she observed children and noticed that children aged 6-12 had a deep desire to learn about the world around them. In order to learn about the broader world, they have to leave the confines of their classrooms and their schools. Enter the Montessori concept of Going Outs.
What are Montessori Going Outs?
Elementary-aged children “go out” in small groups as an extension of their research and to gain experiences in the world outside the classroom. As a result, children develop independence, resourcefulness, and self-confidence through functioning capably in the larger world without adult intervention.
Going Outs take all kinds of … Read More
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Sri Lanka: A Moment of Silence for the World
Photo courtesy of Reuters I have immense privilege as a white, heterosexual, cis-gender, able-bodied person living in the United States. I can spend my time thinking about cheese boards or my upcoming vacation. I’m processing through the shame I feel about how I get to live my life to its fullest while others can’t even worship without the threat of losing their families in explosions, like what happened in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.
It’s too easy to numb ourselves to the terror and violence that erupted in Sri Lanka. Terror and violence are proliferating around the world and in our own country. I try to hold front … Read More