Art for the Montessori Primary Teacher
In the summer of 2017 I gave the culture lectures for the first AMI primary (age 2.5-6) teacher training course in Morocco. My friend Lhamo Pemba was the director of training. We had already worked together in several countries, even visiting her family in Northern India, and had become good friends. Continue reading
In the Montessori tradition it is the child’s own original and unique art that is preferred over adult-generated forms to be colored in. This gives the child not only a very good self image, but skill at both observation and draftsmanship. As Dr. Montessori said, we cannot teach a person to be an artist but we can help him develop an eye that sees, a hand that obeys, and a soul that feels. For many years this Michael Olaf Montessori Newsletter has been shared by schools around the world.
The First Year
In the first days and months of life the child’s attention is on the environment. Since the infant cannot yet move about, he is exploring visually. There was a small print that I had brought back from India taped to the wall next to where my second child spend the first weeks of life. Then it was packed away. When it was unpacked many years later she remembered and said that she loved that kind of art all her life. I am sure that it was imprinted on her idea of what should be in the environment, what is “beautiful” in just those first few weeks.
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We never know when and how our work, our words, will be helpful.
Recently I received this message from the translator for Heidi Philippart’s AMI 0-3 Montessori Certificate course, Kate Sichkar:
Many Ukrainians requested that your article on how to talk to children about war be translated. I am asking your permission to translate it so as many people as possible will get answers. As with all of your books, that speak from the heart, it might save people’s souls and give them hope to move forward.
CLICK: for the English Version: Talking about War
And here is the entire Ukrainian translation:
CLICK: Як говорити з дітьми про війну
War
Last week a solo art show here in Trinidad, California featured the above painting, which was created as a way of processing the war. Two young boys shared their thoughts about war, peace, the news, screens, life—their thoughts, their confusion, their commitment to peace, and their hopes for the future. This conversation was the highlight of the evening, giving me “hope to move forward.”
Here is more art information: CLICK: Susan’s Art
And prints and cards, CLICK: cards/prints
Blessings,
Susan
Home page, CLICK: Susan