Age 6-12

Art & Montessori, From Birth to Age Twelve

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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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BOOK: Child of the World (Independence, Concentration, Compassion)

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Child of the World:
Montessori, Global Education for Age 3-12+

For more information and to see the complete Table of Contents: CHILD

Chapter: Age 3-6, Caring for Oneself, for Others, and for the Environment
Boys at a Montessori school in Bhutan preferring to work on fixing the school sidewalk than to play. Continue reading →

What We Learned During COVID (Helpful Books)

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WHAT COVID TAUGHT US
The years when the Covid epidemic was at its hight were dangerous and frightening for many. Schools closed. Teacher training centers closed. It was necessary to learn how to educate remotely. But the good side was that parents spent more time with their children, and learned more about education, learning styles, and just what kind of education, what kind of experience might help a child master skills that might be helpful in the future, a much wider exploration of the meaning of life, the definition of success, what brings about happiness and care for others—much more than purely academics.

SEVERAL HELPFUL MONTESSORI BOOKS
It is not possible to learn everything from a book, but there are are several, based on Montessori experience at home and in the classroom that have been found to be very helpful to parents and teachers during these days. They are all written by a Montessori teachers trained at 0-3, 3-6, and 6-12 levels, and with many years of experience with children and young adults from birth to 18 years of age. Continue reading →