Mindful teaching, mindful learning, an appreciation of authentic Montessori and being in the moment anywhere
This blog just reached a milestone; it is being followed by people in 100 countries on all continents. Thank you to everyone who has found it worth sharing with fellow parents and teachers, and a warm welcome to new readers.
In October, it was my pleasure to be in beautiful Cartagena to celebrate the first in-person Montessori congress held in this country since Covid. Continue reading
October 1, 2022 – Finally back to in-person work!
Let me begin by one of my favorite moments of this trip to the East Coast of the United States, discovering a bagpiper while exploring the neighborhood.
For the last few days I have been staying at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell working with a Montessori school. Above is the view from my window. It feels especially good to be in a university area. Continue reading
Circle Time—Collective Lessons?
During my first year of teaching, an older and more experienced teacher at our Montessori school in San Francisco, California, told us that we should have a 30-40 minute “group” lesson at the end of each morning, with all of the children sitting in a circle as we sang songs, had news time, and sometimes gave a lesson that usually would be for one child at a time. I had not heard of such a thing in my AMI 3-6 course in London but I respected this teacher so I followed her advice.
A few years later, Margot Waltuch, who had worked with Maria Montessori for many years, was the consultant for my own school in Michigan (and later the consultant for my 6-12 classes in California). Continue reading