FIRST MONTESSORI BOOKS
Information on all nine books can be found here:
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Susan Mayclin Stephenson discovered Montessori as a parent many years ago. Her books speak to parents and other educators wanting to understand Montessori. With 50 years of experience as a Montessori teacher, today she is a speaker, school consultant, and examiner for Montessori teacher-training courses. Her books are available from the publisher Michael Olaf, from Montessori schools, training centers, book suppliers, from Barns & Nobel, and from Amazon in 170 countries.
The above three books have been found to be very helpful during remote learning situations, homeschoolers, and families who want to integrate some Montessori practices in the home.
AID TO LIFE,
MONTESSORI BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
CLICK: AID TO LIFE
This is a wonderful book about Montessori and how it’s being used in many countries, from Peru to Morocco, Nepal and beyond. I have told several people that they absolutely should read it.
—Victoria Barrès, Education Representative to UNESCO, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Paris, France)As a politician concerned about education as the main pillar for a future better world, I have found what I was looking for in the Montessori philosophy. I have read all of the author’s books and articles and have found inspiration both as a father and politician. This book meets the needs of parents. It answers so many questions.
—Catalin Ivan, Member of the European Parliament, The Committee for Education
MONTESSORI HOMESCHOOLING,
ONE FAMILY’S STORY
CLICK: MONTESSORI HOMESCHOOLING
Each chapter describes one year of home schooling from Kindergarten through twelfth grade. It is a virtual compendium of “how to do Montessori Homeschooling” encyclopedic in detail and charmed with honesty about failures and successes. They had four guidelines: keep the developmental stage in mind, prepare the environment and offer the work, observe to see if it is working, and lastly, adapt and “follow the child. “This Montessori inspired home-schooling centered in the family ended with Michael’s acceptance at Brown University.
—David Kahn, Executive Director Emeritus of the North American Montessori Teachers’ Association
THE RED COROLLA,
MONTESSORI COSMIC EDUCATION (for ages 3-6+)
CLICK: THE RED COROLLA
This book contains the “culture” lectures the author gave on the first AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) 3-6 course in Casablanca, Morocco that prepare a child under the age of seven for the Cosmic Education work in the 6-12 class – plus a lot more.
What I like about this book is the possibility that it will give to teachers who have not learned in their training this way of presenting the various cultural areas – art, music, geography, biology and physics – to young children. That is, how to offer it in such a way that the child freely chooses to absorb the material. I think it is a book to take section by section according to ones interest. Although it is scattered throughout the book, there is information on approaching various ages of children, not just young ones.
– Rita Zener, PhD, AMI Montessori 3-6 Teacher TrainerHave you read Susan Mayclin Stephenson’s new release The Red Corolla: Montessori Cosmic Education? I would absolutely recommend it. It is heavy on the practical, on activities, on setting up the environment and I feel a lot of parents would appreciate that. I’m going to try many of these activities at home. I also recommend this for the school teacher/parent library! It gives a fantastic insight into Montessori training that many are longing for, it includes parts of Susan’s lectures and discussion on what is in her (Montessori) albums. It is suitable for those with little or no experience or knowledge of Montessori. Experienced Montessori teachers would also find this useful. Susan has spent decades working in Montessori classrooms around the world, her voice is invaluable.
– From the Australian Montessori blog howwemontessori. com
THE JOYFUL CHILD:
MONTESSORI, GLOBAL WISDOM FOR BIRTH TO THREE
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Susan Stephenson’s book truly reflects the spirit and purpose of Montessori in a way that makes the philosophy translatable to both new parents and veteran Montessorians. Susan’s passion for the pedagogy, her extensive experience, and her world travels resonate as she explores the universal, emotional, and psychological depths that construct the child’s development.
—Virginia McHugh, Previous Executive Director of Association Montessori International USA
This book has been translated into Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Romanian, Russian, French, Romanian, Mongolian, Iranian, Serbian, and more translations are in progress.
MONTESSORI AND MINDFULNESS
CLICK: MONTESSORI AND MINDFULNESS
After The Joyful Child, this is the most popular of the Montessori books. Montessori and Mindfulness, is based on the talk of the same name delivered at the Montessori congress in Prague, Czech Republic in 2017.
The author writes with clarity and simplicity yet takes on the complexity of Montessori philosophy and contemporary thought on Mindfulness with grace and care. Her overall theme that personal fulfillment leads to care for others and for our environment echos throughout each chapter and creates a wonderful symbiosis of Montessori thought and Mindfulness practice, with interesting retold personal stories throughout.
—Lynne Breitenstein-Aliberti, AMIUSA (Association Montessori International USA)Last year I heard about your book and I was wondering what is all about as I was sure that you could not write a book which will not make sense for me. I discovered how valuable it is for teachers, and for parents also! So I sent some quotes from it to my colleagues and they started to be curious about it. Now, reading your book, I realized that when singing or dancing or cooking or taking a walk or praying or working in the class or giving a seminar for parents or writing or reading most of the time I can experience flow, I can be mindful!!! We are happy that this book is now available in our language.
— Simona Nicolae, AMI primary teacher becoming a teacher trainer, Iasi, Romania
THE UNIVERSAL CHILD
GUIDED BY NATURE
CLICK: UNIVERSAL CHILD
My friends who do not go to a Montessori school are always asking me what the difference between their school and mine is. Or they ask me to explain what a Montessori school is. After reading this book I think I can tell them.
—12-year-old Montessori student
Nothing has helped me understand the breadth and depth and the value of a Montessori education as much as this book. Thank you so much.
—New Montessori school administratorThis little book has been shown to be the very best explanation of the potential of Montessori to help improve the system of education in our country, in homes and schools, from the poorest to the most privileged.
—Lyda Maria Franky, PhD, Consultant for the Government, and Private and Public Schools, of Colombia
CHILD OF THE WORLD:
MONTESSORI, GLOBAL EDUCATION FOR AGE 3-12+
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Stephenson’s volume is a wonderful resource for parents seeking thoughtful, sound advice on raising well-grounded children in a chaotic world. Presenting Montessori principles in clear and eloquent prose, Stephenson’s legacy will be a tremendous service to generations of parents to come.
—Angeline Lillard, PhD, Professor of Psychology, U. of Virginia, author of Montessori, The Science behind the Genius
This book is considered one of the most valuable parent education books by Montessori schools. It is also used to help a 3-6 teacher understand the 6-12 years, and vice versa. It combines theory and practical everyday ideas for using Montessori in the home and school and is used in university education classes.
NO CHECKMATE,
MONTESSORI CHESS LESSONS FOR AGE 3-90+
CLICK: NO CHECKMATE
Yes! this book can tell you how to teach chess to any child in a Montessori way. But if you look past the chess, you can use this book as an insight to teach your child anything using the Montessori method.
The book takes the game chess and introduces it to the child using
⭐️ Grace and courtesy of the pieces the social aspect of the game.
⭐️ practical life- polishing/dusting the pieces, setting up the environment
⭐️ Language- 3-period-lesson of the names of the pieces
⭐️ Learning to play the game building up one difficult at a time.
This is the essence of Montessori.
But if you are not interested in learning chess this book is still a gold mine of knowledge and insight into the Montessori method and how to offer any skill to a child. As always this author welcomes you into the world of the child and how to help spark their interest.
-Joanne King, Montessori Parent and Consultant, The Netherlands
WHOLESALE/BULK DISCOUNT
These books are available, now and perhaps through 2022 only, at a bulk discount. This offer is good in countries where the Amazon PRINT versions of these books are available because they are printed in the country where the order is to be delivered. It can take up to one month from the time the order is placed till they arrive. Here is the link:
CLICK: Wholesale Books
(DVD) THE WONDERFUL TWO’S
Montessori Infant Communities in Japan and the United States
I had seen this at a parent education night some 12 years ago when my youngest was in an Infant Community and have been waiting for the DVD for sharing with my child and adolescent psychiatry residents for their “Neurotypical Infant Development Course” taught each summer. This excellent introduction to Montessori A to I practices in the USA and Japan will now be shown during the lecture series. Thank you, Susan Mayclin Stephenson for this enchanting glimpse into what the youngest children can do with the support of prepared adults and a prepared environment!
—Nora McNamara, MD
This DVD contains 50 minutes of actual AMI Infant Community footage in Osaka, Japan and Denver, Colorado. Previously sold as a DVD for US$45, it is now available FREE on YouTube internationally.
CLICK: FREE VIDEO
HISTORY OF THE MICHAEL OLAF CATALOGS THAT INSPIRED THE PUBLICATION OF BOOKS
In 1982 two teenage girls, with a level of confidence and initiative that surprised even their parents, started a tiny shop to provide high-quality toys and books for children because they could not find anything good enough in the whole San Francisco Bay Area for their new baby brother. They named it after the inspiration for the project, Michael Olaf.
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In 1988 the “Essential Montessori” book/catalog was eventually divided into two publications, “The Joyful Child” for families with infants and children under the age of three, and “Child of the World” for parents and teachers with children from age 3-12+. An oil painter, Susan created two paintings each year, one for each publication.
Beginning in 1985, a full-size catalog was created, illustrated from both Susan’s drawings and photographs. Intending to write a book on Montessori for parents, Susan decided it had more of a chance to read if little snippets of information were added to the catalog instead. So a combination book/catalog of materials for children for birth age 12 was created, “Essential Montessori”. The picture on the front of this catalog is that of a child’s drawing of Egypt, complete with two pyramids at the top, an oasis on the left (with real grass taped to the paper), the blue Nile River, and drawings of the construction of a pyramid.
The first Michael Olaf catalog, created at the request of Montessori teachers who had discovered Michael Olaf during visits to the San Francisco area, was just 5 sheets of paper, collated on top of the grant piano and stapled in one corner. It contained a list and information about the first “practical life” products, and wooden toys. Soon people asked for pictures so Susan drew them.
The catalog below was typed on a computer, Susan drawing the pictures, the pages laid out on graph paper taped to the dining room window. Then printed and stapled at home. Who knew that this humble beginning would grow to affect so many children, families, and schools around the world
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