When founder and program director Dale Gausman began NAMC, one of his goals was to make Montessori learning an inclusive experience that students could fit into their busy lives. From his own training and from running his local Montessori early childhood program, Dale knew how important well-written, complete Montessori manuals were to a teacher�s success. But he also understood that his students� time was valuable, and he wanted to ensure that they were able to concentrate on learning the Montessori method rather than recording activities. Helping students find balance in their lives became the catalyst for the development of the comprehensive range of NAMC Montessori manuals. NAMC�s Full Set of Infant/Toddler Montessori Manuals What seemed like a bold decision to many at the time was a natural progression to Dale: He decided to provide his students with a full set of published manuals that centered on classic Montessori presentations, giving them the resources they needed to fo...
" When you hold an infant, hold him not just with your body, but with your mind and heart. " � Magda Gerber In our continuing blog series studying the works of Montessori, we have looked at the first nine chapters of The Absorbent Mind . All over the world, educators and caregivers find common ground in many of Montessori�s ideas� especially so when it comes to the care of infants. Psychologist Laura Berk, like Montessori, states that �knowledge of the world is first gathered through the senses.� Berk notes the physical changes in heart rate and respiration in infants when there is a change in their environment � someone new arrives, there are new pictures on the wall, or mother starts wearing new cologne. (Berk, 2006) Montessori Values Around the World � Supporting an Infant's Development with Conscious Interaction Modern child philosophers also discuss the importance of respectful awareness of children, beginning at birth. Magda Gerber�s RIE philosophy calls for �res...
By its very nature, the Montessori environment is beautiful. The use of natural objects and light add peace, harmony, and balance. They also enhance the awareness of the natural world. The Montessori teacher helps extend this awareness far beyond the immediate environment to the entire universe. She presents the universe to the children as a whole concept, from the beginning of time to the present. And the children come to understand how the universe, and more specifically the earth, is ever changing. Today, with the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases, it becomes a vital piece of Montessori�s cosmic vision that we take responsibility for our impact on the earth and attempt to reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible. Bringing awareness to the Montessori environment about carbon footprints There are many ways you can bring awareness of natural resources into your Montessori environment and community. Make use of natural light and turn off lights when ...
Comments
Post a Comment