Hello everyone! I've gotten some comments and emails from some of you, and I apologize for taking so long to respond.
Life has been so very busy lately due to several reasons:
1. Spring marks the beginning of the busy season for our business. It only gets busier as the Summer approaches. My husband is a full time musician and in between schooling and trying to get dinner, etc.. I am his administrative assistant, answering calls and helping customers the best I can while he is out performing.
2. The week following Easter was a time of some sadness, frustration, and additional work loads in regards to the Montessori home school co-op. It's been a challenge to have to pick up slack and try and manage extra work, but God is helping me through it.
3. I'm pregnant, and boy does that slow me down!
Please be patient with me! I would love to write back to you and now that we just got an i-Pad, I just may be able to lay in bed (giving those swollen veins a good rest), while responding to my lovely readers. I truly appreciate all your comments, and am so very happy to help you in any way I can as far as advice on materials and my experiences with Montessori in the home.
Thank you all, and a BIG saludo y abrazo to the ladies from Mexico and Puerto Rico that have written to say hello.
God willing I will be back soon with a new blog post regarding my experience and advice doing Montessori in the home alone, and as a co-op with other moms and children.
Take Care and God Bless...
-Susana
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
So Blessed!
I am so excited, I almost can't even believe it. This morning, we went to a yard sale at a local art center where my husband teaches music. There is a Montessori school on the same property, so I was hoping that maybe, just maybe, I would find some items for our home classroom. Well, as I was getting excited over a 10 cent bag of clothespins for the kids to hang their art with, I spotted a set of Montessori geography maps! I ran over there to get a closer look, and the maps were actually from Montessori-n-Such! The same maps I've been wanting for ever! I already had their world map in our 6-9 classroom, and now this set included Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, South America and the U.S.A. It didn't come with the cabinet and is missing North America, but for $20 for the set, I can't complain! There were maybe 5 puzzle pieces missing all together, so I'm hoping to contact Montessori-n-Such to see if they have replacement parts. I also found a perfect Nienhuis Sandpaper globe for.... 50 cents! I was hoping they would have more Montessori stuff, but I have to say, I am extremely pleased and feel very blessed to have found the maps and globe. Thank you once again dear Lord for taking care of us. I feel so very blessed!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Happy Easter!
May the light of Christ shine in you and through you today and always. He is Risen! Alleluia!
Here is a link with fun recipes to celebrate Easter-tide and the whole Liturgical year! Catholic Cuisine
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Sorting Animals by Continent!
I came across this very cool piece of "Montessori Candy" and just had to pass it along! Check it out at Butterfly Montessori Blog. What a great idea for inclusion in Montessori continent studies! Thank you Natasa! I wonder if she could share some tips on making fabric continents? I'm wondering if you would just trace the continent map puzzle pieces on to felt and then enlarge it somehow? I don't know?! I'm not very crafty! I guess I'll just have to ask her on her blog! Don't forget to check out the rest of her blog! She has oodles and oodles of ideas to share with everyone and great pictures to accompany them too! I had seen her blog before, but it wasn't until just recent that I "discovered" the translator function she has included on the left hand side of her blog. I'll definitely be checking out her blog even more now that I've got help of the translator!
... After a little bit of thinking, I just got an idea! Maybe a variation of this activity could be to trace continent puzzle map pieces on to paper and then use a copier to enlarge the outline and print it on to colored card stock, glue on to a 8.5x11 sheet of white colored card-stock and laminate, or copy an enlarged outline on to an 8.5x11 sheet of white card- stock and just draw over the outline in the appropriate color with a marker and then laminate. You could place 7- 8.5x11 sheets on a tray with a basket of animals and/or laminated cards of animal photos (cards with corresponding outline color for each continent like Natasa has shown). You could even start with two continents on a tray, and one by one add a continent sheet and corresponding animals/cards until you have all 7 on a tray. This sounds like such a fun idea that the children would love!
If you're short on time, you might want to check out this alternative at
Montessori Print Shop: Animals of the Continents
Montessori Print shop also has some great individual cards of the animals and their corresponding continents if you want to make up your own activity: Animal Cards
We've purchased these for our co-op and really like them a lot!
By the way, I just found out that Jessica at "Garden of Francis", is selling felt world maps. Check out her page Here for more information and for questions on custom products.
... After a little bit of thinking, I just got an idea! Maybe a variation of this activity could be to trace continent puzzle map pieces on to paper and then use a copier to enlarge the outline and print it on to colored card stock, glue on to a 8.5x11 sheet of white colored card-stock and laminate, or copy an enlarged outline on to an 8.5x11 sheet of white card- stock and just draw over the outline in the appropriate color with a marker and then laminate. You could place 7- 8.5x11 sheets on a tray with a basket of animals and/or laminated cards of animal photos (cards with corresponding outline color for each continent like Natasa has shown). You could even start with two continents on a tray, and one by one add a continent sheet and corresponding animals/cards until you have all 7 on a tray. This sounds like such a fun idea that the children would love!
If you're short on time, you might want to check out this alternative at
Montessori Print Shop: Animals of the Continents
Montessori Print shop also has some great individual cards of the animals and their corresponding continents if you want to make up your own activity: Animal CardsWe've purchased these for our co-op and really like them a lot!
By the way, I just found out that Jessica at "Garden of Francis", is selling felt world maps. Check out her page Here for more information and for questions on custom products.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Are Montessori Organizations Excluding Homeschoolers?
With so many parents choosing to home school their children nowadays, and the numbers growing, do you think that AMI, AMS, and CGS should try and provide information, training opportunities, albums, manuals, etc.. that cater to Montessori or Catechesis of the Good Shepherd being implemented in the home?
I know that actual training in person is very crucial to these methods, but the reality is that many of us homeschooling our children cannot afford, or do not have the time for these trainings. Many of us are already well into the "ballgame" and try to implement Montessori and CGS in the home as best as possible. I can truly say that so far, I've seen great results. Are they the results that would be achieved if my children attended an actual Montessori school or Atrium? Maybe not. Maybe they'd be doing and learning even more! I personally, cannot afford to send all my children to a Montessori school, nor do I have the time to or money for full training. There is a local Montessori charter school, free of cost, however their emphasis on certain areas conflict with what I would like to emphasize in my child's education and with some of my beliefs. As far as an Atrium goes, we have none in our state, and we also attend the Tridentine Mass, so I would want the lessons to reflect the "Extraordinary" rite of the Mass.
For the sake of prompting discussion, I offer the following for consideration and discussion:
In her book, The Child in the Church, Maria Montessori states her wishes for there to be a "Montessori Order", with a "large part to be played by lay people, who would dedicate themselves to the work in a manner similar to that of members of Third Orders in the Dominican, Fransiscan and Carmelite movements, and in the same spirit."
Regarding this "Montessori Order", this is what it says in the book about Montessori in the home:
"A Second "arm" of the Montessori Order would be directed toward the helping of parents in their dealings with their own children in the home. Since Montessori's definition of education is an aid to life, it is clear that it begins at birth. In fact it begins before birth; and prior to her death Montessori founded a special kind of maternity home in Rome- which still functions. Its aim is to instruct expectant mothers, not only how to take care of their newly-born physically but also mentally, from the moment of their arrival into this most puzzling world.
Incidentally, it is interesting to note that parents are much quicker to appreciate the value of Montessori ideas than are many teachers and professors. This is no doubt because- as was the case with Montessori's first assistants in Rome- parents have not been trained as teachers have, along the old lines and methods. The parental instinct quickens their whole mental attitude toward infantile psychology and toward anything else which bears on the life of their newly-arrived offspring. There is an immense scope for the dissemination of Montessori's principles in the home, a work which has never been fully written up and properly organized, through already much has, and is being done in this sphere, in connection with many Montessori schools.
The more Montessori principles are practiced in the homes the less deviated would the under-five children become before they came to their first class, and the quicker wold be their process of normalization through work when they did come to school. "
The book goes on to say this:
"The Training of Montessori Teachers- The third branch of a Montessori Order would be the setting up and operating of training colleges for the formation of Montessori directresses. This would be a necessity, for, just as it is true to say, "No Prepared Environment, no Montessori School", so it is equally true to say, "No trained Montessori directress, no Montessori School." This is because there exists in the Montessori system a trinity, which is one and undivided, made up of (I) the children, (II) the Prepared Environment, and (III) the Montessori directress; and if anything goes amiss in the proper functioning of any one of these three something invariably goes wrong with the whole. As an essential part of this third 'arm', the training of teachers, would be the formation of a sort of vigilance committee f experts, which would include all la people, and no-Catholics also, of long Montessori experience. The aim of this committee of experts would be to guard the name Montessori and the movement that goes under it from the encroachment of other and alien educational ideas and practices which would undermine the fundamental principles on which the Montessori Method is based. This would not mean, of course, that such a committee would act in any way as a brake upon the true and genuine development of Montessori principles and techniques in new and fresh spheres of influence and practice; but it would make sure that these were "true and genuine developments in the sense that Newman uses the phrase in his famous classic, An Essay on The Development of Christian Doctrine."
With so many parents opting to home school, are AMI, AMS, and CGS working toward "the true and genuine development of Montessori principles and techniques in new and fresh spheres of influence and practice"? Homeschooling has been around for years, with more and more parents jumping on the bandwagon. I can't even keep up with all the wonderful Montessori homeschooling blogs around and popping up!
What are these Montessori organizations doing to meet the needs of these parents?
Let me know your thoughts on this, I'd love to hear them!
I know that actual training in person is very crucial to these methods, but the reality is that many of us homeschooling our children cannot afford, or do not have the time for these trainings. Many of us are already well into the "ballgame" and try to implement Montessori and CGS in the home as best as possible. I can truly say that so far, I've seen great results. Are they the results that would be achieved if my children attended an actual Montessori school or Atrium? Maybe not. Maybe they'd be doing and learning even more! I personally, cannot afford to send all my children to a Montessori school, nor do I have the time to or money for full training. There is a local Montessori charter school, free of cost, however their emphasis on certain areas conflict with what I would like to emphasize in my child's education and with some of my beliefs. As far as an Atrium goes, we have none in our state, and we also attend the Tridentine Mass, so I would want the lessons to reflect the "Extraordinary" rite of the Mass.
For the sake of prompting discussion, I offer the following for consideration and discussion:
In her book, The Child in the Church, Maria Montessori states her wishes for there to be a "Montessori Order", with a "large part to be played by lay people, who would dedicate themselves to the work in a manner similar to that of members of Third Orders in the Dominican, Fransiscan and Carmelite movements, and in the same spirit."
Regarding this "Montessori Order", this is what it says in the book about Montessori in the home:
"A Second "arm" of the Montessori Order would be directed toward the helping of parents in their dealings with their own children in the home. Since Montessori's definition of education is an aid to life, it is clear that it begins at birth. In fact it begins before birth; and prior to her death Montessori founded a special kind of maternity home in Rome- which still functions. Its aim is to instruct expectant mothers, not only how to take care of their newly-born physically but also mentally, from the moment of their arrival into this most puzzling world.
Incidentally, it is interesting to note that parents are much quicker to appreciate the value of Montessori ideas than are many teachers and professors. This is no doubt because- as was the case with Montessori's first assistants in Rome- parents have not been trained as teachers have, along the old lines and methods. The parental instinct quickens their whole mental attitude toward infantile psychology and toward anything else which bears on the life of their newly-arrived offspring. There is an immense scope for the dissemination of Montessori's principles in the home, a work which has never been fully written up and properly organized, through already much has, and is being done in this sphere, in connection with many Montessori schools.
The more Montessori principles are practiced in the homes the less deviated would the under-five children become before they came to their first class, and the quicker wold be their process of normalization through work when they did come to school. "
The book goes on to say this:
"The Training of Montessori Teachers- The third branch of a Montessori Order would be the setting up and operating of training colleges for the formation of Montessori directresses. This would be a necessity, for, just as it is true to say, "No Prepared Environment, no Montessori School", so it is equally true to say, "No trained Montessori directress, no Montessori School." This is because there exists in the Montessori system a trinity, which is one and undivided, made up of (I) the children, (II) the Prepared Environment, and (III) the Montessori directress; and if anything goes amiss in the proper functioning of any one of these three something invariably goes wrong with the whole. As an essential part of this third 'arm', the training of teachers, would be the formation of a sort of vigilance committee f experts, which would include all la people, and no-Catholics also, of long Montessori experience. The aim of this committee of experts would be to guard the name Montessori and the movement that goes under it from the encroachment of other and alien educational ideas and practices which would undermine the fundamental principles on which the Montessori Method is based. This would not mean, of course, that such a committee would act in any way as a brake upon the true and genuine development of Montessori principles and techniques in new and fresh spheres of influence and practice; but it would make sure that these were "true and genuine developments in the sense that Newman uses the phrase in his famous classic, An Essay on The Development of Christian Doctrine."
With so many parents opting to home school, are AMI, AMS, and CGS working toward "the true and genuine development of Montessori principles and techniques in new and fresh spheres of influence and practice"? Homeschooling has been around for years, with more and more parents jumping on the bandwagon. I can't even keep up with all the wonderful Montessori homeschooling blogs around and popping up!
What are these Montessori organizations doing to meet the needs of these parents?
Let me know your thoughts on this, I'd love to hear them!
Montessori Materials Updated!
The children and I have been sick the last week and I've not been able to respond to some inquiries. Please be assured I will get back to you today. Thank you for your patience!
This is what is left. Please Check updated prices on some items.
Thanks! Materials will go to first paying customer.
Selling only to buyers in the U.S.A.
Please provide your zip code for a shipping quote when you email me.
Paypal is accepted & Items will go to first paying buyer.
You can reach me at: munequita4 at hotmail.com
Addition board with tiles & Subtraction board with tiles: $15
Used Condition
14- Wooden Thousand Cubes, 77- Wooden Hundred Squares, & 19- Plastic 10 bars: $15
The Hundred Squares come in to different styles. Some painted with brown spots,
some with black. The 10 bars come in 2 styles as well. 9 of one and 10 of the
other, but both gold color. These items are all used.
This is what is left. Please Check updated prices on some items.
Thanks! Materials will go to first paying customer.
Selling only to buyers in the U.S.A.
Please provide your zip code for a shipping quote when you email me.
Paypal is accepted & Items will go to first paying buyer.
You can reach me at: munequita4 at hotmail.com
Addition board with tiles & Subtraction board with tiles: $15
Used Condition
14- Wooden Thousand Cubes, 77- Wooden Hundred Squares, & 19- Plastic 10 bars: $15
The Hundred Squares come in to different styles. Some painted with brown spots,
some with black. The 10 bars come in 2 styles as well. 9 of one and 10 of the
other, but both gold color. These items are all used.
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