Kids and Music Notes

 As I've mentioned before, my husband is a full time musician and has put together a music curriculum he will begin teaching this Fall. We're really excited about it! We're always looking for ways to share music with others and as a family, and while searching I found this interesting video on helping children learn music notes, brought to us by Making Music Praying Twice:

Thank You!!!

 

I've been pulled from temporary retirement to share this sweet blog award given to me by both Natasa and Sasha! Thank you both!
The recipient is supposed to share 7 things about themselves, possibly 7 things you do not know, so here they go:

1. I hate going to the dentist! I used to try to distract my mom to look the other way whenever we passed his office as a little girl! Hated it then, hate it now!

2. I  LOVE  chocolate. Love it, love it, love it! I get a chocolate craving around 2-3pm everyday. My dad used to buy it by the box when I was a little girl, so it seems we always had some on hand1

3. I love design, especially graphic design, interior design, and event design (especially weddings!). I wish I had gone to school to study design (besides going to school for Montessori!). I love reading interior design blogs, and love looking for inspiration on wedding design blogs and am always trying out new graphic design techniques and styles. I hope to be able to take a course in both interior and graphic design soon.

3. If I could choose to have any trait, it would be creativity.

4. I would love  to "win" a  tv home make over.

5. The family and I went to Disneyland in 2007 and it was so much fun that I still dream about going back!

6. I would love to go on a riverboat tour down the Mississippi River and would also love to go on a port hopping cruise on U.S.A.'s East Coast to visit places like Nantucket.

7. I'm a Survivor. My mother was 42 when she had me, her 9th child. She already had 8 children and was an immigrant living in a Chicago basement apartment. Her doctor told her she was too old to have me, and that I would likely have defects. He tried to scare her into thinking she could die and leave my 8 siblings without a mother. He told her it was in my family's best interest to abort me. Besides, she already had "enough" children. I am grateful to God for being alive. My mother was truly scared because of the fear her doctor put into her, but my father and mother truly stepped up to the plate and defended my life. I am eternally grateful that I was given the chance to live and believe that ALL human beings have the right to be born, no matter how they came to be in existence.

And here's a couple more for good measure!
8. I Love, Love, Love listening to people's stories, and especially enjoy conversion stories of how people of different faith's found the Catholic church as their home. I love listening to the Journey Home with Marcus Grodi while I cook!

9. I love Gypsy Jazz music! It reminds me of laid back summer days spent under the willow tree by the ol' swimming hole!

Blogs that I would like to extend this award to are:
Shower of Roses
Montessori Print Shop
Discovery Days and Montessori Moments
Wildflowers and Marbles
Montessori for Everyone
Catholic Icing
In the Heart of My Home
Waltzing Matilda
The Education of Ours
Living Montessori Now
Counting Coconuts
Sew Liberated
The Lettered Cottage
Thrifty Decor Chick
Hooked on Houses
Style Me Pretty


And Many, Many more! Ok, now back into hibernation I go!

Montessori Candy

Hello! I just wanted to send a note out to say that as the new school year approaches, my blogging will become sparse. We're gearing up for a great new year, and I'm even excited at the possibility of taking some interior and graphic design courses. Please feel free to check out my archives and enjoy! I may or may not be able to respond to inquiries ASAP, but will do my best as my 6 children allow! :)

Thanks!
-Susana

Montessori Journeys: Jessie

Today, the very talented and sweet Jessie of The Education of Ours shares her Montessori Journey. I'd love to me a kid in her household! It looks likes she's doing a great job as Mama and teacher. Read on to hear her story.

Jessie's Montessori Journey

As an undergrad, during my junior year as an education major, my state adopted a standardized testing policy for children that I did not agree with.  I longed to be a teacher, but not in that way.  I didn't want to teach to a test, or beg for my job over test results.  It just didn't jive with my beliefs, and I'm the kind of person who can't be happy if my ethics are challenged.  While discussing this with my Modern Dance professor (who later left the college to teach creative movement at a Montessori School), she brought up Montessori.  I was first attracted to Montessori for the lack of testing, no child in Montessori is asked a question in the 3rd period of a lesson right off that bat.  Then, I fell in love with the aesthetics of Montessori, then the Math.  Oh, how I love Montessori Math!  The philosophy of teaching where the student has some control is enlightening.  I hit the ground running, looking into how I would go about living this life.  After graduation, I kept teaching Ballet while researching Masters and Montessori Training Programs in my area.  I began as an assistant at a brand new school, with all brand new shiny materials.  I was awe struck, and met my closest teacher friends at my first teaching job. 

After a long struggle with infertility, I became pregnant during my AMS Training.  I was delighted to have my Montessori Training before I became a Mother.  I learned so much from training, I was totally prepared for motherhood, it was more valuable than any other degree I hold.  I always tell new mothers that an accredited Montessori Training is better than any book or parenting class in the world.  Right before the birth of my first daughter, now 5, I earned a Masters of Education for Montessori.  My thesis was on Montessori At Home (some life foreshadowing there!).  After that, I stayed home to be a full time Mother for three years and had two more babies.  I now work at an extremely supportive school in Providence, RI part time while 'afterschooling' my three daughters with the Montessori Method.  My girls don't attend a Montessori School for lack of options.  I'm happy for them to attend our town's fantastic public schools, and have a Montessori home, full of materials and experiences. 

Copyright Jessie@ The Education of Ours

We have converted our den/library into a mini-Montessori environment, where our children work and create.  I blog about all this at The Education Of Ours and I post weekly activities at Mommy Moment: Monday's Montessori Moment.   I feel very blessed to find this path in life, and I hang on every moment.  I know it's all fleeting, but right now my work and my home life match up exactly.  I love Montessori!!!!

If you would like to see the article I wrote as a part of my Master's Degree, click here:  How to Make the Most of Your Montessori Investment: Ways to be Consistent With Montessori Philosophy At Home

 

Be inspired and read more about Jessie at The Education of Ours.

Would you like to share your Montessori Journey? Email me at montessoricandy@gmail.com
Want to share this Montessori Journey or read others? Check out my Montessori Journeys page. Feel free to copy any of my Montessori Journeys logo's, but please make sure to include a link to: http://www.montessoricandy.com/p/montessori-journeys.html