Thoughts on Reading the Montessori Way.



I have recently been reading “A Path for the Exploration of Any Language Leading to Writing and Reading” by Muriel Dwyer. This Journal is sold through NAMTA (click here to see their website). I was on What DID we do all day? and she has a REALLY great set of blog post all about the Dwyer approach to teaching language as opposed to the Pink, Green, Blue series. Both follow the Montessori method and are very good, but after reading the blog posts I saw that the Dwyer approach is a little easier to do at home. The Pink Green Blue series requires a lot of printing, prepping, and boxes, while the Dwyer approach is less stuff. The booklet is a good read and very step by step. Again hop on over to What DID we do all day?  and read her very well written posts to see more about this.

The other inspiration that came from reading Dwyer’s work was her life story at the beginning. She was a Montessrian who went to Africa and taught training program to women there who could help teach the children in the villages. Her program was extremely successful. The one thing that I really was impressed about was that she and her associates made all of their material from things that they could find easily and that were almost free around where they were. She wanted to be sure that the women she taught would be able to make their own materials when they returned home. This made me think that if she could do that with good preparation and no money materials, then I can do it too. So long as the works give the child the same lessons and control of errors, they will work out fine, even if they aren’t the same things used in a School. I don’t know why, but I really want everything in my school room to be perfect. This thought really allowed me to look at the works I make in a different way. I can make them myself and do it with what I have. The kids will still get the same great education. Its not what the materials are made of, its how that material is presented. This is also pushing me to take an online certification course to really give myself that information that I need to be the best teacher for my kids. If anyone has a thought to add I would love to hear it! Also has anyone take an online course/ courses? Is there one that is better then the other? I would love to know what you think! 🙂