Tomorrow's Child November 2019

$8.00

NOVEMBER 2019

Vol. 27 No.2

Helping Children To Be Successful Montessori Myths How to Deal with Tantrums

IN COLLABORATION WITH

The International Montessori Council and The Montessori Family Alliance A Publication of The Montessori Foundation TOMORROW'S CHILD © § NOVEMBER 2019 § WWW.MONTESSORI.ORG

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Learning is in the details.

Precise materials are at the heart of a Montessori education. At Nienhuis, we meticulously craft our products to isolate difficulty so that children can focus, gain mastery, and flourish.

Explore our precise materials at the brand new Nienhuis.com/us

THE ORIGINAL MONTESSORI CRAFT

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Tomorrow’s Child (ISSN 10716246), published four times a year, is the official magazine of The Montessori Foundation, a non-profit organization. The opinions expressed in Tomorrow’s Child editorials, columns, and features are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of the magazine or The Montessori Foundation.

Acceptance of advertising does not represent the Foundation’s endorsement of any product or service.

It is policy of The Montessori Foundation, a non-profit organization, to encourage support for the organization by discounting the sale of bulk order shipments of Tomorrow’s Child in order that schools may make the magazine available to their families. The Montessori Foundation does NOT grant permission to reprint material from Tomorrow’s Child in any other form (e.g., book, newsletter, journals). Copies of this issue or back issues are available for purchase through our online bookstore: www.montessori.org. For Standing Bulk Orders, call 800-655-5843 (toll free), or place your order at www.montessori.org. The Montessori Foundation does not provide refunds for cancelled standing bulk orders.

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Letter From the Editor

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Helping Children to Be Successful: Developing Grit

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Table Washing: Why Do Montessori Students Spend So Much Time Washing Tables?

by Joyce St. Giermaine, Editor

by Rachel Buechler

by Robin Howe Ed.D.

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Experiential Learning at the Secondary Level: NewGate School

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IB Is Something I Never Expected I Would End Up Doing

Note: InterPrint is now FSC,SFI and PEFC Chain-of-Custody Tri-Certified. Chainof-custody certification offers paper that has been harvested from responsibly managed forests, then verifiably traced through all stages of print production.

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Dealing With Tantrums

Conferences, Workshops, IMC Memberships, Past Issues & Orders or Questions About an Order Margot Garfield-Anderson Phone: 941-309-3961/Toll Free: 800-632-4121 Fax: 941-359-8166 margot@montessori.org

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Montessori Myths: Part 1

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How Giving a Simple Direction Can Create Clarity

EDITOR Joyce St. Giermaine PRESIDENT Tim Seldin PROGRAM DIRECTOR Lorna McGrath EVENTS & MEMBERSHIP Margot Garfield-Anderson ADVERTISING Joyce St. Giermaine BOOKKEEPER Don Dinsmore FULFILLMENT Michael Anderson GRAPHIC DESIGN Katrina Costedio PRINTED BY InterPrint

Subscriptions & Bookkeeping Don Dinsmore Phone: 941-729-9565/800-655-5843 Fax: 941-745-3111 dondinsmore@montessori.org Classified Advertising Don Dinsmore Phone: 941-729-9565/800-655-5843 dondinsmore@montessori.org Display Advertising Joyce St. Giermaine Phone: 941-729-9565/Fax: 941-745-3111 joycestgiermaine@montessori.org Montessori Family Alliance Lorna McGrath Phone: 941-729-9565/800-655-5843 Fax: 941-745-3111 lornamcgrath@montessori.org Executive Director of the IMC Kathy Leitch Phone: 941-729-9565/800-655-5843 kathyleitch@montessori.org

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by Amy Kremer-Treibly

by Madison Dodd, NewGate Student

by Simone Davies

by Maren Stark Schmidt

by Joe Newman, Author of Raising Lions

Montessori Grandparenting: We Are All Stewards of the Earth

by Margot Garfield-Anderson

04 MONTESSORI INSPIRATION Quote Designed for You 13 MOVIE REVIEW: The Biggest Little Farm 20 HEALTH & WELLNESS The New Rules of Peanut Allergies

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22 DEAR CATHIE A Concerned Parent 26 STUDENT BOOK REVIEWS 28 BOOK REVIEWS

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This quote is designed to fit inside an 8x10 inch frame.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

A Letter from the Editor Kindness is a gift everyone can afford to give.

—UNKNOWN

Dear Readers: As we approach the holidays and brace ourselves for the 2020 US elections, we should all take a deep breath and develop a strategy to remain calm and centered. Easier said than done.

You might want to tear out pages 16 and 17 of this issue regarding tantrums and post them on your refrigerator door to remind yourself that adults are just as prone to meltdowns as children when exposed to certain ‘triggers.’ Getting together with your extended family for the holidays may be a trigger. Just add sugar, adult beverages, politics, and children wanting everything that advertisers are promoting this year … well, you get the idea.

Case in point. The 2019 year has not been an easy year for me. So far, I’ve held it together well enough to remain relatively productive and functional. But recently, something triggered me that almost had me in full public tantrum mode. It was a ‘strawthat-broke-the-camel’s-back’ situation for sure.

Here’s what happened.

It’s November, time for Dairy Queen’s Blizzard of the Month: Pumpkin Pie. I wait all year for these brief few weeks of bliss. I stopped at our local Dairy Queen (yes, I’m calling them out … Dairy Queen, State Road 64, Bradenton, FL) and asked for a medium Pumpkin Pie Blizzard. “We’re not offering that this year,” was the reply from behind the counter. WHAT???

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Cue some very dark, scary music. I think the young man taking (or not taking) my order heard it. I know I did. Thirty seconds can be a very long time to maintain eye contact and silence. With as much self-righteousness and dignity as possible, my better angels prevailed. As I left empty-handed, I’m pretty sure I heard a collective sigh of relief from the staff and other customers.

Thanks to years of experience with my grandson’s epic meltdowns, I am somewhat of an expert on the subject. When a public tantrum happens (hypothetically, of course) at the entrance to quite possibly the busiest Starbucks on the planet, at the entrance to the ‘happiest place on earth,’ there’s just not much you can do. When no amount of reasoning or soothing works, remain calm. Be attentive to keep the child safe. The meltdown will stop … eventually. Don’t be embarrassed. Tantrums happen even at the ‘happiest place on earth.’

Happy Holidays,

Joyce St. Giermaine, Editor

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Helping Children to Be Successful: DEVELOPING GRIT

by Rachel Buechler

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little girl sits at the table with the Snap Dressing Frame. She has picked it up several times before today and quickly returned it to its stand after a short attempt. Today she picks it up and places it on the table. She tries the first snap; it doesn’t connect.

She looks at the snap from the left side, then the right side. She tries again; it doesn’t connect. She looks at her teacher for help. The teacher demonstrates how to connect the snap then returns it to its unconnected state. The child moves onto the snap above and, as she pushes down, she hears it connect. She pauses, smiles. Then goes back to try the first one; it still doesn’t connect. She squeals in frustration. She takes a moment to look again and again; then she keeps trying. This continues for twenty minutes until she looks at the dressing frame and the three connected snaps. She sighs and smiles then exclaims, “I did it!” Her teacher says, “You did it!” The little girl continues to look at the completed work before quickly taking it apart again to repeat the lesson.

There is so much for us to learn from this toddler’s determination to work on mastering this lesson. She is showing us how we can develop a skill that will place us ahead of others in the working world: grit. Grit is what keeps us working with our children, even when it is hard, even when we think we aren’t getting the results we want, or the progress is slower than we hoped. No matter what, we keep thinking of new ideas to try and keep believing we will see results. We are displaying grit.

How can you help your students, or your own children, develop grit?

1. EXPRESS FRUSTRATION Let the child experience frustration. This is hard to do when we can see the solution to their problem is so easy for us to fix. As they try to fit puzzle pieces into a board, we can see they just need to turn it a little further, and we can feel so helpful if we just showed them how it fit by reaching over to place the piece. If we continue to solve the child’s frustrations, we are robbing them of the opportunity to feel greater success in working through the issue. We are also telling them that anytime they are frustrated, they should rely on an adult to solve the issue. We need our future leaders to learn how to problem solve and persist to solution by accepting frustration, then working through it.

2. THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF HELP During the Dressing Frame story, the teacher did show that the snap can be connected and, thus, modeled the action for the child. The teacher also returned the snap to its original state so the child would continue to work from where she left off. Deciding exactly what help

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If we continue to solve the child’s frustrations, we are robbing them of the opportunity to feel greater success in working through the issue.

children need is critical to allowing them to persist with the challenge, but not discourage them by completing it on their behalf. It also helps children to learn when to ask for help.

3. ENCOURAGE REPETITION Even if children don’t succeed with lessons, tomorrow might just be the day they will figure it out. Maria Montessori believed repetition was the key to mastering a skill. If an infant went to walk for the first time but fell after one step, and we said: “Looks like that’s not the activity for you,” they would likely feel discouraged from attempting it again. Our response is more likely to be supportive, helping them up and encouraging them to try again and again until they are walking with stability. This is how we should help our children attempt many lessons in different areas of the classroom or skills at home. There are times when a child masters a difficult skill and then finds joy from repeating the lesson over again, as it gets easier and easier each time. As new skills are developing, mistakes will be made. When mistakes are made, we must be matter of fact about them. As the book,

The Montessori Toddler, says, “Mistakes are simply opportunities to learn... if they break or spill things, we can have things at the ready for them to help tidy it up.... We can model being friendly about mistakes by not taking ourselves too seriously when we make mistakes” (Davis, 2018, p.93).

4. CELEBRATE VICTORY The child had picked up the Snap Dressing Frame several times on various days before and realized, through self-awareness, that this was not a task that would give her immediate success. There were other skills that needed to be built first. This shows great knowledge in knowing her own abilities and where she is ready to seek the next challenge. By allowing children to guide their own learning journeys through choice and freedom, they develop more than the academic skills. They build skills in planning, organization, order, and determination (or grit). The growth of these skills allows children to feel internal celebration when they complete activities on which they have been working. This grows confidence as

children learn how to fail and keep persisting until they succeed. As the book, The Confidence Code, says, “failing fast allows for constant adjustment, testing, and then quick movement toward what will actually work” (Kay & Shipman, 2014, p. 140).

REFERENCES: Davies, S. (2018) The Montessori Toddler.

Amsterdam: Jacaranda Tree Publishing Kay, K. & Shipman, C. (2014). The Confidence Code. New York: HarperCollins

Rachel Buechler earned her BA in Education in 2009 before relocating to Charlotte, NC from England, UK. She joined Charlotte Montessori School in 2010 and was the Lead Toddler Teacher for three years.

During that time she earned her Infant/Toddler Montessori Certification. Ms. Buechler enjoys the individualization of the Montessori classroom for each child and watching them follow their own unique interests as they learn and grow in the classroom.

ADULT INTERVENTIONS THAT DISCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF GRIT: n

Jumping in to help before you have assessed exactly how much help the child truly needs. Give only this amount of help. The joy within the child comes from persisting through a difficult task to reaching completion.

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Saying “good job” or “I like it when you_____”. These statements make the success about you and not about the internal development of the child.

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Moving the child away from a task because you think it looks too difficult prevents developing grit. Let them try; model it. Help them to determine what is too difficult. Don’t become frustrated or upset about mistakes made.

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TABLE WASHING

by Robin Howe, EdD

Why do Montessori Students Spend So Much Time Washing Tables?

ANATOMY OF A LESSON Editor’s Note: If we had a dollar for every time a skeptical parent has questioned the amount of time their young Montessori child spends washing tables …

In 2007, Robin Howe (now Robin Howe, EdD) was just starting out his career as a Montessori teacher at a charter school in Florida. This article originally appeared in Tomorrow’s Child’s Fall 2007 issue. Broken down into the many pieces of what seems to be a simple process is actually big work for a young child and exemplifies the genius behind the Montessori Method.

Special thank you to Langdon “LJ” Morrison and Kat Ricker of NewGate School for demonstrating this lesson.

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Ironically, I missed the session of my Montessori teacher training when we were given the lesson on how to wash tables. I remember doing it as a Montessori child. How hard could it be? I was just getting out of my first career in the restaurant business, and someone was going to teach me how to wash a table? I had washed and set tables for the rich and famous. I had cleaned more tables than everyone in that class combined. I was, in fact, relieved to miss that day of instruction. The summer training session ended, with my teacher trainer reminding me that I still needed to have a lesson on table washing.

A month later, about three weeks into the school year, where I was doing my internship, my lead teacher, a wonderful, experienced Montessorian, invited me to join her while she gave a review lesson to one of the returning students on table washing.

Great, I thought! This was my opportunity to receive the lesson, seemingly without missing a beat.

About twenty minutes later, I found myself sitting there observing a four-year-old finish up his work, while I, the ‘non-lesson-needing ‘expert’ watched dumbfounded.

I once thought that table washing was one of the most remedial tasks that a Montessori student

would ever have to learn. As a result of watching this lesson, and essentially being humbled by a fouryear-old (also an experience that has since occurred on many occasions), I have come to realize how important and difficult this work is for children.

I have now learned how to give this lesson, and it never ceases to amaze me that it is so complicated.

More amazing is the way that my students seem to pick it up so quickly and how I still, after many lessons, have to focus in order to perform it correctly.

For these reasons, I would like to share the lesson, as well as some observations, on how children respond to this exercise. It is my hope that others will gain a better appreciation for the complexity of this lesson and will, as a result, appreciate its importance and contribution as a part of the Montessori curriculum.

When working with any water exercise, the first step is to have the child put on an apron. Students are already familiar with where aprons are kept in the classroom, as well as how to put one on.

Next, the teacher asks the student to go together to where the table-washing kit is located on the shelf. The child is either shown or asked to identify the table-washing kit and is then asked to take it to the side of the table that will be washed, placing the kit on the floor next to the table. Included in the table-washing kit are the following: soap in the soap dish; a soap brush; a

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pitcher for gathering the water; a bucket for dirty water; a basin (or bowl); a sponge; a drying cloth; and a hand towel that will serve as a mat for the materials. Generally, the materials are kept in the basin that will be used for the water. With the hand towel in place on the floor, the materials are arranged along the top of the hand towel in this order: sponge, soap, brush, drying towel (from left to right), and the water pitcher. And basin along the bottom. Note: This lesson may vary depending on the classroom and teacher.

After all the materials are placed on the towel, water is brought to the table using the water pitcher. Children have to fetch the water, which exercises body control as they navigate through the classroom, returning carefully with a pitcher filled with water (about two-thirds full). Then, the water is poured from the pitcher to the basin. The pouring of water from a pitcher is an extension of work that the student has already mastered in earlier Practical Life lessons.

Next, the brush is wet and run across the soap until it is foamy. Using the wet, soapy brush, the table is methodically scrubbed in a circular motion. There should be small, but visible, suds on the surface of the table.

Step 1: Apron

Step 5: Pouring Water

Step 2: Collecting Materials for the Lesson

Step 6: Wet the Brush

Step 3: Preparing the Materials

Step 7: Soap the brush

Step 4: Getting Water

Step 8: Scrub the Table

The brush is then rinsed and returned to its place on the mat. The dirty water is poured from the basin to the bucket, and the child carefully walks the dirty water to the sink to empty it. He will return it to the mat and fetch the pitcher so that he may again fill it with clean water to pour into the basin.

Now, the child wets the sponge and wrings out the excess water. Both the wetting of the sponge, as well as the squeezing of the sponge, are skills the child already possesses as a result of previous lessons in Practical Life.

Starting at the bottom of the table, moving in horizontal motions, the child begins to rinse the soap from the table.

The sponge is wet once again. As an extension of this Practical Life exercise, the student might be asked to count how many compresses the sponge gets and then count the number of squeezes in order to expel excess water.

The child rinses the sponge, and picks up the towel to begin carefully drying the table top. After the surface is completely clear, the child checks the edge for suds and wipes it accordingly.

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Step 9: Dump the Dirty Water

Step 13: Wipe the Table with the Sponge

Step 17: Clean Up Any Spills

Step 10: Fill the Pitcher with More Clean Water

Step 14: Dry Table with Cloth

Step 18: Roll Up a Clean Towel

Step 11: Pour the Clean Water into the Bowl

Step 15: Dump Dirty Water into Bucket

Step 19: Fold the Mat

Step 12: Wet and Wring the Sponge

Step 16: Dump Dirty Water

Step 20: Return the Materials to the Tray

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At this point, the table is now clean and dry, and the basin is filled with soapy water. The student then pours the water in the basin into the bucket and disposes of the soapy water. The process of disposing of the water is also a very important part of the lesson. The child, again, has to navigate through the classroom, focusing on his movement and the balance of the bucket so as to not spill the water. This is great practice for walking slowly and being patient.

Once the water is dumped, the child uses the towel to make sure the work area is clean and dry. The dirty towel is placed in the laundry hamper, and a fresh towel is carefully rolled, and placed in the pitcher.

Next, the mat is carefully folded and all materials are returned to the tray as they were found.

This lesson is important for many reasons. As mentioned during the lesson description, the child has to practice patience, while exercising fine-motor skills and balance. The student’s ability to sequence is challenged, as the proper completion of the work is dependent upon the ability to follow the proper steps. Another important aspect of this lesson, perhaps overlooked much of the time, is the time that the student spends working with the teacher.

This is one of the longest lessons and can often take up to fifteen minutes.

During this process, children must listen carefully and ask questions, which helps them develop important language skills.

I hope that my description of this exercise offers some insight into the Montessori classroom and instills a sense of respect and feeling of awe for the children. Similar to the mistake I made, many people assume that these lessons with simple names must be simple, causing us to wonder how they could be so important. Indeed, I have come to realize that they are important, not only as a part of children’s Montessori academic curriculum but also their development as people. ¢

NOW AVAILABLE ON MONTESSORI.ORG! 2019 NEWLY UPDATED

Montessori 101: What Every Parent Needs to Know $15.00 This 80-page full-color publication is a wonderful resource for anyone seeking to demystify Montessori. It addresses topics such as the history and philosophy of Montessori; offers a guided tour of the Montessori classroom; and serves as an illustrated guide to dozens of wonderful Montessori materials.

Daniel Robinson (Robin) Howe, III was a Montessori student from age two through the eighth grade.

He worked his way through multiple levels of certification, spent many years in the classroom, managed a number of Montessori schools, and then earned his EdD. Formerly, co-head of the NewGate School, Robin is a senior consultant with the Montessori Foundation.

This mini-encylopedia of Montessori is newly redesigned and contains new sections on Infant/Toddler and Montessori Secondary programs.

It is a must-have resource for anyone interested in Montessori, and one that parents will surely refer back to throughout their child’s Montessori experience.

ORDER NOW AT: tinyurl.com/the-new-101

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“Success in life depends in every case on self confidence and the knowledge of one’s own capacity and many sided powers of adaptation. The consciousness of knowing how to make oneself useful, how to help mankind in many ways, fills the soul with noble confidence.” —MARIA MONTESSORI

Experiential Learning at the Secondary Level: NewGate School

by Amy Kremer-Treibly, NewGate Secondary Guide, Master of Experiential Education

“Only practical work and experience lead the young to maturity.”

—MARIA MONTESSORI, THE ABSORBENT MIND

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n NewGate’s Montessori learning environment there are several key experiences that contribute to the whole development of all students enrolled in the program. According to Maria Montessori, “Experience is a key for the intensification of instruction given inside the school…it is self-evident that the possession of (and contact with) real things brings, above all, a real quantity of knowledge.” Key experiences for students in the NewGate Secondary Program include the following: Secondary Orientation Program Each school year begins with the Orientation Trip, where the search for individual identity intertwines with the onset of leadership, teamwork, and the positive social development of

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the secondary community. Students bond with their peers and their teachers in an environment outside the classroom. We work on low- and high-ropes course initiatives to build teamwork and communication skills. We also work as a team to develop the ground rules that will function as our common-good contract for the year. Finally, the structure, schedule, and topics of the year’s course of studies are presented.

This is both an on- and off-campus experience.

Service Learning Course Students participate weekly in a service-learning course, a chance for adolescents to validate their own self-worth and share their talents and skills with the wider community. This course encourages students to make a decision to participate positively in

society. Every week, students are involved in various service activities, ranging from community in-reach with primary and elementary students in their classrooms to maintenance and beautification of the campus and physical environment. Students also venture out into the Sarasota (FL) community every week to work with a service organization of their choice. Through their service-learning activities, students develop positive citizenship characteristics that will enable them to contribute to an improved sense of community in the world around them. The service-learning course is just one component of the secondary program that engages the students in authentic, hands-on learning environments.

The Gardening and Culinary Project Gardening and working in the kitchen is a fundamental component of the adolescent’s meaningful work in New Gate School’s secondary program.

Students prepare plots, plant, observe, and maintain the gardens throughout the year. All secondary students also work in the kitchen, learning basic kitchen skills and preparing food, using ingredients from the gardens (as much as possible) to share with the community. Students prepare and serve a meal to the school community on a quarterly basis.

Students also participate in discussions and field trips to explore their connection to the land and food.

Internships Every year students plan and experience a one-week internship.

The faculty works with students to find a meaningful internship that presents them with an opportunity to conduct themselves in a professional workplace and a chance to work with positive role models and community experts. Students enjoy the opportunity to engage in a learning experience that enhances classroom learning and extends beyond the traditional four walls of the classroom. In preparation for the internship experience, they spend time in workshops for resumé writing, business letters, interviewing, thank-you letters, and oral presentations. First cycle students (7th-8th grade) can choose a placement in the local Sarasota community, while second- (9th-10th grade) and third-cycle (11th-12th grade) students can choose national and international placements.

Drama Immersion Week Students in the entire secondary program stop their regular class schedule for a week each year and immerse themselves in the work of the theater. Students work with a faculty director to stage performances for the school and local community. Students form several work crews involved in the final production: acting, scenery, costumes and/or publicity. Since all students participate in some way, this program serves as a great creative collaboration for the adolescents. The team building and confidence that develops

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throughout the week is valuable and enjoyable for everyone.

Research Trip Each year, students augment their course of studies with a weeklong research trip. These trips are journeys that depend upon student leadership and community building. The purpose of the class trips is multifold.The positive social development of the adolescent is enhanced, and the ‘hands-on’ learning experience that is acquired while in the field engages students in several of the broader disciplines: natural history; creative arts; history; and physical education. Trip preparation occurs throughout the school year and is often linked with curriculum work, with a week of intensive prep closer to the trip dates. Each student is encouraged to earn at least half the cost for the end-of-year trips, through school, student, and parent-organized fundraisers and through their own savings. This experience is central to the participatory creation of community. ¢ Follow along in future issues of Tomorrow’s Child to hear firsthand student accounts of the process and value of each of these experiential components in a Montessori Secondary program.

Amy Kremer-Treibly has taught throughout the NewGate secondary program since 2002, primarily with English reading, writing and theater projects and has been teaching for 23 years. She is also an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program Instructor, Librarian and CAS Advisor. She has spent many years developing the secondary program’s experiential learning and looks for every opportunity to get students off campus and into the community for learning opportunities. She also leads the annual drama immersion weeks with students at each secondary level to build memorable theatrical productions in the space of a week. One of her great joys is helping every student find gateway books that lead to a life long love of reading, and she builds every opportunity possible to share books with students from toddler through high school levels.

Amy earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology at Loyola University. She began her teaching career in a refugee resettlement program teaching ESL to adult students from around the world, followed by teaching Spanish at the elementary level.

While teaching at a Great Books Foundation high school in Arizona, she earned her Master’s Degree in Experiential Education at Prescott College with a focus on building schools and learning experiences to promote engagement, ecoliteracy, and stewardship.

MOVIE REVIEW:

The Biggest Little Farm reviewed by Margot Garfield Anderson

A documentary produced this year is our top pick for all elementary-on-up children, educators, and parents to watch.

It’s called The Biggest Little Farm.

In 2009, a California cinematographer and a food blogger met and married. The Biggest Little Farm follows the couple as they attempt to build a sustainable farm an hour north of Los Angeles, CA. With the help of a dedicated environmentalist, they work through the trials and tribulations of achieving perfect (almost, anyway) harmony with nature.

This is the movie to introduce or reinforce many of the Cosmic Education lessons. It will help everyone understand the fragile balance of nature and how easy it is to be destroyed. The visuals are stunning, and the relationship with the animals on the farm are endearing. This movie brought joy, tears, and hope to me, and I highly recommend sharing it with all families to open up discussion on what each of us needs to be aware of to help do whatever we can to respect nature and protect our earth. ¢

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IB Is Something I Never Expected I Would End Up Doing

by Madison Dodd, NewGate Student

I

have always pursued alternative education, whether that be through Montessori, Waldorf, or homeschool. Therefore, it was a shock to me to think that I would be involved in a program so widely recognized across all types of schools. I remember my first day touring NewGate School as a high school freshman. I met with Tim Seldin, who showed me around campus and encouraged me to give the IB Diploma Program a shot once my junior year came, to which I replied, “But I can’t do math!” (to which he replied, “Just do an IB Certificate!”).

simply being that a HL course may have some extra requirements that SL students don’t have to complete.

it. Do you play a sport or an instrument? If so, the action and creativity boxes are already checked off.

Along with the end-of-year exams, there is the Internal Assessment that you must complete in each IB course. In Biology, that might look like a science experiment that you write a paper about. In Literature and Performance, you adapt a short story or poem into a play.

The teachers grade it and then send it off to IB to be assessed by them.

The only requirement for CAS is that you create a portfolio containing reflections about these activities throughout your two years (mine is in the form of a blog) and that you complete one CAS project, which can involve one or all of the CAS components, and is at least six weeks long. While this does not go towards your score, you will not receive your diploma if you do not complete it.

In addition to your coursework, you must complete the Extended Essay (EE), which is a 4000-word research paper that is situated in

I did not expect how much I was going to push myself over the course of these two years. I wasn’t aware of how much I was truly capable of. I remember the first day of our science (Biology HL) class, our teacher told us there was going to be a ‘learning curve’ and that we should prepare ourselves to not always get A’s on our test like we may be accustomed to. Although my classmates and I took in this information, it didn’t quite set in until we all studied for one of our first big tests We thought it was our best work yet, but then we realized that we all just scored in the ‘2-3 range’ … out of 7!

I did not enter the program feeling that I was someone who was even remotely able to tackle all of these requirements.

However, by putting in the work, learning how to manage my time, and not get in the way of myself, I’m able to positively reflect on it now.

Suddenly, our teachers were no longer there to give us all the tools to get a good grade in the class, to make sure our homework was done on time, or to make sure we were present for the lessons. By IB’s design, the weight was now put on us, as the students, and it was time to get to work.

one of your six IB courses. Then, there is the additional class you must take called “Theory of Knowledge” or “TOK.” This is essentially a philosophy class, and the only two requirements for it are that you complete:

notice yourself finding connections between something you learned in science class with something you are talking about in Spanish.

No matter what you’re studying, students dig deep into subjects and try to find answers.

§

One TOK essay using one of IB’s supplied prompts

WHAT IF YOU DON’T WANT TO COMMIT TO ALL THAT EXTRA COURSEWORK?

§

A TOK presentation in which you develop your own research question and explore it using a real-world example

WHAT IS IB?

In a nutshell, IB is a two-year diploma or certificate program that is internationally recognized across universities to award college credit. That means that from junior to senior year, you will be in the same classes preparing for (depending on your course) between two to three final exams that will be scored from 1 to 7 in each subject. These courses will be three higher level (HL) courses and three standard level (SL) courses. The difference

14

All of these go towards your final IB score, which can be up to 45 points. I promise this will all begin to make more sense once you are in the course.

Finally, at the heart of IB’s program, there is CAS (Creativity, Action, and Service). This is something you complete outside of school and, most of the time, you are already doing

Overall, IB takes a global approach by looking at big ideas across disciplines. You will

For whatever reason, if a student does not want to do the full IB Diploma, they can take up to three IB courses; they only need to complete what is required in that course. That means no CAS, no EE, and no TOK. This represents the difference between the higher level and the standard level requirements in the courses.

This is beneficial for a student who might have a tighter schedule and doesn’t have time for the full diploma or has a subject area they do not want to take at such an intensive level.

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MY EXPERIENCE

IB is usually perceived as a big, scary, and difficult program that only those suited for ivy leagues can survive. However, through my experience, I have learned that it is not the skills that you enter the program with that matter; rather, it is the skills you will acquire throughout the program that will carry you to the exams.

I did not think, at the beginning of my junior year, that I would be leading a discussion in my social and cultural anthropology class about hegemony in marginalized groups in East Harlem. I also did not think I would ever receive a 90 percent on a math test, but it happened! For me, IB has been a journey full of self-discovery and lots and lots of struggling.

However, my own academic struggles have taught me so much about who I am and what I am capable of.

to tackle all of these requirements. However, by putting in the work, learning how to manage my time, and not get in the way of myself, I’m able to positively reflect on it now.

I can’t speak for every school, but at NewGate the support system from the teachers and students is something I attribute to why I entered IB in the first place. Therefore, I encourage anyone considering the program to try it. Your name is not even registered as an IB student until late in your senior year, meaning you have time to see if the program works for you and adapt accordingly.

Looking back, all the stress tears I cried, the coffee I consumed, and nights I stayed up were all formative in enabling me to believe in myself. Even though I am not at the finish line, it is now in my line of sight, and I am sprinting towards it faster than I ever have before, with my teachers and family cheering me on until I arrive. ¢

I did not enter the program feeling that I was someone who was even remotely able

INFANT/TODDLER

EARLY CHILDHOOD

Madison Dodd is a high school senior in the IB Diploma Program attending NewGate School. She lives in Sarasota, Florida with her parents and younger brother.

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15

Dealing with

TANTRUMS

By Simone Davies

I

’m going to dive right in to discuss a very tricky area for parents and children alike: tantrums.

I hope you find this article useful so you can start applying Montessori principles in your home too.

1.

Be prepared: take a small bag with some simple games and some favorite snacks if you expect your child to wait patiently in a doctor’s office or a cafe.

2.

Label their feelings: “Boy, you really wish you could stay longer”; “You really wanted some orange juice right now!”

3.

Redirect them: “I can’t let you hit your brother; but you can hit this drum/pillow.”

Dealing with Tantrums

Tantrums are a pretty normal part of life with children from around one to five years old. Maybe they’ll start a little later than one year and will end earlier, but anything in this range is fairly normal. Your child is learning that things don’t always go their way. And, as parents, we are helping them learn how to deal with these emotions and to make amends.

It can be upsetting for a parent. It’s hard to realize that your child is actually asking for your help. They are overwhelmed by the situation and need your support to calm down. It’s not the time to take it personally.

4.

Get down to their level: “You sound frustrated. Can you tell me why?”

5.

If they are struggling, ask them if they would like some help: give them just as much help as they need and then step back.

6.

Give them a choice: “Would you like to put on your shoes or your scarf first?”

7.

Establish routines: “... and after lunch we’ll go to the toilet, read a book, and tuck in for a rest.”

8.

Let them show their anger creatively, “Show me how angry you are. Here is some paper and a pencil. Wow. They are big circles. You are really mad!”

How to Avoid Tantrums

It can be possible to avoid tantrums before your child loses control. Here are some ideas to ward off tantrums when you see the first signs of your child losing control.

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Triggers

Events can often escalate to a full-blown tantrum. Sometimes it’s from your child’s frustration; other times their anger or rage; sometimes because they want to be in control; their communication may still be limited; or because they are tired, hungry, or overstimulated. They can throw themselves on the floor, push us away, try to hit us/a sibling/other child, or even break something.

It can be useful to note things that cause tantrums in your child: over-scheduling can be common; a new baby; moving to a new house; or certain children may trigger them.

Sometimes the tantrum is even caused by us as we deliver the news that it is time to leave the park, or we serve some food they don’t like for dinner, or that we would like them to get dressed to leave the house.

It’s OK for your child to have a tantrum. You can acknowledge their displeasure at what is going on. You can help them to do the thing that they don’t like. However, when we back down and give in to them, you will find they shout even louder next time.

It’s difficult to be the parent and stay strong.

But your hard work will pay off in the long

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term. They will learn that when you say no, you mean no; and when you say yes, you mean it too.

I like the advice from Positive Discipline for Preschoolers (by Nelsen EdD, Jane, Erwin M.A., Cheryl, et al. Jul 9, 2019). “If you say it, mean it; and if you mean it, follow through with kind and firm action.”

Action may be, for example, leaving the park with a sad toddler, acknowledging that they really wish they could stay longer.

Alternatives to Time Out: How to Help Your Child Calm Down

When your child is having a tantrum, some experts advise putting them into time out. I find this difficult as your child is asking for help to calm down, and you are removing your support and punishing them instead.

When we punish our children, they often get angry at us rather than being sorry for what they have done. Or they try to work out a way to get away with it next time without being caught.

Instead, I look for ways that I can support my child to calm down. I’m not saying that their behavior is OK, but when they are in the middle of the tantrum, it is not the time to teach them anything. They cannot hear you. They have lost control. So let’s help them calm down.

Some children will respond to a cuddle during a tantrum. You can rub their back, cuddle them, and sing to them as they go through all the range of emotions from anger, to intense frustration, to sadness, and sometimes regret.

I once held my son for 40 minutes as he refused to get dressed. And I watched him go through all these emotions. In the end, he announced he was ready to get dressed. He told me he loved me. He wasn’t angry with me. He was grateful that I had just been there for him.

I know sometimes you have to leave, but in this case, we just changed our plans.

Other children will push you away and don’t want to be touched. In this case, I make sure they are safe and cannot hurt themselves or others. I stand nearby and keep offering my help, “I’m here if you need some help to calm down. Or we can have a cuddle when you are ready.” After the tantrum, I like to offer a cuddle. “That was tough. And now you have calmed yourself down. Would you like a hug?”

If they are throwing toys at their sibling or trying to hit me, I would remove them so that everyone is safe. “I can’t let you hit me. My safety is important to me. Would you like to hit these pillows instead?” If your child is trying to hurt the baby, you can place yourself physically between them to keep the baby safe as you help your older child calm down.

For a child over three years old, you can set up a “calm place,” which they can use when they are upset. It may be a tent with some pillows and favorite things. It may be a corner with some trains. You can ask your child if she would like to go to her calm place.

TANTRUM FAQs Shouldn’t we just ignore their tantrum?

I don’t like to ignore children when they are having a tantrum. They may not let me touch them, but I keep offering support and letting them know I am available when they need me.

If you were super upset and your partner just left the room for you to get over it, you would likely find them unsupportive. We are showing our kids that, good or bad, we will be there for them.

What do I do if we are out in public when they have a tantrum?

This is different than ‘time out,’ as the older child is in control; she can come out when she feels calm. If she comes back still in a rage, I would gently tell her that she looks like she still needs to calm down and can come back when she is ready.

There are basically two options:

Making Amends

Second: Stay and support them—my preferred option is to hang in there and do what you would do even though you are out of the house.

If you have more than one child with you, make sure they are safe. And then offer as much help as you can to help your child calm down. People watching will more likely think about what a lovely, patient parent you are, rather than what a horrible noise your child is making.

Maybe you are thinking that if I support my children while they calm down, I’m saying that their behavior is OK, and I’m encouraging them to get angry. When they are upset, indeed, my objective is to help them calm down.

Once they are calm, I then help them to make amends. If they drew on the walls, I would get them to help me clean up. If they broke their brother’s toy, they can help to fix it. I’ve asked the kids to help scrub their sheets when they used marker pens in bed and made a mess.

In this way, they learn to take responsibility when things go wrong. And when it’s over, it’s over. The good thing about young children is that they can move quickly from deep anger and sadness back to their happy selves. We need to move on too and not let this upset the whole day by referring back to it or keeping on about it. Once they have made amends, it’s OK for everyone to move on. ¢ Learn from Simone Davies, an AMI Montessori teacher with 15+ years’ experience working with 0-3-year olds, owner of Jacaranda Tree Montessori in Amsterdam since 2008, mother of two teenagers, and author of the book The Montessori Toddler. Visit her blog at themontessorinotebook.com/dealing-withtantrums/

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First: Go home—if you find it difficult to have people watching you, it’s best to just leave.

This may mean parking a full shopping cart and following the above ideas once you are home.

I find it difficult to stay calm myself.

What can I do?

If your child has triggered you, it is indeed difficult to help them calm down. n

If your partner is available, it can be easiest to get them to step in instead.

n

You may want to make sure the kids are safe, and go to the bathroom to catch your breath.

n

Find a mantra that you can repeat, “I breathe in calm, I breathe out anger.”

n

Remember not to take it personally.

Perhaps visualize putting on a bullet-proof suit that will resist everything (including words) that your child throws at you.

These tips should help you remain calm and give your child the support they need to regain control.

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MONTESSORI MYTHS: PART 1

E

ach year, during the start of school, teachers and administrators try to explain to new parents the essence of the term Montessori. In this article, we’ll try to explain what Montessori is and is not, dispelling, we hope, a few misperceptions about Montessori education in the process.

Its simplest form, Montessori is the philosophy of child and human development as presented by Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician who lived from 1870 to 1952. In the early 1900s, Dr. Montessori built her work with mentally challenged children on the research and studies of Jean Itard (1774-1838), best known for his work with the “Wild Boy of Aveyron” and Edward Seguin (18211882), who expanded Itard’s work with deaf children. In 1907, Dr. Montessori began using her teaching materials with normal children in a Rome tenement and discovered what she called “the Secret of Childhood.” The secret?

Children love to be involved in self-directed purposeful activities. When given a prepared environment of meaningful projects, along with the time to do those tasks at their own pace, children will choose to engage in activities that will create learning in personal and powerful ways. Over the past one hundred years, Montessori classrooms all over the world have proven that, when correctly implemented, Dr Montessori’s philosophy works for children of all socio-economic circumstances and all levels of ability. In a properly prepared Montessori classroom, research shows that children learn faster and more easily than in traditional schools. However, the implementation of Montessori philosophy is a school’s biggest challenge.

There are many factors to consider when putting theory into practice, for example: the individual children in the classroom, their ages and emotional well-being; parent support and understanding of Montessori philosophy; and the training and experience of teachers, assistants, and administrators. These are only a few of the elements that create a Montessori school. Because of this, Montessori schools come in all shapes and sizes, including the small in-home class for a few children to schools with hundreds of students, from newborns through high school.

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While schools come in many shapes and sizes, all successful Montessori classrooms require three key elements: 1. well-trained adults; 2. specially prepared environments; and 3. children’s free choice of activity within a three-hour work cycle. Finding the right school for your family—whether it’s Montessori, public, parochial, alternative, traditional or home school— requires a bit of investigative work and an understanding of the needs and concerns you have for your family. Being clear about what Montessori education is and what it is not can help you make an informed decision.

Let me use my twenty-five years of Montessori experience to help dispel a few misconceptions about Montessori schools, some of which I’ve held myself.

MYTH #1: Montessori Is Just for Rich Kids Many Montessori schools in the United States are private schools, begun in the early to mid1960s, a time when most public education didn’t offer kindergarten, and only 5 percent of children went to preschool, compared with the 67 percent reported in the 2000 census. When many Montessori schools were established, private preschools might have been an option only for those in urban well-to-do areas, thus giving the impression that only wealthy families could afford Montessori schools. The first schools that Montessori established were in the slums of Rome, for children left at home while parents were out working, and certainly not for rich kids . Today, in the United States, there are over 300 public Montessori schools and 100 charter schools that offer taxpayerfinanced schooling, along with thousands of private, not-for-profit Montessori programs that use charitable donations to offer low-cost tuition. Montessori education, through these low-cost options, is available to families interested in quality education. Many private, highdollar schools offer scholarships, and some states offer childcare credits and assistance to low-income families.

MYTH #2: Montessori Is Just for Gifted Kids Montessori is for all children. Since Montessori preschools begin working with three-

by Maren Stark Schmidt

year-olds in a prepared learning environment, Montessori students learn to read, write, and understand the world around them in ways that they can easily express. To the casual observer, Montessori students may appear advanced for their age, leading to the assumption that the schools cater to gifted children.

In reality, a Montessori school offers children of differing abilities ways to express their unique personalities, through activities using hands on materials, language, numbers, art, music, movement and more. Montessori schooling helps each child develop individuality in a way that accentuates his or her innate intelligence. Montessori schools can help make most kids ‘gifted’ kids.

MYTH #3: Montessori Is for Learning Disabled Children It is true that Dr. Montessori began her work with children who were institutionalized, due to physical or mental impairments. When using her methods and materials with normal children, Montessori discovered that children learned more quickly using her teaching methods. There are some Montessori schools and programs that cater specifically to children who have learning challenges. In many Montessori schools, however, children with special needs are included, when those requirements can be met with existing school resources.

MYTH #4: Montessori Is Affiliated with the Catholic Church Like many preschools, some Montessori programs may be sponsored by a church or synagogue, but most Montessori schools are established as independent entities. Conversely, a school might be housed in a church building and not have any religious affiliation. Since Montessori refers to a philosophy, not an organization, schools are free to have relationships with other organizations, including churches.

Some of the first Montessori programs were sponsored by Catholic or other religious organizations. Dr. Montessori was Catholic and worked on developing religious, educational,

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hands-on learning experiences for young children. The Montessori movement, however, has no religious affiliations. Montessori schools all over the world reflect the specific values and beliefs of the staff members and families that form each school community. Around the world, there are Montessori schools that are part of Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and other religious communities.

MYTH #5: In Montessori Classrooms, Children Run Around and Do Whatever They Want When looking at a Montessori classroom you may see 25 or more children involved in individual or small-group activities. It is possible that each child will be doing something different. At first glance, a classroom may look like a hive of bumblebees.

If you take the time to follow the activities of two children, over the course of a three-hour work period, you should observe a series of self-directed activities. The children aren’t running wild. They are each involved in selfselected work, designed to build concentration and support independent learning.

Choosing what you do is not the same as doing whatever you want. A well-known anec-

dote about Montessori students doing what they like, comes from E.M. Standing’s book, Maria Montessori—Her Life and Work: “A rather captious and skeptical visitor to a Montessori class once buttonholed one of the children—a little girl of seven—and asked: ‘Is it true that in this school you are allowed to do anything you like?’ ‘I don’t know about that,’ replied the little maiden cautiously, ‘but I do know that we like what we do’.”

MYTH #6: Montessorians Are a Selective Clique One definition of a clique is: an exclusive circle of people with a common purpose. Many Montessori teachers could be accused of this because of their intense desire to be of service in the life of a child, coupled with the teacher’s knowledge of child development. While many schools have tight-knit communities, they are not exclusive.

You should look for a school where you and your family feel welcomed. For many years, Montessori training programs were only available in a few larger cities. Often certified required prospective teachers relocate for a year of study. Now Montessori teacher’s training is mainstream and more accessible, with colleges and universities offering graduate programs

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in Montessori education, in conjunction with Montessori training centers. Loyola College in Maryland, New York University, and Xavier University are only a few of the many institutions of higher learning that include Montessori teacher’s training.

Dr. Montessori’s books, full of Italian scientific and psychological terminology, translated into the British English of the early 1990s, can be difficult for the modern reader to follow. To parents, the use of Montessori-specific terms and quotes may at times take on esoteric tones of an elusive inner circle. The enthusiasm and dedication evident in the work of many Montessorians might be misinterpreted as excluding to uninitiated newcomers.

My experience with Montessori teachers and administrators has been that they are eager to share their knowledge with others. ¢ Look for Part 2 of Montessori Myths in the next edition of Tomorrow’s Child.

Maren Stark Schmidt founded a Montessori school and has AMI elementary teaching credentials. She currently writes the award-winning syndicated newspaper column, Kids Talk, and is author of Understanding Montessori: A Guide for Parents and Building Cathedrals Not Walls.

19

Health & Wellness

by Libby Ryan and Nicole Harris Updated September 16, 2019 from Parents.com

The New Rules of Peanut Allergies: What Concerned Parents Need to Know New guidelines encourage us to introduce peanuts to all kids much earlier. Plus, the FDA recently supported development of a drug aimed at lessening the severity of allergic reactions from peanuts. Here’s what you need to know.

Editor’s Note: Parents.com is an invaluable resource for parents, grandparents, and caregivers. They cover topics for children of all ages.

I always look forward to reading their online advice, and I highly recommend adding parenting. com to your daily read. The articles are informative, sometimes inspirational, and, in this case, possibly life saving.

This article brings a new, exciting possibility for allergy sufferers but should not be taken lightly or without the help of qualified medical personnel.

E

verything you think you know about peanut allergies might be about to change. In March 2019, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new guidelines for introducing kids to peanuts in the hope of decreasing the prevalence of this widespread allergy.

The study says babies should be given peanuts early, in order to prevent allergic reactions. In fact, multiple reports in the past decades have shown the benefit of introducing peanuts to highrisk babies when they are between 4 to 6 months old (with proper medical supervision).

Infants with less of a risk can start these foods at 6 months or older, following the pattern of the family’s normal diet.

Previously, kids in danger of developing an allergy were supposed to avoid any contact with peanuts for the first three years of their lives, according to Hugh Sampson, M.D., director of the Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Food

20

The study says babies should be given peanuts early, in order to prevent allergic reactions.

Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai and a Parents advisor.

Then, in 2008, the AAP said that babies should not be refrained from eating allergens like peanuts, milk, and eggs. Being introduced to these allergens wouldn’t prevent them from developing eczema, skin conditions, and food allergies, according to the report.

But the March 2019 guidelines state that high-risk children should have peanuts in their diet much sooner. In turn, the babies will (they hope) have less of a risk of developing allergies in the future.

So how can a parent know if their baby might be at high risk of developing a peanut allergy?

Two main signs your little one could be ready for a peanut intervention are egg allergies or severe eczema, according to the National Institute of Allergy and

Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

Talk to your pediatrician if your child has either or both conditions; your doctor can do an allergy test to find out the best timing for introducing peanuts.

Whole peanuts are a choking hazard for infants and small children, says Drew Bird, M.D., director of the Food Allergy Center at Children's Health in Dallas. For your baby's first bites, you can stir a small amount of peanut powder into a puree or spread a thin layer of peanut butter on toast.

The sticky consistency of thick peanut butter can also be hard for little mouths to handle, so Dr. Bird recommends two teaspoons of smooth peanut butter mixed with two teaspoons of warm water for babies just starting solids.

they've been introduced. “Foods that are in the diet more frequently are less likely to cause problems down the road,” Dr. Bird explains. He also stresses that children who have already been diagnosed with a peanut allergy should continue to use the same caution around peanut products as always.

If your child does have an allergic reaction, symptoms may include swelling lips, coughing, vomiting, or rashes that look like mosquito bites around the mouth or other parts of the body, and they would begin almost immediately after eating.

If your child has a reaction, call your doctor immediately. n https://www.parents.com/health/ parents-news-now/the-new-rules-ofintroducing-peanuts-what-concerned-

It's also important to keep serving your child peanuts once

parents-need-to-know/

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Parenting 101

How Giving A Simple Direction Can Create Clarity

by Joe Newman, Author of Raising Lions

Q

uite often with a 3-, 4or 5-year-old, there’s a lot of grey areas when they’re testing boundaries and you’re not sure a break is necessary—maybe he’s touching the baby’s face and he’s looking at you and he’s got this look in his eye like he’s thinking, “Can I do this?

How about this? Am I making you nervous? What can I do before you say something?”

Typically, parents give ambiguous information in these moments, like, “Be careful. Your baby brother is very delicate, so I need you to be gentle.”

What is more effective in these moments is to give a clear action direction, “I need you to come and stand next to me for a moment.”

Then, if he’s not moving to follow your direction, count: “5…4…3…2…1…”. And if he hasn’t come to you by the end of the count, give him a break. If he does come to you, have him stay there for a moment and then either let him return or give him a direction to play somewhere else.

This inserts a very clear map for him (and you) to follow in that moment. You’ve asked him for something specific, and you’ve given him a clear timeline. He’ll begin to take your direction in these moments, because he doesn’t want a break.

It’s important that the parents aren’t threatening to do a break (so it’s not—“I need you to come over to me, or I’m going to give you a break”) because we want him to generate this thought and self-prompt in this moment.

You say, “I need you to come and sit on the couch to play.”

He ignores you and you say, “5…4…3…2…1….” Then if he’s

soft, but it’s not; it’s actually more effective. When your child is very defiant you can give consequence after consequence after consequence and frustrate the heck out of him. But the more you frustrate him, the more your tone should be sweet and empathetic so that your children focuses on the consequence of their choices rather than your judgment of them. ¢

There’s no judgment in your tone with this; it’s easy, it’s fun, it’s playful—like your child. This speaks directly to the difference between punishments and consequences. still not on the couch, and you say in a relaxed tone, “Oh, now I need you to take a break.” Now he looks up and says, “No, no, no!

I’ll sit on the couch.” And you respond, “It’s no big deal. You take the break; then you can go to the couch. Right now, you have a short break.”

You follow this pattern because your goal is to have your child follow your directions when you give them. Once you have a break process in place, you can give all kinds of other prompts, because now he takes your words seriously. As you move forward, you ask him to do what you need, and if he doesn’t, you give him a break, or you count down and then give him a break. But you don’t always have to count down.

You might simply ask your child to do something and then pause quietly for five seconds and then give the break. You don’t have to do it the same way each time because you want to keep him on his toes, so he learns to hold an awareness of your needs. There’s

no judgment in your tone with this; it’s easy, it’s fun, it’s playful—like your child. This speaks directly to the difference between punishments and consequences.

You can begin by giving a clear direction and then counting. A few days later, you shift to pausing quietly for 5 seconds, then giving the break. Inevitably, your child will say, “Wait! You didn’t count!” and you can tell him, “Well I’m not always going to count. I don’t want to work so hard. You know what happens after I give you a direction. I wait a few moments, and then you get a break. It’s no big deal; you take the break, and you come right back.” The tone of voice you use and the lack of moralizing is the difference between punishment and consequence. You’re shifting from judgment and anger, which implies his actions are either good or bad, to good-natured coaching with cause and effect.

There is often a misunderstanding that administering cause and effect without judgment is too

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Joe Newman was born and adopted in 1963. In 1970 he was diagnosed ADHD and medicated with Ritalin. Everywhere he went, the playground, the classroom, even at home, Joe heard one message loud and clear: you’re broken; your brain doesn’t work; you don’t belong.”

No surprises when, at eighteen, he dropped out of college, shaved his hair into a mohawk and took off to surf the coastlines of the Caribbean and Central America.

It was out in the world, working scores of jobs and starting his own businesses, where Joe realized he was not actually broken. Away from the tethers of school and home, Joe realized the same qualities called disorders were also qualities of positivity and value.

Aggression became passion, distractibility became broad understanding, and stubbornness became tenacity. Realizing there must be millions of children out there, just like him, with ferocious spirits but misunderstood, he threw himself into finding and reaching these children.

His book, Raising Lions, has developed a growing following not simply because it helps parents understand why their children behave the way they do, but because the tools and solutions actually work.

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DEAR CATHIE

A CONCERNED PARENT

DEAR CATHIE— I have visited a number of Montessori schools as we consider a placement for our 3 and 4 year old children next year. I see the children all busy on different projects, and it all looks great. But can it really work? How can one teacher, even with an assistant, really keep track of who did what and be sure that each child is progressing and getting what she or he needs? All those children—all those needs. I can see it more for younger children, but I really get concerned in the Elementary grades. Does this method really work?

— A CONCERNED PARENT

Dear Concerned Parent,

I

am so glad you are looking at Montessori schools for your children and that you have started the search so early. Many schools have rolling admissions and are open to admission at times other than the start of the school year or semester.

The Montessori Method works, as it is truly an individualized approach to education. Each child spends his or her school days in a carefully prepared environment with a group of multi-aged learners and a guide. A child chooses activities that call to her from within that environment while her guide watches her interests and offers lessons. From there, she develops a set of skills upon which to build. She practices the lessons she has learned and asks for new lessons as soon as those are comfortably mastered.

Children in the Montessori prepared environment also have the opportunity to watch others work and are often enticed by the work of those older children, aspiring to do what they do. This leads to more and more advanced work within the classroom as a whole and by your child individually. No child needs to wait for another child to have mastered a skill to move on! She has a new lesson as soon as she is able. Children also assist others younger than themselves, often teaching lessons they have already mastered. The child

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Children have a say in what parts of the curriculum with which they engage and when they do so—always with awareness and support from the guide and other adults in the room. teaching lessons is one of the best ways to ensure mastery and confidence about something they have learned. It also leads to a kind and caring community.

Guides spend time observing the class to see which children are working at the mastery level on certain skills and are ready for a new lesson, which children need re-presentation, and which children need social

encouragement. They carefully chart these observations on paper or on the many computer programs that are now available and used in schools. While the classroom may look free flowing and easy going, it is actually a skill and data-driven environment, even though students do follow their own interests and work on projects and activities of their choosing. Their connection with their guide—often for three

years—enhances this relationship and connection and allows for learning to happen more easily from year to year. They offer carefully timed lessons to children as they are ready. These lessons are often one on one, but can be executed with the whole class or small groups. It is often hard to find the guide in the classroom as she is working with only a few children at a time.

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In answer to your question, yes, the Method can and does work!

Children have a say in what parts of the curriculum with which they engage and when they do so— always with awareness and support from the guide and other adults in the room. Children learn initiative, self-control, and discipline while mastering basic skills. This method truly parallels the expectations and skills needed as a child grows and faces more adult challenges.

Enjoy your journey looking at schools! Montessori schools truly are unparalleled! ¢

Cathie Perolman is a reading specialist, elementary educator, author, consultant, and creator of educational materials for primary and elementary students.

Check out her new downloadable materials on her website cathieperolman.com.

For more than three decades she has dedicated her energies to improving reading for all youngsters.

She is the author of Practical Special Needs for the Montessori Method: A Handbook for 3-6 Teachers and Homeschoolers published by the Montessori Foundation (available through montessori.org.) She is a regular contributor to Tomorrow’s Child and Montessori Leadership magazines.

Cathie Perolman holds a BS in Early Childhood Education and a MEd in Elementary Education with a concentration in reading. She is credentialed as a Montessori teacher. She is married and has two adult children and two adorable granddaughters. Cathie lives in Ellicott City, Maryland with her husband.

The Parenting Puzzle A Popular Online Parenting Course with Lorna McGrath View a preview video at: http://tinyurl.com/parent-puzzle Lorna McGrath and The Montessori Foundation are excited about the production of an online parenting course designed to answer the question, “How do Montessori teachers keep all those kids focused, out of squabbles, respectful, AND stay cool, calm, and collected all at the same time when I can’t even do it with my own two children?” The Parenting Puzzle will give you the tools to turn your homes from battlefields to peaceful havens.

This is the course that parents of toddlers to teens have been waiting for to reduce power struggles and fights, to get children to do their chores, to eliminate rewards and punishments, and much more! Session titles are: Seeing the World from Three-Feet Tall; Why Do They Do What They Do?; What Do I Do When I Want to Trade Them for a Different Model?; If We Can’t Punish or Reward, then What?; and Parenting on the Same Page.

The Parenting Puzzle is a course that can be taken at home by yourself or, better yet, with your parenting partner(s) at a time that makes sense for your family, or it can be offered through your Montessori school with a live facilitator and a group of parents. There are five consecutive, 90minute sessions that include time for conversations about the ideas and strategies that are being presented and, of course, snacks.

The Parenting Puzzle is just the beginning! After it is launched and you’ve had a chance to complete the course, we plan to produce four more courses that are age specific. They will help you create a physical environment that supports your child’s growth and development, while also adjusting communication and interactions as needed for different ages. Here are course titles: Right from the Start: Pregnancy through the Toddler Years; A New Level of Independence: 3-6 Years Old; The Awesome, Imagination Years: 6-12 Years Old; and Here We Go into Adolescence!: 12-18 Years Old. Go to montessori.org to learn more or register.

For questions email Lorna at: lornamcgrath@montessori.org.

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Montessori Grandparenting

We Are All Stewards of the Earth

by Margot Garfield-Anderson

H

ave you been observing this young student from Sweden? Greta Thunberg is a teenager who is credited with raising global awareness of the risks posed by global warming/climate change, and with holding politicians accountable for their lack of action on the climate crisis. “People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction. And all you can talk about is money and fairytales of eternal economic growth. How dare you?!” Whether or not you subscribe to global warming or climate change, look at the impact on raising awareness this one person is having.

What, as parents, can you do to support your child’s place in the world and reinforce all the global citizenship lessons they are learning about at school? Here are some ways that I do my part that your family might consider.

When you engage in conversation with your child(ren) about these ideas, you are opening up new channels of dialogue as well.

It’s a win-win for all.

When I was 14 or so, my friends and I (I was along for the ride at the beginning and for context this was in 1969. Yes, that makes me 64 and counting) organized a club called STEP, Students to End Pollution. We organized some of the very first paper-recycling drives on Long Island, New York. Later, we added aluminum can recycling as well. We did this all throughout our high school years. Being a part of this early movement made me very conscious of my place in the universe. And, while I might have strayed from time to time (yes, I used dispos-

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able diapers on my twin daughters), I have always tried to do the right thing by our planet.

Last year, my husband and I went solar. It was a rather large investment. Some of our neighbors questioned how people in our age bracket could justify such an expense. We’d been thinking about it for several years and finally decided it was just the right thing to do.

Tim Seldin, his wife, Joyce St Giermaine, and our Accreditation

I’m just one person, the same as Greta Thunberg. But when all the “one persons” tally their numbers they become a huge amount of people who can make a difference.

Director, Lorna McGrath, all drive either a Prius or an electric car.

Our county recycles, and we read every single label on everything we purchase to make sure anything that has the now famous recycle logo ends up in this container.

For this holiday season, I have purchased 4Ocean bracelets for my four granddaughters and bought them each a copy of a (very unMontessori-like) book about a sad straw that lands in the ocean to help them get some of the connection between what 4Ocean does and how to prevent it from getting worse.

We’ve recently purchased stainless steel straws and ask waitstaff in restaurants not to open plastic on our behalf.

My daughters and I have purchased reusable snack and sandwich bags. We try to limit the number of plastic bags we use. I chose mine from a company called

Art of Lunch because some of the money from their profits goes to helping the elephant population.

I do not purchase toys for my grandchildren made out of plastic. I try to purchase solid wood or items made of sustainable bamboo.

When we are in extremely dry or drought weather conditions here in Florida, I use a giant pot in our shower to catch water while it’s heating up and use that to water our plants and landscaping.

When we send packages to Foundation clients, we use newspaper that would have gone in the trash or shred paper we couldn’t use.

We reuse the few plastic garbage bags we have from super markets, but tend to use those conference bags I save from all the conferences I attend instead. Did you know that each of those bags (most supermarkets sell them at the check out stands) uses approximately 20 of the plastic bags they collect for reusing? Remember, bring

your plastic bags back to the store for recycling.

Several years ago, I was a chaperone on an overnight experience with our laboratory school students (The NewGate School, Sarasota, Florida). One of the activities during the two days was communally eating our meals with our group in a large dining hall. All the meals were buffet style. At the end of the mealtime every group was assigned their own garbage pails to scrape food off the plates and then bins for the plates and utensils. Each group was then taken into a room and one of the camp personnel came in and talked to us about the impact of food waste. Our garbage was then weighed and charted.

We were told it was fine to get more food if we wanted. The point was to raise our awareness of how much waste we created.

This went on after each of the three meals we ate during this time and each meal our weight of waste decreased significantly.

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Montessori Grandparenting

This exercise had a lasting effect on me with regard to food waste. My husband kids me that I will eat the same leftover food for days rather than trash it. And he’s correct, I really do that.

I’m just one person, the same as Greta Thunberg. But when all the “one persons” tally their numbers, they become a huge amount of people who can make a difference.

Instead of some plastic toy, as a gift to your child(ren), buy a small composting kit. Some are as small as a quart and can sit on a windowsill or counter. Even apartment dwellers have room for this. If you don’t have a garbage disposal, try putting your food scraps in here and composting.

Don’t have room for a few pots of veggies? Bring the new soil to your child’s school. I’m sure they have a garden of some type, and all gardens need good rich soil. Most Montessori schools also instill a sense of stewardship as part of the curriculum.

Children at very young ages are learning that trash is bad, recycling, reusing, and renewing is good. Help bring this concept

alive at home and discuss with them why it matters.

Most communities have beautification or clean-up days. Here in Sarasota, they do this in our gated communities and beaches.

People love to use our resources but aren’t always very careful about disposing of their garbage.

When the birds living at the water’s edge eat plastic or human food, it has a lasting impact on them. They are not engineered to eat plastic or hot dog buns—another conversation starter with your children.

One of the environmentally conscious businesses in town uses recycled denim jeans as insulation in building. See if your community has such a business, what the criteria for donating old clothing is, and do it.

Our lab school participated in this fun event years ago where they purchased a rain barrel from the county and had a decorating party. They use the water to offset the need to irrigate their many gardens. Years ago we actually auctioned off a barrel I painted for one of the annual conferences I run for the Foundation. How

about getting one of those barrels and having a group of your child(ren)’s friends have a barrel decorating playdate?

How many times do you go out shopping and run from one side of town to the other instead of planning your errands to minimize driving? If errands can wait until you can do them all in one trip, try to organize it as such.

Use your plastic egg containers to put in your child’s art corner and use as a palette. At least it will get one or two more uses.

Purchase gifts for everyone that help support organizations that are trying to do some good for the environment. There are plenty out there to choose from such as 4Ocean. Don’t expect a fouror five-year-old to totally appreciate the full scope of the gift, but when you explain to them how much good the money you spent on this item is doing for the ocean (and maybe find a relevant book to pair with it) then sit and read together, you will create lovely memories for all while helping your child see you, too, are stewards of the earth.

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Turn off the water while you are shaving or brushing your teeth.

Finally, one birthday our editor, Joyce, gave me a selection of ten pairs of Bombas™ socks in every color imaginable. Bombas’ ads claim that socks are the numberone item requested by people in homeless shelters. For every pair you buy, they donate to a shelter, so ten pairs were donated. Joyce gave me a much-needed gift, and the homeless shelter received ten pairs as well. It was the gift that kept giving, and I loved the whole idea of it.

Become aware and remember, we each have a part to play in keeping the planet safe and sustainable. We are all stewards of the planet. ¢

Margot GarfieldAnderson is on staff at the Montessori Foundation and the Membership Director of the International Montessori Council. Her four granddaughters have often been the inspiration of her writings.

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BOOK REVIEWS

by NewGate Secondary Students

Six of Crows

by Leigh Bardugo

If you like complex characters, a thrilling story, and Victorianesque setting, then you will love Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. This book tells the story of a convict, a sharpshooter, a runaway, a spy, a heart render, and a thief who band together to pull off an impossible heist.

Six of Crows takes place in the Grishaverse, a world where certain people called Grisha have the power to manipulate the tides, the wind, or even the chemicals in your body. Every chapter in this book follows the story from a different character’s point of view. The narrative switches between Kaz Brekker, a criminal underworld mastermind; Jesper, a sharpshooter, who can’t walk away from a bet; Wylan, the runaway son of a rich merchant; Inej, a circus performer turned into a deadly assassin; Nina, a Grisha heartrender far from home; and Matthias, a Drüskelle, witch hunter, and a convict. All of them must put aside their differences to complete an impossible heist, not only to save the world but for the money.

The first half of this book takes place in the city of Ketterdam, a city based on Amsterdam, specifically in The Barrel, the part of town with all the gambling halls are where anyone will do anything for the right price. The Barrel is home to thieves, conartists, and, most importantly, gangs. It’s a place where everyone is trying to outsmart everyone else. The second half takes place in the faraway country of Fjerda, a cold unforgiving country filled with Drüskelle.

Overall, I loved the setting; I just wish we could have explored The Barrel more. Kaz, also known as Dirtyhands, is a lieutenant in a gang called the Dregs. Inej is a kind, yet dangerous, Suli acrobat who, through a series of unfortunate events, finds herself an assassin. Jesper is a jittery and funny sharpshooter, who can’t walk away from a wager. Nina is decisive and independent.

Matthias is cold and a good soldier. Wylan is the moral compass of the team.

Six of Crows is a must-read for anyone who enjoys thrilling, suspenseful, and magical

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books. With its complex characters, engaging, and intriguing setting, Six of Crows is not only a good book but a masterpiece. n Reviewed by Daniel Pellizzari, 10th grade

Matched

by Ally Condie

In the book Matched, a girl named Cassia lives in a tightly controlled society where decisions are made for her. Officials decide, no one else. They decide whom you love, where you work, when you die, and more.

Ally Condie’s husband gave her the idea to write the book, Matched. She had a conversation with him about marriage in the fall of 2008. He asked, “What if someone wrote the perfect algorithm for lining people up, and the government used it to decide whom you married, when you married, etc.?” But some of Condie’s inspiration also came from general experiences, such as becoming a parent and falling in love.

The main characters in this book are Cassia Reyes and Bram Reyes, Bram and Cassia’s parents, Cassia’s grandfather (Xander), and Ky. My favorite character is Cassia’s grandfather (aka Samuel Reyes) because he’s so sweet and he understands Cassia. He’s kind and gentle to everybody, and he loves poetry. In this story, Samuel is always there for his family, as well.

I would like to experience what living in that society would be like. Cassia is so closely monitored all the time and isn’t free to do whatever she pleases—other people control everything Cassia does from the time that she eats to the time that she dies. It would be really interesting to see what that would be like.

Matched is definitely one of my favorite books. It’s very well written and interesting to read. The book has many unexpected twists, turns, and lies that make you need to keep reading. If I could change one thing about this book, I would change something that happens to Cassia’s grandfather. If you

want to know what happens to him, you should read the book!

I highly recommend this book because it opens up your mind and makes you more grateful to know that you aren’t always being watched or monitored at all times.

It’s so crazy to think how free we are compared to these people who live in a place where they’re just like everyone else—from clothes, to school, to work, and even to falling in love. If you’re the type of person who likes family, adventure, fantasy, and love, then I believe that this would be the perfect book for you! n Reviewed by Maya Stutzman, 9th grade

Flowers for Algernon

by Daniel Keyes

Flowers for Algernon is highly acclaimed, having earned the Nebula Award for Science fiction and Hugo award for best novel and considered a classic by many.

Written initially as a short story in 1959, it was later expanded into a novel in 1966. The book challenges the status quo of science fiction, focusing not on laser guns, but on the human mind. When it was released in 1959, it changed the very definition of science fiction. However, besides the science aspect of the book, it also has a more important message about humanity.

The story follows Charlie Gordon, a developmentally delayed man who wants more than anything to be smart. When two scientists choose him to be part of a science experiment meant to raise his IQ, his view of the world is completely changed. Now he has to deal with the difficulties that come with intelligence and the painful memories that begin to manifest in his head. I won’t say that this book will change your life, but it should definitely make you think. For me, Flowers for Algernon really pulled at my heartstrings and made me feel emotions that few books have been able to elicit.

Before I elaborate more on the story, I would like to mention that this book is not for kids

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by NewGate Secondary Students any younger than secondary school age or those who are afraid to feel a little uncomfortable. The reason I say this is as Charlie remembers more and more of his past, the book takes a darker turn. There are also some slightly mature moments in the second half of the book.

Charlie’s character goes through multiple changes as his intelligence increases. He starts off as a man who has the mind of a kid, working at a bakery owned by a family friend. This is the only place he is able to work, and the owner acts as a father figure to him. He can’t remember anything and is constantly bullied by the other workers.

Then, when he receives surgery that slowly increases his intelligence, his character completely changes. He becomes a hyperintelligent person who remembers everything and is able to learn twenty different languages, but now he realizes everything that has happened to him in his life. He now understands that he was previously living in the moment but not able to understand the moment. He had no control over his life, yet now he does, and he’s impossibly frustrated by this. People treat him completely differently and are scared of him. He’s mad at the world, at people, and at his circumstances.

He only finds true companionship with the lab mouse, Algernon, that was the scientists original laboratory test subject.

A cool aspect of Flowers for Algernon is how the book itself is written. The story is told in the first person and is written in progress reports by Charlie. This gives the reader a new way to look into the protagonist’s mind, and I really enjoyed reading something that is written so uniquely.

One of the major reasons why I truly recommend this book is its great message. It shows that people who have mental disabilities are still people. We shouldn’t treat people differently just because they struggle with simpler tasks. If anything, we should support them and help them like we would any other person. n Reviewed by Micah Levine, 10th grade

Between Shades of Gray

by Ruta Sepetys

“Have you ever wondered what a human life is worth?

That morning, my brother’s was worth a pocket watch.”

Between Shades of Gray is a historical fiction novel written by Lithuanian-American writer, Ruta Sepetys. Sepetys’ heritage inspired the creation of Between Shades of Gray, her first novel. This chilling novel is centered around the soul-crushing events of the sovietinvasion within the country of Lithuania in 1941. During this time, soviet police took men, women, and children and dispersed them wherever they pleased, all while leaving the captives uninformed of their destination.

The soviets would tear families apart, leaving them to question the fate of their loved ones.

The soviets essentially forced the Lithuanians to live as slaves under extremely harsh, inhumane conditions, while having to comply with every order given to them; if they failed to comply, it could mean instant death.

Between Shades of Gray begins with backstory on Kostas Vilkas. Kostas is the husband of Elena and father to Lina and Jonas. Like many other able-bodied men, he was taken and separated from his wife and children.

His wife, Elena, is an intelligent and caring woman. Elena can be seen taking on the role of the voice of reason, as well as being a source of positivity. Their daughter, Lina, is a young teenage girl with a passion for art, only 15, when she and her family were taken from their home. Lina’s younger brother, Jonas, was only ten years old when their family was taken. Although they do have their mother by their side the majority of the time, both Lina and Jonas are forced to grow up extremely quickly due to the hardships they face within their situation. However, when the children briefly reconnect with their father, bumping into him in a nearby train car, Kostas gives the children words of wisdom, telling them to stay strong and not to give up. This empowers Lina and Jonas, making them want to keep going despite all their struggles.

The family, minus the father, was forced aboard a train headed towards Siberia. Here, they meet many fellow Lithuanian captives; most memorably, they meet Andrius Arvydas.

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BOOK REVIEWS

Andrius is around the same age as Lina, and during the novel, they become love interests.

The family also meets Mr. Stalas, Mrs. Grybas, Ona, and others. They all soon come to be familiar with Komorov, the commander. It seems as if Komorov is the embodiment of evil; he is the main antagonist. Along with the commander, the Lithuanians also get to know Nikolai Kretzsky. Kretzsky is another soldier who takes part in torturing and ordering the captives around. However, as time progresses, Elena strikes an odd friendship with Kretzsky and it’s revealed that he isn’t completely evil.

Between Shades of Gray demonstrates many important themes, including: morality, sacrifice, integrity, strength, and much more.

I love watching the characters develop and grow throughout their story. Each character looks at what it was like to be a captive in the mid 1900s from different perspectives; and you are somewhat put into their shoes.

I especially appreciate that, to create this novel, Septeys interviewed real survivors of this time. The fact that everything happening directly stems from those peoples’ truths gives the story life; it gives the story more real feelings and emotions. It shows a more historically accurate representation of their hardships. Their stories must be shared, and the way Septeys delivers their stories is beautiful. Septeys makes the story more personal, incorporating thoughts directly from the protagonists’ minds.

Septeys brings to light the crushing tragedy of the persecution of Stalin’s victims in such a way that is extremely powerful and full of raw emotions. This novel covers such a real and touching topic, I would direct the novel to a more mature audience. Anybody who enjoys more intimate, emotional novels will love this book. Be warned, Between Shades of Gray is a rollercoaster; you better make sure to buckle up. n Reviewed by Katherine Laub, 9th grade

Ninth and tenth grade students at NewGate School are reading and writing like crazy!

Writing reviews for real publications provides students with an authentic reason for writing.

Do you have students or children who would like to send in reviews? For submission guidelines, contact: lornamcgrath@montessori.org.

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BOOK REVIEWS

assembled by Lorna McGrath

Animals Reviewed

by Association of Zoos & Aquariums Elementary and middle school children, along with their parents and teachers, will love this book. It is a hilarious review of wild animals from around the world! Each animal is rated in a humorous way that tells the reader a little something about the creatures. Animals Reviewed also includes the common name for the animal, its scientific name, and a zoo or aquarium where it can be found. This information is great because some of these animals may tickle a child’s curiosity and may motivate them to do more in-depth research about the animal. They may even be able to go see the animal in person if a zoo or aquarium nearby has one in residence. Enjoy!

Make Music!

by Norma Jean Haynes, Ann Sayre Wiseman, and John Langstaff Another wonderful book for adventurous children and grownups who want to have fun making music! The book is laid out in categories starting with Beginning Notes (pun intended I’m sure!); Household Things that Ring and Ping; Body Music; Percussion Beats and Rhythms; Breath Music: the Winds, The String Section; Instruments from the Workshop; and Creating Music. I’m excited just writing down the names of the sections and that’s not all. This book has beautiful photos of real children in action and having so much fun with music. Make Music is a great resource for an afterschool studio or for the vacation home or cabin, or at home on a school break, or ongoing project.

The audience for the projects would probably be elementary-age children because of their skill and social levels; although, very clever teachers or parents could probably modify some of the projects for younger children as well.

I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book!

When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”

—JANE AUSTEN 28

Hatching the Cosmic Egg Written by Michael Dorer Illustrated by Beth Wilson Music by Andrew Kutt Michael Dorer, a well- known Montessori educator, author, and conference presenter, has now written his first children’s book and it’s ‘wonder-full.’ Hatching the Cosmic Egg opens with a request for the reader to “think of the very biggest thing you can.” I’m already intrigued and excited, and I think elementary children will be, too!

On each of the next few pages is a gorgeous, two-page, colorful drawing of very large earthly things that children might imagine and the author asking; Is it a great, gray elephant? Next two-page spread: A tall, snowy mountain? And so on. Then he begins to ask about more stellar images like the sun and the stars.

This is so cool because the book brings the child’s mind to bigger and bigger images leading up to: It’s the UNIVERSE! Now the story begins! This book encourages and entices children to think big about the universe, about themselves, and their part in the universe. Dorer, being the great storyteller that he is, seamlessly incorporates concepts from the great lessons and brings the

readers to an awesome affirmation that they are connected to and part of everything in the universe.

Beth Wilson’s illustrations are perfect for the story, both in style and simplicity. They add to the wonder of this book. And, there’s more. With each book comes a CD with music and song by Andrew Kutt that enhances the story for readers in a totally different genre. This book needs to be in every home and classroom!

The Memory Box Written by Joanna Rowland Illustrated by Thea Baker The Memory Box is a very helpful book for children who have lost a loved one. It brings to light a variety of emotions from fear to sadness to happiness that children may experience as they go through the grief process and beyond. Sometimes, adults find it difficult to talk about feelings and death, especially if the person who has died is someone they loved as well. This book helps adults, as it tells a story about a child who is grieving, what feelings she experiences, and how she creates a “memory box.” The illustrations are lovely, almost whimsical, and yet realistic. At the end of the book there is a section to help adults support children through their loss. Children four years old through elementary and possibly the middle school years would benefit from The Memory Box.

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BOOK REVIEWS The Montessori Toddler: A Parent’s Guide to Raising a Curious and Responsible Being Written by Simone Davies Illustrated by Hiyoko Imai

Editor’s Note: I would like to personally thank Lorna for picking this book to review. My family suffered a great loss this year. It has had an enormous impact on all of us, especially my two grandsons (ages seven and eight). After reading this review, I immediately ordered this book on Amazon. This is such a difficult part or ‘adulting,’ but it is so needed to help children who struggle (often silently) to understand and find a way to celebrate and remember someone they loved so much.

Treasure Basket Explorations Written by Laura Wilhelm Photos by Gryphon House and Shutterstock Treasure basket exploration is a terrific idea for not-yet-mobile infants. The concept could be modified in some ways to better fit toddler’s through kindergartener’s strong sense of order.

I struggled a little bit with this concept because I know from my own observations, as well as those of Maria Montessori and interactions with children in the early childhood years (birth-6 years old), that this period of time in a child’s development is crucial for preparing an environment that instills a very orderly way of thinking. At the infant and toddler stage of development, little

ones are all about moving and exploring, so the baskets work well. There is a certain amount of order to it because the objects are contained within the basket.

They come out of the basket and, when finished, return to the basket (sometimes by the infant or toddler—more often than not by the parent or teacher). The baskets are almost like introductory work for the primary level (3-6 years old), where the activities are contained in baskets or on trays but are designed to teach a skill rather than just allow for exploration.

I need to do more research about “heuristic learning” to truly understand what it is. As I read this book, it sounds like you put a bunch of stuff in a pile and the children get to “explore” it. For me it sounds a bit too unstructured for 3-6-year-olds, as they are really ready for order and imitation rather strictly exploration.

Their activities always have some flexibility for exploration but also have a beginning, a middle, and end within each activity.

So, there are some very usable ideas for the infant-toddler years, and some ideas that can be modified for older children in Treasure Basket Exploration.

When I looked at the cover of this book I was intrigued. It was simple with a kind of unique illustration of a shelf with activities, and it was written for parents of toddlers—encouraging signs.

Then I looked at the table of contents which was 3.33 pages long.

Hmmm. Busy parents with small toddlers. Looks a little off-putting to me. So, I flipped through the book. I like photos and illustrations. There were very few photos and quite a few illustrations, but lots of words to read in this 248page volume. Oh boy!

I made myself look more closely, and what I found was delightfully appealing. That huge table of contents I discovered was because the author listed each topic in each chapter, so it looked a lot more daunting than it truly is. Many of the topics listed are half a page to two pages at most. A parent can easily read a quick snippet and put the book down. They can also easily look up a specific topic that they are interested in because the topics are listed in such detail.

After looking more carefully, I really like the design. Simone Davies is very thorough. Her knowledge, understanding, and enjoyment of this age group is very apparent, and she shares it well with her audience. Often toddlers are misunderstood and so behave in ways that parents find difficult. Davies touches on some key points when thinking about toddlers. The first two chapters give parents valuable information about this stage in a child’s development and a brief

TOMORROW'S CHILD © § NOVEMBER 2019 § WWW.MONTESSORI.ORG

introduction to Montessori. The rest of the book helps parents see their role as changing from a servant during infancy to a guide during toddlerhood and beyond. She brilliantly describes how to create a home environment that supports toddler success, both physically and emotionally, with furnishings and activities, as well as discipline.

The Montessori Toddler is a great resource for parents of infants, so that they can prepare for toddlerhood and for parents of toddlers who are already in the midst of toddlerhood.

Calling all teachers, parents, & children!

We would love to publish your reviews of your favorite books.

Please send them to: lornamcgrath@ montessori.org.

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FOR INDIVIDUALS

Pick a Plan That’s Right for You! “Like having a Montessori expert at your fingertips.”

If your family has adopted the Montessori lifestyle, then you’ve probably had some questions: What do I say if I can’t say ‘good job’? How do I deal with public tantrums? What is the Montessori philosophy regarding discipline? Why won’t my toddler use the toilet? For over 27 years, the Montessori Foundation has been producing content that answers all of your Montessori questions. Now, that content is available to you 24 hours a day with membership to the Montessori Family Alliance at montessori.org.

Place your order on our website at: montessori.org/mfa Tomorrow’s Child Magazine Subscription* Print + Digital

Tomorrow’s Child Magazine Subscription Digital Only

Includes selective, specially curated access to Montessori Family Alliance

Includes selective, specially curated access to Montessori Family Alliance

$31.25/year

$20/year

þ Individuals living in the US (outside the US a subscription is $45USD) receive four paper issues and their digital counterparts per year. þ Individual subscribers also receive selective access to the MFA content, carefully curated by the Montessori Foundation staff. If you like what you read, you can upgrade to a full membership at any time. þ Upon checkout, you will be automatically added to our mailing list and granted instant access to expertly curated MFA content.

þ Receive Tomorrow’s Child in your email inbox four times per year. þ Individual subscribers also receive selective access to the MFA content, carefully curated by the Montessori Foundation staff. If you like what you read, you can upgrade to a full membership at any time. þ Upon checkout, your email will be added to our digital mailing list for the magazine, and you will be granted instant access to expertly curated MFA content.

Montessori Family Alliance Membership Includes digital issues of Tomorrow's Child

$4.99/month þ Receive Tomorrow’s Child in your email inbox four times per year. þ Complete, instant access to all of the members-only resources on the site.

An archive of Montessori Foundation articles and videos from the past 27 years, plus new daily content, such as Q&A with Montessori leaders. Not to mention, Lorna McGrath’s weekly webinars—a member favorite! þ Upon checkout, your email will be added to our digital mailing list for the magazine and you will be granted instant access to all MFA content.

*US Only—Worldwide $46.75/year

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TOMORROW'S CHILD © § NOVEMBER 2019 § WWW.MONTESSORI.ORG

FOR SCHOOLS

Standing Bulk Orders Tomorrow’s Child & MFA Membership for all of your Families.

Give your families the gift of Tomorrow’s Child magazine and Montessori Family Alliance membership at a tremendous discount. Help your families develop a deeper understanding of the Montessori method, both as it applies to the classroom and the home. These resources provide families with the ability to become more engaged with the worldwide Montessori community and committed to the Montessori Way.

Standing Bulk Order Tomorrow’s Child Magazine Subscription Print + Digital (US only)

Standing Bulk Order Tomorrow’s Child Magazine Subscription Print + Digital (Outside US)

Standing Bulk Order Tomorrow’s Child Magazine Subscription Digital Only Worldwide

includes Montessori Family Alliance membership for your families (50 copy min.)

includes Montessori Family Alliance membership for your families (50 copy min.)

includes Montessori Family Alliance membership for your families (50 copy min.)

Check the Website for Pricing

$26.50(USD)/family

$12/family

þ You receive print editions of Tomorrow’s Child magazine for all of your families. þ

You will receive a special link and simple instructions outlining how your families can register for their free MFA membership—a value of $60 annually per family.

þ

50 copy minimum unless approved by The Foundation (call Don at 941-729-9565) or email him at dondinsmore@ montessori.org.

þ You receive print editions of Tomorrow’s Child magazine for all of your families. þ You will receive a special link and simple instructions outlining how your families can register for their free MFA membership—a value of $60 annually per family. þ

50 copy minimum unless approved by The Foundation (call Don at 941-729-9565) or email him at dondinsmore@ montessori.org.

þ Provide your families with the digital-only version of Tomorrow’s Child magazine delivered via email. þ You will receive a special link and simple instructions outlining how your families can register for their free MFA membership—a value of $60 annually per family. þ 50 copy minimum unless approved by The Foundation (call Don at 941-729-9565) or email him at dondinsmore@ montessori.org.

 Place your order at: montessori.org For Schools and Educators: IMC Membership Area While the MFA is geared towards parents, individual or school IMC membership grants access to great leadership content like The Montessori Foundation’s weekly webcasts, articles and videos on things like curriculum, and the prepared environment, continuing education, and much more. With your annual membership you will receive your IMC certificate, access to the content-restricted IMC area of the website, and discounts on books, other products in our online store, and discounted registration for our annual international conference. Learn more at montessori.org/IMC. TOMORROW'S CHILD © § NOVEMBER 2019 § WWW.MONTESSORI.ORG

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