I have had other ideas for the D post, and I may eventually get around to it. But tonight, I need to honor my Daddy.

If it weren't for him, I would not be involved in Montessori. I was one of those kids who learned how to read at the age of 2. My parents had just built their store and were about to have my sister. They wanted to keep me stimulated, but thought traditional preschool would be too boring. A family friend recommended he check out the local Montessori school. My father said as soon as he walked in the door, he felt like he was at home and knew it was the place for me to go.

My mother started helping with the bookkeeping at the school to help offset tuition for my sister and I to continue to attend all the way through sixth grade.

Both of my parents were very supportive of our education. I have fond memories of going to France with my father, as part of the French class experience. We went together when I was in elementary, and again when my sister was in elementary. My father and I still talk about our trip overseas.

When I decided I wanted to become a Montessori educator, again my parents were very supportive. My father even got excited and got me several "antique" Montessori books and a Maria Montessori "autograph" that was framed. I always felt closer to Maria by holding those objects in my hand.

Dad has always been a good listener when I needed to talk about school. He laughed at the funny stories, and shared in some of my frustrations. He has always been my biggest fan

When I decided I wanted to become a Montessori educator, again my parents were very supportive. My father even got excited and got me several "antique" Montessori books and a Maria Montessori "autograph" that was framed. I always felt closer to Maria by holding those objects in my hand.

Dad has always been a good listener when I needed to talk about school. He laughed at the funny stories, and shared in some of my frustrations. He has always been my biggest fan.

In 14 hours from when I writing this post, my father will be undergoing a craniotomy to remove a subdural hematoma that he sustained from a fall six weeks ago. I am terrified, yet hopeful. My Montessori background has kept me asking questions to fulfill that need to know and understand everything going on. I am grateful that I had that foundation to help me help him.

My father is one of the most important people in my life. I will always be grateful to him for giving me everything that I have. Please join me in praying for his recovery.

When I took my Montessori training over a decade ago, we learned about five direct aims in practical life. They were concentration, coordination, control, independence, and order. Apparently now interns learn about only four. Whatever you learn, these three are some of the most important reasons that this part of the curriculum exists.

Concentration is fundamental to the child's later learning. As he pours the beans from one pitcher to another, the rhythm of his actions almost lulls him into a trance of sorts. This trance pulls him into his work and he develops an intrinsic focus stronger than anything he has ever felt before. This focus translates into the concentration skills he will require as he enters the academic world. The more he scrubs tables, the calmer his body becomes, making him better able to sit through those longer lessons. A calm body and a calm mind is more willing to open and to receive new knowledge.

Coordination is built as the child manipulates those small tools. It takes a great deal of skill to manipulate those small spoons and tongs. Often, children are expected to make do with adult-sized materials in an adult's environment. The Montessori practical life curriculum scales back those utensils and skills, to make them child-friendly. Using utensils that fit the child's hand allows him to be successful and to achieve mastery. As he masters using materials that fit his own hand, he can work his way up to using the "normal" materials in his regular environment.

Along with the coordination is control. Control refers to the child's ability to control the materials and utensils he manipulates. It refers to his ability to control his body, as well. He must control his body as he moves through the classroom environment, to be respectful to his peers. Control over his body also teaches him to respect himself.

These are three of the biggest reasons why we focus so much on practical life with those three year-olds. Let them develop this foundation and then all of that academic learning will burst forth. Children who come to us later are also encouraged to spend much time in practical life in the beginning. They can still build that solid foundation and become successful in their endeavors.

Beauty is such an important part of the Montessori classroom. The environment is created for the children, and it should always be beautiful for the children. Materials should always be complete and unbroken. Even the teachers (or guides, or directresses) are expected to look their best every day.

The children are taught how to keep themselves beautiful, as they learn self-care skills. They also learn how to appreciate the beauty in the world around them, as they refine their senses in the sensorial area.

Beauty is more than just what you can see. Sounds can be beautiful. Different textures will be more appealing. Certain tastes and smells will also be more attractive to different people.

Beauty is also within. Montessori children learn how to be productive, caring, loving, peaceful members of society, thus becoming even more beautiful on the inside. Montessorians can often easily recognize this in each other when they meet.

Beauty is also the look on a child's face when he masters a new skill or learns something new. Those are my favorite beautiful moments in the classroom.

What do you define as beautiful?

Today is the first day of the blogging A-Z challenge. When working on a list of topics for this blog, these two words just kept popping into my brain. It is also a fitting kickoff for Autism Awareness Month.

Does Montessori education fit children who have autism? Well, it depends on a lot of factors.

1.) The child.

Different children have different levels of autism. That is why it is a full spectrum. Some children will be drawn to the materials, and the specific processes will appeal to their obsessive sides. Others are going to struggle with the independence piece.

But remember, Maria told us to follow the child. Maybe that child who is on the spectrum doesn't quite fit into current "Montessori ideals." When working with a child who is on the spectrum, figure out what makes him tick. What are his interests? How can you fit learning into those interests? Remember, repetition is the key to learning. Autistic children are often inclined to repeat behaviors time and time again. You have to get creative and take the time to nudge that child into something new, based on favorite activities and comfort levels.

I remember going to see Temple Grandin a few years ago. She stressed the importance of finding out where a child's strengths are, and basing your instruction from there. The sky is the limit.

2.) The teacher.

That being said, it is going to take a special teacher to handle Asperger's or autism in the classroom. Not every teacher is going to understand what is going on, nor how to handle such children. It doesn't mean she is a bad person. Perhaps she doesn't have any experience. Perhaps she just doesn't understand autism. Perhaps she just isn't as intuitive into the needs of all children.

I don't want to make it sound like I am the "Autism Whisperer" or anything, but we have had great success with children on the spectrum in my classroom. I was exposed to Asperger's when I was doing my internship. My good friend, and fellow intern, had just found out that her son had it. Only back then, few people had heard of it. She had to drive almost two hours one direction, once a week, to find a psychologist familiar with it, who could help her and her family. Somehow, I just naturally got along with her son.

Some years ago, I had two boys in my kindergarten program who would later be diagnosed with Asperger's and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). My assistant and I recognized the signs almost immediately with the two boys, and we tailored our methods of handling them accordingly. I guess we pretty much did what we always do, and that is make adjustments to fit the individual needs of our students. But our methods were successful for those two boys. I am still in contact with them and their families, and still spend time with them, even though they are well into elementary school.

Since then, we have suspected other children as possibly being on the spectrum. Unfortunately, we have lost touch with them, and have no idea. Or, some of those parents just never went forward with the evaluations, so we cannot be sure.

Another advantage in my classroom is that my assistant was formerly a one-on-one to an autistic child who had been in a different classroom in our program. That was how she was introduced to our school. Between her hands-on knowledge, and my never-ending desire to research and learn more, we have implemented many techniques that accommodate children who learn differently.

3.) The school.

Not every school is going to be equipped to handle children with special needs on the autism spectrum. Often these children need special services, such as speech therapy, social skills counseling, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and more. School districts are tightening their belts and seem to be getting less money from the states. They are finding all kinds of loopholes to get them out of providing services to private schools. If children can get into a public Montessori school, perhaps they can easily get more of those necessary services. But for those who don't, it feels like an unending battle.

Some schools are fortunate enough to have professionals on their staff who can accommodate some of these needs. Some parents are fortunate enough to be able to pay out-of-pocket for these services. But not all can.

My Dream

I would love to find a Montessori program that works with children who have autism. I have heard that there are a few schools, and I think I came across one in Canada once. I have seen how some Montessori ideals can work with a child on the spectrum. I love the social skills aspect, and have successfully taught a child with Asperger's to use the peace table when he is frustrated. I have worked on some practical life skills with a boy who at the more severe end of the spectrum. And I love harnessing the children's interests, and tailoring lessons accordingly.

I also realize that I am unique in my desires, and that I will not always reach every single child, spectrum or not. But that doesn't mean I am not going to try!

Resources:

The following are some books that I have found quite useful over the last few years. Please feel free to check some out and recommend some of your own favorites!

Sixty Second Parent is a fabulous website, with tons of information for parents and educators. They recently had a post about developing written skills in young children.

So what can we do in Montessori to help develop written language skills?

• Children trace the sandpaper letters as they learn their sounds, to subconsciously also learn how to write the letters.
• Large arm movements at the chalkboard and easel provide the early movements that eventually filter down to those finer movements with the fingers and pencils.
• Sensorial activities have small knobs, which children hold with their writing fingers as they manipulate them (knobbed cylinders, geometric cabinet, etc.)
• Practical life activities help children learn control over their movements, while strengthening those fine motor skills.
• Metal insets teach children pencil control. Those small knobs on the insets also help children strengthen their pincer grasp.
• Children often have journals in which they can practice drawing and writing, either independently or through guided activities.
  
• Children phonetically spell words with the moveable alphabet, sometimes before they learn how to actually read them. This leads to later writing of the words with pencil and paper.
• Story dictation provides a chance for adults to model careful writing, and to help children connect those marks to actual words.

Here are a few links to some of my previously written articles that also demonstrate written language development in the Montessori classroom, as well as activities parents can do at home.

• Christmas Writing Activity for Kids: Christmas Cards
• How to Make a Grocery Shopping List with Your Kids
• How to Teach Writing Through Art
  
• How to Teach Writing with Magazine Pictures
• The Montessori Language Curriculum
• Partnering with Your Child's Teacher for Language
  
• Prepare Your Child to Write His Name
• Preschool Tracing Letters and Numbers Activities
  

A while ago I came across one of the coolest ideas for a garden. A sensory garden.

The senses go beyond the traditional five senses that you learned as a kid. Sure, you have to appease sight, taste, hearing, smell, and touch. But, there are also the vestibular, proprioceptive, and interoceptive senses. Vestibular means a sense of balance. Proprioceptive means a sense of self in space. Interoceptive means internal sensations, such as knowing when hungry, thirsty, needing to go to the bathroom, etc.

This fantastic post on Hartley's Life with 3 Boys teachers you how to easily create a sensory garden at home, to fulfill all of these senses. I would love to see such things being implemented in schools, as well. What a great sensorial project!

What do you think?

A new trend in Montessori classrooms is the "difficult" child. The kid who throws things around the room, runs around, slams into people, yells and screams, hurts others, seems inattentive, etc., etc......

These children don't fit our Montessori ideals. It is hard to get them constructively engaged in anything and it seems like they are not learning a thing. We begin to question whether or not they even belong in our program. Sometimes, their parents are willing to work with us. Other times, parents are in denial that there is anything going on, and they accuse you of not being able to handle their child.

Times like these, it is imperative that you take a step back, and draw on those observational skills that were emphasized so much in your Montessori training. It is highly unlikely that the child is being a pain to actually try to be naughty. No child really seeks out naughty behavior for the sake of being naughty. There is usually a reason behind it.

Sometimes that child is simply attention seeking, and has realized that the fastest way to get attention is to do something negative. Some children may have an underlying disorder, such as sensory processing disorder or even some aspect of the autism spectrum, such as PDD or Aspergers.

While you cannot diagnose children yourself, you can make numerous objective notes on what the child's behavior is. See if you can identify any triggers to common behaviors. Consult with other professionals in your school. Some schools are fortunate enough to have a school psychologist or social worker who can come in. These professionals must receive written permission from the parents before they can come in. Other teachers can often be of great help, as well. Lean on your community. Try different strategies. Consult with the parents, as they may be seeing the same things at home.

Read Chapter 3 of Maria Montessori's Discovery of the Child. In this specific chapter, she addresses disciplinary concerns and reminds us that some children seem more "wild" until they have normalized.

Remember the child's point of view. One of my friends uncovered this gem from the Onion, called "Adults Have Misclassified Me as a Handful." It is from the point of view of that four year-old little boy, who always seems to be in trouble, and it puts perspective onto those "difficult" children. They really just need some love and understanding.

I heard about a new blogging challenge in one of my writer's groups. It is from Tossing It Out: Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. The premise of the challenge is just what it says: write in your blog daily (except Sundays), with each day focusing on a specific letter.

I thought it would be fun to come up with a Montessori alphabet of sorts, and I am starting my brainstorming a little early. What are some of your favorite Montessori terms that I should try to cover? I can't promise writing on them all, but I can try!

I am also crazy, and trying to do this on two of my other blogs. Montessori Writer's Thoughts is a place where I can just write about whatever random thoughts pop into my head. Andi's Gardening Experiments is where I used to record my thoughts about gardening. Feel free to check those out, as well. I don't think I can come up with an A-Z on Andi's Book Reviews, nor Andi's Kids Books. Not this year.

The ultimate goal is to post on at least one of those three blogs each day. A couple of people signed up with multiple blogs to make it easier to come up with topic ideas.

Would you care to join us?

Earth Day is coming up in less than a month. This holiday perfectly fits into the Montessori philosophy, as it encourages children to care for their environment. It gets children outside into nature, which is so important to their development and concentration. It also helps them to enhance their observations of the world around them.

Here are some stories about things that other Montessori schools did for Earth Day last year. Perhaps you can become inspired by some of them. Please share some of your own upcoming ideas, also!

Flagstaff FoodLink

The Flagstaff FoodLink is counting on local schools to help teach children about sustainable, organic gardening. As children learn to grow their own food, they will take pride in it and are more likely to eat healthy foods. Some of the schools are planning on using the food grown in their gardens to feed their students. Teachers can also use the experiences to teach the plant life cycle in the science curriuclum. The local Montessori middle school was one of the participants.

Labyrinth

Students at Tulsa Montessori worked to plant 88 shrubs in a labyrinth. For now the shrubs are small, but when they mature, children can take pleasure in full body movements through this calming maze.

Ladybugs Released

Schools in Palmetto Bay released thousands of ladybugs for Earth Day, to control the aphid population as a natural pesticide. Schools participating included Alexander Montessori School and Winhold Montessori.

Planting 2 Million Trees

Brisbane had an ambitious plan to plant 2 million trees. Fig Tree Pocket State School and the Brisbane Montessori School helped to plant 1200 of them at the Brisbane Equestrian Centre.

Rainforest Alliance

Several schools in the Jacksonville area, including Discovery Montessori, worked with the Rainforest Alliance to bring about conservation awareness on a local and global level. One project included a giant art display at the Jacksonville Zoo.

Rain Garden

Sea Pines Montessori Academy in Savannah, GA created a Rain Garden last year. These gardens catch rainwater run-off, and use plants to filter pollutants out of the water.

School Gardens in Durham, Hosted by Chef

Jeff Ensminger, chef in Durham, is working on implementing school gardens at all 20 elementary schools in the district. His goal is to have four raised beds at each school, so that children can plant and harvest seasonal vegetables. They are more likely to eat food that they have grown themselves. But because state law prohibits the cafeterias from serving the school-grown produce, Ensminger hopes that they schools can possibly sell the produce. George Watts Montessori already had a thriving garden in place.

Have you ever used file folder games in your classroom? I remember when I started out, I bought all of the black and white masters from Carson Dellosa. Yeah, they are cutesy with smiley faces on them, but they seemed to serve the purpose I was seeking. My school at that time didn't have a lot of money and therefore few materials. I had to supplement somehow.

I kept finding even more file folder games all over the Internet. The only site I can remember, of course, is my favorite, ABC Teach. But you could easily do an Internet search to find more.

I haven't used any in a while, and I never did set them up as actual file folder games. I usually put the pieces on cards, to make them into matching and sorting activities.

You can even make your own. In this post on Our Journey Thru Autism, special education expert Joanna L. Keating-Velasco talks about making color matching exercises by using color swatches, and keeping them organized in a file folder game format. What are some of your favorite creations you have done with your class, file folder game or otherwise?