New Montessori Post-- Montessori and Play

I wrote this post recently for the MariaMontessori.com website, after listening to a few conversations with friends about preschool.

As a mother of a child approaching preschool, I’ve noticed the conversation about how to choose a preschool and what type to go with popping up more and more around me.  Parents debate the merits of academic vs free-play schools, Montessori vs Waldorf, etc.  I’m happy to offer up my advice and insights on the benefits of Montessori, and also am curious to hear what others’ and experiences are.  Recently I’ve noticed several people criticize Montessori as not allowing the children to “play” enough, of being too structured rather than letting them fully explore their creativity and imagination.

You can read the full post here.

Also, Pilar Bewley wrote an excellent post on what we Montessorians call "indirect preparation," where children will work on activities in the classroom that at first don't seem to have much of a purpose (especially when you're wanting your children to do more "academics") but that are in fact helping them develop key skills that will allow them to discover how to read and write on their own.  Imagine what an amazing discovery that is for a child.

This entire process – what we call indirect preparation for writing – was thoroughly enjoyable for Wyatt because all of the activities he was engaged in fed his psychological needs.  In other words, the work he did in the Montessori classroom responded to the internal drives all young children have to learn through movement, to explore their language, and to experience the world through their senses. When a child’s education is designed with these sensitivities in mind, learning is easy and pleasurable... I recently asked him: “Wyatt, who taught you how to write?” He happily replied: “Nobody taught me.  I taught myself!”  And the truth is, he did.

Full post here.

I hope you'll head on over and read the full posts.  =)