In a recent article in The Guardian: How Google’s Larry Page became a responsible entrepreneur, by Carol Sanford (actually an excerpt from her new book The Responsible Entrepreneur). Below are some excerpts from that article: To understand Google’s orientation toward creating global change, it's helpful to know a bit … [Read more...]
Importance and Nature of the Silent Game
Written by Maria Montessori Our world today is full of noises. Even music seems to spurn harmony and tend to 'noisomeness'. Indeed it increases its volume in decibels to the extent of endangering hearing. This was not always so. Until recently the opposite was true. Silence was essential to the human soul; children … [Read more...]
Montessori: The Missing Voice in the Education Reform Debate
Originally published on HuffingtonPost.com Over a century ago, Dr. Maria Montessori discovered through scientific observations of children that they are not empty vessels to be filled -- they are intrinsically motivated doers. She saw that providing a hands-on learning environment that valued choice, concentration, … [Read more...]
Maria Montessori: Is the Montessori method any good?
At the beginning of the 20th century, Italy's first female physician, Maria Montessori, sought to turn education on its head. Using methods developed through her work with developmentally disabled children, Montessori created a 'child-centered' approach that emphasizes rich environments, freedom, and respect for the … [Read more...]
The Process of Normalization
Originally published on the North American Montessori Teacher's Association website. In Montessori education, the term "normalization" has a specialized meaning. "Normal" does not refer to what is considered to be "typical" or "average" or even "usual." "Normalization" does not refer to a process of being forced to … [Read more...]
The Montessori Mind: How Montessori Promotes Mindful Learning
Written by Malia Jacobson, ParentMap Young children aren’t usually known for intense concentration. To the contrary, kids are expected to bounce from one activity to another with the attention span of a gnat. That’s why parents are surprised by what they see when they tour Bellevue’s Eton Montessori School: Children as … [Read more...]