What Montessori did to my life was transformational. True callings always seemed far-fetched until it happened to me. Honestly, it was more like a thunderbolt that left me in a perpetual state of obsession. It was all I could think about and all I could talk about. I become utterly single-minded as if I were being driven by something quite out of my control.
BECOMING A MONTESSORI TEACHER
When I left high school, most of my peers had a plan. Some of them, to my horror, even wanted to be teachers. I could not comprehend why they would want to do that. Socially, school life had been intolerable for me. I experienced extreme anxiety from the moment I walked through the school gates in the morning and, remained on high alert until I left school six long and gruelling hours later. Over the years I came to realize that the source of the anxiety was the adults in the environment. Teachers were very different in the ’70s and ’80s. Corporal punishment was acceptable and to an anxious child, it was terrifying. I felt helpless, humiliated and angry. It was a nightmare that I had no choice but to endure. I marinated in adrenaline for seven long years and it put a serious damper on my childhood. Why would anyone want to become a teacher? I know now that had I not suffered the situation, I would not have heeded the calling.
This is how I remember school in the '70s and '80s.
DISCOVERING THE WORLD OF MONTESSORI
Then at the age of 30, I discovered the Montessori method of education and everything changed. I took a tour of a Montessori school and, as a very summarised version of the key Montessori principles were explained to me, the sharp contrast to what experienced in my childhood blew my mind. How different I might have been if I had had access to such a rich, stimulating, loving and respectful environment in my formative years.
The training of the teacher is something far more than learning ideas. It includes the training of character. It is a preparation of the spirit. Dr Maria Montessori
THE BEAUTIFUL MONTESSORI ENVIRONMENT
The Montessori environment was beautiful beyond expectation. The enticing Montessori equipment was exquisitely attractive and the children using it concentrated deeply. They handled the materials with respect and reverence one doesn't usually expect of children so young. I was struck by the order and consistency, as well as the absence of garish colors and clutter. The children worked in groups or alone and the room was peaceful. I was captivated.
There is a great sense of community within the Montessori classroom, where children of differing ages work together in an atmosphere of cooperation rather than competitiveness. There is respect for the environment and for the individuals within it, which comes through experience of freedom within the community. Dr Maria Montessori
MONTESSORI TRAINING
At that point, it had not yet occurred to me to become a teacher. I became obsessed with learning everything I could about this mysterious world I had stumbled upon. The internet was still in its infancy and most Montessori schools did not have a website. Dr Montessori’s books were hard to source in South Africa, so I began to scour the book shops in the area and well beyond, in the hope that I would find even one of her gems. Eventually, pure frustration led me to enrol on a correspondence Montessori course. Unfortunately, the frustration did not end there. The more I discovered and learnt about this fascinating education method, the more I longed to be learning in a real Montessori environment with access to Montessori equipment that I could work with and understand. I wanted to understand everything about Montessori so, I converted the correspondence course to a part-time course and became a Montessori guide. Montessori education has been a part of my life and a part of my soul, ever since.
Early Montessori Environments
My name is Dianne Heart and I am a South African Montessori guide. I have been privileged enough to have guided children from the ages of 12 months to 12 years using the wonderful Montessori method. Amongst those children were my own two children, Dain and Erin, who were raised and educated in accordance with Montessori principles. Montessori has impacted their lives in ways that are immeasurable.
MONTESSORI MATERIALS
I serve to simplify this revolutionary method of learning and to make it more affordable and accessible to parents, as well as Montessori schools all over the world. I have been creating printable Montessori materials for Montessori environments worldwide since 2006. Montessori Global’s printable Montessori materials have evolved since then and are developed in accordance with Montessori guidelines. They have undergone many quality revisions and extensive research and, are consequently of the finest quality.
Montessori materials created by me in 2006
PRODUCTS CREATED THIS DECADE
DIGITAL MONTESSORI MATERIALS
The pandemic created a need to translate the printable Montessori materials as well as Montessori equipment, into digital formats that could be used online. Although it was a difficult task and some aspects of the equipment cannot be translated to digital formats, I did my best to meet as many Montessori ideals as possible. Throughout the crises, I continuously asked myself, "What would Dr Montessori do in this crisis?" She saw many of the world's troubles come and go and was known to adapt to meet current circumstances. A good example of this would be when she relocated to India during the Second World War. She could not source the cardboard to make the Grammar Box material in the colors originally prescribed for each part of speech, so she matched the colors as best she could and some of the colors were simply changed. They remain unchanged to this day.
What is important is that the show must go on, through wars and pandemics, children have sensitive periods for learning that cannot be paused to accommodate the latest world crisis.
Digital Montessori Materials
The wonderful thing about the digital Montessori materials that were born out of necessity, is that they are now more accessible to home-school students. Montessori equipment is expensive which can sometimes be a barrier to parents using the Montessori curriculum at home. The digital Montessori materials and equipment make it possible to use the Montessori curriculum at home, at an affordable cost.
Allow me to guide you through the Montessori curriculum and lead you on a journey of discovery into the wonderful Montessori method. Through this blog and my YouTube channel, I will be sharing content that will shed light on the incredible Montessori method, and how it could lay a strong learning foundation for your children. Typically, Montessori students become independent, self-motivated, resourceful, inquisitive, innovative, creative and inspirational young people. Sergey Brin and Larry Page (co-founders of Google), Taylor Swift (needs no introduction), Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon), Joshua Bell (violinist), Will Wright (designer of Sim City and Spore video games), Ann Frank (diarist), and Steven Curry (basketball player), are a few famous Montessori alumni.
To answer the question, "What Montessori did do to my life?", it enriched it beyond measure in ways I never imagined. It made me a better mother and it gifted me the opportunity to walk alongside so many children on their path to self-discovery. It taught me to stand back and trust and marvel at nature in its perfection. Those of us who are privileged to have a deep understanding and love for the scientific work of Dr Maria Montessori, also have a duty to ensure that her timeless legacy is within the reach of every child.
If you would love to learn more about this wonderful world of Montessori education, please accept my invitation to join my mailing list. I will be sharing weekly blogs and YouTube videos, as well as free materials and more.
Welcome to my Montessori blog!
With much love,
Dianne
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