REVIEW POST: The Montessori Index

This little publication has been out of stock on Montessori RD's website for a LONG time, but it is still available through Nienhuis. 

Now, it took a month from the time I placed the order to the time it was sent out (I had ordered plastic pin map flag pins with the book) and 2 days to be delivered super-fast by FedEx. 

The Montessori Index is 154 pages long. And it is just what it says - an index only. Wow! That's a detailed index!

Originally published in 1965 and updated in 1987.

Three pages listing the books included. There is a section on religion as well - just 3 (needs to be updated - does not include The Child in the Church, Religious Potential of the Child Volumes 1 and 2, among others)

41 editions of books written by Maria Montessori and 37 editions written about Montessori - there are some duplicate titles, being different publications or editions. 

Not included (this is a list off the top of my head - please let me know if there are other more recent publications!)

• 1946 London Lectures
• Psychogeometry

The list of books does not list publication dates but does list publisher and notes if there is an "old" edition. 

The Table of Contents is 29 pages long - just telling which page to find a particular entry on:

Then the entries are pretty detailed - including the abbreviation for the books mentioned and the page numbers (versus a chapter number).

The Montessori Index does reference an appendix that doesn't seem to be present - "publishers and sources for the books indexed, and additional books by and about Montessori and relsted subjects."

This is a book worth having on hand - I will be highlighting the books/editions I own and fill in the years of publication.

Montessori Elementary Videos - Kickstarter Campaign

UPDATE! We did it! And the videos have started to be produced - look for them to be posted in small chunks in the very near future! THANK YOU EVERYONE!

I am looking to focus on making videos for Keys of the Universe elementary Montessori - a project I have been doing piece-meal for a few years. 

To ensure I can focus on this project in a timely manner for everyone, since I have been wanting to do this for a while, I started a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds! 

Keys of the Universe on Kickstarter

Please share around! And see our Keys of the Universe news/articles page for the latest update.

Tae-Kwon-Do

Bragging ;) 

This isn't everything - just a TINY smapling ;) 

White Belt: 

Just got his uniform - he'd been in a few weeks by this time.

Yellow Stripe:

Showing off for Grandma and Papa

Getting ready for the yellow belt test

Yellow:

He got it! 

Two of the trophies he earned in tournaments around this time. 

Orange:

Innocent looks. I wonder.... ;) 

Green:

The night he got his green belt -
allowing him access to STORM team. 

only Junior STORM member for a few months

practicing for the upcoming Christmas party skit by the STORM team

Purple:

I am telling you -
they are NOT so innocent. 

New belt

Helping with Little Kickers

Leading portions of the full class. 

Helping with belt tests for lower ranks. 

Sparring at a tournament

1st place in weapons forms!!!

Getting a trophy at tournament!

Helping with Little Kickers class. 

Blue:

Another Master tested him this time. 

NOTHING but trouble 

Both of them! 

Helping with classes. 

Red:

Red belt! 

Another Master in our school. 

Brown:

Brown with Black Stripe:

Never a serious picture - even for pretend!

BLACK!!!!!

They worked HARD leading up to this one. 

And it's not over.




 

On the Farm - well, almost ;)

Children should be outdoors as MUCH as possible. Getting their hands in the dirt - the soil of the earth from which their bodies were made. Creating from the produce of their sweat, toil and God's graces. 

The emotional and spiritual benefits can't be measured, but are astronomical (literally); and the benefits to academics and psychology is almost as wonderful. 

These things begin in the child's youngest days of life, and will come to greater meaning in adolescence. We are almost there! Yikes! The end of the elementary years... and the beginnings of adolescence. Age 11 and 12 are kind of cross-over years as hormones start kicking in and the child's plane of development changes. 

More information on the planes of development - sensitive periods. 

So here is a tiny snippet of what we have been able to do of late - not near as much as what we are planning in the near future! 

Anyone know what this is? We have TONS of it. 

Told you so. 

We haven't exactly weeded the garden this year. Ever.

In May, the landlord came over and tilled the soil from last year's garden; we planted our few surviving seedlings immediately; most did not survive; and we ordered more seeds to literally SCATTER (and cover with some worm compost). June 7, we planted 28 "mystery tomatoes" from a friend who was selling them at a farmer's market - they had lots the tags on them, couldn't identify them, nobody would buy them, so we bought for a bit less than half-off, in exchange for some canned tomatoes down the road. Awesome stuff.

We have watered and watered and watered (clay soil; little to no rain most of the time). Then we had a few days of rain - and VOILA! LOOK WHAT HAPPENED!!!!

Turns out that worm compost had some undigested tomato seeds - so we have a few extra tomato plants mixed with the pumpkins and watermelons. Hm. Extra treasures!

No asparagus, rhubarb and a few other things we'd planted. :( This just wasn't the year to FOCUS on the garden - the goal this year is to prove that we can, get our hands dirty, have some fun and see what happens. Better planning for next year!

Weeding done. We literally *cut* the weeds down.
Left some there for ground-cover.
The landlord will mulch the rest when he comes through. 

Hey guys!!!! Missed you!!!!! 

Beautiful horse neighbors.
Considering learning to ride.... 

Garden from the other side.
Looks a bit sparse now. 

3 hours, 4 blisters between the two of us, a homemade scythe (loving having an 11 year old male child), and a bit of a sunburn later.... WHEW.



The next day - strawberry picking with this adorable princess:

That smile makes it all worth it! 

Just stop trying to escape! 

Yummmmm. STRAWBERRIES! 

Making jam:

Made more -
gifted some
ate some ;) 

Taking a walk afterward.
Think Linus. Lack of bath and all ;) haha!

Not our neighborhood ;) 

What do I not have photos of?

Climbing trees, playing in puddles (yep, he still does it!), planting the lilac bushes, weeding the mulched areas, setting up our statues, just chilling in the backyard, and a bit more.


We are getting realizable plans together to move again - maybe not for another year, though - to larger property and start a Montessori farm school experience. Exciting!!!