I'm very excited about this post. Not only has Liz done a guest review but we also have a giveaway to go with it!
We were lucky enough to be sent a copy of Montessori's new parenting
handbook - Learning Together. Liz has always had an interest in Montessori so she couldn't wait to get stuck in to this book.
If, like me, you aren't family with
Montessori then let me explain.
Montessori was one of the most important early years educators of the 20th century. She created classroom practices and ideas which have had a huge influence on the education of young children throughout the world.
There are around 700 Montessori schools within the UK. Each of which uses the Montessori approach - a holistic approach that aims to develop the whole child. It's based on the belief that from birth until the age of size children have the greatest capacity to learn.
"The greatness of the human personality begins at the hour of birth." - Maria Montessori
Montessori's latest book - Learning Together - is a parenting handbook packed with advice on how to get the best out of your child from birth.
So...here is what Liz had to say about this new book! Don't forget there's a giveaway coming up in this post so keep reading!!
I’m
really impressed all-round with ‘Learning Together: What Montessori can offer
your family’. After talking to a Montessori teacher and having a very basic
understanding of Montessori principles I’ve always meant to look a bit further
into it, but, as a mum of two lively kids, it hasn’t really been a huge
priority. So I was really pleased to review this book as it gave me an
opportunity to read about it.
Kathi
Hughes really should be congratulated. Her family’s photo show her to look,
well, normal, and the fact she is a mum of three makes me warm to her
immediately: This is a book written by someone who understands Montessori
teaching but also how to use it in a home in the context of normal family life
with children of different ages, rather than from a purely academic
perspective. Throughout the book she offers advice and is encouraging, but also
a realist about how people can apply suggestions given space and time confines.
When reading, Kathi never made me feel like I was doing something wrong if I
didn’t follow the advice 100% of the time, but also offered practical
suggestions of how I could try to introduce some teaching into everyday life.
The
book is divided into four chapters: 1) The potential of the child, 2) Unlocking
the child’s potential, 3) A Montessori way of life, 4) Creating a
Montessori-inspired living space. All are pretty short and very approachable
and, for at least the majority of the time, seem to follow positive parenting
methodology that we already do.
Montessori
believes in the fundamental importance of the early years in a child’s
development in academic and social learning and this is certainly what we
believe in too. Rather than attempting to complete ‘milestones’, they ‘follow
the child’ and let them master things in their own time. A lot of this is due
to spending quality time with children (mothers and fathers), allowing the
child to explore the world around them and being independent beings, for
example, pouring their own drinks and cleaning up the mess when it spills.
Communicating with the child is key to this development. I guess it’s about
treating them like mini-adults rather than children who can only absorb limited
speech and concepts.
My
favourite chapter is definitely number four as it offers practical suggestions
that everyone can introduce in some form or another. Kathi goes through the
different rooms in the house offering ideas to make things accessible to
children and, therefore, allows for independence. There are never expensive
suggestions and the author always comments that everything depends of space
confines.
The
‘further reading’ suggestions offer scope to learn more about aspects of
Montessori teaching and organisations to contact.
What
I love about this book is that I never felt like someone was preaching to me
and saying Montessori is the only ‘right’ way to raise children. For the
majority of the book I found that I already incorporate much of what Kathi
suggests into how we raise Jonny and Sophie, but there were suggestions that I
have taken on-board and will aspire (although this may take time) to do. If
anything, it has reminded me of what I aspire to do, as it can be tricky to
carry-out when time constraints are upon you and another sticky mess to clean
up may just push you over the edge. It is a healthy reminder to parents that
time spent with your child and the patience to let them learn (no matter how
frustrating this can be) is the key to well-rounded children. Surely all
parents can learn from this – our job is to ‘help the child to do it herself’
which includes everyday tasks.
A
really good read.
Great news! The lovely people at
Montessori are offering
Rhoda Reviews readers the chance to get their hands on their own copy of Learning Together. In fact we have
THREE to give away!
To enter simply complete the Rafflecopter entry form below. (If it doesn't appear at first try refreshing the page). UPDATE - Please make sure you leave the mandatory comment - I do check! Thanks
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck!!
Thank to Montessori for sending us a copy of Learning Together and for providing the prizes for this giveaway. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely our own.
