practical life album live!

Please visit my new blog, practical life album. Practical life lesson features sequential photos of many of the practical life lessons that are the foundation of the Montessori 3-6 classroom. When possible, I will provide a summary of the lessons and materials and possibly some discussion of the aim of the lessons.

Secrecy

I saw the documentary Secrecy this spring at a film festival. The film chronicles the levels of government secrecy since the Cold War era. Is it surprising that "classified" is more popular in the Bush II government than any before it? Not really. The film really sheds light on the sad legal history of making public docs a big secret by digging into a recently unclassified 1950s court case that has justified the government need for secrecy.

One of the experts from the film discusses the differing mentalities between the Cold War Era and the Digital Age. He argues that openly sharing information about terrorism and terror suspects diminishes secrecy, but can ultimately improve safety because it means more eyes and minds are aware of a terror threats. His point is that more information, more widely available will result in more people who can make connections that can lead to apprehension of criminals.

In this new age of digital information, we global citizens have extreme freedom of information. The internet makes an overwhelming amount of data available. It also makes that data portable and accessible from almost anywhere. It is in that spirit that I am choosing to post photographs and descriptions of my Montessori training albums.

I'm planning to keep the album information limited to mostly pictures. For one, I want to honor the fact that most of my lessons are under copyright protection from my training program. For two, they say a picture is worth a thousand words. And I am wary of losing data from my hard disk, it will be nice to have a web backup.

Still, I have struggled with why I want to make these photographs public. Aren't these my private efforts at learning and creating self-awareness as a teacher? What benefit will these photos provide to a public sphere?

It's easy, I'm making these photographs publicly available to share with the world what it is I care about with passion. I want the world to see more Montessori guides, schools, children, parents. Why not allow the world a glimpse into my interpretation of the lessons of Dr. Montessori?

It turns out that life isn't a 3rd grade spelling test. There are no more teachers berating me to "cover my paper." There are no Soviet spies wanting to steal away my Montessori secrets. There is just you and me and the spirit of Montessori.

three year journey

Having a record of my thinking and self-development over the past three years is a beautiful and meaningful gift to myself.

I am a thinker at the core, and it's easy for me to get carried away by the progress of ideas. Seeing the development of my own ideas and confidence is incredible. It's so easy to forget how ideas change and grow. It's so easy to think that no arriving at a conclusion has required little effort.

Montessori Journey. Just typing that reminds me the power of these ideas.

The practice and promise of Montessori ignite me at the very core of my being. These ideas have introduced me to the concept of spirit in a way I didn't know was possible three years prior.

"Doing Montessori" has truly been a journey of self-discovery, as much as an exploration of methodology and a career.

I am humbled to live out the ideals of John Dewey, that life and experience are one, as the quote at the bottom of the blog explains. Three years ago, I made a decision based on my intellectual training to PRACTICE Montessori. I can look back now with great appreciate for the wisdom of the Dewey way, for my training as an undergraduate to value experience over mere inquiry.

Now, my internal critic is anxious to point out that this decision has led to no fame, no glory and (though more realistically attainable) no graduate level degrees.

However, this journey has awoken in my heart a truer understanding of what it means to give love. It has awoken in my heart and my head the meaning of spirit and the connection between my spirit and that which is divine and what connects us all on this planet. I have been inspired by the writing of Maria Montessori to seek out spirit and connection in my own life that three years ago seemed impossible.

So. Three years later. No fame, no fortune, no MBA/JD/M.Ed/ABD on a Ph.D.

"Just" an awakening of true self-awareness and a desire (and some tools) to deeply connect with the world.

I suppose I'll have to live with that. Good thing I'm interested in living joyfully these days. :)
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