Aid to Life Montessori Beyond the Classroom
Susan Mayclin Stephenson
ISBN: 978-1-879264-29-8
246 pages, 33 black and white pictures Chapters include:
Peru, A Montessori Class without Montessori Materials
A Montessori Q&A Newspaper Column
Nepal, Montessori for Forgotten Himalayan Children
Tibet, Braille without Borders
Tibetan Children’s Villages
Montessori Teachers with the Dalai Lama in Sikkim
Russia, Montessori Help for Severe Disabilities
Morocco, An Orphanage, Village Schools, and a Garden
Thailand, Educateurs san Frontières (EsF)
Montessori at Home, 0-6
Montessori at Home, 6-18
A Grandparenting Literary Experience
Visiting a Montessori 3-6 class in London
In "Aid to Life, Montessori Beyond the Classroom," the author shares stories based on fifty years of Montessori work in thirty countries, first as a teacher of children from 2-18 in Montessori environments, then discovering ways to use Montessori principles in a variety of other situations—all aimed at inspiring, and providing practical ideas, to parents and other educators today. Here are some examples of her stories: |
Susan is a living inspiration, her life experience, her wisdom and her loving kindness, which she easily transmits to everyone in her talks and books. The whole book is a jewel, full of wisdom and practical advice. The chapters on self-esteem for children, and how to use the Montessori ideas at home, and parents modeling, are truly beautiful and useful, not only for parents, but also for anyone interested in human development, and in fostering respect and care for nature, and understanding and compassion toward others.
—Juan Sebastián Hoyos, Deputy Head, Gimnasio Moderno, Bogota, Colombia. A school inspired by the founder’s friendship with Maria Montessori and her son Mario.
This is a wonderful book about Montessori and how it's being used in many countries, from Peru to Morocco, Nepal and beyond. I have told several people that they absolutely should read it.
—Victoria Barrès,
AMI representative to UNESCO,
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(Paris, France)
As a politician concerned about education as the main pillar for a future better world, I have found what I was looking for in the Montessori philosophy. I have read all of the author’s books and articles and have found inspiration both as a father and politician. This book meets the needs of parents. It answers so many questions and we will translate it into Romanian.
—Catalin Ivan, Former Member of the European Parliament,
The Committee for Education
It is difficult to raise the child in fast changing and overloaded with information world of ours. This book will change your life and your child’s life. Susan always finds the way to explain complex yet essential understandings of human life—the importance of unconditional love, service, intelligence, and true joy—in such a simple yet glorious way. This book explains the unlimited possibilities that Montessori philosophy offers to humankind. Thank you for bringing this precious book to the world and helping many to find and maintain simple joy and meaning in our lives.
—Tsolmon Namkhainyam, Mother, Environmental Scientist, Head of the AMI Montessori Affiliate in Mongolia |
THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
Preparing a group of elementary Montessori students, age 6-12, to run the class on their own, by learning to manage their time and accomplish their goals independently.
PERU
Learning how to teach "Montessori" in a private, traditional girls school. Discovering the essence of Montessori as there were no Montessori materials available then sharing these practices with the other teachers.
NEWSPAPER COLUMN Q AND A
Applying Montessori in everyday situations by means of a Q and A newspaper column (twenty topics including Self-Esteem, Preparing the Montessori Environment Before Birth, Pacifiers and Swaddling, Weaning, Adults Modeling Behavior for Children, Stress and Children, How Your Child is Intelligent, Television! Passive Observation of Life, Teenage Trouble, Teaching Children to Manage Their Time, Homeschooling a la Montessori)
NEPAL
Living with the students, attending the traditional classes, preschool through 10th grade, then applying Montessori principles to improve the education of poor village children in a boarding school in Kathmandu
TIBET
Visiting a school for
blind children in Tibet, delivering the Montessori teacher training manual brought from the Tibetan Children's Village in India. A simple act that inspired a Montessori-type school for blind children in Lhasa.
SIKKIM
Meeting with five other Montessori teachers, doctors, philosophers, educators, scientists, and the Dalai Lama in Sikkim to solve the country’s educational problems.
RUSSIA
Visiting a parent-created center in St. Petersburg where Montessori lessons help severely disabled children and young adults in Russia
MOROCCO
Initiating a “first Year Montessori project” in an orphanage, helping develop a simple plan using Montessori principles for poor village schools throughout the country. . . |
. . . lecturing on physics, botany, zoology, geography, history, art, and music for the first Montessori 3-6 training course in Morocco.
MOROCCO - PRIMARY, AGE 3-6, TEACHER COURSE LECTURES
THAILAND
Susan shares two stories from a meeting of Educateurs sans Frontières in Thailand: Montessori help for mothers of babies born in prison in the UK, and for elders living with dementia, a program begun in Australia and spreading around the world
A GRANDPARENT LITERARY EXPERIENCE
Enjoy the chapter describing the author and her husband reliving the book “Eloise in Paris.” over a week-end in a hotel during a Montessori conference, with their young granddaughter. The story is dictated by the four-year-old, and it is often used in Montessori teacher-training courses when learning about language expression.
MONTESSORI IN THE HOME
Near the end of the book the author shares some of the solutions based on consultations with schools—and conversations with parents today—due caused by the unique situation of remote learning due to the pandemic.
AT HOME, Age 0-6
Susan gives suggestions on handling frustration and tempers, the value of clear limited setting, and welcoming the child into the daily work and activities of the family. Also shared is an understanding of the value of protecting concentration, providing opportunities for children to be helpful and feel needed, and how to share the family ethics, morals, and even religions, in age-appropriate ways.
AT HOME, Age 6-18
She explains the Montessori concepts of cosmic education and beginning the search for one’s cosmic task—a goal of meeting one's own needs while contributing to the the whole—that is so important at this age. She discusses homeschooling, the reasons and variety of methods, and her own experience of guiding her son’s self-chosen twelve years of homeschooling without materials or grades, but following interests, and learning to manage time, set and meet goals, and care for others.
VISITING A MONTESSORI CLASS IN LONDON and
A day-long observation of an authentic 3-6 Montessori class. This chapter has been shared by Montessori teachers around the world.
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
The author explains how a Montessori education is completely different for birth-3, 3-6, 6-12, and 12-18. Learning is based on the needs and tendencies of human beings at different ages and planes, or stages of development. As a result education becomes a joy. There are practical examples for parents and teachers. |
These books speak to anyone wanting to understand Montessori. They are based on the author's fifty years of experience as a Montessori teacher and administrator, speaker, school consultant, and examiner for Montessori teacher training courses. Some have been translated in other languages, the English versions are available from Montessori book suppliers and online.
QUOTING BOOKS
Permission is granted to quote up to 500 words at any one time—on websites or school newsletters or social media—from any of these books, as long as a link back to the book is provided.
AUTHOR'S WEBSITE, Montessori work over the years, art and international blog, SUSAN
MICHAEL OLAF Montessori information MICHAEL OLAF
MICHAEL OLAF Montessori shop BOOKS & MATERIAL
Updated on May 1, 2022 |
Newsletters announcing books
#13 Book, Child of the World: Montessori, Global Education for Age 3-12+, March 2013
#14 Book, The Joyful Child: Montessori, Global Wisdom for Birth to Three, July 2013
#15 Book, The Universal Child, October 2013
#21 Book, No Checkmate, Montessori Chess Lessons for Age 3-90+ May 2016
#23 Book, Montessori and Mindfulness, November 2017
#25 Book, The Red Corolla, Montessori Cosmic Education (preparation in the 3-6 class), June 2019
#26 Book, Montessori Homeschooling, One Family's Story , August 2020
#27 Book, Aid to Life, Montessori Beyond the Classroom, March 2021
#28 Book, Please Help Me Do It Myself, Observation and Recordkeeping for the Montessori Primary and Elementary Class, May 2022
Other Newsletters of interest
#2 Montessori Art, Jan 2010
#3 Montessori Cultural Geography, May 2010
#4 Montessori Parenting/Teaching, Aug 2010
#5 Montessori Home Environment, Nov 2010
#6 Montessori in Sikkim, Jan 2011
#7 Montessori Math, Apr 2011
#8 All 2009-2011 Newsletters, May 2011
#9 Montessori Grace and Courtesy, Aug 2011
#10 Montessori Biology, May 2012
#11 Practical Life, Real Life, Aug 2012
#12 Happy Children for the Holidays, Dec 2012
#16 Montessori Language, Apr 2014
#17 Swaddling, Caring for Others, Authentic Montessori. Nov 2014
#18 Concentration, Where the Magic Happens!, May 2015
#19 Michael Olaf Montessori Company, Nov 2015
#20 Cosmic Education, Feb 2016
#22 The Music Environment July 2016 |
