MONTESSORI EDUCATION
We
were led to Montessori education out of a desire for more
order
in our daily lives and for a greater
independence in our
children. It all started the year I was homeschooling two in high school, one in
3rd grade, and one in Kindergarten. A few months into the school year, all of a
sudden I had a 3 year-old who was reading, a 4 year-old who was determined to
keep up with his younger sister, and a 20 month-old who insisted that he could
do everything that everyone else could do (and he was usually right). After
having started the year teaching four children, I instantly had to accommodate
seven. Out of desperation I asked a former Montessori teacher to help me
get organized, the Montessori Way. What followed was my journey
From Creative
Chaos to Livable Learning. In the
process I found myself reading every book that was ever published on Montessori
education. What I wanted was the "big picture," something that would give me a
"snapshot" of the Montessori principles, techniques and materials. Not finding
what I wanted I had to create it for myself. Little by little, I am publishing
an online series of modules for materials plans and presentation summaries which
will allow a homeschooling family to incorporate the
elements of the Montessori Method with a minimal amount of
time, effort and money. For more information go to the
Montessori
Education pages.
CATHOLIC EDUCATION
One of the greatest benefits in homeschooling
your own children is that you learn so much, right along with them. I started homeschooling out of convenience - I didn't want to drive back and forth to town
three times (or more) a day to send my Kindergartener to the Catholic school
that my older boys were attending. My reasoning grew into a concern for morality
and values as my 8th grader and then my 10th grader came home to school. One of
the reasons I homeschool now, is to feed my passion to learn more about my own
Faith as I teach my children. I always thought I was a "good Catholic" until I
started homeschooling my own kids. Then I found out how very
little I knew about the Catholic Church and its teachings.
I have come to call those profound and unexpected
experiences in my Faith journey
Emmaus Moments. Recently, I had an opportunity to visit with an old friend
who left the Church fifteen years ago. She started asking
questions and I had the answers for her, because of the
Apologetics*
I have acquired while teaching my children. How exciting it
was to share the Truths of the Catholic Faith with her.
*Apologetics is the theological discipline of defending the
Faith.
I have seen too many Catholic homeschoolers
rely heavily on the Baltimore Catechism and then search no further. I believe
that Catholic education, at all ages, must include Catechism as well as History
of the Bible, History of the Church, and Apologetics. I believe a truly Catholic
curriculum should encompass the
The
Marks of Catholic Education, using
the Marks of the Catholic Church:
One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic, and it
naturally follows that we can create a
"Classical Catholic" model for
education that will enable every homeschooler to incorporate the
Catholic Faith into any school subject,
- LIVABLE LEARNING
- PO Box 347 Black Hawk SD
57718-0347
To be placed on our
contact list for catalogs or new releases please send your email and postal address to
jmjpublishing@yahoo.com
Donations are accepted *and needed* to make this website bigger and better.
We have many more files and features to add! Donations can be sent to the
address above or you can send a PayPal donation
directly to jmjpublishing@yahoo.com
FEBRUARY 2008:
At this time we have discontinued offering our homemade items for sale. We
are in a reevaluation and discerning process for the
Livable Learning estore. We will
update you as time goes on. We will still offer our Creative Chaos to Livable
Learning ebook and hope to get more ebooks and printable files in development at
some future time.
I do know that I am perpetually called to be a mom and that my heart is in
writing and teaching and in Montessori education, however my state in life at
this time is simply calling me to my six children still schooling at home, and
to my 15 daycare children whom I serve 7 days a week, from as early as 5am and
as late as 1am. I had to focus my energies on what brings income to my family.
This website has given inspiration and motivation to hundreds of thousands of
families and teachers but it has not provided a livable income for my family. I
do plan to further develop this site but I guess you're going to have to wait
for me to come out of exile (grin). Thanks to all of you for your support
and for your emails - I know there still is a divine purpose for this web site
and for Montessori education.
If you would like to be put on an email updates list so that you will know
when we make major changes to this website please place your request at
jmjpublishing@yahoo.com
PEACE AND ALL GOOD, Suzanne.
![[New!]](images/smallnew.gif){kind=small}