The Great Input Deficit

How the Communication Revolution is Teaching our Children to Remain Silent
By: Wendy Calise, Educational Director, Countryside Montessori School

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Communicate [Latin communicare – to share, impart, partake]. What do these wordshave in common? They involve giving or receiving, an exchange between people. The cornerstone of communication, that skill advanced to its highest form by the human race alone.

But, is it possible that amidst the most advanced technology for communication in the history of mankind – in a time when one man in Chad can communicate simultaneously with an unlimited number of people in an unlimited number of places in an inordinately short period of time – is it possible in the midst of this time that our children are becoming less adept at communicating?

Mentor Transcript: Primary (Role of the Child in Class Management)

Primary: Role of the Child in Class Management (November 10, 2009) ClassManagewChildren.pdf

Mentor Transcripts: AYM (Transitions)

Ask a Mentor chat transcript from November 5, 2009.
AYM: Transitions

Click here to download the pdf file:
Transitions.pdf

Mentor Transcript: Elementary (Literature, poetry, journals)

Elementary: Literature, poetry, journals (November 5, 2009) Lit-Poetry-Journals.pdf

Mentor Transcript: Primary (Engaging the Child)

Primary: Engaging the Child (November 3, 2009) EngagingChild.pdf

Mentor Transcript: Toddler

Toddler: (November 3, 2009) ToddlerSession.pdf

Mentor Transcript: Elementary (Literature )

Elementary: Literature (October 29, 2009) LiteratureCont.pdf

Mentor Transcripts: AYM (Baking)

AYM: Baking (October 29, 2009) Getting Started.rtf

Mentor Transcript: Primary (Attention/Repetition)

Primary: Attention/Repetition (October 27, 2009) Challenge of Today's Child.pdf

Mentor Transcript: Elementary (Literature )

Elementary: Literature (October 22, 2009) Literature 10_22.pdf

What is Montessori?

By: Wendy Calise, Educational Director, Countryside Montessori School 

Click here to download the pdf file: What is Montessori?

I have been asked many times over the course of my life "Just what is Montessori anyway? I mean, in a few words or less." Seldom have I found a situation more personally frustrating. What are the few words that define and describe Montessori? I surely have not found them. In fact after attending a Montessori school for 9 years, taking two years of graduate study to teach it, and performing the task of teacher for an additional 6 years I still do not fully comprehend and appreciate Montessori in its enormity and entirety.