Montessori Institute of America
3410 S. 272nd St
Kent, Washington 98032
Phone: 253-859-2262
Fax: 253-859-1737
Email: mia@montessoriplus.org
MIA
Visi ns
MIA Conference Perspectives
from Attendees
What Can We Say?
By Carol Codd
After attending the first night of
the MIA annual conference, I left with
that sinking feeling that all words I
have used, use now, or will use in the
future are not the “right ones!” (I had
already been struggling with this
particular dilemma while working on
my panel discussion for the confer-
ence dealing with rewards and
punishments and their effects on
one’s learning paths.)
After listening to dynamic and
passionate Alfie Kohn, I felt—initially
-–that I was a terrible teacher! But as I
listened more, I realized that I was
evolving as a person, and my teach-
ing skills were evolving as well. As a
first year Montessori teacher, I am
always looking to improve the skills
that work with the children, and
change or remove the ones that do
not work. I try to let the children be
the guide, but sometimes this
approach is lost in the overall climate
in a Changing World
of the classroom setting.
Mr. Kohn was not criticizing –he
was challenging us to use positive,
critical thinking. By doing that, we
will know what we “can say.” I do not
think it is something we just “know’
how to do. It is knowledge that is
gained through development of
self, a system of checks and balances,
and the guidance of our Montessori
backgrounds, and our commitment
to our children.
Carol took the MTP of WA course in
Kent, WA, and her internship in West
Seattle. She is now pursuing the 6-9
certificate in Seattle, and is a new
member of the MIA Board.
What I Gained From
the Conference
By Michael Tarnowski
Sharlet McClurkin posed a
question: “Do we still use behavior
modification in the classroom?” The
Continued page 3
Summer, 2003
MIA ANNUAL
CONFERENCE
HELD MAY
16-17
The annual MIA conference was
held May 16-17 at Shoreline Confer-
ence Center in Shoreline, WA, Friday
evening and Saturday. Nearly 400
people attended the lectures by Alfie
Kohn Friday evening. Approximately
120 Montessorians attended the
Saturday conference, and 250 partici-
pants from The Heritage Institute.
The date and place set by the MIA
Board for the next conference is
Hilton Head, S.C. in October, 2005.
The MIA Board thanks all partici-
pants for their help in making the
conference a success!
Inside
From the Editor.......................... 2
MIA Annual Conference
Perspectives ........................3-7
The Meaning of Montessori ...... 8
MIA Board Members ............... 10
 From the Editor, Sharlet J. McClurkin

The June 11, 2003, EDUCATION WEEK newspaper re- successful with our children at Montessori Plus School.
ported that full-day kindergarten boosts reading achieve- Rarely is there a child who leaves us for first grade who is not
ments in 5-year-olds. (For a copy of the report, go online to reading. Parents and educators in the public schools are
http://nces.ed.gov/) surprised and impressed with the learning skills, level of
It is interesting to me to remember the views of many ability and maturity of our “graduating” children. Children we
early childhood educators when I first became a Montessori have viewed as the usual Montessori child are often placed
teacher thirty years ago. At that time, it was thought to be into gifted programs.
inappropriate for 5-year-olds to be in “school” all day. If they It is also fascinating to see the older children eagerly
were in child care, that was acceptable, but not in a learning choosing academic work in the morning class. The younger
environment. Those of us who were Montessori teachers children watch them and admire the work they do. Soon
and parents of children in the 2-1/2 to 6 age range knew they, also, will be ready for the upper third of the materials.
that our own “older” children ben- Teachers do not have to say,“Please
efited greatly from staying in class all choose challenging work,” or some
day. They were reading at 4-1/2 years other onerous phrase that demeans
and loved to stay in the afternoon children’s choice-making and the very
class to continue their work. work itself. L ast year it was fascinating
The Association Montessori to see my 4.75 year old grandson
Internationale coined the term, laying out the birds-eye view of the
“extended day,” to describe the decimal system (and putting it away)
afternoon class for 4- 1/2 to 5 year four days in a row!
olds who stay and primarily work with Now that a federally-funded, long-
the academic materials. The foresight term study offers evidence that full-
of AMI in the Montessori movement day kindergarten gives children a
set the pace for other organizations to Riley Mc Clurkin (age 4.75) laying out the head start, we must examine the kind
consider this plan for the older “bird’s eye view” of the decimal system of all-day learning that our children
children. are doing. In this study with more than 17,000 children, it
In the last twenty-five years, the majority of Montessori was found that
schools I have visited in the U.S. have “extended” their hours • Early exposure to books and literacy lessons can boost
to provide child care as well as school for children. Unfortu- reading achievement for most students. Most children tend
nately, many schools that I visit do not provide an afternoon to master basic reading by the time they leave 1st grade, and
class for the older children. Instead, the children may be nearly all of them know letters and letter sounds; some can
given a one-hour class after nap time, and then extended recognize some words
outdoor play or block and art time. • Children who attended full-day kindergarten had the
In a majority of the classrooms I observe, it is unusual to ability to demonstrate greater reading knowledge and skill
see the 4-1/2 to 5 year olds dedicated to the upper third of than their peers in half-day programs did.
the materials. In their social stage, they often are drawing • The study was conducted by the National Center for
and socializing, playing with blocks or other non-Montessori Education Statistics and was conducted on kindergarten
materials in the afternoon class. children in the class of 1998-99. More information from
This child care plan is not to be equated with “extended these children who are now in 3rd grade is expected to be
day” in which older children continue working with their released later this year.
math, language and cultural materials from the morning According to Lesley Mandel Morrow, a professor of
session. Without the distraction of the younger children, the education at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ, and
4-1/2 ‘s and 5’s soon learn to go straight to their “big” work. the president of the International Reading Association
Larger and more advanced art or cooking projects are states,“This gives us some more data that proves to us that
available, but the majority of art and practical life is “off what happens to kids (when they’re) young is critical in their
limits.” Blocks, art and other “play” is available to all-day success later on…But I would argue that it happens
children after class ends at 3 p.m. younger than this.” She continues,“We need to start in
Throughout the years this plan has been extremely preschool…By kindergarten, it’s almost too late.”

2

MIA Conference Perspectives
(continued from page 1)
question stayed with me during the
research of observing classroom
behavior from early February into
May, and throughout the conference.
I left the conference with a clearer
understanding and stronger convic-
tion that: yes, we do use behavior
modification and should continue to
do so. We should do so in a qualita-
tive sense of understanding that
behavior modification is simply
dealing with habitual patterns of
behavior, which are the results of
previous mental structures.
I left the conference with the
conviction that behavior modifica-
tion is essential to the adult in the
classroom. The adult who, for ex-
ample uses the constant phrase of
saying “good job” to a child, the adult
who incessantly states to a child that
“you need to go find a job”, the adult
who withdraws love from a child and
ostracizes children, the adult who
habitually utilizes means of control
over children and for whom any of
REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS:
“…such prizes and punish-
ments are…the instrument of
slavery for the spirit…The prize
and the punishment are incen-
tives toward unnatural or
forced effort, and therefore we
can never speak of the natural
development of the child in
connection with them.
“The Montessori Method” pg. 21
the “Roadblocks to Learning” are a
part and parcel of her/his speech and
behavior in the classroom. That is
where behavior modification is
essential.
The adult mind requires constant
retraining and rethinking so that
there is a true sense of humility,
detachment and constructive guid-
ance. Adult patterns of control and
manipulation to get an immediate
response are areas where the adult in
the classroom can and should utilize
behavior modification. By restructur-
ing our own attitudes and thought
processes through sublimation and
replacing negative patterns with
positive ones we are indeed creating
new habits. That is the sense I left the
conference with.
It did my heart good to be
present at a conference with so many
persons dedicated to the principles
of assisting children in the
Montessori fashion. It was obvious
that Sharlet and Don McClurkin and
others spent many, many hours of
preparation over a period of months.
Hearing all of the speakers,
chosen by Sharlet and the MIA Board,
their concern, humility and gratitude
left me with the sense of knowing
that the commitment to “following
the child” and the great experiment
initiated by Dr. Montessori is alive and
well. When Julia Pane and Cathie
Bernstein of Caritas Training Center
spoke about the Brooklyn School, it
was (to me) as if time stopped, for
3
them to convey the message of the
work being done at that school. It
was a message that spoke of the
value of true cooperation, on the part
of many people, including the work
by Sharlet and Don and MIA as a
training facility. “Caritas” is aptly
named and both speakers represent
the epitome of that term.
Sharlet’s calm and pervasive
ENVIRONMENT AND
BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION:
“It can modify in that it can
help or hinder, but it can never
create…The origins of the
development both in species
and in the individual, lie
within.
“The Montessori Method” pg. 105
demeanor was very beneficial to the
whole conference, including her
introduction to Saturday’s speech by
Alfie Kohn. I thought it was ingenious
that Sharlet asked Dr. Patricia Feltin
and Dr. Page Carter to be the “silent
observers” during the entire confer-
ence, (i.e. the Montessori portion and
the Alfie Kohn lecture) so they might
offer the summary statements. Those
summary statements were indeed
profound and calming.
While Alfie Kohn’s remarkable
research has led him to seemingly
almost only give examples of what
not to say to children, I also heard
within his message what should be
given in the classroom. He men-
tioned Paulo Frieire as an example of
how to dialogue with children. Frieire
recommends what he calls the
“Dialogical Method” of teaching for
children from the pre-logical age
through university. Kohn showed an
example of that type of dialoguing
through videotape of a classroom in
action. In that video, the teacher is
Continued page 4
MIA Conference Perspectives Thoughts on the MIA
(continued from page 3) Conference
facilitating with the children what By Paula Ilami
tion) I ask, what is the source of that
subject matter they might study in I recently returned from the MIA
love and that motivation?
the classroom as the next unit. Conference in Seattle. The conference
As I read and re-read Dr.
Alfie Kohn also agreed that the was held in collaboration with the
Montessori’s work I am reminded
work of Dr. Thomas Gordon’s “Parent Heritage Institute, an organization
over and over that the source is
Effectiveness Training” was a good that provides educational courses for
spiritual. The great experiment of Dr.
example of what should be present in public school teachers. The keynote
Montessori as she introduced it to the
the classroom. Both the works of Dr. speaker, Alfie Kohn, had much to say
world, as she stood on the speech
Gordon and Pablo Frieire are part of that provoked his audience. Mr. Kohn
platform at the opening ceremony of
criticized many educational programs
the “Casa de Bambini” and as she read
concerning their use of “packaged”
from the scriptures the words of the
THE SPIRITUAL TRAINING OF discipline programs that focus on
Epiphany, told more about her inner
THE TEACHER: “The real motivation than any intellectual
“handling” or “training” children.
preparation for education is a These programs only offer ways to
discourse could. When she looked at
study of one’s self. The training the children and said,“Who are you, out smart the children, according to
of the teacher who is to help Mr. Kohn, as well as methods for
who are you…” and implied through
life is something far more than her own soul searching that if you are
a learning of ideas. It includes the children of the Lord ‘I will follow INNER MOTIVATION:
the training of character; it is a you’. In that alone, she presented the “Children use the environ-
preparation of the spirit.” source of that so called unconditional
ment to improve themselves;
love and inner motivation. That
The Absorbent Mind, pg. 120
platform set the stage for the long
adults use themselves to
enduring and continuing experiment improve the environment.
the reading list we have from our MIA carried on by all Montessorians. Children work for the sake of
training. Mr. Kohn’s message is to stop process: adults work to
Mr. Kohn also stressed the impor- being a controlling adult. It includes achieve an end result….The
tance of “unconditional love” for dialoguing with children as Paulo adult must follow a law of
children in the classroom as well as at Freire presents it. We may also exerting minimum effort to
home. His other recommendation include the great findings of neuro- attain maximum productivity.
was that we work toward assisting biologists such as Dr. Lise Eliot and Dr.
the method of inner motivation in
He will look both for gain and
Derek Bickerton to assist us in the
students. Rewards and punishments classroom; it is still the message assistance. The child seeks no
are, in Kohn’s opinion, part and parcel underlying the motive, which is of assistance in his work. He
of the same side of the coin. External singular importance. If we attempt to must accomplish it himself.
motivation is the result of rewards stand in the light of what Dr. Montessori, a Modern
and punishments and pales in Montessori discovered, the source is Approach, Polk Lillard, pg. 38
comparison to the lasting and spiritual, and that it comes down to
propitious effects of inner motivation. serving God. Then, perhaps, the
There is something about simplis- continued experiment in our own
tically telling people about uncondi- establishing consequences that
classrooms will stay on track.
tional love and inner motivation, ensure mindless compliance and
Michael took his academic course
which seems to fall flat. If one were to through MTP of WA in Kent and his control. Does such an environment,
write the words “unconditional love” he asks, really promote meaningful
internship in his and his wife’s school in
and inner motivation” on a chalk- learning?
Forest Grove, OR. He is the author of the
board 100 times, what would you Kohn’s alternative is to make the
new booklet, FARM CAMP.
have? The words, written 100 times, classroom a community where
that is all.To those two statements, students feel valued and respected,
(unconditional love and inner motiva- Continued page 5

4

MIA Conference Perspectives
(continued from page 4)
where care, trust and respect have
taken the place of restrictions and
threats. Alfie Kohn challenged tradi-
tional classrooms by suggesting that
the adult’s first question should not
be “ How can we make them do what
we want ?“ but rather “What do they
require in order to flourish, and how
ENGAGING THE CHILD IN THE
CLASSROOM: “…too much
novelty or incongruity, the
child will feel overwhelmed,
too little, he is bored. Finding
the problem of the match
was done by Montessori in
giving freedom of choice
from a wide variety of mate-
rials, graded in difficulty and
complexity.”
Montessori, a Modern
Approach, Polk Lillard, pg. 22
can we provide those things?”
At this point his lecture sounded
very similar to “preparing the environ- Montessori classrooms around the
ment” so that the child can be suc-
cessful. (As we know, preparing the
environment is nothing new to
Montessori trained guides.) Time
Magazine recently described Mr.
Kohn as “perhaps the country’s most
outspoken critic of education’s
fixation on grades (and) test scores.” I
wonder if the editors of Time have
ever spoken to anyone in the
Montessori community on this topic?
I think they would be surprised to
learn how long we have been fight-
ing these injustices to children! º
I found Mr. Kohn to be an excellent and Punishments
speaker. His lectures were packed
with stories from real classrooms
around the country. He was humor-
ous and thought provoking. He left
me wondering, however, if he had
ever read one of Dr. Montessori’s
books. She, too, had strong views
concerning the harm of rewards and
punishments. Dr. Montessori stated
that prizes and punishment are “the
bench of the soul, the instrument of
slavery for the spirit.” Continuing in
the same thought, she said prizes and
punishments do not lessen the child’s
deformities but tend to provoke
them. Prizes and punishments are
incentives toward unnatural or forced
effort, and, therefore, we certainly
cannot speak of natural development
of the child in connection with them.
She used an analogy to make her
point: “The jockey offers a piece of
sugar to his horse before jumping
into the saddle, the coachman beats
his horse that he may respond to the
signs given by the rein and, yet,
neither of these runs so superbly as
the horse of the plains.Ӽ
Mr. Kohn’s concepts are not new to
Montessori teachers. In fact, we will
soon celebrate the centennial of her
ideas, as well the 100th birthday of
world. It is good to be reminded
again that we can help children reach
toward real liberty and independence
in our classrooms.º
Paula is currently a trainer for
Montessori Teacher Preparation of the
Southeast in Hilton Head, GA.
Reflections on My
Research Re: Rewards
By Carol Codd
When I was first asked to partici-
pate on the panel discussion at the
5
2003 annual MIA conference, I was
filled with both joy and apprehen-
sion. As I started the process, I real-
ized that it was joy, apprehension,
and a whole lot more! Documenting
dialogue between adults-teachers,
assistants, parents-and children in
Montessori classrooms was interest-
ing and revealing, but what was more
revealing was my reaction to what I
heard, recorded, and ultimately
transferred to my own teaching style.
When considering the twelve road-
blocks to learning-either positive or
negative-in context of any given
situation, I found myself compelled to
analyze many of my personal teach-
ing skills and styles.
At first I thought my observations
of adult’s interactions with children
within a Montessori school setting
would be more positive than nega-
tive. I was very surprised! In general,
my observations showed a very
controlling and directing pattern. I
THE SPIRITUAL TRAINING OF
THE TEACHER: “The real
preparation for education is a
study of one’s self. The train-
ing of the teacher who is to
help life is something far more
than a learning of ideas. It
includes the training of char-
acter; it is a preparation of the
spirit.”
The Absorbent Mind, pg. 120
included my own comments and
actions as part of my observations
and findings. I realized that I needed
to re-evaluate my teaching and my
communication styles. This is not to
say that everything I (and others) am
doing is “not as Montessori-like as it
should be.” I feel that as educators
and mentors, we try to do our very
best each and every day. We do,
Continued page 7

MIA Conference Perspectives
(continued from page 5)
however, tend to fall back on what we
ourselves were taught, often failing to
push ourselves to the next level of
personal and professional develop-
ment.
It is hard at look at ourselves as
less than excellent in our role as
educators to such precious individu-
als, the children we guide and teach.
Having said that, I think being able to
admit that we all have areas that
need re-evaluation, we are on a life-
long path of growth and change.
Re-evaluate: “It’s not what you say
but how you say it.”
A possible alternative: “What you
say is really what you are saying.”
What do we really want and mean
to say? How will it be perceived and
what are the effects on others and
our selves? Overall, I feel the results of
my research were instrumental in not
only making me a more aware and
ultimately better teacher, but also a
more caring and effective person.
A Few Concluding
Thoughts about the
MIA National
Conference
By Dr. Page Carter
To some degree, this year’s confer-
ence provided us with a view of many
of the problems that education faces
today. Alfie Kohn provided us a
picture of the problems that result
from the use of many traditional
methods and how the more we
attempt to control students, the less
control we have. Cathie Bernstein and
Julia Pane from the Caritas Training
Center in Brooklyn, New York, did an
outstanding job of making us aware
of the challenges we are already
beginning to experience from the
application of inane performance
standards. The overall objective of the
conference was to bring to us aware-
ness and understanding of methods
that can better help us in the educa-
tion the whole child.
One point I would like to interject
here is that I find it interesting that
the conference’s first presenter was
INNER MOTIVATION AND THE
FUNDAMENTAL LESSON:
“The child not only needs
something interesting to do,
but also likes to be shown
exactly how to do it. Precision
is found to attract him deeply,
and this it is that keeps him at
work. From this we must infer
that his attraction toward
these manipulative tasks has
an unconscious aim. The child
has an instinct to coordinate
his movements and to bring
them under control.
The Absorbent Mind, pg. 72
Michael Tarnowski, and the final
presenter was me, and except for
Alfie Kohn we were the only men on
the program. This was, of course,
reflective of the fact that there were
only about a half dozen men regis-
tered for the conference. I would
suggest that having too few men
involved in teaching is just as big a
problem as having too few women
teachers. We should be doing more to
attract men into becoming
Montessori teachers and into teach-
ing overall.
6
This is the fifth national MIA
conference that I have attended but
only the second where I have partici-
pated in the visitations to local
schools. The result of this experience
has led me to the conclusion that this
is one of the most valuable parts of
the conference. I am sure I will
always attend that part of the pro-
gram in the future and highly recom-
mend that every participant take
advantage of that offering at future
conferences.
I was particularly impressed with
the visit to the Eton School in
Redmond. Dr. Patricia Feltin, the
director, along with the faculty, staff,
and students, has created a remark-
able school. For the past two years I
have spent most of my time working
with students in public middle
schools and high schools. In our visit
to Eton School we were able to
observe third and fourth grade
students doing mathematics and
science course material comparable
to the work of the high school
students I have been working with.
While observing these children at the
Eaton School, I wasn’t sure whether I
should be inspired or depressed. We
concluded our tour at Eton School
with a visit to a sixth grade class
where we interrupted a lively discus-
sion among the students and their
teacher. The really remarkable thing
about the discussion was that it was
being conducted entirely in Latin.
When one realizes that the average
tuition being charged students at the
Eton School is comparable to the
amount spent per student by the
public schools, it doesn’t take much
to understand why public schools
appear so threatened by charter
schools.
I am sure that what most people
will remember about this year’ s
conference will be the presentations
by Alfie Kohn. In talking to quite a few
of the conference attendees, I was
struck by the reservations many of
them had regarding his presentations
Continued page 7
MIA Conference Perspectives MIA CONFERENCE
(continued from page 6)
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7
The Meaning of Montessori
HOW MONTESSORI HAS
CHANGED ME
By Elaine Pruett
Zapopan, JAL, Mexico
Probably the biggest influence
Montessori training has had on my
life is in the area of my children. I now
have a much more observant eye
when looking for educational choices
for my three boys. This year I have had
the opportunity to teach in a tradi-
tional school that has incorporated a
time for the children to experience a
Montessori environment for three
one-hour sessions each week. This
opportunity has allowed me to
observe first-hand the differences
between the two systems.
The most dynamic difference is in
the area of discipline. Trinkets, special
events, and prizes are the usual
motivating force for good behavior or
even learning in traditional educa-
tion. There are several reasons for
this, in my opinion:
1) Classroom size hinders children
from freedom to move and explore.
Their personal space is extremely
limited and presents obstacles from
working without interruptions
causing problems socially between
classmates and focused concentra-
tion in their work.
2) Inactivity between scheduled
activities waiting for others to finish
or clean up causes boredom. This
boredom then leads to behavior
problems.
3) Repetition of activity does not
occur because of the scheduling of so
many different activities and events
during the day. This hinders any
development of calmness that could
be accomplished when the brain is
satisfied with a successful cycle of
activity.
Because of these three major
reasons, behavior modification
becomes a necessary tool to maintain MY PERSONAL VIEW OF
control of the traditional classroom. MONTESSORI
With the Montessori training I have By Karin Haworth
received and the experience that I Elk, WA
now have, the main thing I look for in When my three children were
schools for my children has changed. I born, growing and developing, we
now look for a school that encour- lived with wood heat and wholesome
ages the child to educate himself in a foods. Home schooling was wonder-
peaceful environment that supplies ful yet challenging as anything in the
the child with a motivation from natural world is. Now that I know of
within himself. That can best be Montessori, I am convinced that
accomplished in a well prepared natural education is more than old
Montessori environment. fashioned. It is sacred and holy. It is
Elaine took the MTP of WA course more than a privilege. It is the inher-
and internship in Kent, WA, and now ent right presented on a silver platter
teaches English and modified intended for all.
Montessori in classrooms in Mexico My life with children is more
where she and her family are mission- complete having experienced the
aries. grace, beauty and logic of Maria
Montessori’s philosophy and teach-
MONTESSORI TRAINING HAS ing method. She so kindly passed on
TRANSFORMED ME to all who choose to accept. I am
By Ayfen Haryono grateful to be one to choose accep-
Kent, WA tance of her gift. I understand her
Montessori training has meant so reference to becoming a ‘priestess’
much to me. (Spontaneous Activity in Education;
First, it led me to a teaching world 1972, page 140) and the honor of that
that I love. Teaching with the realization. Yet I must say my training
Montessori method has given me will never end. Each day I seek guid-
more confidence to teach children up ance so that I may learn from the
to their optimum ability. I have children what it is they need from me.
observed 4- year-old children who I want to be that perfectly unique
are able to read simple words. Some individual teacher so the children I
of them are also very good in math. I work with are free to grow and
have realized that every single child develop as the unique individuals
has to be encouraged according to they truly are. I am honored to receive
his/her ability and interests. a child’s honest smile for that honesty
Second, I now believe that I can assures me of my direction.
help children by using the Montessori Karin took the MTP of Spokane
method. I can be a useful learning course and has begun her own school
tool for children. near Spokane, WA.
Third, I have been transformed to
become more patient and calm with MONTESSORI SHOWED ME
the children. THE CHILD!
Ayfen took the MTP of WA course By Stephanie Kidman
and internship in Kent, WA. She is from Tulsa, OK
Indonesia and now plans to take the 6- By taking the Montessori training I
9 course in Seattle. have increased understanding,
8
The Meaning of Montessori
(continued from page 8)
enlightenment and opportunity in
my life. My understanding of self,
including increased self-acceptance,
has occurred. I have also gained
increased enlightenment concerning
human nature, especially that of the
child. I enjoy sharing this new under-
standing and enlightenment with
others.
By teaching me that it is O.K. to
make mistakes and that there is
actually a purpose in making mis-
takes, Dr. Montessori philosophy has
increased my acceptance of myself.
My two favorite quotes are from “The
Absorbent Mind, “I am not perfect. I
am not omnipotent…I can make
mistakes and correct myself, thus
finding my way.” (p.249). “So it is well
to cultivate a friendly feeling toward
error, to treat it as a companion
inseparable from our lives. As some-
thing having a purpose, which it truly
has (p.246).
By shedding light on the child’s
nature, Montessori has helped me to
understand the child and to confirm
some aspects of his nature that I had
already suspected. So many people
see a child’s curiosity and busyness as
rebellion and hyperactivity, when
really he is following his natural
instincts to explore which thus brings
about his own development. When
an adult impedes these instincts a
conflict naturally occurs. “…a child’s
tantrums and rebellions are nothing
more than the aspects of a vital
conflict between his creative im-
pulses and his love for an adult who
fails to understand his needs… “ (The
Secret of Childhood). This under-
standing can change the way we
treat our children and help others
understand and thus foster proper
treatment and development of the
child.
Having absorbed so much in the
training concerning the child’s up; rather, it is the resulting order and
nature and how he develops, I have clarity of the mind which will lead the
been able to share this with others child to the power of logical reasoned
and thus help bring about one more thought which will ultimately de-
aspect of the child’s total health. (Onevelop into the power to make judg-
of my purposes in life is to help fosterments – a skill which will remain with
the integral health of the child.) As a the child throughout his life.
missionary and an educator, the The training has given me an
training has giving me not only exciting hands-on learning for
increased knowledge and enlighten- children. It has given the best alterna-
ment but also the platform on which tive way of presenting the material or
to stand while sharing this knowl- lesson to children. The training has
edge and enlightenment with others. taught me to be calm, gentle, and
It was a worthwhile investment of have a rhythmic approach to life. It
time, finances and effort and I am has enhances grace, style and preci-
grateful that I had this opportunity. sion on each lesson I presented. The
Stephanie took the MTP of WA training has helped me to function as
course and internship in Seattle and a designer of the environment,
Tulsa, OK. As a fluent Spanish speaker, resource person, role model, demon-
she has provided missionary services in strator, record-keeper, and meticulous
many Latin American countries. She is observer of each child’s behavior and
married to a physician and is a new growth.
mother of a baby girl. The “whole child approach” helps
each child to reach his full potential
MONTESSORI & MY in all areas of life. I remember that the
SELF-ESTEEM training has taught me to – “Respect
By Raquel Gina Repique Baumbach for child’s individuality is the core of
Lancaster, PA Montessori’s philosophy.” The training
Dr. Maria Montessori defined has helped me to see that the chil-
education as self-development in a dren should be respected, and there
prepared environment. She became is respect for the environment as well.
aware that abstract concepts related The training has help me understand
to the qualities of objects, as under- that the children are free to work at
stood by the child, could serve as keys their own pace with materials they
for him in his exploration of the have chosen, either alone or with
environment. The materials she others. The children are problem-
designed she called “materialized solvers themselves who can make
abstractions” through which the child choices and manage their time well.
could arrive at clear impressions of The training has meant to me to have
these abstract concepts by using his a positive sense of self-esteem.
natural form of learning: sensorial Raquel took the MTP of the U.S. in
exploration allied to manipulation. the Philippines, training in Quezon City,
Having a clear idea of these Philippines, in September, 2002, and her
abstractions will then enable the internship there. She completed her
child to explore this environment at a competency exam in Kent, WA, and is
more and more refined level. It is not currently teaching in Lancaster, PA.
simply the process of finer and finer
perceptions that is important to build
9
 MIA
Board of Directors
2003-04
President
Christine Brasier
Brasier8566@msn.com

Vice President & Treasurer

Paula Ilami
Ebisgirl@aol.com

Secretary
Kris Goodman
kgoodman@nwlink.com

Educational Director &

Ex-officio Board member
Hope Caprye-Boos
Cboos48410@aol.com

MACTE Representative &

Conference Committee MIA Board, 2003-2004: Front row, left to right, Paula Ilami, Kris Goodman, Normi Son,
Paula Ilami Heidi Tessier. Second row, left to right: Chang Sook Moon Kim, Sharlet McClurkin, Carol
Ebisgirl@aol.com Codd, Rhonda Gear, Christine Brasier.

Newsletter & Ex-officio Board

Member
Sharlet McClurkin
mtpwa@gte.net

Nominating Committee
Heidi Tessier
tess@trilobyte.net

Web Site
Normi Son
seedscom@hotmail.com

Korean General Member

Chang Sook Moon
mtpkorea@hanmail.net

International Trainers
Jane Suchen Wang, Taiwan
e2012193@ms8.hinet.net
Debbie Young Sook Lee, Korea MIA Teacher Education Committee (MIA Trainers), Left to right: Donald McClurkin, Paula
ysmealal@hosanna.net Ilami, Julia Pane, Normi Son, Cathie Bernstein, Sharlet McClurkin, Elizabeth White, Chang
Sook Moon Kim.

10