Training is Now in Session

It's official: I am currently a Montessori teacher-in-training. The ship set sail yesterday. Day one was filled with introductions and tours. The instructors are passionate, my classmates are friendly and eager to learn, and the MNW building has such a great atmosphere. The first day was quite the success!

Day two started with this viewing:

"Changing Education Paradigms" by Sir Ken Robinson  

I'm still mulling over this video and the state of our current education system. Sir Ken Robinson brings up many good points. But what resonated most with me was his suggestion that, instead of putting children to sleep with boring lectures and numbing drugs, we should be "waking them up to what is inside of themselves." I love that in a Montessori classroom each child is encouraged to follow his or her own interests. This makes learning fun, stimulates curiosity, and builds passion. A student who enjoys learning is much more likely to be a life-long learner. This clip is definitely worth a watch and certainly got the wheels turning in my brain at the top of the morning. 

Later in the day, we were invited to explore the Elementary classroom at MNW. I was finally able to get my hands on some of those coveted Montessori materials! The checkerboard and the tone bars topped my list right away! 

I'd love to know which Montessori materials are your favorites. Let me know in the comments!