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First, I want to say, my children have plenty of plastic toys and materials. There are times, even, when I prefer plastic. One example, is animal figurines. I strive to give my children realistic representations and plastic is simply the best way to do this. Magnatiles and Legos also make my plastic list! But, in many situations, I do strive to provide natural materials like wood, metal, fabric or glass when I can.
Why we choose MaterialsNatural over Plastic I was at a baby shower recently with my mom when another woman showed up with her grandkids and a small plastic children's computer game. We began talking and she asked if we had a similar toy. Before I could answer, my mom replied "No! She's a weirdo that won't let her kids have plastic!"
Now, I don't mean to throw my mother under the bus for an off hand comment, but I think this is a common misconception for people looking at the Montessori community. So, let me explain why we choose natural materials over plastic and when we don't.
Natural materials connect a person to nature. My children live in the city. Our natural interactions are more limited than others. By touching a wooden toy, they get to feel the warmth of the wood. They feel the grain, they feel the weight. It's just a connection that cold, hard plastic cannot provide. Also, when I hand a child a beautiful natural material, I hand my child my respect and trust. I am showing them they are important enough to give them something real. I'm not giving them some baby proofed version of a real tool. I'm teaching them to use a real one. I'm trusting in their abilities, I'm respecting their whole self as a very capable person I'm also giving them the opportunity to make a mistake To learn from that mistake. When a plate shatters, there is a lot to be learned. When a toy breaks, there is a lot to be learned. I'm giving them the space and the trust to handle disappointment, mistake and error. So, that's why we limit plastic in our home. If that makes me weird, I'm cool with that!
What's the deal with no plastic?
What is your plastic policy? Have you seen any difference with your child's interest in non plastic verses plastic materials?
I have a few reasons that I prefer natural materials over man made ones. First, there is the environmental factor. There's BPA concerns and chemical concerns and its effect on our health and the environment While, this is a concern, it's not a huge worry for me but I am aware of this issue Maybe it should be something I worry more about, but it's not something I've done a lot of research into More important to me are the strictly Montessori concerns. First, I as a Montessori parent, I want to create an environment that is as beautiful as possible. I want to create spaces that show my children that they are valued. Montessori believes that children not only deserve beautiful spaces, they excel in them. Natural products are an important part in making our space beautiful. Their understated nature and beauty provide something to an environment that cheaper plastic alternatives don't. Some plastic toys can provide the same effect, but they are harder to find.
Natural materials teach natural consequences. If you drop a plastic cup, you drop a plastic cup. There's no need to be careful. No need to learn to respect the material. However, if you drop a glass cup, you get a very different story. Watching a glass break, or a toy even, teaches a child to be more exact and careful. But, it also teaches children to respect their materials and environment. To take ownership over it and to care for it.
Freedom of Movement
The following are tips for parents on how to holistically raise your child the Montessori way at home. This applies across the board for all areas of development of children.
Give them the space and opportunity to be able to move around. Do not simply “cage” them or have them in one confined place not being able to explore their environment or try new movement possibilities (Tummy time, pulling up, cruising, etc.) As children get older give them challenges to climb in safe areas. As children learn to move it expands their possibilities for learning by freely exploring their environment.
Simply place yourself in their shoes, why do such a thing? Why are they crying? It can be as simple as they are they woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, which as adults we also experience Give them extra hugs If you are confined in a room or space you would get upset as well as you would also like to have the freedom to be able to move places and not be forced. Respect that they do not want to eat at times; we also have days that we do not have big Respectappetites.that they have needs as we do Being respectful to their needs can also extend to teaching them respect and courtesy by setting good examples. Be gracious and courteous to your children and to others as well. This is the best way for them to learn it, if it is used in practice. This respect can transcend to other children, adults and other living things as well. If we teach them how to care for things they can learn it and make it part of their being at a very young age
Respect your child in every aspect of their life
Use common sense
It does not take rocket science to raise a child; some things just need to involve common sense that seems to be not so common for some. Trust yourself that you are doing the right thing, if it feels right. Most of the Montessori principles involve only common sense and rational thinking.
Always give them a choice. This is best when dealing with toddlers and you are engaging in a power struggle. Give them only two choices for things that will involve them. They can have dinner now or they can have it later with everybody else, they can wear the blue or the red shorts with the green top. Teach independence Give them opportunities to do things for themselves. Children are not to be treated as mini adults who can do all things for themselves, however they are not helpless human beings. Make things easy or simplified for them so that they can actually do things by themselves. For example, have elastic pants instead of denim so that they can try to dress themselves rather than have to ask you to zip up their jeans. At a young age allow them to feed themselves even though it can be messy, but you are giving them the chance to practice.
Teach not by correcting but by modeling Do not teach by judging whether the child is doing something right or wrong. If a mistake is made, model correctly how to do it. Do not make a big deal out of it, make them aware of their mistakes subtly In language, if they mispronounce, repeat what they said and pronounce it correctly. You do not have to say that it was wrong, simply model how it should be done Patience What you teach them now will help you in the long run. Do not give in to getting peace and quiet for a few moments to encounter that problem every day. Instead, while it may take a longer time to get a child to learn something, when they do, it does not become an issue any longer. For sleeping, do not make your child dependent on you to rock or pat them or use a dummy, it may take time for them to get used to sleep independently but in the long run you do not need to spend long periods of time putting them to sleep.
Freedom of Choice
Communication Always talk to them properly in a clearly articulated voice. Give them the names of objects around them to increase their vocabulary Talking to them also involves modeling communication with other adults and listening. Be respectful when talking to them. Do not just communicate to them to tell them to do or not to do something, but have a regular conversation about how the day went.
There is no need for fancy or flashy toys that do all the work for the child and just leave them watching and being amused for a short period of time. Get toys that encourage children do something with their hands, to drop a ball in a box, or to stack rings to accomplish a task It can entertain them for long periods of time as they repeat the activity over and over. Do not get toys where they only need to press one button and are left with nothing else Have materials that deeply involve children to concentrate for more than 2 seconds! TV may hold their attention for a long time but does not involve Montessoriinteraction/manipulation.believedthework of the hand is very important for the child’s development. Give them toys in which they can manipulate objects. Lastly, love and support them If you do this, you cannot go wrong with any parenting style you implement! It will be good enough, remember it can never be perfect and mistakes and faults are all part of the growing up process.
Keep to natural simple materials / toys
– Sarah Werner Andrews, “The Development of Imaginationand the Role of Pretend Play”, 27th InternationalMontessori Congress
Montessori and Pretend Play: a complicated question
What is the Montessori approach to pretend play, imagination and fantasy? Dr Montessori has been recorded as preferring reality to pretend play in the classroom. The most commonly referenced is when she introduced traditional toys in her classroom. She found that children gravitated instead to the real thing. For example, rather than playing in a pretend kitchen, the children wanted to prepare real food. She therefore chose to remove traditional toys from the classroom, keeping those based in reality. Practical life activities became a fundamental part of the Montessori Manyclassroom.parents then wonder how much pretend play they should encourage in the Ashome.Isee it, there is a difference in a Montessori approach to pretend play depending on if it’s pretend play stemming from imagination or from fantasy. Let me be clear. This is my personal interpretation of the Montessori approach to imagination and fantasy and is based on my own children and work with children in my classes. No matter if you reach a different conclusion, I support you and your choices. We are all doing the best we can with the information we have available. Understanding the world around them in a concrete way The Montessori approach holds that it is easiest for children under 6 to understand, process and relate to things that they find in the world around them. They have a very concrete understanding of the world at this age What they see, touch, smell, feel is the easiest form for them to understand. For example, if they see an excavator at work in the street, they may then be attracted to working with a model of an excavator, to reading books about construction vehicles and to play based on this. This is a child’s imagination at work. From observing my own and other children at play, I see a lot of value in children playing “house”, “school”, and other daily life scenarios. To me this is their way of processing the world around them. They see something happen at home, and then they “play” with a sibling, friend or soft toy to act this out. “Imagination relies on a solid foundationof real life experiences, accompanied by ample opportunity for exploration and experimentation this includes exploration and experimentation throughpretending or imagining alternative outcomes.“
Encourage imagination, limit fantasy
When a child under 5 or 6 hears a fairy tale with a wicked witch, they then also imagine this witch to be real as a child of this age has a very concrete understanding of the world. They visualise it as if it is real as they are not yet able to clearly separate fantasy from reality. “(The young child) cannot distinguish well between the real and the imaginary, between things that are possible and things that are merely ‘made up’.” Dr Montessori, Times EducationSupplement, 1919
This is where I would suggest that we limit exposure to fantasy to children under 5 or 6, until they are old enough to be able to separate fictitious creations from reality. If young children are exposed to fantasy from time to time then just be mindful that we can talk to them about it, but it can still be very difficult for them to really understand what’s real vs what’s not. Once they move into the second plane of development around 6 years, they are able to understand abstract thought more easily.
What about imaginary friends? A child with a wild imagination?
Will children have imaginary friends? Quite possibly. Will they imagine things beyond what appears around them? Also possible. What we can do is to feed them with a rich, engaging environment to explore. So they are connected with the real world. And explore from there.
“The true basis of the imagination is reality, and its perception is related to exactness of observation. It is necessary to prepare children to perceive the things in their environment exactly, in order to secure for them the material required by the imagination. Intelligence, reasoning, and distinguishing one thing from another prepares a cement for imaginative constructions”18 The Advanced Montessori Method vol. 1, “Imagination,” p. 196 (1918)
So I don’t tell them to stop their fantasy games. Let them play it out. Follow the child. My contribution though is to keep offering reality to keep them grounded.
This is different to play based in fantasy, for example, fairies, superheroes, fictitious animated characters, and things that have little basis in reality. Let’s not mention merchandising (I’ve never been a big fan myself).
A child who spends too much time in a world of fantasy may find it difficult to relate to others, to interact in a group, to be in the here and now. It can also be very scary for the child. My son was terrified when he was around 4 years old and heard an audio book in my mother’s car one day of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves”. To him the wicked witch was a real person, an apple could be poisoned, and you could fall asleep for 100 years.
All that said, this is why you mostly don’t find a pretend corner in a Montessori classroom. What about at home then? It was fun to see my kids when they were smaller pretending to be characters from “The Famous Five” books and playing out great adventures My kids used Playmobil and Lego to play out real life around them. I guess that’s when we can make conscious choices of what books, media and toys we expose our children to. I often get asked what I think of play kitchens in the home. Dr Montessori would say that children like to be involved in the real thing and invite the children to be involved in food preparation. My favourite example of a play kitchen is from Our Montessori Life here where the IKEA play kitchen is being used as a real kitchen for a child with everything at their height with child sized materials for them to have success. However, I understand it can be difficult for parents to supervise their child in the kitchen all day, and perhaps there is an argument for them to do pretend play with a play kitchen. It’s really a personal Achoice.lecture
Books, books, books
I have chosen to have a block corner in my classroom which are not standard Montessori materials. I love seeing them used in so many ways. Some children make roads, others design buildings and zoos, and others use the blocks to build amazing non descript structures. The children are deeply focused on their play and learn to pack away the blocks by shape when they are done.
I attended at the Montessori Congress in 2013, talked about having open ended materials like wooden blocks and scarves for pretend play, rather than a fireman’s outfit, or prescriptive make believe choices. This allows the child full creativity to use these materials in any way their imagination allows.
Do I think we should never read books then that are not based in reality? I do read them with young children from time to time and make it clear that this is pretend. It’s a concept they will build to understand and I ask questions like “Do bears really talk/drive cars/wear clothes? Noooo.” I make it a bit like a game which I repeat each time we come across another example.
There are many children’s books available which are not based in reality There are frogs living in houses and walking down the street on two legs; teddy bears driving cars; many books about pirates, princesses and fairies; and so on. What to do then? From my experience (as I have said before), children enjoy books about their daily life and which are based in reality. They relate to stories about kids doing things that they recognise themselves and have experience Iwith.willcontinue to love “Sunshine”, a book with no words, with beautiful realistic pictures of a girl waking up, getting dressed, preparing breakfast with her father, and the family leaving for their day. The kids in my class love it. And we read it over and over again.
Choosing materials for home
The cosy cube in our playgroup is also an interesting place to observe the children. In the baby class, you observe the babies learning to manoeuvre themselves into and out of the box In the toddler class, I see children using the box as a quiet place to relax, or for some climbing practise. Then for children who still come to our class above 3 years old, you will often see them using the box as an aeroplane going on holidays or as a shop where the holes are used for serving Thecustomers.farmis often included in a Montessori classroom. We use the farm to learn the names of animals. I will often observe children putting the animals in and out of the farm, “feeding” them or putting them to bed.
There are two interesting articles I can also point you to for more about Montessori and the imagination and pretend play here and Whathere do you think? Does this shift your perspective on how you will encourage pretend play in your child? I’d love to hear.
Unless the child is throwing the materials, using them disrespectfully or interrupting or hurting another child, I allow them to continue working in this way. I can make a note of their interests and see how I could use these to connect them with materials. Or I can make a mental note to do a presentation with the materials at another time so they also learn the purpose of the materials. Further reading Montessori and pretend play is a fascinating topic and there are different educational approaches to it. I encourage you to explore and decide what resonates most for you.
Adele Diamond has done a lot of research on a program called Tools of the Mind in which pretend play was used to develop executive functioning in children. The Waldorf/Vrije School approach to learning emphasises the role of imagination in learning
By Simone Davies
Helping you to apply Montessori principles in daily life, answer your Montessori questions and follow my Montessori workshops online.
Whole body learning through movement.
Maria Montessori knew that knowledge, learning and movement were interconnected.
"Mind and movements are part of the same entity'". From the child in the floor bed to the classroom there is no expectation for children to be confined or restrained. Movement thoughtful, purposeful movement is encouraged. We think how our children can learn from building the pink tower to walking the line. At home I feel like we need to respect the child's need for movement and allow them to learn through this movement. For us at home with a four year old this often means taking learning outside where gross motor movements are more easily accepted but also provide assistance for the child to refine his movements inside. learning through all senses. Learning through all senses really engages the whole body. We know by isolating the senses we refine the senses and prepare the child for future work. I know Montessori developed specific sensorial material however there is a practical application to this in the home Stimulate and refine their senses! At home there is a lot of scope for us to use our sense more in learning think more sound, touch, taste, smell!!
When a school or educational system claims to 'educate the whole child', what exactly does this mean? It sounds like a good thing right? It's quite a well used term that is being used increasingly but many would say it's something Montessori schools have been doing for over a century. Sadly it doesn't seem to be a mainstream approach. "It is an approach that values the human spirit and the development of the whole child physical, social, emotional, cognitive. Dr Montessori studied not only the physical development of children, but also their intellectual and social development. She conceived and evolved the method of educating the “whole child”. " As a parent I really want to know and understand what this means in a practical sense. Here is my little break down of what teaching the whole child means. I think there is something all parents can learn from this approach.
Looking at whole of child education has been thought provoking for me. Please feel free to leave a comment if you feel you can add to my understanding of what whole of child education looks like. I'd love to turn this into a conversation!
In summary children are whole beings, not numbers. Montessori takes a holistic approach to education. Educating the whole child means thinking about each student as a human being in full, and not limiting the scope of education only to a narrow focus on core subject areas.
whole of brain learning Learning that engages the whole brain, the left side (intellectual) and the right side (creativity/arts). In all classes the selection of materials ensures that both the left brain and right brain are engaged. As children can select the materials they wish to work on children can freely move from left to right activities in addition to materials that would work both sides of the brain. At home I think we have this covered we have lots of scope through our toys and materials for working both sides of the brain. Having free access to art materials really assists with this. promotes wellbeing of the whole child. Physical movement/education, nutrition, character development, spiritual development, mindfulness, physical and emotional safety. The Montessori curriculum encompasses all aspects of the child's wellbeing including social and emotional intelligence. Nurtures the whole child. At home we have a focus on living an active and healthy lifestyle through movement and nutrition, we focus on yoga, meditation and relaxation but emotional intelligence may be one I need to look into further Looks at the child as an interconnected whole/being. The child is connected to their family, school, community, culture, environment. Learning about their culture, the culture of others, history, geography they can really get a sense of belonging but also a respect for others. Children are or can become actively engaged with the world around them, their community, their environment and the nature that surrounds them. This can lead to respecting their environment and respecting others. At home we try to give the children a sense of their own culture through family traditions, respect and knowledge of our locality and create strong connections through family. An understanding that learning doesn't start and finish at school.
Looking at the child's whole experiences. Children are learning all the time and our educational methods need to respect this. What children do at home is influenced by activities as school and vice versa. It's nice to have some cohesion between home and school. Great communication with educators and parents is essential Otis' teacher recently asked if he had any interests they could pursue at school Caspar's teacher recently sent us a link to a program that he could (if he wanted) try at home before they introduce it at school Learning experiences throughout the child's whole life have equal value A visit to the museum over the weekend may lead to a full explosion into the world of dinosaurs at school and a Montessori educational system can respect this. Take home message is to maintain strong communication with educators and be free to explore concepts brought home from school.
Looking at whole of child education has been thought provoking for me. Please feel free to leave a comment if you feel you can add to my understanding of what whole of child education looks like. I'd love to turn this into a conversation!
an understanding that learning doesn't start & finish at school. Looking at the child's whole experiences. Children are learning all the time and our educational methods need to respect this. What children do at home is influenced by activities as school and vice versa. It's nice to have some cohesion between home and school. Great communication with educators and parents is essential. Otis' teacher recently asked if he had any interests they could pursue at school. Caspar's teacher recently sent us a link to a program that he could (if he wanted) try at home before they introduce it at school. Learning experiences throughout the child's whole life have equal value. A visit to the museum over the weekend may lead to a full explosion into the world of dinosaurs at school and a Montessori educational system can respect this. Take home message is to maintain strong communication with educators and be free to explore concepts brought home from school
In summary children are whole beings, not numbers Montessori takes a holistic approach to education Educating the whole child means thinking about each student as a human being in full, and not limiting the scope of education only to a narrow focus on core subject areas
Conscious Life Magazine
2. Fights Common Cold As the name suggests, a common cold is quite a common health condition experienced by people of all age groups. The anti viral and antibacterial properties of honey and cinnamon would fight it effectively. You may start taking this mix as a preventive measure or when you first experience the symptoms to knock out cold and flu. Usage Tips – Mix 1 teaspoon honey into lukewarm water. Add a pinch of cinnamon powder and your flu fighting mix is ready Sip this two to three times a day for faster results.
Honey Cinnamonand
Honey and cinnamon form a miracle combination that works wonders for your health if you know how to use! Health experts worldwide are bewildered due to the unlimited health benefits this magical mix has on offer. You can also be one amongst many who may have benefited or are being benefited due to the combination of cinnamon and honey if you know the right applications of this mix and the ways to use the same. The ways to get the most of out of this miracle mix.
How to Use This Powerful Combination to Treat Various Health Issues
3. Heart Health The regular consumption of honey and cinnamon would not only reduce the cholesterol levels but would also clear the clogged arteries. The open arteries would reduce the risk of heart attack due to even blood circulation. Usage Tips Apply the mix of honey and cinnamon on bread instead of using jam. Have this for breakfast and it will gradually help remove blockages from your blood vessels.
4. Regulates Blood Sugar Levels Studies carried out on subjects suffering from Type 2 Diabetes have brought forward the benefits of cinnamon in regulating blood sugar levels This spice has always shown promising results in Type 2 Diabetes, but now the health experts have also endorsed this combination for the same Even the sweetness of honey was found to have positive results in fighting this disease. Usage Tips Add this sweet and spicy mix to your tea or bowl of cereal and start your day with the healthy mix.
1. Cholesterol This mix would bring down the bad cholesterol and boost up the good cholesterol levels. A study has revealed that having 1 to 6 grams of cinnamon daily have reduced the cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Both honey and cinnamon have cholesterol reducing properties, but the combination would almost double the benefits. Usage Tips Take 3/4th teaspoon cinnamon powder with 1 tablespoon honey. Take it thrice a day for cholesterol reduction Mixing honey and cinnamon with hot water or green tea would also accelerate the benefits
5. Aids Digestion Good digestion is the indication of good health The regular consumption of this mix before meals would prevent conditions like acidity and gas It aids faster digestion. Usage Tips Have honey and cinnamon paste daily before meals. You can also add lukewarm water Take it on an empty stomach for best results.
7. Weight Loss Yes, believe it or not, but this wonder remedy would bring down the number on the weighing scale. Honey melts the stubborn fat deposited on various parts of your body When combined with cinnamon, it will remove excess fat and also enhance the metabolism Usage Tips Put 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a cup and pour boiling water over it Let the mixture stand for about 15 minutes before adding 1 tablespoon honey Opt for the organic honey to get the maximum benefits.
6. Reduces Joint Pain and Arthritis
All our problems can be cured or prevented if we know the miracle solutions nature has to offer. Use the above described remedies to get rid of most of the chronic health problems naturally and easily.
10. Say No to Hair Loss Once you start losing your hair, the condition is difficult to reverse The combination of cinnamon and honey will help you with that Usage Tips Prepare the mixture of warm olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Apply on the scalp and let is stay for 15 minutes before washing. Results will be commendable.
By Valerie S. Valerie is a multi interested law student who is fond of reading and writing about numerous topics.
8. Clear Skin Cinnamon and honey, both are anti fungal and antibacterial. Getting the pimple free skin is easy with this mix as it will prevent any sort of bacterial or fungal infection from developing further. Usage Tips This time, you don’t have to take this mix orally. You have to apply the paste made from cinnamon and honey on pimples or affected area. Apply it overnight and then wash it off in the morning to get the clear skin. You will need frequent applications for chronic infections 9. Fights Bad Breath No need to stay away from the crowd because of bad breath Gargle with this mix before you head towards the social gathering, and it will help solve the problem of bad breath. Usage Tips Mix 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon cinnamon with lukewarm water. Gargle twice with this mix to avoid an embarrassing situation.
The main trouble of arthritis is chronic joint pain that just won’t go! The miracle mix has been found to relieve this condition too It can control the symptoms of arthritis like inflammation of joints and stiffness efficiently Usage Tips Take the mixture of 2 teaspoons honey and 1 teaspoon cinnamon mixed in 1 cup hot water twice daily, preferably in the morning and in the evening
Conscious Life Magazine
Steve Newman
Support Steve by attending his gigs. Funds are being raised to assist this very gentle musician for a surgical procedure he needs. This wonderful artist, who has given so much of his time to entertaining the people of our country over many many years, needs our support. Steve, you going to rock this one! THURSDAY 8 SEPTEMBER 2022 - BAXTER THEATRE, CAPE TOWN Line Up: Steve Newman Trio *Hilton Schilder *Mark Fransman *Lu Dlamini, *Prime Circle *Wendy Oldfield *Robin Auld *Radio Kalahari Orkes *The Bottomless Coffee Band *Jacques Moolman and *Albert Frost 1st & 2nd OCTOBER 2022 – WOMAD FESTIVAL, WATERFRONT, CAPE TOWN Follow Steve on Facebook for more gig details as they become available
Kutlwano Yiko Musician
Kutlwano Yiko To book Kutlwano for events, markets or any occasion . Already getting bookings for Xmas parties: Booking is through Kutlwano on 065 915 0673
There is a total lack of transparency and planning leading to unnecessary deaths and conflict. What will it take to bring some peace and conservation to baboon management on the south peninsula, which nearly 5 million humans dominate?
Over 80 adult males have been killed on the Cape Peninsula since the introduction of the killing protocols which have huge implications for family bonds and causes untold trauma, not to mention the watering down of genetic material in a species already threatened with local extinction. Baboons also play a critical role in contributing to the incredible biodiversity present in the Cape. The management of the baboon human interface needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.
Another day…… Another Dead Baboon
Julius was a healthy alpha male baboon in the prime of his life, living with his family on the outskirts of Cape Point along Plateau Road. He took over the troop as leader and protector in 2019 when his brother, Jerome, was killed. He was a gentle soul and did no harm. He did not deserve to die because an influential person found it inconvenient to have him around.
Another day, another dead baboon. With the click of a pen and the flick of a wrist, a signature is added to paper. A beautiful light, and a beautiful life is extinguished, and a kindred soul is lost. Where is the empathy, the humanity, and the will to find a way for us all to co exist? What are we teaching our children about resolving conflict and living in harmony with nature?
One has to wonder why the authorities are so keen to issue permits to hunt and kill these beautiful creatures despite repeated calls for a moratorium on the killing of baboons and requests for engagement by interested parties.
It was with horror that I listened to a Simons Town resident talking to a popular radio station, Cape Talk (The Morning Review with Lester Kiewet), expressing the view that “baboons have no value”. Are they simply disposable? Do we as humans have the right to decide which living creatures have value and which do not? Have we become that arrogant?
Baboons suffer barbaric treatment not only by the authorities but by irate residents too lazy to manage their environment. They are shot at repeatedly with paintball and pellet guns causing horrific injuries, in some cases the loss of sight, broken bodies and separation from their babies and their troops. They are set on by dogs and run over by speeding cars, many with the attempt of killing the baboons. The babies and youngsters of the troop are not spared this cruel and inhumane treatment. It is totally unnecessary and not the ultimate solution to resolving this conflict. The size and shape of collars used to improve supposed management of the troop also need to be revised. Surely less invasive solutions could be found. A mother from the Tokai troop was recently found carrying the mummified body of her baby as she tried to come to terms with her loss. From the state of the corpse, the baby had been dead for a while. In another incident, a mother who had only one arm due to an old human-inflicted injury, carried her dead baby, who was run over by a car, cradled against her as she crossed the road. Baboons experience the same emotions as we do surely we can afford them compassion, care, and safety. The treatment of our baboons is utterly heartbreaking and devoid of all humanity. Killing them won’t solve the problem. Educating residents and future generations most certainly will. Some sensible solutions include locking up your waste, baboon proofing your home, and learning to live in harmony with baboons and other wildlife in the area. Most importantly teach your children that every life is precious and worth saving. We alone can make a positive difference. In the words of Anthony Douglas Williams: “When I look into the eyes of an animal, I do not see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I feel a soul.”
By Sharon McComb Wildlife photographer
Shooting only through the eye of my lens www.sharonmccombphotography.co.za
Sharon is an avid Wildlife photographer, it is her first love and she is passionate about what she does. Her domestic assignments take her to meet new pets and photograph them for their Howners.erwork mostly takes her into the game reserves. Waiting patiently for the next animal adventure she and her business partner use their skills to offer photographic plus videographic skills to your beloved pets. If you are interested in her Wildlife Portfolio please check out her website. www.sharonmccombphotography.co.za
Review by Heidi van Staden www.montessoriservices.com/the_deep_well_of_time
By Michael Dorer Book Review by Heidi van Staden
In 2009, I had my first experience of Montessori stories from Mr. Dorer in Cape Town at the South African Montessori Association conference. Hearing them told, with such detail, drama and passion was enthralling. Everyone loves stories and it is in our African blood to love being told stories.
Having a natural storyteller bring to life the Montessori materials and concepts in such a dramatic and imaginative way inspired my own inner story telling diva. I attempted after that encounter to re tell those fabulous stories as best I could. The children loved them none the less. Marigold and her farm measuring triumph, a potter named Tan and his dilemma with his beautiful (but broken) plate and the wonderfully expressive story introducing the Euclidean geometry concepts were told to them over and over.
In reading ‘The Deep Well of Time’ for this review, I was transported back to the beginning of time with the Great Lesson stories, and was especially gratified to find the elusive Great River story included It is easy to imagine a group of elementary children getting caught up in the events at the Adjective’s Picnic, and knowing that they will always know, forever more exactly what an adjective is and how it functions. Mr. Dorer has also included stories from his colleagues Larry Schaefer and Jonathan Wolff both of whom have regaled us at South African Montessori Association conferences as well. The great American novelist, Toni Morrisson said, “If there is a book you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, you must be the one to write it.” Mr. Dorer has written the stories that we all want to hear These are stories that will create a bond between the teacher and the child and more importantly between the Montessori materials and the child. The countless children that these extraordinary gems will touch in times to come is truly a gift I reckon Maria Montessori is smiling, she may even be saying, “Michael, tu racconti le storie grande!”
THE DEEP WELL OF TIME
Imagine if there was a way to prepare the environment around you to maximize every minute you spend with your children.
The Potential in Every Child
Inspired by the Montessori method, this book enables parents to utilize the world around them to allow children to develop the essential skills for life; independence, responsibility and a sense of wonder.
By Gavin McCormack
Parents will soon see children growing towards their full potential.
Compassionate, empathetic and independent learners who feel that they have the power to make a difference in the world – this is every parent’s dream.
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