Issue 100 July - September 2011 £5.00 MONTESSORI INTERNATIONALpublished by the Montessori St Nicholas Charity www.montessori.org.uk MONTESSORI MONTESSORI Issue 100 July – September 2011 INTERNATIONAL published quarterly by Montessori St Nicholas, London Editor: Amanda Engelbach Assistant Editor: Philip Davies welcome Editorial enquiries from Tel: +44 207 493 8300 e-mail: [email protected] Catherine Tubbs on +44 207 493 8300 e-mail: [email protected] the editor Job advertising enquiries Stephanie Ilo, e-mail: [email protected] t’s hard to believe that this is the 100th issue of Subscription enquiries Montessori International. It has given me so much Stephanie Ilo on +44 207 493 8300 Ipleasure putting together such a landmark Annual subscription rates, incl. p&p (4 issues): edition which I hope reflects the important history UK £19.95; Europe £29.95 / €45.00; of the magazine. Rest of World £33.00 / US$65.00 Montessori International is what it is today thanks Students (incl. p&p): UK £15.95; Europe £23.00 / 36.00; Rest of € to a number of dedicated individuals. Paul Ryan, World £28.00 / US$56.00 Sheila Allen and Esther Ripley are three of those E-magazine (4 issues): UK and overseas £14.95 people who have been instrumental in shaping the development of the The views expressed in Montessori International are not necessarily those of the publisher and editorial team, nor are advertisements endorsed by them. magazine and on page 12 they share their memories of their time working Address: Montessori International, for Montessori International in the feature ‘Where are they now?’ 18 Balderton Street, London W1K 6TG The 100th issue of the magazine just happens to have coincided with Fax: +44 207 493 9936 the 100th MEAB school accreditation. Kristin Hulaas Sunde interviews Montessori International is designed by Stuart O’Neil, the school’s Headmistress, Sophia Russell-Cobb, on page 10 and Design for Print (UK) Ltd, www.dfponline.com Printed by Stones the Printers, Banbury, Oxon discovers that Ladbroke Square Montessori School has a rich history with ISSN 1354-1498 direct ties back to Maria Montessori. This issue also has a strong international flavour. Barbara Isaacs EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD recently visited Dharamsala in India to give a workshop for the Tibetan Marlene Barron, PhD. Professor, Education, New York University, teachers at the Norbulingka Institute. She talks about what she describes NY, NY; recently retired Head, West Side Montessori School, NY, NY; as an ‘experience of a lifetime’ on page 15, while on page 18, Chris and past President, American Montessori Society. Sue Briggs, BA (Hons), Mont Dip and Advanced Mont Dip and MA Wendy Compson describe their impressions of a Montessori school they in Early Childhood Education. 18 years teaching experience. discovered on the island of Phuket in Thailand. John Clarkson, BA BSc(Hons), MEd, AdvMontDip, FLS MIBiol AASM LIHP, Registrar, Kent & Sussex Montessori Centre L-MD, I had great fun delving into the archives of the magazine and Montessori Assessment & Education Ltd. discovered a number of gems which we have reprinted in this edition on Wendy Ellyatt, MA. Consultant, writer and researcher in holistic pages 36 to 42. I especially like the timeless appeal of the article by education systems. Founder www.F2be.com Wendy B. Fidler, Mont. Dip(Hons) MCMI DMS AI RgNI CCI CMed. Virginia Buckley on preparing an optimal environment for a new Montessori and Special Educational Needs Research Consultant baby, which I’m sure will be of interest to parents who are keen to bring and Expert Witness, Dyspraxia Foundation Trustee. the Montessori approach into the home. Sighle Fitzgerald, International Montessori Consultant, Dublin, Ireland. Finally, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to Barbara Isaacs, Academic Director, MCI and Senior Accreditation Montessori International over the years, and made this magazine all that it Officer for MEAB. Shirley Maxwell, MA Lecturer, University of Surrey, Roehampton, is now. I hope you continue to enjoy reading the magazine as we move London, UK. into a new era. Have a wonderful summer. Mairi Maciver Clark, Dip Pr Ed, Dip SW, CQSW; MD of Mulberry Bush Montessori Killearn & Glasgow, Director of SINA. June P. A. Rowlands, Cert. Ed, Mont. Dip, International educational consulting in UK, US and Far East. Phyllis Wallbank, M.B.E, Founder of the first ‘all age’ Montessori Learning Centre in the UK, 1948 and friend and associate of Dr Maria Montessori Amanda Engelbach, Editor Aline D. Wolf, Co-founder of 3rd US Montessori school, international lecturer and author of 26 Montessori-related books. Website: www.montessori.org.uk JULY – SEPTEMBER 2011 Montessori International 1 contents 17 21 11 15 Feature articles Regular departments 10 Part of the family 33 Joining the dots for an even 3 News Kristin Hulaas Sunde reports on the bigger picture 24 Bright ideas 100th UK Montessori setting to receive Jackie Hyde from dot2dot reflects on a 28 Reviews accreditation successful partnership with Montessori 32 Ask the expert Q&A 12 Where are they now? 36 Editor’s selection from the 34 Education & Special In celebration of the 100th edition, we archive Needs and Disabilities Update talk to some of those involved in the 36 March 1988 – Preparing the magazine’s early years home 35 Research Watch 47 Star Products 14 Montessori in Dharamsala 39 Autumn 1999 – Montessori on Barbara Isaacs comments on her recent the move 48 Personal Profile 59 Global Links week-long Montessori workshop for 40 Spring 2000 – The children of local Tibetan teachers the favelas 60 MEAB Accredited 16 Montessori family packs for Schools 42 Oct/Dec 2001 – Student under 5s activity ideas Classified Advertising Amanda Engelbach talks to Carolyn 52 Teaching opportunities 43 Into the mouths of babes... Chinn about the exciting partnership with 57 Teacher Training the V&A Museum of Childhood Aric Sigman gives some details about the dangers of early drinking in childhood Cover 18 The Montessori school on Picture: an island 44 iCan Communicate – how A montage Wendy and Chris Compson share their touch gives autism a voice of previous impressions of The Rawai Progressive Wendy Fidler examines the case for covers of Montessori International School in Thailand. augmentative assistive technology (AAT) International 20 Art from nature 50 Effective parent-teacher conferences Lucy Watson continues her series on ‘green activities’, creating art with natural Marie Conti offers advice on preparing materials and conducting conferences with parents 2 Montessori International JULY – SEPTEMBER 2011 news MEAB milestone with 100th school accredited Montessori continues to hit the headlines Barbara Isaac’s regular column goes from strength to strength in Teach Nursery. Subscribe today at www.teach primary.com/teach nursery Barbara also wrote a piece for Early Years Educator (EYE) magazine on ‘Montessori and the EYFS’ which helped raise Montessori’s profile with practitioners everywhere. Montessori Centre International (MCI) students also continue to feature regularly in the nationals with recent pieces in the Daily Express and Daily Mail. Online: Check out the following parenting web-sites for editorial on Montessori; Ladbroke Square Montessori Montessori by the headmistress, www.Familiesonline.co.uk School celebrated its official Sophia Russell-Cobb, who status as the 100th school to be explained the occasion was to www.gurgle.com/articles/Play_Learn accredited by MEAB with a celebrate the teachers’ /37799/What_is_Montessori_.aspx presentation on Wednesday 8 achievements, and that they www.Primarytimes.net June. The school was set up in were getting a prize.” When www.Babydirectory.com the 1940s, and has a rich history asked how she felt about the Raising awareness and with direct ties back to Dr Maria accreditation process, Sophia said several Trustees from MSN, Chief understanding of Montessori for Montessori. Barbara Isaacs says “We were all quite nervous, but Executive Philip Bujak, and parents continues to be a priority “The event was a happy occasion we wanted accreditation to make members of the MEAB Board. For particularly with the MEAB scheme. with many children and parents in sure we really were a Montessori an absorbing account of the To get the very latest sign up to our attendance. The children were school … the process was school’s history see Kristin Hulaas Facebook/ MontessoriUK and told a story about Maria inspiring.” Also present were Sunde’s article on page 10. blog.montessori.org.uk A thank you to the Charity’s Preferred Partners, new and old From the Chief Executive NES only work with organisations and charities that share their ethos. Since 2010 they have been partnering with Montessori to ensure they The Charity is delighted to welcome back our Preferred Partners of are at the forefront of the curriculum and evolving teacher needs. They 2010 – dot2dot, NES Arnold and Abbey Printers – and would like to have been working to understand the requirements of Montessori introduce our newest addition, Voice. For over 40 years, schools and nurseries and in return offer discounts to both Voice has been speaking up for professionals in early accredited and non-accredited schools to help you get the years, childcare and education. They believe that each most out of your budgets. Brand Manager Sarah Maddox member is unique and that is why their success as a union says “We’re delighted to be continuing working with is based on a commitment to delivering a personal service Montessori for 2011 and our plans to enhance the that supports people as individuals, ensuring your place of relationship will mean we can continue to meet the growing work is somewhere you feel valued, secure and rewarded. needs of all our customers.” Voice support and listen to you throughout your career, We feel Montessori and our partners have taken steps to allowing you to get on with what matters most, your job.