I'm going to be honest. Gaby and I love writing for this blog. We really do.
But our favorite part of this project is actually getting out there and meeting the people who read with children. Teachers, administrators, parents, grandparents—we love fostering a deeper connection between the child, the adult, and the book.
We do that virtually through this blog, of course, but we also provide workshops and presentations to schools and other groups. In fact, that's what nudged us to launch this whole ordeal! We led a Professional Development workshop for the faculty of Wildflower Schools the very week we began Cosmic Bookshelf. Since then, we've led several Parent Education events, and I even had the opportunity to offer a presentation to both Toddler and Primary training groups at the Montessori Training Center of St. Louis this past summer. Each presentation has been a unique opportunity to learn more about the questions that adults have about books for children: what to choose for the child who's reading beyond his level, how to support young bilingual children with book choice, and how we grapple with fantasy in literature for the very young (article forthcoming).
Our latest endeavor will be our biggest challenge—and greatest honor!—yet. Gaby and I will be kicking off the 2020 Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) Refresher Course in February with a workshop on books for the Montessori environment. We'll (finally!) reunite in Seattle to offer a presentation to trainers, guides, administrators, and others in attendance at the conference. This is a major event, and we are so thrilled to be a part of it.
What will we be talking about? Well, read our workshop description here:
As guides, we so carefully consider every material in our environment… But do books receive the same thoughtful treatment? In an interactive presentation on the role of books in the Montessori pedagogy, Gaby and Grace will discuss choosing, reading, and using books for children in purposeful ways in keeping with authentic Montessori. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss and explore the process of book selection and expand their approach to reading aloud with children. Equipped with resources to help select and share books with children, participants will be prepared to look at books in a whole new way.
We cannot wait to connect with Montessorians from around the country and talk about all the things we love. Will we see you there? What questions do you have?
Komentarze