29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
For Mothers with small children, April 7, 2008
This review is from: Mommy, Teach Me: Preparing Your Preschool Child for a Lifetime of Learning (Paperback)
I took my son out of pre-school because we were having problems at the school and I wanted to find ways to teach him at home. The thing is, most of the excersises in the book are for 2 year olds. Actually, I wouldn't buy this book if your child is more than 3. Not that it wouldn't help the mother of 4 year olds and give her ideas, but most of the excersises start with the very simple, for 2 year old, and move to the more difficult, for 4 year olds. As the mother of a 5 year old I can only use about one eight of the excersises with my son. Also this book does not cover any excersises for reading. The author covers all that in a companion book. Another thing, the author is very religious and very Christian. I am Christian myself, so I rather like that slant, but a non-Christian mother might find it difficult to deal with, so be forwarned. In the end I liked the message in the book and I think it would be great for a mother with a child of about 2 who wanted to start home schooling or even just wanted to find activities for her little one.
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Book that Fills the Need!, July 14, 2008
This review is from: Mommy, Teach Me: Preparing Your Preschool Child for a Lifetime of Learning (Paperback)
I love how Maria Montessori really recognized the potential of a child in learning. She recognized the absorbent mind at the young ages, and illustrated how there are different sensitive periods of learning. It's easy to recognize how children need the tangible, sensory types of learning at a young age. She really did see the beautiful gifts of a young child, and tried to respect the child.
I am so excited that I found the missing link for me for incorporating Montessori approach in the home for the younger ages. I bought Mommy, Teach Me! and Mommy, Teach Me to Read! Both are slim volumes, packed with encouragement and information, but not intimidating or overwhelming. I would say she's a modern Elizabeth Hainstock, but makes the Montessori in the home even more parent friendly and less intimidating and scientific. The emphasis isn't about making one's own materials, like Hainstock, but more about making it all approachable and doable for mothers in the home.
Mrs. Curtis is a mother of twelve and homeschools her children and does understand the needs of a child and busy SAH moms. She had AMI training and taught Montessori in the classroom. She shares her knowledge and experience with other parents. She recognizes the role of God and our spiritual lives in education.
Mommy, Teach Me! explains your preschooler can thrive at home because "The Best Teacher is Forever"..."The Best Classroom Has No Walls"..."The Best Instruction Doesn't Stop at Noon"...and "The Best Foundation is Love."
This isn't a purist Montessori approach, but a gentle family friendly approach. Mrs. Curtis gently describes how to present to a child, but that presentations aren't just those 3 hour periods, but all day -life -- with the child. I totally recognize that when I teach my children, I'm also learning, probably five times more. I'm learning to be calm, deliberate, patient, gentle, leading but not forceful. I'm learning to be a better parent. Of course I'm a work in progress, but her books do give me encouragement! I'm also learning self-discipline by creating order and to help my sons thrive.
The presentations in this book cover the basic exercises like pouring, using tongs, sequencing, etc. They are recognizable as simple Montessori presentations, but in a friendly home environment, not segregated from family life. She has lots of applicable ideas in shopping trips, laundry, and other daily chores. The other chapters cover Manipulatives, Imaginative Play, Beginning Math, Science, Geography, Fine Arts, and Spiritual Life.
The previous negative reviewer must not have been familiar with any Montessori, because she would have recognized the practical life and simple exercises found in all Montessori classrooms. And ask any child if pouring rice or beans is different than water, and they would say yes! Each skill is built on...you wouldn't want to start with water with a small child who has never done any pouring.
And all these exercises are building up hand motions, eye-hand coordinations, left-to-right movements as building blocks in learning to read and write.
I highly recommend this book and her "Mommy, Teach me to Read!" books to help any parent realize that teaching isn't just a professional's job, and learning happens especially in the home and the family, not in classrooms.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing!!, November 25, 2007
This review is from: Mommy, Teach Me: Preparing Your Preschool Child for a Lifetime of Learning (Paperback)
I would highly recommend this book to anyone with young children. It not only discusses the 5 things we should be teaching our preschoolers, but it gives small beginning exercises that we can do with our kids. I went to the dollar store and got most everything I needed. I put together the first exercise and it kept my son busy and focused for hours. I don't think it's intended to keep them busy that long, but I was amazed.
As a teacher, I did not feel offended or defensive at all by the way the book was written. Most likely I will still send my children to preschool, but now I have some great ideas of things I can do at home to help prepare them for school. I'll be buying her other book also.
Buy this book!!!
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