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Nurturing Your Child's Spirit: A Montessorian Approach

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This book is, in effect, a slightly expanded version of "Religion, Montessori, and the Home" (B0006BWSGW) by the same author. However, for some reason, this publisher was unable to include the photographs and the musical examples from the earlier book.

As in the earlier book, some of the book is about religion and some of it is about Montessori. There is very little that connects the two topics, so again, I wondered why the author did not simply write two books.

The author devises lesson plans using seeds, trees, water containers, and candles. She explains the Biblical symbolism of these items. Symbolism of any sort might be lost on younger children, however. Furthermore, I had understood that symbolism was contrary to Montessori's realistic philosophy. Consequently, I wonder if Montessori would endorse these lesson plans if she were alive today.

Whenever the topic of religious education of children comes up, I wonder whether the child is being helped or hurt. With parents, teachers, and who knows how many other authorities looming ten feet over the child, I question why the child needs to be told of still another authority. In the appendix, the author provides a very interesting discussion of this question.