The Tao of Montessori: Reflections on Compassionate Teaching

The Tao of Montessori is a gift from one teacher to all teachers, as well as to the parents of the children who are 'the tiny miracles that unfold every day in our classrooms. The exact source of Lao-tzu's writings, collected as the Tao Te Ching, is clouded in thousands of years of mystery. The only certainty is that the version that evolved around the sixth century BC consists of eighty-one thoughts meant to remind rather than direct, and to show the way toward natural harmony in the worlds around and within us. The Tao of Montessori takes these eighty-one separate, beautiful mental images and relates them to the lives and works of teachers and parents of young children, as well as to the children themselves. Take a moment to sample The Tao of Montessori. Read just one of the eighty-one verses, then put it aside and muse upon its meaning. Pick one verse each day, and revisit it time and again, relating these images to your life as a teacher, parent, or as anyone who was once a 'tiny miracle and could be again.… (more)