04/18/2025
IT BEGAN WITH THE POOR.
THE POOREST OF THE POOR.
THE DIRTIEST CHILD,
THE LOUDEST CHILD,
THE CHILD WHO DID NOT LISTEN.
IT STARTED WITH A BOY SUCH AS
OLIVER TWIST - The story of the orphan boy and little girls such as
ANNIE - the story of the orphan girl
Oh! Poor Miss Hannigan
PIPPI LONGSTOCKING - the Red haired little girl who spent her days with a monkey and friends because her father was never around. Untamed children.
UNTAMED.
The children who were uncared for.
The children who gave the most problems.
Children whose parents were exceptionally busy or perhaps completely overwhelmed by the
TOTAL STRUGGLES OF POVERTY.
SAN LORENZO.
It’s round about now, 11th April 1907
The CASA DEI BAMBINI was already in its 4th month.
Month 4 of learning how to BECAUSE THEY DID NOT KNOW HOW!!!!
Folks! These children were from the streets. Many abandoned!
Go right back into your thoughts and conjure up the STREET CHILDREN AND THE DIFFICULTY THAT MARIA MONTESSORI FACED.
Look at how she must have struggled.
Preserved.
Cried at night.
Felt her heart ripped out struggling with difficult children who just wouldn’t, couldn’t listen and behave.
And so she began her lessons because for her METHOD TO WORK, THEY HAD TO SIMPLY KNOW HOW TO BEHAVE.
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THE DIRTIEST, UNTAMED ORPHANS AND STREET CHILDREN were taught how to behave.
They were taught how to CLEAN THEMSELVES.
BEHAVIOR towards “NORMALIZATION” - (being able to conduct one’s daily chores independently without being reminded. A way of life. Independent! Working respectfully within the community)
Grace and Courtesy
- Greeting a Person
- Introducing Oneself
- Saying "Please" and "Thank You"
- Offering Help
- Asking for Help
- Covering a Cough or Sneeze
- Waiting for a Turn
- Walking Around a Mat
- Observing Work Silently
- Offering a Seat
- Passing an Object
(😍🤣Greeting a person because they did not know how. Teach the children the etiquette of proper greeting. Culture Matters. Culture’s Matter. Adhere to the culture of your country.)
Carrying a Mat
- Carrying a Tray
- Carrying a Chair
- Sit and Stand from a Chair
- Rolling and Unrolling a Mat
- Opening and Closing a Door
- Spooning Grains
- Pouring Grains
- Pouring Water
- Folding Cloths
- Putting Away Work
- Sharpening Pencils into a Container
- Opening and Closing a Variety of Locks
- How to Wipe with a Sponge
- How to Wipe with a Dry Soft Cloth
(😍🤣 These children were dirty. They had to learn cleanliness. Hygiene. It’s NOT just “Practical Life ACTIVITIES. It’s teaching the children hygiene.)
Care of Self
- Washing Hands
- Brushing Hair
- Polishing Shoes
- Dressing Frames (Buttoning, Zipping, Snapping, Buckling, Bow Tying)
- Preparing a Snack
- Drinking from a Cup
- Using a Napkin
- Putting on a Coat
- Hanging Up a Coat
- Using the Toilet Correctly
(😍😃😃tying shoelaces and polishing shoes!!!!! Open your mind and look at those broken shoes that children were wearing!!! Imagine those torn shoelaces hanging all over the shoe. Introduce modern day Velcro and Northerners introduce the HIKING BOOT SHOELACES.)
Care of the Environment
- Sweeping the Floor
- Mopping the Floor
- Dusting a Shelf
- Washing a Table
- Polishing Wood
- Polishing Metal
- Washing Dishes
- Setting a Table
- Arranging Flowers
- Watering Plants
- Cleaning Windows
- Folding Napkins
- Scrubbing a Sink
- Taking Out Trash
(😍😍😍😍❤️🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
And now these poverty stricken children were introduced to the most beautiful FLOWER ARRANGING and setting of the tables and eating from REAL CROCKERY. How my heart weeps with both sadness and joy. And finally also:
A piece of fruit and a proper lunch all paid for. These little ones were being fed.
Not out of junk plastic! Not standing around gulping their food.
Not sitting on the grass or on picnic blankets but at the tablle with the Art and etiquette of MANNERS - GRACE & COURTESY. )
PLEASE DON’T DILUTE MONTESSORI!!!!! Teach the children well and keep your eye on the foundation and the CORE OF UNDERSTANDING HOW AND WHY MONTESSORI WORKS.
Most people speak of, “ Montessori as an educational approach” and I say it’s:
The Montessori Way of Life. An Education of Empowering Children to unfold to be the MAKERS OF PEACE.
Developed by Dr. Maria Montessori and centered on child-led learning, (“FOLLOW THE CHILD”) within strong boundaries; independence, and hands-on materials.
FOLLOW THE CHILD and not FOLLOW THE TEACHER.
GRACE AND COURTESY AND KEEPING THE CLASSROOMS CLEAN. EVERYONE. TEACHERS AND CHILDREN!!!!!
(If you’d like to learn more, read more about this wonderful phenomena, the true Montessori come and join me in our EXCLUSIVE GROUP
AUTHENTIC VS FAKE
I know that the name "Montessori" isn’t a protected trademark which means I could technically open a school, call it "Montessori," and use some of the materials or ideas without permission from anyone. Heck! I don’t even need a Montessori certificate.
I have experienced this firsthand creating Montessori schools on 5 continents —people around the world (WITH MONEY) set up schools with "Montessori" in the name, maybe using the iconic materials like the pink tower, brown stair or sandpaper letters, small bead stair (🤣🤣), but don’t always follow the philosophy or words that just don’t get proper training. (Too expensive, no training center, no money, no time) endless reasons.
Just open a Montessori setting.
The “Montessori” school of?
Parents will never know.
A little bit of this and a little bit of that and many, many things that are simply NOT Montessori.
I have witnessed how this creates a mixed “BUBBLE OF FUN”.
At least the school pages are demonstrating cupcakes and donuts and balloons and tons of images of “Happy and fun” children and “going outs” and everything seems so clearly marvellous.
Images counts.
Photos count.
pages count
THE Montessori Presentations of Social Media Photos.
On one hand, we know that Montessori - the name allows more kids to get exposed to at least some version of Montessori, (“rather something than nothing”) since it’s all about fostering curiosity and freedom. IF it is done properly. But on the other hand, I have seen that it dilutes the real thing.
It totally dilutes MONTESSORI.
I have seen schools slap "Montessori" on their programs to attract parents and sell it as something special, and I start wondering how many of them are just using the name for marketing, not sticking to the core principles Maria Montessori laid out.
I have observed that they’re often trading on the reputation without fully committing, and that feels a bit off to me.
Worse still, I have seen scenarios where those who don’t have an excellent command of the Montessori pedagogy and the science behind the genius continuously push their agenda for profit, without thought which only deepens my concern about the integrity of the approach being lost.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN DISCOVERING MORE?
PLEASE COME AND JOIN OUR EXCLUSIVE GROUP
ALTHEA CUTTING
SEASONED MONTESSORI EXPERT WITH DECADES OF EXPERIENCE ON 5 CONTINENTS AND WITH THE MOTTO:
CULTURE MATTERS and CULTURE’S MATTER and how this does change the broader scope of “Montessori”
AUTHENTICITY IN MONTESSORI
©️copyright Althea Cutting11th April 2025 All our text is©️copyright. And we ask you to give full credit if you choose to copy paste. INTEGRITY IS MONTESSORI.
As always, with gracious thanks to all those who research and share beautiful historical images on the public forum www. We honor you 🙏🏼🕊️🕊️🕊️🕊️
