The child's development follows a path of successive stages of independence, and our knowledge of this must guide us in our behavior towards him. We have to help the child to act, will and think for himself. This is the art of serving the spirit, an art which can be practiced to perfection only when working among children.
—Maria Montessori
The Advanced Montessori Method, p. 257.
The Advanced Montessori Method, p. 257.
Two years ago, my choir group decided to go to Germany to sing throughout the Rhine River region for 10 days. We decided that this was a good opportunity for a family vacation, so my husband and son arranged to meet me after the tour to go to Bavaria. Since the choir trip was planned for the group, I did very little by way of preparation. Conversely, my family planned together for months for our trip to Bavaria, excited to decide where we would go, what restaurants we would try, and the day trips we would make. And although we were only in Bavaria for 6 days, I remember more about that shorter leg of my trip than I do about the choir tour. Being an active participant in the planning made all the difference for me.
