Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius is a new book by A.S. Lillard. The book is available February 1st at bookstores.

Public Outreach, Education, Teaching and Reaching Youth is a great site for studying the earth’s magnetic fields. You can even ask the Space Scientist questions. If you wonder what is a solar wind, a magnetic field, an aurora, space weather conditions, the Van Allen Belts, and much more- this is the site with all the answers.

The Mystery Class for the Journey North is beginning January 31, 2005.
The Journey North is very Montessori in its approach because it integrates many topics into an overview by using the changes in seasons as a main theme. This program helps a child observe and actively participate in various related activities that studies changing sunlight’s effect on plants and animals around the world.

I used to tutor children in reading with Montessori materials at our local school’s special education class. Most of the reading problems were identified with a “dyslexia” label . It was interesting because each child seemed to have unique and individual problems in learning how to read. Many of the students did not see the letters in a mirror image. The one thing they did have in common was not being able to understand the sounds of the letters of the words they were reading.

New research from “Joanisse is finding that children with reading impairments rely more heavily on the right
hemispheres of their brains, even though language is controlled by the left side.”
As well, there’s been a change in the belief that people with dyslexia invert letters, for example, flipping a b upside down into a p.
Joanisse says they’re actually having problems converting the letters they see into the sounds they know. You can read more at-
Technology may soon tell researchers why some kids have trouble reading. The article is insightful in that it confirms that reading is not any easy skill for many children and adults.

It seems babies absorb language easiest in the form of stories. Montessori noted a sensitive period beginning at 18 months through age three when children went through a language explosion. Infants have Keen Memory for Words states
“they[babies] are storing any information away about sound patterns that occur frequently.” ” At about 18 months, a child’s vocabulary and grasp of language suddenly expand, and scientists don’t know why. One possible explanation is that children may begin storing the sounds and meanings of words while they are infants, and suddenly they are able to connect the words with meanings.” Bascially, babies absorbed language like a sponge.

A Sacred Place is a great place to find information and training for the Catethesis of the Good Sheperd if you live in Australia or New Zealand. There are some great links and a newsletter archive as well.

I finally found a blog written by a Norwegian. I can relate with being weather sick-it’s darker than dark in Norway this time of the year. Also, I loved the picture of the wild gummie boots. If you don’t wear the solid rubber boots your feet are always wet. It makes me think of my Mormor and Morfar I used to visit so long ago. “thinking with my fingers” brings back a flood of memories of Norway.

Writing With Web Logs has great sources for your aspiring writer. Kristin Kennedy descirbes a blog, how to get blog tools, and how to assess your child’s writing. This is great way to motivate your child to write.

Montessori provided intellectual building blocks for reading and math. This article “How does the Montessori Classroom Enhance Learning for the At Risk Child?” is so informative. It is comprehensive and well written.

AMC has a free Grammar Bingo Game
My children loved this. Thanks for providing this fun and educational game!