Nomenclature template freebie

I’m busy working on Karen Tylers Astronomy album.  I’m learning loads through this process and I’ll add more info later.  But I searched through my Nomenclature documents to find something that I could use for my template.  I find everything written about Moon phases are Northern Hemisphere information – so I had to create my own as we do things a bit upside-down here in Australia, excuse the pun.  But I didn’t have Nomenclature files that I liked the format to, that didn’t seem too big, or small.  Also – importantly not only 1 nomenclature per page!  Lamination can be expensive and printing!

So thank you to The Helpful Garden – who has the most beautiful free downloads, I looked and copied some of her ideas to create this template.

It’s built around tables in MSWord.  When you need to change the colour of the borders, one little tricky thing you’ll find, is the the label part (right-hand side), where you type the label, this is another little table.  I needed the line above it to be thicker than the rest of the card, for when cutting it.  So each main table has just an outside border (box border).  But this little table has only a top border, which is thicker than the rest of the surrounded table, for neatness when trimming the end product.

To download, please click here

Here is an example of what it looks like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Montessori Album – a little gem

Sade goes to the parent/toddler programme at the local Montessori school.  I love the programme.  This little prepared environment, that I can just walk into and watch and grow with my little girl.  But more on this later.

Yesterday, after class, I found this gem in the library at the school.  Montessori Album – an old booklet written by a teacher that was personally trained by Maria Montessori.  I am so glad to find out you can still purchase it via Namta.  It was such an inspiration to read, I just couldn’t put it down.  The school where this teacher teaches, as she says, ‘has not yet become regimented’, ‘the school day was left unscheduled’ and the children spend the whole day at the school.  The pictures are just so beautiful and you get to peek into the world that these kids had at this school.  They had a pet goat too. Have a look at these few pictures.

Walking on the line – these children would grab flags, or whatever, go outside and draw a line in the ground and then walk on the line.  It was usually something they did after their morning session.

Working indoor and outdoors.  This is my favourite picture.  There was no seperation between indoors and outdoors – the children could choose where to work.  They even could sleep outside on their cots, during rest time, if they chose.  From what I’ve seen in montessori classrooms, not much time is allowed outdoors.  In the short time my son went to a wonderful school, in one observation I made,  there was a table outside.  He would take his work outside and work there.  So for my home, I really want to emphasis more outdoor work.

Once again, there are many pictures of how children used the pink tower, brown stairs, and rods.  They were all taken outside.  I’ve just noticed, this little boy most probably had polio!  But I just love this extension!

Humbling … Sometimes we become so concerned/inadequate without having the best Montessori equipment.  Look closely at this picture, the moveable alphabet is made of paper or card.  Nothing fancy.  I felt very humbled by this picture.  Many of the pictures showed not fantastic pink towers and brown stairs.  Basically hand made items.  Some flags looked like they were sewn.

For me, this is really a lovely little gem to look at, to mull over and let it seep into your soul about how to be a loving, generous, fun, easy-going, humble teacher.  Thank you God for this little find.  I needed it!

Isn’t she adorable – and the concentration!

So, if you have a spare $11 and like a bit of wonderful inspiration you can find this book at Namta

Photos copyright 1986 by NAMTA and appear with permission from North American Montessori Teachers’ Association, www.montessori-namta.org.