Building on the work of Montessori

Over my 25 plus years as a Montessori teacher, I've developed a learning system called, "Montessori Plus".  Building on Montessori's philosophy, it uses various organizational systems, classroom procedures, teaching methodologies and computer technologies to ultimately better meet the needs of students.  Yes, meeting the individual needs of children in a social context needs to be the absolute imperative behind education.  This system will be presented in my upcoming book, "Montessori Plus: A Way Out of the Darkness".

2016 Prezi: Ams Nat'l conference in Chicago

The American Montessori Society invited me to present "Montessori Plus: The Road Less Traveled" at its 2016 annual conference in Chicago, IL.  By clicking on the button below, you'll be taken to the Prezi site where you can view this presentation.

Montessori certified with 25+ years experience

Creating an elementary program that strikes the child's imagination, as well as meeting all of their other social, emotional and academic needs can be a daunting, but exciting challenge.  I have created at least eight beautiful elementary Montessori classrooms from scratch.  Imagine a children's museum with intentionally designed learning materials and activities that incorporate the Montessori Plus learning system.  This is learning at its best! 

I have had Montessori interns fall to the ground and proclaim "We're not Worthy!" (Thank you Wayne's World!), parents exclaim, "Wow, I wish I could have been in this classroom as a child!" and even a child drew a sad face on his work folder calendar because it was the last day of school.  Yes, my students loved coming to school! 

I offer the following services:

• Montessori Plus training and implementation (See the above page.)
• Cultural planning (i.e. social & physical sciences) based on a three year cycle
• Effective classroom layout and design that is beautiful and facilitates learning
• Immersion Day and Field Trip planning that strikes the imagination of the student (e.g. The Kalahari Simulation, In the Beginning..., DMN&S Scavenger Hunts)
• Teacher training, mentoring, and observation to increase effectiveness and job satisfaction

Life Tree Learning Systems

Life Tree Learning Systems is about creating cultural curriculums that strive to strike the student’s imagination by using hands-on, experiential and scientifically based learning activities.  Yes, this means that we want the students to be so excited and engaged in their learning that this passion for learning becomes a lifelong habit; where students learn not just to earn some extrinsic reward, but because the learning is inherently rewarding and enjoyable.  Towards that end, LTLS has created physical, biological and social science curriculums. 

Deep Space, Near Space and Home

This particular curriculum is on Astronomy, focusing on both near space that surrounds our home planet and deep space that includes the rest of the cosmos.  It includes 36 Activity Cards and 26 pages of support materials that include: 1 colored checklist, 2 blackline masters, 3 sets of colored 3 part cards, 2 sets of matching cards, 4 colored posters and a going out permission form.  At $20, this curriculum roughly breaks down to $.50 per activity and this doesn't even include the support the materials!  Often one set of 3 part cards can cost $20!. 

Click on the image to view a preview of this curriculum.

Our Home Planet: Earth

This particular curriculum is on Physical Geography, focusing on our home planet, Earth.  It includes 36 completed Activity Cards and 25 pages of support materials that include: 1 colored checklist, 9 blackline masters, 2 sets of matching cards, 12 control posters/charts (many are colored) and a puzzle.  At $20, this curriculum roughly breaks down to $.50 per activity and this doesn't even include the support the materials!  Often one set of 3 part cards can cost $20!. 

Click on the image to view a preview of this curriculum.

Time: Past to Present

This particular curriculum is on History, focusing on prehistory through modern times.  It includes 47 completed Activity Cards and 12 pages of support materials that include: 3 colored checklists, 7 blackline masters, 2 control posters/charts (many are colored) and a days of the week activity.  At $20, this curriculum roughly breaks down to 50¢ per activity and this doesn't even count the included support materials!!  

Click on the image to view a preview of this curriculum.