Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Maria Montessori: A Place for Everything

well-organized shelves in Montessori school in Sweden

A place for everything, and everything in its place. We've all heard that one, and it's a basic organizing principle. What I didn't realize until last night was that this concept was popularized by Dr. Maria Montessori, of Montessori school fame.

So I'm thankful to the book A Housekeeper is Cheaper than a Divorce for pointing that out. Talking about Dr. Montessori, the book says, "Children, she noticed, are comforted by an atmosphere of calm and order. An environment in which everything has a place is an extension of the routine and consistency that children love."

[photo by Crystal, from a Montessori school in Sweden]

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

When I first sent my kids to Montessori preschool, I tried to makeover their rooms and the family rooms Montessori style. It never quite worked -- I have way more stuff per square inch than the typical Montessori classroom -- but it was still a useful lesson.

I'm really enjoying your blog, by the way! Great tips and nice photos.

Jeri Dansky said...

Thank you, Anne! I'm a big fan of Web Worker Daily. And I just sent your 5 Quick Ways to Me More Mindful off to a client.