Maddie has enjoyed our new reindeer puppets! She likes to "help" me line them up, then she takes my finger and points to each one. : )
I decided to do some more research on teaching children with Down Syndrome using Montessori practices. I found
this case study on two girls with DS in Montessori schools. I almost dismissed it when I realized it was written in 1974, but it was VERY interesting. Some of the word choices are weird. This was a time when they still referred to our babies as retarded, so I had to overlook that. (which I was kind of surprised how much that affected me...I mean, it's just a word, and in this context completely innocent, but I guess some words have been charged and carry more meaning than others.)
But the thesis of the paper? Montessori environments enhanced both of the girls growth and development and expectations were raised in social and academic interactions. Yay! Incidentally, in this particular case study, these girls were the first to ever attend a Montessori school. I've realized some schools accept children with special needs and others don't. It's a matter of finding the right one.
OK, so enough about that. Here are some other pictures from the day...
As I was heading to bed last night, I looked at the Christmas tree and it looked so serene and beautiful. I had to capture the moment.
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| I love how you can see the "bare spots" where Maddie has re-arranged the ornaments! : ) |
Awesome tree photo!
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