LIVABLE LEARNING helps the homeschooler and parent “Prepare the Home Environment” for learning. We discuss the order of the home, how to organize student learning materials, and the spiritual preparation of the teacher. The foundation of Livable Learning is Montessori education, however the basic principles will benefit any homeschooling family. Ultimately, our goal is to bring more ORDER to our home and more INDEPENDENCE to our children, while we experience a deeper journey in our personal FAITH.

The application of "Livable Learning" introduces adaptations to make the Montessori Method more "homeschool friendly." Maria Montessori, a Catholic physician and scientist from Italy, through her direct observations of children, pioneered many changes in educational philosophies in the early 1900's. Much of what Montessori tried to do, especially with Practical Life excersises, was to re-create a home environment for children. As homeschoolers we already have the optimal home environment, so there is no need for us to re-create what is naturally there.

However, we do need to learn to look at ourselves, our children, and our home with NEW EYES.

The focus of the group will be twofold:

1). Focused discussions and reflections on the SPIRITUAL PREPARATION OF THE TEACHER. Our focus is on three themes of preparation: Preparing the Heart and the Home, Directing the Mind and the Child, Following the Church and the Child.

2). Focused discussions on how to effectively transform the home into a PREPARED ENVIRONMENT, based on the following themes: From Creative Chaos to Livable Learning, From Despairing Disorder to Saving Simplicity.


"One who can control disorder is free to LIVE.
One who can control himself is free to LEARN."
(S.V. Wilhelmi)

This group is a spin off from our Livable Learning web site at
http://www.jmjpublishing.com
and is a sister group to the Montessori Yahoo egroups playschool6 and montessorimakers