Book Review
An Inspiring Motherhood Journey
What distinguishes Marwa Rakha's "Me, Adam, and the Montessori" book from other books that talk about the Montessori approach is that it presents a unique experience for a mother trying to overcome the shortcomings of traditional education and the invisible disabilities of her son. The author takes us on a revealing and inspiring journey about how and when she took the Montessori approach seriously. The book does not deal with the history and ideas of Maria Montessori - founder of the Montessori approach to education. Rather, the book provides a new lens for looking at and contemplating the Montessori approach in a way that is more relevant to the lives of most Arab mothers today. The book is divided into many small chapters in which the writer covers many aspects of life from the beginning of her pregnancy through birth and lost beginnings and then the passage from the darkness of confusion to the light of Montessori.
Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3VKrV85
By narrating her personal experience, the writer offers a distinctive reading of the Montessori approach philosophy, smoothly, easily and without complication. This approach is based on the simple principle that "play is the child's work, The child's work is play". Yes, play is a child's way of learning, exploration, and openness. Unfortunately, Unfortunately, many of the methods education used, whether popular or inherited, hinder the child growth. Marwa Rakha comments, “In this [traditional educational] environment that kills imagination and creativity, certain information is imposed on the child, and he is required to memorize and repeat.” As for “in the Montessori environment, whether at home or in the classroom, the adult’s role, from parents to teachers is an observation interests of the child, and to provide appropriate activities for him and their interests” (p. 37). Thus, to preserve the children nature, we must free children from control, monitoring, allow them to discover their interests, and open suitable doors for them to explore and learn. We must stir the children's imagination, not through cartoons, but by presenting tools that help them to imagine and produce at the same time, such as wooden blocks, Lego, magnetic sticks, and many brushes and colors. Children need a space to explore and use their hands to develop their minds and intelligence. Children who do not use their hands become careless and lose their curiosity and love of knowledge.
The book "Me, Adam, and the Montessori" provides practical steps to apply the Montessori approach without the trouble and without hardship. The book emphasizes the fundamental principle of the Montessori philosophy in our daily lives by breaking down and building all social and cultural convictions, failures, and personal successes in a fun and interesting form of narration and frankness. Owning a copy of this book was an important event for me as a mother. I feel very grateful to those who gave me this book at the beginning of my motherhood. This book serves as a basic reference, and I reread it often to remember how to deal in new situations.
Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/3VKrV85
For a fun way to educate your child check out 5 Little Monkeys educational and Montessori toys.