“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” – 2 Corinthians 3:17
Freedom and Discipline are two words usually used as opposites and yet they are at the heart of the Montessori method and our work in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Maria Montessori believed that true discipline comes from within and that freedom is the ability to accept rules without being limited by them. The purposeful work that we offer in our environments that leads to concentration and then is followed by the opportunity to make choices and then subsequently develops the will, feeds independence, and results in freedom. Discipline is not the idea of “training people to obey rules” but more about self-discipline. It comes from within the child rather than imposed externally. The art of applying Freedom and Discipline in the atrium, classroom, or our homes can be tricky as we encounter children of different needs or different emotional states from day to day. Claire Paglia joins us on the podcast today to speak about Montessori’s philosophy of Freedom and Discipline and its application with children.
Claire Paglia was a child of the atrium. As an adult, she is an AMI-trained guide who has been in the primary environment for 12 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in education with a concentration in Montessori from Loyola University, Maryland. She worked for a year as a course assistant for the primary training center. In 2012, she received her Level I formation and has been a catechist at her church in varying capacities since then. She enjoys spending time with her family and particularly enjoys preparing Montessori-friendly spaces at home for her three children.
Episode References
Listening to God with Children by Gianna Gobbi:
The Absorbent Mind (Owl Edition, 1995) Chapters 25 and 26
The Discovery of the Child (Clio edition, 1997) Chapters 3 and 23
The Secret of Childhood (Ballantine, 1966) Chapter 19
Education for a New World (Clio edition, 2007) Chapter 12
The NAMTA Journal: Montessori’s Positive Psychology to Help All Children (Spring 2017 Volume 42, Number 2)
Montessori Speaks to Parents: A Collection of Articles
A Seminal Infant-Toddler Catechesis Formation: Infant-Toddler Catechesis is an exploration of the very youngest child’s spirituality springing from the discovery of the child’s nature and religious potential revealed by the Holy Spirit and the children to Maria Montessori, Sofia Cavalletti, Gianna Gobbi, Silvana Montanaro and those who continue to listen and observe the child in God’s light. The United States Association of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is delighted to offer A seminal Infant-Toddler Catechesis Formation; Part 1 April 18th – April 25, 2021 and Part 2: April 25th – April 30, 2022
Read here for more information about this event! Learn more by listening to the podcast about Infant-Toddler Catechesis with Elizabeth Calanchini