Every week teenagers should as part of their education spemd four hours every week helping the mentally or/and the physically challenged. This need not be during the regular school hours but should be obligatory.

It is only by making friendships with others less fortunate that later they will know first hand how any new rulings will affect those people.

They will also realize how diverse society is and yet how alike we all are in our basic desires.

Teenagers seek now to know about real life experiences and so this is the time for biographies where they learn how people overcame their difficulties and showed the world what they minded about.

Their hormonal changes seek romance through reading and here autobiographies are enjoyed as being reality.

Thie is also the time for enjoying poetry. Poetry that may not always be totally understood is often found intriguing. Donne and other metaphysical perts are often read and enjoyed.

Teenagers question previous religious beliefs absorbed from their parents.

At this age they change hormonally, physically and mentally especially in the frontal cortex where there is a gradual decrease in synaptic density, and the pruning of connections.

Cognitive abilities relying on the frontal cortex change,and so they lose the ability to empathize with Parent’s anxieties.

They enjoy meditation; this was the age when the young Knights spent a night in front of the altar.

The main foods with maximum vitamins which are easily obtainable within tthat country should be taught at this time

It is important also for the student to learn how to cook simple nutritious dishes keeping their maximum vitamin content.

This is also the stage for learning about the benefits of breast feeding for babies and learning about simple good foods for the next stage.

There should be discussions and talks about the numbers of people

starving to death in the world and why. Ways of immediate help should be discussed and also then longer term reasons and the possible solutions

Another very important subject for this age group is to think about and gain knowledge about the laws that are current now and will affect their lives.

There should first be a discussion of rules in their lives.
Their own home rules
Their school rules

Teaching materials should be made as for younger age groups. The community and the parents are usually glad to help if given examples.

In each case there should be a control chart to teach themselves from, and finaly a blank to make the chart themselves with the control chart to check their work. This material allows for the constant repetition that is enjoyed so much.

There should be reading and teaching materials and stimulus lectures by experts on the following laws:

Local Laws
Traffic laws
Their Country’s main laws
Human Rights Law
International Laws

APPEALS
Ways to appeal against judgements for each.

These laws all provide fine subjects for debate

Montessori pupils are encouraged to make up their own maths problems in the earlier years. The boy’s problems are usually about cars and mechanics and the girl’s tend to be more about people and shopping.

For our teenagers, Algebra and Geometry are very important as Physics needs Maths to be able to be explored.

The future relies much on people stretching the boundaries of what we know and there is the thrill of the chase for these teenagers. There are thrilling questions such as ‘Are there more dimensions?’ ‘How is it that a single particle appears to be able to be in two places at the same time?’ There generation will probably find the answers.

Let the children get the thrill of the chase and answer their own questeions through their own research.

It is Maths which provides the tool box for their chase as all nature seems to obey Mathematica! rules.

Calculus is the most important help as a tool tfor Physics. Most of the science fields make extensive use of Cslculus.

Differential equations are the other most helpful tool for their investigations Statistics and probability are also a help.

Our Maths curriculum needs to be geared for what will be the most help for thee sciences. Sometimes Home Schooling is an advantage as it can be geared more in this way with the curriculum for life today.

Teenagers need to be given knowledge of how the international money system works through stocks and shares.

This is the age for going into groups or gangs. Let these groups start with an imaginary quite large some of money, each group having the same amount.

Let them study the stock market and do imaginary investments for a year and see what happens: who gains the most and who loses the most.

This is exciting and teaches them a great deal about money and financial dealing.

It is very important that this age group learn to earn and to have money under a safe environment.

Let them make them design their school currency. This can purchase things from the school shop which only takes this currency which has to be earned.
Parents are unable to augment this currency!

It can be earned by caring for the environment where jobs are priced by their own committee. Children are very protective of any area they have cleaned!

The cleaning of the walls and floors may be priced; the garden may have jobs priced. The jobs are voluntary but are valued if something is seen and wanted from the shop.

Gifts are given to the shop such as cakes, lemonade, handicraft, paintings. not needed computers, calculators etc. There should be a management committee and a book keeper.

This fulfils the philosophy and practical needs instead of running a hotel for parents as suggested by Montessori although that might still be attempted. This gives the possible alternative for a non resident project.

Subjects that should be generally given at adolescence must be what will help that individual to know his own unique identity but also to be able to fit into society and to make that unique contribution.

Montessori felt Mathematics was very very important, and because of early materials, children are able to make abstractions easily.

I found that Montessori materials made children very advanced in Mathematical thinking and two boys who came through my school were later in the International Maths Olympiad team , representing their country with 145 other nations. They were James Rickard and Andrew Hayne. James Rickard gained a first prize for the most elegant solution out of all the nations!

When I gave James ‘The Lives of The Great Mathematicians’ at 9 years of age,, he said that he noticed that they were all ill at some time, and that he thought that was because they needed to go to bed to have time to think! We should ask ourselves, do we give our children in school, time to think?

Today all children should be taught how to budget for very different incomes. How to budget for an average income but also how to budget as a millionaire and also how to budget if on Benefit income. This is also valuable later for empathy.

Empathy activates ‘mirror cells’ in the brain and apparently these are missing in autism.

One of the major differences from Montessori’s time is the need to use large numbers for space and for nano-technology; early Montessori maths should show large numbers as powers of ten, and so make it wasy to understand and manipulate these very large numbers.

Practical understanding of money will be tomorrow’s topic as seen by Dr Montessori and suggestions will be made for life today.

(To be continued)

Montessori wanted the adolescent from fifteen to seventeen inclusive, to have subjects needed for integration within society, within a safe environment.

I believe that she would have welcomed the latest brain research being a medical professor. This shows that the frontal lobes have so many cells being used during the Absorbent Mind stage taking in the whole environment.

The only problem is, that the whole environment is taken into the brain and later some may in fact be not applicable to the new generation.

Lonergan suggests that at this stage to rid ourselves of unnecessary and possible harmful habits fero, this stage,, we ask ourselves intelligent questions as to what is the history for that action that we have absorbed and are still keeping. Is it really of use to us now and is it in conformity with our values now?

This is not introspection as psychiatry but just questions aimed to find the origins of our habitual actions.

The remedy is to use common sense and to reject for rgood actions absorbed at that time that are not in keeping with a universal love of God and for His creation.

Montessori has written about the subjects for this age and the need to manage and earn money for practical living in today’s world. She always wanted The Keys To Today’s Environment to be given to our children.

Teenage (continued}

Montessori always said

Spotlight the good and the good will grow.

Our young people today grow up with the bad in our newspapers and television news being accentuated and spotlighted all the time.

Today a neighbour offered to take me to see a film. Over the years I have been very grateful for this occasional treat with him. I looked for a film that did not include murder or bombing and fighting, a family type film, and there wasn’t one so we watched a well acted one but full of bombing and destruction and callousness and uncaring attitude.

I also wanted to watch some television that day, and tried to find something without brutality to others and there was nothing.

These young teenage boys have testosterone now surging through their bodies for what would, in early days of man, been the time when they would go hunting for food for the tribe. What sublimation for this is there now?

With Health and Safety measures and suing in this country they have no outlet for this natural stage for excitement. So they form gangs and fight each other having been brought up with this brutality continuously on television, cinema and newspapers.

Then we shut the boys up at this age all day in a school building away from society, sitting for hours at the growth spurt age in desk and chair,when movement is being urged within them.

The sublimation through physical activities such as skating, basket ball, gymnasium, swimming, all cost money in our cities.

Do we really not know why there is so much adolescent violence and misbehaviour?

Everyone here is worried about so much teenage behavior with binge drinking and thuggish benaviour.

I found it so interesting on my travels, that where the general education follows long years at school where the pupils are shut away from society, the behaviour problems are the same. I found this true in Australia and New Zealand where I was told that they have the same problems.

Where the age for return into society to become part of it, is usually about 15 years of age, the teenagers become part of society with those assetts and those responsibilities.

I thik that the earlier stage where it is missed because of fear of sex predators and children are not left free to play together without adults,is also to blame. The children are now missing the sirst stage of and the way of adapting to a society with sets of rules with other children, without adult pressures. This adaptation is now no longer there.

This was a way of adaptation that is a necessary preparation for the later adaptation with rules that have to be obeyed and with respect for others.

In addition the neural pathways in the brain that are made through acting on the teaching of moral behaviour, are in general not being made. The religious teaching of commandments or ways of respect are not being forged and so those brain pathways do not come easily into play.

In addition the government here, because of some minority cruelty forbade the parents to chastise and the teachers to discipline which iare in some ways necessary when the way of education does not fir the inner needs of the child. The teenager then acts out its frustration at the prevention of those inner needs being met.

Montessori showed clearly the needs for this age group and showed that from 12 up to 15 certain needs should be met and the from there op to 18 other needs should be met.

This has to be understood and the stages of development met properly, then
all weill be well with our young people. They are frustrated and angry inside, and we hold the key.

It is so rewarding writing my Blog, and hearing from people who work with Montessori ideals,from all over the world. Today I heard from Valentina from the Ukraine, such a lovely letter. Thank you Valentina for your enthusiasm.

While politicians of countries sometimes quarrel we Montessori people link together in understanding and respect. Through this Blog, I have recently received invitations to go to give a lecture in Moscow, and also in Israel this March.

I am in my 90th year and am a bit infirm but I lecture well and can tell of Montessori herself.

I have linked her work with the recent brain research so let me know if, and when, you want me and don’t leave it too late!

In all those countries I saw on my world tour, Britain seemed to start the journey to work much earlier than in other countries. Here at 6am the M4 motor way is already very busy. When the news and traffic details come onto the television, and they show picturese of the motor ways and these seem to be already crowded. We seem as if we have longer hours at work.

I read recently of some research which showed that shorter working hours seemed to produce the same results in work accomplished.

Pehaps the same should apply to schools here and our children should have more hours of play. The trouble here is that they are not free now to play outside in our cities because of fears of molestation and also because of traffic.

Many families are now moving abroad to acheive a better quality of life for their children. Perhaps our politicians might listen and do something to help our city children?

Tonight the forecast is “cold and wet”.

I go out tonight to the street people and luckily I have had a good response for more duvets and blankets. Last Monday I had none and I felt so terrible.

Amongst our usual motley crowd there was a very delicate looking young. man in his thirties with a very delicate looking young wife. They had no where to go and they had nowhere to sleep and no warm covering to put under or over themselves. They were going to sleep on the cold concrete of the stairs where we meet.

This is not some poor country; this is England in 2008!

On asking why, I found that he had just come out of prison, and until social services were open next day, they had no where to go.

I came home and cried in the night when I thought that here was England 2008 and we just don’t care .

According to the news there are “thousands’ of young people in this country having to sleep rough. Girls are very vulnerable when offeredd warmth and food in return for selling their bodies for sex/

I went through the whole of Asia, and saw no one on the steet without shelter. When I asked why, I was told that people just could not pass by those on the street as we do here. They said that there is always shelter.

One can say “It’s their own fault” but what do we really mean? There is Andy now in prison for not obeying probation rules. His parents and grandparents are addicts and after coming out of care, came back to his parents, and he became an addict with them.

Let us be like our young children in our Montessori schools, acting ourselves always with respect and compassion for the other.

My trip round the world, complete with tremor and wheelchair, was a most wonderful experience.I stayed in each country a week and offered to give two lectures on one day on Montessori, linking it with new brain research. In return I had to give me my inclusive board and to be taken to see something of their City or country. Each could charge for my lectures but should then give the money to a children’s project in their own country.

I was treated as a celebrity and as it was only for a short time, I loved it! I was greeted at airports with garlands, had as well as child development experts, at my university lectures, television and newspapers and so many photographs in spite of saying that the emessenger is not important, it is the message.

I went to China, The Phillipines, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and Washington USA.

The most amazing city for me was Shanghai. It is truly magnificent, with the old architecture in amongst the most wonderful excitong modern architecture I have ever seen. At night it is magical with the outlines of the buildings lit by lasers.

The most pleasant place to live in for me was Malaysia. I stayed in the citty of Kualar Lumpar. I was there for Davali. It has a wonderful climate for me and nature is so lush there and beautiful, and the trees so large.

The country I least liked was The Phiippines. I liked the people but disliked their way of life. Every building seemed to have its fully armed guards, even residences. When I went to their Mall in Manila everyone had to be searched before being allowed in.

The most well mixed harmoniously racially place was Ssingapore. This is cleverly done by the four main religious festivals being celebrated joyously by everyone, as there is a shut down of everything . This is so that EVERYONE may join in the celebrations.

The most extraordinary experience for me was this: I got into the plane in the evening in Wellington New Zealand on Thursday evening and we were given dinner. Then later the lights were put down for the night, and we slept. When we woke after our night on Friday morning, we were given breaksast and disembarked in Los Angeles. I was astonished to find that it was still THURSDAY!
I then got in a plane and travelled another three thousand miles six hours, to Washington, only to find that it was early on THURSDAY!
TIME TRAVEL?

I heard yesterday on the news that thousands of families are now leaving the UK for life overseas. I am not surprised.

In the countries I visited, the children could play freely outside together as they used to here, without constant adult supervision. The children not being free to have physical play together outside means that the parents are less free. They take children to various adult supervised activities and otherwise leave them to gain their emotional satisfacttion through sitting at computer games instead of their socialising freely with all ages of other children.

In Asia I saw the children going to school together without adults. Here parents have to take the children for safety, and wait at the school gates to accompany them home. The lack of freedom for normal free play as all animal species need, is making an obese generation of children who through play are not learning necessary social skills.

If I had a young family I too would go overseas.

The movable alphabet is used very early and the whole environment has been communicating that letters mean something and are not just to do with books.

The absorbant mind is so strong that if you label the shelves with the names of the materials the children will begin to associate the letters with the names. Then if he/she have been doing the sounds a,0,c,d,g,t here is a fun way to show that HE CAN COMMUNICATE FROM HIS MIND TO YOU, THROUGH LETTERS.

“Keep your mouth tight shut!. Close it tight!!

Now without speaking you can tell me with these letters which you like best, a dog or a cat!

You need not speak and yet I will know!” There is real excitement when you look at what he has written and say “I know! YOU like a dog best!”

He will love the new magic for him of communicating HIS thought through letters and then the spelling becomes important to him as he wishes now to go on communicating. This’explosion’ into communicating through writing comes before reading and is very exciting for teacher and child. Read aloud anything written guessing through the funny spelling! Don’t be tempted to correct.

All the language activities will help the child gradually to learn to spell well. If you continue the feeling of the sandpaper letters, the sudden explosion into handwriting will follow.

I have beeen asked to go to Israel (fares and keep paid) on March the second. I was asked a few months ago whether in the Spring I could go to South Africa and also India.

I WONDER WHETHER ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THIS TOUR? IS THERE ANY CHANCE OF BEING ASKED TO RUSSIA? I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SCHOOLS AND HELP IN ANY WAY WITH SUGGESTIONS OR SEMINARS AND LECTURES.

I AM IN MY 90TH YEAR BUT LOVE SPREADING MONTESSORI AND TELLLING ABOUT HER AND HER WORK.(AND MINE!)

I have now been asked to lecture in Moscow University in March. I look forward to this very much.

I saw Montessori schools in each country and they were so similar although cultures were so varied. Childreen were going about choosing their activities purposefully, others were absorbed in their activities, whilst others were quietly showing their friends what they were doing.

Because the environment is planned and everything has its correct place the children when they choose what they want to do, know exactly where to find that activity. When they have finished, they go and put everything back in their correct placea.

What effect does this have?

It means that the child’s will is strengthened by its own volition with the free choice of activity, but because it has to place everything back correctly A SELF DISCIPLINED STRONG WILL IS A PRODUCT OF ALL THE MONTESSORI SCHOOLS IN ALL CULTURES AND COUNTRIES.

The shopping Malls in Asia were much larger and finer than ours here. They usually had several levels and more activities, as well as very fine shops and boutiques.

When I came back I went to our much humbler Shopping Mall in Slough called Queensmere which is always full of people. I realised how very wonderful it was because all the crowds were so ethnically mixed and with so many diverse religious beliefs amd here they all were, mixing happily and all going peacefully and meaningfully about their own business. There were happy faces with varied coloured skins and different features and so many diverse languages, and all mixing peacefully together there.

Could it be because there were no politicians around and no specific religions stating that all should recognise theirs as the only true one that meant all could be happy and peaceful?

Thank you Slough and Queensmere.

Please Kenya, come back today from all that misery to the lovely country you were. Voting is not worth bloodshed and misery.

Well done Queensmere. Long may you prosper and give us your example.

A Happy and very fulfilled New Year to all who read this. I have thought so much about the wonderful places I went to on my world tour.

Asia was so fine and I thought Shanghai by far the most beautiful city I know. Do go to see it if possible. When I said “If possible” I think really that anything is possible if we really want to do something and have a strong enough will, to workin every way to make it possible.

Old age in Asia is looked up to and its wisdom revered. Here when we are old,we are told what we should or should not do “for our own good.” No care home, not my doctor or my family thought I should go round the world and yet I had a very warm and lovely extra summer, I was treated so well on the air lines as I was alone and with a wheel chair, I was met with garlands and so very well cared for, I was a celebrity and loved it(!), I enjoyed giving my lectures and they were so well received and people said that they were inspired to go on in the ways advocated.

I am so glad that I did my own thing and I now can assimilate all those experiences.

GO FOR IT EVERYONE!