Do you offer courses or visits? Can you give me more information about your projects?

This was a question from Ivana Sket who attended the Cosmic Task from 0-3 Breakout session at the International Montessori Congress in Prague. She was one of the lucky ones to have the Congress held in city where she lives! Ivana works at the International Montessori School in Prague with the group of children who are from 15 months to 3 years old.

Prague by night

Like me, her passion is to help those around her understand the nature of the youngest child, helping parents realize and support the incredible nature of the first years. She discovered Montessori education, like so many do, when she was looking into where she might find a happy and secure place to send her own children.

As an independent researcher, I have been mostly just been following my instincts since I began looking for the origins of the 0-3 Montessori project. I called it "my search for the Holy Grail of 0-3" and what I have found and what I talk about in my workshops and presentations is purely my personal opinion. I do not represent any Montessori organization and I do not promote any one kind of training over another. Independence is very important to me and always has been. 

I have an AMI diploma and my training was a very important experience, it inspired me and led me to where I am today. But the AMI training left me with many questions. 

So I continue to learn from all possible sources and seek out opportunities to observe as often as I can. I continue to interview those who played a part in this history and to integrate my discoveries with the essential values of Maria Montessori. I read her books in Italian now, which is a completely different experience than reading her in translation, in English. I look through a lens that focuses on the values that Montessori taught when I work with others and teach about birth to three.

Do I offer courses? ... well not yet. But I am in the process of organizing one here in Italy. Send me your name if you might be interested so I can contact you when I have more information. 

I do offer workshops and short courses however. I am available to travel to you and work with a group of educators following a custom designed course outline based on your interests or needs. I would welcome any invitation to give a presentation at a conference. 

I recently returned from giving a series of workshops and consultations in San Luis Potosi' Mexico. They wanted to know more about the research I've been doing in Italy and how to integrate "heuristic" objects into their programs. Five different Montessori schools pooled resources to bring me across the Atlantic Ocean. They each requested a one-day observation and consultation and they brought their parent community together and asked me to talk to them about how important it is that we respect each and every person's cosmic destiny. Maria Montessori's vision of peace was based on the idea that if each of us is living well, happily, and according to our inner passions, we as a society will thrive and live in harmony. Understanding who our children really are and respecting their uniqueness and their gifts they bring into the world is the basis of peace. 

 Parent Night was unforgettable, with 400 pairs of eyes concentrating on me for over an hour!

I was joined by my friend Lupita Alvarez (below right), from Juneau Alaska, who carefully translated for me and for the Mexicans so that even the staff without English language skills could benefit from the discussions we would engage in after a morning of observations. Here we are at Casa de Ninos Y Taller Montessori (18 months to 15 years) in their art room.

Lucia (above center), is the owner of the oldest Montessori school in San Luis Potosi': Casa de Ninos M. Paolini (8 mo. to 6 years), founded in 1981. She studied 3-6 in Perugia with Signora Paolini in 1981 and with Silvia Carbone-Singh in Perugia (0-3) in 1996-1997.

The courtyard at Casa Y Taller next to the environment for 1.5 to 3 year old children

Gonis from Semillas, or "Seeds" where children from 18 mo. to 6 years are truly at home

And below is Perle', serving children from three months to three years, expanding in the fall to have 4 Casa de Ninos on a purpose built campus.

Above, Calypte, with abundant natural light, serving children at the point of walking up to 6 years.

Sofia (Calypte), Lucia (Paolini), Anabertha (Calypte), Karin, Gonis and Pelusa (Semillas), Mariana and Ximena (Perle') and Ana (Casa Y Taller). Thank you for having me!

For more information about these projects, register for my mailing list (at www.cosmictask0-3.education). I send out a newsletter every few months where I write about what the newborns are teaching me, about the research I've done on the history of the 0-3 Montessori project, and updates on the pilot project in Abruzzo developing a training for birth to six months for nurse-midwives and healthcare professionals.

Please contact me with any questions at karinslabaugh@gmail.com. I love the work of observing, collaborating and consulting and would welcome any invitation to share in this Montessori adventure.