Thursday, October 13, 2016

Melting Basket 74


Since it has been ages since I have done a melting basket post I am just going to hop right into it. I doubt anyone remembers what was in the last basket anyway... I know I don't and I am way too lazy right now to search back.

Lasting Scent Candles- Toasted Embers
Lasting Scent Candles- Fall Fest
Lasting Scent Candles- Picklefritz
Dessa- Pumpkin Wreath Woods
Dessa- October
Dessa- Autumn Wreath Harvest
Dessa- Autumn Breeze
The Bathing Garden- Tombstone Dust
The Bathing Garden- Victorian Midway
The Bathing Garden- Pumpkin Masquerade
Butterfly Lane- Mountain Cider/Country Splendor
Beezy- Pumpkin Caramel Swirl
Sweet Fixations- Pumpkin Pie Spice
CFTKR- Caramel's Perfect Autumn
Sugar & Spice- Frosted Pumpkin Cupcake/Coconut Cream Pie/Gingerbread Pumpkin

I will highlight some favorites during the Fall Fun Series, but feel free to request any reviews of specific scents in the comments. 


"Each second we live in a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that never was before and never will be again. And what do we teach our children in school? We teach them that two and two makes four and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In the millions of years that have passed there has never been another child like you."- Pablo Casals


That quote was part of my Montessori assistant teacher training. In the traditional classroom, there is often not the time to squeeze in these types of affirmations. Between thrusting math and reading into a child's face and hand cramping amounts of paperwork and trying to keep up with whatever new mandate flits in and out of the classroom, most teachers do not have time to foster meaningfulness into individual children. At least I didn't when I taught at a Title 1 middle school for five years. But now, I feel continually blessed to be a part of the Montessori movement, that my kids get filled with the importance of work, the fire to learn and lessons on grace and courtesy. That the whole child is attended to, not just the product of testing.


On top of that blessing, our Montessori school is a public charter school, and not a private school. If you have a local Montessori school, check it out. There are other educational philosophies out there too. I am not saying that the Montessori philosophy is for every child, or that public education never works. I just know that even with two education degrees, I had never even heard of Montessori, and what I had heard had been incorrect preconceived notions, so I wanted to spread the word in my own little part of the world. 

After all, our children are precious. And they should know their worth.

5 comments:

  1. 'Picklefritz' always makes me snicker because it makes me think it smells like pickles. (It doesn't, does it?!)

    That spiderweb pic is so cool, and the black and purple colors make it Halloweeny.

    I had never heard of Montessori before knowing you and even now don't totally understand just what the schools are actually like. lol

    ~Deb

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    1. LOL! Yes the pickle part is pretty funny. I know it is a play on Snickelfritz and pumpkin but I have no idea what a Snickelfritz is either. And no, thankfully no pickle scent. Though I do have a Chai scented perfume that Adam swears makes me smell like pickles. Ugh.

      Thank you! I saw it one morning and had to stop to take a pic.

      It is very very different. The teachers facilitate learning and follow the child's lead. The kids have choice in their learning. The girls can pick what topics they would like to research, they can eat snacks throughout the day, they only wear socks in the classroom (no shoes) and they can do flower arranging and sewing and other cool things as a part of learning. There is no assigned homework and no backpacks. I do have the girls do extra math at home and I do make them read at night but other than that they don't have anything to do at home. The goal is to build intrinsic motivation. There are no grades or rewards for their learning. Just the value of learning in and of itself.

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    2. They do of course learn their letters, how to read and write in cursive. They do learn math too, though in a different manner. Using bead chains and such. Physical materials. Manipulatives. They learn about other cultures. It is cool.

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  2. I love a good basket!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks!!! It has been far too long since I made one. So glad to have it back! LOL! Thank you for stopping by!

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