Gallery
The Zimtor house. The entire house is dedicated to child care since I live at a different house.
The backyard looking northeast. I plan to add a playground set, a covered sandbox, and an outdoor block set.
The main classroom looking south. I use some Montessori materials, like the Geometric Solids seen in this picture, where I believe they are useful, but I use a wide variety of other materials as well.
The main classroom looking north. The large open area is used for group activities and for floor-based materials.
The art and science classroom. Art and science materials are stored in the kitchen cabinets. The water table is used for a variety of art and science activities.
The library and nap room. This room is for quiet work.
Amos Bronson Alcott about 1860. Alcott, the father of Louisa May Alcott, opened the Temple School in Boston in 1834. Based partly on Pestalozzi's methods, discipline was handled by the school as a whole and independent thought was strongly encouraged. Louisa May Alcott wrote, “My father taught in the wise way which unfolds what lies in the child’s nature, as a flower blooms, rather than crammed it, like a Strasbourg goose, with more than it could digest.” Amos Bronson Alcott's book about the Temple School, published in 1836, created widespread denunciation of the school, especially for Alcott's discussions with students questioning the literal truth of the Bible. The school rapidly lost enrollment and closed after only a few years of operation. For his few admirers, though, Alcott was an important innovator in progressive education.
