Reviews

New Sanford Jones Musical a Centenial Celebration of Montessori

A Montessori Journey: 1907-2007 Exhibit Documented in NAMTA Journal

New Sanford Jones Musical a Centenial Celebration of Montessori

A Centenary Celebration of Dr. Maria Montessori by Sanford Jones and Jim Cummesky, DVDs and additional curricular material,  $250 plus $6 for  shipping and handling,  Youth Opera International, Inc., 318 E. 45th St., Savannah, GA  31405,  sanford.jo...@comcast.net.

By Pat Yonka

Anyone that has experienced the work of Sanford and Judy Jones, whether opera participant, observer or audience member, will not be disappointed with their latest effort in collaboration with Jim Cummesky. A Centenary Celebration of Dr. Maria Montessori, is a "love letter" to Dr. Montessori from the children who have benefited from her gifts to education. The form this gratefulness takes is a letter to Dr. Montessori from a child thanking her for the various materials that have inspired us all: Practical Life, Sensorial, Language Mathematics, Geography, History, Biology, Art, Music and Character. A short song, following the "letter," speaks to the subject area being honored.

Montessori's 100 year legacy in education is most appropriately represented by an enlarged version of the hundred square: a constructed frame that is 7 feet square. Ten 10 bars represent the 10 subject areas previously mentioned. Preceding each "letter," a ten bar is placed on the frame. Thus the hundred square is constructed before the eyes of the audience and participants. Other "props" used throughout the theatre piece are materials from Early Childhood and Elementary classrooms.

From a musical standpoint, Mr. Jones' melodies are simple but speak to the child through repetition and, for the most part, appropriate vocal ranges. The use of music in the telling of story is a gift that illustrates the necessity of arts in the lives of our children.

My first reaction to the cost of $250 was that it was rather high. After reviewing all materials and the guidelines that are included in the package, I have changed my mind. The guidelines, score, rehearsal CD, and 2 performance DVDs illustrate the open-ended possibilities of this package as a medium for performance, an educational tool for parents and prospective parents, school celebrations, community building within the school, etc. The package would allow a school to prepare and rehearse in preparation for the performance.

While all music scores are included in the package, the rehearsal CD is the piano accompaniment for all songs used but does not include the movement music. These activities were added after the premier performance and consist of five locomotor steps: march, prance, gallop, skip and processional.  The best possible way to present this theater piece would be for the school to hire a pianist to accompany the children whether movement is added or not.  This is very possible as my experience over the last eight years has allowed me to accompany children in two productions annually. 

Finally, it would be unfair to not mention that my son's love of theater and music came to fruition by participating in six of Sanford Jones' operas from the ages of 8-15 years.  The beauty of A Centenary Celebration of Dr. Maria Montessori is that its simplicity, elegance and gracefulness speak to the essence of artistic development. Children involved in this process can be transformed!

Pat Yonka is the administrator of Columbus Montessori Center-COMET in Columbus, OH, and a long-time music educator.

A Montessori Journey: 1907-2007 Exhibit Documented in NAMTA Journal

A Montessori Journey: 1907-2007 by David Kahn and Gerard Leonard, Full color, 195 pages, 7" x 8.5" Includes CD of Elise Braun Barnett, available through the NAMTA website http://www.montessori-namta.org/NAMTA/PubVidSubpages/mementos.html#centenaryjournal, $45 plus shipping.

By Holly Hilgenberg

A Montessori Journey: 1907-2007, The NAMTA Centenary Exhibit is the print form of the Montessori exhibit that traveled across the country last year, published as The NAMTA Journal.  After a brief preface by David Kahn about the logistics of the exhibit, A Montessori Journey presents the history and influence of Montessori as told through the words, photos, quotes and displays of the exhibit.

Like the exhibit, the book focuses first on a timeline of Montessori through its inception in various countries, beginning in Rome with Dr. Montessori's background.  The second half of the book shows a more modern take on the influence of the educational model, including its inception in third world countries and extensions of the method in peace education and religious education.

Like the exhibit, colored tabs (maroon for the geographical history, green for contemporary information) mark the two sections to guide the reader. 

A CD entitled "Folk Tunes and Music of the Masters Adapted for the Classroom by Elise Braun Barnett" from the American Montessori Society accompanies the book.  Though the gesture is nice (it is the same music which plays in the background of the exhibit), it is questionable whether or not playing the CD while reading the book would have the same effect.

The inclusion of actual display materials from the exhibit, such as print media from the early 1900's discussing Montessori and German Montessori materials from the 1920s, lend a particularly authentic feel to the book.  These materials set the book apart from typical histories of the Montessori method. The vast array of photos and diagrams supplement the written material nicely and further engage the reader.

For those who were not able to see the exhibit in person, the book provides readers the opportunity to take in the experience.  A Montessori Journey is an excellent introduction to the rich history of the method. 

A Montessori Journey is an effective resource commemorating the centenary and celebrating the rich tradition and innovation of Maria Montessori's work.

Holly Hilgenberg is Associate Editor of Public School Montessorian.