The purpose of the Fellowship is to provide a forum for believers who minister through Montessori education. It is to provide encouragement for both academic and spiritual excellence in our environments. Its purpose is to encourage the creation of new Christian Montessori schools nationally and internationally. Its purpose is to remind us that we are not alone on this spiritual/educational journey.
Since its founding in 1983 the Fellowship has held a national conference each year. The difference in a CMF conference from any other Montessori gathering is that we honor the one who inspired and gave Dr. Montessori her insights. The Christian spiritual formation of Montessori education is primary in our gathering. Excellent (and complete) Montessori education must include the spiritual life of the child. Next year’s conference will be held in San Antonio Feb. 15-17th. Details are on the website. Hands on Bible lessons are presented and taught.
CMF has held dozens of regional conferences since 2002 from Massachusetts to Hawaii, and California to Georgia and through the heartland. Shreveport LA will be hosting their 10th conference this year.
CMF also provides management help and training both on site and at a Forum in San Antonio. Plans are being made to put the management forum on line within the year.
CMF also provides training for Montessori teachers both on line and with DVD components. The primary benefit of Christian Montessori training is that it is Christian, taught with all honor given to the Savior who inspired Dr. Montessori. Secondly, the didactic training is done on DVDs where the student can view the presentations over and over again. The training is studio produced with the benefit of overhead and over the shoulder cameras so the trainee can actually view the presentation as if they were sitting next to the teacher (instead of viewing it upside down and backwards as in a group presentation.) Training has been produced for toddlers and preschool. The lower el is now going through the final edits.
CMF also provides parent education materials. “Getting Your Money’s Worth” is a 42 page booklet that explains the lifetime benefits of a Montessori education. (The book was written for Dads who often express the thought, “Are we getting our money’s worth? Shouldn’t we be saving this money for college?) The book was written concisely so that it would not be intimidating by length and therefore would be read. There is also a secular version of the booklet that helps support the work of the fellowship.
There is a parenting library of newsletters that will cover a three year cycle. The twenty seven newsletters share with parents the ongoing actions and the formation of classroom activities. Parents are given the ability to appreciate the blessings they see happening in their children. They are written in the language of parents so parents can articulate to their friends and associates why everyone should have their children at your school.
CMF has also published “A Pearl of Great Price” which details the spiritual and Biblical foundation of Montessori education. It is a significant book to share with people who think that Montessori is a new age or liberal philosophy because Montessori has been adopted by secularists. This is our effort to redeem the mindset for this Biblical way to teach and nurture children.
CMF is creating “School Out of the Box” a program to help establish Christian Montessori schools by providing guidance, encouragement, and manuals so that start up schools may have a better chance of success and achieve excellence.
CMF is also creating a program for Christian Montessori school accreditation.
The Fellowship receives calls and emails from all over the country and the world for help with starting Christian Montessori schools. Our purpose is to preach the Gospel through this wonderful tool that God has put in our hands.
CMF exists to strengthen you and your program and extend the scope of Christian Montessori education but to effectively accomplish these goals we need your support. Every Christian Montessori school should become a member. Every teacher should take a membership. Every school should be represented at the national conference. Groups of schools should host regional conferences. We need to encourage and pray for each other and share the Gospel through this wonderful tool he ahs given us.
Memberships are available at www.crossmountainpress.com or by writing Christian Montessori Fellowship 22630 East Range San Antonio, TX 78255 210-698-1911