10/16/13

Montessori Reading For Little Ones Interview - Meet Pauline Meert



My little man has turned 2 and I've been finding great learning items for his play room. I am came across a shop on Etsy called ForLittleOnes. The shop had these wonderful book sets for young ones to start to learn reading, inspired by Montessori teaching.  


I choose the 8 Early Reader set, Bundle A and B. It comes with 8 books, each with cards.
I thought they were a perfect addition to any childs learning materials and thought they'd be great for my little man. 


The moment he opened the package, my son wanted to read them all. 

They are a perfect size for his little hands to hold. Each book comes with sight word cards tucked safely in the back. 



The pictures are very cute hand drawn images, easy for a child to identify and the words are nicely printed and written so that a child can understand and relate them to the picture.  



On each package, it explains a little about the Montessori method and how to use the books. Great Gifts!


I wanted to introduce the woman behind ForLittleOnes, Pauline Meert...

    Hi! I am Pauline from ForLittleOnes on etsy.com, a store dedicated to meeting the needs of children through Montessori materials, activities, books, and toys.


 Can you tell us a bit about Montessori teaching?
    Montessori education is the perfect mix of beauty, simplicity, and learning. A Montessori teacher is trained to guide children towards their full potential. This is done through a carefully prepared environment, by using cleverly designed materials, by fostering life long skills, and by offering each child a deep love for learning. Montessori education at its core thrives to respect and nurture each child’s dignity and uniqueness leading them towards their God given full potential. It is beautiful. I am currently doing my Montessori Masters and continually falling in love with the method. There is so much depth Maria Montessori’s work!


 What inspires you to create?
    The children in my classroom are very inspiring. By watching them and their needs I can see what materials would be helpful. They challenge me creatively. Other people, artists, friends, family, also inspire me. I love creating baby dolls for friends and family who are expecting. I find hobby stores to also be create places for inspiration, particularly during sales!



 How did you learn to create your items?
    I began by learning to sew from a wonderful teacher when I was 18. She was very patient, even when I wanted to create a full renaissance dress after 2 month of classes. She helped me and encouraged me. I only took classes for a little while and then went rogue making what I could and trying new things. Through my Montessori training I found many ideas of things to create and tried my hand at using various medias. I do a lot of trial and error!


 Have you always wanted to make and sell your creations?
    Not really. This all kind of happened. In high school I discovered that I loved to sew. When I began my Montessori training this love spread to creating materials and various trinkets for children. I enjoyed this and found a way to share it with others through Etsy. Etsy challenges me to create new materials. It also inspires me to be more creative. 



 

Can you share any new items coming out soon?
    At the moment I do not have a lot of new items in the works. I am working on my Masters and teaching full time which makes time disappear far too quickly. I do hope to make more books in the near future as well as more Saint Peg Dolls. Feel free to ask for a custom item though!
 

Where can your products be found?

    Currently my products are only available on etsy or if you come by my place!


    I can be found in a few different places-


    http://montessorigeek.blogspot.com/

    http://www.pinterest.com/MontessoriGeek/boards/


Thank You Pauline!
Sincerely, Sue