4Real Forums: Moira's presentation materials

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Nurturing the Years of Wonder
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Topic: Moira's presentation materials

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Cheryl
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Posted: Nov 06 2005 at 9:22am \| IP Logged

I just received Moira's "Home Catechesis 3-5". I looked at it briefly last night and I have a few questions.

I was thinking about starting with the Advent presentations. Would you recommend starting at the beginning instead?

Did you buy or make the advent materials? I have a wreath and candles I could use. I can see how you would make the houses, but what about the people? How did you make those or where did you purchase them?

For the first few presentations...did you buy the Mass kit and linen kit from Our Father's House? What did you use for an altar and how do you store (or display) the materials?

Our house has very limited space right now and I'm trying to visualize how to do this. Any ideas on how to get started (without much space)?

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Cheryl
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Mom to Matthew 13, Joseph 11, Sarah 10, Rachel 6, Hannah almost 4 and Mary 1

Cay Gibson
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Posted: Nov 13 2005 at 12:27pm \| IP Logged

Cheryl wrote:

I was thinking about starting with the Advent presentations. Would you recommend starting at the beginning instead?

Cheryl,
Speaking from an amateur experience, I think the Advent presentations stand on their own. Weave the beginning presentations into the week as you can.

Cheryl wrote:

Did you buy or make the advent materials? I have a wreath and candles I could use. I can see how you would make the houses, but what about the people? How did you make those or where did you purchase them?

We've always made our own Advent materials. I'm having trouble with people figures though and usually make do with what I can find. But I will be investing in proper figures once I find the most affordable, usable figures.

Cheryl wrote:

For the first few presentations...did you buy the Mass kit and linen kit from Our Father's House? What did you use for an altar and how do you store (or display) the materials?

Our house has very limited space right now and I'm trying to visualize how to do this. Any ideas on how to get started (without much space)?

I had to give in and purchase the altar kit. There is enough use of the altar materials in the various presentations to warrant it. I bought the linen kit at our hs conference from Mary who was with JMJ Publishing. I'm uncertain if they supply their own or if these were from Our Father's House.

Our altar is a simple two-tiered white shelf that sits under one of my bedroom windows. Next to it is another shelf and a large wicker basket that holds the materials.

With limited space and no extra room to replicate a Montessori classroom or a GS atrium, it's not realistic to think that we can have the ideal center in our homes. I make do with what I have and construct Montessori *centers* around my house rather than do without .

I have an antique sewing machine in my hallway that has a large crucifix over it and it stores our rosaries, medals and other religious items.

The altar shelf in my room works very well because it is secluded from the active part of the house. They may retreat there to get away from the noise and busyness of active family life. It's a place for meditation and quietness.

The children are not allowed to just go in it and *play* with the GS materials. They must ask my permission first. I make sure the child is set-up with the materials first, and they may shut the door if they wish. No other child is allowed in during this time.

Materials must be properly picked up and set back. It's a lesson in orderliness if nothing else. I check the clean-up so they will realize this is not a *play area* but a special, sacred place.

Our Montessori items are housed in a microwave hutch in the hallway and in a tall spare closet in the kitchen. This gives mom easy access throughout the day since they use these manipulatives at the kitchen table.

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Cay Gibson
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Rachel May
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Posted: Nov 13 2005 at 2:04pm \| IP Logged

Before our friends built our altar, we used a big rubbermaid tub as one. Then we stored everything inside which kept the glass pieces safe from littler hands.

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Rachel
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Cheryl
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Posted: Nov 13 2005 at 9:05pm \| IP Logged

Thanks for the ideas.

Cay, I like your idea of keeping the altar away from the active part of the house. I'm not sure where I will do this yet, but I haven't ordered the mass kit and linens yet, so I have plenty of time to decide.

I guess I'll try to make some figures on my own.

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Cheryl
Wife to Bob ('97)
Mom to Matthew 13, Joseph 11, Sarah 10, Rachel 6, Hannah almost 4 and Mary 1

Rebecca
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Posted: March 01 2006 at 4:24pm \| IP Logged

I have been reading quite a few of the Montessori threads and am wondering where I can view and possibly purchase Moira's presentation materials/albums?

Does anyone have a link?

Thanks so much...

Becky Parker
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Posted: March 02 2006 at 5:30am \| IP Logged

Hi Rebecca,
I know Moira's albums can be purchased from Our Fathers House (www.ourfathershouse.biz). I don't think you can view them though. I am planning to purchase the 3-5 album but am hoping to see it myself first. Maybe someone else on the list knows where they can be viewed.
Becky

humanaevitae
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Posted: March 02 2006 at 11:03am \| IP Logged

Here is an idea I used for making different figures.

clothespindolls.com

They list St. Michael, nativity, and a few other great ideas. It is helpful for me to see pics and then I grabbed a glue gun and tackled my own.

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MicheleQ
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Posted: March 02 2006 at 12:30pm \| IP Logged

Rebecca,

I have this link but there are no pictures. Though there is an e-mail address for Moira. Also as someone already mentioned Our Father's House sells them here but again no pictures. If you e-mail Julia at Our Father's House (she is Moira's mother) she may be able to e-mail you pictures.

God bless!

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Michele Quigley
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Mary G
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Posted: March 02 2006 at 2:09pm \| IP Logged

When I was looking at in the Fall, I emailed Moira and she was great at answering questins and giving me the table of contents and stuff like that.

I definitely think it's worth the money -- but I can understand not wanting to get it without some background.

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MaryG
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Rebecca
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Posted: March 02 2006 at 3:33pm \| IP Logged

Thank you, Michele, for the link. The materials look wonderful!

Cheryl
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Posted: March 02 2006 at 4:43pm \| IP Logged

Rebecca wrote:

I have been reading quite a few of the Montessori threads and am wondering where I can view and possibly purchase Moira's presentation materials/albums?..

I bought Moira's album for ages 3-5 (from Our Father's House) and so far I have only done the Advent presentations. I think the book is very well done, but it is time consuming to get the materials and I've been very busy lately, so I haven't done anything more with it. I am hoping to do just the Baptism presentations in the spring and more next year.

I found that my ds 7 enjoyed them very much, but my ds 5 and dd 3 were sometimes interested and sometimes very disruptive. They were better behaved if we did them at night.

For the materials, the Advent presentations called for an advent wreath, a purple drape, many figures, 2 houses, a candle snuffer and plate.... I used my advent wreath. Then I didn't really know what a purple drape was, but I made my own with purple material from Walmart. For the figures, I took out the book "Young Children and Worship" from the library. In the back it had patterns which I traced and cut out. I had to make my own pregnant Elizabeth. The house pattern were in Moira's album. I went to Home Depot and bought wood and hinges for the houses. Then my step father cut the figures and houses out for me and put the hinges on. He did an excellent job. I was so pleased. I think it was a lot of work though, so I don't know if he'll be willing to make any more. I saw some like what he made at these sites.
http://www.youngstirs.net/index.htm and
http://www.worshipwoodworks.com/product.php?productid=153&ca t=21&page=1

I skipped the candle snuffer and just blew the candles out. So that is my very limited experience with the presentations and materials. I have to make supper now, but I'd be happy to answer any questions you have later.

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Cheryl
Wife to Bob ('97)
Mom to Matthew 13, Joseph 11, Sarah 10, Rachel 6, Hannah almost 4 and Mary 1

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