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Meredith
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| Posted: July 08 2007 at 1:13pm | IP Logged
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Just curious for those setting up their learning rooms, are you incorporating your "Atrium Area" into the learning room or creating a separate space. We will have our COGS materials in a room that is separate from where I will be keeping the main Montessori learning materials (at least for now) and I'm just wondering what your thoughts are and how some of you who have already been doing COGS for a while do this?
Thanks for sharing this here!
Blessings!
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Meredith
Mom of 4 Sweeties
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Mackfam
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| Posted: July 08 2007 at 1:58pm | IP Logged
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Meredith,
Our home atrium is separate. I like it separate, and I don't think I'd combine even if I could after having lived with it this way. I don't know that I can articulate exactly why, except to say that a separate, special space seems to convey the sense of "a place set aside" that the Atrium should be. This is just what works in our home though, and I'd love to hear what others are doing, or have done.
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Jen Mackintosh
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: July 08 2007 at 2:37pm | IP Logged
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Our home atrium has been one corner of the schoolroom - it's partly closed off so that once a child is in the corner there is a sense of being in a special place, yet they can come and go as they please.
I've recently moved most of our learning stuff to the living room so I can use the other room to pack and store boxes (we're moving soon) - but I left the atrium so the children can still use it. We've been doing a lot more discussions and book readings and such this summer around the prayer table (in the living room), but the atrium is still used.
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Jordan
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| Posted: July 08 2007 at 2:58pm | IP Logged
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Ours is going to be in a separate room. I'm doing this for pretty much the same reason Jennifer mentioned, "a place set aside."
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Jordan
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: July 08 2007 at 4:19pm | IP Logged
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This is the one area I still am not satisfied with. I have moved it several times and still can't achieve that sense of availability, yet separateness I am seeking. I am considering setting up an area in my bedroom, away from the hustle and bustle, but I am not sure about that yet. I do know I want it to be separate from the rest of the school stuff.
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Donna Marie
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Ours is in the living room near the fireplace..I have built-ins on both sides and a looong mantle over all of it. The center of the mantle we have our home altar and on each side of that is a window...the mantle under one window is for St. Joseph and the other is for the Good Shepherd and here is where I place a current material on display (in an up high way)..and the shelves just under it for the more available works. (am I being as clear as mud?? It is much better if I draw a picture...
I have soo many half finished atrium works. I am attempting to create all of the official 6-9 materials..including the books of the bible and others and just keep them on this set of shelves...hope my plans work out...is anyone else interested in doing this?
ooh! one thing I "picked up" at the atrium that I visited...they had a basket with pocket-sized bibles in it written in different languages...meaning that God's word is for everyone, everywhere....isn't that clever?!
the usual for me is that age old saying..."the best laid plans of mice and men and mothers named Donna Marie sometimes go awry"...ever hear THAT one?LOL...in God's time...right??!
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Donna Marie from NJ
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SeaStar
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| Posted: July 08 2007 at 6:59pm | IP Logged
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Hopefully we will have moved by this fall, and I will have to scout out a location in the new place for an atrium. I have also considered the master bedroom- it's quiet and there would be that sense of a separate place. But, then again, if it is tucked away out of site in there, will the children visit it as much?
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CatholicMommy
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| Posted: July 08 2007 at 7:37pm | IP Logged
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SeaStar wrote:
| Hopefully we will have moved by this fall, and I will have to scout out a location in the new place for an atrium. I have also considered the master bedroom- it's quiet and there would be that sense of a separate place. But, then again, if it is tucked away out of site in there, will the children visit it as much? |
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You could have some designated atrium time each week or every couple of days - partially to present new materials, partly to keep the atrium itself in the forefront of their minds.
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AndreaG
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| Posted: July 08 2007 at 10:17pm | IP Logged
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Donna Marie- Can you share your list of 6-9 atrium materials? I have Moira's 6-9 album, but I know there are more materials/presentations than that.
As for an atrium, currently I have a prayer corner in my dining room, basically a small bookcase, the top functions a home altar- though I wish this area was tidier and more reverent. The small altar we use with the mass kit is next to this. I usually present the CGS materials on the dining room table and leave them there for a few days, after which they are stored in labeled donut boxes in my rotation closet. We used to buy donuts regularly as a motivator for good mass behavior  and they work great for CGS storage!
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Kristin
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| Posted: July 11 2007 at 4:40pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for starting this thread, Meredith! I have struggled with finding the right place for an atrium in our home. This thread, and everyone's creative ideas (including master bedroom!) are inspiring me to take another look at the possibilities! 
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: Do you have a separate Atrium?
