Montessori in China- Part 2

Oh, I forgot to mention....

So I live on a pretty busy one-way street in Hangzhou. Every Friday, my friend, Conrad, cooks dinner and hosts a yoga session before hand. I was the only one in attendance this week and I was taking Milo as usual. He's is the honored guest you know... Funny joke... So he's a poodle, but the translation for poodle in Chinese, gui bin, means "honored guest". How fitting for poodles. But he's such a relaxed guy. Not so prim and proper like a poodle.

So, across the street from my apartment complex is a strip of little shops- eateries, clothing, accessories, bakeries, etc. This Friday I noticed a group of young women opening up a new shop and it was in fact a Montessori Materials shop! I was timid upon entering for fear that they would recognize who I was (I am in magazines in Hangzhou advertising our school). But they didn't catch that and I spoke to them about their setup, intentions, and anything that they had to say. It was interesting and they mentioned that they had a school not too far from the shop.

It struck me so much about how Montessori is such a "catch phrase" in China at the moment and businessmen are doing just about anything they can to jump on the bandwagon. I can't believe how much in the two years I've been in China that Montessori has grown.

Chinese parents have one opportunity to raise a child and they are willing to do anything to get them a head start, a better chance of success, and an edge on other children. It's cut-throat even at the tender age of 3.

The materials themselves seemed on par to Nienhuis, or other AMI-approved suppliers. There were lots of "parts of ..." puzzles, basic math materials, and items like Dressing Frames, highlighted in the store. I didn't get a catalog but asked them to contact me in the future for any Open Houses for their school around the corner.

I can't be sure who's the manufacturer of these goods, but it's evident that Montessori in China is just "growing like a weed" in China.

I hope I can be a part of the good gardeners who groom and take care of this transformation in Chinese society for the future.