我家蒙特梭利最早實踐者-我的外婆 My grandma, the earliest montessori at home practitioner

我的外婆絕對是【在家蒙特梭利】的最早實踐者，雖然她不認識蒙特梭利博士，甚至，她只會寫自己的名字。 

我的外婆今年96歲，生了五個女兒，5個外孫，8個曾外孫。我的外婆，人很友善，也很正向，但是她也很嘮叨，尤其是年輕的時候。我在她身上，學到了很多關於所謂"堅韌，和善和大方"的品質。 在某種程度上，我覺得她是我"在家蒙特梭利"的啟蒙者。

我是和外婆長大的，在那個溫飽都成問題的年代，我們家算是比上不足，比下有餘。但是不會有所謂的玩具給小孩子玩。外婆幫忙照顧我，所以，她就帶著我過生活。 

比如說： 早上起床後，外公外婆就要起來做運動，於是我也就起來跑跑跳跳。 吃過早餐後，外婆就會帶上我去市場買菜，從那時候開始，我開始接觸了"真實的生活"，蔬菜瓜果等等。 回家後，開始準備午餐，外婆就會在地上用布鋪一鋪，然後開始讓我一起幫忙摘菜，洗菜。或者是幫忙洗米。 

有時候，我估計我煩我外婆，煩得太多的時候，她就會在院子裡架上個畫板，然後我就開始畫畫，或者是做"扮家家酒"遊戲。 下午洗完衣服，我會跟著外婆一起晾衣服。然後一起收衣服，折衣服。 院子裡有花花草草，還有一個雞窩，喜歡的時候，可以去澆澆花，看看母雞下蛋沒。偶爾爬上果樹，看看芒果熟了沒。 

晚餐過後，外公就會拿著當天的報紙開始讀新聞，因為外婆只會聽，不會讀。 

聽起來，這像不像我們所謂的蒙特梭利的"實際生活區"和"語言區"的工作？

如果你問我，這樣的教育有用嗎？ 我會親自告訴你，很有用。 

我和我的外公，外婆在一起生活了6年，就是蒙特梭利所謂的"第一階段"0-6歲。 我的外公外婆，給予了我最大的安全感，就算我人生經過了多少的黑暗，這段質的陪伴給予了我最安定的心。 

這段時間，是我最美好的童年時光，在我現在快40歲的人生，我想到的這段時間，都只有美好。 我很獨立，動手能力很強。在我青少年時期，我去了讀寄宿學校，到後來出國留學工作。我都是獨自一個人去處理。在生活自理上，我也在很小的時候，學會自己做飯，做家務，至少"餓不死"。 

 這種教育，沒有美語環境，沒有STEAM，能成材嗎？！ 這個就是看你對"成材"的定義了。我從小到大，讀的是公立學校，成績算優秀。一直到工作的時候，我也沒有參加過任何補習班，但是我可以說流利的英文。要講一下，我是倫敦商學院London Business School MBA畢業（倫商MBA，每年都可以擠進全球前10）。這樣，我算高材生嗎？當然，你也可以說，如果你提前接觸了美語環境，STEAM等等，你會更厲害。只是，我們說的都是也許。

我經常反思，我為什麼可以做得到種種，很大一個程度上，我真心地認為，我獨立的個性和能力是所有一切的基石。 

最後，外婆是"正向教養"嗎？ 哈哈哈，那個年代，他們給我的是他們覺得最好的教育。什麼正向不正向？當然，在我很皮的時候，我也被唸過，罵過，甚至被"雞毛掃"打過屁股。恨嗎？沒有。因為確實是我很皮，而且這不是常態，就那幾次足以讓我"害怕再做蠢事情"。相反，我還是很尊重我的外婆，因為她的身教，直到今天還是帶給我太多的正向影響。

雖然外婆年事已高，眼鏡看不見，耳朵聽不清，還是保持每天早起動動，自己照顧自己。因為疫情的關係，我們已經很久沒有見面了。心中的思念，也只能遙遙掛念和祝福。 

在這里，也祝福各位外婆，奶奶，阿嬤，母親天天快樂！

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Mother's Day Series-About, my grandmother

My grandmother is the earliest practitioner of [Montessori at Home], although she doesn't know Dr. Montessori, and even she only knows writing her name.

My grandmother is 96 years old and has five daughters, five grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. She is very friendly and cheerful, but she is also a very "worried type," especially when she was young. I learned a lot about the so-called "positive, kindness, and generosity" qualities from her.

In a way, I think she is the initiator of my "Montessori at home." I grew up with my grandmother. In that era when food and clothing were lacking, we did not have "toys." Grandma helped me learning to take care of myself and find joy through a simple life.

For example:

After waking up in the morning, my grandparents would get up to do exercises, so I got up to run and jump.

After breakfast, my grandmother would take me to the market and buy food, where I started to learn about vegetables, fruits, and so on.

When we got home, she started to prepare lunch, and my grandma would spread a cloth on the floor and invite me to help pick and wash vegetables. Or help wash the rice.

Sometimes she would set up a drawing board in the yard, and then I will start to paint or play the game.

After washing the clothes in the afternoon, we would hang the clothes, pick up the ready-dried clothes, and fold them together.

There were flowers and plants in the yard, and there was also a chicken coop. When I wanted, I could water the flowers or check out if the hen laid eggs. Occasionally I climbed the fruit tree to see if the mangoes were ready to eat.

After dinner, grandpa will start reading the news from the newspaper. Both grandma and I would sit and listen.

Doesn't it sound like what we call Montessori's "practical life" and "language" work?

My grandparents gave me the most incredible sense of security. No matter how much darkness I went through in my life, this period of quality companionship gave me a secure feeling. This time was the best time of my childhood.

I am very independent and have strong hands-on skills. When I was a teenager, I went to boarding school and later went abroad to study and work, have a family on my own, etc., and I guess I can call myself a traditional definition of "success." I did it all alone. I often reflect on why I can do all kinds of things. To a large extent, I sincerely believe that my independent personality and abilities are the cornerstones of everything. These abilities were shaped in my early years by my grandma.

Was my grandmother a "positive upbringing"? That time, they gave me the best education they felt. When I was too naughty, I also got punishment. Did I hate it? No. It was not a usual way, and I thought I deserved it. I still respect my grandmother very much because her example has brought me too much positive influence to this day.

Although my grandmother was very old and couldn't see either hear clearly, she kept moving around early every day and took care of herself. We have not seen each other for a while due to pandemics; the thoughts in my heart can only be missed and blessed from far away.

I wish all grandmas and mothers out there happiness every day!

Photo by Christian Bowen on Unsplash