Our Guest: Ginni Sackett
Show Notes
Ginni Sackett joins the Voices in Montessori podcast to discuss the important of meeting each child without expectations that they conform to a particular profile for success. (And then doing the same for ourselves and our classrooms!) She reminds us that Montessori method was designed for the child that doesn’t necessarily “fit the mold.” We must allow ourselves to break free of what the “ideal” Montessori child, Guide, and classroom “should” look like, to actually meet the children where they are. Yet focusing on the needs and interests of each particular child, as well as the group as a whole, can sometimes be a creative challenge for the Montessori Guide.
Ginni reminds us that we don’t “normalize children.” We create the conditions (through the prepared environment) that enable children to experience normalization. So Ginni encourages Guides – when feeling stuck with a particular student – instead of asking, “What am I doing wrong?” asking, “What could I do differently?” We then observe, we hypothesize, we make modifications to the environment, and try varying techniques in hopes of better meeting the child’s need. When we are unsuccessful, it simply means we have not discovered how to fully meet the child’s need...yet. Observation and experimentation are at the heart of Montessori education. Ginni tells stories from her own experience that bring these principles to life.
About our Guest
Ginni Sackett
AMI Primary Trainer, Consultant, Presenter & Author
Ginni Sackett was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA and has lived in a number of other places: Greensburg, PA (while earning a BA in History); Honolulu, HI (while earning a MA in Asian Studies and living there for 5 1/2 years); Taipei, Taiwan (to further study the Mandarin Language); San Francisco Bay Area; and then Portland, OR, which she now recognizes as her true home.
In Oregon Ginni discovered Montessori education, and thereby discovered her true life’s work. She achieved the AMI 3-6 Diploma in Portland in 1982; led 3-6 environments for 12 years; then began to explore Montessori adult education at the Montessori Institute Northwest, later renamed as Montessori Northwest. This exploration included work with students on AMI courses, as well as developing workshops for Montessori practitioners. Parallel to all of this work, she served on the Board of the Oregon Montessori Association and on the Board of a local Montessori school. All of this experience contributed to a deep appreciation for the profound significance of the Montessori approach to learning at all ages, and its great potential to support positive, pro-social change in our communities as well as the ongoing transformation of adults.
In 2003, as a new AMI 3-6 Trainer, Ginni became Director of Training at Montessori Northwest, a position she held until 2017. Ginni then accepted the position of Director of Pedagogy at AMI in Amsterdam, which she held through 2021. I officially retired in 2022, but have maintained my Montessori connections. Over the years, Ginni has had articles published in both the AMI and NAMTA Journals, presented at many national and international conferences, served as an AMIUSA Consultant, edited collections of Maria and Mario Montessori’s writings, and contributed an essay to the book Perspectives on Montessori.
Ginni is also a 3rd degree black belt in a traditional Indonesian martial art, and a certified women’s self-defense instructor. With her wonderful life partner, she raised 5 children and is now the happy grandmother of 7.
Resources
Booklet by Ginni Sackett: Classroom Management: The Art of Normalization
Article by Ginni Sackett: “SCOT” Free – Honoring Our Work of Observation
Voices in Montessori Podcast
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