About Me

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Deb Chitwood

Welcome to Living Montessori Now! My name is Deb Chitwood. My husband of 40 years, Terry, and I live in San Diego, California. I blog here, at Bits of Positivity, at PreK + K Sharing (on the 15th of each month), and occasionally at Spring Snow Publications (founded by my husband and me).

The Facts

First the basic facts: I have my Montessori certification for teaching children ages 2½-5 through the St. Nicholas Training Centre in London, now called Montessori Centre International. I’ve also completed an online course through Karen Tyler of Worldwide Montessori Online to refresh my Montessori training. My bachelor’s degree from Antioch University is in Liberal Studies with my concentration in Montessori Elementary and Early Childhood Education.

Through Minnesota Catechists, I was trained in a Montessori-based religious-education program called Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. That training was for ages 3-6 and 6-9. I’ve also trained in Godly Play, another Montessori-based religious education program. Finally, I received my MA in Early Childhood Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, England, with my degree work and dissertation largely focused on Montessori education. I am also the author of a 1983 children’s book, The Magic Ring, and an eBook called Montessori at Home or School: How to Teach Grace and Courtesy.

My Montessori Teaching Experience

I am an eclectic Montessorian. I have enjoyed working with teachers trained through Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) to American Montessori Society (AMS) to National Center for Montessori Education (NCME).

I began my Montessori teaching experience by setting up a Montessori-oriented classroom in a day care center in Vermillion, South Dakota, before working in Montessori schools in Iowa and Arizona. I started, owned and operated a Montessori school in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I was later a Christian Education Director and founder of a Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program in an Episcopal church.

My Children and Granddaughter

I homeschooled my two children, Will and Christina, using Montessori methods extensively in their younger years and in principle in their later years. They are now adults, 32, and 27, both with bachelor’s degrees of their own. Will is a happily married (to Chea) DJ in San Diego, California. In November 2013, Will became a new dad (and I became a first-time grandma) with Zoey! In December 2017, Will and Chea had their second daughter (and I had my second grandchild), Sophia! Christina is a happily married (to Tom) author and health/fitness/fashion/beauty blogger who also lives in San Diego. Christina and Tom are expecting their first baby!

Chitwood Family at 2016 Easter Brunch

Living Montessori Now

Now I’m finding Montessori relevant to many areas in life. Through this blog, I write about using Montessori principles and methods in Montessori schools, traditional classrooms, homeschools, parenting, and life in general.

Christina and Niece (22 months) working together while making a YouTube video in September 2015

Who You’ll See on Living Montessori Now

If you haven’t already, please join us on our Living Montessori Now Facebook page where you’ll find a Free Printable of the Day and lots of inspiration and ideas for parenting and teaching! And please follow me on Pinterest (lots of Montessori-, holiday-, and theme-related boards), Twitter (blog posts by me and others along with the Parent/Teacher Daily and other interesting information), and Google+ (post updates). You can find me on bloglovin’ and Instagram. You’ll find Living Montessori Now on YouTube, too. There, my daughter, Christina, and granddaughter, Zoey, show many activities from Living Montessori Now, and Christina explains how they’re prepared and introduced. Before long, they’ll be joined by Sophia and Caleb, our two newest family members! And don’t forget one of the best ways to follow me by signing up for my weekly newsletter. You’ll get some awesome freebies in the process!