We two sisters, AuntyB and Grandmama, were born and have lived most of our lives on the Texas Gulf Coast. Sometimes we're joined by Grandpa who has a perspective all his own. This photo is the three of us celebrating a birthday on the deserted St. Jo's Island in the middle of winter. Shelling and birding in the Texas winter sun. Life is for the living!
AUNTYB
AuntyB, Beth Hester, has had an abiding interest in and love for children for the past 45 years. She's a teacher -- Montessori Certified Infant and Toddler and Elementary, a RIE associate, a gardener specializing in Texas natives, a Texas Master Naturalist, and an RN with extensive experience in school nursing, home health and hospice services. She's been the charge teacher of a Montessori Infant & Toddler program at a private school. None of that describes her well.
She's loved children all her life and is now fulfilling a dream -- pouring all her love and experience into loving and caring for one child, my granddaughter, her great-niece, during the first formative years of her life. She is, to quote our mother, "putting feet to her prayers" and her education.
Beth (AuntyB) studied under the Resources for Infant Educarers program in Silverlake, California, with Magda Gerber and Associates. She shares the wishes of Magda Gerber that parents would relax and enjoy their child. Magda was and continues to be a prime influence on her life and thinking.
She also credits Grace Hively, North Harris Community College, with sharing her profound knowledge of the Montessori Infant and Toddler. Grace's influence cannot be ignored.
Professionally, Beth holds a BS in Nursing from Baylor University, a BS in Agriculture from Sam Houston State University, is AMS certified in Elementary and Infant and Toddler, and is a RIE Associate.
Beth has held workshops and inservice trainings for caregivers in Texas and is available for that as her schedule allows. (Please use the Ask AuntyB to contact her.)
As she follows the child, our grandchild right now, she chooses to share her understanding of the young child through these Internet offerings to parents and potential caregivers and educarers.
Grandmama
I am Grandmama, writing under the pen name Sarah Hester. That's really a lot to live up to. Sarah Hester was born near San Antonio and moved to Seabrook, Texas, in the early 1900's. She was an educator, but mostly our grandmother, who taught us to love people and culture and learning.
As a grandmother myself now, having raised three daughters from the 1970's through the new millineum, I've been that first teacher to my own children. My own education was long in coming, 31 years to my BA in Visual Arts from the University of Houston -- Clear Lake. I'd have left nothing undone for my girls to have completed it sooner.
Please add your comments (though we do screen for propriety and occasionally edit for clarity) and share your experiences! The different perspectives are what makes this all work.
You may contact us with questions, too. If we can, we'll work them into one of our posts, though we may not be able to get back to you. First things first for us all: children and grandchildren, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews!
