2023 - Crabapple Montessori School

Keeping Routines While Honoring the Joy of New Experiences

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:00:20 GMT

As we prepare for Spring Break week, many of us look forward to a change of pace, travel, and time spent together. Yet even the most welcome changes can shift daily rhythms, affecting children and adults alike.

In Montessori philosophy, routines provide a sense of order and security, essential ingredients for children’s growing independence and emotional well-being. Balancing these familiar structures with the excitement of new experiences can help all of us enjoy the season with greater calm and connection.

Recognizing What Children Communicate

When children’s behavior shifts during times of change, it often reflects their environment. New faces, altered schedules, and fluctuating parental attention can all contribute to feelings of uncertainty. Instead of viewing potential behavior shifts as unwelcome, we can interpret them as valuable communication, essentially our children’s way of expressing a need for stability and reassurance.

One of the most powerful responses we can provide is simple presence. Taking a few moments to sit beside our children, observe their play, or join them in a familiar activity can quickly restore their sense of connection. Even brief, focused attention can help children feel grounded and secure, allowing their natural cooperation and joy to reemerge.

Once children feel calm and connected, they are better able to engage in conversations about upcoming changes. During these connected moments, we can explain that routines (mealtimes, bedtimes, or daily activities) may look different during a trip. These conversations help children prepare for the adjustments ahead and strengthen their trust in the adults guiding them.

Preparing for Change Together

Taking some simple steps before family gatherings or travel can help children understand what lies ahead. Children thrive on predictability, so talking about what will remain consistent and what will change reduces anxiety and increases their capacity to adapt.

What routines will stay the same?
What might be different during this time?
Which activities or traditions are most meaningful to us?

Creating a visual calendar or using a whiteboard to map out plans gives children a concrete way to anticipate events. Inviting them to help with small preparations, such as choosing decorations, helping plan meals, or organizing activities, empowers them to feel capable and included.

Creating New Rhythms with Intention

Traveling or a change in routine invites us to find balance between the comfort of familiar routines and the excitement of new experiences. By planning thoughtfully, staying flexible, and responding to children’s needs with empathy, we can approach these times with harmony and joy.

In Montessori education, rhythm and order are seen as foundations for growth, while curiosity and discovery fuel the joy of learning. This Spring Break week, let’s bring this kind of balance into our homes. By honoring both structure and spontaneity, we create an environment where children feel secure, connected, and free to delight in the world around them.

The Movable Alphabet: When Writing Begins Before Reading

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 10:00:35 GMT

If you’ve ever watched a young Montessori child build a word out of beautifully crafted red and blue letters, you’ve witnessed something profound. This is the moment when spoken language begins to take physical shape through the Movable Alphabet, a beloved Montessori material that opens the door to writing long before children’s hands are ready for a pencil.

What Is the Movable Alphabet?

The Movable Alphabet is a wooden box filled with lowercase, cursive letters (red consonants and blue vowels) organized neatly into compartments. Children use these letters to build words, phrases, and eventually sentences.

The Movable Alphabet is far more than a spelling tool, though! It is a bridge that connects children’s spoken language, imagination, and early phonemic awareness to the powerful realization that they can express their own thoughts through writing.

When Do Children Begin?

Most children start exploring the Movable Alphabet around 3½ years old, once they have a strong foundation with the Sandpaper Letters and can break a word into its individual sounds through the Sound Game. At this stage, their minds are bursting with ideas, stories, and observations, but their fine motor skills may not yet allow them to write with a pencil.

The Movable Alphabet removes that barrier. It lets the mind write before the hand can.

How the Work Unfolds

When children are introduced to the Movable Alphabet, we gently guide them through a process that feels both empowering and natural. They choose a rug, carry the beautiful box of letters, and prepare their workspace. They get. To explore the letters, touching them, organizing them, and locating them with confidence.

Then the real experience begins. The guide tells a simple, personal story aloud, pulling out letters to build key words. “I set up my tent… t-e-n-t. My dog came outside, too… d-o-g. We had so much fun, and then it began to rain… r-a-i-n.”

In the process, phonemes become symbols and thoughts become visible!

Next, we invite the children to tell their story.

And with quiet support, they choose words to build, one sound at a time.

What starts as a single word becomes a column of words.

What begins as words gradually becomes phrases, and eventually full sentences.

Children often surprise us with their excitement. They want to write and express themselves! All without ever being asked to hold a pencil.

Why This Work Matters

The Movable Alphabet builds essential skills that form the foundation of literacy:

Phonemic awareness: Children learn to hear every sound in a word, which is a key predictor of later reading success.

Sound–symbol association: Each sound finds its match in a letter. Over and over again.

Creative self-expression: Children write about their ideas, their stories, their world.

Confidence and independence: There is no “right” or “wrong” spelling at this stage. No adult correction. No pressure. Just joyful exploration.

A Few Montessori Principles at Work

You may notice some things your child’s guide does not do during Movable Alphabet work:

They do not correct spelling.
They do not ask the child to read the words back.
They do not supply pictures, objects, or cards to copy.

Why?

Because this material is about encoding the child’s own thoughts, not memorizing or copying.

Working with the Movable Alphabet helps cultivate our children’s internal writing process. It’s not about performing for the adult.

As children become more comfortable, their words turn into simple phrases. Next phrases become sentences. Eventually, punctuation makes its appearance.

Later, children will internalize more accurate spelling through phonogram work, reading experience, and natural curiosity.

How You Can Support This at Home

While the Movable Alphabet itself stays at school, families can nurture the underlying skills at home.

Tell rich oral stories with your child.
Play sound games (What’s the first sound in “sun”? What sounds do we hear in “lamp”?)
Celebrate your child's early writing attempts, whether they are inventive spellings, scribbles, or beautifully mismatched letters.

Most importantly, protect the joy of writing! Let your child express freely. The mechanics will come over time. Yet the spark of creativity is something we want to cultivate and nurture.

If your child comes home proud of a row of letters, appreciate that they have just written their thoughts, beautifully, confidently, and entirely on their own.

And that is something worth celebrating. To see these moments in action, schedule a visit to our classrooms in Alpharetta, Georgia.

Understanding Equivalence: A Montessori Approach to Math Insight

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 10:00:34 GMT

In Montessori mathematics, we often talk about three key ideas that help children make sense of geometry: congruence, similarity, and equivalence.

Of these, equivalence is the most powerful and the most far-reaching. Mastering the concept of equivalence lays the foundation for understanding area and volume, supports the Pythagorean theorem, and ultimately prepares children for deeper work with fractions and algebraic thinking.

Children don’t need to have mastered fractions to begin exploring equivalence, but a bit of early fraction work helps them make connections more fluidly. Most importantly, they need time, space, and hands-on materials to discover these relationships for themselves.

What Is Equivalence?

At its heart, equivalence means that two shapes, while different in appearance, occupy the same amount of space. They have equal value in terms of area.

The word itself comes from two Latin roots:

aequus, meaning equal, and
valere, meaning value.

So “equivalent” quite literally means equal in value.

This idea might sound straightforward to us as adults, but for children, it becomes most meaningful through concrete exploration.

A Peek Inside the Montessori Lesson

When introducing equivalence, we begin by laying out geometric insets, first with the pieces in their frames, then outside the frames, which provides experience with how shapes relate through direct manipulation.

We place a large square frame on the table. Then we fit two large rectangles (each of which make up half of the square) inside it. They fill the frame exactly. Next, we remove the rectangles and place two large triangles (again which form halves of the square) into the same square frame. They fill it just as perfectly.

Although the shapes differ, they take up the same amount of space. Each piece is half of the whole. They are equivalent.

Children then compare individual rectangles and triangles, seeing that while the shapes look nothing alike, they still share the same “value” within the whole. This comparison is what allows children to eventually understand that shapes can be broken apart, rearranged, or recombined and yet still hold the same area.

For children who need a more tactile entry point, we offer tracing, cutting, and checking that the two different shapes take up the same amount of space. Children love proving to themselves that different shapes can represent equal areas. It is mathematical reasoning born from their own discoveries.

Exploration: The Heart of the Work

Once the basic idea is introduced, the real learning begins as children explore with different shapes and combinations of shapes. In addition to manipulating the pieces, they can trace, cut, check, rearrange, question, and try again.

This is where true learning happens because humans learn through our hands! Children get to embody abstract concepts. In Montessori education, children learn by doing, not by memorizing.

Introducing Mathematical Symbols

Later, once children are comfortable identifying congruent, similar, and equivalent shapes, we introduce the symbols that represent each concept. We often begin the lesson with a simple invitation:

Can someone find two congruent figures?

Can someone find two similar figures?

Can someone find two equivalent figures?

After the children place each set on the table, we add the symbols:

The equal sign between two equivalent figures.
The similarity symbol between two similar shapes.
The congruence symbol, a combination of the two, between congruent shapes.

This prepares children to use these symbols in their own booklets, charts, and geometric discoveries. It also helps children see how math is a language and that it can communicate relationships clearly and beautifully.

Why This Work Matters

Equivalence becomes a cornerstone of later mathematical thinking. When children can transform shapes, make comparisons, and see underlying relationships, they build the insight needed to derive formulas for complex shapes or to understand why the Pythagorean theorem works.

Using these materials inspires curiosity, fosters the ability to see relationships, and provides firsthand experience with the logic of the universe. And that is the essence of Montessori math!

Come see for yourself how joyful geometry can be! Visit us here in Alpharetta, Georgia.

Montessori Materials Explained: The Flat Bead Frame

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 10:00:02 GMT

The Flat Bead Frame, also known as the Horizontal Bead Frame or Golden Bead Frame, is one of the most elegant bridges between the concrete and the abstract in the Montessori elementary math curriculum. It allows children to work with very large numbers, up to the hundreds of millions, while continuing to manipulate tangible representations of each place value.

Unlike many elementary materials designed for group exploration, this work is typically done individually (or with a partner), offering quiet moments of concentration and reflection amid the classroom’s collaborative hum.

From the Large Bead Frame to the Flat Bead Frame

At first glance, the Flat Bead Frame looks similar to the Large Bead Frame, but it represents a significant step forward in abstraction. The Large Bead Frame has seven horizontal wires and color-coded beads arranged by the simple, thousands, and millions period, thereby emphasizing the hierarchical nature of the decimal system.

In contrast, the Flat Bead Frame is organized vertically, with nine columns of golden beads, all identical in color, representing units through one hundred millions. The numerical categories are written across the top, and red zeroes are printed along the bottom to highlight the effect of multiplying by powers of ten. The golden color of the beads makes the material more symbolic, signaling that the child is now ready to move away from concrete color coding toward pure quantity and value.

Introducing the Material: Connecting the Known to the New

When introducing this material, we often begin by inviting a child to compare it with the Large Bead Frame. This connection helps the child orient to what is familiar while noticing what is new: the vertical organization, the placement of numbers, the red zeros, and the use of golden beads instead of hierarchical colors.

The child then begins with a simple multiplication problem, like 1,246 × 3. We write the multiplicand on a paper strip and place it beneath the wires so that each digit aligns with its corresponding place value. Using gray number cards or slips of paper for the multiplier, the child then moves the beads to represent each partial product. The process is rhythmic and deliberate: 6 units three times is 18 units (eight units and one ten)… 4 tens three times is 12 tens (four tens and one hundred)… The movement of beads down the frame creates a clear, physical representation of the multiplication process.

Moving Toward Abstraction: Powers of Ten in Action

As the child progresses, the Flat Bead Frame becomes a tool for exploring long multiplication (also called compound multiplication) and multiplication by powers of ten. When the multiplier contains tens, hundreds, or thousands, the child learns to physically shift the multiplicand to the left—mirroring the way zeros are added in written notation. The red zeroes along the base of the frame make this concept immediately visible. What might otherwise be a rote rule (“just add a zero”) becomes an embodied experience of place value and the movement of quantity through hierarchical orders.

A Continuation of Earlier Montessori Work

This material builds on experiences children had with the Bank Game at the primary level, when they would work as a group to exchange quantities of 10 for the next category. On the Flat Bead Frame, however, the work becomes deeply personal and precise. It requires concentration, accuracy, and an understanding of the relationships between categories. These qualities help build the foundation for true mathematical abstraction.

The Mathematical Mind in Motion

Through this work, children reinforce their multiplication facts, internalize the commutative law, and gain confidence in working with large numbers. More importantly, they begin to grasp that mathematics follows a consistent and logical structure, one they can visualize, manipulate, and eventually imagine without the aid of concrete materials.

A Quiet Revelation

The Flat Bead Frame exemplifies Montessori’s belief that “the hand is the instrument of the mind.” As children move the golden beads, their understanding of place value and multiplication deepens. The process of working with the Flat Bead Frame provides children with a conceptual leap from seeing mathematics as a set of operations to recognizing it as a beautifully ordered system.

Visit us in Alpharetta, GA to see how what begins as a physical exercise in moving beads becomes, over time, a quiet revelation and a process of mathematical thinking. This is Montessori math at its best!

From Sounds to Script: How Montessori Children Learn to Write

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 11:01:07 GMT

In Montessori classrooms, the process of writing begins long before children begin to hold a pencil. We start with rich oral language experiences, exploration of sounds, joyful movement, and a growing awareness that the symbols of written language carry meaning.

By the time children begin the recording process, that is, writing words on a surface, they have already done enormous preparation. They know the sandpaper letters so well that they can trace them blindfolded or “write” them in the air. They have composed countless words using the Moveable Alphabet, experimenting with sounds and meaning long before their hands are ready for conventional writing.

And then… one day… they are ready to put chalk to board.

This is the beginning of a beautiful and empowering journey.

The Materials That Support the Journey

To help children make the transition from forming words with the movable alphabet letters to recording them on a surface, we offer a thoughtfully prepared environment that can include:

Small chalkboards (blank, lined, or squared)
Large wall-mounted chalkboards
Containers of sharpened chalk and half-erasers
A writing supply station with paper in various narrow sizes
Pencils and underlays as needed
Accessible writing surfaces around the room

These materials invite practice without pressure, exploration without permanence, and repetition without fatigue, all of which are essential at this stage of development.

Step One: Writing Words with Chalk

When a child has composed a list of words with the Moveable Alphabet, the guide gently introduces the chalkboard: “Let me show you something you can do with the words on your rug.”

The child brings one word to the table, and the guide may make a point to notice how the letters connect and flow. With a piece of chalk in hand, the child can attempt to write the word on the chalkboard. For many children, this moment is astonishing, as they suddenly realize, “I can write!”

Over the next several days, the child chooses words, writes them, erases them, and writes again. During this time, the child naturally refines:

the direction of writing,
the connection between letters, and
the placement of letters along an invisible horizontal line.

This is joyful, purposeful work. And the chalkboard provides endless opportunities for clean slates!

Step Two: Introducing the Baseline

Once the child is comfortably writing words, we introduce the idea of a baseline, which is the line on which most letters sit.

We use a simple ruler to draw a single line across the chalkboard and explain: “I’m using this line to show where the letters sit.”

The child thus begins to understand that writing follows a structure, including the realization that letters aren’t merely floating symbols but exist in space in predictable ways.

Step Three: Baseline and Waistline

As the child’s control increases, we add a second line: the waistline. This is the space where most lowercase letters rise up to, and introducing it helps children refine the size and placement of their script.

Using pastel chalk, we shade the space between the baseline and waistline, giving a soft visual guide. Over the next several days, the space becomes a little narrower. And then narrower still.

Eventually, the child works confidently on a nine-lined chalkboard, and from there, we transition to paper. Many children around five-and-a-half naturally begin to prefer writing directly on paper rather than returning to the Moveable Alphabet. They have internalized the shapes of letters, the structure of words, and the flow of writing.

It is important to remember: the natural size of children’s script varies. Some begin writing very small, others larger. We follow the child rather than a rigid sequence.

The ultimate goal is simple and elegant: to write confidently on a single line.

What This Work Supports

A child who moves through this sequence with joy and readiness:

develops beautiful, legible handwriting,
gains confidence in written expression, and
understands that writing is a tool for communication.

This is monumental work for a young child. It marks the moment when their mind and hand unite to express their own thoughts. Most importantly, writing unfolds naturally when the groundwork has been laid with care.

Schedule a tour of our school in Alpharetta to see how we honor this journey with care and intention.

The Quiet Landing: Why Children Need Time After School

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 11:01:01 GMT

When we pick up our children from school, it’s almost automatic to ask, “How was your day?”

And just as automatically, the answers tend to fall flat: fine, good, okay, or sometimes nothing at all.

As adults, we can probably relate. When someone asks about our day, we don’t always feel like revisiting every detail, especially before we’ve had a chance to rest or reset. For children, this challenge is even greater.

In Montessori environments, children are immersed in experiences that are rich, complex, and often difficult to put into words. How does a young child explain the sensorial experience of carefully carrying each cube of the Pink Tower across the room? Or describe the quiet satisfaction of discovering that ten tens create a hundred square? Or articulate the subtle social negotiations that happen during community lunch?

Even for older children, language often lags behind experience.

Why “How Was Your Day?” Can Feel Like Too Much

As children move into the elementary years, they are also navigating peer relationships that are still very black and white. A single interaction can color their entire perception of the day. So their reports may sound overly simple: someone was mean, someone was nice, the day was bad, the day was good.

But often, the issue isn’t that children don’t want to share. Instead, the timing is off.

Research on children’s nervous systems helps explain why. When children walk out of school, their brains are often still in a state of high alert. Throughout the day they’ve managed noise, social expectations, concentration, corrections, and constant stimulation. Their nervous system hasn’t fully shifted out of “school mode” yet.

So it helps if we remember that we aren’t greeting children in their most rational state.

Those first minutes after pickup are a transition, not a conversation window. When we jump in with questions too quickly, even well-meaning ones, we may unintentionally overwhelm our children’s nervous system, which hasn’t had time to settle.

Connection Before Conversation

In Montessori, we place great importance on transitions. We know children need time to move from one state of being to another, whether that’s arriving at school, moving between activities, or going home at the end of the day.

Instead of starting with questions, we can start with presence.

When we first see our children, a warm greeting that communicates “I’m happy to see you” goes a long way. Some children need a snack. Some need quiet. Some need movement, proximity, or simply space. This is not the moment to gather information. This is the moment to re-establish connection.

When families allow even 10 to 12 minutes of quiet decompression after school, through silence, music, or simply being together, children regulate more quickly. Evening stress decreases, cooperation improves, and children are more likely to talk voluntarily later on.

Rather than interrogating right after school. Try coexisting. This pause is deeply respectful.

When Children Are Ready to Talk

Later, after your child has had time to settle back into your care, you may notice that conversation begins naturally. This is often when children share what mattered most to them, not what we might have thought to ask about.

When you do open the door to conversation, gentle specificity helps. Broad questions like “How was your day?” can feel overwhelming. Instead, try comments that invite reflection without pressure:

“I noticed you seemed really focused when I picked you up.”
“I’m here if you want to tell me about something you worked on today.”
“What felt good about today?”

Just as important as the words is our availability. Putting down the phone, pausing the logistics, and showing with our body language that we are truly listening makes it safer for children to share.

Listening for Timing, Not Just Content

This approach applies across ages. Even adolescents benefit from what some call a “quiet landing” after school. When we honor timing, we’re less likely to walk into the emotional residue of the day and more likely to build cooperation and connection later.

In Montessori, we often say: regulation comes before reflection. Children don’t need us to extract their feelings. They need us to create the conditions where feelings can land safely.

Sometimes that looks like silence. Sometimes it looks like presence. And sometimes, after enough space has been given, it looks like a child finally saying exactly what mattered most.

So the question isn’t just “Do I listen to what my child says?” And instead becomes: “Do I listen for when they’re ready to speak?”

A Montessori Toileting Refresh: Reframing Toilet Learning

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 11:00:05 GMT

Spring is around the corner and the weather is warming up, which means it’s an excellent time to focus on your little one’s independence in the bathroom! With lighter clothing, more outdoor play, and natural transitions in routine, many children show increased readiness for toileting skills. However, few stages of early childhood bring as much anxiety (for adults, that is) as toileting. In our culture, the toileting process often brings pressure, rewards, timelines, and even (unintentionally) subtle shame.

In Montessori, we intentionally use the term “toilet learning” rather than toilet training. Children are not trained to use the toilet through external control. Instead, we offer an approach rooted in respect for each child’s development, trust in the body, and a calm acceptance of this process as a normal part of life.

Montessori Principles That Guide Toilet Learning

Whenever we think about toileting, it helps to return to the core principles of Montessori education:

We follow the child.
We offer independence at the level the child can handle.
We observe and respond to the child’s needs.
We understand the child’s physical and psychological development.

The adult’s role is not to control this process, but to assist it. In fact, in Montessori, our name for the adults who work with children ages zero to three reflects this responsibility: Assistants to Infancy. This title reflects how adults prepare conditions that allow children to act for themselves. We do not do it to them or for them. Instead, we prepare the environment for their success.

The Two Sides of Toilet Learning: Psychological and Physical

The Psychological Environment

Long before children ever sit on a potty, they are absorbing messages about their bodies. How adults respond to elimination from infancy sends powerful signals. When bodily functions are treated with calm acceptance (without disgust, embarrassment, or exaggerated reactions), children internalize the understanding that their body is trustworthy and normal.

Sometimes our adult discomfort manifests in subtle ways, such as avoiding accurate anatomical language or using overly silly names for body parts. While often well-intentioned, this can unintentionally communicate shame. In Montessori, we encourage adults to name body parts and bodily functions accurately and matter-of-factly. Elimination is simply part of being human.

When children grow up in an environment that treats toileting as neutral and ordinary, they are far less likely to experience power struggles or shame around the process as they get older.

Physiological Readiness

Physiologically, toilet learning depends on the maturation of children’s nervous system. When children gain voluntary control over their urinary and sphincter muscles, they can begin to experience true independence. Even if we learn a child’s schedule and place them on the toilet at “just the right time,” this does not mean the child has learned to use the toilet.

Infants initially eliminate reflexively. One example is the gastrocolic reflex, which causes elimination shortly after eating. Over time, as the nervous system matures, children begin to connect internal sensations with external outcomes.

The Importance of Feeling Wet

We want to focus on indirect preparation by setting conditions that allow development to unfold naturally.

One approach that supports physiological awareness is the use of cloth diapers. Because cloth diapers allow children to experience wetness immediately, children begin to associate internal sensations with external outcomes. When wet diapers are changed promptly and consistently, children often communicate discomfort as early as six to eight weeks.

Disposable diapers, while convenient, absorb moisture so effectively that they can disconnect children from these bodily cues. Humans are the only species that routinely allow their young to sit in waste, and this separation from sensory input can delay the development of body awareness.

Manageable, realistic solutions for families can include:

Using cotton diapers or training pants at home.
Placing cotton pants under a disposable diaper.
Choosing less absorbent disposable diapers.
Using disposables for long trips, illness, or short periods at night.
Waterproof mattress covers and towels for sleep.

We want to support without judgment! Our role is to help families find solutions that work while keeping children connected to their bodily reality.

Routines That Support Independence

Toileting is a normal, everyday activity. In Montessori, we avoid praise and punishment, both of which interfere with internal motivation.

Once a child can sit independently, they may be invited to sit on a potty. This is an invitation, not an expectation. This is a good time to also introduce training pants, with clean clothes accessible in the bathroom so children can participate in their own care.

Consistency is essential. Toileting should always happen in the same place. A potty that moves around the house can confuse a child’s sense of order and make it unclear where toileting belongs.

Children also benefit from being actively involved. They can carry their clean clothes, place soiled clothing in the appropriate place, and participate in dressing and undressing. All of this engagement supports a deep internal message for children that they are learning do it themselves.

We also rely a lot on routine. For example, if a child becomes louder or more chaotic, we avoid saying, “You need to use the toilet.” Instead, we calmly reference time and routine: “It’s ten o’clock. Time to use the toilet.”

Finally, if a child urinates or defecates in their clothing, we do not call it an accident. It is a normal bodily function that the child is still learning to control.

Understanding Setbacks with Compassion

Setbacks are normal and expected. Changes such as the arrival of a sibling, moving or traveling, divorce or family stress, and transition to new classrooms can temporarily disrupt toileting independence. Some children may even regress as a way to regain attention or control. Once settled, most children regain independence within a short period.

As adults, our responsibility is to gradually remove ourselves from the process as the child becomes capable.

We must:

Allow time and repetition
Not over-celebrate or scold
Never force a child to use the toilet
Stick to reality: wet and dry, dirty and clean

Toilet learning is not a race. When we provide a calm environment, respect the child’s body, and avoid manipulation or shame, children move toward independence in their own time.

As with so much in Montessori, the adult’s role is not to force the outcome, but to prepare the path and offer support, trust, and patience.

Going to the toilet is one of the most natural acts of human life. When we keep this process in context, without shame, pressure, or applause, children master toileting with confidence, dignity, and independence.

Stages of Development Series: Maturity

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 11:00:32 GMT

This is the final post of a series focusing on each of the four stages (or planes) of development: birth through age six, ages six to twelve, ages twelve to eighteen, and ages eighteen to twenty-four. Montessori pedagogy calls for a big picture perspective that incorporates the fundamental principles of human development at each stage of development and how we can best provide for a developing young person in each stage.

A Path Toward Maturity and Contribution to Society

The journey of human development, as envisioned by Dr. Maria Montessori, is marked by four distinct planes. Each plane represents a different phase in an individual's growth, and the fourth plane, spanning from 18 to 24 years of age, is no exception. This phase, which Montessori refers to as Maturity, signals the culmination of psychological and physical growth and paves the way for young adults to step into the world as a fully formed individuals capable of significant contributions to society.

Characteristics of the Fourth Plane

The fourth plane represents a time when individuals reach the height of their development and begin to assume their role in society. Unlike the earlier planes, the psychological changes during this period are less dramatic and more internal, and the focus shifts to understanding oneself and the world beyond one’s immediate needs. Whereas the body completes its physical maturation, the mind embarks on the task of understanding how it can contribute to humanity.

In The Four Planes of Education, Dr. Montessori writes, “The individual should be the man who knows how to make his own choice of action having passed to perfection the preceding phases. He should be as a live spark and aware of the open gate to the potentialities of prospective human life and of his own possibilities and responsibilities” (p. 15). This encapsulates the essence of the fourth plane— young adults’ newfound ability to make independent choices while being aware of their potential impact on society.

In this stage, individuals are not merely focused on themselves but are also learning to engage with the world beyond their personal ego. The question that arises is not “Who am I?” but “What can I do?” This shift from self-centeredness to a broader, more collective view of life signifies the maturity that defines the fourth plane.

Conquest of Independence

One of the key aspects of the fourth plane is the conquest of independence, particularly economic independence. This phase marks a time when individuals strive to become self-sufficient within the larger society. Young adults move beyond the dependency of childhood and adolescence, assuming more responsibility for their own life, finances, and future.

This is a period when a personal mission begins to take shape. Young adults start to solidify their goals, whether academic, professional, or personal, and work toward them with a growing sense of purpose. Dr. Montessori believed that achieving economic independence was crucial, as it not only provides the means to live but also fosters a sense of autonomy and responsibility.

Observable Examples of Development

Physically, by the fourth plane, development is largely complete. The dramatic growth spurts of the previous stages have slowed, and young adults now have full mastery over their body. Health is typically stable, and there is an overall sense of well-being.

Much like the second plane, the fourth plane is also conducive to intellectual pursuits, particularly those that lead to specialization in areas essential for a future career. This is when our young adults are honing skills that will serve them in the professional world, whether through higher education, apprenticeships, or other forms of specialized learning.

The fourth plane is also a time when individuals, having developed a solid understanding of themselves, are ready to take on more significant intellectual and social responsibilities. This is when they truly start asking the big questions, such as, “How can I contribute to the world?” It is at this stage that young adults embark on the exploration of their "cosmic task," a concept Montessori introduced in the second plane, which refers to the idea that every individual has a unique role to play in the larger story of humanity.

The Role of the Supportive Environment

With significant internal growth happening during the fourth plane, the role of the external environment remains crucial. A supportive environment during the preceding planes can have a profound effect on how individuals move through this stage. If our young adults have been nurtured in an environment that promotes autonomy, responsibility, and respect for their capacity to make choices, they are more likely to enter adulthood with the skills and mindset necessary to thrive in society.

To prepare for their careers during this time, many young adults pursue higher education, either through university studies or vocational training. Alternatively, they may enter the workforce, beginning to take on professional roles that contribute to society. This is also a time when many young adults leave the family home and start families of their own, further solidifying their place in the world as independent adults.

Dr. Montessori, unfortunately, did not have the opportunity to explore this phase in depth. However, we can imagine a world where every individual has been given the best possible environment throughout the previous planes of development. In such a world, adults who emerge from the fourth plane are equipped not only with the knowledge and skills to succeed but also with a profound sense of responsibility toward the greater good.

An Enlightened Society

The ideal outcome of the fourth plane is individuals who not only seek personal success but also work toward the welfare of humankind. Young adults who have passed through the earlier planes of development with the support of nurturing environments can enter society with a strong social conscience, eager to contribute to the collective well-being of humanity. They see the interconnectedness of all people and seek ways to address societal issues and contribute to the common good.

Imagine a world in which all young adults, having been guided through the previous developmental stages, emerge from the fourth plane ready to play their roles in society—not only as self-sufficient individuals but as enlightened members of a larger human community. This vision encapsulates the Montessori ideal: a world where everyone has the potential to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of humanity as a whole.

The fourth plane of development is not merely a time for self-discovery but a time for self-realization and societal contribution. Young adults, secure in their independence, prepare to engage with the world in ways that transcend personal goals, focusing instead on broader responsibilities. By fostering an environment that nurtures growth and independence, we set the stage for a society composed of individuals capable of making meaningful contributions to humanity’s collective well-being.

Curious to see how attention to the characteristics and needs of earlier stages of development can support an enlightened society? Schedule a tour today!

Stages of Development Series: Adolescence

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 11:00:52 GMT

This post is the third installment in our series exploring four stages of human development from a Montessori perspective. The Montessori approach takes a holistic view of growth, recognizing the unique needs of young people at every stage—birth to age six, six to twelve, twelve to eighteen, and eighteen to twenty-four—and adapts learning environments to support natural development at each stage. By understanding these key phases, we can better nurture young individuals as they progress on their journey to maturity.

Adolescence (Age Twelve to Eighteen)

Adolescence is often seen as a turbulent stage in life, sometimes even labeled as dysfunctional or something to endure. However, Dr. Maria Montessori viewed this vital period of human development as a time in our lives that deserves respect and understanding.

In Montessori education, adolescence is honored as a time of transition, a phase of development that, in many ways, mirrors the first six years of life. Just as the early years are marked by rapid transformation and the shaping of the individual, adolescence marks the transformation from childhood into adulthood.

Adolescent Development

The third plane of development, which typically begins at age twelve and continues through the teenage years, is one of significant physical, emotional, and social transformation. This period is characterized by the onset of puberty, hormonal changes, and dramatic physical shifts.

Adolescents, much like children in the first plane of development, experience rapid change, but this time it is in preparation for adulthood and potential child-rearing. As a result, adolescents require more sleep and are more susceptible to health issues (e.g. acne, depression, and eating disorders).

A key focus during this stage is the conquest of social and economic independence. Humans on the journey to adulthood need to function in social organizations, which requires intellectual and social skills. Adolescents also need to experience how economic interdependency works and they want to learn about different roles in economic systems. To do so, they need the awareness and skills to contribute in meaningful ways.

Social engagement is how we function as humans. Economic contribution and interdependency is how we meet our needs. Adolescents are no longer passive observers of society; instead, they strive to become active participants and contributors. Like during the first plane, adolescents learn best through hands-on experiences that benefit society, which reinforces their desire to contribute in meaningful ways.

Adolescents as Social Newborns

Dr. Montessori often referred to early adolescence as the "newborn" stage of adulthood, highlighting the vulnerability and transformation that adolescents undergo. This period of rapid physical and emotional development mirrors the developmental intensity of the first years of life. Adolescents are not just growing in terms of physical stature but also in terms of emotional and social maturity.

Much like a newborn, adolescents are learning how to navigate the complexities of the world around them. They are developing a sense of self and finding their place in society. The challenge of the third plane is to help them build this self-confidence and self-worth, while guiding them through the emotional turbulence that often accompanies this stage.

Holistic Development: Physical, Emotional, and Social Growth

Montessori's approach to adolescence is deeply holistic. We emphasize the importance of addressing the adolescent's physical, emotional, and social needs, recognizing that these areas are interconnected and cannot be separated in the developmental process.

Physical Development

Adolescents undergo significant physical changes during this time, including hormonal fluctuations and rapid growth. Brain development continues with an oversupply of gray matter and pruning of neural pathways, which influences behavior and learning capacity.

Key physical needs include:

Engaging in physical activity and hands-on work
Maintaining a healthy diet
Ensuring adequate sleep

Emotional and Psychological Development

Adolescents experience strong emotional swings and are highly self-conscious. They are forming their identities and are very aware of peer perceptions. Balancing these emotions and navigating their evolving sense of self can be challenging.

Emotional needs include:

Opportunities to build confidence and independence
Safe yet challenging environments
Support in self-expression and identity formation

Social Development

Social connections become increasingly important during adolescence. Adolescents seek peer approval and loyalty and often engage in risk-taking behaviors as they establish their place within their social circles. They learn best through collaboration and social interaction.

Social needs include:

Opportunities for collaboration with peers
Mentorship from adults
Meaningful and relevant social engagement

Moral and Intellectual Development

Dr. Montessori emphasized the adolescent’s sensitivity to issues of justice and personal dignity. This stage is a critical time for developing a strong sense of fairness and the desire to contribute meaningfully to society. As they mature, adolescents begin to understand the value of their contributions to the world around them.

Though their intellectual development might seem secondary due to emotional upheavals, it remains essential. As their brains undergo significant rewiring and neural pruning, adolescents still benefit from intellectual opportunities and challenges, as well as strong moral foundations.

The Role of Work and Contribution

Just as it was in earlier planes of development, work remains a vital aspect of adolescence. Adolescents have a strong desire to contribute to society and have their efforts recognized. Through work and activity, adolescents bolster their self-esteem and gain a sense of accomplishment.

The educational model proposed by Dr. Montessori focuses on land-based work and cooperative community living, which provide ways for adolescents to engage in meaningful activities. This model supports adolescents’ physical well-being, fosters social development, and prepares them for economic independence. Through hands-on work, adolescents not only contribute to their immediate communities but also develop a sense of responsibility and understanding of the value of work.

Supporting Adolescents Through Their Development

To meet the developmental needs of adolescents, we need to offer supportive environments. Dr. Montessori envisioned a community where adolescents could live and work together, gaining both physical and emotional nourishment. Providing opportunities for physical activity, collaboration, and self-expression helps adolescents develop into confident, capable adults.

Adolescents need both freedom and guidance. While they push away from adults as they seek independence, they still require boundaries, structure, and mentorship. Adults play a critical role in supporting adolescents as they navigate this transformative stage.

Understanding adolescence through the Montessori lens allows us to appreciate this period as one of profound transformation. By honoring the physical, emotional, social, and moral development of adolescents, we can provide them with the support they need to transition confidently into adulthood. With a holistic approach that integrates meaningful work, opportunities for self-expression, and guidance from adults, adolescents can be empowered to become the capable, interdependent adults society needs. Visit our school today to learn more!

Stages of Development Series: Childhood

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 11:00:11 GMT

Understanding human development at each stage is crucial to fostering optimal growth. This belief forms the foundation of Montessori education, which is deeply rooted in the developmental needs of children.

This post is the second in a series that explores the four stages of human development: birth through age six, ages six to twelve, ages twelve to eighteen, and ages eighteen to twenty-four. Each of these stages, or planes of development, comes with unique needs and capacities, and understanding them allows us to better support children in their educational journey.

Childhood (Age Six to Twelve)

Unlike the dramatic changes seen in infancy and adolescence, the second plane of development (ages six to twelve) is often viewed as a period of relative stability. This phase serves as a critical time for children to build upon their early experiences while preparing for the transitions that will come in adolescence. Despite its importance, this period is sometimes overlooked in society, but it is essential for the development of social, intellectual, and emotional skills that will serve as a foundation for later life.

Key Characteristics of Elementary Children

At the core of this stage are several observable characteristics.

Physical Sturdiness and Stability

Children in this stage experience a steady period of physical growth. They lose their primary teeth and gain adult teeth. Their skin loses its baby softness. Their hair even gets coarser and darker. Their body becomes leaner and stronger, with the soft, rounded contours of early childhood giving way to a more defined physical form. Despite these changes, growth slows down compared to the rapid pace of the first plane. This time also brings greater stability in health and coordination.

Reasoning and Abstraction

While children in the first plane absorb information effortlessly and even unconsciously, the second plane is marked by a growing capacity for reason and abstraction. No longer content with simply absorbing facts, children seek to understand the underlying causes of things. They begin to ask “why” questions and develop the ability to think logically and critically about the world around them. Their imagination flourishes and they love being able to transcend time and space, mentally traveling through history or exploring possible futures.

Conquest of Independence

This is a time when children transition from sensorimotor learning to becoming intellectual explorers. The intellectual independence they gain during this phase fuels their studies of mathematics, history, geography, art, and music. Montessori classrooms provide opportunities for children to explore these subjects with the motto: “Don’t tell me. I’ll figure it out myself.” Their journey toward independence extends beyond the academic to include a growing capacity for social reasoning and moral judgment.

The Herd Instinct and Socialization

One of the defining features of children in the second plane is their social nature. Children at this age exhibit a strong "herd instinct"—the need to belong to a group and collaborate with peers. They begin forming micro-societies and creating their own rules, roles, and expectations. These experiences allow them to practice social interactions and develop their conscience. It’s worth noting that as adult-directed activities (e.g. afterschool sports and classes) increase, children have fewer opportunities to work out social dynamics independently.

Moral Development and a Sense of Fairness

As elementary-age children seek independence, they also begin to develop a sense of morality. Children at this stage are sensitive to fairness and justice, and are likely to voice concerns when they perceive inconsistencies. This is when we frequently hear, “It’s not fair!” This stage is about the exploration of right and wrong and the ability to question rules and authority. The drama that unfolds in the classroom is often part of this process, as children navigate the complexities of social rules and develop their moral code.

A Fascination with the Extraordinary

Second plane children are drawn to the extraordinary, whether in the form of superheroes, mythical creatures, or fascinating civilizations. Their imagination is sparked by the idea of powers beyond the ordinary, and they are eager to explore cultures and histories that seem larger than life. This fascination with the exceptional provides them an avenue for exploring concepts of heroism, strength, and the human condition.

A Supportive, Community-Based Learning Environment

In a Montessori classroom, children are encouraged to work both independently and in groups. As such, the prepared environment of the second plane is designed to foster collaboration while allowing space for individual exploration. Group activities allow children to develop their social skills, negotiate rules, and practice taking on different roles within a community. Through these experiences, they are able to form their own moral code and develop their identity in relation to the group.

Children in this stage also have a thirst for knowledge that goes beyond what is available in the classroom. Montessori education encourages “Going Out” experiences—trips beyond the school to explore the wider world. These excursions allow children to engage with real-world problems, develop planning and execution skills, and build a deeper understanding of the subjects they are studying. Through these experiences, children come to see themselves as active participants in the world around them.

Montessori referred to the educational experience in the second plane as "cosmic education." In this phase, children are introduced to the universe as a whole, with an emphasis on the interconnectedness of all life. The Montessori curriculum for this stage revolves around the Five Great Lessons, which invite children into discovering more about the universe, the formation of the earth, the coming of plants and animals, the arrival of humans, and the development of written language and numbers. From these lessons, all areas of study—botany, geography, history, zoology, language, and more—emerge, inspiring awe and gratitude for the universe and humankind’s place within it.

Support from Home and Community

While second plane children are eager to explore beyond the family and classroom, they still require the strong support of their home, school, and peer group. Social activities become increasingly important, as group work provides them with the opportunity to practice collaboration, moral judgment, and self-expression. A strong, supportive environment—both at home and at school—helps children navigate this important stage in their development.

Curious to see how a school environment can meet the needs of six- to twelve-year-olds while inspiring deep learning? Schedule a tour of our classrooms!

Stages of Development Series: Infancy

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 11:01:03 GMT

Imagine education from a fresh perspective—one that sees children not as empty vessels waiting to be filled but as whole individuals embarking on a lifelong journey of self-formation. From the moment of birth, children are driven by powerful internal forces that guide their growth and help them adapt to their unique time, place, and culture. This remarkable ability to evolve and adapt is a defining trait of our human species.

The Montessori approach to education is built upon this profound understanding of human development. Dr. Maria Montessori dedicated her life's work to observing how children grow and change over time, identifying key developmental stages that shape their path to maturity. Through her scientific observations, she identified four distinct planes of development, each with its own unique characteristics and needs.

In this four-part blog series, we’ll explore each of these four stages—birth to age six, six to twelve, twelve to eighteen, and eighteen to twenty-four—unpacking how Montessori education adapts to support children’s evolving needs at every phase of growth. By understanding these developmental stages, we can better support young people on their journey to becoming capable, independent, and fulfilled individuals.

Infancy (Birth to Age Six)

The first plane of development is an extraordinary period of psychological and physical growth. Newborns enter the world entirely dependent, unable to move or communicate. Yet, within just six years, they are walking, talking, and asserting their independence with intellect and will.

Characteristics of the First Six Years

During this transformative stage, children require ample sleep to support their rapid development. However, when they are awake, their curiosity knows no bounds. They explore their surroundings with boundless energy, using their senses to touch, smell, taste, hear, and examine everything in their environment.

Conquest of Independence

One of the primary goals during this stage is achieving functional independence. Children are eager to take care of their own needs and are naturally inclined to observe and imitate the actions of adults. The mantra of children at this stage is: “Help me do it myself!”

Sensitive Periods

Children in the first plane experience sensitive periods—windows of opportunity when they are uniquely receptive to acquiring essential skills.

Movement : Young children need movement to develop brain-body integration.

Order : They crave order to make sense of their surroundings, learning what happens and how objects are used.

Language Acquisition : This is a critical period for language development, during which children absorb words and speech patterns effortlessly.

These sensitivities drive children’s development, shaping their understanding of the world.

Observable Milestones

One of the most profound achievements in this phase is the acquisition of spoken language. Talking to newborns, for example, stimulates vocal cord development, and astonishingly, their vocal cords vibrate when adults speak to them. From being essentially mute at birth, toddlers can have a vocabulary of around 200 words by age two and an impressive 10,000 words by the end of this phase. This makes it essential to provide a language-rich environment during these formative years.

Physically, this period is one of monumental growth. Children progress from being immobile to sitting, crawling, walking, speaking, and independently eating. As adults, we must be mindful about supporting rather than hindering this development. We want to offer rather than limit growth opportunities for our children!

The Sub-Planes: Ages 0 to 3 and Ages 3 to 6

The first plane of development can be divided into two distinct sub-phases:

Ages 0 to 3 : Children’s development is largely unconscious, driven by innate forces. During this phase, children absorb the world around them and do so without any filters. It’s important during this time that adults respect children’s natural developmental path without imposing external motivations.

Ages 3 to 6 : During these years, children become more consciously aware of their actions and motivations. This is when we see the emergence of children’s willpower and the powerful drive to classify and understand their environment. Children become more conscious learners.

As they grow, children naturally identify patterns, similarities, and differences based on their experiences. They construct their understanding of the world from scratch, and active experiences in their environment play a crucial role in shaping their cognitive development.

Social Development in the First Plane

During their first three years, children form strong bonds with their primary caregivers and family, finding comfort in a small social circle. They prefer solitary exploration and engage in parallel play.

By age three, children seek a broader social experience beyond the family. They require opportunities to interact with peers and engage in community life, which fosters independence and social development.

Creating a Supportive Environment

Providing the right environment is crucial to supporting children during their early years. Key elements of an optimal environment include:

A Secure Home : A safe and loving home helps children build trust and confidence in the world around them.

Freedom to Explore : Children need space and opportunities to move and explore safely, both indoors and outdoors.

Language Exposure : A rich linguistic environment helps children build vocabulary and develop confidence in self-expression.

Participation in Daily Life : Involvement in practical life activities helps children develop independence and a sense of belonging.

Cultural Experiences : Exposure to family traditions, rituals, and cultural practices helps children adapt to their culture and understand their place within it.

As children develop over the course of this stage of life, they also benefit from being part of a social community and, in the process, learn valuable lessons about cooperation, sharing, and responsibility.

By understanding the characteristics and needs of the first plane of development, we can create environments that nurture children’s natural growth, independence, and exploration.

Montessori Materials Explained: The Fundamental Needs Charts

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 11:00:45 GMT

Exploring Human Connection: The Fundamental Needs Charts in Montessori

In the Montessori elementary classroom, we support children’s natural curiosity about what it means to be human. One of the tools we use for this exploration is the Fundamental Needs Charts, which illustrate the universal needs that connect all people, past and present.

Understanding Our Shared Humanity

The purpose of these charts is to help children recognize their own needs and see how human beings across time and cultures have worked to fulfill them. Through this, children begin to develop a deeper awareness of their place in history and the common threads that unite all people.

There are two charts that children use first as an overview and then as a tool for research.

The first chart provides a broad overview of fundamental needs, divided into material needs (food, shelter, clothing, defense, transportation) and spiritual needs (art, music, religion, communication).
The second chart focuses specifically on the human need for food, a concept that even the youngest elementary students can appreciate!

Unlike traditional text-heavy resources, these charts rely on visual representations, which makes them accessible to younger elementary children. The charts also provide a visual model of how to organize an investigation into ancient civilizations and cultures.

A Framework for Exploration

Elementary-aged children are naturally curious about how things work and why people live the way they do. The Fundamental Needs Charts provide a structured way to study history and culture, allowing children to ask meaningful questions:

How did different civilizations meet their needs for food and shelter?
How did people create art, music, and systems of belief?
What innovations, like the wheel, changed the way humans lived?
Are spiritual needs as essential as physical ones for survival?

These questions encourage children to think critically and compare cultures in a way that fosters both curiosity and respect for diversity.

From Concrete to Abstract Thinking

At first, children relate to physical needs like food and warmth because they have personally experienced hunger or cold. They also begin to grasp more abstract concepts, such as the role of art, music, and communication in human development.

We introduce the first chart through conversation:

What did you have for breakfast this morning?
How did you get to school? Did you wear a seat belt?
Why did you choose the clothes you have on today?
What do you plan to do this weekend?

We often write little slips with students’ answers. Then, we display the first chart and, together with the children, figure out how to put the different answers into the different categories. Children love this personal connection to the material, and the process lays the stage for how information can be organized thematically.

Encouraging Independent Research

The Fundamental Needs Charts do not present every possible human need–this is intentional. Instead, they provide a model that encourages children to create their own charts based on their research. This process deepens their understanding and allows them to make connections between cultures in a meaningful way.

Younger children often love making “needs” collages from magazine pictures or even charts of their own personal “fundamental needs” such as “What I Eat.” Sometimes, children may make booklets or write a story or report about a particular aspect of the chart, such as “How We Get to School” or foods that come from fish or foods that are flowers! Or they may make a chart with all the different ways human beings transport themselves, or about human houses. The possibilities are endless!

As they continue their studies, older children transition to The History Question Charts, which rely more on text and research. These allow for a more detailed examination of historical patterns, further reinforcing the idea that history is a story of human beings working to meet their needs.

Education for Peace

Dr. Maria Montessori believed that education should help children see themselves as part of a larger human family. By studying the universal needs that all people share, children develop a sense of human solidarity through space and time. They learn that while cultures may differ in their approaches, our fundamental needs unite us all.

This understanding fosters empathy, respect, and a sense of interconnectedness—essential components of education for peace. The Fundamental Needs of Human Beings Charts are more than just learning tools; they are a gateway to understanding human history, culture, and identity.

Visit our classrooms to see how our learning activities help young people become interconnected citizens!

Creating Community in Montessori Toddler Environments

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 11:01:02 GMT

In Montessori education, we emphasize community, not just as an abstract concept, but as a lived daily experience. From the very beginning of life, we emphasize carefully prepared environments that foster a deep sense of belonging and connection.

What Is Community?

The word community comes from the Latin communis, meaning “common, public, general, or shared by all or many.” In addition to shared space, in Montessori, we also think about community as a shared sense of meaning, values, and connection.

At its core, community begins with the most fundamental human group: the family. Families form children’s first social experience and the first place where values, culture, and expectations are passed down. This bond has helped humans survive and thrive throughout history.

Partnering with Families

In the Montessori approach, we honor and respect each family's unique values, striving to foster strong home-school relationships. Our partnership with families is a mutual journey—one in which the adult caregivers at school and home come together with a shared purpose: to nurture children’s natural growth.

Building the Toddler Community

We design our learning environments—both indoors and outdoors—to meet each child where they are, providing just the right level of challenge, comfort, and beauty. In creating community, we focus on essential, concrete elements like people, space, and materials, while also attending to intangible aspects that provide a profound sense of order.

The People : The adults—both the lead guide and trained assistants—focus on personal and professional preparation. Their role is not to direct the child but to support their natural development with presence, purpose, and peacefulness.

The Space : The physical environment must be appropriately sized, thoughtfully arranged, and aesthetically pleasing. If it’s too large, children can feel lost or overstimulated. If it’s too small, they may feel crowded and unsettled. We design every detail—from the furniture to the flow of the day—with intention.

The Materials : Everything in the classroom is purposeful, developmentally appropriate, and in harmony with Montessori principles. We carefully select materials to support children’s movement, independence, concentration, and sense of order.

Profound Order : A true Montessori community also relies on an invisible but essential structure: the order that underlies everything. Children have a fundamental need for order, especially during the first six years of life when they are in their sensitive period for order.

External order—seen in routines, consistent expectations, and a well-organized space—helps children form inner order, which is the foundation of emotional regulation, concentration, and autonomy.

If children do not experience order in their lives, they must expend energy trying to create it—energy that should instead be used for self-construction. That is why order must exist not just in the physical environment, but also in the adults’ behavior and in the flow of the day. A sense of control, predictability, and respect enables toddlers to flourish as they begin to form their personalities.

The Role of the Prepared Adult

As we create and cultivate our learning communities, we also recognize the significance of our role as adults in creating a community where toddlers feel safe, supported, and free to grow.

While we play a critical role in creating and maintaining a beautiful environment, we also recognize that it belongs to the children for their growth and development. To ensure that we support this development, we strive to master the art of observation, which enables us to identify what children need to aid their growth. With a deep understanding of the purpose of every material in the classroom, we can then connect children to meaningful work through intentional and respectful presentations.

We also practice humility, recognizing that children are often more in tune with their needs than we are. Our work with toddlers requires us to respect each child’s human potential, even when behavior is challenging, and to love unconditionally, accepting children for who they are, not who we want them to be. This practice means that we regularly reflect on our own work, always striving to improve so that we can better serve the children.

A Living, Breathing Community

Creating a Montessori community for toddlers is both an art and a science that requires intentional environments, well-prepared adults, and a deep respect for children’s developmental journey.

At its heart, the Montessori Toddler Community is a shared space where children learn how to be in the world—together. It is here they first experience what it means to belong, to contribute, and to grow with others.

Schedule a visit to see what an intentionally designed community looks like in action!

More Than a Method: Montessori's Vision for Humanity

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 11:01:30 GMT

At the heart of Montessori education is a deep respect for human potential. The core of Montessori philosophy and practice originated when Dr. Maria Montessori, as part of her medical school training, worked with children who had developmental delays. Dr. Montessori observed that the children needed something different, so she provided them with materials and an environment that truly supported their development. The result? The children demonstrated remarkable growth. This discovery has forever changed our understanding of learning and the human experience.

A Scientific Lens on Human Nature

Dr. Montessori approached children and human development as a scientist. Through her observations, she recognized that humans possess innate, universal characteristics and follow predictable patterns of development. At our core, we are a species designed to learn, to adapt, and to grow.

By observing children through the lens of human development, Dr. Montessori identified specific stages of growth, which we now call the Planes of Development, and a set of Human Tendencies that drive learning and adaptation from birth to maturity. These tendencies are not random. They are evolutionary forces that guide humans to meet their needs and fulfill their potential.

Education That Aligns With Nature

Montessori education is structured around supporting these stages and tendencies. Instead of imposing learning, we respect and reinforce the natural unfolding of each child’s abilities. Montessori learning environments are carefully prepared to meet developmental needs, and the adult’s role shifts from teacher to someone who serves as an aide to life. This means adults serve as guides who observe, prepare, and support rather than direct.

A Cosmic Perspective

Montessori’s vision of human development goes beyond the individual. She saw human beings as part of a cosmic web of interrelationships. In this interconnected system, each part plays a role in maintaining balance and harmony. Humans have a special place in this system, not only because of our capacity to adapt but because of our consciousness of that very role.

With this perspective, we recognize that education must also cultivate humility, wonder, and stewardship —qualities that enable us to live responsibly within this complex, interdependent world. In this context, education is not just about achieving success; it’s about supporting the growth of mature, adaptive, and aware human beings.

The Power of Adaptation

Humans are uniquely capable of adapting to a vast range of environments and social conditions. We have been able to move beyond survival and, in the process, have become creative, intelligent, and intentional in our adaptation. From birth, children adapt and evolve through interaction with their surroundings. Through their senses, hands, minds, and relationships, children construct themselves and their understanding of the world.

Dr. Montessori identified key characteristics that support this adaptation. Humans have a long childhood, noteworthy for the development of our hands, intelligence, imagination, and social interdependence. These capacities are guided by the Human Tendencies, which not only move development forward but also shape who we become.

The Human Tendencies

These universal tendencies include the drive to:

Orient to the environment
Explore the unknown
Order and make sense of the world
Abstract and think symbolically
Imagine possibilities
Calculate and reason
Work to shape and adapt the environment
Repeat and strive for precision
Perfect oneself through effort
Communicate and associate with others

These tendencies are innate, universal, lifelong, and evolutionary in nature. They cannot be eliminated, but they can be supported—or thwarted. When blocked, children will still try to meet their needs, often in less productive or more disruptive ways.

Observation and the Role of Adults

To truly support a child’s development, we observe with care to determine if children’s tendencies are being honored or obstructed. As Montessori-trained guides, we strive to look beneath behavior and recognize what drives it. This observational practice shifts our understanding of children and deepens our respect for their developmental process.

Dr. Montessori’s work challenges traditional views of education. Instead of seeing adults as the agents of growth, Dr. Montessori emphasized that children are self-constructing beings. Education should not be about imposing knowledge but about intentionally supporting the natural process of development.

Education as an Aid to Life

Ultimately, we believe that education should serve as a vital component of life itself. When we align learning environments with the science of human development, supporting children’s creative process of adaptation, we open the door to profound potential.

Montessori education offers not only a method but a visionary framework rooted in observation, science, and deep reverence for what it means to be human. It calls us to see children not as empty vessels, but as beings full of possibility, ready to become mature, capable, and compassionate citizens of the world.

We invite you to visit our school to see how Montessori environments support the potential of our young people!

Curiosity Over Commands

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 11:00:20 GMT

Imagine the scene. A young child is trying to get comfortable for a car ride, but nothing seems right. Parents (and maybe even siblings) try to help. However, with each suggestion, the child becomes increasingly upset and overwhelmed.

When we see that our children are getting frustrated, often our immediate response is to offer help, usually in the form of advice: “Try this.” “Do that.” “Just calm down.” While our intentions are good, our children’s responses tend not to be positive. Depending upon the situation, they may get more overwhelmed, respond with resistance, or even shut down.

Advice, even when helpful, isn’t always what’s needed in the moment. What often works better (with children and even adults!) is a different kind of support, one that builds connection and trust, rather than pressure.

The Power of Curiosity Questions

In the Positive Discipline approach, this alternative is known as curiosity questions. Rather than imposing solutions (think of this as “you should” kind of advice), these questions are designed to invite children into the problem-solving process. Curiosity questions shift the dynamic from a command-and-control approach to one of collaboration.

Here are a few examples of curiosity questions:

“What’s happening?”
“What would you like to have happen?”
“How can I help?”

By asking instead of telling, we can give our children space to think, feel, and take ownership. Their brains remain engaged in a calm, reflective state rather than flipping into fight-or-flight mode. Even more importantly, children start to feel capable because their ideas and feelings are valued.

Why This Matters

Moments of frustration or challenge are inevitable. Whether it’s struggling with a seatbelt, navigating friendship dynamics, or facing academic pressures, children need tools to navigate those moments, and we need ways to guide without overwhelming them.

Curiosity questions do more than solve the problem at hand. They:

Build emotional resilience
Strengthen communication skills
Cultivate problem-solving and independence
Foster mutual respect

When we ask questions instead of rushing in with answers, we step out of the pressure to “fix” everything. We create connection instead of conflict.

A Simple Shift

Imagine a different response on that car ride. Instead of “You should move your backpack,” or “Just unbuckle and redo the seatbelt,” or “Take a deep breath and calm down,” what if the question had been, “What’s bothering you back there?” or “What would make things more comfortable?” The child may still have felt upset, but they would have been invited into the solution.

Key Principles

Using curiosity questions effectively, our tone, timing, and intent are critical. Keeping these core principles in mind will help immensely!

Be Genuinely Interested

When we ask questions, we want to make sure we don’t have a hidden agenda. Children are incredibly perceptive and can sense when a question is loaded or when it's a subtle way of getting them to do what we want. Curiosity questions are most powerful when they come from a place of authentic wonder and care. Ask because you want to understand their experience, not because you're trying to control it.

Create a Calm First

When children are in the middle of a meltdown, they aren’t able to process language-based information. If they (or we) are emotionally flooded, focus on calming and connection first. “I can see this is really frustrating. Let’s take a breath. We can talk about it when we’re both ready.” The focus, thus, is first on everyone feeling regulated.

Avoid Accusatory Language

Children are also incredibly sensitive to undertones of blame. Even well-meant questions can come across as judgmental if they're delivered with irritation, sarcasm, or disbelief. Focus on gathering information with empathy and openness. We want to avoid “Why did you…?” if it feels like an interrogation. Thus, it’s best to frame questions to understand.

Listen Actively

When a child answers a curiosity question, they’re offering a glimpse into their inner world. Pause. Make eye contact. Tune in with your full attention. Reflect back what you hear. Ask follow-up questions to deepen understanding. Active listening builds trust and strengthens the relationship. A good go-to question is, “Tell me more about that.”

Be Patient

Children—especially younger ones—often need time to process both the question and their thoughts. Thus, we want to avoid jumping in with another question or suggestion too quickly. Silence can be a powerful part of the process, giving our children time to think and respond.

For the Road Ahead

Curiosity questions are a cornerstone of respectful, connection-based parenting. We’ll face plenty of moments when instinct tells us to jump in and take control. However, sometimes the most empowering thing we can do is to slow down and get curious. With just a few simple questions, we can help our children feel calm, capable, and connected. In the process, we can also remind ourselves that guidance doesn’t always mean having all the answers.

To learn about more examples of effective and respectful guidance, schedule a time to visit our school!

Where Learning Grows: The Montessori Approach to Outdoors

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 11:00:55 GMT

One of the many beautiful and empowering aspects of Montessori education is how it helps children understand themselves as valued members of a community. A key way this happens is through Care of the Environment, a form of Practical Life work that provides children with the opportunity to tend to the spaces they live in each day.

By participating in this care, children begin to feel at home in their classroom, school, and community. They feel a sense of ownership and take pride in their surroundings, and in the process, develop a deep sense of responsibility and connection.

The Outdoor Environment

When considering the children’s environment, we're not just referring to indoor spaces. In Montessori, the outdoor environment is not an afterthought. Instead, we consider the outdoors to be a natural and essential extension of the prepared indoor space.

For young children, who are absorbing everything from the world around them, the time spent outdoors supports development in profound and lasting ways. For older children and adolescents, outdoor spaces can be a place for self-regulation and deep focus.

Now more than ever, when children tend to spend increasing amounts of time indoors, reconnecting with natural spaces is vital for physical, emotional, and cognitive health.

Why Being Outdoors Matters

Research, including the work of Richard Louv in The Last Child in the Woods, highlights a growing body of evidence that time spent in nature is critical to the healthy development of both children and adults. In Montessori, we recognize that outdoor time is not a break from learning. Rather, the natural world is a powerful space for movement, language, social development, and sensory integration. Time outdoors is learning time.

Young children are in the midst of sensitive periods for order, language, movement, and sensory refinement. These windows of opportunity allow for an intense connection with nature that nourishes the whole child. Plus, the natural world’s beauty, order, and rhythm speak to our deepest human tendencies: to explore, understand, and belong.

The Adults’ Role Outside

Outdoor spaces become a rich environment for observation, guidance, and connection. Children are often more socially expressive outdoors, making this a critical time for observing group dynamics and supporting social-emotional growth.

It’s also a time to model joyful, playful behavior. Children need to see that being human includes lightness and laughter, and outdoor time offers the perfect opportunity for us to play alongside children while still maintaining an appropriate level of guidance.

We can also help children understand that different environments call for different behaviors. What is appropriate outdoors differs from what is expected indoors. As children gain different experiences, they come to understand how to conduct themselves with grace and courtesy on a woodland trail and a garden bed, or how to navigate the intricacies of fort building and group game dynamics. Montessori children learn to move through different scenes and scenarios with increasing awareness, sensitivity, and confidence.

Setting Up Outdoor Spaces

We want our outdoor spaces to feel like a true extension of our classrooms, not a break from them. As such, we are intentional about how the outdoor spaces are developmentally appropriate, deepen children’s understanding of cause and effect, and nurture a sense of order. We want activities in the outdoor space to have a purposeful intent so they support the integration of children’s will, intellect, and coordinated movement.

At home, outdoor activities can provide open-ended play opportunities that encourage exploration and independence, as well as ways to involve children in purposeful projects. Here are some ideas to get started!

Practical Life

Provide tools for cleaning tasks: sweeping paths, washing outdoor furniture, scrubbing flower pots, washing the car, and wiping off outdoor toys.
Encourage gardening: planting seeds, watering, weeding, harvesting herbs or vegetables.
Offer animal care opportunities: refilling bird feeders, walking the dog, playing fetch.

Sensorial Exploration

Include sensory gardens with fragrant herbs, soft leaves, and vibrant flowers—like lavender, mint, and lamb’s ear—that invite children to touch, smell, and observe.
Create a collection space for sticks, stones, pinecones, shells, and seed pods.

Gross Motor Development

Find natural structures like logs or balance beams for climbing.
Encourage running, rolling, or playing games in grassy areas.
Create sand or dirt pits for digging and building.

Observation and Nature Study

Set up bird feeders, weather tools, and insect hotels.
Create small areas for quiet observation with a bench, blanket, or hammock.
Add sensory elements like wind chimes or water features to create a calming atmosphere.

Curricular Connections

Math: count petals, measure plant growth, sort leaves by size and shape.
Science: Tools like magnifying glasses and microscopes help them explore soil, insects, and plant life up close. Composting systems, rainwater collection, or native plantings foster environmental stewardship.
Art: Natural materials become mediums for creativity, such as twigs for weaving, leaves for prints, and landscapes for sketching.
Language: Storytelling, reading under a tree, or labeling plants and garden tools strengthens vocabulary and communication while keeping learning grounded in the real world.

Observe and Adapt

As with all prepared environments, the key is observation. What captures our children’s curiosity? Where are they returning again and again? What challenges are they facing?

By observing carefully, we can adjust to our children’s needs and interests. A prepared environment supports the whole child and helps them feel connected, not just to the earth, but to themselves and their community.

We’d love to share our outdoor spaces with you. Schedule a tour today!

More Than a Method: Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Maria Montessori

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 11:00:32 GMT

August 31 marks the birthday of Dr. Maria Montessori. Thus, we want to take time to honor the roots of this movement, the visionary contributions of Dr. Montessori herself, and our shared responsibility to carry her legacy forward.

At the heart of Montessori education is a deep respect for human potential. Unlike traditional models that begin with the adult's idea of what a child should learn, the Montessori approach emerged from deep observation and genuine curiosity. Dr. Montessori did not set out to create a new educational system. Rather, she observed children with scientific curiosity and developed an approach in response to their needs.

It’s important to remember that Dr. Montessori was first and foremost a scientist. She was one of the first female physicians in Italy, graduating in 1896 with a specialization in pediatrics and psychiatry. In her medical practice, she encountered children who were often seen as uneducable. However, rather than accept this assumption, Dr. Montessori looked closer.

A Discovery That Changed Everything

In 1900, Dr. Montessori was appointed director of a university program for children with developmental delays. Observing their sensory-seeking behaviors in bleak institutional settings, she began studying how sensory experiences affect cognitive development. She designed hands-on materials and engaged the children in purposeful activity. The results were stunning: children who had been dismissed by society not only improved, but some went on to pass the same standardized exams given to their peers in traditional schools.

Dr. Montessori’s response was not one of self-congratulation. Instead, she challenged the broader education system, asking: If children with significant delays could thrive when given the right environment and tools, why weren’t typically developing children doing better in school?

This question launched a lifetime of work dedicated to understanding and supporting the natural development of all children.

The Birth of the Montessori Method

In 1907, Dr. Montessori opened her first classroom, the Casa dei Bambini, in the working-class neighborhood of San Lorenzo in Rome. Tasked with overseeing daycare for children too young for public school, she began by introducing simple, practical activities, starting with self-care and environmental care. She also provided an array of materials designed to engage children’s hands and minds.

The transformation was extraordinary. Children who had previously been described as wild and unruly became calm, focused, and joyful. They took pride in their appearance and their surroundings. They concentrated for long stretches of time, developed social awareness, and, unprompted, began asking to learn how to read and write.

Dr. Montessori was fascinated by what she called “spontaneous discipline” and the deep love of work she observed in the children. Through observation and experimentation, she continued to refine the materials, the environment, and the adult's role.

Education Rooted in Development

What emerged was a revolutionary approach: an educational philosophy based on the science of human development. Rather than seeing the adult as the source of knowledge and the child as an empty vessel, Dr. Montessori recognized that children come into the world with innate potential and a deep drive to learn.

Montessori education supports this natural unfolding by honoring what Dr. Montessori called human tendencies, such as exploration, orientation, order, communication, work, and repetition, through carefully prepared environments that meet the specific needs of each developmental stage. The adult's role is not to instruct, but to guide, observe, prepare, and support.

This vision of human development extends beyond the individual to a larger understanding of humans as part of a cosmic web of interrelationships. In this interconnected world, every part plays a role in maintaining balance and harmony. Humans have a unique place in this system, and our role requires conscious awareness, humility, and stewardship.

In addition to fostering rich academic growth, Montessori education cultivates mature, adaptive, and compassionate individuals who are capable of making meaningful contributions to our interconnected world.

The Enduring Impact of Montessori’s Vision

Dr. Montessori eventually left her medical practice and professorship to fully devote her life to this work. She lectured around the world, trained teachers, wrote extensively, and advocated for children’s rights. She also always insisted that the focus remain on the children, not on her.

Through decades of scientific observation, experimentation, and cross-cultural study, Dr. Montessori discovered that children, when provided with the right conditions at the right time, flourish. Her insights have stood the test of time. Today, there are approximately 15,000 Montessori schools worldwide, with over 3,000 located in the United States alone.

For over a century, Montessori education has empowered children to reach their full potential—academically, socially, and emotionally. Yet Montessori is not just about individual success. It’s about building a better society.

We know that children are not just preparing for the future. They are the future. By focusing on children’s holistic development, we are supporting a generation of individuals who are more connected to themselves, to one another, and to the planet.

Carrying the Legacy Forward

Dr. Montessori’s vision asks us to do more than remember her birthday. We need to believe in children, observe them closely, and prepare environments that honor their needs. This also means that we, as adults, approach our role with humility and a sense of curiosity. Our job is to accompany children as they create the future.

In this way, Montessori education becomes not just a method, but a movement, one rooted in peace, interdependence, and the full development of the human being.

Thank you for being part of this vision. Together, here at Crabapple Montessori we are carrying the Montessori legacy forward, not only by what we teach, but by how we believe in the children before us. Come visit to learn more!

Practical Life Has Purpose!

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 11:00:57 GMT

The Purposes of Practical Life in Montessori

In a Montessori classroom, practical life activities play a foundational role in supporting children’s development, independence, and connection to their environment. Because children are actively absorbing and adapting to the world around them, everything we offer in practical life serves a developmental need.

Supporting Independence

One of the primary goals of practical life is to nurture children’s functional independence—the ability to care for oneself and the environment and interact meaningfully within a community. The first plane of development (0 to 6 years) is marked by a strong drive for independence, with children eager to do things for themselves.

By the time a child enters the Children’s House (approximately ages 2.5 to 6), they have already made strides toward independence. However, they still require an environment that allows them to refine their skills. In the world, children generally encounter a number of obstacles to their independence:

Household processes (e.g., cleaning dishes in the dishwasher) may be hidden or too complex.
Tools are adult-sized and difficult for small hands to use.
Movements happen too quickly for children to absorb (e.g., tying a shoe).

The Montessori environment addresses these barriers by providing:

Child-sized tools for daily activities, such as preparing food and caring for the classroom.
A clear, ordered sequence of movements that children can observe and repeat.
The freedom to practice skills at their own pace, allowing them to move from passive observers to active participants.

Supporting the Sensitive Period for Movement

We also recognize that young children are in a critical period for refining their control and coordination. So practical life activities are designed to help children refine their movements in purposeful ways, directing children’s attention and energy toward focused, intentional actions. Walking on the line of an ellipse develops balance and control. Pouring water from a basin to a bucket refines precision. Carrying a tray teaches careful, measured movements.

One of the most challenging yet essential aspects of movement is control. It takes effort to stop pouring just before a cup overflows or use only a small drop of polish when shining an object. By engaging in these exercises, children strengthen their willpower and gradually master their own actions.

Supporting the Sensitive Period for Order

Children in the first plane of development have an innate need for external order, which is reflected in their surroundings and daily routines. Montessori environments support this in a variety of ways.

We ensure that activities have a logical sequence of steps so as children learn new concepts, they can also rely on the sequencing.

Materials are placed in a specific order on the shelves, moving left to right and top to bottom so children begin to internalize the same patterning we use for reading as they work through the easier and most concrete activities to the most challenging and abstract.

Montessori activities are color-coded. For the youngest children this means that all of the items for something like window washing will have the same color which helps children keep the set together. As children get older the color-coding is designed to help them grasp concepts like place value in math or parts of speech in language.

Once children internalize these structures, they gain confidence and independence, allowing them to complete tasks from start to finish without adult intervention.

Assisting with Cultural Adaptation

Practical life activities reflect real-world tasks that children observe in their daily lives. Children are naturally drawn to meaningful work—they want to help, imitate, and participate. For example, in Dr. Montessori’s early observations in San Lorenzo, she saw that children were fascinated by the gardener and the custodian, eagerly following and watching their work. Children see adults doing marvelous activities, and children want to learn the skills to participate! Through practical life activities, children engage in culturally relevant tasks that allow them to feel like valuable members of their community.

Supporting Orientation

Orientation is a fundamental human tendency—we all seek to understand our surroundings and how to function within them. Practical life exercises help children orient to the Montessori classroom by introducing essential routines. For example, we take the time to teach children things that might otherwise be taken for granted, such as:

How to carry a chair properly.
How to greet a friend.
How to roll and unroll a work rug.
How to ask for help.

By taking time to demonstrate these tasks, we show respect for the child and provide the knowledge they need to act confidently in their space.

Supporting the Development of Concentration

Practical life activities serve as a gateway to deep concentration. The freedom to choose and repeat exercises allows children to follow their intrinsic motivation and work toward self-perfection.

When children reach deep concentration, they experience:

Joy and a sense of fulfillment.
An increased connection to others.
A natural reduction in undesirable behaviors.

The ability to repeat an activity for as long as needed also supports children’s sensitive period for order and mastery. This is why practical life often serves as the first point of engagement for children in the Montessori classroom.

Supporting the Development of the Will

Practical life exercises help children develop willpower and self-control by bridging the gap between impulse and deliberate action.

At first, children act on instinct, but through repeated exercises, they learn to:

Act consciously and voluntarily.
Perfect their actions through self-correction.
Develop grace, courtesy, and social awareness.

Whether through learning how to clean up a spill or preparing snack to share with others, children learn to control their impulses and consider the needs of others.

Dr. Montessori beautifully summarized this transformation in The Discovery of the Child:

“The grace and dignity of their behavior and the ease of their movements are the corollaries to what they have gained through their own patient and laborious efforts. In a word, they are ‘self-controlled,’ and to the extent that they are thus controlled, they are free from the control of others.”

Practical life is far more than just pouring, scrubbing, and folding—it is the foundation for independence, concentration, order, and social development. These carefully designed activities help children orient to their world, refine their movements, and develop the willpower to act with purpose.

By embracing practical life, we give children the tools to engage meaningfully with their environment, take ownership of their learning, and ultimately, become confident, self-sufficient individuals. Contact us to schedule a tour so you can see how young children use practical life activities in powerful ways!

Who Owns the Problem?

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 11:00:29 GMT

Most of us have had the experience of a child walking into the room and proclaiming, with exasperation and desperation, “I’m bored!” Without even thinking, we begin to offer suggestions.

Despite our best intentions, this situation tends to not end well. Our brilliant ideas are often quickly refuted. We feel frustrated. Our children haven’t engaged. And we’ve missed an opportunity to help our children take responsibility.

What Does it Mean to “Own the Problem”?

It helps to think proactively about how to respond when our children face problems, choices, or situations. These aren’t necessarily the big issues, but rather daily moments that can help our children learn important coping skills that will be crucial in their lives.

At its core, figuring out who owns the problem is about determining whether we or our children are the ones who are primarily responsible for addressing an issue. For example, when our children forget to bring something to school (a coat, gym shoes, snack, etc.), it’s their problem to own and solve because they are directly impacted. Plus, they are also capable of problem-solving (e.g. borrowing a coat, talking to their teacher, asking if there is any food they can have for a snack).

Owning the problem helps children take more responsibility and learn from their mistakes. Whereas, if we rush to their rescue and bring anything that was left at home, our children learn that remembering to bring essential items isn’t really important because we take care of covering for them.

The Challenges

However, watching our children struggle can be heart-wrenching. We don’t like to see our children upset, in pain, or even frustrated. Often, without even thinking, we jump in and try to protect our children from whatever problem, conflict, or challenge they are experiencing.

In addition to this urge to rescue, we may also experience time constraints, diminishing patience, worry about how others will perceive the situation, doubts about our children’s capability, and even pushback from our children.

It may seem faster to tie our children’s shoes or clean their messy room than to wait for them to do it themselves. We may worry that our children won’t meet expectations with a school project or that teachers, other parents, or extended family members will judge the results if we don’t help. Or maybe we aren’t sure that our children will make the “right” decision or if our children are mature or skilled enough to handle a situation. We may even feel guilty about allowing our children to face the natural consequences of their actions, even though it’s a necessary part of learning.

The Value

All problems have owners. Being thoughtful about who owns the problem helps create a clear boundary between guiding our children and taking over their challenges, which is crucial for raising independent, confident, and capable individuals. If we take the time to think ahead about specific (and even recurring) situations, we can be prepared to empower our children to take ownership of the challenges they face, rather than automatically intervening.

It’s also important to remember that if we regularly take ownership of our children’s problems, we are inadvertently teaching our children that they are not capable. The result? Our children grow more needy and dependent on (and sometimes even more demanding of) adults.

If our children own the problem, we can let them handle the problem and provide support as necessary. This is a growth opportunity for us and our children!

Steps to Take

The next time our children express frustration or emotion in response to a problem they own, we can try a simple, three-step response.

Tell them what we see

When our children approach us, consider using detective skills to determine what emotion is at play. “It looks like you don’t know what to do right now,” or “It looks like you are disappointed,” or “It looks like you are feeling sad.” This simple first step provides acknowledgment and helps children accept that their feelings are normal and acceptable. For younger children, this also helps them learn to identify different emotions.

In addition to validating our children’s feelings, active listening shows empathy and helps us avoid jumping to solutions. For example, if the upset is about an interaction with a friend, we can try saying something like, “That sounds really frustrating. Tell me more about what happened."

Ask them what they can do

Next, we can act as a coach rather than trying to provide solutions. This requires listening closely to determine the root cause of their problem and helping them come up with a solution (without doing it for them).

For example, if facing the “I’m bored” statement, we can ask questions, “What do you think you could do on your own so that you would feel busy?” Even if they respond by saying, “I don’t know,” we can continue to focus on their ability to think through possibilities. Sometimes, even just replying with something like, “make believe you know,” grants them permission to use their imagination.

Additional types of questions to have mentally prepared can include:

“What do you think you could do to fix this?”

“How do you think _____ might react if you explain?”

“What’s the first step you could take?”

Offer to help if appropriate

Once our children have come up with a solution to their problem, we can offer to help without taking over and implementing the solution for them.

Sometimes our children might need support with generating ideas. It’s okay to brainstorm together, which is different than trying to come up with solutions for them. If we do offer brainstorming support, it’s important to let our children choose the best course of action. For example, if the problem revolves around forgetting to bring something to school, we can help with some scaffolding, “Let’s think of ways you have remembered to bring your instrument for band. What’s one technique you’ve used before that worked well?”

We can also offer support by providing access to tools or resources. For example, if the struggle involves organization, we can offer to provide a calendar or checklist and teach our children how to use this tool rather than organizing their assignments or chores for them. Role-playing can also sometimes help children practice the solution they’ve identified.

Ultimately, we want to set clear exceptions by letting our children know what is expected and giving them the responsibility to follow through. Asking what their plan is is a great way to shift the focus to their ability to solve the problem. The best part is that the more often we allow our children to solve their own problems, the more capable they become.

Are you curious to learn more about supporting children’s emerging sense of responsibility? Come visit our school!

Mathematical Foundations

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 15:24:15 GMT

Whether we embrace math or not, humans have a tendency to think in patterns, quantify, and make logical connections. Some even say we have a mathematical mind! Young children also have this innate ability and inclination, so in Montessori, we take advantage of this propensity for mathematical thinking and offer learning experiences that provide an in-depth understanding of math even at a young age.

Organized into six general groups, the mathematical exercises in the Children’s House span from a foundational understanding of the numbers one to ten, to working with very large numbers and place value within our decimal system, to internalizing number facts, and even early work with fractions!

Numbers 1 to 10

Although learning the numbers 1 to 10 sounds simple, it actually involves the integration of several distinct concepts. The beauty of the Montessori materials is that they isolate each separate concept so that children’s understanding grows in progressive steps. This first group of exercises in the Children’s House aims to teach the names, symbols, quantities, and sequence for the numbers 1 through 10.

The youngest children first use the number rods, which are color-coded with alternating red and blue sections to designate the quantities of one through ten. As children work with the number rods, they solidify the concept of quantity as a single entity while also practicing one-to-one correspondence.

The sandpaper numbers help children learn the symbolic representation of numbers. After children master the sandpaper numbers and can easily identify numerals, we help them connect the number cards with the corresponding number rods. Additional materials–like the spindle boxes, cards and counters, and the memory game–help children progress from understanding quantity as a single entity to grasping how quantity can be a set.

Throughout this progression, we offer experiential exercises to help children learn the concepts of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. At this stage, we don’t provide the vocabulary but rather give an impression of the concept of each operation.

The Decimal System

Once children have mastered the numbers 1 to 10 activities, they are ready to begin exercises with the golden beads. Because there are never more than nine in a given place value, and children already know the quantities and the symbols, they are ready to learn the hierarchy of units, tens, hundreds, and thousands.

As children set up the golden beads, the primary decimal system materials, they learn how to think through the process of each operation and the concepts of calculation. Are they putting quantities together or taking them apart and recounting the categories?

The decimal system work gives children knowledge of the mathematical processes and solidifies their understanding of the mechanics of the decimal system. We focus on helping children understand the process of each operation. We aren’t looking for the right answer. We want the child to understand the operations and what adding, multiplying, dividing, or subtracting means.

After children understand the operations with the golden beads, we offer other materials, such as the stamp game and dot game, to help them move away from a very concrete toward a more symbolic representation of the quantities. We offer word problems at the end of this series, which help verify whether children understand each operation's process.

Continuation of Counting

Through this group of exercises, children learn the name, symbol, and quantity of the numbers from 11 to 100, and consolidate linear counting up to 1,000. The work starts with the teen boards (11 through 19) and tens boards (20 to 100). We also introduce the colored bead stair, which gives a color-coded sensorial representation for quantities of one through ten, a pattern replicated throughout the Montessori math materials.

With the golden beads, children experience the difference between 100 and 1,000, by weight and geometrical representation. In continuation of counting, children lay out the bead chains and see the dramatic linear difference between 100 and 1,000. Children also use the bead chains to practice skip counting, which lays the foundation for further studies in multiplication.

We also make sure there is lots of counting in the classroom! Children can be taught to count by rote, but mental maturity helps them take the leap from rote counting to understanding quantities represented by numbers.

Exploration and Memorization of the Tables

Through a variety of materials–the addition strip board, addition snake game, subtraction strip board, subtraction snake game, multiplication bead board, bead bars, and unit division board–children have lots and lots of practice with the essential math facts. This concrete exploration establishes a visual understanding of what something like 5 x 6 looks like and helps children establish early neural pathways for memorizing these math facts.

After children use different forms of bead material to practice, they move into more abstract representations of quantity and eventually even use blank charts to test their memory.

All of the repetition in this exploration phase leads to memorization as children become aware of which combinations they know and which they don’t know. Eventually, after a lot of practice and repetition, children realize that it is faster to do the calculations mentally rather than with the materials.

As children reach the end of their primary years, they want to be more efficient. At precisely this point, they are ready to begin the last group of exercises, called the passage to abstraction.

Passage to Abstraction

In the exercises for passage to abstraction, children connect the skills and concepts from the previous strands of learning, and their knowledge base shifts from understanding the concepts experientially to understanding them logically.

With the small bead frame, children revisit the process of addition and subtraction. With the wooden hierarchy material, children get a sensorial and symbolic introduction to the quantities ten thousand, one hundred thousand, and one million. This material also prepares children for the large bead frame and experiencing the multiplication of large numbers with a single-digit multiplier. The racks and tubes material allows children to begin dividing with larger divisors and dividends. With all of this concrete experience working with larger quantities, children are well on their path to abstraction.

Fractions

The final material in the mathematical progression is fractions. In the Children’s House, we have already helped the youngest children explore fractions sensorially. They return to this material from a mathematical perspective to understand quantities smaller than one unit. In addition, children begin simple operations with the fraction material and start to explore the equivalence of fractions.

In the Children’s House, the progression we use for all of these exercises helps children deeply solidify their mathematical understanding. We first ensure children have strong concrete experiences, followed by more symbolic representations. After children associate the concrete and the abstract, we offer lots of activities for practice, repetition, and verification.

In the process, we support children’s growth in classification, comparison, and reasoning. We invite you to come see children’s mathematical minds in action. Schedule a tour today!

An Explosion in Language Development

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 11:00:07 GMT

Almost 120 years ago, when Dr. Maria Montessori created the first Children’s Houses in the slums of Rome, she saw a curious phenomenon. Young children, who not that long before had been considered street urchins, developed a sense of pride in their work and soon were eager to read and write. In fact, Dr. Montessori tells a story about how the children and their parents begged her to teach them writing and reading, despite the fact that, at the time society didn’t think that children under six were capable of this type of learning.

Then Dr. Montessori did what she did so well: she observed the children, she identified what skills they needed, and she provided opportunities for the children to develop. The result? Dr. Montessori saw what she described as an “explosion” into writing and reading.

In Montessori, we support children’s progression (and “explosion”!) in three aspects of language development: spoken language, written expression, and interpretive reading.

Spoken Language

Because spoken language is the foundation for all work in the language area, we offer rich, full, and beautiful language for young children through a variety of activities to cultivate conversation skills. Our enrichment of vocabulary exercises focus directly on expanding children’s receptive vocabularies and cultivating children’s experience and intelligence. As we engage children in language games, we also help increase their listening skills as well as their comprehension. As part of spoken language development, we also take the time to listen to children’s own spontaneous efforts of expression, so that they gain confidence in speaking and feel that their thoughts have meaning.

Written Expression

The act of writing consists of two separate elements: composing and recording. Composing is the mental work–thinking about what to say. Recording is the physical aspect of writing. In the Children’s House, we prepare these two elements separately by offering exercises to prepare the hand for recording and exercises to prepare the mind for composing. Writing is having a known thought that goes from sound to symbol, a process that is much easier than the process of reading.

Because the development of the hand takes longer than the development of the mind, we use a material called the movable alphabet as a way for children to compose words before their hands are ready to write. The movable alphabet is a box containing the letters of the alphabet, essentially the building blocks of all the sounds in our language.

Interpretive Reading

In Montessori environments, unlike many traditional settings, reading is introduced after writing because the process of reading is cognitively more difficult. Writing is essentially an expression of thought. When we write something, we know what we are writing. When we read something, we don’t know what the author was communicating so we have to take the symbols, match sounds to them, blend them together, and then attach meaning to them. This is much harder to do.

While the hand needs to be prepared for writing, the eye must be prepared for reading. This includes being able to follow a left to right, top to bottom progression across the page. In addition, the eye must recognize that the symbols in our language are lines creating a shape. So we have lots of activities with the geometry cabinet, as well as other sensorial materials, to prepare children for this visual discrimination. We also use the sandpaper letters to introduce the phonemes of language through three senses: tactile, visual, and auditory. Through games with the sandpaper letters, children get to practice the trace of the letter through gross motor movement of the whole arm and hand, see the shape, and associate the letter sound with its shape and their own movement.

Once children progress from reading words (mostly nouns), to reading phrases and finally sentences and paragraphs, we offer activities to highlight how different words have different functions. These exercises also highlight the syntax or order of words (e.g. adjectives tend to come before the noun they are describing). Another set of exercises, called reading analysis, highlights the role or the order of parts of a sentence. In the process of understanding the components of our language, children are better able to interpret what the author is writing.

The Pattern of Human Language Development

The progression that young children go through – spoken language to written expression to interpretive reading – follows the pattern of early human language development. Early humans began with spoken language, then advanced into forms of writing (think of the first cave paintings and picture writing), and later moved into reading as a way to interpret the thoughts of others. How amazing that our young children do the same in a matter of years from birth to age six!

One of the joys of the Montessori learning environment is how language learning is woven into all aspects of the children’s experience. When we present dusting, for example, we model a left to right, top to bottom pattern, which prepares the eye for tracking words on a page. When children use sensorial touch tablets and the rough and smooth boards, they develop lightness of touch and a relaxed hand necessary for writing. Every time children grasp a knob of the knobbed cylinders, they prepare their hand for holding a writing instrument.

Through the sound game, children become aware of the fact that words are made of sounds and they begin to identify all of the sounds in a word and place them in order. Through the sandpaper letters and sandpaper phonograms, children associate the sounds of our language with their symbols. This is exciting work for the children because not only can they see the isolated symbols, but they can touch them, too! Through the moveable alphabet, children are able to write their thoughts even before their hand is ready to control a pencil.

The genius of the Montessori approach is that it breaks down individual skills and abilities so that children can practice them in isolation. So by the time children have mastered these individual skills, they seem to spontaneously know how to write or know how to read.

Once this explosion into writing and reading has occurred, then children are excited to refine their writing and access worlds of knowledge through reading. A new journey of discovery and learning begins.

We invite you to visit the school to learn more about the “explosion” in language development and the joyous journey that unfolds!

The Three R’s of Recovery: A Positive Discipline Approach to Mistakes

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 11:00:13 GMT

Do you ever feel annoyed by throw-away apologies? So often, our children pick up the habit of tossing out “I’m sorry” like a used tissue. Completely overused, the expression begins to feel devoid of worth. They speak the words, but it seems like they don’t actually feel a sense of remorse or regret, much less a desire to make amends.

In Montessori, we don’t insist that children apologize, especially right at the tail end of a heated moment. For goodness' sake, think about when we, as adults, are tired or hungry or stressed and make a snarky comment. We’re not usually feeling particularly sorry – more like ticked off and cranky! Later, after we’ve had time to take some deep breaths, or perhaps tend to low blood sugar, we often feel a deep sense of regret and desire to make things right.

Because our children tend to replicate what they see in us, it helps if we decide to first make sure we aren’t just using “sorry” as an easy way out. To really model a different approach, it helps to use the framework of the “Three R’s of Recovery” from Positive Discipline.

The Three R’s of Recovery

When we make mistakes, we have an opportunity to make amends and even learn from the experience. In Jane Nelson’s Positive Discipline work, the “Three R’s of Recovery” offer steps to follow after calming down. The first R stands for recognize , and with this, we verbally acknowledge our mistake and take responsibility for our actions. To do this effectively, we must also be sure to keep any hint of blame out of the picture.

So if we’ve snapped at our children and later cooled off, we might say something like, “I feel really bad about when I snapped at you. You don’t deserve to be treated that way.” Notice that these statements don’t weave in any know-it-all finger-wagging about things they did to push our buttons. Rather than blaming, we take responsibility for the choice we made in the moment.

Next, we can reconcile by apologizing. This can be as simple as just saying, “I’m sorry.” When we’ve really taken responsibility, the reconciliation comes from a genuine and heartfelt place. And children are so forgiving and understanding. Perhaps we could learn a few things from them in this regard!

Finally, the third R is for when we resolve the problem. At this point, we work together to find a respectful solution. After taking responsibility and reconciling, everyone often feels open and willing to collaborate. If the time isn’t right for a brainstorming session, it’s important to set and stick to a later date for problem-solving. When allowed to share ideas in a safe, respectful forum, children often can help come up with incredibly creative solutions.

The Benefits

When we try putting the “Three R’s of Recovery” into practice, our children are often able to be more mindful after their less-than-ideal moments. Our mistakes become less about what we did wrong and more about the kind of people we want to be.

Because mistakes are an opportunity to learn and grow, our relationships with our children often grow stronger as we practice recognizing, reconciling, and resolving together. Mutual respect increases, and trust in each other becomes stronger.

The Positive Discipline approach dovetails nicely with Montessori principles and practice. We’d love for you to visit our school to learn more. Contact us to schedule a tour!

Montessori and Real-World Learning: The Value of Micro-Economies in Adolescent Programs

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 11:00:09 GMT

Our adolescents are on the road to adulthood. Physically and psychically, they are no longer children. However, they are not yet adults. They are in between. As a result, adolescents are deeply interested in what adulthood means and strongly desire to figure out their part in society.

One thing everyone knows about adulthood is that adults work and (mostly) pay their bills. Of course, this is not all that adults do. We have roles to play in society. We have passions. We have tasks. We have hobbies. All of that contributes to the roles we play in an economic system. Although money is involved, economics is ultimately about our web of interdependence. Every one of us depends upon the work of others.

To try to understand their future roles, adolescents observe adults and are curious about how to make their way as adults do. Although our adolescents may not outwardly show this interest, they are watching us. They want to be brought into side-by-side work and are keenly interested in gaining economic independence.

What is Economics (from a Montessori perspective)?

Economics is how people interact with value, and in particular the production, distribution, and consumption of services and goods. Economic independence allows individuals to make some contribution of value to society. By producing something useful and exchanging it for something else, we are drawn together in a web of connection.

In Montessori adolescent programs, we provide adolescents with opportunities to grow food, build useful items, or share services of their choosing. They then experience someone purchasing what they have produced, allowing them to buy other goods and services with the money they have earned. Through experiences of production and exchange, adolescents get to practice living humanity’s interdependence. They begin to develop an economic personality and a sense of self-worth and dignity.

Micro-Economies as a Form of Production and Exchange

To provide real-life learning on adolescents’ road to independence, Montessori students get to develop and run micro-economies, which are small-scale businesses within the school community. These micro-economies help adolescents learn practical skills (like budgeting, planning, customer service, and teamwork), foster creativity and problem-solving, and encourage responsibility and accountability.

Micro-economies are a way for adolescents to practice production and exchange through activities like running a small farm and selling produce, creating seasonal crafts or baking goods to sell, or providing child care for school events. The work of adolescents can be seen as a microcosm of society because the production and exchange activities they undertake help illustrate the necessity of a division of labor.

Money and Morality

As a community, adolescents create rules around their micro-economies. Because adolescents have a sensitivity for justice, they are very interested in exploring money and its morality. As a result, they often grapple with questions like:

What is a fair price to charge?

Should we include our labor when pricing?

How can we do this ethically?

How should we treat our customers? Our suppliers?

How do we want to use our money to express our beliefs and values?

In figuring out the role money plays in their micro-economies, adolescents also practice bookkeeping, how to make projections, and when to invest money in community efforts. They can explore what percentage to keep to invest in their own economy and how much they can afford to give to others.

Developing Micro-Economies

As adolescents develop their small businesses, they must also explore the scale of their production and exchange. In doing so, we help them consider if the work is immediate, proportionate, and appropriate.

For example, a micro-economy should respond to the needs of the group and the place. If students return to school in the fall and the fields are full of food, they must figure out how to deal with the abundance of the harvest. The work also needs to fit the group of students' size and ability while also being grounded in the community rather than being manufactured or artificial.

Thus, adolescents need to consider what goods and services their community needs and whether they can meet them. For example, adolescents can determine if families can more easily attend school events if child care is provided, if coffee service would be a hit during morning drop-off, or if a farm stand or marketplace could offer goods that help families and their busy lives.

Long-Term Benefits

By offering opportunities for adolescents to participate in all the aspects of the production and exchange cycle–from creation to sale–each individual can find a multitude of ways to engage and learn new skills, apply interests, and contribute to the economic well-being of their community.

In addition, through meaningful production and exchange, adolescents build empathy and a service-oriented mindset. The experience of collaboratively creating and implementing micro-economies fosters a sense of purpose and belonging. Ultimately, this work prepares our young people to become active, contributing members of their communities.

By supporting these activities in a morally grounded way, we help our adolescents experience valorization. They realize they have something to offer and are initiated into an economic system that unites people. At the age when adolescents are starting their journey to adulthood, what could be more fundamental?

Really, though, it’s most powerful to see how Montessori offers real-world learning! We invite you to schedule a tour to learn more about how Montessori prepares our young people for a positive future.

Why do Montessori Classrooms Have Long, Uninterrupted Work Periods?

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 11:00:10 GMT

The Montessori method of education was born from Dr. Montessori's scientific observations as she explored how to support children’s optimum development. In her studies, Dr. Montessori found that children need a block of uninterrupted time to go through cycles of focus and consolidation. Children two and a half and older need at least three hours to move through rhythms of focus. Often, the most growth and meaningful work happens toward the end of a three-hour block of time.

The Flow State

We can think about this in terms of the current-day understanding of what it means to get into a flow state. Sometimes, people describe a flow state as “being in the zone.” It’s when we are so immersed in and focused on what we are doing that a sense of time and our surroundings disappears.

This concept of “flow” was introduced in the 1970s by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a psychologist whose studies of happiness and creativity led to his articulation of this highly focused mental state conducive to creativity and productivity. When Csikszentmihalyi’s grandchildren started going to a Montessori school, he was delighted to see how Montessori learning environments allowed young children to achieve this state of flow.

Long Uninterrupted Periods of Time

In order to get into their state of flow, children need about a three-hour block of uninterrupted time. Therefore, we have designed school and classroom schedules so that children can benefit from an interrupted morning work cycle.

Part of the morning routine involves children having enough time to greet their peers and go through their transition process without being rushed as they enter the classroom environment. When children are ready and in the classroom, the teachers (also known as guides) can focus on giving lesson presentations and supporting children as they start their day.

During the work cycle, children are engaged in a variety of activities–some they choose, some the adult guides them toward, and some individual or small group lessons. This opportunity to make choices of activities that have personal meaning and engagement provides several cognitive, emotional, and social benefits.

Benefits of the Work Cycle

When children can focus without interruption or externally driven transitions to another activity, they experience deep concentration. With all of the competing distractions in our world, this extended time to settle into their tasks and explore without pressure allows children to develop the “mental muscles” to sustain their focus.

Neuroscience shows that deep focus activates the prefrontal cortex, the brain area responsible for executive functions like planning, decision-making, and problem-solving. When frequent interruptions happen, the prefrontal cortex can’t engage fully, leading to fragmented thinking. Basically, when interruptions occur, the brain must reset and reorient itself, which can significantly impair learning and problem-solving. Plus, we know it takes time to transition into a focused state mentally, and shorter periods don’t allow this natural process to unfold.

Deep focus enhances memory retention, comprehension, and problem-solving skills. When children aren’t stressed by racing against a clock or knowing they will be pulled out of an engaging activity, they develop a more relaxed and open mindset. This mindset helps children retain their learning, approach challenges confidently, and solve problems more effectively. Children who concentrate deeply are also more likely to feel a sense of calm and satisfaction, which helps them manage their emotions more effectively.

In summary, Montessori’s uninterrupted work periods allow children to fully utilize their cognitive resources, making the learning process more efficient and satisfying.

Work Periods in Action

In her book, The Absorbent Mind, Dr. Montessori wrote about the profound benefits of deep concentration. She also observed that when children are allowed to work without interruption, they often become calmer, more focused, and more confident.

The list of benefits goes on and on! From promoting responsibility and time management to strengthening intrinsic motivation and curiosity, long, uninterrupted work periods have broad implications for children’s success as lifelong learners.

The teacher also plays a vital role in observing and supporting children during these work cycles so that children can be guided into healthy challenges, new learning, and necessary practice. Children learn that with the freedoms of this uninterrupted time, there are also clear boundaries and expectations. Thanks to the calm, respectful atmosphere of Montessori learning communities, work periods tend to have an ordered, busy hum.

Are you curious about the multifaceted benefits of long, uninterrupted work periods? We would love to have you visit and see them in action. Reach out today to schedule a time to observe.

Montessori Explained: Handwashing as a Learning Activity

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 11:00:08 GMT

Why do Montessori classrooms have a hand washing basin and pitcher when children can just access the sink? Isn’t this an antiquated experience?

To answer these questions, it helps to step back and explore why young children are drawn to an elaborate hand-washing process, the benefits of breaking down a series of steps, and what children are really accomplishing through the experience.

Practical life exercises provide the foundation for Montessori early childhood programs. These practical life experiences are foundational and significant for young children’s development. Yet they often don’t receive the appreciation they deserve, especially with the many academic benefits of the Montessori sensorial, math, and language materials.

To understand the value of practical life activities, we must understand the nature of young children, which Dr. Montessori did over 100 years ago.

Why Practical Life?

The exercises of practical life began to serve a practical need. Dr. Montessori had responsibility for children who were being destructive in a building in the slums of Rome. The proprietors needed to take care of the building, yet the children were unkept and out of control.

As a doctor, Dr. Montessori knew the importance of hygiene in preventing illness. So, one of the first things she did was provide water basins and cakes of soap. Then, Dr. Montessori showed the children how to wash their hands and faces.

What happened was unexpected. Once the children washed their hands and faces, they didn’t stop. They kept washing long after their hands were clean.

Dr. Montessori said the children repeated the activity as if driven by an imperceptible force. Instead of stopping them, like adults are apt to do, Dr. Montessori watched. She wanted to see what would happen. With her curiosity, patience, and powers of scientific observation, Dr. Montessori observed a need that went way beyond washing hands. From these practical beginnings came a very significant discovery for Dr. Montessori.

A Deeper Purpose

Dr. Montessori discovered the fundamental difference between work as the adult experiences it and work as the child experiences it. While work for the adult brings on fatigue, work for the young child is energizing. This is because children under age six are in a period of self-construction. They are developing their intelligence, memory, language, will, and movement.

Young children are motivated to interact with their environment to develop these essential aspects of themselves. Their goal is self-construction! Adults often don’t recognize this vital urge young children have to work. So typically, adults stop children from doing something because the action seems too tiring, too complicated, too messy, or because it will be more efficient and faster for adults to do it themselves.

But something deep within is propelling young children to this kind of activity. So, in our prepared environments, we offer motives of activity that will match children’s developmental needs. One of these essential experiences is hand washing.

The Benefits of Hand Washing as an Activity

In addition to the typical handwashing at a sink, Montessori toddler and primary classrooms also include a hand washing station with an apron, a basin and pitcher, soap, hand and drying towels, a bucket, and sometimes even a nail brush or hand lotion when appropriate.

We break down each step of washing hands: wetting our hands, washing with soap, rinsing, drying our hands, cleaning the wash area, drying the area, and restocking any necessary supplies.

In the process of filling a pitcher with the appropriate amount of water, pouring the water into a basin, and emptying the basin into a bucket to take back to the sink, children practice crucial gross motor skills that help them with equilibrium and crossing their midline.

As they learn how to get the fronts and back of each hand wet and lather each finger, their palms, the backs of their hands, and their wrists, they refine their visual motor coordination and fine motor skills.

The hand-washing exercise also helps children develop a sense of order through a logical sequence of activities. Practicing this sequencing lays the foundation for children’s future ability to handle sequences that aren’t as logical, especially as they move into work with mathematical and language materials.

A Love for the Process

Young children love this care of self activity, which involves being able to access and use water in a purposeful way. They can often be found repeating the process over and over. Children can also become very focused on the drying process and show remarkable attention to detail as they take care to wipe up any drips or spills.

As children master these steps, we introduce additional challenges, like using a nailbrush to clean nails or applying lotion when their hands are clean and dry.

The process is lovely to observe, and we invite you to schedule a visit to see how hand washing helps children with the vital process of self-construction!

Supporting Children's Social Lives

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 11:00:11 GMT

We’ve all experienced it. Those days when our children come home feeling the sting of a recess exclusion, a series of slights from a friend, or some other social discontent. They unload their hurt onto us, and we feel heavy with the weight of their pain.

Childhood is a time of profound social development. Our children are navigating their social lives, and learning how to handle social struggles is a process that can ultimately build resilience, empathy, and problem-solving skills. Social challenges are a normal and essential part of childhood development. But that doesn’t make the process any easier (especially for us as parents!).

Letting the Process Unfold

When our children come to us and unload their latest story of social exclusion, teasing, or friendship drama, it is important to make sure they feel heard. This means our job is to reflect back what we hear in an empathetic way, while also acknowledging any hurt or complex feelings. In practice, this may sound something like, “Wow, it sounds like you were feeling really hurt when your friend stormed away from you during the game at recess.” Our children need to know that they can vent and that we will listen.

Avoid Getting Too Involved

We are hard-wired to want to shield our children from pain. As a result, instead of just listening and acknowledging, we can tend to hold onto our children’s hurt feelings and may even feel compelled to intervene.

Unfortunately, our intention to alleviate the pain can often have unintended consequences. Sometimes, our intervention may be that we regularly check in with our children about the social dynamic. For example, the next day asking, “How did it go with your friend during the game at recess today?” We don’t realize that our children have often moved on from the previous day’s hurt. Childhood friendships and social interactions ebb and flow multiple times a day.

But when we keep harking back to hurt, we inadvertently do what psychologist Michael Thompson calls “interviewing for pain.” In doing so, we refocus our children’s experience on one incident they have likely mostly forgotten. Each day, when we ask again about that friendship or social interaction, our children either realize that this topic really gets our attention and/or begin to think of themselves as victims.

Support Problem Solving

Instead of “interviewing for pain,” we can ask questions that support our children’s problem-solving skills. So, after acknowledging the hurt feelings when our children first share them, we can plant some problem-solving seeds, “I wonder how you are going to handle a situation like this in the future.” Or, if we are really concerned about our child’s emotional or physical safety, we can check in about what they need, “This seems like a serious situation. Do you feel like this is something that needs to be communicated to your teacher? How can I support you in getting some help?”

Non-interference doesn’t mean neglect or ignoring something serious. Instead, we are focusing on encouraging our children to talk about their feelings without solving the problem for them, offering perspective or guidance only when asked, and observing from a distance unless safety is at risk.

If we recognize red flags (such as ongoing bullying or harmful behaviors), we can step in thoughtfully by collaborating with our children to find solutions, which may include consulting with teachers or counselors if necessary. Ideally, this is done with our children’s awareness so they aren’t blindsided by others knowing what they shared with us, especially if they thought they were sharing it in confidence.

A Developmental Necessity

Ultimately, our children learn to navigate the complexities of human relationships through their own experiences. The ups and downs of social interactions are opportunities for growth in emotional resilience, conflict resolution skills, understanding social boundaries, empathy, problem-solving, and independence and confidence.

Think about the many benefits. Social setbacks, such as disagreements or feelings of exclusion, help children cope with disappointment and bounce back. Arguments and misunderstandings teach children how to resolve conflicts constructively. Through trial and error, our children learn to negotiate, apologize, and compromise—skills essential for healthy relationships throughout life. They learn about boundaries and how we all impact each other in different ways, leading to insights into different perspectives and feelings.

Social challenges push children to think creatively about how to navigate tricky situations. Each successful navigation of a social challenge reinforces our children’s belief in their ability to handle similar situations in the future. This builds self-esteem and independence and helps our children realize they don’t always need an adult to solve their problems.

By stepping back and allowing children to experience and work through these situations on their own, we give our children the space to develop essential life skills. The key is to provide a supportive environment where children feel safe to share their feelings and seek advice.

A Foundation for the Future

Rest assured, our children have an amazing ability to learn and grow from social experiences. By not interfering in our children’s social lives, we show a tremendous act of love that empowers them to build the skills they’ll need for lifelong social success.

Remember, childhood social interactions lay the foundation for future relationships in school, work, and personal life. Navigating these early challenges helps children develop teamwork, compromise, and emotional intelligence skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. Our children need us to let the process unfold, avoid getting involved, and support their problem-solving. In doing so, we are sending our children an important message that we believe in them and their ability to handle challenges.

Interested in learning more? Schedule a visit to see how our classrooms support healthy social learning.

Materials Spotlight: The Wooden Hierarchical Material

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 11:00:04 GMT

The Wooden Hierarchical Material takes up a great deal of space in our elementary classrooms, and for good reason! This key math material helps children understand the hierarchy of numbers and physically represents units through millions.

The Concrete Material

The Wooden Hierarchical Material comprises cubes, prisms, and squares that vary in size and color according to the different place values they represent. Units are green. Tens are blue. Hundreds are red. This pattern continues throughout the families or categories, so unit thousands are also green, ten thousands are blue, hundred thousands are red, and then unit millions are green. Units are represented as cubes, tens as prisms (or a line of ten units), and hundreds as squares (constructed from ten tens side-by-side). Due to this repeated pattern that is reinforced through shape and color-coding, children can visualize the structure of our decimal system.

The Presentation to Children

When we present the Wooden Hierarchical Material, we first connect with other math materials children have used, like the golden beads and the stamp game. In this way, children can build upon their prior knowledge of place value and how 10 of one category are exchanged for one of the next category (e.g. ten units become one ten).

The material is constructed to reinforce the relationship between base-ten numbers in concrete form. As we place the blue ten bar to the left of the small green unit, we remind children how when ten units get together, they make a ten. We also point to the little green marks on the bar and use the unit to count that ten of the units make up the ten bar. Young children love double-checking this correspondence!

We repeat this process to show how ten of the blue ten bars correspond to the ten sections on the red hundred square. Then how when 10 hundreds get together, they make a thousand. When we place the green thousand cube to the left of the red square, we leave some extra space between them because we are starting a new family (or category). This green thousand cube is units of thousands, and we can continue the process with tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands. Children love getting to the green unit of the millions cube and often want to try to imagine or represent ten million, hundred million, and beyond!

The Many Benefits

Because children can physically explore how ten of the thousand cubes make a line that represents 10,000, just like ten of the unit cubes make a line that represents a 10, they develop a strong understanding of the hierarchical value of numbers and their position in the decimal system. Similarly, they can experience how ten 10,000s make up a 100,000, and ten 100,000s make a million! This physical manipulation helps them better grasp abstract mathematical concepts, such as the process of exchanging, exponential growth, and the concept of powers of ten.

As children develop their number sense, the Wooden Hierarchical Material strengthens their understanding of large numbers. The repetitive and visual nature of the material helps solidify children’s mental image of numbers and place values, making future math concepts easier to grasp.

Children’s Continued Work

When children are first introduced to the Wooden Hierarchical Material, we often play games, asking volunteers to show particular items (e.g., “Can someone show me the 10,000?"). In this way, we activate children’s reasoning minds and draw their attention to connections within the material. Once we ensure that the quantities and names are clear, children often like to explore the material further by considering what comes next after one million, making a connection to geometry (point, line, plane/square), measuring, and even labeling the material with the numeric symbols and written names for the different quantities. Children love to quiz each other as they place the cards showing “one million” or “1,000,000” on the correct item.

Montessori in Practice

This work is great fun for younger elementary students. They love to lay out the materials, explore the relationships, and label the quantities with numeral cards. Children develop an intrinsic love for mathematics in this self-directed learning and discovery process.

The Wooden Hierarchical Material is one of many ways Montessori education helps children develop a deep, intuitive understanding of numbers, place value, and mathematical relationships.

Visit our school to learn more about how Montessori supports strong math skills!

Our Montessori Dictionary

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 11:00:12 GMT

We recognize that Montessori education can have some lingo that might need a little explanation. So in this Montessori Dictionary post, we’re going to focus on a few terms (some familiar, some perhaps not so familiar) that apply to both the early childhood years and beyond.

When possible, we’ve included some quotes from Dr. Maria Montessori and we encourage you to take a look at her work. Dr. Montessori was a woman well before her time and her books, such as From Childhood to Adolescence and To Educate the Human Potential, can be a source of insight and inspiration!

Grace and Courtesy

Grace and courtesy is an essential aspect of Montessori environments and supports children as they develop social relationships. Grace is how we move through the space around us, and courtesy is how we treat each other.

In the Montessori primary classroom, grace and courtesy is considered one of the areas of practical life. For example, adults give lessons on how to interrupt, how to accept an offering, how to offer help, or how to introduce oneself. These lessons are offered in small groups and the technique used is role-playing. Little social scenarios are acted out and provide a model for behavior that is situational. Like all other learning activities, grace and courtesy lessons are practiced and repeated. They provide a respectful way of learning expectations and aiding social skills before they are needed.

Grace and courtesy is never offered as a form of punishment or correction. We make sure children don’t experience embarrassment by being corrected by adults on the spot, as this makes children feel disrespected and not safe. Dr. Montessori reminds us of this in The Secret of Childhood: “I have come to appreciate the fact that children have a deep sense of personal dignity. Adults, as a rule, have no concept of how easily they are wounded and oppressed.” In time, if we offer these grace and courtesy lessons, and give children a safe place to practice, children will eventually perform these skills independently.

Human Tendencies

Human tendencies are unconscious, universal drives that support our adaptation to our particular time and place. All humans are born with innate needs and drives and are wired to adapt to their environment. The human tendencies – to orient, explore, order, abstract, imagine, calculate, work, be exact and repeat, perfect oneself, and communicate and associate with others – help aid this adaptation.

Dr. Montessori alluded to human tendencies when she wrote about the inner drive she observed in children and how this drive helps individuals construct themselves to develop into maturity: “Their behavior led us to become aware of a fundamental truth, namely that the child works for his own inner development and not to reach an exterior aim and that when he has done this work he has not really developed a special ability but he has developed something in himself.”

Prepared Environment

The Montessori environment is carefully prepared so that children can satisfy their human tendencies and thus develop to their fullest potential. The prepared environment takes into consideration what children need at their particular stage of growth, and as individuals on their own trajectory of development. The prepared environment consists of the physical and psychic aspects of the environment, of which the adult is a key part.

Through interactions in a prepared environment, children can construct who they are as human beings. As they go through this process of self-construction in their environment, children learn, grow, adapt, and create. The prepared environment is part of the triad of the child, the environment, and the adult, all of which are interconnected components.

Sensitive Periods/Sensitivities

Dr. Montessori was first and foremost a scientist and she was interested in what was happening prior to observable signs of human development. She was curious about what was going on in the mind before the skill manifested itself. For example, she wanted to know what was happening during the many months prior to children speaking their first word.

Without the high-tech tools that neuropsychologists and psychologists now have to measure brain activity, Dr. Montessori had to rely upon observation. She watched children, took notes, and made charts about what they did. As a result, she discovered that a particular object or aspect of the environment would have an irresistible draw for children. This attraction would last for some time. Children would keep going back to the same activity or element of the environment and would be continually drawn to it. Then the day would come when it held no more interest and something new would be attractive.

Dr. Montessori observed this phenomenon over and over again, which led her to believe that there must be something innate in children that was driving this interest. Building upon the work of biologists, Dr. Montessori adopted the term, sensitive period, to describe transitory periods of psychic development. Beyond the Montessori world, sensitive periods are now referred to as critical periods or windows of opportunity.

What does a school look like that focuses first on grace and courtesy, human tendencies, a prepared environment, and sensitive periods? Schedule a tour to see for yourself!

What Do We Do About Discipline?

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 15:56:21 GMT

We often get asked the question, “How do you handle discipline issues?” We love this question because in Montessori we think about discipline from a different lens.

We start by being curious because misbehavior is a form of communication. Children want to do well and do the right thing. So what are they trying to tell us when they misbehave?

Unmet Physical Needs

Children often misbehave due to unmet needs. At a very basic, physical level, this might be due to being hungry, tired, or overstimulated. So we look at children’s environment and what could change to better support those needs. Perhaps the problem is due to missing their sleep window and being overtired? Or maybe there’s a need for a more protein-packed breakfast so as to not fall apart mid-morning. It might be that a room full of people is causing too much sensory input and a little time in a quieter space or fresh air is just what’s needed.

Unmet Emotional Needs

Other times children might have unmet emotional needs. Dr. Jane Nelson provides an excellent overview of unmet needs in her Positive Discipline work. Positive Discipline aligns well with Montessori because both are based in teaching children respect, responsibility, and problem-solving skills.

In Positive Discipline, Dr. Nelson outlines unmet emotional needs and categorizes these as four mistaken goals. The essence of Positive Discipline is that children develop behaviors in response to feeling disconnected or powerless in certain situations, so they unconsciously use four strategies to try to get their needs met. Unfortunately, these strategies tend to backfire because the behavior isn’t effective! So our goal is to support children in learning new ways to meet their needs.

Mistaken Goal #1: Attention

The first mistaken goal is attention. We see this when children show behaviors like whining, interrupting, or causing disruptions of some sort. They are seeking attention but can’t yet distinguish between positive attention and negative attention. So when adults respond with annoyance, irritation, or even by giving in, we are inadvertently reinforcing the attention-seeking behavior and children’s underlying belief that they only belong when they have our attention (even if our attention is based on frustration!).

A way to help children meet this need is to offer positive attention, encouragement, and connection at times when they aren’t showing misbehavior. Another proactive approach is to find engaging and meaningful tasks for children to do, which helps provide them with a sense of belonging and connection.

Mistaken Goal #2: Power

When we, as adults, feel angry or challenged in response to children’s behavior, that’s usually a sign that the mistaken goal is one of power-seeking. This kind of behavior can quickly escalate into power struggles, defiance, or even other ways to exert control such as through tantrums or arguing. When children have an unmet goal of power, they have an underlying belief that they can belong only when they are in control or when they can prove that no one can boss them around.

We can support children who have this unmet need by practicing collaborative problem-solving during times when things are already going well. In the moment of challenge, we can avoid power struggles by offering limited choices in a firm but kind way.

Mistaken Goal #3: Revenge

One of the more confusing forms of misbehavior is when children do things that seem intended to hurt others, such as hitting, name-calling, and other destructive actions. When acting this way children are demonstrating that they don’t feel loved so they will hurt others as they feel hurt. What’s tricky is that this behavior often leads to others feeling hurt and wanting to either distance themselves or retaliate.

In order to address this mistaken goal, we need to focus on repairing the relationship and over time addressing the underlying hurt. Empathy and restorative practices help in the process of healing emotional wounds. This mistaken goal requires us to get genuinely curious without any form of accusation or disapproval.

Mistaken Goal #4: Assumed Inadequacy

When children give up easily, withdraw, avoid challenges, or refuse to try, they may be operating under the belief that they belong only by convincing others not to expect anything from them. Our reactions may include feeling helpless, giving up, or even taking over tasks our children were expected to do.

An alternative approach is to encourage small steps toward success and to focus on effort over outcomes. Over time, by breaking up tasks into smaller, manageable parts, and providing side-by-side support without taking over and doing the task for them, we can help children develop more confidence and belief in their abilities.

Shifting our Thinking

So when thinking about misbehavior, we shift our approach to first consider what physical and emotional needs children are trying to communicate. Then we focus on long-term solutions while practicing kindness and firmness. Consistent encouragement, respectful communication, and proactive planning help us address what might typically be seen as “discipline issues” so we can guide children toward healthier behaviors. Part of this includes helping children begin to understand their own needs, learn how to communicate respectfully and establish healthy habits and boundaries.

Do you want to learn more about how school can nurture children’s emotional well-being and their sense of belonging? Schedule a tour to see how we create environments of mutual respect and cooperation!

Materials Spotlight: The Montessori Bells

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 11:00:06 GMT

Music is a form of language. Because our young children effortlessly absorb language, we, of course, provide them with opportunities to express themselves musically! One key material we use for this is the Montessori Bells.

The bells are perfectly tuned, each designed to deliver a distinct, pure tone when gently played with a mallet. Also aesthetically pleasing, the bells invite children into the world of music. This helps children develop a keen ear for pitch and tone, while encouraging an appreciation of musical instruments and expression.

The Montessori Bells

In our primary classrooms, the Montessori Bells are easily accessible on a specially designed wooden stand or table, each bell arranged in order according to its pitch.

There are two sets of 13 bells. One set has black and white stands and is set up in the back to serve as a control and is arranged like a piano keyboard (the white bells represent whole notes, while the black bells serve as the sharps and flats). The other set of bells has stands of natural, varnished wood, so we call them the brown bells. Each brown bell is paired with a white or black bell, and these 13 pairs of bells comprise the chromatic scale beginning at middle C.

The bells sit on boards that also serve as guides. The brown bells rest on a pattern of black and white rectangles corresponding to the keys of a piano.

Playing One or Two Bells

After our youngest children have learned how to care for materials and have had plenty of experience discriminating sounds with our sound cylinders, we show them how to play a single bell. This is a multi-part process: how to carry the bell, use a mallet to gently strike the bell to make a tone, appreciate the sound the bell makes, use a damper to stop the tone, and return the bell to its proper place in the set.

Returning the bell to its proper place prepares children for future work of pairing and grading the bells. So, we take time to model how to check that the tone of the brown bell matches the corresponding white (or black) bell behind it.

Once children learn these steps, they can select any of the brown bells to play. Eventually, we also show children how to choose and play two different brown bells. This experience helps children focus on the fact that the two bells look the same but sound different. Then, upon returning the bells to the set, children also get to work on finding where each brown bells goes (because there are two empty spaces) by matching the tone of the brown bells to the white or black bells in the back.

This may seem like quite an elaborate process for just “playing a bell or two.” However, we carefully break down each step so that even our youngest children can learn how to use this delicate instrument with precision while also beginning to hone in on the slight variations in each bell’s pitch.

Pairing

When we observe children’s success with this initial process, we introduce the challenge of pairing. This experience begins with the adult letting the child know in the lesson that the bells are on their boards in a particular order. We play up the brown bells and down the white bells so the child can hear the gradation and experience the impression of the C scale. Next we model how to remove four brown bells from their boards, mix them, and place them in an open space off to the side.

While showing this process, we reflect aloud how we could match the brown bells to their pairs when we had just two bells. We point out that we can use the same technique to find the matching pairs of the bells we just mixed up and moved to the side.

We start by moving one of the brown bells to a space in front of the first empty white space (always working from left to right). We play the white (control) bell and then the brown bell. If they sound the same, we move the bell up onto the white space on the board. If they sound different, we slide the bell to the right to be in front of the next empty white space and we repeat the process until finding the brown bell’s match and location. When all the brown bells are paired, we again play up the brown bells and down the white bells to check they are in the correct order.

Once we finish modeling, we select the same four bells, mix them to the side of the workspace, and invite the child to pair the bells. We stay long enough to see successful matching of the first bell, then we fade into the background and observe. If the child is successful, we remove the same four and invite the child to do it again. If the first round was successful, we invite the child to remove all the brown bells and pair them!

Grading the Diatonic and Chromatic Scale

After children can pair all eight bells successfully, we introduce grading. This time, children learn how to put all the brown bells in order by paying attention to the degree of difference between each tone. This time, rather than using the white control bells to determine the order of the scale, children mix up and play the brown bells, using their awareness of the change in pitch to compare and reorder the bells. This requires children to have an acute awareness of each tone and how they differ. We start with just the white bells which represent the whole notes, and later introduce mixing in the black bells to make the chromatic scale (with sharps and flats).

Language Material

After children have successfully paired and graded the diatonic scale, we also introduce the “writing and reading” component of the bells. Children learn the symbols and names for the pitches and match the pitches with their notes.

When writing in language, we have thoughts we want to express and we can write them down. Composers have melodies in their heads and they write those melodies by using the notes of the staff.

We use beautiful staff boards with small wooden circles so that children can learn how to place the notes on the staff and eventually even write their own music, similarly to how they write with the moveable alphabet. Like with spoken language, children first explore through writing and then reading melodies.

Musical expression is woven into our primary classrooms. Schedule a tour to hear for yourself!

Milestones in Montessori

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 11:00:04 GMT

In Montessori education, we look at milestones for babies and toddlers through three key lenses: movement, language, and social/emotional development. Each child progresses at their own pace, so while the sequence of milestones is common, the timing varies. Here’s a brief guide to supporting your child’s unique journey as they grow into remarkable young people.

Movement Milestones

Physically, our infants and toddlers are experiencing rapid and intense changes. They are interacting with the world through movement and their senses. In Montessori we call this the time of the “unconscious absorbent mind” because children are absorbing everything around them with no filter. Through movement, they begin to make sense of their environment, family, and culture. When it comes to movement, we focus on three primary areas: myelination, equilibrium, and hand development.

Myelination

Newborns' movements are initially reflexive, like sucking and grasping, but they become more controlled as the process of myelination takes place, which allows electrical signals to pass more quickly from the brain to the muscles.

To support this development, give your child plenty of freedom to move. Keep them out of restrictive devices like car seats and carriers as much as possible and let them reach, grasp, and struggle a bit on their own. These natural movements are essential for building strong neural connections.

Equilibrium

Gross motor skills help children develop equilibrium or balance. Babies start by lifting their heads, rolling, and eventually sitting upright. Tummy time plays a crucial role in helping them develop strong neck and torso muscles, which are the foundation of movement.

By 12 to 18 months, most children begin walking and carrying objects. Over the next couple of years, they refine their balance and coordination, running, climbing, and jumping with more confidence. Encouraging these movements is key to their physical development.

Hand Development

Fine motor skills also emerge in the first few years. What starts as reflexive hand movements soon evolves into deliberate control. Babies initially use a raking grasp, which eventually becomes a precise pincer grasp around nine months.

From 10 to 18 months, children gain more control over their hands and fingers, learning to point, stack blocks, and scribble. By age three, they can easily use utensils for feeding and can pick up small objects between their thumb and forefinger. Offering your child opportunities to practice these fine motor skills—like playing with blocks or drawing—boosts this essential area of development.

Language Milestones

Just like movement progresses from slithering to creeping to walking, language skills progress from babbling to talking. Movement and language development move in parallel until about six to eight months of age, at which point one may dominate while the other often plateaus for a bit and then takes off a little later.

Language development follows two threads: expressive and receptive language.

Receptive Language

Receptive language is how our children understand the language around them. Our babies love hearing the voices of caregivers and they pay attention to faces. Eventually, around four to six months, they begin to understand specific words, like no, and the meaning behind tones of voice. This is also when they begin to play social games, such as “peak a boo.”

Over the next few months our little ones start to understand simple commands and gestures, which evolves by about 12 months to understanding instructions and going or pointing to familiar objects when named. From 24 to 36 months, toddlers are typically able to follow two- to three-step instructions and understand spatial concepts like “in,” “on,” and “under.”

Expressive Language

Expressive language involves how children communicate with the world. Early expressions come through body language and crying, which later evolve into cooing and babbling. Between four and six months, our babies vocalize pleasure and displeasure, babble with consonant sounds, put vowels together, and even try to repeats sounds they hear. In the six to eight month range, our little ones continue babbling and start to drop unused language sounds for the native language(s) they hear.

From eight to ten months, their babbling incorporates consonant-vowel combinations (e.g. “ba, da, ma”) and differentiated babbling may start to resemble real words. They will also begin to use more gestures such as pointing, waving, and reaching to show their interests, needs, and even things they do not want. From 10 to 12 months, this kind of babbling continues and they may even combine gestures with words.

After 12 months, we begin to see an explosion of expressive language with vocabulary expanding at an impressive rate. They start by using single words, usually nouns, and this may include using one word for several objects. Then between 18 and 24 months, our children are acquiring eight to twelve new words a month, and after about 50 words this increases exponentially. This is also when we hear children use two-word phrases with nouns and verbs.

By the time they’re three, our little ones can use pronouns, ask questions, and string together sentences to communicate their needs and experiences.

Emotional Milestones

Emotional development, the ability to understand and express emotions, is largely shaped by a child’s social relationships. During their first year, babies begin to notice emotions in others and respond to social cues. They may express their own needs and show interest in caregivers. By two or three, children can regulate their emotions better and express a broader range of feelings.

To support emotional growth, it’s important to maintain a calm, consistent environment. Show warmth and affection, encourage the expression of emotions, and teach strategies for managing big feelings like frustration or sadness.

Social Milestones

Social development enables children to form positive, rewarding relationships with others. In their first year, babies are focused on bonding with caregivers. They’re learning how to engage, gain attention, and participate in simple social interactions.

By 12 to 24 months, children start engaging in back-and-forth interactions and begin developing empathy. Parallel play—where they play alongside others but not directly with them—often evolves into cooperative play by age two or three. At this stage, children start sharing, taking turns, and communicating more effectively with peers.

You can nurture social growth by modeling healthy relationships, reading your child’s social cues, and facilitating interactions with other children.

Healthy Development

Our infants and toddlers are going through a dramatic change in terms of a sense of self and their attachments. It’s important to remember that children follow a common sequence in their development, but not always a common timing. We offer these milestones as a reminder for how to remove obstacles to children’s development, while also supporting their own unique path as they grow into amazing young people. You are also welcome to schedule a visit to our school to see how we support our youngest students as they develop in amazing ways!

Nurturing the Whole Child: How Montessori Balances Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Growth

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 11:00:02 GMT

One of the gifts of Montessori education is that we can truly focus on the whole child —cognitive, social, emotional, and physical. Our approach is not just about academics but also about nurturing life skills, emotional intelligence, and social relationships.

The Montessori approach to child development revolves around the understanding that children are naturally curious, care deeply about others, and can be intrinsically motivated. When provided with the right environment, children can deepen both their love for learning and their appreciation of and care for the community.

Prioritizing the Prepared Environment

One of the keys to balancing social-emotional learning with cognitive and physical development is prioritizing the impact of a prepared environment. In Montessori, a prepared environment is a place specially designed to appeal to children’s sensitive periods for learning, as well as their core human needs and tendencies. When designing these prepared spaces for children, we work to ensure children feel safe and supported so they can reach their potential. The Montessori-prepared environment is a place where children can feel at home as they develop their inner selves and outer skills.

Our carefully prepared Montessori classrooms are calm and orderly, foster independence and decision-making, and provide varied opportunities for peer interactions in mixed-age classrooms. The result is that children can develop their emotional regulation skills in child-centered spaces.

Opportunities for Conflict Resolution

In addition, we weave in opportunities for conflict resolution. This means we actively model and support children as they learn to communicate their feelings through words. In addition to promoting self-awareness through identifying and naming emotions, we also teach active listening, problem-solving, and techniques for self-regulation (from deep breathing to using calm-down spaces).

Adults serve as mediators and guides rather than arbitrators and judges. Through guided discussions, we help children think reflectively about social interactions, practice respectful communication, facilitate peaceful solutions, and model how to handle conflict. Ultimately, we want to empower children with tools they can use even if an adult isn’t present!

Respect for Others

One key to this is cultivating respect for others’ perspectives and patience for alternative approaches. Because children work together in a variety of ways through their care of the classroom environment and small group projects or lessons, they develop a deep sense of compassion and empathy. Our mixed-age groupings and peer-to-peer learning activities promote collaboration and mentorship. So, in addition to the adults, older children also serve as models of emotional regulation and conflict resolution for younger peers. The result is that Montessori children develop a deep tolerance for and appreciation of difference.

Deep Appreciation for Community

Children thrive when they have a sense of community and belonging. So, we promote inclusivity and respect for diversity within the classroom. The Montessori curriculum includes a range of activities that encourage group cohesion and empathy-building, which leads to trust and respect among our students.

The long-term benefits of Montessori’s focus on social-emotional learning and conflict resolution are that children develop lifelong social skills such as a deep sense of empathy, effective communication with various people, and the ability to cooperate with grace and goodwill.

The Montessori method nurtures social-emotional learning and equips children with essential conflict-resolution skills they can use in their classroom communities and social interactions outside of school.

Do you want to learn more and perhaps even support these practices at home? Schedule a visit today!

Materials Spotlight: Animal Story Cards

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 11:00:05 GMT

Children adore animals! Our elementary students (and even some older primary students) often love to start researching animals. To capitalize upon this interest and use it to build the base for more in-depth research skills, we have a set of materials called the Animal Story Cards. These picture and story cards introduce animals that live in the region. They are comprised of a few folders with pictures and text that get rotated throughout the year.

The collection of cards includes a large picture of the animal in its natural environment, a large text card with general information about the animal, and then a series of smaller images and matching text cards that show and detail information about the animal’s habitat, how it protects itself, its natural diet, how it reproduces, and how it cares for its young.

This material helps children begin to classify and organize their zoological awareness of native animals. We also try to gear the stories to the needs of the animals with which the children may have had first-hand experience so that the activity reinforces their prior knowledge.

Information in the folders draws children’s attention to certain aspects of animals’ lives and the interconnections of animals through various food chains or predator/prey relationships. Each folder focuses on one animal and contains picture cards and text material relevant to that animal’s basic needs.

As we rotate the cards throughout the year to provide exposure to various animals, we also ensure the selected animals have contrasting qualities (e.g., a mammal, a bird, an amphibian, etc.).

In addition to providing a base for future research skills, this material also increases children's awareness and knowledge of animals that live in the surrounding environment, highlights differences among animals, cultivates an appreciation for animals, and provides an interesting reading activity.

When we present this material, we gather a small group of children and place the large picture card in the center of the rug or table. Often, we start with a little story about the animal, and as we tell the story, we introduce the related smaller picture cards as they become relevant.

We only have three or four of these animal stories in the classroom so that the children can use this material as a model for their own research and work. Ultimately, we want children to turn to books in the classroom or the library for further information. Those in the early stages of reading and research often enjoy drawing the animal and a picture of what it eats, how it cares for its young, etc.

So the youngest children can access the text and practice their reading, we sometimes have one-word labels that can work in place of the text cards. Early readers can access the easier text and place the one-word labels underneath the matching pictures.

We encourage children to share the story of the animal we introduced to others in the class, explore the other folders, and try to match the pictures and the different text cards. Sometimes, children get excited about making an animal story set of their own. This activity can result in a great deal of concentrated work!

As children use the Animal Story Cards, they begin to also realize that animals have fundamental needs just like humans do!

We’d love for you to visit the school to see this and the many other ways we cultivate an appreciation for the natural world. Schedule a tour today!

Gratitude: Why We Celebrate the Unsung Heroes

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 11:00:01 GMT

As children move from early childhood into their elementary years, they become very attuned to heroes. In fact, in Montessori we call this “hero worship,” and we consider it an amazing opportunity!

Our elementary-age children are figuring out their moral compass, which partially sparks this strong attraction toward heroes. Often, we see children become focused on sporting personalities, movie and television stars, singers, and sometimes even teachers! Children may even choose to emulate a classmate or slightly older peer.

Understanding the Self & the Group

As children use their imaginations and look toward heroes, they are really thinking about how to actualize their own potential. Thus, they become very observant of others. They begin to recognize individual strengths and apply them to their own practice society, community, and family. Children invite each other to work based on their strengths and then they feel seen. In this process, children begin to recognize that the strength of the group is their own strength. Hero worship drives all kinds of prosocial development.

Thus part of hero worship is stepping into leadership roles in the community and learning how to lead and how to follow. Our children experience the joy of belonging to the group and being part of something together. In this hero worship, we see the cultivation of cooperation and collaboration.

All Kinds of Heroes

Children of this age are also incredibly open to stories of history's great innovators and heroes. So we introduce a variety of heroes through books, songs, storytelling, and casual observations. Montessori children love to lean into research and want to explore the histories and stories of their heroes.

In this process, we emphasize how heroes are all around us! How can we show gratitude for those who deliver our mail or help us when we’ve gotten hurt?

As our children explore these heroes and fall in and out of admiration and emulation, it’s important to remember that while we can’t control our children’s choice of friends or heroes, we can offer lots of different options. In this process, we make sure to provide exposure to non-typical heroes, including unknown heroes.

In the various stories we tell in our Montessori curriculum, we often emphasize how we will never know who those first humans were who did all sorts of important things like picking up a burning branch after a lightning strike and figuring out how to save and use fire, creating a hole in a small bone and using it as a needle, discovering how to save seeds and plant them, or leaving cave paintings to share a message. As we explore early human history and children discover that there are so many unknown heroes, we always pause to offer some gratitude for those who discovered and created so much.

Elementary children look up to power, strength, and beauty, in whatever form that occurs, and this isn’t always in the form of a human hero. There were the first plants that began to cling to the land and adapt to life out of the water, the Carboniferous amphibians whose fins eventually became legs, tiny cells each with its own job so that the body runs smoothly, and leaves that work like food factories for plants.

Giving Thanks to All Kinds of Heroes

With our children’s tendency toward hero worship and their admiration for heroes of different kinds, we can also help our children understand what they value in a hero. Often our children recognize and respond to stories of people (and non-human entities!) who overcome hardship, endure loss, and sacrifice for others. We also draw their attention to the fact that one does not need to be important or famous to be a hero.

In this season of gratitude, let’s remember to celebrate many different kinds of heroes and offer our thanks for how they have contributed (or continue to contribute) in varied ways. We also thank you and hope you’ll schedule a time to observe our gratitude-filled classrooms in action!

Taking a Look at Homework

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 11:00:04 GMT

Many of us grew up with some form of homework, so it can feel a little strange when our Montessori kids come home without it. In fact, we may start to wonder what our children are missing by not having homework.

Perhaps some worries have crossed your mind: Don’t my children need additional practice to help improve their retention? Doesn’t homework help reinforce concepts learned in school? Doesn’t homework serve as a tool for teaching responsibility, self-discipline, and time management?

Let’s lean into these questions to explore what happens in Montessori classrooms and whether homework meets children’s developmental needs.

Do our children need additional practice to help improve their retention?

Unlike our youngest ones, who love endless repetition (it can be hard to read that favorite book one more time!), once our children reach the elementary years, they crave variety. Thus, the key is to provide lots of different kinds of opportunities for practice. For example, in Montessori classrooms, we have SO MANY ways for students to practice their multiplication facts: the large bead frame, bead bars, bead chains, multiplication board, checkerboard, and bank game, just to name a few.

We find that children love to practice and challenge themselves. So should we assign practice for them to take home? Author and researcher Alfie Kohn spent years reviewing the available research (as well as interviewing parents, teachers, and students), and he sums up his findings with the following statement: “Homework is all pain and no gain.” In fact, in studying the research, Kohn found that having and doing homework during the elementary years does not improve learning. That being said, in high school there is a small correlation between homework and test scores, although no clarity about whether doing the homework leads to higher test scores.

We’ve also found that when children are engaged and loving their varied practice at school, requiring that they continue the practice at home can actually backfire. For example, when children are made to do academic work at home, we see that they are less likely to engage with similar learning activities at school. That being said, when children are excited about their learning and initiate continuing at home, we encourage and celebrate this extension of their work!

Does homework help reinforce concepts learned in school?

We want children to see themselves as life-long learners. One way we support this is to avoid the dichotomy of home versus school. Learning doesn’t stop or start at the classroom door! Perhaps at school, a child is suddenly passionate about sea turtles. We explore how this learning can extend into the community: visiting a local aquarium for a real-life encounter, finding sea turtle books from the local library, watching a sea turtle documentary, etc. Some of this could happen through going-out trips from school and just as easily could also be something the child’s family embraces to support the learning experience.

Home learning (rather than preassigned homework each night) is meaningful and relevant. Just as an adult might be motivated or excited about a project at work and want to continue some of the process at home at night or over the weekend, we want our students to realize that their learning has no bounds of time or space! This could work in the other direction, too. Maybe a child asks a question at home one night about how stars are formed, which leads to a deep dive at school into types of stars, galaxies, and even chemistry.

This understanding that learning happens throughout all the aspects of our lives is a hallmark of Montessori education. We emphasize deep, hands-on engagement with varied kinds of learning materials. Our curriculum is designed to support an explosion of imagination and curiosity. Children can ask questions, explore, and work through big concepts at their own pace.

Does homework serve as a tool for teaching responsibility, self-discipline, and time management?

Montessori education is grounded in a deep respect for young people. Our unique approach is designed to cultivate responsibility, self-discipline, and time management skills. Montessori classrooms provide children with the freedom to choose their work, but within a structured environment and framework. This freedom is tied together with responsibility and teaches students to make well-informed choices about how they spend their time and what tasks they prioritize. Through one-on-one conferencing and daily adjustments, classroom teachers provide guidance and reflection that empowers students to think about their own learning process, including what parts could use more attention.

Instead of relying on external rewards or punishments, Montessori emphasizes intrinsic motivation. Students engage in activities because they are interested and find satisfaction in completing them, which nurtures self-discipline. Plus, children work at their own pace without direct competition. This allows them to focus deeply on their tasks, developing concentration and persistence, which are core aspects of self-discipline.

Ultimately, there is work to be done and sometimes even deadlines to meet. As we experience in the adult world, if we have procrastinated, lost focus, or just had to tend to other things, the work doesn’t go away, and sometimes we have to bring it home to make sure we get it done. The same applies to Montessori students. Sometimes they will need to bring some work home to meet a deadline or work through a challenge that needs more attention.

Guides may also work with older students to create individual learning plans so that they can more consciously plan their day or week to meet their goals. We scaffold this skill so our young people can learn how to incorporate goal setting, planning, and time management into their lives.

In a supportive way, we integrate choice, autonomy, and responsibility into students’ daily routines. The result? Montessori students feel empowered, take ownership of their learning, and have the gift of devoting afternoons and evenings for rest, family bonding, and exploring personal interests.

Interested in seeing for yourself how all of this works? Schedule a tour today!

Exploring Montessori Together: Family Events and Learning Opportunities

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 11:00:04 GMT

Many of us didn’t grow up with Montessori. As a result, we often find ourselves drawing upon a great deal of trust. We may intellectually understand how this unique method supports our children and their development. Still, we don’t always have the experiential knowledge to explain how and why it works!

We recognize that life is pretty scheduled, and we also want to provide you with information that can help you navigate others’ questions and queries (as well as your own!). Plus, we know that the more involved you are and the more opportunities you have to be connected to what we do, the more your child will benefit from Montessori’s child-centered approach!

Goals for Family Education Events

We have some goals in mind as we design parent and family education events. We want to deepen your understanding of Montessori philosophy and practice. We want to work together in partnership, and we often hear that families want to better understand how Montessori can be implemented at home. We are excited to help with this, especially knowing that when we are all aligned, we can work together to foster independence, responsibility, and self-discipline in our children.

Supporting Your Child’s Development

Our hope is that as you learn more about what we do and as we learn more about what you do, we can use a shared understanding of Montessori principles to support your child’s development both in and outside of school. Understanding developmental stages through a Montessori lens often leads to children feeling a stronger sense of belonging and connection because they feel understood and supported. This can translate into easier day-to-day interactions, better collaborative problem-solving, a long-term love for learning, and an increase in confidence and independence.

Partnership in the Parenting Journey

We want to help build a strong home-school partnership. Through consistent and varied communication and learning opportunities, we hope to create a collaborative environment and opportunities for meaningful dialogue. Parenting is a tough job, and we want to ensure you know you aren’t alone on this journey! Through different platforms, we aim to address common misconceptions and help you feel good about answering questions that come up at family gatherings and neighborhood events!

We value an engaged community, and we want to support your connections with other Montessori families. Sharing experiences and challenges with like-minded parents helps us all stay afloat during the ebbs and flows of raising children. We want our Montessori community to provide both emotional support and practical advice.

Ultimately, we want you to better understand Montessori so you can be an effective advocate for your child’s education and so you can feel prepared for the transitions your child will experience throughout the different stages of their life.

Materials Spotlight: The Grammar Boxes

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 11:00:02 GMT

One of the best parts of a Montessori education is that learning is so much fun! We provide hands-on activities and experiences that engage children’s hearts and minds and help them grasp abstract concepts and master complicated skills.

For example, when we introduce grammar in elementary, we use the Grammar Boxes, a set of materials that involve reading, interpretation, acting, art, movement, pattern-finding, and even poetry. The result is that grammar becomes an experiential and joyful process that children get to play with and even embody. Grammar work in Montessori elementary classrooms is also a group activity, which our gregarious elementary-aged children absolutely love.

The Materials

The Grammar Boxes comprise an array of colorful materials that easily take up a whole shelf in the classroom. Like so many Montessori materials, they use color coding to help children establish stronger neural pathways to identify parts of speech and their function in sentences.

Each of the eight grammar boxes has one large compartment that holds cards with sets of phrases and sentences, as well as smaller compartments for one-word cards. The cards are different colors for each part of speech: article (tan), noun (black), adjective (brown), verb (red), preposition (green), adverb (orange), pronoun (purple), conjunction (pink), interjection (yellow).

Children experience the name, symbol, and function of each part of speech in a multi-sensorial way, maximizing their opportunity to acquire real and deep understanding.

The Activity

We start with little games to introduce the part of speech. For example, we provide commands, like skip, run, hide, hum, and so on, to experience the role the verb plays. Next, we select the grammar box and filler box to match the part of speech. Children fill the grammar box with the various cards, and then they choose one of the sentence cards and read the sentence. Using the one-word cards, they build the sentence by looking through the smaller compartments in the grammar box to find each word.

In the preposition grammar box, one of the sentences states, “Lay the pen with the pencil.” When children look for each of the words, they will find that “pen” and “pencil” are on black cards because they are nouns. “Lay” is on a red card because it is a verb. “The” is on a tan card because it is an article. The new type of word – “with” – is a preposition. Children build the sentence and then act it out.

The next sentence on the card is exactly the same except for one variation. “With” changes to “behind” so the sentence reads “Lay the pen behind the pencil.” So children keep the constructed sentence but just change the one card. They act out the sentence again, experiencing how changing the preposition changes the sentence in a certain way. The final sentence on the card reads “Lay the pen beside the pencil.” This acting out and playing around with what happens when one-word changes provides a sensorial experience of the parts of speech.

We also share key phrases that highlight the function of the part of speech. For example, when working with pronouns, we’ll state, “This kind of word stands in place of a noun.” The children come to appreciate how words do important work just like they do. As a result, they experience an inspired interest in the functions performed by different words.

Continued Exploration

Once children have mastered this first step, the Grammar Box materials offer multiple forms of follow-up to promote deeper understanding.

Symbolizing

We link each part of speech with a color-coded symbol. For example, nouns are represented by black triangles and verbs by red circles. Children love to “symbolize” the grammar box sentences, as well as sentences they have written or even sentences from books. This practice is essentially an early form of sentence diagramming and children begin to notice visual patterns in the structure of sentences.

Quizzing

We can also play a little game to quiz children on the parts of speech and their functions. One form of this is to cover all the smaller, labeled compartments with color-coded paper. We might prompt the children, “What is the name of the word that told you the action?” They’ll call out “verb!” And we reveal (or they will check) the answer by removing the red slip.

Transposing

When we move words around in a sentence or phrase, the meaning may remain essentially the same, change dramatically, or be lost entirely! So, with the grammar box cards, we play around with shifting the order of the words in the constructed sentences and phrases. This highlights the importance of word order in our language and also opens up some creative thinking about poetic phrases (which often enlivens the imagination of young poets!).

Reading Commands

Children also love using the command cards that accompany each grammar box. These cards encourage dramatic interpretation and build reading comprehension. Children interpret nuances as they explore gradations in vocabulary and eventually even how subtle shifts in vocabulary can impact meaning or interpretation.

Extensions

After children learn key grammar language and concepts via the Grammar Boxes, we initiate a deeper study into classifications within each part of speech. For example, a study of the verb moves to an examination of the differences between action and linking verbs, a study of voice and mood, and an exploration of the tenses.

Extension work also includes more complex and detailed written work, a study of synonyms, further exploration of ideas presented in the introductory work, and research related to the parts of speech and the history of our language.

Elementary children love the extraordinary, the peculiar, and the unusual. Carefully selected words in the Grammar Boxes help spark this fascination, drawing the children into a study of the science of their language.

Although work with the Grammar Boxes helps children learn about and understand the functions of the different parts of speech, the lessons also demand a great deal of active and physical expression and thus support children’s powers of expression.

This is what “reading comprehension” really is. We can observe the quality and sophistication of children’s understanding by the precision with which each child carries out the actions required by any particular grammar box text.

The Importance of Grammar

A good grasp of grammar empowers us to communicate and interpret others’ communication with greater clarity and understanding. Thus, our goal is to help each child wield their language with accuracy and power. Grammar work in elementary invites a rich vocabulary and fosters an expansive use of our language in all of its expressions.

Grammar work is an exciting, fun, and intellectually stimulating activity in Montessori classrooms. Schedule a tour today to experience this in person!

Grammar the Montessori (Fun) Way!

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 11:00:03 GMT

The study of words, grammar, is all about understanding how words function and how they relate to each other in a sentence. In essence, grammar represents the rules that we use, either consciously or unconsciously, as we speak and write. And in Montessori classrooms, grammar is incredibly fun!

In early childhood, children effortlessly absorb the language(s) in their environment, including the grammatical conventions people around them use. So in our primary classrooms, we first offer a series of games to introduce children to the functions of words.

The Games

The games provide a sensorial experience of the function of each part of speech. For example, when we invite children to the “article game,” we play around with asking for items using either the article “the” or “a” depending upon if we are thinking of a definite object (like the laundry basket) or an indefinite one (like a red pencil, which could be any of the red pencils in the classroom).

Or with the “preposition game,” we give commands using prepositions (words that show relationship) such as: “Put your hands on your stomach.” “Put your hands under the chair.” “Put your hands behind your back.” Each time we only change the preposition, so that children experience what happens when we change that one word.

Children also love the “verb game” and the “adverb game” because they get to engage in all sorts of actions that can get more and more complex depending upon the series of commands from “run” and “skip” to “walk loudly” or “tiptoe angrily” to multi-step requests like “Walk to a friend. Say hello to the friend. Come back to me. Tell me the friend’s name.”

Our primary children consider these games to be delightful and often request them again and again!

A “Feel” for Language

Eventually, children in our primary classrooms move on to grammar-based activities that involve a great deal of reading. Using little paper slips and objects, we present a variation of the grammar games that isolate the different parts of speech and help children intuit the patterns in our language. We write words and phrases on the paper slips, children read them, and label different objects or items in the classroom. We also begin introducing symbols for each part of speech.

For example, by the time children have learned about nouns, articles, and adjectives, we can introduce conjunctions as words that connect. We can write little slips for individual objects (“a green pencil,” “a red pencil,” “a pink pencil”). The children collect those pencils and we connect them with a pink ribbon. We also highlight the word that connects each of the objects (“and”) by writing it in red. Finally, we add each of the symbols that represent each part of speech.

Because children of this age are very tuned into syntax, they quickly develop a “feel” for how words are used in sentences. A great example of this is how young children might say, “I runned as quickly as I could.” Just through experience, they are able to identify how past tense is formed by adding “ed” to the verb. All that is needed next are opportunities to learn about how some words don’t follow that particular rule.

Systematic Study

In the elementary years, we embark on a systematic study of the different types of rules, such as those that direct the formation of the past tense. In addition to learning about suffixes (such as “ed”) that affect tense, elementary students learn about auxiliary verbs and even study the mood and voice of verbs. The children also discover that our irregular verbs have a historical origin. In fact, many of the seeming inconsistencies of our language have a fascinating historical story!

For that reason, whenever possible in elementary, we link grammar to history. The word grammar, for example, comes from the ancient Greek term grammatike tekhne, which means “art of letters.”

As we embark on “the art of letters,” our elementary children dive into several disciplines, including morphology (the structure of words), syntax (the arrangement of words), phonology (the pronunciation of words), semantics (the meaning of words), and etymology (the history of words). We distill these disciplines into three main areas: word study, parts of speech, and sentence analysis.

The Grammar Boxes

In next week’s blog, we’ll highlight a deeper exploration of how one material, the beloved Grammar Boxes, connects these key areas of study. In addition to helping children understand how words have a function to perform and how the sequence of words and surrounding words determine the function, the Grammar Boxes also support the study of words and lay the foundation for sentence analysis.

Our grammar lessons and presentations are quite lively and involve a great deal of activity. We’d love to have you schedule a visit to come see this grammar work in action!

Keeping the Big Picture in Mind

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 11:00:07 GMT

As parents, we want the best for our children. It hurts when they encounter setbacks or challenges. When they experience frustration or failure, we want to fix things so they don’t suffer.

Lessons Learned

However, physical and even emotional discomfort is a significant part of how we grow and learn. In fact, mistakes and failures have a number of benefits including an increase in self-confidence, creative thinking, problem-solving, and patience.

When children learn that they can overcome obstacles, they build self-confidence and are more willing to challenge themselves in new activities. In addition, when children can experiment and have room for error, they can explore and create new approaches, which leads to flexibility and expansive thinking.

Success requires time and continuous effort. When children aren’t afraid of failure, they understand that progressing isn’t always a straight line. Rather than being afraid and giving up when faced with difficulties, children are more willing to take a circuitous route, try different directions, or experiment with diverse options. This process also helps children develop logical thinking skills and the ability to solve problems confidently.

Home-School Partnership

So that our children can reap these benefits, it helps if we stay in communication about challenges that may arise. Whether social, emotional, academic, or intellectual, it’s inevitable that our children will experience some level of difficulty at some point in their school years. Our hope is that we can work as partners to identify any challenges or areas of discomfort, and also provide the structure, freedom, patience, and confidence to allow kids the opportunity to struggle.

In Montessori, we are well-trained to observe children, balancing both a deep awareness of developmental milestones and the knowledge that individual children have their own pace and trajectory as they develop as young humans. We recognize that some children may need additional support and we also want to make sure we aren’t rushing in too soon to rescue them, which can lead to a decrease in self-confidence and resilience.

A partnership between home and school means that we ask you to trust the process while also staying in dialogue with us about your hopes and fears for your child. Conversely, we commit to communicating what we observe about your child’s progress and areas for growth.

Over the many years of schooling and parenting, we’ve found that an investment in longer-term learning and growth necessitates tolerance for some shorter-term disappointment.

Communication Road Map

Good communication is the heart of positive partnerships! To that end, we offer some tips for cultivating and maintaining this long-term relationship in support of your child(ren). First and foremost, we rely upon timely communication and yet also want to respect everyone’s busy lives. If something comes up, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us to share what is on your mind. We want to better understand what your child is experiencing or any concerns you have.

We also ask that you consider a big-picture perspective. If your child complains about something bad happening, take a deep breath and acknowledge that they might need to let off some steam or just feel some big emotions. Listen without judgment and reflect back on what you hear. Once they are done, you can ask if they want some help solving the problem or communicating with someone at school.

It helps to think about how to set the stage for your child to be their own self-advocate. If they want help, you can offer to brainstorm solutions, draft an email together, or even role-play how to handle the situation differently. Often, though, our children just need to let out their upset or frustration so they can move on with their day. They need us, as parents, to be a safe place to vent.

When or if you do contact the school, please let us know if your child is aware that you are sharing your concerns or observations so we can approach the situation with the utmost respect and care.

It’s also important to remember that as adults, we are constantly modeling for our children. Approaching even challenging circumstances with thoughtfulness, care, and goodwill shows our children how they can tackle tough situations with grace.

Long-Term Goals

When we talk about what we want for our children, we often discover some common themes. We want our children to be adaptable, kind, and hard-working. We want them to be creative and confident in their own abilities. We want them to be self-reliant and independent, while also collaborating with others and learning from those with different perspectives. We want them to live peaceful lives, celebrate present moments, and have a sense of purpose.

While we don’t want to see our children struggle, one of the most important things we can offer them is the chance to confront and work through challenges. We commit to being your partner in this process. Please schedule a visit to the school , observe the classrooms, and connect with us about how we can work together!

A Healthy Relationship with Work

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 11:00:01 GMT

As adults, our relationship with work is rather complicated. We pay others who have more expertise, more time, or more willingness to do work that we don’t know or want to do. We invent machines to work for us. We often aim for expediency and efficiency. We value our non-working time, like vacations, personal time, and leisure. We think about retiring early. Recently in history, there has also been a notion that we should find work that is the most fulfilling, makes use of our gifts, and follows through on our passions.

The Value of Work

However, the truth is that we, as humans, need to work to thrive. Often we find a sense of purpose, meaning, and connection through work. Those who have retired know how it feels to drop out of the social organization of productive human activity and perhaps wonder about contributing to the community, group, or society.

We establish our identity through work and, in the process, contribute to a complex web of interdependent activities we share with others. We provide service to others, and this gives us a sense of belonging. What we do to accomplish our purpose in life is our work.

“Joy, feeling one's own value, being appreciated and loved by others, feeling useful and capable of production are all factors of enormous value for the human soul.” – Dr. Maria Montessori, From Childhood to Adolescence

Purposeful Work

Appreciating the varied types of work we do in our lives to care for ourselves, to care for others, and to care for our environment, is not something we are particularly practiced at doing in our culture. Yet in Montessori, we prioritize these three pillars: care of self, care of others, and care of our surroundings. We recognize that children gain deep satisfaction through work that has purpose. They want to feel and be useful!

Work that is purposeful or meaningful comes from an internal drive, while also being connected to the environment and to others, which leads to a sense of responsibility. For our youngest children, this can be as simple as noticing that laundry needs to be folded or that snack needs to be prepared and then wanting to play a role in getting that work done. Older children may feel compelled to share their research or discoveries with classmates.

Adult Work vs. Children’s Work

In her observations of children, Dr. Maria Montessori began to see how the work of adults differs from the work of children. While adults work to minimize effort and make our external environment better meet our needs, children use their environment to develop their internal capacities. Because children’s work is their own development and self-construction, their work doesn’t follow the same patterns, look the same, or have the same outward manifestations as adult work.

More often than not, adults do not recognize children’s work for what it is, which can result in a kind of conflict between adults and children. Often adults try to keep children away from any adult work because children can seem to get in the way.

According to Dr. Montessori, this is primarily due to the complexities created by modern life. There was a time in human history when children’s need to self-construct through their own activities was more naturally and easily met by just being around as adults worked to secure food, build shelters, or make tools. This work was more immediate, concrete, and apparent. Children could observe, explore, imitate, and little by little participate in adult work.

But the work of modern humans is more complex and abstract, making adults’ work more inaccessible to children and thus making the presence of children often an interruption, distraction, or nuisance. As a result, children are often separated from the everyday work of adult life.

The Importance of Self-Construction

By nature, children are compelled to do work that ensures their own development. Children’s work is the work of self-construction. Often this work even feels like play!

In Montessori, we recognize the fact that children are forming who they will become as adults. Thus to fully support children’s work of self-construction, we offer children purposeful activities so they can learn how to contribute meaningfully to their communities. Our youngest children slice fruits and vegetables that are served for snack. They arrange flowers to make the classroom more beautiful. They sweep the floor and wipe the tables. As children get older they take on more responsibilities, from taking care of dishes to answering the phone, to running class meetings to organizing trips.

Beyond caring for themselves, each other, and the environment, we also help children develop a healthy relationship with intellectual challenges. Because the purpose is self-construction, rather than external rewards, children love to lean into learning. They see mistakes as opportunities for growth. They want to gain mastery. They delight in self-improvement.

Montessori children grow into adults who understand the value of work in its many forms. To see how this happens, come visit our school! We love to share what we do.

Montessori 101

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 11:00:01 GMT

As the school year gets into swing, we thought it would be helpful to review some key elements of Montessori education and how what we do supports children’s development.

The Montessori method focuses on children’s important process of constructing themselves into the amazing humans they are becoming. Respect for this process of self-construction, along with a prepared environment that supports the development of self-discipline and freedom within limits, forms an entire system wherein children develop independence, creativity, character, awareness of their own learning style, and skills for self-advocacy.

The Prepared Environment

Dr. Maria Montessori pioneered this understanding of the effect of the environment on human development. In Montessori prepared environments, children benefit from carefully designed spaces that meet their developmental needs at each stage of their lives. The materials in the classrooms offer young people keys to their development. In addition to the beautiful physical environments in Montessori, the prepared environment includes a community of children and trained adults.

Individualized Instruction

We focus on the fact that learning starts with the child. Montessori guides observe children’s interests and abilities and use those observations to create an environment in which children can really flourish. This requires a comprehensive knowledge of child development, keen observation skills, and awareness of how to adjust according to where individual children are in their process of learning and growth.

The Montessori Guide

The Montessori guide needs comprehensive training and a new way of thinking to focus on individualized instruction. An integral part of the Montessori approach is that the guide must respect each child’s process of self-construction and provide opportunities to help children develop their potential. An extended relationship over time in a multi-age classroom enhances the guide’s ability to be effective in this role.

Multi-Age Groupings

While every child works at their own level, younger children learn through the observation of older children and older children reinforce their own learning by helping younger children. Older children also have opportunities to develop leadership skills while serving as role models. Our communities emphasize and encourage cooperation and social responsibility. As children develop social and academic relationships with others of various ages, a strong community develops. The multi-age group allows for natural socialization far beyond what is found in homogenous age grouping.

The Toddler or Infant Community

Our youngest children are working toward a number of goals of self-sufficiency. In order to learn to make sense of the world, infants and toddlers need permission to explore, clear and logical limits, natural and logical consequences, positive role modeling, opportunities to make choices, and consistent procedures and ground rules. During this critical developmental time, children are able to extend their concentration through independent choices, purposeful activities, opportunities for repetition, and time for completion. They also benefit from exposure to grace and courtesy, group experiences, and positive attitudes toward new things. The learning materials in the Toddler Community include extensive language exposure, practical life activities, sensorial exploration, and gross and fine motor development.

The Children’s House or Primary

Designed for children two and a half to six years old, our primary program nurtures children’s individual development while offering them an experiential understanding of the value of interdependence. The classroom community also provides a carefully curated array of choices for individual activities that aid children’s work of self-construction.

The Montessori guide helps children develop their ability to choose freely, sustain focused and concentrated attention, think clearly and constructively, resolve conflicts peacefully, and express themselves through language and the arts. Through the active development of their will and the satisfaction of their authentic needs, children develop self-discipline and become connected in a socially cohesive way.

Areas of activity at the Children’s House level include practical life, sensorial organization, language, mathematics, and cultural subjects. The extensive sets of Montessori materials in each of these areas are designed to appeal to children's deep interest and inspire repeated activity. Because children of this age absorb so much effortlessly, they can take in vast amounts of information and grasp sophisticated relationships and principles wholly and effortlessly.

The Elementary Program

The Montessori philosophy continues in elementary and provides an unparalleled opportunity for growth in this new period of life. Children of this age have immense powers of imagination and creativity and are trying to understand themselves as social beings. The elementary environment provides an appropriate balance of freedom and responsibility and an expansive curriculum to support children’s curiosity and problem-solving so as to prepare them for the challenges of the future. The elementary program encourages a mature sense of justice and fairness, reinforces oral and written communication, provides cyclical experiences in all academic content and skills, and fosters the development of imagination and creativity.

The curriculum expands the sense of order that was nourished in the early childhood environment to study the order of the universe. Life is interrelated. Lessons dovetail between such subjects as geology, botany, history, language, math, and geometry. One of the goals of the program is to inspire children to explore ideas and interconnections, while also developing an understanding of their individual learning styles, needs, and goals. The Montessori interdisciplinary approach to elementary education supports children as they view the world, and even the universe, with a continued and intense sense of wonder.

The Adolescent Program

This program provides opportunities for adolescents to gain self-knowledge, belong to an accepting community, and learn to be adaptable while empowering them with academic competence and a vision for their own future. In all academic subjects, students do personal and group work integrated by overarching themes. The focus is on asking large questions, researching, interpreting, and connecting all of the disciplines.

Adolescent students apply and integrate all subjects through hands-on work that is connected to their greater community. They engage in elements of work on the land as an economic enterprise through the care of plants and animals, the maintenance of simple machines, and the understanding of land use. They also participate in local internships, class businesses, and community service. Because creative and physical expression is key during this stage of development, we offer adolescents multiple ways to explore different forms of self-expression. The adolescent program is designed to usher healthy, self-confident, well-prepared young adolescents into the next phase of their development.

A Strong Foundation

Our mission is to prepare children for life. All children are naturally curious and love to learn. We support this innate drive by providing environments that meet children’s developmental needs, creating a staff of loving and well-prepared adults, and building a community of families that actively support this mission. We celebrate each child’s individuality and help them discover how they can best contribute to our world and culture. This unique model offers children an incredible gift of independent thinking, self-assurance, inner discipline, and a love of learning. Schedule a tour to learn more!

It’s Okay to Set Limits

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 11:00:01 GMT

As parents today we are bombarded with advice, ideas, suggestions, and rules on how to be the best parents we can be for our children. Some change is good; emerging research tells us more and more about human development and how our brains work, and making progress as a society is always a good thing. Still, it can be hard to weed through the good ideas and those with good intentions that don’t really serve us or our children.

Giving children choice is important. Respecting children as autonomous human beings is important. We should recognize that even though they are young, their lives are not ours to live. Their dreams are not ours to fulfill.

So, we give our kids choice. We let them make their own decisions. We honor their growing independence and understand that their ideas may sometimes (often) conflict with our own. And we try to be okay with that.

But should we let our children do whatever they want all the time? We would argue that no, that is a very different scenario. Giving choice is one thing, neglecting to set any boundaries is something altogether different.

What do children need?

In order for a child to strengthen their sense of independence they need to be able to make their own decisions, but they need to make these within a framework that feels safe. As kids learn and grow, they need to be able to take risks and make mistakes; after all, making mistakes is one way we learn. It is critical, however, that we keep give our children boundaries within which they are able to make choices.

As children grow and develop, it is critical that they form bonds with adults in their lives that are trusting and secure. Our kids really do test us sometimes; they push against the rules we set because they are seeking a sense of how strong our limits are and whether or not we mean what we say. Giving guidance and setting boundaries isn’t just okay, it’s critical to letting our children know we are here for them and care about their well being.

In short: kids need choice. They also need those choices to fall within limits that keep them safe, both physically and emotionally. When they’re younger, they need fewer choices and more limits. As they grow, we increase the choice and decrease the limits. This way, once they are fully mature adults, they have had plenty of time to practice making decisions prior to any expectation that they actually do so successfully on their own. Isn’t that what childhood is all about? Human children are able to experience a joyful period of time in which we get to practice becoming a responsible adult.

What does this look like in our classrooms?

Montessori classrooms are carefully prepared environments with built-in choices and limits. Some examples of how we achieve this balance:

Furniture is arranged so that children are free to move around, but most classrooms are devoid of large open areas that might encourage running in such a confined space. Those shelves are placed with intention!
Materials on the shelves are rotated frequently. Children may only access what is available to them. Materials that we do not want the children to have access to are kept stored away in a cabinet or closet.
The snack table might be just large enough for two chairs. We want children to eat and socialize when they choose, but we also know that if there is space for ten children to do so at once, the activity may become disruptive and lose its original intent.
Older children may utilize work plans. This enables them to determine the pace, order, and details of their work, but requires them to be accountable for completing all desired tasks within a specified amount of time. For example, a child may be asked to complete a range of math, reading, and biology work within a given timeframe, but there is plenty of choice in how they accomplish the goal.
Children in Montessori classrooms do not typically have to ask permission to use the restroom. Instead, we create structures so that they may do so safely whenever the need arises. Some schools have restrooms located within the classroom, others have hall passes available, or hold class meetings to discuss procedures with the children.

What might this look like in our homes?

If your family is new to Montessori, it can sometimes take a bit of time to shift ideas and expectations. Once you do, however, it’s hard to imagine doing things any other way. Some ideas to get you started:

Allow your children to make decisions about what they wear. For older babies and toddlers, this may be as simple as allowing them to choose between two different color shirts. For older children, you may just set guidelines, such as their clothing must be appropriate for the weather.
If you need your child to get a few things done, let them choose the order. For example, ask them if they would rather take a bath or make their lunch first. Be clear that your expectation is that they will do both, but that you value their opinion and want to let them help decide how to spend their time.
Define boundaries when your child is struggling with emotions. It’s great to let your child feel whatever they are feeling, but that doesn’t mean they should mistreat those around them when they are frustrated or angry. “I see that you are frustrated. It’s normal to feel that way but you may not scream in our house. Here are some other ways to express that feeling…”
Have frank and open discussions with your older children. Have you been feeling like they’re overdoing it with video games or staying out too late? Tell them what your concerns are, what your limits are, and solicit their ideas with solutions. Rather than implementing sudden new rules, engage your older children in problem solving talks until you come to a conclusion you can both live with.

We hope this post has been helpful and inspiring. In a world of permissive parenting and misunderstandings about what Montessori really means, it can be easy to get caught up in giving in to our children’s every desire. The good news is, you don’t have to. Our children look to us to be the adults in their lives. Each and every child deserves adults who love and respect them for who they are.

Our Gifts to Children

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 22:43:44 GMT

The brain of a young child works differently than the brain of an adult. Sensorial experiences shape children’s brains, forming neurological webs that last throughout their life.

The fact that our interactions with young people help shape their future selves opens up an incredible opportunity. Each experience can be a gift. Often the simplest moments can carry the most meaning.

During the rush of this season, we have the opportunity to slow down and really be present with the young children in our lives. By being open to the wonder and delight our children experience, we gain new perspective while also giving the best gift of all: our total attention.

This may mean taking a deep breath and momentarily turning off the chatter of the to-do list, squatting down to a child’s eye level, smiling, and just listening or seeing what they want to share. A helpful holiday mantra can be: Talk less. Listen more.

In addition to giving our full attention, whether for 20 seconds or 20 minutes, we can also offer to teach a young person a new skill. The key to these teaching moments is to focus on each distinct step so the skill is simple and attainable. Even very young children can be involved with tasks like setting the table, wrapping gifts, and tending to simple household maintenance. They appreciate being involved with routine activities and they want to contribute in a meaningful way.

Dr. Jane Healy, author of numerous books, including Your Child’s Growing Mind , reminds us that children need the opportunity to repeatedly practice activities that seem second nature to adults: “Self-help skills and household jobs are very important for the child to master–help your child, but encourage him to do it himself even if the job isn’t done exactly your way!”

When encouraging or supporting a child in trying a new skill or participating in a new task, be sure to take the child’s perspective into account. Showing how to do something is often the most effective and verbalized instructions can be kept to a minimum. In fact, it is best to not talk while showing something and to not show something while talking! This allows the child to focus on absorbing one kind of sensory input, thus keeping the information clear in their mind.

These kinds of ordered and clear experiences are key to a child’s development. “Impressions do not merely enter his mind; they form it,” explained Dr. Maria Montessori a physician turned educator who spent intensive time observing children, making scientific notes, and thus coming to an enlightened understanding of childhood development.

Dr. Montessori observed how children respond positively to organization, both in terms of expected routines and physical space. Current research, such as that comparing the HOME inventory (Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment) to longitudinal information collected in the Bayley Mental Development Inventory, shows that organized environments lead to higher intelligence scores.*

We all know that the holiday season throws our routines and even our physical settings a bit askew. With this in mind, children benefit greatly from adults in their lives maintaining a calm sense of order during this busy time.

In order to create a calm, ordered environment, we ourselves need to have balance and clarity in our own lives! Staying present in the moment, breathing deeply, and ultimately taking care of our own needs allows us to offer our best selves to the children around us.

What we offer to our children, in terms of our presence, special activities, or toys, can provide opportunities to aid their development. During this time of gift-giving, for example, we can provide objects that have an intelligent purpose and help children contribute in a meaningful way to the order around them. Child-sized, yet real, items are particularly valuable: cooking tools, building tools, yard tools, and even mops and brooms.

Children don’t stay young for long, and the early years are extremely formative. In her book, Understanding the Human Being: The Importance of the First Three Years of Life , Silvana Quattrocchi Montanaro explains the significance of a young child’s experiences: “Everything that comes from the environment is received, processed and stored in the brain cells with no effort using a form of unconscious absorption. This intense mental activity is always going on, even in prenatal life, and it characterizes ‘the absorbent mind’.”

For those interested in learning more about optimal environments for these “absorbent minds,” schedule a visit to our school. We can share more about setting up home environments that best support child development and show how our learning environments are specifically designed for neurological growth.

Knowing that the young children around us are absorbing everything about their surroundings, this season let’s give them our attention, meaningful ways to contribute to daily tasks, and a calm, ordered environment. As a result, we’re helping some remarkable young people as they develop into capable, caring young adults.

*For more information on this research, check out the book, Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius by Angeline Stoll Lillard.

The Stereognostic Sense

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 22:38:48 GMT

In Montessori toddler and primary classrooms, we offer specially designed materials to help young children refine their senses. In addition to the five senses—tactile (touch), visual (seeing), auditory (hearing), olfactory (smell), and gustatory (taste)—we also support children’s stereognostic sense.

What is the stereognostic sense?

The word stereognostic comes from the Greek words “stereo” which means “around” and “gnosis” which means “to know.” Having a stereognostic sense means being able to identify the shape and form of a three-dimensional object, and therefore its identity, through tactile manipulation without any visual or auditory input.

“They are very proud of seeing without eyes, holding out their hands and crying, ‘Here are my eyes!’ ‘I can see with my hands!’”
– Dr. Maria Montessori, The Montessori Method

Children develop a mental picture of an object through the use of touch and movement. This tactile and muscular experience allows them to recognize an object by feeling and palpating without seeing or hearing the object. Everything we touch helps form a memory.

Young children are absorbing everything, so the more experiences they have with objects and parts of their environment, the more accurate their perceptions will be. Thus, the combination of language (naming objects), the tactile experience, and muscular memory provides children with a more complete and precise understanding of the world.

Mystery (or Stereognostic) Bags

In our toddler and primary classrooms, we have special “mystery bags” or “stereognostic bags” to support the development of children’s stereognostic sense. These drawstring bags contain objects children have already encountered in their environment. We make sure children know the names of the objects, too.

The first bag we introduce has a set of four to six objects that belong to a classified group, such as kitchen utensils, art supplies, bathroom items, etc. These are real items that children have used in their lives.

The next bag has four to six general objects that are not grouped in any category (e.g. a comb, rock, sponge, funnel, cloth, etc.).

The third bag has three to four pairs of objects that are very different from each other.

The Experience

When we introduce each of these bags, we first show how to carry the bag and invite the child to take the bag to a table. We then carefully demonstrate how to open and close the bag and give the child a turn to try opening and closing. Next, we peek inside the bag and remove one item at a time, naming each object as we remove it from the bag and place it on the table. We also give the child a turn to feel each item. When all the objects are removed from the bag and lined up on the table, we name one and invite the child to place it in the bag. We repeat this until all the objects are back in the bag.

Then the fun begins! We explain that we are going to reach into the bag to find an item. Putting both hands into the bag (and without looking in the bag) we feel around and grasp an object. With some enthusiasm, we say the item’s name before we remove the item. Then we take the item out of the bag and show it to the child. Often the child watching takes great delight in the fact that we were able to name the object before seeing it. We repeat with the other items and then invite the child to try. When using the bag with the paired objects, the only difference is that we select one item, name it, remove it from the bag, and then try to feel for the matching item.

We regularly rotate the items in the bags so children have lots of opportunities to feel for what is in these “mystery bags”. Children find the experience to be absolutely delightful!

The best part is that when children try to recognize an object through touch alone, their brain receives the sensorial input and then forms a three-dimensional image that provides a more complete understanding and precise perception of the object.

“When the hand and arm are moved about an object, an impression of movement is added to that touch. Such an impression is attributed to a special, sixth sense, which is called a muscular sense, and which permits many impressions to be stored in a ‘muscular memory,’ which recalls movements that have been made.”
– Dr. Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child

The stereognostic bags are just one example of the many carefully designed materials we introduce in Montessori classrooms. We always love to have you come visit to see or experience these sensorial delights firsthand. Schedule a tour today!

The Origins of Language

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 01:32:20 GMT

Dr. Maria Montessori felt that in order to support children’s development of language, we first need to appreciate the evolution of language. In fact, the language today’s children use is a culmination of language evolution from the dawn of humans.

Languages have expanded and grown to match the complexity of our cultures. Because language is changing and evolving, children create their language as it exists in their environment. Although a child born thousands of years ago had no less potential for developing language than a child today, our languages have grown in fullness and complexity.

Evolution of Spoken Language

Although we don’t have any records documenting the beginning of spoken language, we can imagine that certain experiences or events drove humans to produce different sounds. Over time these utterances likely became internalized and came to represent an experience.

Language is necessary for humans to work together cooperatively. In his memoir, Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood, Trevor Noah relates his experience growing up in South Africa, where there are at least thirty-five indigenous languages, eleven of which are official languages. As someone who speaks seven different languages, Noah experienced first-hand how language can bridge divides: “Language, even more than color, defines who you are to people.”

Early humans developed language as a means of communication, but humans were isolated into small tribes or clans. Each group developed their own agreed upon communications. As populations increased and migration happened, communities came into contact. Some words got shared. Some new words were created. Etymology gives us the histories of the roots of words, and as such, historians can study the evolution of language and human migration through words and their roots.

The vocabulary of any language is related to the culture of that community. For instance, the Eskimo language has 27 different words for snow, while Hawaiians have no words for snow. Languages constantly evolve as new experiences emerge in our culture. Currently, we can see this in how words are added or removed from the dictionary. A couple of decades ago, for example, “Google” was not a verb!

Primitive spoken languages were primarily nouns interspersed with some adjectives, verbs, prepositions, and conjunctions. Primitive languages actually sounded a lot like how young children speak. As cultures evolved and became more complex, languages evolved their own vocabulary, grammar, and syntax.

Evolution of Written Language

At some point, humans also developed symbolic language as a way to record their thoughts. These records began as pictures, such as the cave paintings that date from over 30,000 years

ago. In the beginning, the pictures were realistic and over time became more symbolic, moving from pictograph alphabets to phonetic alphabets. With a phonetic alphabet containing a limited number of symbols, people could begin to create any word. The birth of the alphabet greatly simplified the writing system. As civilizations evolved, expanded, and became more sophisticated, the expansion of language in written form became more universal.

The roots of modern American English reflect the diversity of the culture. While the English language originated in Britain, the Romans added a Latin influence and the French Saxons and Anglos added their own influences. As colonists came to America from different countries, they brought their language to a place where the Native Americans had their own languages. All of these influences were incorporated into American English.

This diverse history of the language is what makes it complicated and full of exceptions. Some words retained their original spelling while others were adapted and modified. This varied origin story explains why we can have a sound represented in so many different ways. Just think about the sound “sh” which can be represented in: shock, sugar, emotion, charade, social, and tissue.

Once humans developed a writing system as a way of recording thoughts, another skill had to be acquired — reading. If writing is recording our thoughts, reading is interpreting the thoughts of others.

Development of Language

Just as the evolution of writing and reading happened with humans, there is just as much magic, mystery, and power that happens when each child learns to read. In our prepared environments, we offer children the keys to their language because we have a deep appreciation for the origins of language itself. By understanding the history of language, we can better appreciate what children are accomplishing when they acquire these skills.

Our exercises for language are not designed to teach language directly, but to offer support to children’s developing personalities. The method we use in our classrooms evolved from Dr. Montessori’s discoveries about how children learn. What resulted is a revolutionary method that is in harmony with the child’s developmental needs. Children can learn to write and read without even realizing that it is happening.

We welcome you to observe this development of language in action in our classrooms. Schedule a tour today !

Collaborative Problem Solving

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 01:27:06 GMT

So often, when we get really upset with our children, the first thing we want to do is solve the problem. Tell them what needs to happen. Take control. Sometimes even become a bit dictatorial!

In those times of frustration or anger, our rational thinking tends to take a back seat to our emotions. We forget what might be happening in our children’s internal (and sometimes external) lives. We rush ahead instead of taking the time to help guide our children.

Yet our children look to us for assistance and support. When our children are struggling, they need us to show compassion, patience, and empathy.

Changing Our Perspective

Dr. Ross Greene, a clinical psychologist and author of Raising Human Beings, among other publications, makes an impassioned plea on his website, Lives in the Balance , asking adults to recast how we think about challenging behavior. When children are behaving in challenging ways, Dr. Greene explains, it is “because they’re lacking the skills not to be challenging. If they had the skills, they wouldn’t be challenging.”

Dr. Greene also emphasizes two vital themes to better support our children. “Kids do well if they can,” he states, and, “Doing well is always preferable to not doing well.”

If we wholeheartedly embrace the fact that our children want to do well if they can, we can take what Dr. Greene calls a “dramatic departure from the view of challenging kids as attention-seeking, manipulative, coercive, limit-testing, and poorly motivated. It’s a completely different set of lenses, supported by research in the neurosciences over the past 30 to 40 years, and it has dramatic implications for how caregivers go about helping such kids.”

How can we help?

It’s worth noting that all children at some point demonstrate challenging behaviors. So how do we, as adults and caregivers, help children with these challenges?

The first step is to think about what difficulty a child is facing. The challenging behavior arises because of a difficulty. Listing specific difficulties helps us shift our thinking away from the behaviors that can cause us frustration.

Next, at a time when the behavior isn’t happening, we can find a time to connect and make sure it’s a good time to talk. At that point, we can state what we’ve observed: “I’ve noticed it’s been difficult for you to finish breakfast before we need to leave for school.”

The Empathy Step

Then (and this is key) we ask, “What’s up?” or “What’s going on?”

This statement of a non-judgmental observation, and then an invitation to share, initiates what Dr. Greene calls the Empathy Step. The Empathy Step is an information-gathering process in which we really try to understand the child’s perspective and experience. We listen without reacting and ask questions or reflect back answers in order to peel back the layers of what is really going on for the child in those moments of challenge.

During this time of reflective listening and questioning, it’s essential that our child is heard, really heard. All too often, we try to jump in too quickly with advice or solutions, without giving enough time and space for our young person to share valuable perspectives and insights. Just this process of listening can be incredibly healing.

Assuming our child has been able to share what’s really going on in those moments of challenge, we summarize what is distressing to them and share our own concern. For example, “I understand, and my concern is that I feel stressed and anxious when we are rushing to get out the door in the morning.” We then invite our child to work together with us to find a solution that can meet everyone’s needs.

Being Heard and Validated

When using this process with children, it’s often the case that we sometimes don’t even get to the last steps of stating a concern and initiating a collaborative problem-solving process. Sometimes it makes sense to listen to what our child has to share about what is going on and then let that really settle. Sometimes just the process of being heard is significant enough for shifts to occur for our child, as being heard helps them feel validated.

In those moments of frustration or upset, let’s try to slow ourselves down and remember that the child in front of us wants to do well. Our job can be to listen and empathize. And in doing so, we can support that young person in solving problems, learning new skills, and becoming a more whole human being.

Please schedule a tour to come visit our school and see how collaborative problem-solving works with children. We’ve found that it can also be helpful in our interactions with adults, too!

The Absorbent Mind

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 00:22:01 GMT

Unlike other species that are born with a predetermined set of behaviors, human babies are born with a set of potentials. When a child is born, we have no idea if they will be a master musician or a creative chef. It’s pretty amazing when we think about it! Children are constantly creating the skills they need to become contributing adults.

Dr. Maria Montessori observed children from a scientific lens and over time she concluded that this kind of creative work could only happen with a mind that was different from the conscious adult mind. She realized that children’s minds operate in a fundamentally different way. In The Absorbent Mind, Dr. Montessori states:

“The child has other powers than ours, and the creation he achieves is no small one; it is everything. Not only does he create his language, but he shapes the organs that enable him to frame the words. He has to make the physical basis of every moment, all the elements of our intellect, everything the human being is blessed with. This wonderful work is not the product of conscious intention.”

Well before brain scans, Dr. Montessori discovered so much about how children’s brains function and she termed this special mental functioning, the absorbent mind. Her book, The Absorbent Mind, was one of the last books she compiled.

The words Dr. Montessori used to describe the child’s absorbent mind were chosen deliberately. The word absorbent implies “taking in” and integrating into the whole. What is absorbed becomes a part of what is doing the absorbing. Children take in their experiences and impressions which become part of the structure and content of their brains.

The absorbent mind is a superpower of children from birth to around age six.

Because children under six are absorbing everything in their environment, our actions need to reflect what we expect. If we want children to sit at the table to eat, we need to sit at the table to eat. If we want children to talk with quiet, calm voices, we need to talk with quiet, calm voices. If we want children to carry one item at a time, using both hands, we need to do so, too. The key is to model this behavior at all times. Children are absorbing indiscriminately. We may not think they are looking, but they are taking it all in!

We can share an example of this from a Montessori classroom. Once upon a time, a tall toddler teacher would always squat down in front of the low shelves to select a material to show a child. After squatting down, she would pick up the item she wanted to show. Although all the toddlers were at the right height to easily take the item, the teacher noticed that they would walk to a shelf, squat down, and then pick up the material. Even though this movement was much more difficult for the toddlers, they had unconsciously absorbed the steps the teacher had demonstrated: walk to the shelf, squat down, and pick up what you want.

So in our Montessori environments, we are very careful with how we move and what we do. When the adults want a snack, we follow the same procedure as the children. We wash our hands, use a plate, and sit at the snack table. Doing what we expect the children to do also gives us a wonderful opportunity to see how the process can be improved. By having snack and cleaning up after ourselves, we can experience the process. Are the dustpans easy to access and in a place that makes sense? Do the spray bottles work well for spraying and wiping the table? What parts of the process feel cumbersome? What flows well?

We can also look at our school and home environments from our children’s perspective. Sometimes it helps to even kneel or sit on the floor and look at a room from a child’s height. What do they see? What stands out from their vantage point? Is the space welcoming and beautiful? What attracts attention?

Our young children’s brains are hardwired to effortlessly absorb what is around them. Because our children are full of potential, we want to provide them with the best! Let’s start by taking a look at ourselves and our children’s surroundings. As we think about our children’s absorbent minds, we can work to provide them with clear, consistent images as we move through our days.

If you would like to learn more, please schedule a tour . We love to share how we support children as they are discovering what is possible!

Transformations: Montessori & Stage Theory

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 00:17:56 GMT

Trees start out small and then generally keep their form as they get progressively bigger and stronger. Children, however, change so much as they develop. Think about the transformations that happen from a newborn baby to a running toddler to a nine-year-old playing soccer to an adolescent driving a car. They almost don’t even seem like the same being as when they began!

Prior to the mid-1800s, people considered human development to be linear. A child was considered to be like a young adult who just got older and bigger, like a tree. However, the study of psychology changed the way we look at human development. Psychologists began to realize that humans pass through a sequence of different stages at different ages. This understanding of development as a progression was termed Stage Theory.

Origins of Stage Theory

Stage theories were popular during the time that Dr. Maria Montessori was developing her pedagogy. Stage theories take development and break it down into characteristically distinct stages assigned to specific ages. The theory assumes that certain characteristics are going to be developed during each stage. Stage theory also postulates that because certain aspects of development are supposed to happen during a particular stage, there are some innate powers available to individuals during that time. Those innate powers help individuals acquire the developmental progress for that stage. Stage theories also imply that there is also going to be a sequence to development and that stages can’t be skipped. The outcomes of one stage become the foundation for the following stage.

Examples of Stage Theory

A number of Dr. Montessori’s predecessors, contemporaries, and students were likely influencing her work, and likely she was influencing theirs. Some key individuals include:

Jean-Jacque Rousseau, of Geneva, postulated a stage theory of development in his book, Emile (1762). Rousseau presented an idealized “natural man” who was uncorrupted by modern society. He also proposed a system of education formulated around a specific pedagogy for each stage of life and the particular characteristics of each stage of human development.

Sigmund Freud, of Austria, constructed a stage theory to describe the psychosexual development of humans. He described personality development as a series of stages and he believed that early childhood was the most important stage, with the individual’s personality being formed by about the age of five.

Erik Erikson, a German-American who also earned a Montessori certificate, proposed a theory describing eight distinct stages of development. He felt that how individuals face the challenge in each stage determined the outcome of the stage. He focused on the psychosocial aspects of humans.

Jean Piaget, of Switzerland, also developed a stage theory that described the psychosocial aspects of humans. Piaget proposed that children go through four stages of cognitive development.

Lawrence Kohlberg, an American, was likely influenced by Piaget but focused on moral reasoning and the stages of moral development.

Gail Sheehy, author and journalist, has documented stages of adult life and has written numerous books about stages, or what she calls passages (e.g. Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life) .

Montessori’s Model: Planes of Development

Dr. Montessori didn’t develop stage theory but used this construct to help her better understand human development. What is different about Montessori’s stage theory is that it doesn’t focus on a particular aspect of development. Rather her framework is holistic and incorporates physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development.

Dr. Montessori called her holistic stage theory the “planes of development.” Each plane is a distinct psychological learning period that spans about six years: birth to six, six to twelve, twelve to eighteen, and eighteen to twenty-four. Each plane is characterized by the physical and psychological changes that take place, as well as the environmental needs of each plane.

Dr. Montessori observed how the differences between each plane were so dramatic that the shift from one stage of development to the next was metamorphic. The same individual emerges from each plane, unrecognizable from the individual they were when they entered the previous plane.

Characteristics of the Planes of Development

Dr. Montessori passionately describes how education needs to follow these periods of development, so as to be sensitive to the rebirth that is happening for each individual.

“The child does not grow in a uniform way day by day, at the same rate. In growth there are crises, somewhat like the metamorphosis of the insects….In fact, it is the child himself who will be the guide of education.” – Dr. Maria Montessori , The Four Planes of Education

The metamorphosis that happens in different periods of growth demonstrates the unique needs, behaviors, and characteristics of children at different ages.

Since each developmental plane is distinct, it follows that the needs of individuals will also be distinct. Plus, at each stage children require different things from their environment. Furthermore, the successful completion of one phase sets individuals up for successful development in the next stage.

Dr. Montessori was an optimist and didn’t see this need for successful completion of each stage as being fatalistic. She thought that missed opportunities within a plane of development could be overcome with conscious effort and work. Granted, this development wouldn’t happen as easily as if happened at the right time, but Dr. Montessori thought that if individuals applied themselves and worked, they could overcome some of these obstacles. The work accomplished outside of an intended plane, however, would never be as fully integrated as if it had happened during its intended time.

Montessori’s Unique Approach

When Dr. Montessori developed her theory on the planes of development, she didn’t describe development in a culturally specific context or time. She described universal aspects of human development in all cultures.

Two other aspects set Montessori’s work apart from stage theory. One was that she focused on what is normal development for children rather than what is abnormal. Also, she not only articulated her theory of the planes of development but then went a step further and developed an educational approach that supported it.

In Montessori, everything we do for children–all of our methods, materials, and environments–is reflective of our understanding of the planes of development. We understand the needs of children in the different stages of their development and know we have a profound responsibility to support those needs.

We would love to have you schedule a tour to see how we create environments for the specific needs of children at each stage of their development!

Participation in Practical Matters

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 00:13:27 GMT

In our daily lives, we do so much to take maintain our surroundings, as well as care for ourselves and others. As adults, we take these activities for granted. Young children, however, yearn to participate in practical matters.

Everything we do to care for the environment, ourselves, and others make up what can be called “practical life” activities. In a Montessori home or school environment, practical life activities help children learn about cultural norms, while also helping them develop internal motivation, intellect, and body coordination.

Purposes of Practical Life

With this in mind, we can really think about how practical life activities have two purposes: one is external and one is internal. The first purpose is to help children engage in something meaningful and real. For example, washing a table leads to a clean table. The second aim is to help children develop their internal worth and sense of competency.

Practical life activities help children become psychologically and physically independent. By the time 24-year-olds begin life on their own, they should be able to provide for themselves, be responsible for their actions, plan for their future, and perhaps even help support others. The little things we do early in children’s lives set them up for later success.

As children engage in purposeful work, they develop a sense of being an important part of the family or community. By beginning to help take care of their personal needs, they also develop a sense of accomplishment.

In a Montessori environment, children have a place where practical life activities are carefully prepared and presented to support emerging independence. The sink is at children’s height. The faucet is easy to turn on and off. The soap container holds just enough soap to wash hands. Children can perform activities that were perhaps previously done for them.

Practicing Self-Care

The practice of self-care can begin early in children’s lives by approaching tasks with an attitude of collaboration. Even if a baby can’t do an action, they can have a sense of participating. We can invite this participation by saying things like, “I’m going to put on your shirt. Let’s put your arm through the sleeve.” As we allow for more and more collaboration, children’s active participation gradually increases. Opportunities for collaboration can be as simple as offering something in front of a child rather than actually putting it into their hands.

Caring for Surroundings

In addition to self-care, a Montessori environment provides numerous ways for children to care for their surroundings. In order for children to be successful in this process of caring for their surroundings, we thoughtfully prepare the environment. Child-sized materials give children an opportunity to participate successfully. Their work must be real work, rather than activities to just keep them busy. Plus, the impact on the environment needs to be clear. If the plants need water, then children can water the plants. If the floor is wet, children can mop the floor. If a table is dirty, children can wash the table. Through real and meaningful activities, children develop a strong sense of belonging within a community.

Supporting Practical Life at Home

Parents often ask how to support their children’s practical life work at home. One easy and meaningful strategy is to create routines that help children care for their surroundings. They can clean up toys at the end of the day, set the table for dinner, or put dirty clothes in the laundry basket. The preparation for these kinds of activities isn’t elaborate and merely requires carefully selected items or furniture: a basket in the laundry room for dirty clothes, a special shelf for toys, or a low drawer in the kitchen prepared with items for setting the table.

When thinking about how to create practical life activities, consider the following:

Will the activity help develop independence and coordination of movement?
Can it be done independently?
What skills are needed?
Will this activity allow repetition?
Is it culturally appropriate and necessary?
Is it beautiful?
Is the material child-sized?
Is it logical?
Is it safe?

With these guiding questions in mind, we can create simple yet purposeful ways for our children to learn how to care for themselves, those around them, and their surroundings. In the process, children observe what is essential and then make the activities their own. Plus, as they internalize the procedure, children start to realize how capable they are! They put their whole focus into their work and experience great satisfaction in completing the activity. Meaningful engagement in practical life activities allows children to develop a strong sense of belonging and ultimately flourish into their fullest selves.

During these summer days, take a look at where your children might be able to contribute to the daily rhythms of the household, or even take more ownership of their own routines for self-care. Children will begin to imitate adult actions, which leads to them performing tasks in their own unique ways.

Keep in mind that this process is not completely linear, as some days children need more support than on other days. At this point, we can offer loving assistance while still upholding a sense of their involvement: “I see your clothes are still on the floor. Let’s pick them up together.” We all can use a little help sometimes!

From infants to adolescents, our young people are quite capable and benefit greatly from participating in practical life activities. If you would like some inspiration for how children are involved in caring for themselves, their surroundings, and others, please contact us !

The Significance of Being on Time

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 00:09:04 GMT

As we start the school year, we want to connect about a really crucial part of Montessori learning environments and how it affects your child, as well as the community as a whole.

First, it helps to remember that we are constantly working to ensure the Montessori learning environment is supporting your child’s development. To do this most effectively, we observe. In our observations, we are looking at what is working for children (and what isn’t).

These observations may lead to some changes. For example, we might adjust the arrangement of the furniture so that there is a better flow of activity in the room. Or we might recognize how an individual child needs a little extra time to watch friends before starting any activity. Sometimes we might realize that, as adults, we are walking around too much and distracting the children, so we slow down and take a few moments to sit calmly.

While much of the Montessori learning environment depends upon observing so we can make modifications to what we do, there is one aspect that is really sacrosanct: the three-hour work cycle.

Three-Hour Work Cycles & the “Flow State”

Dr. Montessori was a scientist and the Montessori method of education was born from her observations of children and how to support their optimum development. She even graphed patterns of activity for individual children and classroom communities. In her scientific study, Dr. Montessori found that children need a block of uninterrupted time in order to go through a rhythm of focus and consolidation. Children two and a half and older need at least three hours to move through these cycles of concentration. Often children’s most growth and meaningful work happens toward the end of a three-hour block of time.

We can think about this in relation to our current-day understanding of what it means to get into a flow state. Sometimes people describe a flow state as “being in the zone.” It’s when we are so immersed in and focused on what we are doing that a sense of time and our surroundings disappear. This concept of flow has been most clearly articulated by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Csikszentmihalyi was a psychologist whose studies of happiness and creativity led to his articulation of flow – a highly focused mental state that is conducive to creativity and productivity. Interestingly enough, when Csikszentmihalyi’s grandchildren started going to a Montessori school, he saw how Montessori learning environments allowed young children to achieve this state of flow.

Why is this significant?

In order to get into their own state of flow, children in our learning communities need a three-hour chunk of time. We have designed our morning arrivals and routines so that children can benefit from an interrupted morning work cycle.

Part of the morning schedule involves children having enough time to greet their peers and go through their routines without being rushed before they enter the classroom environment. When children are ready and in the classroom, the guides can begin focusing on giving lesson presentations and generally supporting children as they start their day.

However, if children routinely arrive late at the beginning of the morning, the adults’ attention needs to be split between greeting those who arrive late and attending to the children who have started their important work of the day.

This is also hard on the children who arrive after their peers have settled into their morning. When children enter a space where everyone is already connected and engaged in work, it is hard for them to connect with classmates and even know where to begin. This is especially challenging for those who really need to establish a social connection at the beginning of their day. It’s a little like awkwardly coming late to a party and finding everyone else in already established social circles!

In addition, late arrivals can be challenging for the community as a whole. The children who were on time and working often find it distracting when friends and classmates arrive. They might even lose focus on what they were leaning because they feel compelled to greet their friends. However, once everyone has arrived, the community is really able to settle. The adults aren’t trying to help children transition into the classroom and friends aren’t getting distracted by who is coming through the door. After arrivals are over, a gentle hum often comes over the room.

A World of Difference

Children need time to transition. Some children are relatively quick, while others take over 15 minutes to get their items put away, shoes changed, and so forth.

It makes a world of difference when our community members arrive on the early side, so that transitions can happen when a guide is able to be present to greet children and so that we can have everyone in the classroom at the start of the day.

We know that mornings can be hard. Believe us, we know. If we were able to just extend the morning if people arrive late, we would! However, children get hungry for lunch, we want to have plenty of time outdoors, and we also need to leave time for children who need to rest. Thus, we rely upon on-time arrivals for the very important three-hour work cycle. Having that uninterrupted block of time is vital to a well-functioning classroom and to individual children’s development.

Thank You!

Thank you so much for being attentive to on-time arrivals, understanding why having the three-hour work cycle is so important, and considering how you can help. If you would like to meet and brainstorm about routines that can support on-time arrivals, we would be honored to get to strategize with you. When we can meet one-on-one with families to support morning routines, we often find some really creative, healthy, win-win options! It can take time to figure out what is most effective for each child and family. It’s a constantly evolving opportunity and we look forward to the collaboration. Please schedule a time to come in and connect .

Montessori Motivation

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 00:05:33 GMT

We are often amazed at the capabilities of Montessori children. They bounce home from school each day excited about their learning. As adults, they tend to be driven and innovative. How does one cultivate such an attitude toward the world? How might we guide our children to want to learn? To want to discover? To always pursue more without being told they must? The key lies in what type of motivation we utilize.

Rewards and Punishments

In most traditional education settings around the country teachers use systems of rewards and punishments to drive desired behaviors. Most of us grew up experiencing this type of system, and it can be easy as parents to occasionally rely on these tactics as well. These are extrinsic motivators, and they’re more common than you might think.

Rewards are positive and external. For example, a teacher might give a child a gold star sticker or a special stamp on their paper if a child does well. They may let children have extra playtime for following directions or a pizza party in exchange for getting their homework done. Rewards can take many other forms, too, including verbal praise or good grades on a report card.

Punishments include any negative external motivator. These include bad grades and removal of privileges, but sometimes include harsher examples.

Believe it or not, there are even more ways to impart subtle, nuanced external motivators. Any time we make a statement or even use a facial expression that conveys our own pleasure or displeasure with a behavior or action, we are utilizing external motivation. While these tactics may sometimes work in the short term, research shows they do little for long-term motivation success.

Intrinsic Motivation

Some forms of motivation don’t come from an outside source at all, but from within the individual. The good news is, children are born wanting to learn. We are curious beings and have the innate ability to work for our own joy.

Think of a time you accomplished something great. How did you feel afterward? Were you thinking about how others would perceive your accomplishment or were you satisfied with your work for its own sake? In Montessori schools, we often guide children to reflect on their own feelings after they complete a challenge. They may come to us, excitedly showing or retelling. We may be inclined to say, “Good job!”, but those types of statements are better off unsaid. If we reward a child with our approval, they will work to seek that approval in the future. If, instead, we ask a child how they feel about the work, or comment on something factual we notice, the drive will remain within them. We might say, “I noticed you kept trying even when that was challenging. How do you feel now that you completed it?” or “It seemed like you enjoyed that work. What will you do next?” These types of statements make it possible for us to acknowledge a child without placing our own judgements on their experiences.

Research suggests that while external rewards may work occasionally, intrinsic motivation is much more effective. In one study, preschoolers who loved to draw were divided into three groups: one was told they would receive a reward for drawing, one was told they would not, and a third received an unexpected reward afterward. Not surprisingly, the group that expected a reward drew for much less time and created less aesthetically appealing drawings. There was little difference between the other two groups, although they far outperformed the first. [ https://www.spring.org.uk/2009/10/how-rewards-can-backfire-and-reduce-motivation.php ]

Driving Forces in Academics

So how do Montessori teachers guide children to want to do their work? As we mentioned before, that’s the easy part. The desire to work is innate in children. Our job is to nurture and honor it. Even the terminology we use is intentional. Our youngest students aren’t asked to play during the morning cycle, but to work. We let them know we recognize what they’re doing is important. It’s work, and we are there to support them in doing that work.

As Montessorians we also believe that a beautiful environment full of enriching materials can serve to motivate children. We consider what the children before us need, and we carefully select and place appropriate materials on the shelves for them to discover.

Montessori materials are typically autodidactic. This means that the learner is able to self-correct their work while they are in the process of completing it. For example, a child placing wooden cylinders into holes will know they need to adjust their work if the final cylinder doesn’t fit into the final hole. These built-in corrections allow the child to work and learn directly from the materials without teacher input, essentially furthering the child’s independence and internal motivation.

Montessori guides are also adept at utilizing children’s interests to help them succeed in areas that challenge them. A child who is reluctant to read but loves dinosaurs may just need a basket of books about dinosaurs. A child who resists math but adores their friends may need to work cooperatively to find success. Knowing what sparks a child’s enthusiasm is the key to opening a whole world of academic content.

There are other structures built into the Montessori day that support intrinsic motivation. The three hour uninterrupted work cycle is one, as is allowing for ample student choice. The strategies allow children to select work that is meaningful to them, and to spend time really getting deep into that work. We allow them to fully explore their interests, which is where real creativity and lasting learning take place. Children feel empowered by their independence, and this in itself drives them to explore deeper learning.

When we teach children to follow their own instincts, even when it comes to learning, we are preparing them for a lifetime of success. School won’t just be a place they have to go and have information delivered to them; it becomes a place where they look forward to going so that they may discover the world for themselves.

5 Ways to Take Learning Outside

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 21:40:35 GMT

It’s that time of year again. The temperature is rising ever so slowly, the daylight is gracing us with its presence a bit more each day, and it feels like the world outside is waking up.

Spring does something amazing for us all.

While we believe in the importance of finding fun ways to be outside all year round, spring seems to pull us there without the need for any convincing.

Parents often ask us how they can support their child’s education at home. We don’t recommend going out and purchasing Montessori materials or recreating what goes on in the classroom environment. The home environment is an entirely different experience, which brings with it a set of unique joys and learning opportunities.

One great way to help children learn is to enrich something they are already doing. Without further ado here are our 5 tips to bring learning outside:

1. Exercise is Self Care and Practical Life

Montessori has a strong focus on practical life, and practical life really boils down to three critical elements: care of the self, care of others, and care of the environment. Considering the first of those three, we believe that spending time outside is one of the most important ways to care for ourselves.

Perhaps one of the most obvious benefits of being outside is the act of literally soaking up the sunshine. Sometimes we forget that being outside is literally necessary for our bodies to create the vitamin D we all need. Many studies have also shown that spending time outside in green spaces has positive effects on our mood.

Another amazing benefit of being outside? Exercise. Children’s outdoor play enables them to joyfully move their bodies, keeping themselves healthy while having fun. When we encourage our kids to play outside, we’re supporting their healthy development – both physically and mentally.

2. Bring On the Botany

A major portion of your child’s Montessori science curriculum focuses on biology, and it all starts with plants. There are two ways you might approach supporting this work at home (or maybe you’ll even want to tackle both): exploring the natural plant life that lives in your area, or gardening.

One way to start is to go to your local library and check out some books. Look for titles that focus on plants, their life cycles, or how they interact with their environments. It might be helpful to borrow titles that reflect your own local ecosystem. Read these together at home, then go out for a walk and see what your child notices. Find a local trail, pack a few snacks and a water bottle, and see where the day takes you.

As for gardening, some families choose to keep it small, while others go big. It doesn’t really matter; whatever works for you will help enrich your child’s understanding. Gardening can be simple: Pick up a tomato plant from your local garden center and keep it on your porch. Have your child help water and care for it. They will naturally observe the changes in the plant as it grows and take great delight in the moment they first see a green tomato emerge from where there was once a flower.

Another simple way to try gardening? Purchase one or two small pots (or use whatever containers you have on hand) and plant some seeds. You can pick up some packets of herb or flower seeds just about anywhere this time of year, or you could even use seeds from inside fruit you eat at home. Plant a few with your child, care for them together, and wait for the tiny plant to emerge.

3. Animals Are Everywhere!

Studying animals is a lot like studying plants. Obviously there are countless differences between the two, but our approach is similar.

For younger (and even older) children, books are the perfect place to start. We love to read about animal migrations, adaptations, life cycles, and how they interact with one another and their environments. Field guides are valuable resources as well. One fun idea is to place a bird feeder outside a window of your home and leave a bird field guide available for your child on the windowsill. Elementary-aged children will especially enjoy looking up different species and learning about them in real-time.

For older children and adolescents, try using an app like Seek. This allows them to tap into their love for technology and devices, while finding ways to pull them outside more and learn about various organisms while they’re at it. The app is simple: users point the phone’s camera at a living thing, and recognition software identifies it for them, as well as gives basic information about the plant or animal. Kids can snap photos of their finds and make a game out of tracking their findings in the app as well.

4. Math On the Go

While the great outdoors very obviously lends itself to scientific areas of study, even math is more fun when you’re not sitting at a desk.

Try this: grab some sidewalk chalk and make a hopscotch-style game with numbers in each square. Kids can jump from square to square and skip count or recite their math facts. Since repetition is one of the keys to memorizing math facts, any small way we can utilize to make this practice fun is absolutely worthwhile.

With young children who love to collect small objects (rocks, pinecones, acorns, etc.), you can help them count or group their findings.

As children get older, walks and hikes might incorporate discussions and observations of metrics such weather, distance, and time.

5. Literature en Plein Air

We saved the simplest for last. Grab a blanket and some books. Go outside and find a sunny (or shady) spot. Sit, relax, and soak up that warm, fresh air while you and your child read together.

Have you found any other fun ways to bring learning outside? We always love to hear your experiences, and it helps us find new ways to support other families. Enjoy!

Practical Life for Older Children and Teens

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 01:10:57 GMT

When people think about Montessori schools, some of the most prominent materials that come to mind are the beautiful practical life opportunities in our primary environments. There are small wooden trays with pouring and transferring works. There are whole lessons dedicated to the arrangement of flowers. The children prepare their own snacks and wash their own dishes. They use special frames that teach them to tie, buckle, and snap.

Those practical life materials at the primary level are so important. They are also very visible, because they take on the form of a standard material on a shelf, so it can sometimes appear that practical life is a part of our education for children up to age six, but not after.

What happens when children reach the elementary years and beyond?

The work of practical life does not stop, nor does it become any less important. It does, however, take on different forms and blend into the rest of the program somewhat. The following skills are critical steps toward becoming an independent adult; we ensure to present them when the child is ready. Is learning to tie one’s shoes any more or less important than learning to balance a budget? Of course not. Both are necessary but are best presented at different times in our lives.

The following are just a sample of some of the practical life skills taught to our older students. Often embedded into the curriculum, they still help kids reach independence milestones.

Time Management

No one is born knowing how to manage their time. First, it takes a good sense of time as well as the ability to set goals and follow directions. Once a person has those basic skills mastered, they can gather tools to help them meet their goals within a set time.
In our elementary classrooms, this often begins with a work plan. Work plans can take on many forms, but at its most basic, the plan sets forth a list of tasks that are to be completed over the course of the day or week. Students have some choice in regards to the order they will complete the tasks and how they will go about doing so, but the expectation is set.
Do children take their work plans and successfully complete them all the time? Absolutely not, but that’s where the time management learning comes in. Let’s assume a child is getting their language work done each day all week, but on Friday it becomes obvious that they have not done much in the way of math. This happens – frequently – and our guides make sure to work with students (rather than dictate to them) to find ways to resolve the issue.
When a guide notices a pattern of unfinished work, they will sit down and meet with the student. These meetings are not punitive. The child understands this as the culture in the classroom has been set. The guide might ask the child why they think the math work isn’t getting done. Is it too challenging? Is it too easy? Is it just something they don’t particularly enjoy? What does the child need to make sure it gets done?
Sometimes a child will be able to reflect and suggest a solution. Other times, they might need some ideas from the adult. They may need a refresher lesson, or to be challenged a bit more. They may need to commit to doing their math first every day just to make sure they don’t avoid it. Regardless of the course of action, time management is a constant and fluid area of work for all students as they age, and will serve them well in adulthood.

Development of Social Skills

Learning how to engage with others isn’t always easy. During the lower elementary years, children are transitioning from enjoying mostly parallel play in their primary classrooms, to developing deeper friendships for the first time. It’s only natural that conflict will arise. As children age and go through the upper elementary and adolescent years, puberty and a developing sense of self and individuality creates more opportunities to relate to peers in new ways.
One of the most wonderful gifts of the Montessori classroom is the blocks of flexible time. Many schools have blocks dedicated to specific subjects, and these time periods are rigid and centered on whole-group lessons. In a Montessori environment, where there is more flexibility, it’s simple to call a class meeting whenever it’s needed. If the children come inside from recess, for example, and there has been a conflict – there’s no need to jump right into that planned science demonstration. It can wait.
Class meetings are a great way to help children resolve conflicts. Our guides manage to create problem solving structures without pointing fingers at individuals. Rather, they ask students to generate solutions. This approach empowers children, normalizes conflict, and lets them practice a wide variety of strategies even when they’re not the ones experiencing the conflict.
Of course, a class meeting isn’t always the solution when emotions are running high. Most classroom environments have a dedicated space a child can choose to go to cool down; all classes ensure the individual’s needs are met. Sometimes this entails a micro mediation session, allowing everyone’s thoughts and feelings to be heard and acknowledged.

Self Care

Self care is a never-ending process, and really consists of a series of daily and other regular and periodical practices. Once children reach the elementary years, they have mastered many of the basics, but they are ready to start learning more nuanced and progressively more difficult skills.
Nutrition is something we never stop teaching our students, regardless of their age. Food preparation is part of this, but it does take on new forms as children age. Every classroom has different ways of incorporating food prep and nutrition education. Some create special snacks together for birthdays, others explore cultural cuisines from around the world. Children continue to hold autonomy in making choices about their own food needs; they decide when to eat snacks, but are responsible for doing so within certain parameters (such as how many children may use the snack table at a time, cleaning up procedures, etc.).
Physical activity and exercise continue to be important throughout our lives as well, and healthy habits built early make a difference. Some classes take walks together, others explore yoga. The possibilities are endless, but the goal is the same.
Lastly, stress management is introduced. Stress and frustration are a normal part of life, but there are things we can do to manage their intensity, frequency, and our reactions to them. Children may learn a wide range of techniques in the classroom, including breathing strategies, meditation, mindfulness, and more.

Entrepreneurship

When children reach adolescence, the Montessori curriculum centers on creating a microeconomy. Traditionally students work on a farm and do everything needed to sell what they produce. Some Montessori schools still operate this way, while others have found creative, modern ways to achieve the same goals. One popular alternative, for example, is to run a weekly or monthly coffee shop.
Students at this level are responsible for all aspects of the business, with their guide there for modeling and support. They make phone calls, order supplies, make connections with other community organizations, create and balance budgets, manage marketing, and learn about customer services.

Remember that while practical life work is critical for the primary years, it is certainly not the end. This work continues for our students into adolescence. Want to learn more? Contact us to have a conversation about Montessori education or to schedule a visit.

Material Highlight: Dressing Frames

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 01:10:37 GMT

So much of what we do in our Montessori environments is with the goal of the child’s independence in mind. They may need our support sometimes, but children are capable of much more than many people realize.

Each of our environments has ways of implementing practical life skills and practice activities that are developmentally appropriate and engaging for the children that will use them. While children of all ages benefit from practical life work, it tends to be the most obvious and discussed in the primary classroom. This is likely because between the ages of three and six, children are achieving physical autonomy for the first times in their lives. Their days revolve around finding ways to be physically independent from the adults in their lives.

What could be more empowering to the primary child than being able to dress themselves?

Enter: the dressing frames. Simply put, this series of materials was created so that the child is able to practice a wide variety of closure methods that they will encounter on all different types of clothing.

It all begins with a tall, narrow, wooden stand. This stand was developed to store and display twelve separate wooden frames in a way that is accessible to the children without taking up excessive floor space in the classroom. This four-sided tower has enough space for three frames on each side.

Each frame is made of wood with fabric attached to create a surface. On each frame two separate pieces of fabric meet in the center with various types of fasteners for the child to learn about and use.

These include:

Small buttons
Large buttons
Bow tying
Lacing (pictured in the photo above)
Hook and eye
Safety pins
Snapping
Zipping
Buckling
Side-release buckling
Shoe lacing
Hook and loop

When the child first begins using these materials, the guide will give a lesson just as they would with other academic materials. Montessori lessons are very methodical and deliberate, and they include lots of modeling each step of processes.

The guide begins by inviting the child to join them for a lesson. The pair walks over to the wooden stand, and the guide tells the child what the material is called and selects the first (small button) frame. They continue on to sit at a table with the frame in front of them. After letting the student know what the lesson will be about, the two continue in silence. The guide demonstrates how to hold a button carefully between two fingers while pulling the fabric taught with the other hand. They slowly insert a portion of the button into the hole and demonstrate how to carefully pull it all the way through. This continues with each button as the guide works their way down the frame.

Part of any work in a Montessori classroom is leaving the material ready for the next user, so the guide then demonstrates how to undo each button from its hole. At this point, the child is very likely eager to have a turn of their own, and the teacher slides the frame over in front of them. The guide will remain for a moment to observe, but if the child appears to be working without needing assistance, the adults will let the child continue. If assistance is needed, the adult is there to model again.

The child will continue to work with the small button frame periodically until they have mastered it. Depending upon the child and their individual development, this could take hours, days, weeks, or months. Whenever they are ready, the guide will help them by giving a lesson for the next frame in the series. These steps continue until the child has had an opportunity to master all twelve frames, and therefore is prepared to fasten and unfasten a variety of their own clothing.

Being able to dress oneself is a huge step in independence. The frames may seem so simple to us as adults, but to the child, they are a key to becoming their own individual. We are so lucky to be able to aid them on that journey.

Montessori and Peace Education

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 17:32:38 GMT

Our world is often a tumultuous and scary place. How can we help our children feel safe and cared for, while preparing them to lead the way as adults? How can we cultivate empathy, kindness, gratitude, and the sense of community that helps people work together?

Montessori education has been addressing these issues for over a hundred years. Sometimes the lessons are direct; at other times they are more subtle. The mission is always clear: we want children to have a wide view of the world. We want them to appreciate the diversity of others. We want them to have the tools to navigate this world peacefully.

How do we approach this critical task?

Montessori schools teach peace both directly and indirectly. Sure, we talk about peace and its importance openly and frequently. We talk about what it means and what it looks like and what children can do to become peacekeepers. But, perhaps more importantly, we model. Through our words, the tone of our voices, and with our actions, we show children what it means to be peaceful. They watch our everyday actions and learn so much from them, so why not create constant learning opportunities?

Teaching a Global Perspective

Even from a very young age, Montessori children are taught geography through the lense of the whole world. They learn about the continents when they are as young as three years old. These studies often include learning about biomes, instead of an emphasis on political boundaries. Teaching about the world in this way gives children a sense of the natural world and people as a whole as primary to different countries.

Elementary aged Montessori children enjoy many lessons with timelines. They learn about the origins of humanity, and studying ancient cultures is fascinating for them.

Embracing a Variety of Cultures

One important series of lessons in the elementary years teaches the fundamental needs of humans. Children explore how groups of people around the world and across the ages meet and have met their needs. Physical needs, such as food, shelter, defense, and transportation are considered, as well as spiritual needs like art and religion.

Giving Them Tools

Montessori teachers are equipped to give children skills to resolve conflicts. We give children tools such as micro-mediation, and give them the words and actions to express their needs and feelings while listening to those of others.

In Montessori classrooms, children often learn a variety of self-calming strategies. This might include mindfulness meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, or the use of small hand-held tools such as a finger labyrinth or polished stone.

Taking the Time

In Montessori classrooms the day is not structured with rigid timed intervals. For example, there is no predetermined time for math, reading, etc. This flexible schedule lends itself to shifting courses and having discussions in the moment.

For example, if a group of children are experiencing difficulty resolving a problem together, the teacher is able to stop and sit with them. Without feeling rushed, they can take the time to figure out what went wrong and how to make it right. Instead of an adult doling out consequences, we have the time to sit and work through conflict authentically.

Giving to the Community

As Montessori children get older, they are encouraged to give back to their community. These acts of charity will often be inspired by the children’s ideas. Children may collect food and supplies for a local animal shelter, read stories and sing songs to residents of a nursing home, or make and sell baked goods to benefit a cause they believe in.

By supporting children with logistics, we can encourage them to learn how to be active and supportive members of their communities at a young age. They learn the importance of volunteering and contribution to others.

Giving back is just one way a child begins their active role as a peaceful member.

Materials Spotlight: Racks and Tubes

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 00:39:00 GMT

Racks and Tubes, The Test Tubes – they may go by different names, but they’re all the same: a gloriously detailed Montessori division material. Introduced to the child somewhere around the end of lower elementary or beginning of upper elementary, the tiny parts are appealing. Adults who have had an opportunity to see the Racks and Tubes used are usually delighted by the way this physical material is able to help children understand more deeply how numbers are manipulated during division.

This is something so much more than when we learned with paper and pencil. Of course, that is taught simultaneously, but having the material makes everything make more sense.

The Material

A whole lot more complicated than math materials the child has previously used, there are many components, including:

Seven test tube racks.
Three of the racks are white: the tubes in one contain green beads (units/ones), another has tubes filled with blue beads (tens), and the last is filled with red beads (hundreds). This pattern is repeated with three gray racks and tubes filled with beads (thousands, ten thousands, hundred thousands). The final rack is black, and its green beads represent millions.
Seven bowls with external colors to match the racks and internal colors to match the beads.
Three wooden frames, each with 81 holes in which beads may be placed.

The color scheme of green, blue, and red being representative of units, tens, and hundreds is repeated throughout many Montessori materials. The child will have already seen this when using the stamp game, bead frame, and checkerboard materials.

Setting Up

As an example, we will refer to the division problem 9,764/4=2,441. We begin by laying out the green board. The other boards will not be used for this problem, because the divisor (4) is only one digit. Larger problems require more boards (more on that later).

To represent the divisor, we will take out four green skittles and set them into place at the top of the board.

The first four racks are all we will need for this problem, so we will take those out along with their corresponding cups.

To make 9,764 we place the correct amount of beads in the appropriate cups: 4 unit beads in the unit cup, 6 ten beads in the ten cup, 7 hundred beads in the hundred cup, and nine thousand beads in the thousand cup. The cups are then lined up neatly above the board.

At this stage in their mathematical development, students are expected to record their work in their notebooks consistently, so you would notice the child writing the problem down and filling in the answer as they go.

One Divisor

To begin solving the problem, it’s all about even and fair distribution. Starting with the thousand cup, beads will be placed beneath each skittle, one at a time, until all the beads are used up. The only catch is, the distribution cannot have any remainders (until we get to the last step with the units). This means that beneath each of the four skittles there will be two beads, with one left over.

By now, the child will be fairly proficient in exchanging across place values. They will know that one thousand is equal to ten hundreds, so the lone thousand bead will go back in its tube and ten red hundred beads will be added to the hundred cup.

The distribution continues with the hundred beads. After careful placement of each bead, there will be four underneath each skittle, with one leftover. This one hundred bead will be exchanged for ten ten beads. This means there will now be 16 blue ten beads in the cup, which distributes evenly. The last step leads the child to distribute just four green unit beads, with one under each skittle.

The answer to a division problem is always what is found in one of the equal and fair groups, or what the child can count up underneath one of the skittles. In this case: 2 thousands, 4 hundreds, 4 thousands, and 1 unit, giving them the answer 2,441.

Long Division

When it comes to long division and completing more complicated problems with larger divisors, the racks and tubes are both elegantly and downright complicated. Reading a step-by-step description is not nearly as exciting (or clarifying) as seeing one completed in person. We strongly encourage you to observe this material being used in our elementary environment when you’re able.

In the meantime, we can give you the gist. Let’s say we are dividing 71,326 by 304. We would lay out the green, blue, and red boards (because there is a three-digit divisor). Three skittles would be placed at the top of the hundred board, zero would be placed on the ten board, and four would be placed on the unit board.

Beads to correspond with 71,326 would be distributed into their corresponding cups.

To begin distribution, the ten thousand cup would be placed above the hundred board, the thousand cup above the ten board, and the hundred cup above the unit board. One at a time, beads would be distributed across the skittles on all three boards. The student stops when they can no longer continue fair and even distribution.

Here, the child would pause and note how many hundred beads are beneath one of the unit skittles. This number is recorded on their paper, as it is part of the final answer.

The problem continues with cups sliding to new spots and beads being exchanged as needed. The distribution continues until the problem is complete.

This may all sound horribly tedious to an adult reading about it, but we can promise you it’s absolutely thrilling to the child who is discovering these number processes for the first time. We can also reiterate the fact that by using their hand to manipulate physical materials, the child is giving their brain visual scaffolding in which to solidify their understanding of division.

As we mentioned above, the very best way to see the magic of this special material is to watch it being used in person. We know that’s not always possible, but when you do have an opportunity we think you’ll be just as amazed as we were the first time we saw it.

Questions? Want to learn more about the Montessori approach to math? Contact us any time – we love to chat about our methods!

Independence and the Montessori Child

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 11:00:00 GMT

“Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.” -Maria Montessori

You may already know that Montessori educators value and encourage independence in even their youngest students. Why is it so important? We believe that nurturing this valuable character trait is both empowering and necessary.

Benefits of Cultivating Independence

In short, giving a child the gift of independence lets them know we value them and know they’re capable. Children can grow up feeling empowered and safe in their abilities to make sound choices. When we trust them, they learn to trust themselves, ultimately becoming happy and productive members of their communities.

Of course, this looks different at different ages. Children birth to age six want to do things by themselves, while elementary aged children want to think for themselves. Adolescents seek both physical and social independence while they tread the waters between childhood and adulthood. It’s important to remind ourselves of these developmental stages, both as teachers and parents.

What Independence Means at School

In the earliest years at school, children focus on what we refer to as practical life skills. This may include learning to prepare simple snacks, putting on their own shoes or coats, or caring for classroom plants and animals. Children are given endless opportunities to practice these skills.

Another facet of independence at a Montessori school involves choice within limits. Children are able to decide what work they are interested in. Teachers carefully prepare the classroom environment so that all choices are safe and desirable, but within those boundaries the child is free to explore.

As children get older (the elementary years and beyond), they must meet certain academic expectations. Teachers use a variety of tools to help students work independently while still meeting their goals, including work plans and time management strategies. Research becomes of great interest at this time, and children are given ample opportunity to deeply explore topics they choose.

How Parents Can Support This Work at Home

How can families continue the cultivation of independence in the home? It all starts with a shift in the way we view our children’s capabilities. They are often able to do much more than we realize, and with a little bit of modeling they tend to eagerly accept a challenge. After all, our children want to do what we do, and if we give them the proper tools and support, they can begin practicing.

The chart below highlights some of the possibilities. Think of this as an inspiring guide that highlights what children of various ages are typically capable of. Giving our children tasks such as these builds their confidence while helping them learn how to be contributing members of a community – in this case, their family.

Looking Forward

One of the easiest ways to encourage independence in our children is to be more aware in the moment. Though it can be a challenge to slow down and let them move at their pace (like when they insist on zipping up their own coat while we’re rushing out the door to get to work), it’s going to benefit them in the long run. Building a little extra time into our schedules can help! Some little changes we can make to embed this value into our days:

Montessori reminds us that supporting independence is a conquest that does not end, though it most definitely evolves.

“Independence is not a static condition; it is a continuous conquest, and in order to reach not only freedom, but also strength, and the perfecting on one’s powers, it is necessary to follow this path of unremitting toil.” -Maria Montessori

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Kindergarten: The Icing On the Cake

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 12:00:00 GMT

This post is for the primary families (although the families of older students who read it will readily agree and support the points below – ask them when you have a chance!). Some of you were originally drawn to Montessori because you’ve read about how different and special the approach is. Some of you were looking for a high-quality daycare or preschool and stumbled upon us.

There are a plethora of reasons families choose to send their children to Montessori schools. The vast majority of those families are thrilled with their decision once they see how their child is nurtured, encouraged, and celebrated in our environments.

Something interesting tends to happen sometime around when the child approaches kindergarten and first grade.

Families feel the pull of traditional schooling. They begin to worry that the differences that make Montessori so wonderful just won’t cut it when it comes to preparing their older child for life. They may have excellent public school options available to them.

It can be hard to go against what you did as a child, or what your family or friends are doing for their children. And we fully recognize that the decision is incredibly personal.

What we can tell you is that many families who choose to leave Montessori before their child enters kindergarten end up returning.

We can also tell you the three-year cycles in our environments are intentional, and there are some great reasons to give your child the gift of that third year.

Feeling on the fence? Hopefully we can help clarify some of the reasons we think kids do best when they have the opportunity to complete their primary cycle.

Mastery of Skills

The third year in a primary classroom is a chance for students to really shine academically. Everything they have been working on comes full circle and their understanding of concepts solidifies in a way it couldn’t have until now.

Much of what we teach in the earlier years of our primary environments is indirect and direct preparation for the lessons our third years receive and the materials they work with.

Not only are our kindergarten children understanding concepts in new ways, but they can actually demonstrate this knowledge. Educators from all backgrounds will agree that when a person is able to teach someone a skill, they have themselves demonstrated mastery of the skill. Our classrooms are designed so that older students help to teach younger ones. This teaching serves multiple purposes, one of which is to demonstrate their own understanding.

One of the many benefits of the multi-age classroom, our kindergarteners really enjoy taking on the role of giving lessons to their younger peers.

Opportunities for Leadership

Teaching lessons to younger children isn’t just about academic mastery; it’s also a chance for kids to experience leadership.

We believe that solid leadership isn’t really about power. It’s about allowing those with experience to take on a role of guiding others with less experience. So much of this type of leadership is done by modeling, and our kindergartners serve as the very best models for our younger students.

When your child first entered the classroom, they went through a period in which they needed to figure out expectations, routines, and so much more. Children need to learn how to be independent, how to interact with one another and adults, how to care for the environment, and so on. As adults who guide the children, we model and verbalize what children need to learn, but we are wise enough to recognize that they learn more from watching their peers.

Older children relish in this opportunity. It feels good to know that you are helping someone else. It feels good to acknowledge how far you have come, and how you are now able to guide others along their own path. Our third years know about this role because we discuss it with them often. By the time they step into it, they are more than prepared.

Continued Respect for Individuality

You already know that Montessori schools respect each child’s individual path, and that we believe even young people deserve to be treated with dignity. There are many ways in which we differ from conventional institutions, but some that we think are important to highlight are:

Advanced Academic Expectations

Parents in our community often recognize that our curriculum tends to exceed the scope of what is taught elsewhere. We do not push children to learn what is beyond their capabilities, we just know that children are capable of more than most people realize. When given the opportunity, they can amaze us all.

We honor the fact that every single child develops at their own rate, and there is no set time for various skills to be mastered. It is not uncommon, however, for Montessori students to:

Deep-Dives Into Areas of Personal Interest

One of the best parts of being in a Montessori classroom is being allowed the time to explore one’s own interests. Because of the flexible nature of the day, kids can practice various skills while learning about what creates a spark for them.

Are they into dinosaurs? We provide books, paper, and art supplies for them to write about and draw diagrams of these ancient creatures.

Are they proud of their family’s culture and heritage? We make space for children and families to give presentations and share their traditions.

Do they dream about being a vet as an adult? Older children may be given more responsibilities to care for class pets, and they often find creative ways to connect the zoology curriculum to the animals they know and love in real life.

In a Montessori classroom, the possibilities really are endless. The experience is unlike anything that can be found in other educational settings, and each year we can give our children a Montessori education is a gift.

Still have questions? Want to connect with parents of older children at the school to ask questions? Please don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know how we can support you and your child.

The post Kindergarten: The Icing On the Cake appeared first on Crabapple Montessori School .

Montessori, Imagination, and Cosmic Education

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 12:00:00 GMT

In honor of the glorious second plane of development, a beautiful time when children aged 6-12 are learning about themselves and their universe, we thought it might be nice to take a deep dive into the Montessori perspective. Dr. Montessori wrote and spoke quite a bit about her thoughts and findings regarding elementary-aged children, and it can be helpful to look at her work and how it translates into what we do in our classrooms today.

The second plane of development is characterized by many stark differences from the first, including an increased need for peer socialization, a deep sense of fairness and justice, spurts of physical growth, and so much more. It’s also a time when the child’s imagination is highly developed, so it only makes sense to utilize this characteristic when considering the child’s academic needs.

There tends to be a lot of confusion regarding Montessori and imagination; we hope to bring some clarity. All quotes in this article are from To Educate the Human Potential by Maria Montessori, from The Montessori Series, 2007.

A Shift At Six

If you observe in a Montessori primary environment, then walk down the hall to observe in a lower elementary environment, you’ll notice stark differences. It’s no accident that your first grader is taught in a very different manner than they were when they were in kindergarten.

Sometime right around age six, the child undergoes a transformation. We know development is not exact, and there are absolutely variations between individuals. It is important, however, to recognize patterns and characteristics that have shown themselves to be developmental markers in most children at certain times in their lives. This helps us as parents and educators to better understand their needs and appropriately adjust our approach and expectations.

Children between the ages of six and twelve are intensely curious about the world around them. They are bursting with questions, and eager to soak up as much as they can in regard to subjects such as science, history, and geography. So we meet them where they are.

“Knowledge can be best given where there is eagerness to learn, so this is the period when the seed of everything can be sown, the child’s mind being a fertile field, ready to receive what will germinate into culture.” (p. 3)

Throughout the elementary years, we provide the child with an education that includes in-depth studies of biology, the earth, the universe, the evolution of living things, early humans, and ancient civilizations. These are exactly the types of subjects children want to learn about at this age, so it’s best we take full advantage of this window of opportunity.

“Since it has been seen to be necessary to give so much to the child, let us give him a vision of the whole universe. The universe is an imposing reality, and an answer to all questions.” (p. 5)

Imagination and Intelligence

There is a general philosophy among Montessori educators that the concrete precedes the abstract. This is why during the earlier years of education, we provide extensive access to learning materials for the child to manipulate with their hands, but as they get older (particularly in later elementary and middle school), they shift away from materials and work more without.

Still, it’s important to remember that if the experience of learning with their hands comes first, the later, abstract learning becomes deeper and leads to greater comprehension (and interest!).

“Children show a great attachment to the abstract subjects when they arrive at them through manual activity.” (p. 9)

We know that children need to experience the concrete first to truly master content later. But when a child gets older, they are far more interested in using their imaginations. So why not put this to good use? Why not feed their imaginations the truths about their universe? Please note – imagination and fantasy are not the same thing. The latter is where we make room for dragons and mermaids, while the former is the ability to picture an idea in your mind, to synthesize previous concepts and visualize new ones.

“The secret of good teaching is to regard the child’s intelligence as a fertile field in which the seeds may be sown, to grow under the heat of flaming imagination. Our aim therefore is not merely to make the child understand, and still less to force him to memorize, but to touch his imagination as to enthuse him to his inmost core.” (p. 11)

Giving Them the World (and the Universe)

One of the very first, and central, lessons of the elementary years in a Montessori environment is an introduction to the universe. This begins with the first of five Great Lessons – The Beginning/The Coming of the Universe.

The Great Lessons are designed to be big, dramatic, impressionistic introductions to a broad topic. They spark the child’s wonder and curiosity, and they lend themselves to branching off into a myriad of directions, so that when the child receives the lesson each year during the cycle, they not only glean new information from it as they age, but the follow-study is always fresh and exciting.

This first great lesson begins with the children entering a darkened, prepared classroom. There may be soft music playing, and they take a seat with the youngest students in the front facing the guide, and older students in the back.

Once the children are situated, the guide launches into a storytelling that begins with a time when everything was so dark and cold, we couldn’t possibly compare it to our experiences on Earth today. In one moment, there was a great flaring forth! The guide will have been gently waving a black balloon back and forth as they spoke; they now pierce it and as it bursts, glitter and confetti fly everywhere. Thus, an introduction to the Big Bang.

The lesson goes on to cover the beginnings of the earliest particles, how they formed elements, the beginning of light, the three states of matter found on Earth, the vast magnitude of stars, the formation of our solar system, and the beginnings of our planet. The lesson concludes with a hidden model volcano being revealed and made to erupt.

You can imagine how a child of six, seven, or eight might be feeling after witnessing this, even if it isn’t their first time.

In the weeks following this lesson, the children are able to conduct certain scientific “experiments” that are left on the shelves for them to explore. Each year a follow-up unit of study is explored, including topics such as basic chemistry, rocks and minerals, and space.

Cosmic Work

The second Great Lesson teaches children about the evolution of life on Earth, and how different time periods have led to different groups or organisms inhabiting the planet.

It is important to note that Dr. Maria Montessori was Roman Catholic living in the early twentieth century. She was also a dedicated scientist. One can only imagine how these two identities might have been at odds with one another, especially at the time. She managed to embrace both unapologetically.

“If asked whether I agree with the theory of Evolution, I answer that agreement or disagreement is a matter of no importance. We must look to facts to correct errors in existing theories, and thus add to knowledge…” (p. 26)

It is with this perspective that she and her son Mario developed much of the elementary curriculum. She did, however, have a beautiful way of viewing the underlying reasons for evolution. Montessori believed that all living things have an innate “cosmic work”. This means that while during the course of their individual lives they work to survive, they are unintentionally doing something that contributes to the greater good. Once this cosmic work has been completed, the species fades out of existence, making way for others.

“All creatures work consciously for themselves, but the real purpose of their existence remains unconscious, yet claiming obedience.” (p. 27)

A few examples: early shellfish filtered calcium out of the water to make their shells, the first plants that existed on land provided oxygen for incoming animal kingdom, and even the fuels we use today come from decayed organisms.

The Scope of Cosmic Education

Cosmic Education is the term used to describe the Montessori Elementary Curriculum. The Great Lessons are a sort of springboard to launch children into this work, inspiring them to use their imaginations and learn more about their universe.

But it doesn’t stop with the creation of the universe, or even evolution.

Following the first two Great Lessons, children also embark on lengthy studies of early humans, the beginning of language, and the history of mathematics. These subjects are all very appealing to the child of the second plane. They are, after all, curious about their own history and their place in the universe. They’re also just figuring out the worlds of language and numbers as they learn basic literacy and mathematics concepts for the first time.

The Montessori lessons included in these studies are far too numerous to list in this article, and there are countless ways children are able to branch off into independent study as well.

Dr. Montessori believed that Cosmic Education is exactly what is needed not only to satisfy the child’s individual needs, but for the betterment of society. If we can lead people to understand the functions of and connections between the various systems and living things, then we’re all better off.

“It is not enough to ensure for the child food, clothing and shelter; on the satisfaction of his more spiritual needs the progress of humanity depends – the creation indeed of a strong and better humanity.” (p. 82)

We hope this article has been as inspiring to read as it was to write. Still have questions? As always, we love to hear from families – please don’t hesitate to reach out!

The post Montessori, Imagination, and Cosmic Education appeared first on Crabapple Montessori School .

Materials Highlight: Memorizing Addition Facts

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 12:22:00 GMT

Ahh, memorizing one’s addition facts. Brings back great memories, doesn’t it? For some of us this was a boring and necessary part of our education, but for others it was downright dreadful.

It’s rare to find any sort of information required to be memorized in a Montessori school. We would much rather teach our students why various things are, then have them learn rote processes that mean nothing to them.

Math facts, however, are the exception to this rule…sort of.

We absolutely work with our students to ensure they memorize all their basic facts, we just do it a bit differently. It’s not your typical flashcards-and-timed-drills approach, but a series of strategies that appeals to the child while still reaching the ultimate academic goal.

Memorizing facts is essential to solid numeric understanding and as preparation for efficiently completing more complicated problems later on. As you might imagine, we start this process when children are young, and we use specialized materials to help them feel and envision what the numbers are doing.

Addition Strip Board

Pictured above, this is the first material intended to be used while teaching children to memorize their addition facts. It includes a wooden, gridded board with numbers across the top. Numbers one through ten are written in red, followed by a red vertical line drawn down the board, and numbers eleven through eighteen written in blue. The material also includes a box filled with wooden blue and red strips in varying sizes to be used on the board.

There are many ways to use this board, and a Montessori guide will gradually walk the child through a series of lessons to teach different skills. The basic concept involves the child laying out one wooden strip on the board, then laying another beside it. This allows them to clearly see something like 7+3=10. The strip board is also used in conjunction with the tables of addition (more on those below).

Addition strip board lessons may include:

The addition may be introduced during the kindergarten year, but is used during the first year of lower elementary as well, or longer if a child needs it.

The Tables of Addition

At first used alongside the addition strip board and later used on their own, the tables of addition are another material that aids children on their path to memorization. The material actually includes four square working charts (one of them pictured above), two larger rectangular control charts, and a box of numbered tiles. To decode, the child will complete the work using one of the square charts and use the control chart to check their answers.

The first table of addition is what you might imagine having used on paper when you were a child. Numbers one through ten go across the top and also down the left side. Answers fill in the grid across the rest of the board, so that if you slide your finger down from the seven on top and right from the three on the left, you will arrive at the answer – ten – in the middle. Children can use this as a way to check their answers, too, as they use the addition strip board.

The second table (above) is essentially the same but with the center numbers left blank. Children can use this as they use the strip board, creating the problem on the strip board and then filling it in on the working chart, or they can use the working chart on its own, attempting to fill in all the blank spaces with the correct tiles.

The third table shows all possible combinations. This means there is significant blank space and children get an introduction to the commutative property. This particular visual will help the child see more patterns within the number facts than they may have in the past.

The fourth table is missing even more numbers, featuring each sum only once. The child is at this point required to complete even more independently, but as always, can rely on a control chart to check their answers if need be. These control charts are often nearby but flipped upside down by the child to self-encourage and figure out the answers on their own whenever possible.

The (Positive) Snake Game

There are actually multiple snake games used in the Montessori math curriculum, yet this is the first. It is used after children have had sufficient time to use the other addition memorization materials and have begun to memorize some of the facts. A major aim of this snake game is to revisit the concepts of making ten and exchanging for ten.

The material consists of three wooden boxes. One contains golden ten bead bars, another contains various colored bead bars for numbers one through nine, and the third contains black and white bead bars that will be used as place holders.

The child may lay out bead bars randomly, or they may follow along with cards given by the guide to complete a problem such as 4+2+8+1+7+9=. The colorful bead bars will be laid out in a zigzag formation, taking on a snake-like appearance. The child will start at one end and count beads until they get to ten, then, using the golden ten bars and black and white place holders to take the place of the colored bead bars. This continues until the snake has been all counted up, and the child can count by tens and the remainder to find the answer.

The educator in this video gives a clear demonstration of the process. You may notice him placing the used colored beads in a small glass bowl. Sometimes children will take these out afterward and count them up to check their answer.

Hopefully you have learned something new and interesting from this article. Want to see the materials in person? Reach out today! We would love to chat more.

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Plant Care: Practical Life Meets Science

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 12:00:00 GMT

Montessori students begin studying biology at a young age, usually around age three during their first year in the primary environment. This work continues throughout the course of their time with us. They explore information with more depth than you might imagine, so they end up with a strong base of understanding about living organisms.

Along with zoology, botany is one of the earliest subjects explored. We give our students lessons about plant life and there are supplemental materials on the shelves for them to explore. The learning doesn’t stop there. When it comes to biology, we believe having living examples present whenever possible is one of the best ways to spark genuine interest and increase understanding. Plants are one of the easiest ways to do this, and within our classrooms and throughout the building you will find many beautiful examples of this type of life.

It’s important to note that the plants we keep are not just for display and observation. Our students – even our very youngest students – take an active role in caring for the plants.

The Practical Life Angle

When we think of practical life, all that we teach generally falls under the umbrella of three categories: care of oneself, care of others, and care of the environment. The more we participate in this type of work, the more we realize how connected the categories are.

Plants are one of the best teachers of practical life skills. We keep living specimens in our classrooms intentionally – and for many good reasons. Studies have shown the presence of plants to have a positive effect on peoples’ moods, they are helpful in filtering the air, and they contribute to the natural beauty of our classroom environments.

But – rather than just letting a bunch of pretty plants sit there and be cared for by the teachers, we engage our students in the important work of plant care. The children in our classrooms learn how to properly water living plants. They learn to dust their leaves. They learn to recognize that some plants need more sunlight than others, and that it is up to us to ensure we place them in proximity to windows accordingly.

Beyond the potted plant, our students learn to appreciate the art of arranging flowers to beautify the classroom. They plant gardens, tend to their seedlings, and harvest their own vegetables. They take on a sense of responsibility for living things that are reliant on them. The original Montessori Erdkinder model for adolescents is based in part on students running their own active farm. This still happens in some schools, but others (where an actual farm is not practical or possible) find ways to engage similar types of experiences.

We believe teaching students how to care for plants has numerous benefits. Well-cared for plants beautify the learning environment, bringing a sort of energized calm into the atmosphere. Plants are also a wonderful introduction into learning to care for something beyond yourself; they have the ability to teach both empathy and responsibility.

The Science Angle

Starting in Montessori primary classrooms and continuing on throughout their school career, our students study botany each year. The skills start simply and are often accompanied by gorgeous wooden puzzles, but our study of plants is always rooted (don’t mind the pun) in living examples.

The content covered is wide-ranging and often intertwines with other subject areas. Here is a general idea of the scope and sequence of our botany curriculum:

There are opportunities throughout your child’s time at our school to engage in “research projects” about plants. Sometimes young children may choose to write or draw about what they’ve learned, while older children might take an interest in a particular species, looking up information and writing reports to be shared with classmates.

Exposure to botany beginning at such a young age, coupled with an understanding of how plant life has evolved over the course of Earth’s history, leads Montessori children to appreciate and understand more about this kingdom than many of their peers. They are encouraged to explore their own interests more as they get older, and it’s often amazing how many of them choose independent exploration of this particular subject.

Bringing It Home

Parents often ask us how they can support the Montessori curriculum in their own homes. While we do not advise families to purchase Montessori materials, as they can only be used correctly after receiving specific training, caring for plants in your home is a wonderful way to bring your child’s school experience into your home.

Start simply! This might even be just picking up a bouquet of flowers at the store, or gathering wildflowers near your home, then asking your child to show you how they learned to arrange them at school. Provide your child with a pair of scissors, a vase or two (or even just empty glass jars!), and access to a sink. If they are still learning, you might guide them in making sure they trim stems at an angle, and explain how this allows the cut flowers to absorb more water. Allow your child to display the flower arrangements inside your home.

If you’re ready for more, engage your child in the care of your existing houseplants, or perhaps purchase one or two for them to take charge of. Teach them to recognize that different types of plants have different light and watering needs. Remind them to mist or dust leaves occasionally, not only to make the plants look nice, but to help them be more efficient in their photosynthesis.

If you’re feeling really ambitious… spring will be here before you know it! January is a time when gardeners delight in huddling inside their warm homes, thumbing through seed catalogues and planning out what they will do during the upcoming seasons.

We hope this article has provided you with both helpful information and maybe a little bit of inspiration. As always, we would love to hear from you! Whether you have questions or want to see what this looks like in our schools, please reach out and let us know.

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Life After Montessori

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 12:00:00 GMT

One of the most frequently asked questions parents have for Montessori schools, especially after their child has been enrolled for a year or two is:

How will my child transition into other schools once their Montessori career is complete?

Some families are just curious about what the transition is like. Others worry that their child won’t be prepared for “the real world”. Either way, we love this question, because our answer is straightforward and definitely puts parents’ minds at ease.

Staying the Course

First and foremost, we would like to emphasize that every year you give your child in a Montessori environment is a gift. We fully acknowledge the sacrifices our families make to ensure their children are able to experience this very special type of education. There is the obvious financial component, but we know parents often drive out of their way to get to our school. We know participating in our community sometimes means an extra time commitment. We know our parents spend quite a bit of time learning about their child’s education.

We are deeply grateful and recognize all your time and efforts.

We know that sometimes there are factors that make re enrollment decisions difficult for families. That being said, we do want to express that the longer your child is able to stay in a Montessori environment, the stronger the benefits will be for them.

Most critical perhaps, is allowing a child to complete the cycle they are in. For example, some public school districts begin offering free education starting in kindergarten. If a child attends a Montessori primary program for the first and second year, but leaves before they have a chance to experience their third, they are unfortunately missing a very substantial benefit of the model. Our three-year cycles are intentional; the first year is about looking up to models and grazing new information, the second year is about practice (both in regard to academic skills and mentorship), and the third year gives children the opportunity to achieve academic skill mastery and serve as leaders for the younger children in the class.

Missing out on the kindergarten year is like cake without the icing.

The same goes for the other levels, where Montessori education is carefully structured to support the child through their specific developmental phases. They are respected and honored for who they are, their teachers are able to grow with them long-term, and they continue to experience a genuine joy of learning.

But What About Grades? Tests? Differently-Structured Learning Environments?

Since Montessori schools are structured so that children learn to focus on self-improvement and development, as well as fuel their motivation internally, things like grades and tests don’t make sense. Neither does having a teacher stand at the front of a class lecturing the same prescribed information to everyone at the same time.

When a student is college-aged and chooses their own course of study, it makes perfect sense to employ some of these strategies. The student is at a different developmental phase in their life, they have decided what they would like to focus their efforts on, and they have had sufficient time and practice to develop time management skills, internal motivation, and a strong sense of self.

As for the in-between time, when a student leaves a Montessori school and experiences another learning environment for the first time? Academically, they are typically very prepared. We often hear about our graduates feeling very comfortable with the content and rigor of their classes. Their experiences with our math materials, in particular, tend to resonate deeply as they engage in higher-level courses. As for other areas of study, our students tend to have strong reading skills, solid understanding of effective research strategies, and a general delight and excitement for learning about science and the world (and universe) around them. These attributes make for a smooth academic transition.

How Do Montessori Alumni Fare Socially?

Moving into any new school environment presents a transitionary period for all children. What we typically hear from most families as their child settles in elsewhere:

Are There Long-Term Benefits?

The types of skills Montessori children gain are exactly the types of skills that set one up for a life of success. They are passionate about their work. They treat others with fairness and kindness. They care about the connections in their communities. They are independent thinkers who are capable of sorting through the information we are all bombarded with on a daily basis.

In fact, some of the most well-known and influential people in the world credit their Montessori education for their success. You’ve likely seen lists and read about many of these folks already, but if you haven’t you can here, here, and here …among so many others.

We know our families are dedicated to Montessori education, but it’s only natural to wonder, “What’s next?”. Hopefully we have shed a little light on the subject, but if you still have questions, as always, we encourage you to reach out. We love talking to our families and are always here to learn along with you.

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Practical Life for the Holidays

Fri, 19 Nov 2021 12:00:00 GMT

The holiday season is nearly upon us, and no matter how you celebrate, this time of year is often steeped in family traditions. The foods, smells, decorations, songs, and gifts echo in our memories for a lifetime. As a parent, it can be magical to experience the holidays through your child’s eyes; everything is so exciting and full of wonder.

Many families involve their children in preparing for special days and celebrations. By doing so, you may already be engaging in what Montessori refers to as practical life , or the teaching and practicing of skills that a person will use to get by in their everyday lives as an adult. Practical life covers a wide range of skills, but this time of year is ripe with opportunities — and not just for the preschool crowd. Check out our ideas below!

Caring for the Self

As with everything, it’s important to consider where your child is developmentally, what their interests are, and set your expectations accordingly.

Special occasions call for special outfits. It can be fun for parents to pick out adorable clothing for their small children, but it’s also nice to involve kids in the process so that they are able to share in the fun and develop a sense that their opinion is important. Younger children (toddlers, preschool-aged) might benefit from being able to select from two or three choices that you have found ahead of time.

Older children enjoy (and deserve) to be more involved in selecting their own clothing. It can help to talk about what you’re looking for ahead of time and what your expectations are. If a family occasion calls for something more dressy than jeans, let your child know. Remember that choice is important, but so are limits. Be open-minded (this can be even more challenging when your teenagers are developing their sense of self through style), but it’s okay to let your child know that you have the right to veto an outfit. Ultimately, it all comes down to finding something you can both appreciate and that is appropriate for the occasion.

There are two main opportunities in this category this time of year: practicing hygiene in social situations and taking advantage of extra time at home together to teach new skills.

When it comes to actions like using a napkin to wipe ones’ face at the dinner table, toddlers will find this new concept fun and exciting, but even your elementary-aged child may need some reminders and practice. Although your children are likely experts on the following by now, it doesn’t hurt to remind them what to do when they need to cough, sneeze, or blow their nose around others.

Enjoying some vacation time and days around the house together? What better time to teach your three-year-old how to brush her hair, your five-year-old to floss, or give your twelve-year-old a crash course on skin care?

This item on our list may just be the most fun.

Many families have traditional recipes they share for special holidays. What are yours? Could you teach your child how to make Grandma’s jelly-filled cookies? Your famous vegetable side dish? That roast everyone looks forward to enjoying once a year?

Regardless of what you’re making in the kitchen, there’s a way for pretty much everyone to get involved. Whether it’s simple slicing or complicated multi-step directions that need to be followed, it’s great to teach children how to make their own food. It’s extra special when you’re sharing memories and creating new ones.

This is a special section just for the teens in your life. They may be at an age when they would like to start participating more in gift-giving. Enter: budgeting lessons. Whether you give them a certain amount to spend or they have their own money (saved or earned from a part-time job), many of us wish we had gotten financial lessons when we were younger.

What does your teen already understand about money? What do they still need to learn?

Caring for the Environment

Caring for ourselves is important, but so is taking care of the space we live and exist in. The skills in this section focus on the home and beyond.

It seems like cleaning tasks tend to increase this time of year. There is cleaning to be done ahead of time, maintenance cleaning should you be expecting visitors, and cleaning once the season is over and everything needs to be put away.

It’s never-ending!

Hand your toddler a dustpan, teach your third grader to load the dishwasher, and remind your adolescent how to properly sort the laundry.

Some people need to start shoveling snow this time of year, while others are still gardening. Depending on where you live, the jobs are different, but there are almost always tasks to be taken care of outside of your home.

If your children are still young, kid-sized tools can help. Smaller rakes, shovels, and the like aren’t too hard to find, and they can make all the difference. Our children want to participate in family tasks; finding ways to let them help increases their confidence, teaches them valuable skills, and lets them know that all family members are important and can/should contribute.

Grace and Courtesy

The way we interact with others on a social level is an important set of skills that we carry with us throughout our lives. Kids pick up a lot on their own and just by playing with one another, but some bits need to be taught. This is a great time of year to talk about, model, and practice grace and courtesy.

Does your son need to hug his aunt? Not if he doesn’t want to. Does he need to say hello and learn how to have a polite conversation (even if it’s short and sweet)? Definitely.

When our students enter our building, their teachers greet them at the door in the morning with a smile and a hello. They look one another in the eye, and our staff teaches children what they expect in return. Manners matter; showing other people basic respect is the foundation for positive human interaction. Too often children are excused from pleasantries, but we believe the opposite should be true. Let’s teach them while they’re young!

Before celebrating holidays with family members, talk to your child about what you expect. Role-play together so they have a chance to practice ahead of time. If, in the moment, they don’t quite get it right, don’t fret. There’s always next time.

Gift giving is not synonymous with spending money. It’s about showing the people we love that we care about them. It can be making something special by hand or spending quality time together.

If your family exchanges gifts this time of year, talk to your child about how they might like to contribute. It’s also nice to consider giving charitable gifts – what are some ways your family might work together to support folks or organizations in your community this time of year?

Expressing our thanks is a win-win. We let others know that we notice and appreciate them, but it also feels good to be grateful. Consider some ways you would like your child to show gratitude and lead by examples. This may be as simple as saying the words aloud and with conviction, or you might teach them how to write a nice thank you letter to drop in the mail.

Movement with Purpose

The way we move through the world is one last set of practical life skills that are taught in Montessori schools. Traditionally this work would be left to the primary classroom, but our suggestions extend to the years beyond.

While this doesn’t apply to everyone, many families have old or fragile holiday decorations, with some having been passed down for generations.

Let your child know how precious special items are, and how they need to be handled and cared for. Then, as you are comfortable, let your child participate in decorating with these items. There is always a risk that something may break, so start small!

This final point is just for the fun of it. Moving our bodies feels good and moving our bodies joyfully to music feels great.

So crank up some tunes and have a fun dance-fest around the living room with your kids! You’ll all be glad you did.

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Materials Spotlight: Miniature Environment and the Grammar Boxes

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 12:00:00 GMT

Montessori grammar materials are so beautiful, and they do a great job of drawing kids in to learn about something many of us dreaded when we were kids ourselves.

It all begins in the final year of primary or the first year of lower elementary, with a sweet introduction to the miniature environment.

The Miniature Environment/Function of Words

Traditionally, the miniature environment consists of a replica barn, complete with tiny toy animal figures, although some Montessori schools today have strayed from the original farm and created other environments.

When we think of grammar and six-year-olds, the goal is to let them graze. We don’t expect mastery. We want to introduce concepts in a way that is light and fun and makes them want to engage.

This is where the farm animals come in.

Nouns are naming words, and six-year-olds are often still developing their reading skills. It’s so much fun for them to match labels to animals as they name cow, sheep, chicken, and even fence, barn, farmer. As time goes on, we introduce the concept of articles, and how their function is to introduce the noun. The cow, a sheep, an ox. Tiny paper labels lie alongside the figures as the child works. This progresses through all the parts of speech: adjectives, verbs, prepositions, adverbs, pronouns, conjunctions, and finally, interjections.

The Grammar Boxes

Of course, there’s more to grammar than adorable toy animals. In the second year of lower elementary, and extending into the third year, children use the grammar box materials. The grammar boxes consist of wooden boxes containing cards with words and phrases, sectioned trays to lay the cards in, and open-topped containers with larger index-sized cards.

We start with the latter, which are called command cards. As with the functions of words lessons, these progress through the different parts of speech. The command cards direct children to physically do specific things. “Throw the eraser out the door” is a crowd favorite. This is one exciting way Montessori turns language work into something more hands on and participatory.

Once they’ve worked their way through the command cards, children engage with the filling boxes, recreating phrases and sentences and identifying the various parts of speech.

At some point, the children learn the corresponding symbols for each part of speech (some are seen above in the picture), and they become able to write sentences in their notebooks and draw the correct labels above each word.

The grammar boxes are typically completed sometime during the final year of lower elementary, although upper elementary teachers may choose to use the material for review purposes.

Sentence Analysis

Montessori sentence analysis is not the same as the sentence diagramming some of us did when we were younger, but it is based on some of the same concepts.

At this point in a child’s Montessori career, they are beginning to move toward what we call abstraction. That is, they are beginning to internalize concepts in a way that doesn’t require them to use hand-held manipulatives or materials nearly as often. This is obvious in that the sentence analysis materials are still moveable, but there’s a lot less to interact with. A series of wood circles and arrows, they help the child learn concepts like subjects and predicates.

Eventually, sometime in upper elementary, children explore all kinds of sentence analysis concepts, like indirect objects and adverbial extensions.

Want to learn more about the Montessori language curriculum and materials? Keep an eye on our blog as we highlight more throughout the school year.

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Developing Fine Motor Skills

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 11:00:00 GMT

Developing fine motor skills is critical for everyday activities. There are many ways to help children along this process, and Montessori classrooms have specifically designed materials that are intended to strengthen the small muscles in the hands and wrists. The strengthening of these muscles allows us to make more precise movements and perform detailed tasks, as opposed to the large muscles required for gross motor activities like jumping and walking.

While fine motor development is supported at various levels in Montessori environments, we can observe the bulk of this work occurring during the primary years, when a child is between the ages of 3 and 6. Three areas of the classroom play particularly important roles: the sensorial, practical life, and language work. In this article we highlight some of the ways Montessori materials in these areas help children strengthen their hand and wrist muscles. Interestingly, these materials have other purposes as well, teaching a wide range of skills.

Sensorial Materials

A series of pink cubes are meant to be stacked vertically from largest to smallest, with the top block measuring 1cm cubed. Using this material requires a child to use their focus and carefully balance each block, using precise movements as the blocks get smaller.

Wooden cylinders of varying sizes fit into a block designed for this purpose. Each cylinder has a tiny knob for children to hold onto, and there is only one way to fit the cylinders correctly. In addition to developing fine motor skills and their pincer grip, this is one of many materials that aid in developing visual discrimination.

A small cloth bag containing tiny objects and miniatures, a child is meant to feel inside, hold the objects, and determine what they are without seeing them.

Practical Life Materials

Montessori students learn to wash clothes or linens used in the classroom. One step in the process is, of course, hanging the cloth to dry using clothespins.

Spray bottles are used for a variety of practical life activities in the classroom, including window washing and plant care. The repeated action of squeezing the trigger on the bottle is great for strengthening hand muscles.

Again, with a focus on precision and careful use, there are several practical life materials used for cleaning up the classroom that are also fantastic fine motor tools. Dustpans and brushes are used for cleaning up messes on the floor, while crumbers are similar sets meant for picking up on the surface of a table – after eating but before washing the table.

A major part of Montessori practical life work is food preparation. There are countless kitchen tools that are used in this learning, and so many of them require the development of fine motor skills. Just a few of these include: vegetable peelers, knives for chopping, apple slicers, whisks, and spatulas.

One of the most direct fine motor materials, the dressing frames teach children to fasten clothing in a variety of ways. A wood frame with two cloth panels is attached in the center; children practice lacing, buttoning, buckling, snapping, zipping, pinning, and more.

Language

Perhaps one of the most famous Montessori materials, the sandpaper letters are small wooden tiles with textured letters in the surface. Indirect preparation for handwriting and reading, children use their index finger to trace the shape of the letter while saying the sound it makes aloud.

When learning how to write, children are ready to share their ideas before they are ready to grip a pencil. The moveable alphabet is a set of tiny wooden letters that children lay out on a work rug to spell words, phrases, and sentences. Organizing these small letters takes plenty of hand control.

Another material that is meant to indirectly prepare the child for handwriting, The metal insets are like a stencil that children are meant to use colored pencils and trace, create lined patterns within, and follow a series of directions to recreate the shapes on paper. This is often a child’s first real experience with learning how to hold a pencil properly, and aids in developing the critical pincer grasp. Some Montessori environments even provide triangle-shaped pencils to aid in this process.

Bonus: Pin Punch

A small wooden or plastic stylus with a sharp metal tip is used to make perforations. Children will often trace a shape onto a piece of construction paper, place the paper onto a specific soft surface, and use the pin punch tool to make a series of holes along the drawn line. If they take their time and do this correctly, they are able to punch out their shape upon completion.

Want to learn more? Curious to discover ways you can support your child’s fine motor growth at home? We welcome questions and love to talk about children’s development. Contact us today for more information.

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Montessori Basics: What is the Montessori work period?

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 13:00:00 GMT

You may already know a bit about the Montessori work period, also known as the work cycle. What exactly is it, and why is it so important?

A Montessori work cycle is an uninterrupted block of time. During this time children are able to explore the prepared environment and engage with materials of their own choosing. The time is meant to give them opportunities to enjoy the work they love, while also cultivating basic life skills.

How long?

The length of a work cycle varies depending upon the age group and the school. Most classes typically have a three hour morning work period most mornings. Some other general guidelines to keep in mind for different age levels:

Toddler classrooms: 1-2 hours each day

Primary/early childhood classrooms: 2-3 hours most mornings, additional time in the afternoon for 4 and 5 year olds.

Elementary: 2-3 hours most mornings and another 2-3 hours most afternoons

What are the goals?

When we give children this time, we do so in an effort to assist their development. The work cycle helps children:

What exactly do children do during this time?

While it looks slightly different at different levels, there is always some combination of most students working independently while teachers give individual or small group lessons. Great care is taken to not interrupt children while they are working, showing them the respect that this time and their exploration deserves.

In primary/early childhood classrooms, lessons are given mostly to individuals. Children move around the classroom selecting work of their choosing. They may work on a table or the floor, with a special rug laid out beneath them. After selecting a work from the shelves, they bring it carefully to the workspace of their choosing, and use the material as they have previously been taught. Children know they are responsible for putting the materials back neatly and selecting their next work independently. At this age, children are typically focused on their own work and may engage in what is called ‘parallel play’. This can be seen as defined working and playing beside one another while focused on their own individual work.

At the elementary level the basic structure is the same, but teachers honor the developmental need for more socialization in children of this age. Lessons are more often given in small groups, and children prefer to work with one another. While there is a great emphasis on choice and self-directed learning, children in elementary classrooms are expected to meet certain academic guidelines. For example, a teacher may require that throughout the course of the day or week, a child must do work in all academic areas. Teachers check in with students to make sure they are meeting these goals, and gently guide them with strategies to do so.

Regardless of the level, the work cycle gives children a chance to develop autonomy, make choices, and find genuine joy in their work. Teachers hold this time as sacred, and it allows children to dive deeply into learning.

Check out this cool time lapse video that shows a four year old’s three hour work cycle in four minutes:

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The Benefits of Multi-Age Grouping

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 13:00:00 GMT

One hallmark of a Montessori education is the use of multi-age classrooms. Infants and toddlers may be together or separate, with a toddler classroom serving children 18 months to three years. Primary classrooms are for children ages 3-6, with preschool and kindergarten-aged children together. The elementary years serve children ages 6-12; some schools separate into lower (6-9) and upper (9-12) elementary, while many split elementary into two groups. Even Montessori middle- and high-school students learn in multi-age classrooms.

While Montessori is not the only type of education that utilizes this approach, it’s not what most people are used to. What are the benefits of structuring a classroom this way? Read on to learn more…

Learning at an Individual Pace

Children in multi-age classrooms tend to have a little more flexibility when it comes to mastering skills within a specific timeframe. We know that learning is not linear, and that learners have periods of significant growth, plateaus, and even the occasional regression. In multi-age classrooms, children are typically able to work at their own pace without the added pressure of keeping up with the whole group, or even being held back by the whole group.

When children in a classroom range in ages, everyone has someone they can work with, regardless of their skill level. Children don’t feel left behind if they struggle with a concept, and they also don’t feel bored by repetition of something they have already mastered. Teachers who teach in multi-age classrooms typically have deep knowledge for a range of developmental abilities, leaving them well-equipped to differentiate instruction for each individual child.

Building Stronger Relationships

Traditionally children move from one class to the next each year. This means not only a new set of academic expectations, different routines, and different classroom structures, but a different teacher.

In multi-age classrooms teachers have a longer period of time to get to know a student and their family, and vice versa. When teachers really get to know a student, they are able to tailor instruction in regards to both content and delivery. They know how to hook a specific child onto a topic or into a lesson. They know what kind of environment a child needs to feel successful.

Parents have an opportunity to get to know teachers better this way, too. If your child has the same teacher for two or three years, the lines of communication are strengthened. Parents get to know the teacher’s style and expectations. The home to school connection becomes more seamless, and the biggest beneficiary is the child.

Mentors and Leaders

When a child spends multiple years in the same class they are afforded two very special opportunities.

Children who are new to the class are fortunate enough to be surrounded by helpful peer mentors. Children often learn best from one another, and they seek to do so naturally. First and second year students watch as the older children enjoy advanced, challenging work, and this inspires them. They look to the older children for guidance, and the older children are happy to provide it.

After a year or two in the same room, students have a chance to practice leadership skills. In Montessori classrooms, the older children are often seen giving lessons, helping to clean up spills, or reaching out a comforting hand to their younger friends.

The best part is kids make the transition from observer to leader in their own time. It doesn’t happen for all children at the same time, but when it does it’s pretty magical to observe.

Mirroring Real-Life

There is no other area in life in which people are split into groups with others who are exactly their chronological age. Whether in the family, the workforce or elsewhere, people ultimately need to coexist with people older and younger than themselves. Doing so makes for a more enriching environment, replete with a variety of ideas and skills.

Why not start the experience with young children in school?

Moving On

While staying in the same class for multiple school years has many benefits, a child will eventually transition into a new class. While this can feel bittersweet (for everyone involved!) children are typically ready when it is time.

The Montessori approach is always considering what is most supportive of children depending on their development. When formulating how to divide children into groupings, Maria Montessori relied on her ideas about the Planes of Development. There are very distinctive growth milestones children tend to reach at about age 3, another set around age 6, and yet another at age 12. The groupings in our schools are intentional, and they give kids a chance to feel comfortable in their community, while also preparing them to soar forward when the time is right.

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Montessori Materials Spotlight: The Puzzle Maps

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 13:00:00 GMT

In today’s materials spotlight , we celebrate and explain the Montessori puzzle maps. Beautifully and colorfully painted and carefully crafted out of wood, they can be found in both primary and lower elementary classrooms. While they are used differently in the two environments, educators take a developmentally appropriate approach to utilizing this beautiful geography material.

The Material

In a Montessori classroom, one will find a wooden rack that contains a series of puzzle maps. They are arranged intentionally, starting with the top shelf and working downward:

There is typically also a set of control maps, or corresponding laminated paper maps that have the pieces drawn to scale and labeled. Children may use these as reference depending upon the activity.

An Introduction

Of course, we begin with the top map of the world. Previously, the child will have worked with the Montessori globes, so they will have some idea about the world, the continents, and the oceans. Using the three-period lesson format, the guide introduces (or reviews) the names of the continents. The guide will demonstrate how to properly retrieve the puzzle, lay it out on a work mat, remove each piece carefully and replace them while naming them. Some classes may have laminated paper labels the child can lay on top of the pieces while they work.

A critical part of the introductory lesson is showing the child how to properly put the puzzle back together and return it to the correct shelf in the rack. Our guides take great care in making sure lessons are not just about the academic skills, but also about how to respect the materials, ensuring they will be in good working order for the next child.

The Work

Once the child has been given the introductory lesson, they may return to this work whenever they like. As with everything else in the Montessori environment, if the child continues to feel drawn to a material, they are still getting something out of the experience. This may appear overly repetitive to our adult eyes, but it’s important that we suspend those judgments and allow the child to trust their instincts.

Once the child has tired of the world map, they are welcome to proceed downward through the others. Their teacher does not necessarily need to give a lesson for each one (although they may, for various reasons); once a child understands how to use the puzzle maps they are free to explore them all.

During the elementary years, we encourage children to use an atlas alongside them while they work. While control maps are useful and serve their purpose, it’s important that they begin to develop their proficiency with a variety of reference tools. When using an atlas, they often need to refer to the table of contents, find the correct page, and look carefully for labels that don’t correspond exactly with the colors and fonts they are used to seeing on the Montessori control maps. This is just one of the many ways we gently guide children toward being able to find answers for themselves.

Extensions

The puzzle maps are such a popular material among children, that it’s only natural we should offer extension work to create more learning experiences for those who are ready and eager. Just a small sampling of the possibilities:

What’s Next?

Kids love the puzzle maps, so they often spend years absorbing everything they can from them. Eventually, however, they are ready for more. At some point during the elementary years we introduce the pin maps. These are smaller wooden boards with maps drawn on them, and with three tiny holes drilled into each country: one for the country’s name, flag, and capital city. Corresponding metal pins with labels are available for the child to use as they learn to identify each. Control maps are available for the child’s reference.

As with many other materials, the pin maps are introduced in steps. First, the child will just focus on learning to label each country. Once they have mastered that skill, they will move on to flags, and eventually, the capital cities.

Want to learn more? Interested in observing as children engage with these fascinating geography materials? Let us know!

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4 Montessori Quotes That Give Us Perspective

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 13:00:00 GMT

Dr. Maria Montessori was a scientist and physician, first and foremost. She stumbled her way into education when she observed the mistreatment of children put into her care. She recognized that adults (especially at the time) did not give children the credit and respect they deserved, and this launched her work that eventually became Montessori education.

Dr. Montessori was all of those things, but she was also a prolific writer and speaker. Her words have been translated into countless languages around the world and have been reread by innumerable people since they were written. A century later, the language can sometimes show its age, but it’s often beautiful, poetic, and inspiring. And that’s not to mention the brilliant ideas behind the words.

People love to quote Montessori, and for good reason. Here we share four excerpts from Dr. Montessori’s writing that we find particularly interesting, and thought you might, too!

“This is education, understood as a help to life; an education from birth, which feeds a peaceful revolution and unites all in a common aim, attracting them as to a single centre. Mothers, fathers, politicians: all must combine in their respect and help for this delicate work of formation, which the little child carries on in the depth of a profound psychological mystery, under the tutelage of an inner guide. This is the bright new hope for mankind.” -Dr. Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

Education is a profoundly important venture, on behalf of the individual as well as society as a whole. The way we choose to educate our children is perhaps the single greatest action we can take to pave the way for a better future for humanity.

And we can’t do it alone.

Education is a partnership. It takes well-trained instructors, inspirational leaders, participatory family members, and engaged communities to work alongside one another in support of the children. To know that all these parties can join together and work toward the common good is a pretty amazing concept, and incredibly powerful to see in action.

“An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking; it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in which they live.” -Dr. Maria Montessori, Education and Peace

Individuality and flexibility are two critical components of any successful education. Human beings are not photocopies and we cannot treat them as such. To develop a curriculum that is delivered unwaveringly to a diverse group of children without any deviation from the predetermined path does not serve the child.

To employ an educational process that supports the individual development of the child not only honors their own unique path, but it stands to be timeless. Human development, with all its variations, remains fairly similar throughout the generations. Even as the world changes around us, and we look toward an unpredictable future, Montessori education prepares children for what lies ahead.

We teach children to ask their own questions and seek their own answers. We guide children to listen to their inner passions. We explicitly show them how to interact with other people around them so that they may honor their individuality while working cooperatively. To do these things is to prepare them for anything.

“The mind takes some time to develop interest, to be set in motion, to get warmed up into a subject, to attain a state of profitable work. If at this time there is interruption, not only is a period of profitable work lost, but the interruption, produces an unpleasant sensation which is identical to fatigue.

Fatigue also is caused by work unsuitable to the individual. Suitable work reduces fatigue on account of the pleasure derived from the work itself. Thus the two causes of fatigue are unsuitable work and premature interruption of work.” -Dr. Maria Montessori, What You Should Know About Your Child

Adults traditionally have a habit of inserting themselves too frequently into the work of the child. We feel duty-bound to teach and to guide, when in reality it’s our job to clear the path and stand back while they take the journey themselves. Getting in the way is rarely done with ill intent; it’s simply what we learned when we were children. We want to be helpful. And it can take a lot of unlearning to allow our children to truly learn for themselves.

There is a very delicate balance, and it takes a lot of observation to get things right. We learn to sit back, notice what the child is doing, take a pause, and notice some more. We fight the urge to jump in and correct things for them, for those are precisely the moments when learning happens. If a child is allowed to make mistakes and then to fix those mistakes, they gain not only skill knowledge, but the confidence to repeat the process in the future.

That’s not to say we should never step in. The careful observation we mentioned also helps adults ensure that a child is not faced with a challenge they are not yet prepared to face alone. The key is to understand basic child development while simultaneously paying close attention to the individual’s needs.

“To let the child do as he likes when he has not yet developed any powers of control, is to betray the idea of freedom … Real freedom, instead, is a consequence of development; it is the development of latent guides, aided by education.” -Dr. Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

Taking the last point a step further, Montessori educators and parents need to understand what freedom with limits really means.

Should a child be permitted to eat candy for breakfast every day? Should they be expected to eat every meal that is placed before them without opinion? No, on both counts. What lies in the middle can vary from time to time, but perhaps the child is allowed to serve themselves an amount they know they can eat, or perhaps they get to have a say in what they would like to eat some of the time. The same principle can (and should) be applied to almost everything.

We must give children limited, developmentally appropriate choices.

As they gain new skills, we give new choices. It’s an ever-evolving dance between choice and structure, but it’s one of the most important things we can do for our children.

Hopefully we’ve sent a little inspiration your way. Want to read more? Let us know and we can recommend (and maybe even lend) some great books.

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Inclusivity in the Montessori Classroom

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 13:00:00 GMT

Montessori is a method of education as well as a general philosophy on human development. If we could summarize it into one sentence it might be something like this: A deep understanding of typical human development, coupled with careful observations of the individual and a meticulously prepared environment, can allow each human being the freedom to explore their world to the best of their ability.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could do that for everyone?

Montessori schools do their very best to make this goal a reality for all who become a part of the community. Below are just a few of the variables we take into consideration.

Age

As you already know, our classrooms are multi-age. This may not be typical when compared to most conventional educational settings, but it’s very intentional and an integral part of what we do. We believe children of varied ages have much to offer one another, and having a span of a few years in one classroom allows for the blending and blurring of different abilities, so everyone always has a buddy to work with. Multi-age classrooms give children opportunities they wouldn’t have elsewhere, such as older models for the young children, and a chance for older kids to explore leadership roles.

Beyond the typical three year age span, we like to take every opportunity for children to interact between the levels. In the same way we see within the walls of a single classroom, the younger children at our school are able to look to the older children as models, and the oldest children have chances to lead in new ways.

Did you know that Montessori can be for adults as well? Some adults read about Montessori and learn to incorporate the principles into their own lives. Others go on to obtain Montessori teaching credentials or explore Montessori higher education. There have even been studies regarding the benefits of applying the Montessori approach to dementia care.

Gender

Montessori schools aim to honor children as they are. We acknowledge that society places certain expectations on children according to their gender, and that it can be a challenge for children whose identity does not conform according to these expectations. This can take form across a wide spectrum; whether a child prefers certain toys and colors that our society has attached gender to, to being transgendered, and everything in between.

Our goal is to acknowledge these differences, to work hard to eliminate expectations that do not serve the children, and to create a nurturing environment where all children feel supported and accepted.

150 Years: How Montessori Has Shaped History

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 13:00:00 GMT

For more than a century, the work of Dr. Maria Montessori has affected the lives of countless children and families, but the ripples of her ideas and educational methods have reached far beyond that. Her work, and the work of the many Montessori guides who have carried out her methods, have influenced individuals who have gone on to change the course of history.

These are just a few of the many stories that show how a Montessori education can prepare a human being to make a difference.

How Montessori has shaped storytelling and literature

Montessori education has a unique way of introducing children to the universe. At a time when they are already seeking answers, cosmic education introduces them to concepts and important scientific and historical information that strikes a sense of awe. This deep understanding and wonder last a lifetime.

Two particular authors come to mind when considering the many who were Montessori students: Gabriel García Márquez and Anthony Doerr.

“With his stories, Gabriel García Márquez has created a world of his own which is a microcosmos. In its tumultuous, bewildering, yet, graphically convincing authenticity, it reflects a continent and its human riches and poverty. Perhaps more than that: a cosmos in which the human heart and the combined forces of history, time and again, burst the bounds of chaos…” -NobelPrize.org

García Márquez won the 1972 Neustadt International Prize for Literature and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982 for his novels and short stories. Author of renowned titles such as One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera , his work has been translated extensively and appreciated by readers worldwide, with many considering him one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century.

Not one to shy away from tackling important political and social topics, it’s clear he had a deep sense of social justice, perhaps unsurprising considering his background. He once said, “I do not believe there is a method better than Montessori for making children sensitive to the beauties of the world and awakening their curiosity regarding the secrets of life.”

Anthony Doerr spoke of attending a Montessori school where his mother was a teacher.

“She was always teaching us all kinds of things. I remember very clearly geologic time being one of the big lessons she taught us. She even had us take toilet paper rolls and unroll them and had us map out the various eras, like Cambrian, and figure out where humans would fit on this toilet paper timeline of the Earth.

You realize, of course, that human life goes in the last square—and really goes in the last quarter of the last square. And your life can’t really even fit if you draw this microscopic line down the final edge of the final square of toilet paper. I remember those lessons make you feel small. Then they make you feel—what an amazing thing we get to be on this Earth…So I think that’s part of everything I work on.”

Doerr’s 2014 book All the Light We Cannot See has been widely revered. Perhaps most notably, it won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It was also a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction, runner-up for the Dayton Library Peace Prize for Fiction, the 2015 Ohioana Library Association Book Award for Fiction, and was a New York Times bestseller and notable book of 2014.

How Montessori revolutionized the way we cook in our homes

It is well known that Julia Child was a Montessori student. She has credited Montessori with her love of working with her hands, but one has to wonder if it didn’t perhaps inspire her in other ways as well.

Child began her career in copywriting, but eventually ended up working as a research assistant for secret intelligence in Washington, D.C. She helped to develop shark repellents in order to prevent accidental detonation of underwater explosives. Her work there was valued immensely, and it was later that she turned to cooking and discovered her passion.

As we all know, Child became famous for her cookbooks and television shows, making complicated French dishes more accessible to the average American home cook. One of her most endearing qualities was that she often made mistakes during filming, but her ability to embrace these errors and incorporate them as a normal part of cooking made those watching feel more at ease.

How Montessori inspired a new type of video game entertainment

“Montessori taught me the joy of discovery,” Wright told me. “It showed you can become interested in pretty complex theories, like Pythagorean theory, say, by playing with blocks. It’s all about learning on your terms, rather than a teacher explaining stuff to you. SimCity comes right out of Montessori—if you give people this model for building cities, they will abstract from it principles of urban design.”

Will Wright, creator of The Sims, is considered one of the most influential video game creators of all time. Learn more about how he credits Montessori for his success in his TED talk:

https://www.ted.com/talks/will_wright_spore_birth_of_a_game/transcript#t-8424

How Montessori transformed the way we find information

“I do think that some of the credit for the willingness to go on your own interests, you can tie that back to Montessori education.” -Sergey Brin

Sergey Brin and Larry Page co-founded Google in 1998. Since then, the company that began as a search engine has foundationally changed the way humans around the world find and share information. It has expanded to cover countless areas of technology and is synonymous to many as a hub of innovation.

Both Brin and Page attended Montessori schools as children, and both credit that time as hugely influential on their professional work. Hear more in this clip of Brin discussing his experiences:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHzj3LrXruY

With so many influential figures and important work coming straight from those who were Montessori educated and credit those successes with their education, one has to wonder: where might the next generation of Montessori alumni take us?

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What Kind of Learning Do We Value?

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 13:00:00 GMT

Human beings are creatures of habit. Habits are comfortable, and it is generally easier to continue doing things the way they have always been done. Change is messy, confusing, and often pretty challenging.

At our school, we believe in the importance of examining our habits periodically. We think it’s critical to ask ourselves: “Why are things done this way?” “What is our motivation for taking this particular path?”

We think it’s vital to stop, recognize our values, and make sure that our actions align with those values.

So, this brings us to today’s question: What kind of learning do we value?

In many ways, our current conventional education system reflects one that was created long ago, and to satisfy the needs of a culture that has changed drastically since then.

Let us pause to consider what learning is, what our goals and values are, and what we might do to align the two.

Defining and categorizing education and learning

Let’s get right to the point:

learning : 1. the act or experience of one that learns 2. knowledge or skill acquired by instruction or study 3. modification of a behavioral tendency by experience

education: 1. a. the act or process of educating or being educated b. the knowledge and development resulting from the process of being educated 2. the field of study that deals mainly with methods of teaching and learning in schools

Long ago, the original goals of schools were to provide children with the knowledge they would need to successfully enter the workforce. This is still largely the case, although as a society we have begun to recognize the importance of inspiring a love of learning and developing the child as a whole person. There are many schools and educators who have worked hard to develop new methods and adjust old ones to meet the needs of today’s students.

Have we come far enough?

What are our values?

What do we, as a society, consider to be important? As we have all realized in recent years, values can be highly personal and they also have the potential to be incredibly polarizing.

We believe there is a way to blend the desires of various groups and viewpoints. We think it’s not only possible, but critical for us to all consider the importance of both individual liberty as well as empathetic support of those around us. The following are some of our most important values; we encourage you to reflect and consider your own:

What do we hope our children will gain?

If our children are spending the bulk of their waking hours at school, of course we want that time to be valuable for them. In generations past the goal was to impart knowledge from adult to child. While that idea remains in a sense, the way we access and share knowledge has shifted dramatically. So what should we want from our children’s education?

Instead of memorizing dates and historical figures, could we instead draw lessons from our collective mistakes and triumphs? Could we honor the work of those who have come before us, while also acknowledging what hasn’t gone well?

Do we want to administer extensive amounts of predetermined courses, or might we ensure children have a solid understanding of basic information, as well as the motivation and skills to pursue deeper studies of their own interests?

Might we acknowledge that learning is not linear, nor does a room full of children progress at the same pace? Could we utilize a system of mathematics education that allows each individual child to progress incrementally as they master specific skills?

Are we prepared to teach our children how to differentiate between fact and fiction? Do they know what sources to look to and which ones they should question?

Are we directly teaching soft skills regularly and with as much reverence as we give academics?

Do we want school to prepare our children for the workforce, or do we want school to prepare our children for life?

Does our system of education reflect these goals and values?

We are sure you can see where we’re going with this. We believe Montessori does, indeed, meet our shared goals and values for children’s learning and education. Our approach is dramatically different from that of many of our conventional counterparts. Conventional schools are making changes, and we are hopeful that the pendulum will continue to swing away from rigid learning approaches and toward more modern ones.

Montessori is ready to tackle the challenges of today’s students and their learning needs, and we’re ready to do it right now.

We honor each child as an individual who deserves to be heard and respected.

We recognize that individuals move at different paces and have different interests, talents, and needs.

We believe in nurturing a society based in deep empathy – empathy for other humans, for other living things, and for the earth itself.

We know there needs to be a balance between solitude and cooperation.

We think it’s critical to help children master the basics. Still, at a certain point, they must learn how to find high-quality information, rather than memorization of endless facts deemed important by someone else.

We want children to find joy in their learning, to feel compelled to explore, and to regard their education as a foundation that will carry them throughout their lives.

We hope this article, at the very least, gave you a chance to pause and consider. We would love to hear your thoughts.

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5 Ways to Support Independence as They Grow

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 13:00:00 GMT

“The child’s development follows a path of successive stages of independence, and our knowledge of this must guide us in our behavior towards him. We have to help the child to act, will and think for himself. This is the art of serving the spirit, an art which can be practiced to perfection only when working among children.” -Dr. Maria Montessori

It’s nothing new to hear us advocating for children’s independence. After all, it’s a cornerstone of our Montessori practice, and we believe one of the most important keys to fully educating a child.

It’s also no surprise to consider that independence looks vastly different depending on your child’s developmental stage. When we meet a child where they are and offer them opportunities to do things for themselves, it’s simply amazing to encounter what they are capable of.

Here are a few ideas that parents can consider when aiming to support their child’s independence.

Infants: Freedom of Movement

Our sweet newborn babies don’t ever stay little for long. Before long they are working to roll over, scoot, sit, crawl, stand, and even walk. These milestones are so exciting as they happen, but in hindsight they seem to zip by in a flash.

Figuring out how to move independently is one of your baby’s most important tasks. They are driven to do so instinctually, and as adults we can be there to support this work.

One choice that some parents make (please know we understand it’s not a perfect choice for every family) is to give their infant a floor bed. Rather than being confined to a crib, this allows your growing baby an opportunity to independently explore their environment when they wake in the morning. Using a floor bed means creating a bedroom environment that is completely safe and developmentally appropriate for your baby to explore independently; consider laying soft carpet on the floor and having a low shelf with simple toys they can access. Many parents find that rather than awaiting their child’s cries to be lifted from a crib in the morning, the child instead spends quite a bit of time moving and playing quietly.

Another big tip we have for parents of infants: when your child is learning to walk, they’re not very good at it. The only way for them to get better is to practice, and they have a strong drive to do so as much as possible. Although it may force us as parents to slow down and plan extra time into our schedules, consider relying a little less on carrying and strollers (although they certainly have their place in our routines) and a little more on giving your child time to use their own developing skills.

Toddlers: Dressing

This section is perhaps the most fun in this entire article. Toddlers learning to dress themselves is not only an important skill, but it is, frankly, adorable.

Start simple and give limited choice. Let your child choose between two different shirts, then show them how to go about putting it on. In the beginning, they will need lots of help, but as time goes on resist the urge to insert their tiny hands into the sleeves and give them a chance to figure it out. They will. It will take some time and many unsuccessful attempts, but each time they try they will get closer to being able to do it themselves.

As time goes on, your child might select their whole outfit. Another practical tip is to choose (or have them help you choose) a week’s worth of outfits ahead of time. Hang enough low hooks on your child’s bedroom wall and allow them to choose their clothing and get dressed each day. As with everything, this will be slow going in the beginning, but in the long run the independence gained will not only save time but instill critical feelings of confidence.

After taking the above mentioned steps, all that’s left to do is sit back and enjoy the interestingly paired items of clothing and the smile on your child’s face.

Primary-aged: Helping Tasks

Shocking but true: between the ages of 3 and 6, kids LOVE chores. By helping them learn and engage in important daily tasks while they are young, you are instilling habits that will last a lifetime.

Our children watch us go about our daily lives and they want to be a part of what we do. They want to be like us, so when they see you sweeping the floor, they want to help. From dusting, to laundry, from cooking to caring for pets and plants, your child wants in on the fun. Let them!

There are countless tasks that young children are fully capable of completing (or at the very least, assisting with). Rather than list them here, we share some general guidelines to help the process along.

Elementary-aged: Trust Moments

This step varies significantly from child to child and in each family. Your family’s values and comfort level, combined with your child’s individual development and abilities should be carefully considered.

During the elementary years, your child is ready to start setting off on their own in tiny ways. Letting them do so can feel thrilling for them, yet completely nerve-wracking for us. Take it slow and talk a lot about what each added freedom entails.

Basically, you’re finding small ways you can give your child opportunities to be safe, trustworthy, and independent. Some examples:

Adolescents: Exploring Interests

As your child leaves their younger years behind and inches toward adulthood, they will naturally begin to explore different interests as they figure out who they are and what they like. All they really need from us is to support this exploration. This will range significantly, from hobbies to potential careers.

We spend many years caring for our children when they are young and giving them every advantage possible so that they may grow to become successful and happy adults. Nothing can quite prepare us for this eventuality, though. And what we imagine our child blossoming into can be very different from the future they imagine for themselves. In these moments, we like to remind ourselves that we have worked hard to guide our child’s independence. They are individual human beings capable of making hard decisions. They will make mistakes, but they will also surprise us.

Our children often turn to us for guidance and support throughout adulthood. Perhaps the greatest feeling of all is to step back and appreciate that this unique human being, who steps out to make their mark on the world, let us hold their hand for a few years while they figure out how to do it.

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Recent Research: How Montessori Students Benefit from the Findings

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 13:00:00 GMT

There have been a host of fascinating published research findings in recent years in regard to learning and education. In this article we’ll take a look at just a few of them and explain what the findings mean in relation to Montessori environments.

The demotivating effect (and unintended message) of awards

It is common practice in conventional schools across the nation to give students awards for good attendance records. The hope is that by honoring the hard work of children who physically get to school each day, it will motivate other children to do the same and earn the award. Unfortunately, this study determined that not only was the goal not met, the practice ends up causing a negative effect and actually increases student absences.

It all boils down to motivation.

The study included 15,000 middle and high school students and found that giving students awards for good attendance had the unfortunate effect of decreasing attendance. Researchers believe that the existence of an award creates the idea that good attendance exceeds expectations. Not only does this not motivate most students to ensure their own attendance, but those who receive the award are often not motivated to keep up the habit in the future.

So, what does this mean for Montessori schools? It may be obvious, but you would be hard pressed to find a Montessori school that utilizes attendance awards in the first place. This study is yet another example of why intrinsic motivation is a far more positive tool than extrinsic motivation. In Montessori environments, the cultivation of intrinsic motivation is the backbone of everything we do. This extends far beyond attendance awards to include things like assessments, addressing negative behaviors, and mastering academic skills. So, Montessori community, let’s keep doing what we’re doing.

Many folks have long held the belief that girls tend to be more masterful in the areas of language and arts, while boys find ease in the studies of math and science. Not only is this outdated and sexist thinking, it’s scientifically incorrect. Still, so much of what we believe about our world is engrained due to biased learning in our past. Academic studies can help break down our misconceptions in an effort to make progress.

In this study of children aged 3-10 years old, MRI technology was used while children watched educational math videos. Researchers noted that boys and girls showed similar neural functioning during testing, leading them to the conclusion that there is no noticeable difference in the way children’s brains process mathematical information.

In Montessori classrooms, mathematics learning is highly individualized. Children are able to progress at their own pace, without needing to feel rushed or held back by group lessons or social pressures. In this way, Montessori environments support the findings of this study; children are children – they learn at their own individual rate and variables such as gender should not factor into their work or progress.

Is Summer Learning Loss Real?

Short answer: it’s not. In the 1980s a study revealed what many of us now know as the Summer Slide , a phenomenon in which children who spend their summers playing and not studying show skill regression come the fall. For decades this idea was accepted as fact, that is, until a group of researchers recently attempted to recreate the study and were unable to do so.

Modern researchers attribute this finding to the fact that we now have more advanced, efficient, and effective means of collecting and analyzing data. By clicking the link above, you can see comparative charts showing the original data as well as more recent findings. It’s apparent that with the very rare exception, children tend to plateau or even make gains during the summer months.

Why did we include this in our article? While our students have recently returned from summer vacation, they have also returned from the completely unanticipated and unplanned spring of 2020. Teachers, administrators, families, and children all worked hard and made the best of a very challenging situation, but many of us have been concerned about the long-term negative effects this past spring may have had on our children’s academic progress. The findings of the study give us hope that a temporary pause in regular instruction may not necessarily lead to a loss in skills. We will surely learn more in time, but are encouraged by the findings.

Are you interested in learning more about the ways current research supports the work we do in Montessori schools? We will be sure to share more in the future as more findings become available, but in the meantime, Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius is a great read.

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Why Do We Care So Much About Independence?

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 13:00:00 GMT

“The only true freedom for an individual is to have the opportunity to act independently … there is no such thing as an individual until a person can act by himself.”
-Dr. Maria Montessori, Education and Peace

If you’re reading this article, you already know how much we Montessorians love to talk about independence. It’s enmeshed in everything we do, and for very good reasons. Here are our top three:

1. It builds lasting confidence.

“We must help the child to act for himself, will for himself, think for himself; this is the art of those who aspire to serve the spirit.” -Dr. Maria Montessori, Education for a New World

As parents and caregivers, our natural inclination is to help and support our children. Imagine a newborn baby, completely dependent on others to have its most basic needs met. Of course, we want to help! That instinct never really goes away, and it’s so strong that we need to actively remind ourselves to step back even as our children mature into adults.

Imagine, however, a toddler. It’s time to get out to the car so that everyone makes it to school and work on time. Their parents are feeling the rush of schedules, and feel a bit of frustration when, at the last moment, their little one insists on putting their own jacket on themselves. There are several ways to handle this situation, but what if we took two minutes out of our day to show the child how to stretch each arm into a sleeve and then gave them an opportunity to practice?

Imagine the feeling a small person must have when they are first able to do something for themselves that they previously relied on others to help them with?

Imagine the messages you are sending that child: that you believe they are capable, that you trust their judgement. That their work is important.

Each time a child learns to do something without the assistance of an adult, they build up their confidence, and it becomes exponentially easier to believe in themselves as time goes on.

What more could we want for our children? Of course, we all want our children to feel confident, but it’s easier to forget how to nurture that. It’s in the small things, the everyday things, and it starts early and never really ends.

2. It allows us to honor individuality.

“The child looks for his independence first, not because he does not desire to be dependent on the adult. But because he has in himself some fire, some urge, to do certain things and no other things.” -Dr. Maria Montessori, The Theosophist

While we raise our children, we make countless decisions while considering what will best prepare them for their futures. We envision their lives stretched out ahead and we want to do everything in our power to give them every possible advantage (including, perhaps, sending them to a Montessori school!).

It can feel counterintuitive, then, that we do all of this to allow for them to become whoever they actually are on the inside. A child’s true self may clash completely with what we think they are or should be. Even the most idealistic and accepting of parents may sometimes find themselves surprised when a child indicates they feel they ought to be something other than what we had imagined they would.

But individuality exists for a reason.

As human beings we are constantly evolving and discovering our personal journeys. What better gift might we give our children than our full support as they discover who they really are? Whether your child is expressing themselves through seemingly wacky clothing choices, surprising new hobbies, or talking about their identity in a deeper sense, just knowing that they are loved and supported regardless is what all kids need.

Our children may travel through various phases, but they will be so much stronger and secure if they are allowed the freedom to explore and discover themselves without judgment or interference.

3. It prepares children for life beyond childhood.

“The child who has never learned to work by himself, to set goals for his own acts, or to be the master of his own force of will is recognizable in the adult who lets others guide his will and feels a constant need for approval of others.” -Dr. Maria Montessori, Education and Peace

We’ll just come out and remind you of the truth: children don’t remain children forever. There will come a day when they walk out the front door as adults who weave themselves into the fabric of our society.

Of course, it doesn’t happen quite so suddenly as all that. From the day they are born, it is our job to slowly, gradually, release boundaries and restrictions until they are able to make safe and healthy decisions for themselves and those around them.

Kids need their parents. Honestly, kids need their parents even when they’re not actually kids anymore. There is nothing wrong with remembering to lean on one another for support and guidance – throughout life. We still have a great responsibility of leading our children toward becoming independent adults.

There are obvious ways to support this work: teaching practical life skills, assigning chores, giving choices. But there are hundreds of thousands of tiny moments throughout a childhood in which parents can decide to let a child be independent. We learn when they are ready (often because they tell us so), and we take that deep breath and allow them to do things themselves.

There will be failures along the way (both on our part and our children’s), but that is a glorious part of learning. Even those tricky moments when we don’t feel successful are important. They help us become resilient, and eventually motivate us to keep trying.

We leave you with this final, simple thought, often stated but so worth the repetition:

Follow the child.

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Technology & the Montessori Classroom

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 13:00:00 GMT

Believe it or not, the concept of technology in Montessori classrooms is a rather controversial one. On one hand, we want our children to be prepared for whatever may lie ahead in this digital age. On the other hand, research is leading us to determine what is best for the health and learning of young children in regards to use of devices.

As Montessorians, one of our first considerations is the developmental phase of the child. Once we have considered what our core values lead us to do, it’s important to take a look at how this lines up with current research findings.

One final point to recognize is how educators might use technology to benefit the learning of their students. Teachers’ use of technology can take on many forms, and there are plenty of options to explore!

Kids & Devices: What Current Research Tells Us

Technology, screens, devices, media: adults are very interested in how these things affect our children. Research is evolving, and our unpredictable future makes it difficult to know what’s best. There are, however, a number of recent studies that are worth noting.

Considerations for Older Children

Most of us agree that keeping digital technology out of our primary classrooms is likely the best course of action. But how might older students interact with devices at school in a way that is both healthy and beneficial to learning? Many teachers have started to think of devices as a support material. If a task can be completed without the use of technology, it probably should be. There are times, however, when the use of technology is entirely appropriate for older children.

Greg MacDonald, director of AMI elementary training at the Montessori Institute of San Diego wrote an article entitled Technology in the Montessori Classroom: Benefits, Hazards and Preparation for Life. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1112230.pdf In his article he argues that even having a pair of scissors (a variation of a simple machine, and therefore falling under the definition of technology) present as a tool that can be of benefit or danger. There are endless ways a child might use scissors to cut paper in a classroom, but as they are sharp there is always potential for physical harm. We have decided the benefits outweigh the dangers, and we explicitly teach young children how to use and transport scissors safely. MacDonald argues that computers should be viewed in the same way: tools that are of great importance to children’s learning. Of course, there are potential negative effects, but with proper instruction and monitoring, the benefits are far greater.

In general, Montessorians tend to first consider the development of the child, then decide whether a specific task can be completed in the physical/sensorial world. If a child is old enough, and if the goal can only be accomplished by using technology, then it is our duty to help the child learn how to use it responsibly. This approach leads to a rather decreased amount of screen time in comparison to many conventional school settings, but children still have opportunities to interact with technology in meaningful ways when appropriate.

Tech as a Supportive Accommodation

We all know that each child is an individual. Children learn at their own pace and in their own way, and part of our job is to provide them with the tools they need to be successful. Advances in technology are making it easier for children with exceptional needs to participate in regular classrooms in more integrated ways. The examples are far too numerous to list here, but consider the following:

Invisible Tech

Traditionally, Montessori teachers observe children and record these observations in a notebook. One group of innovative schools are experimenting with tools that may help track student work and collect data more efficiently, all while remaining nearly invisible.

Wildflower Montessori, which got its start in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is testing a system of sensors. Children wear special slippers that are fitted with one pair of sensors, while each material in the classroom contains a hidden sensor as well. The system can measure which child is using which material, and for how long. While there is still lots to learn about these ideas and it’s certainly no replacement for human anecdotal observation, it is a fascinating idea. https://www.edsurge.com/news/2018-11-20-kid-tracking-sensors-may-not-be-the-wildest-thing-about-this-montessori-model

Tools for Educators

Remember how we mentioned Montessori teachers recording their observations in notebooks? While that’s still the preferred method for most, many schools are opting to utilize digital record-keeping systems. Special subscription-based platforms allow teachers to login and record their observations digitally. This helps them analyze data, share data and reports with parents, and help them plan future lessons.

Obviously, considerations for technology in Montessori classrooms are multi-faceted. Perhaps the best way forward is to pay attention to current research while keeping a firm grasp on our proven educational methods.

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Could Montessori Transform Early Childhood Education?

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 13:00:00 GMT

For those of us with children in a Montessori program, we understand fully just how powerful this approach to education can be. Not only do children have an advantage academically, but the whole child’s growth and development is valued and nurtured. Additionally, ripples of the work with children positively affect the greater community.

While Montessori’s early roots were in serving children of low-income families in Rome, over the past hundred years availability of Montessori schools has shifted to mainly affluent communities. While there are certainly public Montessori offerings, the vast majority are only available to middle- and upper-income families who are able to pay tuition at independent schools.

Recent research highlights the ability of a high-fidelity Montessori program to positively impact diverse communities. In areas that tend to be more racially, culturally, and socio-economically diverse, Montessori opportunities are rare, but could potentially provide a substantial positive impact.

One case study published this past spring was written by Mary D. Burbank, Melissa M. Goldsmith, and Koeun Park (all of the University of Utah), and Jennifer Spikner of Chicago, Illinois. Entitled Montessori Education and a Neighborhood School: A Case Study of Two Early Childhood Education Classrooms , it details the transformation of two classrooms within an urban school.

The study was guided by Project SYNC (Systems, Yolked through Nuanced Collaboration) and the work of various stakeholders. Those involved in the project included a university, the public school district, an established elementary school, and a local private Montessori school. Each played a specific but different role in the implementation of the project.

In short, a public elementary school of over 500 students was already offering full-day preschool and kindergarten. It committed to transforming 2 of its 4 early childhood classrooms into fully implemented Montessori classrooms, along with two teachers that volunteered to become trained and certified. With the assistance of a paraeducator in each classroom and support from a local private Montessori school, the case study covered both the planning and implementation years.

It is important to note that the elementary school already had a deep commitment to serving the diverse community in which it stood, including a focus on social justice and trauma-informed practices. The goal of the school was not only to educate the children, but to serve the families and community as whole.

The authors of the study noted several important motivations for the project’s existence:

“Montessori education offers an educational experience that creates opportunities for students to engage in learning opportunities that are self-directed, exploratory, and based upon individual learners. As such, Montessori education may be thought of as culturally responsive, as it is based upon classroom learners.”

“…the flexibility of Montessori experiences allows students, particularly students of color, to express themselves and be themselves without assimilating to the norm within more-typical classroom settings.”

As stated before, the teachers became fully credentialed. Both classrooms were outfitted with traditional Montessori materials and a 2½ hour work period was honored each morning. All family participants were voluntary, and while the demand met the need the first year, the success of the program led to waiting lists during subsequent years.

Evaluation of this case study included opinions of the stakeholders, classroom observations, and teacher participant attitudes.

During the planning year, six of the stakeholders participated in in-depth interviews. While most were not overly familiar with Montessori education, all were excited by the prospect and inspired to bring new opportunities to an underserved community.

During the course of the implementation phase, a number of data points were collected. Six stakeholders participated in a survey, the two teachers responded to open-ended questions, and 34-40 students were observed on numerous occasions.

The responses were overwhelmingly positive.

Data showed:

Moving forward, it would be interesting to see if this type of project could continue on a long-term basis and/or be replicated widely. Funding and support are typically the two most distinctive barriers. Those interested in creating similar opportunities for students in diverse communities might benefit from implementing a braided funding approach. A committee of supporters with the ability to educate stakeholders on the benefits of Montessori education would also be important for buy-in.

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Does Montessori Support Creativity?

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 13:00:00 GMT

A study published in 2019 was one of a number that have aimed to determine whether Montessori education contributes to creativity in students. While continued research would be beneficial to learning more about whether or not it does, the findings were interesting and we thought you might want to learn about them.

What is creativity?

Creativity is a difficult concept to define, and even more difficult to measure. A general understanding of creativity is that it is the ability to generate independent and novel ideas that can be used to solve problems or create new contributions.

There are a number of traits of the Montessori environment that researchers identified as being potential contributing factors in terms of cultivating creativity. Many of the elements identified have been proven to be supporters of creativity in other studies as well. These factors include:

Study methods

The study, which took place over the course of the 2015-2016 school year, utilized data collected from two settings. 77 third graders at a public Montessori school in the United States and 71 third graders in a similar but traditional public school were participants.

There are a variety of evaluations that have been used in academic studies to measure creativity. Most of them focus on either divergent thinking (the ability to form novel ideas) or convergent thinking (the ability to synthesize and combine ideas). The researchers in this study decided to use an assessment that measures both divergent and convergent thinking (the Evaluation of Potential Creativity) in order to obtain a more complete collection of data.

When a child participates in the test, there were three distinct steps:

Students were tested and retested with new images two weeks later in order to obtain a full sample of data.

How does Montessori measure up?

As the authors of this study state, this research adds to the body of existing research and leads us to ask even more questions that might be explored moving forward.

Students in the two settings performed similarly in some areas, but there were two categories that stood out. While the Montessori students performed better overall, it was notable that there were obvious benefits for the male Montessori students. Additionally, the Montessori students performed significantly better on the divergent thinking portion of the assessment.

What does this mean? While this study could be repeated and built upon, there were some indications that a Montessori learning environment does foster creativity, particularly in some areas and for some students. It does add to the overall body of research that suggests Montessori schools aid in supporting creativity in students.

To learn more about Montessori and creativity, please take a few minutes to watch this video . Award-winning Montessori educator Judi Bauerlein discusses the links between Montessori and creativity, highlighting thoughts from famous Montessori graduates and connections between Maria Montessori’s work and what we now know about child development.

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7 Major Ways Montessori is Different

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 13:00:00 GMT

We like it that way. We know what we’re offering is special, and the families who seek out our school are usually looking for something different.

What, exactly, makes Montessori special? Read on to learn just a few of the many ways.

1. Freedom Within Limits

One of the greatest Montessori misunderstandings is that either a) the children in our care run amok with no direction whatsoever, doing whatever they please, or b) our methods are so rigid they allow for little (if any) variation.

As you may have guessed, neither is accurate, and we lie somewhere in between these two extremes. Generalizations tend to come from misinterpreted truths, however.

Montessori does value the child’s independence and choice. Children get to choose their work, where they sit, the order in which they get things done, when to have a snack, when to use the restroom, etc. To help them make these choices successfully, Montessori guides created carefully crafted boundaries for the choices to nestle within.

For example, children get to choose their work because the only options available to them are all work we want them to focus on. They can only select something off the shelf that we have put there in the first place. They are required to use the material correctly. And if they spend 3 days straight working on the same thing? Well, we believe if they’re doing that then they are getting something important out of the experience. When a child has learned everything they can from a material, they will become bored with it and happily move on to something else.

This doesn’t mean we never guide children who are resistant to try certain things or who avoid particular subjects. It just means we strike a balance between choice and limits.

2. Multi-Age Classrooms

It’s not very common elsewhere to find classrooms that serve children of more than one grade level. We think multi-age classrooms better serve the children, and we’ve been doing it that way for more than a century – successfully.

Multi-age classrooms allow us to blend the lines between skill levels. The older child who still needs extra help with reading won’t feel left out – there are plenty of others in the class who need the same help they do. The younger child who excels at math and craves more of a challenge can have that, because the structures to do so are already built into the environment.

Our younger students have an abundance of role models and our older students have plenty of opportunity to practice leadership skills and display mastery of their own academic skills by showing the ability to teach others.

Our teachers, students, and families have three years to get to know each other. This allows a lengthy list of positive outcomes.

3. Teachers as Guides

In most places, the teachers are the focus of the classroom. They stand in the front, delivering information that is meant to be consumed. This is not the case in Montessori schools.

We believe the most impactful learning is that which involves self-discovery. We want to guide our students to ask and then answer the questions, rather than dictating a pre-scripted version of what we determine to be the most important.

Do we have a set curriculum? Absolutely! Do we ensure our students master core subjects and become well-versed in a wide variety of information about our world? Of course. We just do so in a way that is more about leading them to learn for themselves.

4. Individual Pacing

We have said it before and it is definitely worth repeating: learning is not linear. No child learns at the same pace and we all move in starts, stops, and plateaus.

We don’t believe it makes sense to teach to the whole group (in most instances). We think we should honor the individuality of learning, which means allowing each child to progress at his or her own pace.

We have developed helpful systems to support this work, so it’s not only possible, it’s built into the core of everything we do.

No child has to wait for the rest of the group to catch up, feeling bored and restless and wishing they had more. On the same note, no child needs to feel like they’re falling behind and not getting the support they need.

5. Emphasis on Formative Assessment

We don’t give grades in Montessori schools, but we do document progress. We don’t give tests but we absolutely keep records of where student understanding is. We would argue that our methods allow us to have an even deeper understanding of student progress.

Once a grade is on a report card, it’s a done deal. We don’t see the finality in learning, nor do we think comparisons between children are necessary or helpful. We want each child to reach certain goals, but we want them to be able to do so at their own pace.

We carefully monitor progress on a daily basis, and our observational forms of assessment allow us to change our teaching strategies in the moment; we can adjust our teaching mid-lesson to make sure kids get what they need.

We look at assessment more as a means to review goals and make a plan moving forward.

6. Focus on Independence

As we mentioned earlier in this article, Montessori focuses heavily on the independence of children. We believe children, even very young children, are capable and eager to do much more than is typically expected of them.

It’s important to note that we are realists. No child will walk through the doors of our school being able to do everything for themselves. Our job is to give enough guidance and support to allow them to progress in that direction.

Infants in Montessori environments who are able to stand and support their own weight are able to help change their own diapers in that position. Toddlers learn to put on and fasten their own coats and shoes. Elementary children learn to solve math problems without materials and social conflicts without anger. Adolescents learn the basics of running their own business.

It’s a gradual progression, but each step is just as important as the before or the one that lies ahead.

7. Development of Global Citizens

Montessori schools operate not just with the goal of educating children in academics, but we hope to create kind, creative, and passionate global citizens.

We want to nurture curiosity and a joyful approach to learning that isn’t just about school but about how they see the world. We want to teach kids to care about one another, to celebrate the differences between people, and to feel a deep sense of justice and service.

We want them to be successful members of their own local communities, but we also want to give them a broader picture and understanding of the whole world. Knowing how we are all interconnected creates a perspective that will help to create a better planet for everyone.

Are you curious? Want to learn more about Montessori? Reach out today to chat with someone from our school or to take a look at what we have to offer.

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150 Years: The Planes of Development

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 13:00:00 GMT

“I have found that in his development, the child passes through certain phases, each of which has its own particular needs. The characteristics of each are so different that the passages from one phase to another have been described by certain psychologists as ‘rebirths’.” -Dr. Maria Montessori

Throughout her years of observing children across a wide variety of settings, Dr. Maria Montessori noticed certain undeniable patterns in their development. She fully recognized that there are many variances among individuals but stated that there were certain traits that could generally be relied upon as children grow and age. She believed that these traits and characteristics could be used not only as a marker to determine a child’s developmental phase, but also as a guide for the adults who serve the child.

As Montessori educators, we still use her scientific findings in our work today. Dr. Montessori recognized that childhood development is divided into four main phases, or planes. Each plane builds upon what was learned in those previously, and each plane has both an active and passive phase. By fully understanding the developmental needs of a child — wherever they happen to be on this continuum — we are better able to create an environment that will be optimal to support their further development.

There is so much to say about Montessori’s planes of development; we will keep it brief and highlight the main points. Just as we utilize this information in our learning environments, we encourage parents to consider how your child’s developmental traits might inform your own decisions at home. Is there anything you’re already doing that supports their growth? Is there anything new you might try?

The First Plane of Development

Newborn-Age 6

During the first plane of development, children learn primarily through experiences they have with their environment. The personal growth during this period is unlike anything we see for the rest of our lives. This is a time of tremendous physical growth, but also the development of the personality. Some of the most important traits to be aware of:

From birth to about age 6, the child’s motto is essentially: “Help me to do it myself.”

The Second Plane of Development

Ages 6-12

Around age 6, there is a definitive shift in the child. There are a series of physical growth spurts, as well as an insatiable need for knowledge about the world and universe. The child’s world begins to expand beyond the narrow perimeters of themselves. This means they are more social, but also curious about everything beyond what they already know. Keep the following characteristics in mind:

Kids at this age just want to devour all the information they possibly can. It is our job to help them learn to “think for themselves”.

The Third Plane of Development

Ages 12-18

The third plane is a magical time. Adolescents find themselves in the developmental stage in which they are learning who they are as individuals. Although we change continuously throughout our lives, who we are at our core, and what drives us is usually anchored in the discoveries we make during our teen years. The onset of puberty brings enormous physical and emotional changes, and the variability between peers during the first half of this plane is obvious. Important points to remember:

Adolescence can be a challenging time for teens and the adults in their lives. There is a constant pushing away and pulling toward one another, and as adults we can work to stay consistent and support their growing independence. This is also an important time to remember that teens are developing their sense of who they are and what they will become; their ideas for their future may look different from what we may have envisioned for them, and that’s okay!

The Fourth Plane of Development

Ages 18-24

Yes – Montessori considered ages 18-24 the final stage of child development! Perhaps you are still in this plane yourself, or not that far out of it. Perhaps you have children approaching this plane. Late adolescence into early adulthood is the bridge that connects our childhood selves to the rest of our adult lives. The rapid growth and learning that goes on during this time period is critical to supporting our future selves.

People in the fourth plane of development are striving toward full independence. This may mean moral independence, financial independence, and emotional independence. At this age we tend to evaluate our own personal place in society. We think about how we will contribute to the greater good, and what our path will look like moving forward. We develop personal interests, start our careers, and sometimes even begin families of our own.

Dr. Maria Montessori stopped writing about human development at the fourth plane. One has to wonder, what would it look like if she had continued? How might human development be classified and defined as it moves through the years? How could Montessori philosophy be applied to adult life?

Want to learn more? Take a look at any one of these helpful resources.

Association Montessori International – The Child’s Development

The Four Planes of Development by Camillo Grazzini

Association Montessori Internationale – Planes of Development Quotes

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Math Fact Memorization: Montessori & Current Research

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 04:00:00 GMT

When someone starts talking about the memorization of math facts, people tend to have strong opinions. We all had a variety of experiences as children ourselves, and those experiences coupled with notions of best practices in education can cause heated debates. In today’s post, we would like to share the results of recent research on the topic. At first glance, the results may seem at odds with Montessori theory, but upon further examination, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Read on to find out why our materials and methods can provide children with exactly what this “new” information suggests they need.

The Findings

This summer Paul L. Morgan, Ph.D. published an interesting article for Psychology Today. Morgan works at Penn State as a professor in the education department as well as Director of the Center for Educational Disparities Research. He and several colleagues (George Farkas and Steve Maczuga) conducted research to investigate instructional practices and their effects on student achievement. Their specific focus was on first grade classrooms in math.

The researchers observed a variety of students and classrooms and determined that the only teaching method that had a positive effect on student achievement was teacher-directed instruction, as opposed to student-centered. [This is the part where those of us who adore Montessori will audibly gasp, but keep reading!]

Morgan, Farkas, and Maczuga define teacher-directed as the following: “Teachers initially demonstrate specific procedures for solving problems, and then provide students with repeated opportunities (e.g., worksheets, routine practice, and drills) to independently practice these procedures. Teacher-directed practices should help students increase their procedural fluency in applying explicitly taught and repeatedly practiced sets of procedures to solve mathematics problems, which should result in the more effective use of higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills.”

What Do Montessori Teachers Do?

According to the researchers’ definition of teacher-directed learning, this is exactly the approach that is taken in regards to students learning their basic math facts in Montessori classrooms. Our initial reaction is simply a result of semantics and misconceptions. Do Montessori teachers utilize worksheets and drills? Well, not exactly, but we still meet the definition in other ways.

One of the most common misconceptions about Montessori education is that the children are let to do whatever they want all the time. Some people think that choice is the driving force (it is, at least in part) and the students run amok. Anyone who has spent any time learning about Montessori or observing in a classroom knows the opposite to be true. Montessori is really all about choice within limits. Teachers create an environment rich with materials that call to the children, and while they do have lots of decision-making opportunities, they are only provided with options that will lead them to meet desired outcomes. The same is true for math fact instruction and practice.

Let’s get down to the facts: in Montessori classrooms, the teachers provide direct fact memorization instruction. At the lower elementary level, in particular, one will find shelves stocked with materials that were designed to aid the process of math fact memorization. Typically a teacher will give a child a lesson on the material to explain how it is to be used and then detail their expectations to the child. Children are generally going to be practicing and recording their facts on a daily basis. Montessorians believe that while understanding the concept of why we manipulate numbers and having a visual representation helps children in the long run, we agree that when it comes down to it those basic facts really need to be memorized with an emphasis on speed and accuracy. This is one of the reasons our children are able to solve larger complex operations problems at a younger age than children in many traditional settings.

Taking a closer look at specific materials, how they are used, and their intended outcomes may help to refine these points.

Room for Improvement?

If there is one area that many math teachers (Montessori and otherwise) could stand to improve upon when it comes to math facts, it would be taking the time to target math fact instruction. Making sure our students are practicing daily, quickly, and accurately is critical, but might we also help them practice smarter?

Sitting down with each individual child to gather a quick assessment periodically can make a huge difference in progress. While gathering data in this fashion is time-consuming, we may find it well worth the effort. Teachers can sit with a child and quickly run through a chart of facts, asking the child for answers orally. Highlight the facts the child can answer quickly and confidently, leaving the others blank. Teachers make a copy of this sheet so that the student can keep it to reference. When it’s time to practice math facts, children can focus on the ones they haven’t yet memorized, rather than eating up time going over the facts they’ve already mastered.

If you are interested in reading more about Dr. Morgan’s work, follow the links to his article and the research findings:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/children-who-struggle/201808/should-us-students-do-more-math-practice-and-drilling

http://journals.sagepub.com/stoken/rbtfl/J2BxFXoAWRPSo/full

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5 Ways Montessori Appeals to the Senses

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 04:00:00 GMT

Learning with all our senses involved allows us to have a fuller, richer experience. Montessori classrooms strive to provide multi-layered sensory opportunities for children. The result? Children who have a strong ability to distinguish the variances in the environments around them.

1. Montessori digs deeper than the classic five senses.

Growing up, you undoubtedly learned about sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. Of course, these are the five basic senses we tend to think about, but Montessori education has a more extensively defined list all its own:

2. Montessori developed materials to help children refine their senses.

Using what she knew about the above senses, Dr. Montessori developed a series of sensorial materials to be used in the classrooms of young children. These materials were designed to isolate one skill and to be self-correcting. This allows the child to concentrate their efforts and to be independent in their learning. Just a small selection of the more famous sensorial materials include:

3. Food is prepared and celebrated regularly in Montessori classrooms.

Beginning when they are just toddlers, Montessori children are directly involved in the preparation and purposeful enjoyment of food. Toddler classrooms have regular tastings, in which they try new and interesting foods. Guides will offer a wide variety of textures, colors, smells, and tastes for the children to explore. These little ones help set the table and learn grace and courtesy through table manners.

During the primary grades (ages 3-5), children participate in food preparation. They are given lessons and chances to practice slicing, spreading, mixing, blending, and multi-step food preparation. Sometimes they enjoy their work as a snack for themselves; other times they prepare food to serve others.

Guides in older levels find ways to continue this important work. Food preparation may be connected to a cultural study, birthday celebration, or the school lunch program. As they get older, children are able to complete more complex and interesting recipes.

4. The classroom environment keeps a focus on the natural world.

Montessori guides are taught to make nature an integral part of the classroom environment, and this often means lots of beautiful indoor plants. Studies have shown that proximity to plants benefits us a variety of ways. They are visually beautiful, but did you know that scientists believe that houseplants can improve our attention? They may also be helpful in reducing sick days and keeping us more productive overall. *See links at the end for more information.

Aside from having live plants in our classrooms, Montessori schools favor natural materials over synthetic. This means that whenever possible, we choose wood, glass, and natural baskets over plastic. We believe that the color and texture of natural materials is more appealing and calming to our senses. While many conventional classrooms favor bright colors, we opt for more muted, natural ones. This allows children to feel calm, safe, and able to focus on their work.

Whenever possible, Montessori schools believe in the importance of taking children into nature on a regular basis. Whether to a local pond, for a walk in the woods, or even a nearby city park, being in green spaces is an important part of learning and growing.

5. Montessori honors children’s developing vestibular and proprioceptive systems.

A couple of quick definitions-
The vestibular system is responsible for balance and is closely connected to the inner ear.
The proprioceptive system is important when having awareness of where one’s body parts are in relation to the rest of one’s body and the space/objects around it.

These systems typically develop early in childhood. It’s our job as adults to make sure children have opportunities to refine them. It is especially important that we provide opportunities for children with sensory-related disorders.

Although many schools around the country are decreasing or doing away with recess altogether, Montessori schools hold that time in high regard. All the climbing, swinging, spinning, and other types of play are natural ways for children to develop their vestibular and proprioceptive systems.

There are activities built into Montessori classrooms that assist this work as well. Carrying heavier materials, painting, and using playdough are connected to the proprioceptive system. The traditional ‘walking the line’ in Montessori primary classrooms provides excellent vestibular input; children must slowly walk while staying on a taped or painted line. Extensions include walking with a bell in hand and trying not to ring it or balancing something on top of their head.

Interested in seeing the sensory classroom in action? Whether you are a current or prospective parent, we encourage you to give us a call and set up a time to observe.

Sources:
Benefits of Indoor Plants…

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494410001027?via%3Dihub

Psychological Benefits of Indoor Plants…

http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/content/42/3/581.full

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The Role of the Montessori Teacher

Thu, 14 May 2020 04:00:00 GMT

What, exactly, is the role of the Montessori teacher? How is it so different from that of any other teacher?

Sometimes it’s easiest to begin by explaining what a Montessori teacher isn’t.

A Montessori teacher is less like the traditional idea of an instructor, and more like a gentle guide. They don’t consider it their job to give child information. They rather lead children in the general direction and give them the tools they need to find the information themselves.

Maria Montessori once said, “The greatest sign of success for a teacher…is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.’”

Montessori Teachers Cultivate Independence

In a Montessori classroom, rather than seeing a teacher at the front of the classroom giving the same lesson to every child, the teacher will be working quietly with individual children or small groups. While that is happening the rest of the children are free to spend their time doing the work that calls to them. A Montessori teacher works hard to create structures that allow children to be independent and to trust themselves as learners.

One large part of what a Montessori teacher does is to intentionally prepare a classroom environment that is developmentally appropriate is inviting to children and supports them on their journey to work independently. This environment is constantly changing in tiny ways as the teacher notices the new and evolving needs of the students.

Montessori Teachers are Trained to Think Like Scientists

Parents should know that Montessori teachers are highly trained. Most have recognized Montessori credentials in addition to their college degrees. Montessori certification programs are intensive and demanding; one might compare them as being the equivalent of another college degree. These training programs don’t just teach Montessori educators how to use the specialized materials; there is extensive coursework about Montessori philosophy, child development, and integrating the arts.

When it comes to assessments, Montessori teachers don’t rely on standardized tests; they rely on the power of observation. They have notebooks brimming with evidence of what their students have mastered, need more support with, and are curious about. They are constantly recording what they notice children working on, how that work is being executed, and ideas they might have in anticipation of a child’s next steps. Montessori teachers literally sit beside a child and determine exactly what they know about a wide range of content areas.

Montessori Teachers Think Long-Term

Because of Montessori’s three-year cycles, teachers have the unique ability to consider their big picture when working with students. There is a natural tendency to allow the children to genuinely learn at their own pace. Getting to know a child and their family well over the course of a few years really supports this approach.

Montessori Teachers are Often Called ‘Guides’

…and for good reason. While children in Montessori classrooms have an abundance of choice in their educational pursuits, Montessori is based on the idea of ‘freedom within limits’. It’s the Montessori teacher’s job to carefully craft those limits. Children rely on having a certain amount of structure in place. This gives them comfort and a safe place in which they can take risks and try new things. Montessori teachers set some boundaries and then carefully help students navigate within them.

What if your second grader loves to read but tends to avoid math? Their Montessori teacher will find ways to ensure the math still gets done. Sometimes this involves a gentle discussion with a child about time management skills, priorities, or setting goals. Sometimes the teacher will find a way to integrate the child’s interests into the less desirable work. Sometimes all it takes is a minor change in the environment. Montessori teachers give children freedom, but they assist children in finding their way to success in this environment.

Montessori teachers value independence, self-reliance, and intrinsic motivation.

They also value cooperation, kindness, and strength in the community.

Still curious? Call us to set up an appointment today to observe in a classroom. See what Montessori is really all about.

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