How does Montessori address freedom and discipline? Without rewards or punishments, and with a focus on collaboration instead of competition, how does Montessori handle the issue of discipline, or conflict resolution? Believe it or not, disicpline is not really an issue in Montessori classrooms. Why? Because the prepared environment, with an emphasis on community, instead […]
How do we address praise in a Montessori classroom? As many of you know, rewards and punishments are not employed in Montessori, at least not in the conventional sense. In Montessori, there are no stars or stickers, no tests or judgements. Homework? No, not that either. Everything happens more naturally, and in accordance with the […]
There are a number of helpful guides on how best to transition from home to school. We thought we would take this opportunity to put together a collection of our eight most helpful points that we have learned from our experiences at Baan Dek. 1. Positivity: When you speak about school, speak about it in positive […]
Prospective parents often ask, “What can we do to implement the Montessori approach to education at home, to better prepare our child for your classroom?” The simple and immediate response is: help them to foster their independence. One of the best ways to help children is to let them help you: with the dishes and the […]
The famous British philosopher Bertrand Russell describes the Montessori approach to discipline, in his book “On Education”. Here’s Russell, in 1926: “I had always understood that Madame Montessori dispensed with discipline, and I had wondered how she managed a roomful of children. On reading her own account of her methods, I found that discipline still […]