Getting Ready for Math
Math is kind of one of those milestones. Like reading, or walking, or anything else transformative, it’s the opening of a whole new world. It’s another language. It’s a starting point and a culmination of →
Growing Into Discipline
It’s just one of those Montessori words. It’s a word we hear in other contexts, sometimes in relation to children, and so often, there’s just a bit of a negative undercurrent. I need to be →
Spotlight Alicia Tucker
Alicia Tucker is a Montessori parent who discovered Montessori as so many of us have -- by accident. A former public school teacher in a traditional school, she found in Montessori answers to questions she →
The Path to Literacy
The path to literacy is unique in the Montessori classroom. Rather than begin by identifying common simple words -- cat, ball -- we begin with sounds, and move first to writing, then reading. We start →
The Purpose of Practical Life
Practical Life is the starting point in the Montessori Toddler and Primary Environments. It’s usually where a child begins, perhaps with tidying, or pouring, or sweeping. Why do we have these materials? What is the →
Letter Sounds and Letter Names
Let’s sing the ABC’s! It’s not uncommon for children to come to school “knowing their letters.” Perhaps they can name one or two, they know how to sing the song as generations have before them →
Spotlight MOMtessori Life
As we begin Summer, we couldn't be more pleased to bring you this Spotlight of Angela Chang, trained Montessori guide turned "Stay-at-Home-MOMtessorian," and author of MOMtessori Life. After all, just as much learning happens outside the →
Summertime Learning
Children are learning all the time. In the classroom, at home, before they start school, at the grocery store. From the moment a child wakes to falling asleep at night, as Maria Montessori said, “The →
Maximum Effort
Maria Montessori developed this educational system through lots and lots of observation of young children. She noticed qualities common among children under six, and one of these qualities she called Maximum Effort. As is so →
Hard Work
Growing up is hard work. Everything is brand new for this infant, this baby, this young toddler. Things we take for granted have to be learned, which is so easily forgotten. When we think about →
Metal Insets
How do you use this material? The Metal Insets are displayed on a shelf all their own. The guide selects one of the ten insets, or shapes, and the corresponding frame, along with a square →
Why Cursive
There are many unexpected moments in the way Montessori presents various concepts of skills to children, including the surprise of introducing children to handwriting first through cursive. The Sandpaper Letters are iconic -- pink or →
Follow the Child
There are these terms in Montessori Education that are used, but sometimes, we don’t really think about what they mean. “Follow the Child” is one of those. We thought we’d discuss this meaningful phrase in →
Washing Dishes is Belonging
Social Cohesion is a term in Montessori that speaks of the important social development happening in a classroom -- children looking out for one another, helping and being respectful, that the desires of the individual →
After all this time
Around this time of year, we start reflecting. The year is winding down. The achievements the children have made over the last year are coming together in the most beautiful ways. We wonder, what’s next? →
