Consistency and Routines
May 14, 2018Consistency and Routines. Consistency leads to the greatest success. Children thrive with routines. They’re some of our favorite words. While children are still creating self-discipline and an inner sense of order, it’s up to us →
Getting Ready for School
May 10, 2018It’s the time of year when we’re making plans. Plans for summer, even if it feels like we’ll never get there, and plans for school for next year, whether it’s college or first time away →
Math without Math
May 7, 2018Okay, so, Maria Montessori tells us to “Follow the Child,” right? Children will show us what they need. We pay attention, we watch and look for signs. It’s natural for us to count as we →
Montessori Encyclopedia: Color Box 3
May 3, 2018How do you use this material? Color Box 3 is a large wooden box in the Sensorial Area, containing 63 color tablets: gradation sets of 7 tablets of each of the following colors, blue, red, →
The Montessori Children’s House
April 30, 2018When you live and breathe something, day-in-day-out, it’s natural to take it for granted. Not dismissively so, but rather to be unsurprised by it. Is it because of the routine? Much like bandaids might be →
Giving Choices in Montessori
April 26, 2018Children surprise us with their opinions. For the first few years, they’re along for the ride, wearing, eating, and doing what we choose for them. A day comes and, out of the blue, they surprise →
The Montessori Mixed-Age Classrooms
April 23, 2018When families are introduced to Montessori, one of the aspects that is often the most surprising, is the mixed-age classrooms. It can be rather dramatic, to see a big six-year-old, working alongside a three-year-old. To →
Montessori Encyclopedia: Color Box 2
April 19, 2018How do you use this material? Color Box 2 is a long wooden box in the Sensorial Area, containing 22 color tablets: pairs of blue, red, yellow, green, orange, purple, black, white, grey, brown, and →
There’s Always More to Learn in Montessori
April 16, 2018The work is never finished. Not like laundry, where it feels like the mountain is worn down only to be built back up again, but like a grand and detailed work of art, where closer →
What to Wear?
April 12, 2018Let’s talk about clothing. We all wear it, it’s an expression of our personality, or how we’re feeling today, or simply protection from the elements. So, how do we dress our children? This can be →
The Storm Before the Calm
April 9, 2018The only aspect of life that is linear is the passing of time. Apart from that, true, deep, daily learning, development, progress is a bit more, shall we say, tumultuous? For adults and for children →
Spotlight Lizzie Gheorghita
April 5, 2018Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Your background, your interests, your dreams? My childhood was spent in my father’s home country of Romania, and England, until moving to Missouri at age →
Five Minutes
April 2, 2018Time is so fluid. We know this. “Time flies when you’re having fun.” “Time heals.” “I don’t have time.” It’s nebulous. Five minutes waiting for an appointment is an eternity, five minutes with a friend →
Fostering Helpfulness
March 29, 2018We received the most amazing, thought-provoking question on Facebook. Here it is: [quote]How do we teach our kids to help their families and communities more than is absolutely necessary if we aren’t modelling helpfulness by →
Montessori Encyclopedia: Color Box 1
March 22, 2018How do you use this material? Color Box 1 is a small, unobtrusive wooden box in the Sensorial Area, containing six color tablets: two blue, two red, two yellow. The guide will invite the child →
Taking Chances
March 19, 2018The way we typically think about learning is by memorizing and recognizing. Our entire public school system is based on this model. Here are the facts, memorize them, and then we'll have a test next →
Montessori Chores
March 15, 2018This subject is way more fun than the word “chores” connotes, and not just because we put the word “Montessori” in front. Stay with me. Children want to be just like us. It’s the driving →
Join the Baan Dek Team
March 13, 2018We’re eager to grow -- as a school, as Montessorians, together. Sioux Falls is consistently among the top places to live, and the community here is hungry for a change in education. Are you hungry →
The Power of Confidence
March 12, 2018Success is fluid. How do we qualify Success? Internal satisfaction, external rewards? Feelings of pride and accomplishment, a big bank account and an impressive title? Being relied on by others, a promotion? Personal and professional →
Spotlight Rochelle Cutler
March 8, 2018We first interviewed Rochelle Cutler of I Can Do It Montessori in 2015, and we wanted to see what's new in her world! If you haven't read her previous Spotlight, it's definitely worth a read. →
Short Term, Long Term
March 5, 2018At Baan Dek, we have posters on the walls with lovely quotes. They’re at adult-height, and these words remind us about our intention for being here -- to Help the children. As we’ve noted previously, →
Montessori Dictionary: Three Levels of Obedience
March 1, 2018The Three Levels of Obedience is a Montessori phrase that might not be as common as “Consequence” or “Discipline,” but it’s an important one. It’s also one of those magical words (or phrases, as is →
Never Give Up
February 26, 2018Young children are relentless. They are persistent. They are focused. They absolutely never give up. When we work with young children, it’s not uncommon to hear, “learn something new every day!” Often this is tongue-in-cheek, →
Spotlight Bergamo Montessori Schools
February 22, 2018This interview is with Matt Hillis of Bergamo Montessori Schools. A Montessori student, his work comes full-circle in his role as Executive Director! Q: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Your background, →
