Work is good. In the Montessori classroom, we call what children do all day, their “work.” We do this for several reasons. We’d like to discuss that deeper here. The young child learns from everything she does. When the infant cries, she learns you are reliable. When the toddler keeps dropping her spoon from her […]
Concentration is busy… and concentration is still. Concentration is natural and innate. Concentration is purposeful. Concentration is the goal… and concentration is the starting point. Concentration is cooperative… and concentration is individual. Concentration is intense. Concentration is creative. Concentration is determined. Concentration results in joy and satisfaction. Concentration is when the big learning happens.
In the Montessori classroom, the child is preparing the hand for handwriting even before trying to write their name. See some of that progression here. From her very first day, and her very first material, the child is constantly using her hand, refining fine motor control. As a child’s manual dexterity develops, they are able […]
A mixed-age environment is fundamental to a Montessori classroom, and we see the benefits of it daily. We wanted to explore some of those benefits in greater detail, as well as hypothesizing some of the unique reasons it is so wonderful in a Montessori classroom. All Montessori classrooms have a mixed-age group, usually three years. […]
One of the hardest things to understand about Montessori, especially for those who have not had an opportunity to see a classroom in action, is just how much children are capable of, particularly in respect to their ability to focus, which becomes a catalyst for exploration, discovery, and ultimately, their entire sense of life-possibility. A […]