Preparing the Environment

Outdoor play in winter is not the carefree puddle-stomping of summer, to be sure, but the extra supervision needed can also be an opportunity for extra family time. Start by dressing children for success. Choose coats and hats with closures children can manage on their own and show them how …

Lakshmi Kripalani: An Authentic Montessori Legend I have had good fortune and a bit of serendipity in my Montessori career, from listening to the legendary Elizabeth Caspari lecture to working for the most amazing trainers and directors who, though not famous or even well-known, definitely qualify as “legendary” by the …

Even outdoors, you are still the third point of the triangle! When we take the children outdoors, where it seems so easy for them to function, we tend to forget that the magic of the Montessori prepared environment depends as much on the teacher as it does on the materials and the …

Have you ever… sat next to a three-foot long iguana (or a giant rabbit or a cockatoo) while laying out the Square of Pythagoras on a rug? With such experiences, how can we not be in awe of life? In such circumstances, life itself is exciting, unusual, normal, and mystifying …

It took Montessori Services founder Jane Campbell only a few mornings in the Montessori classroom to discover how time-consuming setting up and maintaining the children’s environment can be! Four years later, with her own new baby in tow, Jane set out to serve the Montessori community in another way: by …

Whenever possible, try to build a control of error into each activity so it becomes clear to your child when she has made a mistake. The rationale behind letting children use cups and bowls that break if they are dropped or misused is that children quickly learn to be careful …

Art is one of the many ways children express themselves. Art is a way for children to communicate their feelings. It is through art that children develop their fine motor skills. In the Montessori environment, we provide open-ended art activities that help children explore and use their creativity. When it …

Montessori education has been referred to as “peace education”; Montessorian Sonnie McFarland calls peace education a “Montessori best practice” (Montessori Life, January 2005); and even Gandhi praised Montessori’s approach to world peace. So, how is peace cultivated in a Montessori classroom? The Quiet Hum of Peaceful Activity Visitors often marvel …

Focus on Routines, Not Lesson Plans Though we are ruled by the clock and the calendar like the rest of the world, we make room for real freedom with a regular routine. One of the features of a Montessori classroom is the consistency of an established schedule, which promotes what …

Summer is here, and whether you have summer camp programs or year-around school, many hours will be spent outside. Summer and water go together, even without a nearby pool or beach. Not only are wet activities fun, but they also provide opportunities for children to discover how things work. So …