The Montessori Way

  Dear Cathie, I like many parts of the Montessori system, but I am confused about why children are supposed to be quiet and calm all the time. When I watch my children at home, they seem to need to scream, run, and jump almost constantly. It seems that...

If your child's teacher could sit down with you for an unhurried hour, there are a few things she would probably want you to hear.   Your Child Doesn't Have to Love Every Day Adults do not love every day at work either. Children do not have to love every day;...

The first weeks of school lay the foundation for a child’s confidence, connection, and learning throughout the year. By Montessori Foundation Staff The first few weeks of a new school year are unlike any other time of the year. Whether your child is walking into a...

When Montessori schools work together, children gain opportunities to build friendships, develop skills, and participate in a wider community. By Tim Seldin Most Montessori schools are intentionally human in scale. Their classrooms are carefully designed communities...

The partnership between home and school begins when children see the adults they love trusting and participating in their Montessori community. By Montessori Foundation Staff Every September, we ask a great deal of children. We ask them to walk into a new classroom—or...

In a calm home environment, a caregiver observes a toddler’s emerging independence without pressure. Few topics generate more anxiety for parents of toddlers than toileting. Is my child ready? Am I pushing too soon? Should we wait? Modern disposable diapers have made...

The first campus visit can become the beginning of a relationship that lasts for years. Most Montessori schools give tours. And in my experience, most school leaders will tell you that once they can get a prospective family onto campus, the odds of that family...

In the elementary years, the child’s mind seems to explode outward, reaching toward the vastness of the universe and the possibilities of discovery. Something fascinating happens when children move into the elementary years. Their minds seem to explode outward. They...

  One of the greatest gifts you can give your child's school is helping other families feel that they belong. When a family first joins a Montessori school, there is a lot to learn. The classroom may look different from the schools the parents remember. Teachers...

Making lunch part of family life rather than a daily emergency. School lunch can become one of those surprisingly exhausting parts of parenting. The surprisingly exhausting part of parenting can begin at 7:25 in the morning. You want something nutritious. Your child...