The Montessori Way

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...

The beginning of a school year is a moment of letting go for parents and children alike. By Montessori Foundation Staff There is a moment that plays out in Montessori schools every autumn. A parent walks a child to the classroom door. There is a hug, a kiss, and...

  Walk into a good Montessori classroom and you may initially wonder who is in charge. Children are scattered around the room. One is working on the floor. Another is writing at a table. Two children may be working together. Someone is carrying a tray. A teacher...

Helping children gradually rediscover the rhythm of school days can make the transition back to school gentler for the whole family. Summer has its own rhythm. Bedtimes tend to drift. Mornings become less hurried. Breakfast may happen at 8:00 one day and 10:00 the...

In a well-functioning Montessori Children’s House, children work, move, talk, and care for their shared environment with growing independence.   Why Some Montessori Classrooms Become Calm, Joyful Communities—and Others Never Quite Get There Walk into a...

Pickup is a small daily drama. There is the child who walks out carrying one shoe, a mysterious leaf, and the emotional weight of the entire afternoon. There is the parent who has answered 47 emails, navigated traffic, and is now hoping for a cheerful reunion. Then...

People often ask us a deceptively simple question: what makes a school truly Montessori? It sounds like a question with an easy answer. In practice, it is one of the most important questions a parent or educator can ask: and one that the educational marketplace rarely...