ARTICLES | February 2022 ISSUE
Book Review: Maria Montessori Speaks to Parents
by Tim Seldin Maria Montessori Speaks to Parents: A Selection of Articles Written by Maria Montessori Maria Montessori spent the vast majority of her professional life working with teachers, developing her innovative educational method. She devoted most of her energy...
Get Kids Moving
Why Physical Play Must Be Part of the Formula When Kids Head Back to School By Preston Blackburn What began abruptly as a stay-at-home mandate two springs ago settled in for significantly longer than any of us expected. Fortunately, with vaccines, we are trending back...
Making Lunch
One of the most challenging parts of having children in school is making lunches. With some guidance, children can make their own lunch. It then becomes a win/win situation. You do not need to make lunch daily, your child gets to practice practical life skills, and...
A Sense of Place
Engendering Love of One’s Home with Adolescents The NewGate School, Global Campus Students, Research Their Place on Earth and Weave a Story to Share By Amy Kremer-Treibly and Elizabeth Hale The NewGate School’s Global Campus is composed of students in seventh through...
How can I get involved with my child’s school?
There are some things that even money can’t buy, and one of the most valuable contributions that families make to a school is the gift of their time and expertise. Parents, grandparents, and friends of the school are often found helping in the office, assisting in the...
What Is The Montessori Method?
We, as parents, love to see our children become independent and self-sufficient as they grow and age. But sometimes, we may need help to get them to that point. We can do so by implementing the Montessori Method into their lives. Montessori emphasizes teaching...
I think my child is ready to move up to the next class… a year early!
Over the years, it’s quite common for parents to come to us to say that, since their child is so advanced academically, they worry that the class they are in now is not sufficiently challenging. It is not unusual for parents to ask the school to move them up a year...
An Online Montessori School for Teens
Editor’s Note: Families have been inspired by Montessori to home-school their children for years. The trend seems to be expanding. Something new grew out of the pandemic: online education at the adolescent level that is consciously based on Montessori guidelines. One...
The Importance of the Kindergarten Year
Every year in January, one of us will write an article about the importance of children who are turning five completing the three-year cycle of the Montessori Early Childhood program. We do this because this is a decision that is truly important for any child who has...
Looking Back on My Years in Montessori
A college essay by Douglas Delaney I think my life will be a roller-coaster of emotion and experiences. I will never forget the beginning of my amazing ride at Beach Park, the Montessori school that I attended from preschool through eighth grade. When I look back on...
Raising Helpers
by Theresa of Montessoriinreallife.com One of the most wonderful things about toddlers is how they so inherently want to help. They are eager to be involved, be near us, and participate in our day-to-day activities. What we deem “chores,” toddlers see as what they...
TENDING TO GRACE & COURTESY
), Grace and courtesy is often used to mean either rules or manners, or mannerly following of the rules. There are many lists out there about the grace and courtesy lessons that should be presented in the beginning of the year, making it seem to be a “one and remind”...
When Public and Private Montessori Schools Work Together, Everyone Wins
by Amy O'Connor Editor’s Note: Montessori schools within the same community often have little or no contact with one another. This is unfortunate. There is strength in numbers. They can look for opportunities for families and their children to participate in joint...
Messy Spaces for Art and Hobbies
by Tim Seldin and Lorna McGrath An excerpt from Montessori For Every Family, published by DK Press, 2021 In most families, there are hobbies, interests, and activities that can be messy, need to be left in place to continue to work on later, or where special tools and...
Faces of Normalization
Normalization is a term that Montessori teachers exhaust at the beginning of each school year. “The children are normalizing.” “Normalization is a delicate process.” “We’re almost normalized.” But what is normalization? Dr. Montessori described normalization in this...
Advice: Tears At Pickup
Your day can be ruined when your child tells you that something upsetting happened at school. Maybe a friend wouldn’t play with your child, or a classmate called your child a name, or any number of possible scenarios. The first thing your gut tells you to do is...
Book Reviews
Some of My Favorite Books For Older Children by Tim Seldin Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? A Fast, Clear, and Fun Explanation of the Economics You Need for Success in Your Career, Business, and Investments Written by Richard J. Maybury Edited by Jane A. Williams...
Some Of Our Favorite Supplies For An Art Area In Your Home
“As well as being part of our history and a way of understanding other people’s experiences, art is also a form of personal expression, like poetry, song, dance, and telling stories. It is a form of human connection that can evoke feelings, thoughts, and hopefully...