childrens-workshop-montessori

Toilet Awareness

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 19:31:47 GMT

PSYCHOLOGICAL PREPARATION:
REFLECT ON ATTITUDES & EXPECTATIONS

Important to treat toilet awareness as a process rather than an immediate outcome.
If we are process driven, it eliminates the need to use manipulation, rewards, shame, or excessive pressure.
We call it toilet “awareness” because we’re supporting a process of awareness in children which leads to natural, innate independence.

Understanding the Child

Are they ready?
Control of movement: Can they sit? Stand?
Hide when they go in their diaper?
Communicate that they need a change?
Take off their diaper?
Participate in dressing?
Crisis of Self-Affirmation (Oppositional crisis): 18 mos to 3 yrs (says “No”, separate being)
What is their “normal” with elimination? Disposable?
Expect resistance with creating a new normal.

What are the Goals?

First goal: Normalizing the toilet
Talk about it
Use toileting language
Second goal: Internalizing a new habit
Creating & supporting the internalization of new routines and associations with toileting
(i.e. when I’m wet, it’s time to sit on the toilet and put on dry underwear).
Consistency

Language

Use language that builds children’s self-confidence.
Avoid shaming.
Use affirmative language and refrain from negative comments about their elimination (i.e. “Peew! You’re stinky!”).
Avoid saying “accident” which has negative connotations.
Use factual language such as, “you are wet”, “you have a bowel movement”, “your poop goes in the toilet and then we flush it down”.
Avoid praise (reality-based experiences, nurture innate motivation vs. external). Celebrate successes to yourself in private.

Preparation

Child sized & at child’s level
A simple potty chair that’s easy to clean and/or a toilet seat w/ step stool
Hamper or container for soiled clothes
Stool or a chair for dressing and undressing
Storage for clean/extra clothes (basket)
Toilet paper/wipes
Stairs/stool for the sink

Clothing for Independence

What do we mean by “independence”?
Clothing that supports success because that builds confidence in children!
Clothing that is easy to take on/off for small hands
Lots of cloth underwear!
Cloth gives an immediate feeling of elimination
Keep pants-less if possible because it offers more success when there are fewer items of clothing to take off before sitting on the toilet
Easy to pull-up pants
Avoid tight leggings, drawstrings, buttons, and zippers
Shoes with velcro
On the go:
Pidd le pad (carseat)
Underwear Covers

TIPS FROM MONTESSORI GUIDES

Prepare the environment with your child and name the items (encourages normalization and order).
Get into a routine that does things in the same order. (Sound like a broken record? You’re doing it right!)
Model or have other children model using the toilet.
Check yourself!
Your frustration will almost certainly be met with more resistance from your child
Relax and your child will too
Use intentional language. (Avoid praise & shame. Use affirmative and matter-of-fact language.)
Remember that this is a process and adjust expectations. Don’t get too attached to the ultimate outcome.
Wait until they are finished with a task to offer the toilet. Less likely to go if they’re interrupted.
Don’t ask permission. State clear and consistent expectations (“It’s time to sit on the toilet”).
Use “When” and “Then” statements
Eliminate words as you repeat statements (“Sit. Toilet.”; simplified language = easier to process).
Give Two Choices (supports oppositional crisis, gives toddlers control)
Never force a child to use the toilet. Tantrums are not the right time to state expectations. If a tantrum has erupted, it has shifted into calming their bodies.

Montessori at Home

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 19:09:56 GMT

Guiding Principles

1. Be Patient
As adults we must learn to slow down & have patience, give children the additional time to do it for themselves.
2. Make things Accessible
Bring activities to their level , for example, make use of lower shelves or cupboards, smaller tools or containers.
3. Encourage a Sense of Community
Children love to part take in real life experiences, allow them to contribute to the family by setting the table, pouring water or doing the dishes.
4. Get Outside
Teach them to care for and appreciate nature, develop language skills through discussing your surrounds and make learning an interactive family occasion.

5. Be Consistent

Routines that are followed and not rushed provide children with comfort & security. Wherever possible allow adequate time to follow the same daily routine, if you change the routine or have a special occasion prepare the child in advance so they know what to expect.

6. Grace & Courtesy

As a parent you need to model the behavior you expect from your child so remember to be polite, compassionate and respectful to others- they will practice what they see not what they are told to do.

7. Safety First

Teach children about the dangers at home, explain why we need to be careful in certain situations or when using certain things. We cannot protect children from every danger but we can prepare them.

8. Continue your own Education

As our children learn and grow, each new phase of development comes with its own opportunities not only for them but for us too. We need to stay informed and to expand our own education so that we can help them maximize their capacity to embrace all their childhood has to offer.

PRACTICAL LIFE AT HOME

Ask your child to help with simple tasks such as:

1. Peeling / chopping vegetables (Life Skill)

2. Dressing / folding clothes (Care of Self)

3. Caring for plants (Care of Environment)

4. Greeting family members (Grace & Courtesy)

5. Preparing for meals / bed time (Motor control & co-ordination)

Appropriate Chores:

In The Bedroom:

Taking clothes from closet Putting dirty clothes in the laundry

Putting clean clothes away

Choosing outfits & get dressed

Helping to make the bed

Household Tasks:

Tidy up toys
Care for plants
Care of pets
Clean windows
Prepare themselves to leave the house

Dusting

Help with grocery shopping

Folding clothes
Vacuuming
Mopping

In the bathroom:

Brush hair
Brush teeth

Wash hands
Tidy up bath toys

Blow nose

Wash body

Hang up towels

Use toilet

Flush toilet

SENSORIAL AT HOME

The child’s intellectual foundations are constructed through interactions with people & the environment.
Children are naturally curious, they explore and this attention to detail heightens their sensory observations.
Encourage your child’s exploration of colors, shapes, sizes and develop their five senses through natural interactions with their home environment.

LANGUAGE AT HOME

Language is a living learning part of you home, this is due to the fact that children naturally acquire Language through experiences and interactions in the environment.
At home and at school it is important to create a language rich environment that will entice children and fulfil their drive for language.
Simple Language activities to include in you daily routine :

1. Talk

2. Sing

3. Read.
4. Write.

5. Play

MATH AT HOME

Children have a natural drive for order, exactness & exploration, they have the natural potential to investigate, calculate & measure.
This gives them a natural numbers sense. Young children experience informal math we use in daily life - pattern, size, quantity & counting objects in the environment.
You can incorporate Math in many ways including :

1.Baking / Finger Play / Music / Reading
2. Gardening / Experiments
3.Providing concrete materials

CULTURE AT HOME

The goal of the Culture subjects is to prepare children to know, understand, respect and care for the planet and all people.
At this age we introduce Geography, Science & History through providing opportunities for children to explore & interact in the real world.
Take the time to observe and appreciate the natural world around us. Find the magic in:

1. Observing the changing of seasons

2. Studying Life Cycles
3. Identify flowers & animals
4. Explore culture & traditions

5. Experiments

“The essence of independence is to be able to do something for one’s self. Adults work to finish a task, but the child works in order to grow, and is working to create the adult, the person that is to be. Such experience is not just play... it is work he must do in order to grow up.”

-Maria Montessori

Montessori Language at Home

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 18:19:29 GMT

HOW TO USE LANGUAGE AT HOME

Using Clear and Consistent Language: Use complete sentences and words. Avoid baby talk! Toddlers learn to talk by repeating what they hear. So make sure you’re saying “little” not “widdle” like your toddler!
Enunciating Slowly: Speak slowly but naturally so the child can process it.
Being at Child’s Eye Level: This helps the child see your mouth move while speaking.
Engaging in Conversation: The average child spends 3-5 minutes per week in conversation, while the rest is directive language.
Avoid Correcting: We do not correct mispronunciations. Instead, we repeat the correct pronunciation so that they can hear it again.
Engaging in a Dance of Communication: We give the child an opportunity to respond when we communicate with them. This can be in the form of repeating back what they are saying (especially babies). With babies, we can repeat their own words back to them until they can speak words (then we use words).

Creating a Relationship and Desire to Speak: We create a loving relationship with the child by accepting their interests, dislikes, and choices. It is accepting the person that they are. This loving relationship creates the desire to speak.

WHEN TO USE LANGUAGE

When your toddler is helping to prepare food, give directions ("Please pass the carrot to me.") and use sequencing words (e.g., first, then, next, finally), name the ingredients and cooking utensils you're using and describe them using your senses, and use cooking verbs.
Chat about what’s happening during transitions in your routine. “Look at the clear, blue sky today. The sun is so bright. Let’s put on our hats and sunscreen before we go out”.
At the grocery store, name the items as you put them into your cart and describe them or talk about how you're going to use the ingredient. “This avocado is still green and firm. We will need to let it ripen on the kitchen counter before we can use to to make guacamole.”
When you're helping your toddler learn new self-care skills such as toileting and getting dressed, talk through what to do or how things work.
When you need to set a limit on your toddler's behavior, explain why instead of just saying "no".

DESCRIPTIVE LANGUAGE

Don’t “Dumb Down “ language for children. Even if they don't understand it, they are absorbing it for later use.
Children learn a language by being surrounded by it.
Use adjectives to describe things. “Blue ball, Bright red car, Fast loud train”
Adjectives and Adverbs add detail to descriptions that builds vocabulary.
Children will start to speak using only nouns, but they are taking in all language.
Highly descriptive language helps children to learn to differentiate between similar objects, and eventually, similar, but different, ideas.

CHOICES

Making choices develops the will.
We give children the freedom to choose to help them learn to make decisions.
Giving them choices helps build their independence.
Children need the opportunity to practice making choices.
In the Nido and Toddler Communities, we offer two choices, as that is all they can manage at this age.
Experience the consequences that may come with the choice they make.
There will be times when they do not have a choice, that is okay. Offer choices when you are able.

CHOOSING BOOKS

Real Life/Objects vs. Fantasy (i.e. Shopping, animals, vehicles, seasons ant etc.)
Select books with beautiful illustrations and show them how carefully we hold them as if they were works of art.
Always look for rich language and avoid baby talks.
A-lot of details in illustration; new discoveries to

discuss every time you read.

Montessori Observation

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 17:55:42 GMT

Observation: Why its Important

Discoveries made through observation is the best way to provide for, in your environment, a way to support the natural development of children.
Through observation, Maria Montessori was the first to discover that it is important to provide child size materials and furniture, for example.
When given the tools and materials to their size, they become fully capable human beings who can care for themselves, others, and the environment.

Challenges..

The greatest challenge to observation lies in our own preconceptions, prejudgments, and expectations. Montessori training focuses on discovering and transforming such obstacles within ourselves. But another great challenge is making the time to observe. Sometimes, when we observe it feels as if we aren’t ‘working’. But in fact, observation is the foundation of Montessori work. Embracing that fact will be a big step towards committing the time every day throughout the day to observe and discover – without prejudice – what children constantly reveal through their own activity. And only on the basis of those revelations can we plan effective responses.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN OBSERVING CHILDREN:

Concentration
Independence
Development of the will
Sensitive Periods
Human Tendencies

We are a natural scientist. Our job is to witness the unfolding learning in children. We are not talking about forming a hypothesis and testing it. A natural scientist will gather natural data patiently and objectively as to reflect, to arrive to a conclusion and take appropriate steps to respond.

Example: If a child is looking at another child's work intensely, this observation is the key to unlock the child's learning.

CONCENTRATION

When the child spends their time working on a material for a good length of time.
Focused on their work
Not easily distracted by others in the environment
Concentration builds executive function: working memory, problem solving ability, etc. These skills carry on into adult hood.

INDEPENDENCE

How does he achieve independence? He does it by means of a continuous activity. How does he become free? By means of constant effort." (Montessori 1949, p.96)

A child who take care of themselves, be it functionally, socially, or economocally, is able to take care of their greater environment. Supporting the growth of independence in the child supports the evolution of society and culture at large.

Role of the Adult: Resist the temptation to intervene too quickly. Allow the child to receive organic feedback which enables the child to become a member of society, contribute, and participate in human solidarity.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE WILL

"This flower looks kind of dry. I need to water it"

"There is only 5 pieces of paper and I used 2 already.

I'll save the remaining paper for a friend."

In a silence activity, a child is able to restrict

all impulses and movement until his name is called.

SENSITIVE PERIODS

Optimal period of time when the human is sensitive to environmental stimuli or impressions that are important for development.

There are 4 sensitive periods in the first plane (age group: birth to age 6):

Language
Order
Refinement of the senses
Movement

Observable manifestations: when exposed to a good kind of order, the child will go home and try to organize his/her home. When exposed to the opposite, a child may appear emotional, restless, disruptive.

HUMAN TENDENCIES

Orientation
Order
Communication
To know/To reason
Abstraction
Imagination
Mathematical mind
Work
Repetition
Exactness
Activity
Manipulation
Self-perfection
Explore

Understand that we have 14 human tendencies. The Montessori concept focuses on the universal child and the potential as human beings to be transformed for the better through an environment that is grounded with their true natural learning desire.

When we develop ourselves as spiritual and scientific observers we are able to truly serve the children with love. The secrets of childhood reveal themselves to us through our observations and as Montessori suggests “Life acts of itself, and in order to study it, to divine its secrets or to direct its activity, it is necessary to observe it and to understand it without intervening—this idea, I say, is very difficult for anyone to assimilate and to put into practice” (The Montessori Method 88).

The practice and art of observation must become a habit of mind, fully engrained in us, never to be abandoned or neglected. We must diligently attend to what is in front of us, to the smallest details. As we move along the path, side by side with the child, we strive to prepare both the environment and ourselves to support the spontaneous activity of children, in an atmosphere of freedom. Observation is our core and most ardent ally in these fundamental preparations. It protects the integrity of the method and the work of the child. It fuels our understanding of each unique individual child allowing us to truly serve her needs in an exact and thoughtful manner.

Montessori reminds us, “As we observe children, we see the vitality of their spirit, the maximum effort put forth in all they do, the intuition, attention and focus they bring to all life’s events, and the sheer joy they experience in living” (The Child, Society, and the World 99). Be as the children, and we will thrive; we will become joyful observers.

Montessori 101

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 17:26:51 GMT

Practical Life

Exercises of Practical Life are ordinary simple tasks to help a child learn how to care for oneself, the environment, and others. Adults have been conditioned to focus on the product or result. Yet, young children of the first plane live in the present and are fulfilled by the process rather than the product.

Benefits of Exercises of Practical Life
Develops functional independence
Improves coordination of movement
Develops the will
And builds concentration
Adaptation and Orientation: It helps the child pursue a social life where they come to participate and lead
Areas of Practical Life
Preliminary Exercises
Care of Self
Care of Environment
Grace and Courtesy
Control of movement

Characteristics of the Materials:
Child size
Psychologically appropriate
Well maintained
Attractive
Complete
Similar but can tell the difference by color coding
Culturally specific
Organized simple to complex
Full cycle of activity
Serves as a direct preparation for the next work

Sensorial

The training of the senses is the matter of the greatest importance in education.

There is no way to understand the world unless we can detect it from our senses.
It is the brain’s real source of food.

“If the food is rich, that is the food it has. If it is scarce, then that is the only form of nourishment it has.”

It is stronger and weaker depending on what is available in the environment.

Sensorial Exercises help neuro-connections in the brain become stronger. It helps the child become conscious of the physical property of the world such as taste, smell, texture, color.

Aim:

Classify and organize their sensory perceptions
Refine his powers of discrimination
Build intellect
Develop Abstraction
Assist in the powers of accurate memory
Develop operational understanding of the world
Creation of life long skills (order, exactness, and precision)
Develops aesthetic sense and artistic creativity (prepares for the mathematical mind)

Sensitive period for sensorial refinement only happens from birth to 6 years. Once the child has had lot of opportunities to explore EPL & Sensorial, only then can we give them the name and language associated with it.

Language

Spoken Language:

Give language so children can be confident in expressing themselves.
The freedom to explore allows them to gain ideas which expand their intellect.
Adults act as role models and children absorb everything so we must use precise language.
Activities: cultural folders, book reading, reading poems, storytelling

Written Language:

By identifying the symbol and sound, the child may discover the ability to read and write (explosion into writing).
We teach writing before reading because reading is more complex
Meanwhile, preparation of the hand for mechanical writing is important.
The child will explode into writing leading into total reading once they are able to recognize symbols and sounds.
Activities: phonetic reading, then phonograms and puzzle words, reading classification, function of words activities, reading analysis, and word study.

Total Reading:

Is when the child understands what he/she reads, and also appreciates:

the style of writing
the author’s feelings and emotions
and the entire message the authors is trying to convey.

Math

EPL, Sensorial, and Language activities are indirect preparation for structure and patterns of Math.

2 challenges we see in this age group:

Children may not understand quantity as a concept yet. For this reason, children probably won’t understand what number means or that it represents a grouping of individual units to form a whole.
Working with large numbers can be hard because children concretely only have 10 fingers to count with. The bead cabinet was developed to help the child work with large quantities in a physically and psychologically understandable manner.

Four tendencies that guide the mathematical mind:

Order
Exactness
Abstraction
calculation

Math Materials:

Numbers 1-10: number rods, spindle boxes, cards and counters
Decimal System: golden beads, stamp game, dot game, word problems
Counting: teen boards, ten boards, long chain and short chains, and bead cabinet
Memorizing the four operations
Passage to Abstraction
Fractions

We cannot teach the child the concept of abstraction but allow them the experiences and opportunities to understand and perceive it through their own natural process

Movement

All children are working to refine their movement.

Examples:

pouring water activity helps child work on coordination of movement in their hands to avoid over pouring, under pouring, and master exactness.
Walking on the line is difficult to do at first but through repetition, the child may even be able to balance objects on their head while walking on the line.

Normalization

“Normalization, it is the most important single result of our whole work.” -Maria Montessori

Characteristics:

Love Work
Deep Concentration
Obedient
Independent
Ability to judge and reason
Connected to reality
Learns to be delicate
Desire to know, love, and serve
Love silence
Inner discipline
Spiritual strive towards perfection
Finds Joy

Human need and Tendencies

Natural urge/impulse which lead without conscious design to certain actions to satisfy the human’s physical and spiritual needs.
Allow the child to understand the concept of how to do things for themselves.
The physical needs for food, clothing, shelter, defense, and transportation must satisfactorily be met to thrive and survive.
The spiritual needs for love, compassion, religion, and community must be met to thrive and survive.

Exploration, Orientation, Order, Communication, To know/To Reason, Abstraction, Imagination, Mathematical Mind, Work, Repetition, Exactness, Activity, Manipulation, & Self-Perfection.

Independence

Help the child help themselves. As the child is given opportunities to exercise independence, they gain awareness of what they can do for themselves, how their decisions affect others, and what they can now for themselves, they can also do for others.

Infants explore and orient themselves to their environment.

Toddlers can begin purposeful work. A child who feels capable and self confident in the world develops independence.

Children’s House has the freedom choose, move, repeat. They become normalized, demonstrating love of work, concentration, self discipline, sociability, and a developed will.

Social Development

Education as a means for social change…

The child’s contribution to the world is through social development and social cohesion.

Social Development starts at birth in the home. In the children’s house, we provide individual presentations so that they can work on constructing themselves. Small group work is introduced later around age 5-6 because they have a need to associate themselves with others. The quality of social cohesion depends on prepared adult and prepared environment.

It is the society of little children who are guided by the magical powers of nature. We must value and treasure it, because neither the character nor the social sentiment can be given by teachers. They are the products of life.” (Montessori, The Absorbent Mind pg 234)

Freedom and Discipline

Misconception: Discipline is a form of punishment and rewards

Discipline is cultivated within the child and developed by the child when he/she freely and actively perfects themselves.
Discipline is an act of creation not an act of restriction.

Necessary Conditions to Grant Freedom

Provide mental and physical work suited to attributes and capabilities.
Be rooted in Knowledge.
All members of the community needs to be involved.
Consistency in providing order.
Have a control of error.
Independence granted in a way that is constructive.
Choice/Repetition, if the child chooses, they will strengthen their freedom/will.
Basic Guidelines: care for self, others, and environment.

The Four Plans of Development

The first 3 years is to construct. The next 3 years is to refine.

Maturity period from ages 18-24 finalizes development and norming of the human species: finality

Causality is based on the concept that the more teachers and subjects taught in a traditional school setting is a result of who the child will become.

The Importance of the Kindergarten Year

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 18:51:58 GMT

Many public school systems offer kindergarten, and many parents are curious about this transitional year. Why should your child stay in Montessori for the kindergarten year?

Learning for Mastery

Montessori schools are intentionally structured utilizing a three-year cycle. There are many great benefits to this, but one of them is to provide third year students with opportunities that they will not have in other environments.

Having spent the previous two years learning a multitude of skills in their classroom, the third year is about mastery. The Montessori curriculum is a series of carefully developed lessons and materials that are meant to cycle back to a culminating experience during the final year.

All that time spent grasping knobbed cylinders, tracing metal insets, and practicing sandpaper letter formation? The kindergartner uses all that knowledge as they begin to write with paper and pencil.

The years of early mathematical preparation? Now they get to use the golden beads (or perhaps the stamp game material) to learn to add and subtract numbers into the thousands (yes, as kindergartners!).

Montessori’s early focus on teaching children sounds in lieu of letter names leads many children to begin reading by the time they are in kindergarten.

Children as Independent Leaders

Not only do guides observe children mastering these skills independently, but the children have the chance to teach to others. Educators across many settings will agree that once the student becomes the teacher, we can surmise that true mastery has been attained.

So while your kindergarten child is teaching younger children how to do something, they are showing us just how well they know how to do it. Not only that - they are gaining confidence in a truly authentic way. No one needs to tell the child how well they are doing because they feel it themselves.

When children teach children, it’s not just about knowledge being shared, but also about cultivating world citizens. Teaching each other is an act of kindness, and a way for children to practice helping others around them.

Fueling the Spark

In Montessori classrooms one of our greatest tasks is to keep the fire burning inside children’s minds. We structure our work so that children may follow their passions and learn deeply about things that matter to them. We see each child as an individual and think one-size-fits-all educational approaches tend to extinguish the joy of learning.

Instead of drilling facts into children, we place materials before them so that they may discover the truths of the world themselves. Rather than asking them all to do the same thing at the same time, we value their choices and trust their educational process. It is the guide’s job to keep them on track, but they offer children the freedom that lets them deeply explore the learning that calls to their souls.

Five Key Differences Between Montessori and Conventional Schooling

The Role of the Montessori Teacher

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 15:55:02 GMT

What, exactly, is the role of the Montessori teacher? How is it so different from that of any other teacher?

Sometimes it’s easiest to begin by explaining what a Montessori teacher isn’t.

A Montessori teacher is less like the traditional idea of an instructor, and more like a gentle guide. They don’t consider it their job to give a child information. They rather lead children in the general direction and give them the tools they need to find the information themselves.

Maria Montessori once said, “The greatest sign of success for a teacher...is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.’”

Montessori Teachers Cultivate Independence

In a Montessori classroom, rather than seeing a teacher at the front of the classroom giving the same lesson to every child, the teacher will be working quietly with individual children or small groups. While that is happening the rest of the children are free to spend their time doing the work that calls to them. A Montessori teacher works hard to create structures that allow children to be independent and to trust themselves as learners.

One large part of what a Montessori teacher does is to intentionally prepare a classroom environment that is developmentally appropriate, is inviting to children, and supports them on their journey to work independently. This environment is constantly changing in tiny ways as the teacher notices new and evolving needs of the students.

Montessori Teachers are Trained to Think Like Scientists

Parents should know that Montessori teachers are highly trained. Most have recognized Montessori credentials in addition to their college degrees. Montessori certification programs are intensive and demanding; one might compare them as being the equivalent of another college degree. These training programs don’t just teach Montessori educators how to use the specialized materials; there is extensive coursework about Montessori philosophy, child development, and integrating the arts.

When it comes to assessments, Montessori teachers don’t rely on standardized tests; they rely on the power of observation. They have notebooks brimming with evidence of what their students have mastered, need more support with, and are curious about. They are constantly recording what they notice children working on, how that work is being executed, and ideas they might have in anticipation of a child’s next steps. Montessori teachers literally sit beside a child and determine exactly what they know about a wide range of content areas.

Montessori Teachers Think Long-Term

Because of Montessori’s three-year cycles, teachers have the unique ability to consider their big picture when working with students. There is a natural tendency to allow the children to genuinely learn at their own pace. Getting to know a child and their family well over the course of a few years really supports this approach.

Montessori Teachers are Often Called ‘Guides’

...and for good reason. While children in Montessori classrooms have an abundance of choice in their educational pursuits, Montessori is based on the idea of ‘freedom within limits’. It’s the Montessori teacher’s job to carefully craft those limits. Children rely on having a certain amount of structure in place. This gives them comfort and a safe place in which they can take risks and try new things. Montessori teachers set some boundaries and then carefully help students navigate within them.

What if your second grader loves to read but tends to avoid math? Their Montessori teacher will find ways to ensure the math still gets done. Sometimes this involves a gentle discussion with a child about time management skills, priorities, or setting goals. Sometimes the teacher will find a way to integrate the child’s interests into the less desirable work. Sometimes all it takes is a minor change in the environment. Montessori teachers gives children freedom, but they assist children in finding their way to success in this environment.

Montessori teachers value independence, self-reliance, and intrinsic motivation.

They also value cooperation, kindness, and strength in community.

Still curious? Call us to set up an appointment today to observe in a classroom. See what Montessori is really all about.

The Benefits of Multi-age Grouping

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 15:45:52 GMT

One hallmark of a Montessori education is the use of multi-age classrooms.

Infants and toddlers may be together or separate, with a toddler classroom serving children 18 months to three years. Primary classrooms are for children ages 3-6, with preschool and kindergarten-aged children together. The elementary years serve children ages 6-12; some schools separate into lower (6-9) and upper (9-12) elementary, while many split elementary into two groups. Even Montessori middle- and high-school students learn in multi-age classrooms.

While Montessori is not the only type of education that utilizes this approach, it’s not what most people are used to. What are the benefits of structuring a classroom this way? Read on to learn more...

Learning at an Individual Pace

Children in multi-age classrooms tend to have a little more flexibility when it comes to mastering skills within a specific timeframe. We know that learning is not linear, and that learners have periods of significant growth, plateaus, and even the occasional regression. In multi-age classrooms, children are typically able to work at their own pace without the added pressure of keeping up with the whole group, or even being held back by the whole group.

When children in a classroom range in ages, everyone has someone they can work with, regardless of their skill level. Children don’t feel left behind if they struggle with a concept, and they also don’t feel bored by repetition of something they have already mastered. Teachers who teach in multi-age classrooms typically have deep knowledge for a range of developmental abilities, leaving them well-equipped to differentiate instruction for each individual child.

Building Stronger Relationships

Traditionally children move from one class to the next each year. This means not only a new set of academic expectations, different routines, and different classroom structures, but a different teacher.

In multi-age classrooms teachers have a longer period of time to get to know a student and their family, and vice versa. When teachers really get to know a student, they are able to tailor instruction in regards to both content and delivery. They know how to hook a specific child onto a topic or into a lesson. They know what kind of environment a child needs to feel successful.

Parents have an opportunity to get to know teachers better this way, too. If your child has the same teacher for two or three years, the lines of communication are strengthened. Parents get to know the teacher’s style and expectations. The home to school connection becomes more seamless, and the biggest beneficiary is the child.

Mentors and Leaders

When a child spends multiple years in the same class they are afforded two very special opportunities.

Children who are new to the class are fortunate enough to be surrounded by helpful peer mentors. Children often learn best from one another, and they seek to do so naturally. First and second year students watch as the older children enjoy advanced, challenging work, and this inspires them. They look to the older children for guidance, and the older children are happy to provide it.

After a year or two in the same room, students have a chance to practice leadership skills. In Montessori classrooms, the older children are often seen giving lessons, helping to clean up spills, or reaching out a comforting hand to their younger friends.

The best part is kids make the transition from observer to leader in their own time. It doesn’t happen for all children at the same time, but when it does it’s pretty magical to observe.

Mirroring Real-Life

There is no other area in life in which people are split into groups with others who are exactly their chronological age. Whether in the family, the workforce or elsewhere, people ultimately need to coexist with people older and younger than themselves. Doing so makes for a more enriching environment, replete with a variety of ideas and skills.

Why not start the experience with young children in school?

Moving On

While staying in the same class for multiple school years has many benefits, a child will eventually transition into a new class. While this can feel bittersweet (for everyone involved!) children are typically ready when it is time.

The Montessori approach is always considering what is most supportive of children depending on their development. When formulating how to divide children into groupings, Maria Montessori relied on her ideas about the Planes of Development. There are very distinctive growth milestones children tend to reach at about age 3, another set around age 6, and yet another at age 12. The groupings in our schools are intentional, and they give kids a chance to feel comfortable in their community, while also preparing them to soar forward when the time is right.

The Planes of Development

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 15:35:22 GMT

Maria Montessori based her entire educational philosophy on the idea that children developed through a series of four planes. Each of these planes is easy to recognize and has clear, defining characteristics. If we study and understand these stages, we can approach our interactions with children with a new perspective.

Learning about the planes of development isn’t just for Montessori educators. Understanding your child’s development can help at home, too.

The First Plane: birth-6 years

During this stage children absorb everything like sponges. They are, indeed, excellent examples if what Montessori called ‘The Absorbent Mind.’ This is a time in which we are able to utilize what Montessori called sensitive periods of learning. While each child is different, there are typical patterns that emerge in regards to brain development and general readiness to learn particular skills.

During the first three years of this plane, all learning is done outside of the child’s conscious mind. They learn by exploring their senses and interacting with their environment. During the second half of the plane, from about 3-6 years, children enter the conscious stage of learning. They learn by using their hands, and specialized materials in the Montessori classroom were developed with this consideration.

During this time, children have a wonderful sense of order. They are methodical and can appreciate the many steps involved in practical life lessons in their classrooms. The organization of the works on their classroom shelves is intentional, which appeals again to this sense of order.

The first plane is a time in which children proclaim, “I can do it myself”; it is a time of physical independence.

The Second Plane: 6-12 years

During the elementary years children begin to look outside themselves. They suddenly develop a strong desire to form peer groups. Previously, during the first plane, a child would be content to focus on their own work while sitting near others. In the second plane, a child is compelled to actually work with their friends. It is during this time that children are ready to learn about collaboration.

During the second plane there is a sudden and marked period of physical growth. This may be a contributing factor to the observation that many children of this age seem to lack an awareness of their body, often bumping into things and knocking things over. Children begin to lose their teeth around this time as well. Their sense of order and neatness tend to fade a bit during this plane.

Throughout the second plane, children’s imaginations are ignited. Since Montessori education is based in reality, we find ways to deliver real information to children through storytelling and other similar methods. For example, when teaching children about the beginnings of our universe, Montessori schools use what is called a Great Lesson. The first Great Lesson is a dramatic story, told to children with the use of props, experiments, and dramatics (think: a black balloon filled with glitter is popped to illustrate the Big Bang, with bits of paper in a dish of water used while talking about particles gathering together). This lesson is fascinating for children in the way it is presented, but gives them basic information about the solar system, states of matter, and other important concepts.

Children in the second plane have a voracious appetite for information, and are often drawn strongly to what we in Montessori call the cultural subjects: science, history, and geography. While we support their rapid language and mathematical growth during this time, we are also responsible for providing them with a variety of rich cultural lessons and experiences.

It is important to note that children develop a sense of moral justice at this time. They are very concerned with what is fair, and creating the rules to a new game is often as important (if not more so) than playing the actual game itself.

This is the period of time in which children are striving for intellectual independence.

The Third Plane: 12-18

The third plane of development encompasses the adolescent years. During the second plane, children become aware of social connections, but in the third plane they are critical. During this time children rely heavily on their relationships with their peers. They feel a strong desire to remain independent from adults, although they are not quite ready to do this entirely. It is our job to find ways that allow them to experiment with independence while also providing a safe structure in which they may do so.

Children in the third plane tend to require more sleep, and they sleep later than when they were younger. They long for authentic learning experiences, and Dr. Montessori imagined just that. Her ideas of Erdkinder (children of the earth) led her to contemplate a school setting that would support children’s development during this time. She imagined a farm school, in which children would work to keep the farm operational, but also contribute to planning and decision making while doing so.

During the third plane children are refining their moral compass while developing a stronger sense of responsibility.

The Fourth Plane: 18-24

The final plane is a time in which young adults are striving for financial independence. They are often living away from home for the first time, and use this time to figure out where they fit into their society. Many make choices to further their education and/or explore career paths.

It is during the fourth plane that people begin to develop a truer sense of who they are as individuals.

Each plane of development should be mindfully nurtured. If a child is able to experience one developmental phase in a rich and carefully prepared environment, they are ready to fully take on the next phase when it is time.