Montessori Method Posts
Sterling Qualitites of the 'Normalized' Montessori Child
I've been in Montessori (as a teacher, parent, or both) for over ten years. It's become so much a part of my DNA that I automatically approach almost every situation - educational or not - from a Montessori perspective. When I think, "That child is normalized", or "How can we work towards normalization?", I don't really think much about the word 'normalized' and how it sounds to other people.
The Montessori Method 3: The First Children's House and Beyond
If you've read the other posts in this series, Part 1 and Part 2, and I hope you have, you might have felt a little uncomfortable from time to time, especially if you haven't ever read The Montessori Method before. It's not quite as timeless a book as one might hope; some of Dr. Montessori's ideas were shaped by her culture and today seemed outdated.
The Montessori Method 2: The Science of Observation
Please join me for part two of an in-depth look at the seminal book that started it all: The Montessori Method. The first post in this series looked at the world and beliefs of Dr. Montessori in order to take a more holistic approach to how a book like The Montessori Method came to be written. Today's post will cover chapters 2-5, giving an overview of the themes these important chapters contain.
The Montessori Method: Understanding the Mind of Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori's groundbreaking book,The Montessori Method, was first published in 1912, and has since been translated into 20 different languages. Maybe you have read this book already, or you've always heard about it but haven't had a chance to pick it up yet. Either way, I think you'll enjoy this, the first in a three-part series outlining the basic contents of The Montessori Method.
Google Makes Sense When You Think Montessori
Google is, by far, America's most powerful and popular search engine. Driving some 60+% of the Internet's traffic and enjoying market values as high as $600/share, Google is at the top of the search game. Today's fun fact from Montessori for Everyone is that Dr. Montessori stands at the heart of the Google empire.
Conference Summary 1: Unsettled Children in an Unsettled World
Most people would acknowledge that children today are being raised in a fast-paced culture with more choices and more distractions than ever before. The question that interests parents and teachers is, "How is this fast-paced society affecting children?" which leads to further questions about how we can counteract the effects of our culture...
Conference Summary 2: Preparation of the Adult
As I mentioned in the first post of this series, the recent conference I attended in Indiana, "Unsettled Children in an Unsettled World" aimed to give knowledge and ideas about how to provide safe environments for children in a culture full of distractions. Many factors are beyond our control, but one is not - ourselves...
Children Are the Heart of Montessori
August 31st was Maria Montessori's birthday. As I paused on that day to think about her remarkable life, I realized that I sometimes lose sight of the person behind the method. I say and write the word "Montessori" so much...Montessori..Montessori..Montessori. This word encapsulates the method of learning that I love so much, but it means so much more than that.
An Honest, Behind-the-Scenes Look at Montessori in Action
My children and I began our school year a few days ago, and as we plunged headlong into presentations, ground rules, and expectations, I started thinking about the difference between the ideal Montessori method and how it really plays out in day-to-day situations...
Why Our World Needs Montessori
"Montessori...what the hell is it?", asks Slate editor Emily Bazelon in a recent article. I'm going to answer her question in the simplest way I can. In today's crowded world of power struggles and ego trips, the Montessori method serves as a guide to raising unselfish, self-regulated, caring human beings who are problem solvers and have the self confidence to lead successful lives by their own efforts, rather than at the expense of their fellow citizens...
Observation in the Montessori Environment
After my recent post on using trial and error to make changes to your Montessori classroom, one reader asked me to elaborate on how to observe children while they work...
The Defining Characteristics of Montessori
I was doing some research today for a future post on grace and courtesy (it's coming, I promise!) when I came across an interesting list. It's called 25 Characteristics of Montessori...
Brothers and Sisters in the Montessori Classroom
I recently read a really interesting article in Public School Montessorian. Called "Fostering Community Through 'Brother-Sister' Relationships in the 6-9 Classroom", it describes how one teacher paired up kids - in groups of three - to work together throughout the year...
Are Montessorians Snobs?
I'm sure all of you have had conversations with non-Montessorians where you've been explaining Montessori, and getting really excited, only to see a certain look on their faces...
Famous People Who Were Montessori Kids
Since Montessori has been around for awhile, there are plenty of adults around who were in Montessori schools as children. Every so often I'll meet someone, and when they find out I'm a Montessori teacher, they'll exclaim, "Oh, I went to a Montessori school when I was little!"
The Montessori Method for Adults
A reader sent me an email today wondering it there is any research about using Montessori for adults. Great topic! I'm just going to brainstorm here, and we'll see what happens...
Is Montessori Really for Everyone?
It might sound funny that I'm calling into question the very name of my company here. But this has been on my mind for awhile and I thought it would be interesting to discuss...
Trusting the Montessori Method
The other day, my mom was taking care of my kids while we were out. As she was getting them ready for bed, my son (who's 6) looked at her and said, "Grandma, my mom is a Montessori teacher, but you're nothing."
Misconceptions About Montessori
It's pretty common to hear lots of misconceptions when talking to people about Montessori. Maybe their brother's mail carrier's aunt's stepsister said that in Montessori schools, kids run wild...
Montessori Centenary - A Special Celebration
Today, Jan. 6th 2007, is the 100th anniversary of the first Montessori school ever opened. On this day 100 years ago, Maria Montessori opened the first Casa de Bambini (or Children's House) in the slums of San Lorenzo in Italy.
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