Remember what distinguishes the Second Plane of Development, that window from six to twelve years old. Moving out of the “construction of…
For Parents
Movement in the First Plane
A core tenet of Montessori is that children are free to move. We understand that the child’s developing mind is influenced by their…
The Sensitive Periods: Movement
Montessori identified a number of “Sensitive Periods,” times when children’s development motivated them toward an interest in particular…
Empathy in the Third Plane
By the time learners reach adolescence, their ability to take on the perspective of another person is well-developed. When you add this…
Empathy in the Second Plane
If you believe what you see in the media, you might expect children in the Second Plane to be just plain awful, disrespectful and…
Empathy in the First Plane: 3-6
As infants and toddlers, children demonstrate initial kindness, especially toward people with whom they have a special bond. As they move…
Empathy in the First Plane: 0-3
Are children naturally empathetic? You may have heard of the phenomenon of infants crying in a nursery, reacting to each other’s cries in…
Montessori Monday: The Knobbed Cylinders
You’d be hard pressed to visit any Montessori early childhood classroom in the world and not find the Knobbed Cylinders on the shelf….
Concentration in the Third Plane
Ah, adolescence. The big emotions. The physical changes. The seemingly endless push and pull between childhood and adulthood, when kids…
Concentration in the Second Plane: 6-12
Just as you feel like you’ve mastered the pace of Early Childhood, you find yourself with an active, blooming Elementary student in your…