Children are born motivated to learn. Think about how much a newborn changes and learns in their first year of life. No one grades them…
Intrinsic Motivation & the Traditionally-Educated Child
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Second Plane
Aggression in the Second Plane
If we think of the First Plane of development as a time when the child is building their cognitive filing cabinets, classifying and…
Visiting the Elementary Classroom
So, maybe by now you know that observing in your child’s classroom is going to be its own special adventure. You’ll see some things that…
The Timelines
As Montessori learners develop the ability to measure and “tell” time, they are increasingly motivated to use these skills beyond daily…
The Perpetual Calendar
The Montessori materials all share certain characteristics. They are beautiful and elegant by design, isolating a single concept and…
Using Their Powers for Good: Community Engagement for the Upper El Classroom
They’re taller. They talk a lot. They prefer the company of their friends over their parents. They are convinced that the world would be…
The Age of Rudeness, or Where Did My Adorable Baby Go?
Montessori identified four planes of development through which children move in fairly predictable ways. The preparation of the…
Modeling Gratitude in the Second Plane: 6-12
By the time your child is in the Second Plane of Development, so many qualities of their personalities have emerged and focused. You know…
Math and the Elementary Mind
If you think of the window of development between birth and age six as marked by the construction of labels for files in a cognitive file…
Mealtime in the Second Plane: 6-12
Peaceful family dinners during the Age of Rudeness? Yes, it’s possible. But just as bedtime had to change to accommodate the needs of a…