When I was a much younger teacher, I had a student enigma, one of those kids who, despite everything I presented or didn’t, despite the…
Teacher Talk: Concentration
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Theory
Freedom to Interact (or Not) In the Second Plane
We know that one of the noticeable changes as children move into the Second Plane of development is their new interest in social settings…
Montessori Monday: The Freedom to Interact (or NOT) in the Montessori Classroom
If you think of school as a place in which children are all lined up in their desks or sitting around the same circle, staring ahead at…
Settling In: Making Their Mark in Middle School
When your child was younger, their teachers emphasized preparing the physical environment of the classroom, designing beautiful…
Teacher Talk: Misconceptions and the Elevator Speech
It’s an old game in Montessori teacher education programs: can you give your “elevator speech about Montessori,” that brief explanation…
The Society by Cohesion: Why Did We Have To Have All These Kids, Anyway?
Glance through some school brochures. You’ll notice quite a bit of language in common: whole child, child-centered, low student-teacher…
Left to Right, Top to Bottom: The Prepared Environment
“Can I see your shelves?” What an odd question. And, yet, if you spend much time with Montessori teachers, you’ll almost inevitably hear…
Montessori 101
“Montessori” can mean a lot of things: the Montessori Method, Dr. Montessori, a philosophy of parenting, of teaching, of life, the…
Teacher Talk: When Children Are Hurtful
The child is capable of developing and giving us tangible proof of the possibility of a better humanity. He has shown us the true process…
Interruption Disruption: Why You Should Never Interrupt a Child at Work
Imagine it: you’re at your work, fully absorbed in the task in front of you. Your attention is focused on your project. You’ve finally…