It’s an old game in Montessori teacher education programs: can you give your “elevator speech about Montessori,” that brief explanation…
Misconceptions and the Elevator Speech
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Theory
Limits and Freedoms
Montessorians often use the language of, “Freedom with limits,” to describe the open ended choice enjoyed by children in these…
Montessori and Dramatic Play
When you observe in a Montessori classroom, you may be just as aware of what you don’t see as what you do. Where is the dress-up box?…
The Arts in the Montessori Classroom
History demonstrates an ongoing tension between back-to-basics school reform and models that focus on the “whole child,” like Montessori,…
The Capacity to be Puzzled: Creativity and Montessori
‘What are the conditions of the creative attitude, of seeing and responding, of being aware and being sensitive to what one is aware of?…
Teacher Talk: Collaborating Across the Planes
Scientists repeat their experiments. But they don’t just repeat their own experiments. They often repeat each other’s as well. Repeating…
Montessori Transitions: Lower to Upper Elementary
Montessori described six year Planes of Development, 0-6, 6-12, and 12-18, each marked by three year delineations that helped to better…
Montessori Transitions: Early Childhood to Elementary
Montessori’s multiage classrooms typically run in three-year cycles, 0-3, 3-6, 6-9, 9-12, 12-15, and 15-18. But what about those ages…
Montessori Transitions: Infant to Toddler
Traditional school settings divide children based on their age or grade and typically keep them together for a full academic year, moving…
Material Matters
Visitors to Montessori classrooms often comment on the beautiful materials on the shelves, the lovely wooden crafted puzzles, graceful…