2020 – The Knoxville Montessori School

Grace and Courtesy

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:06:40 GMT

More Than Manners

Sometimes it can feel like our society has abandoned previous social norms. In some ways, this is a good thing, especially when social norms are not inclusive or are harmful. Many of these norms, however, are important in nurturing a society in which human beings treat each other with kindness and respect.

Somewhere along the way we forgot our manners.

This brings us to a critical element in Montessori education: grace and courtesy. It’s so important to us, we even name it, and our teachers are trained specifically to address and teach grace and courtesy in their classrooms.

We certainly do not mean to say we live in a world full of rudeness (although it can feel that way at times!); there is plenty of good and plenty of people who do still care about grace and courtesy. What we are saying is that perhaps our society hasn’t emphasized it quite as much as we should have, and important parts of our humanity are sometimes being forgotten in the midst of regular discourse and relationships.

So, what can we do?

We can start by telling you where we focus our efforts. We can fill you in on how we teach the children in our care. When parents are able to recreate these efforts at home (as you likely already do), the effects tend to trickle outward into the community. In the short term, we are all modeling for those immediately surrounding us. In the longer term, we are working together to raise children who will go out into the world and do the same.

When our children are very young (infants and toddlers), the most important way we can teach grace and courtesy is through modeling. We can really show up for them. We can be present. We can be the people we hope they will grow to become. For many of us in today’s hurried world, this can mean slowing down a bit and noticing more.

Is your infant gazing at you? Gaze back. When they babble, echo their sounds or speak to them. When your toddler struggles to find the words to explain their emotions, sit, listen, and be there to supply them with the words they may not have. It’s also important to remember that our children do not just learn from their own interactions with us, but the interactions they see us having with others. Be mindful of how you speak with your partner, how you treat those in your neighborhood, how you interact with the barista at the coffee shop, and so on. Your child will be watching, and learning.

As our children grow a bit older, we might give them opportunities to practice grace and courtesy in their home and classroom environments. We can teach them how to greet others, how to resolve conflicts, and how to help someone who needs it. We must also teach them how to care for themselves and their environments. From learning to brush their own hair and wipe the crumbs from their face after a meal, to putting away their toys and helping with basic chores, there are so many different ways we can encourage children to learn and grow.

During the early elementary years, children reach a different stage in their development. They are more capable of abstract thought and begin to learn about and think about the larger world around them. They also have an internal drive toward fairness and justice, which makes them primed to learn about peace, kindness, empathy, and generosity. We can be rather frank with children when teaching them about many of the injustices in our world. They want to learn, and they will want to help.

Service projects are a great way for children to engage in this important work. Some projects Montessori students have done with their class include:

● Selling their old books to raise money to purchase a CSA share for those in need.

● Visiting a nursing home to sing songs during the holiday season.

● Cleaning up trash around the neighborhood.

● Collecting food for and volunteering at a local food pantry.

Find a cause the child is passionate about and help guide them toward being part of the solution. It is important that the child be involved throughout the process for the learning to be effective. They must help decide what cause they want to address, as well as help in developing the plan of action, and completing the action itself. You may notice their concerns during the course of conversations with them, or you may need to ask.

A quick summary of how parents can support grace and courtesy work at home:

● Allow your infants and toddlers to immerse themselves in the family environment and activities. Listen to them and give them your full attention when they need it. They may not have fully developed language, but they are full human beings, and we can show them the same honor and respect we do to people of older ages. This will not only allow them to feel their own value and worth, it will lay the groundwork for how they treat others throughout their lives.

● Teach your preschoolers how to take care of themselves and create structures that allow them to practice these skills. Even young children are capable of so much more than most adults give them credit for! Teach them how to meet their own hygiene needs, how to choose appropriate clothing, and how to listen to their bodies’ nutritional cues...and then give them the space to do this work.

● Preschoolers should also be given the information, tools, and time to help care for the home. Teach them basic chores and enlist in their help around the house. You may be surprised to find how much they enjoy this!

● Guide your child to care for others. When they are young, the work may be focused on manners and resolving conflicts peacefully. As they grow, this work will continue, but when they develop the capability to look outward, support their desire to contribute to their community. Children innately want to do good. They want to help others. One of the most important ways we can support them is to guide them toward becoming good community members.

Thank you - for taking the time to read this article, for being a part of our community, and for allowing us to join you on your parenting journey. Together, with our children, we can work to create a more peaceful, empathetic, and kind world.

Nurturing the Whole Child: How Montessori Balances Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Growth

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 14:42:35 GMT

Montessori nurtures the whole child, balancing academics, social-emotional learning, conflict resolution, and community-building in a prepared environment.

One of the gifts of Montessori education is that we can truly focus on the whole child the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical. Our approach is not just about academics but also about nurturing life skills, emotional intelligence, and social relationships.

The Montessori approach to child development revolves around the understanding that children are naturally curious, care deeply about others, and can be intrinsically motivated. When provided with the right environment, children can deepen both their love for learning and their appreciation of and care for the community.

Prioritizing the Prepared Environment

One of the keys to balancing social-emotional learning with cognitive and physical development is prioritizing the impact of a prepared environment. In Montessori, a prepared environment is a place specially designed to appeal to children’s sensitive periods for learning, as well as their core human needs and tendencies. When designing these prepared spaces for children, we work to ensure children feel safe and supported so they can reach their potential. The Montessori-prepared environment is a place where children can feel at home as they develop their inner selves and outer skills.

Our carefully prepared Montessori classrooms are calm and orderly, foster independence and decision-making, and provide varied opportunities for peer interactions in mixed-age classrooms. The result is that children can develop their emotional regulation skills in child-centered spaces.

Opportunities for Conflict Resolution

In addition, we weave in opportunities for conflict resolution. This means we actively model and support children as they learn to communicate their feelings through words. In addition to promoting self-awareness through identifying and naming emotions, we also teach active listening, problem-solving, and techniques for self-regulation (from deep breathing to using calm-down spaces).

Adults serve as mediators and guides rather than arbitrators and judges. Through guided discussions, we help children think reflectively about social interactions, practice respectful communication, facilitate peaceful solutions, and model how to handle conflict. Ultimately, we want to empower children with tools they can use even if an adult isn’t present!

Respect for Others

One key to this is cultivating respect for others’ perspectives and patience for alternative approaches. Because children work together in a variety of ways through their care of the classroom environment and small group projects or lessons, they develop a deep sense of compassion and empathy. Our mixed-age groupings and peer-to-peer learning activities promote collaboration and mentorship. So, in addition to the adults, older children also serve as models of emotional regulation and conflict resolution for younger peers. The result is that Montessori children develop a deep tolerance for and appreciation of difference.

Deep Appreciation for Community

Children thrive when they have a sense of community and belonging. So, we promote inclusivity and respect for diversity within the classroom. The Montessori curriculum includes a range of activities that encourage group cohesion and empathy-building, which leads to trust and respect among our students.

The long-term benefits of Montessori’s focus on social-emotional learning and conflict resolution are that children develop lifelong social skills such as a deep sense of empathy, effective communication with various people, and the ability to cooperate with grace and goodwill.

The Montessori method nurtures social-emotional learning and equips children with essential conflict-resolution skills they can use in their classroom communities and social interactions outside of school.

Do you want to learn more and perhaps even support these practices at home? Schedule a tour today!

Keeping Routines While Honoring the Joy of New Experiences

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 14:17:13 GMT

Finding Calm and Connection

As we prepare for the holiday season, many of us look forward to the joyful energy of visitors, celebrations, and time spent together. Yet even the most welcome changes can shift daily rhythms, affecting children and adults alike.

In Montessori philosophy, routines provide a sense of order and security, essential ingredients for children’s growing independence and emotional well-being. Balancing these familiar structures with the excitement of new experiences can help all of us enjoy the season with greater calm and connection.

Recognizing What Children Communicate

When children’s behavior shifts during times of change, it often reflects their environment. New faces, altered schedules, and fluctuating parental attention can all contribute to feelings of uncertainty. Instead of viewing potential behavior shifts as unwelcome, we can interpret them as valuable communication, essentially our children’s way of expressing a need for stability and reassurance.

One of the most powerful responses we can provide is simple presence. Taking a few moments to sit beside our children, observe their play, or join them in a familiar activity can quickly restore their sense of connection. Even brief, focused attention can help children feel grounded and secure, allowing their natural cooperation and joy to reemerge.

Once children feel calm and connected, they are better able to engage in conversations about upcoming changes. During these connected moments, we can explain that routines (mealtimes, bedtimes, or daily activities) may look different during the holidays. These conversations help children prepare for the adjustments ahead and strengthen their trust in the adults guiding them.

Preparing for Change Together

Taking some simple steps before family gatherings or holidays can help children understand what lies ahead. Children thrive on predictability, so talking about what will remain consistent and what will change reduces anxiety and increases their capacity to adapt.

● What routines will stay the same?

● What might be different during this time?

● Which activities or traditions are most meaningful to us?

Creating a visual calendar or using a whiteboard to map out plans gives children a concrete way to anticipate events. Inviting them to help with small preparations, such as choosing decorations, helping plan meals, or organizing activities, empowers them to feel capable and included.

Finding Joy in Shared Experiences

While routines provide comfort, flexibility also allows us to experience the joy of spontaneity. The holidays offer a wonderful opportunity to create shared moments such as storytelling, baking together, making crafts, or simply taking a walk outdoors. These experiences help build memories that connect generations.

Inviting extended family members to share stories or recollections from past gatherings can also be grounding. Collecting these memories, perhaps in a family scrapbook or memory journal, creates continuity across time and reminds children that they are part of a larger story.

Children and relatives alike often find satisfaction in contributing to family life. Tasks such as preparing vegetables, setting the table, or folding napkins offer children a sense of purpose and belonging. In true Montessori fashion, participation is more valuable than perfection.

Creating New Rhythms with Intention

The holiday season invites us to find balance between the comfort of familiar routines and the excitement of new experiences. By planning thoughtfully, staying flexible, and responding to children’s needs with empathy, we can approach these times with harmony and joy.

In Montessori education, rhythm and order are seen as foundations for growth, while curiosity and discovery fuel the joy of learning. This holiday season, let’s bring this kind of balance into our homes. By honoring both structure and spontaneity, we create an environment where children feel secure, connected, and free to delight in the world around them.

Human Tendencies

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 14:25:44 GMT

Children's Inner Drive for Indpendence

When Dr. Maria Montessori was observing children’s development, she wasn’t just focused on how they learn in the classroom. She was curious about the drives, instincts, and patterns that have shaped humans across time.

These human tendencies are the forces that have guided our species since the very beginning, helping us adapt, survive, and thrive. And when we recognize them in children, we can create environments that don’t fight against human nature, but flow with it.

Here’s a closer look at some of these tendencies, and how they show up in both history and our children’s lives.

Orientation

At its root, orientation literally means turning toward the east and the rising sun. For early humans, orientation meant survival through knowing where to find water, food, or shelter, as well as recognizing the stars and using them to navigate.

As adults, we still crave orientation when we move to a new place, start a new job, or even visit an unfamiliar store. We rely on guides, rituals, and familiar touchstones to help us settle.

Children, too, need orientation. The way they’re welcomed on their first day in a classroom, where they put their belongings, what routines they can count on—all of this helps them feel secure. Even a simple “good morning” is a daily act of re-orientation that matters more than we sometimes realize. Children look for orientation in daily rhythms: the bedtime routine, knowing which shelf holds their favorite books, or even how breakfast is served each morning.

Exploration

From the moment we are born, we explore. Infants use their mouths, eyes, and hands. Toddlers climb stairs like they’re scaling mountains. Older children explore through research, imagination, and adventures into both history and science.

Exploration is how humans pushed across continents, learned to farm, crossed oceans, and now even travel into space. Our curiosity never stops. Montessori environments honor this by giving children real opportunities to investigate the world, whether that means calculating the area of the classroom or researching life in the Carboniferous period. We see our children exploring as they turn over rocks in the backyard, take apart a toy to see how it works, or invent new rules for a favorite game.

Order

We all know the relief of an organized kitchen drawer or a well-structured calendar. Order helps us make sense of life. For early humans, ordering the world by figuring out what was safe versus unsafe or edible rather than poisonous ensured survival.

Young children need physical order. Anyone who’s seen a toddler melt down because their bedtime story was read “out of order” or because the blanket wasn’t arranged in just the right way knows this is real. Montessori classrooms respect this sensitive period by offering environments that are consistent and predictable. At home, you may notice your child lining up toy cars, insisting on a particular bedtime ritual, or sorting stuffed animals by size.

By the elementary years, order shifts into the mental realm. Children now want to classify animals, chart types of mountains, or debate the “rules” of their group. They’re learning not just order in things, but order in ideas, logic, and morality. You’ll see this at home when children organize their collections, invent complicated rules for backyard play, or argue passionately about fairness.

Self-Control

Self-control has always been key to survival. Hunters had to move silently. Communities relied on cooperation. Today, self-regulation is one of the biggest predictors of success in school and life.

In Montessori environments, self-control grows naturally: waiting for a material to become available, choosing the right time to speak, or practicing social courtesies. When children find deep concentration in meaningful work, that sense of inner discipline blossoms. We may notice our children waiting patiently to blow out birthday candles, saving allowance for a bigger purchase, or calming themselves after a disagreement with a sibling.

Imagination

Imagination isn’t just for artists. It’s what allowed early humans to picture tools before they were built, imagine migration routes, or dream up stories around a fire.

For children, imagination expands exponentially in the elementary years. Suddenly, they’re not only absorbing the world, they are imagining other worlds. Dinosaurs, outer space, ancient civilizations, atoms…nothing is off-limits! Montessori taps into this by giving children the universe itself as their curriculum. Imagination at home might unfold through elaborate pretend play, story writing, or inventing new games with household objects.

Abstraction

Abstraction is the ability to pull an idea from an experience. Early humans drew symbols on cave walls. Today, we live in a world of abstractions: math, laws, justice, and freedom.

Children naturally move toward abstraction, but only after being fully grounded in hands-on experience. Montessori materials are designed as “materialized abstractions,” allowing children to build concepts with their hands before holding them in their minds. We see children developing abstraction when they begin to understand time (“after lunch,” “in three days”), use symbols in drawing or writing, or play games that rely on imaginary rules.

Activity, Work, Movement, and Experience

Humans are doers. From stone tools to skyscrapers, everything we know about early humans comes from their work. Dr. Montessori believed, echoing Kahlil Gibran, that “work is love made visible.”

For children, work isn’t drudgery. Rather, work is joy. Whether pouring water, building long math equations, or researching volcanoes, children grow through purposeful activity. Movement is not a distraction from learning, but a pathway into it. Children eagerly help bake, sweep, carry groceries, or build forts. This is joyful work that feels both purposeful and fun.

Repetition

Watch a toddler stacking blocks again and again, or a preschooler repeating a pouring exercise 40 times in a row. Repetition for young children is how they achieve a deep sense of mastery.

Older children still repeat, but they do it differently. They elaborate, amplify, and push concepts further: instead of practicing small sums, they’ll dive into giant multiplication problems just for the thrill of it. At home, this shows up when our children want the same story read every night, practice a cartwheel over and over, or endlessly build new versions of the same LEGO design.

Exactness and Self-Perfection

Humans have always needed exactness, whether it was a sharp spear or a stable bridge. Children share this drive. They beam when their handwriting is neat, or when they finally get something just right.

Linked to exactness is the tendency toward self-perfection. Children don’t just want to do it. They want to do it well. You see this tendency in the toddler learning to zip a coat, the elementary child striving to be fair, or the adolescent wrestling with big moral questions. The tendency shows up when our children insist on re-tying their shoelaces until they’re perfectly even, redoing a drawing until it’s just right, or correcting themselves when they mispronounce a new word.

Communication and Belonging

At the heart of it all is our need to connect. Communication, whether through language, art, music, or technology, has always been how we share knowledge and emotions. Belonging is what makes us human, and we create this connection in various ways, joining together in families, tribes, clubs, or communities.

Children live these tendencies out loud. They talk endlessly, write stories, create clubs, and invent games. Classroom and family rituals, shared meals, whispered secrets between siblings or friends help children know they belong.

Why This Matters

These human tendencies remind us that education isn’t about filling children with information. It’s about nurturing what is already inside them.

When Montessori said we should “follow the child,” she wasn’t suggesting we leave them to wander aimlessly. She meant we should pay attention to these deep, universal drives and prepare environments where these drives can manifest in positive ways.

Because when children’s natural tendencies are honored, they don’t just learn. They grow into the kind of humans who can orient themselves in a new world, explore with curiosity, build with order, imagine boldly, and belong with others in peace.

Visit our school here in Knoxville, Tennessee to see how Montessori deeply connects with what it actually means to be human so that children can flourish in beautiful ways!

Roles & Goals: The Montessori Guide

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 12:00:34 GMT

Our society knows teachers. Teachers give information. Teachers provide an education. Teachers instruct.

In a Montessori classroom, however, the role of the adult is rather nuanced. The adult is there to facilitate, suggest, model, and observe. The materials teach. The adults advise.

Those of us accustomed to traditional models of education may find this odd or even worrisome. How can we expect our children to learn if the teachers don’t teach?

Traditional vs. Montessori

Because the Montessori model is quite different from traditional education, the adults responsible for providing a Montessori experience have very different responsibilities, skills, and abilities than those of teachers in a traditional method.

Historically children have been seen as blank slates or empty vessels that just need to be filled with information or knowledge. The teacher’s role has been to fill the vessel, to teach. Because the teacher passes information, correction, and validation to the student, the teacher is the material for learning.

Rather than seeing children as empty vessels, Montessori teachers see a bundle of potential just waiting to be realized. As such, the focus is on discovering these hidden potentials in children and supporting their development. This happens most effectively when children are actively engaged in their learning process.

In the traditional model, a teacher needs a number of tricks, including a system of rewards and punishments, to keep children focused on learning. But this framework of grades and evaluations isn’t actually necessary for children to learn.

In Montessori, we see the deep intellectual, social, and emotional engagement that happens when children get to learn through their own activities. Children get to use a variety of hands-on materials to explore, discover, and internalize key concepts and skills. Montessori teachers introduce how to learn from the materials in the classroom. As a bonus, because children are active participants in their own learning, they don’t have to sit passively while remaining focused on the teacher’s activity.

Roles & Goals

So, if a traditional model demands that the teacher’s presence is active and the student’s presence is passive, what does it look like in a Montessori classroom? When you look in a Montessori classroom, at first it may be hard to find the adults because the role of the Montessori teacher should be (or appear to be) a passive one. You may see an adult observing the room or particular children, inviting a child to a small group or one-on-one lesson, or sitting with children who are using the learning materials.

Sometimes it can be clear that the adult is presenting a lesson. In these moments, the adults do look a lot like teachers, just working with a small group rather than the whole class. Yet during these brief presentations, the goal is rarely to dispense information. Montessori teachers don’t want to teach the trick for compound multiplication, the names of all the countries in South America, the characteristics of mammals, or the function of a verb in a sentence. Rather, the goal is to give the children just enough of the lesson to pique their interest or capture their imagination. We want them to return to the learning materials again and again so that they discover the mathematical proof, scientific concept, geographical boundary, historical connection, or grammatical rule on their own.

Teachers vs. Guides

Because this goal and the role of the adult are so different, we often refer to our teachers as guides. This change in terminology shifts our thinking. Montessori teachers don’t lead a class from the front of the room. Our guides provide paths for children to learn that the quantity of 10 feels bigger than the quantity of two, that nouns name things, that equivalent fractions really fit into the equal space, or that 82 actually forms a square!

Montessori guides are acutely aware of how to support children on these varied and delightful paths of progress. Like the rudder of a ship, our guides allow children to embark on a journey of discovery while offering adjustments and changes to the course as needed. The result? Children flourish as active, creative, curious thinkers.

We’d love to have you come to visit our classrooms to experience how we guide children in this remarkable world, encourage active engagement, and support a life-long love of learning.

Time for Togetherness

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 12:00:04 GMT

During the holiday season, we can unintentionally become a bit edgy or stressed. Routines change. We might travel or have out-of-town guests. While our children may feel excited about the holidays, they also can feel the changes in family routines or shifts in family dynamics.

If we are getting together with extended family or friends—no matter how loving, patient, and well-meaning—having additional people mixed into the scene, especially during the holiday season, can add additional layers of stress. Often our children absorb this unspoken stress and their behavior may shift as a result.

Perhaps we see more meltdowns, an uptick in neediness, an increase in whining, more resistance, or a surge in sibling conflict. If our children start to show attention-getting behavior, we can remember that they are sending an important message about unmet needs. It’s like they are waving a red flag to indicate we should shift our focus!

Step 1: Connection

The first step is connection. Children want to feel a sense of significance and belonging. So even a few minutes of loving attention can refuel children who are feeling disconnected. Depending upon their age, this could mean snuggling together on the couch, collaborating on coloring a picture, taking the dog for a walk together, or shooting hoops. The most important thing is that the focus is on being together without distractions.

Step 2: Preparation

Once we’ve established that connection and our children feel secure and satisfied, we can discuss changes that occur during the holidays. Will bedtimes be different? What will shift about meals together? What kinds of activities will likely happen?

In preparing ourselves and our children for time with extended family and friends or changes to expect during the holidays, we can consciously reflect together about what routines will shift, what traditions we want to honor, and what joys and challenges the time may bring.

Our children like to be prepared and have a sense of what to expect. Involving them in the discussion, planning, and preparation can alleviate not only their anxiety but also our own angst.

Mapping out the days on a family calendar provides a visual guide for the changes in routine. A whiteboard works well, easily allowing for modifications if the plans become overwhelming. Take time to have conversations about what activities are most enjoyable for everyone. Then cut back on those that are not essential.

Step 3: Mindful Involvement

When we are in the midst of being amongst friends and extended family, the experience of collecting snippets and stories of favorite holiday experiences can be a bonding experience for everyone. Part of the ritual of coming back together around the holidays can include sharing, and even documenting, different memories of past times together. This kind of sharing offers everyone a way to reorient and reunite. The recollections can even be collected in a kind of family memory book that can be pulled out when everyone gets back together again.

Children and relatives also want to help. Intentionally enlisting extended family to support children’s involvement can create a win-win for everyone. Some possible collaborative activities include food preparation (scrubbing potatoes, mixing dough, tearing lettuce for a salad), making simple decorations, setting the table, folding the laundry, and even dusting and tidying. We all feel more settled when we feel useful and engaged.

This holiday season we have an opportunity to consciously create new rituals and opportunities for our children, our friends, and our extended families. Rather than rely upon old patterns perhaps learned from previous generations, let’s plan our time of togetherness and mindfully prepare ourselves and our children.

Power & Potential: The Sensitive Periods

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 12:00:59 GMT

Have you ever noticed how sensitive young children can be to changes in routine? Even the slightest schedule adjustment can throw things off. On the positive side, young children also have an incredible ability to internalize the order of their daily activities. They intuitively know when something is supposed to happen during a regular day.

It’s also pretty amazing how quickly young children absorb the intricacies of language, how they progress so seamlessly from sitting to crawling to walking to running, or how they can be so focused on tiny details and objects.

During these times in their lives, children seem to be compelled by an irresistible force. Think of the little one who wants to climb up the steps again and again. We can try to stop them, but they are undeterred! And despite the great effort involved, the activity almost seems effortless to them.

In Montessori, we pay close attention to these periods of time when children show intense focus on mastering a new skill, creating deep understanding, or refining their abilities. We call these times “sensitive periods.”

What are Sensitive Periods?

To paint the picture of sensitive periods, Dr. Maria Montessori used the example of newly hatched caterpillars. These young caterpillars hatch from eggs in protected nooks but are drawn toward the light where they can eat soft, young leaves at the ends of branches. The young caterpillars aren’t aware of the fact that going toward light will provide them with a food source. Rather, they are responding to a biological impetus. Once that need is satisfied, the caterpillars no longer have the desire to move toward bright light. That sensitive period is over and they shift into the next stage of their development.

Like the young caterpillars, young children in a sensitive period become incredibly absorbed with acquiring or mastering a new skill and hone in on the activity that aids their development. Neurologically, this is the time when groups of neurons become more active than others and establish key neural networks in children’s developing brains. These windows of opportunity are transitory and marked by children’s passionate focus on mastering a skill or characteristic.

In Montessori we focus on four main sensitive periods:

Order
Language
Refinement of the Senses
Movement

Sensitive Period for Order

The sensitive period for order is most intense from birth to three years of age, although it does continue through age six. When children are under the influence of the sensitive period for order, we see their intense interest in the order of things, both in routines (time, order of events in day, etc.) and in their environment. Young children can show great distress if this order changes.

As adults, we can appreciate that order makes our lives easier; planning our meals and picking out clothes ahead of time makes our week flow more smoothly. Organization and order are a convenience and make us more efficient. But young children need orderly environments in a different way. The order in their surroundings or routines becomes the basis for their relationship with the world. If that foundation of order is changing all the time, it’s like trying to build a house on a shifting foundation. Lots of changes in the environment or schedule cause children to have to constantly adapt, which diverts their energy away from other necessary forms of their development. When children have a predictable and ordered environment, they feel secure, trust their environment, and establish an internal order.

Sensitive Period for Language

Children are effortlessly absorbing language from birth. The first three years of life are focused on the development of spoken language and the last three years are focused on the expansion and refinement of language, including writing and reading. During this sensitive period, children are learning the intricacies of the language spoken around them. They hear sounds and begin to try to imitate them. They hear the rhythm of phrases and sentences. They begin to internalize the nuances of grammar.

Because children are absorbing all aspects of language, they need rich language experiences. Thus, we want to provide lots and lots of vocabulary by naming real things in the environment and engaging in meaningful conversation, even with our infants!

Sensitive Period for Refinement of the Senses

Young children are learning about their world through sensory experiences. The sensitive period for refinement of sensory perceptions starts at birth and begins to fade around four and a half.

This sensitive period does not make children’s eyes see better, ears hear better, or tongue taste better, but it does help children distinguish between finer and finer differences. Children who have access to sensorially rich environments can begin to refine their senses, have clearer perceptions, and be able to organize and classify their impressions. Neurologically, this sensitive period is when children are creating neural networks that help them interpret their environment through visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, and tactile perceptions. An enriched experience gives children the opportunity to develop powers of sensory discrimination, like perfect pitch, that will last throughout a lifetime.

Sensitive Period for Movement

Movement is how children come into contact with their environment, express their developing personality, and develop their independence. So much movement development happens from birth, and then, from about ages two and a half to four, children focus on refining their movements.

Children in this sensitive period benefit from having their movements directed toward some purposeful aim. For example, children want to imitate and participate in daily life, like cooking and preparing food. As parents, we often give our children play kitchens. With no other options, children will play with the pretend kitchen for a while, but this doesn’t satisfy them for long. They are much happier preparing real food for themselves and those around them. Meaningful activity, like food preparation, helps children refine their movement, adapt to their culture, and contribute to their community in a purposeful way.

Power & Potential

Although “sensitive periods” refer to the particular times when children are most open to developing a particular skill or trait, the name is a profound reminder. We need to be sensitive–treading mindfully and with great care–to the power and potential of these periods of development.

During the sensitive periods, children develop the skills and characteristics of order, language, refinement of the senses, and development and refinement of movement without apparent effort. Once the sensitive periods have faded, children can still achieve and develop certain characteristics, but they have to do so using work and effort. Plus, the skill or characteristic isn’t as fully integrated and absorbed. Think about how hard it is to learn a second language as an adult!

Most delightfully, when children are in a sensitive period and their needs are met, they experience deep inner joy and a sense of satisfaction. We invite you to schedule a tour so you can come visit our school and see this joy and satisfaction in action!

Shifting from “Stuff” to the Spirit of the Season

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 12:00:05 GMT

All too ofte n the holiday season becomes about “stuff”–presents, decorations, more presents. How do we wean our children away from their focus on getting gifts and instead shift attention to the spirit of togetherness, generosity, peace, and goodwill?

It can be helpful to hold a family meeting and talk about everyone’s feelings about the holidays. We can ask our children about what, besides the gifts, they really like about the holidays. Often memories start to emerge: making gingerbread cookies with Grandma, taking a walk together as a family, ordering take-out Chinese and days-worth of leftovers.

From those memories, you can start brainstorming about what to establish as part of your family holiday tradition, perhaps even exploring new ways to enliven the winter season. Could a family hike followed by hot cocoa be a regular ritual? Coloring and cutting holiday-themed place settings? Decorating cookies to distribute as gifts?

In discussing the holiday, you can also introduce activities that involve giving and service to others. All sorts of studies detail the mental and physical health benefits of selfless service. The term “helper’s high” refers to the chemicals released in our brains when we engage in giving behaviors. Children can be very intrigued by learning about different charities, especially those that are local or important to their families. Part of the process of gift-giving can include choosing a charity and giving a gift in your child’s name or even having your child play a part in delivering the gift.

Another approach is to focus on giving gifts that are really experiences: a trip to a museum, a weekend family adventure, certificates for favorite excursions, cash and a coupon for an outing to the arcade, a day trip with a friend to the trampoline park. Whatever the experience, the focus is giving the gift of doing something, and ideally doing something together, rather than owning an object.

Brainstorming about the types of gifts or experiences we share with friends and family during the holiday season helps open our children up to the idea that gifts don’t have to be an item purchased at a store or online. As you explore this idea with your children, you can offer options such as:

DYI/Handmade Gifts
Care Packages
Video Gifts/Electronic Messages
Experiential Gifts
Gifts of Quality Time
Skill Sharing Gifts
Donation & Support Gifts
Food Gifts

Children can be involved in creating care packages or gift baskets, video collages or audio greetings that can be sent to grandparents, favorite dry goods recipes in mason jars, and coupons for activities or quality time.

We have enough things in our lives. Even if our youngest children aren’t quite ready to give up the idea of getting material presents, we can model both how gifts can take on many different forms and how we can bring more of ourselves to the holiday gift-giving experience.

Likely our children won’t remember a particular toy they unwrapped in 2022, but they will remember what they did with those they love and how they felt while doing it. Perhaps just planning a different kind of giving this year can bring less stress and more joy. What better gift than that?

Music the Montessori Way

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 01:30:01 GMT

Music. It helps us express ourselves. It expands our consciousness. It draws us together. Since ancient times, humans have relied upon music as a fundamental form of communication. Even today, we can see how children, from an early age, are drawn to music.

Always the scientist and observer, Dr. Maria Montessori recognized the essential place of music in children’s development. She collaborated with a number of musicians to develop a comprehensive music program to support children’s music appreciation and expression. The Montessori music program begins with sensorial experiences that build to children developing an acute awareness of pitch and rhythm. These experiences and activities then evolve into children learning the construction of musical scales and even perfecting how to write, read, and compose music. These components ultimately support children and adolescents’ abilities to use music as a form of self-expression.

Early Experiences

From our earliest moments of life, we absorb the sounds of our environment. A fetus hears the rhythm of the mother’s heartbeat, breathing, and body systems. Expecting parents may sing or tell a story and their unborn child takes in the patterning and intonations of their voices. Newborns use these sounds as a way to have points of reference while orienting to life outside of the womb.

When working with infants and toddlers, we slow down so as to observe and listen to sounds and movements in nature. Hearing and relating to the natural music around us helps us be better attuned to the music in everything. As adults, we model this reflective pace, especially in our fast-paced society.

In the process of learning through imitation, our youngest children try to mimic sounds, first by copying movements with their mouths and later with their bodies. Thus, we model connection to music and openness to learning and experiencing musical expression, both in the traditional sense and through experiences in nature. Because music moves us emotionally and calls forth varied feelings, we also show how to express these emotions by moving our bodies, dancing, and singing. Young children need to experience music so they can make it part of their human experience.

Musical instruments in our infant and toddler communities are often related to nature and the sounds of nature. We provide multiples of each instrument so that when singing songs together, everyone can have a rhythm stick, or other appropriate musical instruments, and keep the beat together. We offer different kinds of high-quality instruments because the sounds affect individuals in different ways. Like with any other material in a Montessori classroom, the adults present the appropriate use of each kind of instrument to the children.

When children get a little older and move into the Primary or Children’s House level, we offer four strands of music education: singing, rhythm, music appreciation, and music literacy.

Children’s House: Singing

Singing begins right away in the Children’s House! We are helping young children realize that their voice is an amazing instrument. We share and teach easy-to-learn songs, as well as model how to express a range of emotions through the musical experience of singing. Folk songs offer high-quality melodies and expressive lyrics, as well as topics that reflect real-world qualities and real-life experiences–from celebrations and holidays to the weather, geography, and just everyday life.

When we introduce songs in the Children’s House, we first sing without any accompaniment so that the children learn how to find the right pitch. Once the children know a song very well, we may complement the singing with a piano, guitar, dulcimer, or the classroom bells.

Children’s House: Rhythm

Young children are so adept at rhythm. From the very beginning, life inside the womb was a rhythmic wonderland, with the symphony of the mother’s heartbeat, digestion, and respiration. Continuing throughout their lives, children experience rhythm all around them. We support the development and refinement of rhythm through activities that involve walking, running, marching, and skipping on an ellipse on the classroom floor, as well as through percussive instruments and music with distinctive rhythmic patterns. We may introduce hand and foot movements during songs, as well as the use of rhythm instruments. Some children also begin rhythm notation while in the Children’s House.

Children’s House: Music Appreciation

Through recorded music selections, we offer the history and culture of different kinds of musical expression in the human experience. When introducing a new piece, we give its name, the name of the composer, and the type of music it represents. These lessons are correlated to what the child knows in history, geography, art, and current events. When musicians visit to play an instrument for the children, we expand the experience with related vocabulary, stories, and listening opportunities.

Children’s House: Music Literacy

Although most settings don’t introduce music literacy to young children, we offer it as we do writing–as a means for sounds to be saved and held. While improvised work is lost into the air, writing down notes saves the idea and allows the possibility of communicating without face-to-face contact.

In the Children’s House, the bells become the children’s second instrument. We begin music literacy as soon as children can pair the bells of the diatonic scale and when they show an interest in the names of the pitches.

To introduce music literacy skills, we isolate two difficulties: notation for melody and notation for pitch. These two pathways start separately in the Children’s House but are joined in the Montessori elementary program.

In addition to working with the tone bars to dive deeply into music notation, scales, and composition, children at the elementary level continue experiences with listening, music history and literature, playing instruments, singing, movement, and rhythm.

Elementary: Rhythm

In elementary, children start with a sensorial experience of four-beat measure patterns, and we soon introduce the notation for these four-beat patterns. Children begin to be able to read rhythmic patterns for familiar names (of people and items), which also prepares them for an understanding of syllabification. Through this work, they begin to be able to notate patterns that they hear and to find notation patterns in printed music. They also get to experience finding words that will fit different rhythmic patterns and can practice notating the rhythm of spoken words.

Elementary: Playing Instruments

We first use games to introduce elementary children to various instruments and then support them in using instruments to accompany class songs. As their expertise grows and they are able to maintain a steady beat, students may form a small band and can even learn how to have a conductor!

Whenever possible, we support children in seeing and hearing real orchestral instruments, including the music and instruments of other cultures. As children listen to individual instruments and combinations of instruments, they learn to differentiate between different qualities of sound that instruments create.

Elementary: Listening

We approach the art and skill of listening very deliberately. The adults set an example by listening to children and by speaking quietly and in clear sentences with precise pronunciation. Even in the elementary, we play listening games–from investigating how our bodies make noise, to taking listening walks, to enjoying mystery sound games, to exploring the absence of sound–all of which provide opportunities to focus on listening skills. The children also relish opportunities to listen to recorded music, both independently and as a group, and to be able to discuss what they heard.

Elementary: Tone Bars

The tone bars are elementary students’ primary musical instrument. Children in the elementary can often be found composing and playing on the tone bars and as they experiment with sounds and the relationships of the tone bars, they are essentially in the babbling stage of language development. With extended exposure and practice, this “babbling” can evolve into children being able to pick up tunes by ear.

Eventually, elementary students use the tone bars for learning major and minor scales, whole steps and half steps, transposition, the musical staff, music notation, composition, pitch dictation, degrees of the scale, intervals, sharps and flats, and key signatures.

Montessori Music Program

Montessori music begins sensorially, isolates difficulty, and engages children in spontaneous activity and meaningful self-expression. The Montessori music program is constructed so that the keys to music can be presented as a language of communication. We consider music to be an element of total literacy and thus give music as much emphasis as we give to mathematics and language as essential tools of communication. As a result, as children move toward adulthood, they are able to use musical expression as a way to better understand themselves and the world around them.

We invite you to come to visit our school to see (and hear) how music comes alive in our classrooms!

Mutual Respect & Making Deposits

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 01:30:05 GMT

Montessori classrooms depend upon a web of mutual respect. This culture of respect is established from the very beginning: from how the classroom is arranged and sized for the children, to how we greet each other at the start of the day, to how the adults refrain from interrupting children’s concentration. Dr. Maria Montessori emphasized that, as adults, we must have the utmost respect for children, because they are in the process of constructing themselves and are the hope for the future of humankind.

Mutual respect does require maintenance, though. As Montessorians, we are always tending to the emotional environment of the community. One way we do this is by continual practice of different ways we can show grace and courtesy toward each other and our surroundings. We do know, however, that situations arise when tensions start to run high, misunderstandings proliferate, and irritation takes over. We are all human, after all.

Because it’s helpful to have some support when things start to fray, we thought we’d share a strategy that can be helpful when frustrations, fallings-out, or rifts are on the rise.

First, imagine a scenario in which there is a small slight. A look from across the room. A forgotten request. Not listening to what is being said.

Usually, this isn’t such a big deal. However, if we are feeling particularly annoyed or frustrated by something that happened previously, we might mutter about how we can’t believe so and so did that again, how could they look at us like that, how they never pay attention, and on and on.

Our response tells a lot about how we are feeling about the other person involved.

If we find ourselves in a situation where a progression of misunderstandings and misinterpretations is causing a rupture, it can be a good time to pause and consider the concept of an emotional or relationship bank account.

Dr. Stephen R. Covey explores the idea of an emotional bank account in his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families, and Sean Covey introduces the relationship bank account in his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens. The essence of this “bank account” is that we have different connections with the people in our lives, and between each of us we have an unseen measure of how we are connecting. We can visualize that measure as a bank account. Just like with a bank account, we can make deposits or withdrawals.

When we greet a co-worker in the morning with a smile and a compliment, we are making a deposit. Over time, with lots of deposits, a large cushion of goodwill is created in our relationship bank account. When a large cushion is there, our co-worker is likely to be understanding when one morning we scowl and barely mumble, “morning.” They might wonder if we are okay and want to do something to help us feel better.

But let’s imagine that instead of making regular deposits into our relationship bank account, we have either not taken the time for a kind greeting, or perhaps have been complaining about something they’ve done. These little acts end up draining our relationship bank account, like multiple small withdrawals, until there is little to no cushion of goodwill between us. If that’s the case, when we scowl and mumble, “morning,” the other person might react with anger and frustration, fed up with our attitude and ready to retaliate.

In simple terms, our relationship or emotional back account is like a cup that gets filled or emptied.

When exploring this idea with young children, it can be helpful to draw or get a real cup, fill it up while imagining different acts of goodwill, then empty it while exploring little thoughtless or unkind acts. Children love to brainstorm different ways to fill the cup, perhaps even creating a poster or drawing together to have a visual reminder.

Older children are often intrigued by the connection to a financial bank account. Even the logical exploration of deposits and withdraws can help older children shift out of the emotional centers of their brains, which then allows them to approach a potentially tense situation with more calm and clarity.

If your children would benefit from a graphic image of making deposits or filling a cup, or what it looks like when lots of withdraws mean we don’t have a buffer of goodwill, feel free to download this image of a graduated cylinder to use to show filling or emptying our emotional bank account. Sometimes having a visual really helps solidify the concept for children.

Really, though, we can use this strategy in all of our relationships. When we can think about the little acts of kindness, honesty, patience, and unconditional love and acceptance as being ways to build up our relationship bank accounts, we can more easily shift gears in how we relate.

Ultimately, this practice can allow us to become more mindful of the actions between us. We can look across the room with warmth. We can acknowledge a mistake and work to make amends. We can listen with acceptance.

When we make deposits, we connect and cultivate goodwill. These deposits happen on a regular basis in Montessori classrooms. We invite you to come to visit our school to experience this mutual respect for yourself!

Meeting Adolescent Needs

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 01:30:00 GMT

As we adapt, learn, and exist in the world, we rely upon unconscious, innate drives that help us orient, explore, work, order, calculate, imagine, abstract, communicate, repeat, and self-perfect. In Montessori we call these “human tendencies” and we take care to observe how these tendencies show up in different ways at different stages of development.

As young people enter adolescence, it becomes even more critical for us to consider how these aspects of being human show up. When we recognize these internal drives, we can better ensure that we are effectively supporting adolescents’ process of self-construction during a vulnerable and dynamic time in their lives.

So, let’s take a look at each human tendency and consider how to support adolescents’ characteristics and needs.

Orientation

During adolescence, young people need to orient themselves to their new bodies and the new ways their brains are functioning. Sometimes adolescents don’t even quite know who they are from one moment to the next. This can be easily seen in those times when adolescents swing from child-like behavior to adult-like behavior. They also need to orient to a different learning environment, including understanding the new adults in their lives, as well as a new social/peer community. They are trying to figure out boundaries: of their space, their body, and their minds.

As a result, adolescents need orientation to rules and responsibilities. In Montessori adolescent programs, adults support this orientation by providing time and space for training and introduction. When starting a new skill, introducing a new concept, or even starting a new school year, adolescent guides are sensitive to the orientation process that needs to happen and also to the fact that adolescents’ executive function skills are still developing.

Exploration

Adolescents are also navigating issues of their own identity and exploring how they feel comfortable in their world. This normal, developmentally appropriate process can lead to a great deal of creative exploration. They will often want to try on new kinds of self-expression, sometimes through physical presentations such as the fashions and hairstyles they choose or create for themselves.

During adolescence, young people may also explore (or continue exploration of) where they are on the gender spectrum. They seek safe, judgment-free settings in which to see how it feels to be identified in different ways. As a result, they need supportive adults through this dynamic process of identity development.

Adolescents are also exploring new capabilities and their own bodies. They want (and neurologically need) to take risks. Adolescent guides provide opportunities for healthy risk-taking, perhaps through a ropes course, a backpacking trip, or even through big physical expressions, while also being sensitive to the physical and psychological disequilibrium that can happen when adolescents are re-orienting and exploring who they are and what is possible.

Work

This exploration of what is possible connects to adolescents’ ability to engage in really hard work. If they feel connected to the purpose of the work, if it has personal or social value, they can take on big incredible tasks. When they feel this connection, adolescents will easily take on a challenge, even something as monumental as moving a whole building, and do so with vigor. If they have an investment in the activity, they will work relentlessly to see that it happens.

Adolescent guides support these experiences of purposeful work that has a real impact. This often means working side-by-side with adolescents to get the work started and to help them find a connection to why the work is important. Sharing their own passion for the work is another way adults can support adolescents’ engagement. Likewise, adolescents can dig into hard intellectual work, again if it has meaning and purpose for them and their social group.

Imagination & Abstraction

Often adolescents’ imagination will aid them in the process of big work. Undaunted by limits, they can imagine better, more innovative ways to get something done. To support this, adolescent guides allow room for failure and mistakes, so that adolescents can experiment and learn from the process. Adults can also allow adolescents room for putting what they imagine into action, rather than focusing on an adult agenda or needing to move things along more efficiently. Adolescents’ ability to think abstractly can help in this process of creating new possibilities.

Adolescents are abstracting patterns and social norms. They are able to start thinking about their own thinking (metacognition). Adolescent guides offer opportunities to connect these new abilities to intellectual pursuits. This can also be an amazing time for adolescents to explore forms of self-expression and appreciate the abstractions that can be found in forms of art. Often adolescents are even creating their own form of language or social norms with their peers.

Adolescents’ imagination can also manifest itself in their focus on what others may think of them. This tendency to think there is an “imaginary audience” watching them all the time or to imagine that they are center stage in an experience, can be challenging for young adolescents. Adolescent guides offer opportunities for adolescents to experience and understand different perspectives, while also considering how sensitive adolescents can be in moments of feeling like the spotlight is on them or that they are misunderstood.

Order

Although adolescents may not seem like they need order, they still need the consistency of routines and order in their environment. They benefit from having all the tools back where they belong at the end of their work: the kitchen utensils back in the correct drawer and school items back in their storage space. How that space or drawer looks may not be completely ordered, but adolescents will experience the value of being able to access kitchen tongs when they need tongs!

Similar to how toddlers need the comfort and order of a regular routine, adolescents also need to rely on an ordered schedule, especially when so much is changing for them internally. It’s worth noting that adolescents might have a completely messy and disorderly room, but then will go through a period of redefining themselves and creating a space that matches a new persona they want to convey.

Repetition, Self-Perfection, & Calculation

The tendency for repetition or exactness can often be seen in adolescents’ desire to play the same guitar chord over and over or to jump up and touch the door frame each time they pass through. They are experiencing new abilities and being able to repeat and make those

abilities more precise can really appeal to them. This also relates to the tendency to self-perfect. Adolescents want to perfect that one move to sink the basketball into the net. They want to get the drawing of a character or a face just right. They may also need to repeat or perfect a way of connecting to their social group–a joke that the group bonds over, a funny dance move, a line from a movie–and this repetition reinforces that they belong to the group. They are also calculating constantly: where do I fit in, how do the connections through social media accounts show my status in the social hierarchy, how can I fine-tune my appearance to convey changes in my identity?

Association & Communication

The need for association and communication is paramount for adolescents. They want and need to learn in association and communication with their peers. They work things out together and need to debate and discuss. Adolescent guides provide healthy opportunities for this through seminars or Socratic dialogue, so adolescents can learn how to listen respectfully, hear others’ perspectives, and communicate their own thoughts. Adolescent guides also honor adolescents’ need to connect with others, being sensitive to the constant talking that often needs to happen for adolescents to work through ideas or feel connected to their peers.

Ultimately, adolescent guides are observing for these tendencies so they can make sure the learning environment matches adolescents’ social, emotional, moral, and physical needs and characteristics during this critical time in their development.

Let us know if you’d like to learn more about how our program helps young people on their journey to adulthood!

Sensorial Superpowers

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 01:30:02 GMT

Young children are in a powerful process of creating an understanding of their world and where they fit in. To do this, they rely upon their senses as an interface to the world. Everything that comes into young children’s minds comes through their senses.

During the first few years of life, children are absorbing sensory input without any discrimination. Then around age two-and-a-half to age three, children begin to bring images from their subconscious into their consciousness. They begin to work with these images and in the process embark on an important journey of building their intelligence.

The Sensorial Materials

To support this development, Montessori programs offer carefully designed sensorial materials.

that follow a formal, systematic approach. The materials isolate each sensorial quality and offer children what Dr. Maria Montessori called the “keys to the world.” In addition, the sensorial materials support children’s classification of impressions and lead to clear levels of conscious discrimination. If children have these experiences in the formative period of brain development, they establish a foundation for a lifetime of order and precision, as well as logical, reasoned thinking.

How do sensorial materials accomplish all of this? Well, they have some really significant purposes!

Sensorial materials support children’s classification and categorization of sensorial impressions.

For young children, the first three years are like collecting impressions and throwing them into a closet. The images or concepts are a bit of a hodge-podge jumble, thus to go in and access what is needed from this unorganized collection can be a challenge. Because this warehouse of impressions doesn’t have order or classification, children need to develop mental organization so their collection of impressions becomes useful.

The sensorial materials help children to classify and categorize all of the impressions they have absorbed and unconsciously stored since birth. When children interact with the sensorial materials, images come out of their unconscious memory and come into working memory. As children use the materials, these impressions become part of their conscious memory. When children become accurate in distinguishing sensorial differences, we give language for the images, which then helps the concepts become fixed in children’s minds.

Children aren’t born with organized brains that have predetermined categories, so this neural organization has to be built up through experience.

Sensorial materials support children’s refinement of their sensorial perceptions.

It’s important to understand that sensorial exercises don’t make children’s ears hear better, eyes see better, or tongue taste better. Rather, the materials help children develop powers of discrimination so that they can analyze smaller and smaller degrees of difference.

When we take in sensorial input, everything goes into our brain. Then the brain has to make discriminations, a skill which develops through experience and the process of making finer and finer discernments. The materials offer children a clear means for starting to classify and to increase their perceptive powers, both of which are important mental abilities.

Sensorial materials support children in the development of abstractions.

What do we mean by abstractions? An example of an abstraction is the notion of “red.” Red as a quality does not exist in nature. Red can be represented in physical things, but we cannot bring “red” to a person. Red is a quality. It is an abstraction.

Children may have some abstractions already in place, but when they are young the number is limited purely due to the fact that they haven’t had a sufficient amount of experience to develop the abstraction. Furthermore, children don’t typically get to experience sensorial qualities in isolation. The Montessori sensorial materials isolate each quality and give children the opportunity to have enough experience to develop abstractions.

Because we, as adults, have a lot of experience in the world, it can be hard for us to understand what children need to create abstractions. To better understand the significance of abstractions, imagine being told about a quince. If you haven’t had a quince before, it is hard to pull up the image in your mind, much less what it tastes like. If you hear a description that a quince is a fruit, you are able to pull up an idea of what a fruit is. Then if you hear that a quince is in the same family as an apple and pear, you can pull up an image that brings you closer to imagining the fruit and perhaps even the type of skin it has.

But without these experiences and the organization of images, children can’t pull up the same level of abstraction. Imagination helps us, as adults, to be able to do this: pull up images in our minds of something haven’t experienced before based on abstractions. In order to imagine, we must have abstractions. This area is most related to the development of intelligence.

Sensorial materials support children’s development of accurate and discriminating recall of perceptions.

The materials engage children’s memory, help them access information from their memory, and support them in using their intelligence. Memory is a tool of the intelligence, but because children aren’t born with memory, they need support with developing it. While children do have an unconscious memory, they have to take the impressions they have absorbed and build memory from them. The sensorial materials help this process.

Memory needs practice and experience to become stronger; it is only increased through activity. We want children’s memory to be strong and thus we provide lots of experience with the materials and variations with the materials. With each sensorial material, there are many ways to extend the activity and help children with recall.

One significant strategy is giving language to each perception. The language is based on what is isolated in the materials–thick/thin, large/small, long/short, right-angled isosceles triangle/right-angled scale triangle, rough/smooth, heavy/light, ovoid/ellipsoid, bitter/sweet. The vocabulary is extensive and rich, and ultimately fixes the perception in children’s memory.

The second strategy we use is playing games which challenge children to hold the perception in mind for longer and longer periods of time. They might put each of the pink tower cubes scattered about the room so that in rebuilding the tower of cubes from largest to smallest, they have to remember the size of the previous piece in searching for the next largest cube. Some of the sensorial games also help children notice particular qualities in the environment, rather than just in the materials. One favorite is searching for items in the classroom that have exactly the same shade of each of the color tablets.

Through repeated experience with the sensorial materials, children develop clearer and more accurate perceptions and create reference points that they can use throughout life. Dr. Montessori talks about the possibility for children to develop touchstones, a sort of fixed, accurate reference by which this quality can be accessed. These points of reference can provide a lifetime tendency for order, precision, and recall, for example hearing the note of G without any other reference or being able to look at a pane of glass and know if it will fit into the window frame.

Sensorial materials help children develop life-long tendencies towards order and precision.

We don’t know what touchstones might develop for each child, but Dr. Montessori says that touchstones developed during these early years will remain with children throughout their whole life. If children can get accurate discriminations while in this time of sensitivity to sensorial input, this precision will remain with them into adulthood. Of course, children’s unique interests will also lead them to their own level of proficiency.

Functionally, this tendency toward order and precision will be important as children move into more academic work in language and math. They will be able to access powers of discrimination that will aid them in future endeavors.

Sensorial materials also provide indirect preparation for further study.

This indirect preparation means that we are taking advantage of children’s spontaneous interest and activity and thus planting the seeds for other areas that children will explore as they get older. When we introduce shapes–from a decagon to an ellipse to a quatrefoil–through the geometry cabinet, children visually discriminate the shapes while also tactilely experiencing the shapes by tracing around them. Multisensory input is stronger than input through just one sense. Tracing the shape also helps to prepare children’s hands for writing. To write, our hands have to be able to follow a form. This is how the sensorial materials provide indirect preparation for further academic study.

Sensorial materials support the development of children’s memory and intelligence.

Dr. Montessori talks about the sensorial area as being most strongly related to the development of intelligence. Working with sensorial materials requires a very different engagement from the practical life work of washing hands or scrubbing a table. Practical life activities help children with coordinating movement and following a sequence with a logical beginning, middle, and end. Sensorial materials don’t have the same kind of logical sequence. They are open-ended and exploratory. Children have to consider each piece and how it works in relation to the other pieces. In working with the red rods, for example, children have to examine each rod’s length in relation to the other rods. Thus, children have to make a reasoned distinction every time they move a piece of material. This process engages the intelligence and elevates children’s level of awareness. In addition, children then have to hold the images in their mind, which helps their memory.

Having an ordered, classified mind is also the foundation for intelligence. When children struggle in more academic areas like language and math, we take time to consider how to better support their mental order and classification. When the mind isn’t prepared well, academic work can be difficult to do. However, if children can recognize and distinguish between a trapezoid and a parallelogram, they will be more likely to be able to distinguish two other shapes like “g” and “q.” When children have a lot of experience recognizing shapes through sensorial materials, they are more able to recognize the shapes they encounter in letters. Sometimes we go back and explore if perhaps children recognize the shapes but don’t have a strong memory. We then use sensorial games specifically designed to help different forms of memory (auditory, visual, etc.).

The sensorial area serves as an important foundation for more academic work because language and math are completely based on abstractions. Words represent concrete things but the words themselves are abstractions. The sensorial area is critical for providing the foundation for abstract thinking.

Outcomes

Although the sensorial materials may look relatively simple, they provide so much! When children use these materials, they are refining their powers of discrimination, creating an ordered mind, enhancing their memory and recall, categorizing their impressions, and building a foundation for rational thinking and intelligence.

As children achieve these skills, they experience life with an increased level of richness, becoming aware of the lovely details of their world. With a prepared mind, children can see things in a new light and with new enthusiasm. This is perhaps one of the most delightful outcomes of children’s work with the sensorial materials: they develop a whole new appreciation of the life around them–dimensions, shapes, smells, sounds, textures, tastes–which is what gives life value and beauty.

We hope you can come visit our school , experience the sensorial materials, and see how children get to develop their sensorial superpowers!

The Power and Potential of Sleep

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 01:30:09 GMT

We work so hard to provide the best for our children. When they are young, we may try to find innovative toys, sign up for parent-infant programs, or research brain-boosting foods. As they get older, we might enroll them in enrichment programs, pursue assessments, or invest in tutors. But what if the best thing we could do was completely free, within our own household, and could provide a lifetime of benefits?

More and more research reveals the purpose of sleep and the importance of getting enough of it. Sleep provides the power behind a multitude of important aspects of our lives, especially for our children. Sleep not only enriches the ability to learn, memorize, think logically, and consider choices, but also provides emotional recalibration and allows for inspiration and creativity. Furthermore, in addition to a slew of physical and mental health benefits, sleep allows the immune system to work most effectively.

Here’s the surprising thing, though: our children typically aren’t getting enough of it (and neither are we!).

A 2014 poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) shows that the majority of school-aged children aren’t getting the recommended amount of sleep (although over 70% of parents believe they do).

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also reports that 25% of children under age five don’t get adequate sleep.

Why does this matter?

In Montessori, we believe in understanding the whole child as a developing human being. We prepare learning environments to meet the needs and characteristics that children have at each stage of development. We carefully observe how children are interacting with each other and their surroundings. We also partner with families to support children in achieving their full potential. Understanding the role sleep plays in this development is critical.

Cognitive Ability

In Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams, sleep researcher Matthew Walker, Ph.D., describes that “a tired, under-slept brain is little more than a leaky memory sieve, in no state to receive, absorb, or efficiently retain an education.” If we want our young people to have the most benefit from their learning experiences, it’s essential to consider the role that sleep has in brain development. A lack of sleep prevents the formation of lasting memories. Whereas a full night of sleep allows the brain to continue to improve skill memories (e.g. playing a section of music on the piano) even without further practice. “Sleeping on it” is just the thing our children need!

Emotional Regulation

On an anecdotal level, we know how our children can be cranky and irritable after a bad night’s sleep. Studies have also confirmed how sleep deprivation affects the emotional centers of the brain. Basically, without enough sleep, our brains revert to very primitive patterns of reactivity. In this state, it’s hard to understand the broader context of a particular event or action, which can lead to inappropriate emotional reactions. The sleep-deprived brain experiences dramatic mood swings and the rational control centers of the brain essentially lose control. It makes sense then, how lack of sleep can lead to aggression, bullying, and behavioral challenges in children across a range of ages.

Symptoms

In addition to these behavioral problems, sleep deficiency symptoms in children can appear as an inability to maintain focus and attention, distractibility, irritability, moodiness, and even depression. Often, we see these symptoms but don’t consider the role that sleep (or lack thereof) might be playing in children’s lives. To further complicate matters, the symptoms of sleep deficiency can look a lot like ADHD symptoms.

With all this in mind, it’s worth taking a pause when children are exhibiting challenging behaviors, bumping up against intellectual or academic challenges, or struggling socially or emotionally. Before jumping to other conclusions, we should be asking if they are getting enough sleep.

Connection

We care about your child’s development and want to partner with you to provide your child with the best environment for their growth and learning. Come see how we consider the whole child and work with families as partners!

To Learn More

For more information about how much sleep is needed at each stage of development, visit The National Sleep Foundation.

For information about healthy sleep hygiene for children visit Sleep Foundation .

And if you want to learn more about the science behind sleep, be sure to read Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams , by Matthew Walker, Ph.D.

To schedule a tour of our school, visit [insert link here].

Toothbrushing for Toddlers!

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 01:30:25 GMT

In Montessori, we put a lot of emphasis on young children learning basic self-care skills. A big part of self-care is something we do every day, at least twice a day: brushing our teeth! This is a tricky one, though, because we want to teach independence while also ensuring that our children’s teeth are clean and cavity-free.

Because COVID has brought about some shifts in the practical life activities that traditionally happen in our early childhood classrooms, we thought we would combine a “materials spotlight” with a little “how to at home.”

It’s important to remember that when we introduce toothbrushing, we are not only helping young children develop lifelong oral hygiene habits, but we are also helping them develop a sense of capability. As parents and caregivers, we partner in the process so that years later our children haven’t become dependent upon us for a necessary skill.

In showing and supporting toothbrushing, we want to really isolate and slow down each part of the process. As adults, we often move quickly through the activity. We don’t have to think about the separate steps of what we are doing, because we can rely upon habit and muscle memory. Young children, however, are consciously working through each component. Thus, we have to be very intentional about demonstrating the procedure. In the process, we also highlight what we call “points of interest” which are like little benchmarks that focus children’s attention and help them remember key components.

As with all practical life activities, we want the experience to be meaningful and embedded in a real-life context. Thus, we introduce toothbrushing when it makes sense: after eating!

After enjoying a snack or a meal, we invite a child to the sink to brush their teeth. We often make a point of noticing that we have just eaten and want to clean our teeth, so the child makes the connection of why we are going to use a toothbrush.

Small travel-size toothbrushes work well for children. The toothbrushes can have a case or small enclosure for the toothbrush head and some way to designate which brush belongs to which child (such as a photo of the child). We start by modeling taking our own toothbrush out of the holder and placing it on an empty tray.

Depending upon the child and their age, we might have the child try each step right after we show it. Or if the child is a little older, we may show a series of steps and then invite the child to try. One of the gifts of Montessori is that we can tailor each activity to a child’s needs and temperament.

After the child takes their toothbrush and puts it on the tray, the adult selects a toothpaste container and shows how to open and close it. Because we want the child to only use a small amount of toothpaste, it can be helpful to prepare individual portions of toothpaste. Contact lens holders work quite well for this.

After demonstrating how to select, then open and close the toothpaste container, the adult places it on the tray with their toothbrush and invites the child to select their own toothpaste container, open and close it, then place it on the tray. One critical detail is closing the toothpaste container. We aren’t ready to use the toothpaste yet, so having the container closed helps communicate that we aren’t ready to use toothpaste. We are just making sure that the child knows how to access the toothpaste.

At this point we are getting everything set up, so we want to have the layout prepared for all the steps, including rising our mouths with water after toothbrushing. In the classroom setting, we’ll often have a small pitcher of water and small glasses turned upside down, but at home often just a small glass will suffice. Ideally, the glasses look different from regular drinking glasses because this water will be used for rising rather than drinking. Because this process often happens in the bathroom, small stainless-steel cups work well. Regardless, we next select a glass or cup and pour a small amount of water from the pitcher into it so that the cup is about 1/4 full. We place the cup on the tray with our toothbrush and invite the child to pour water into their own cup and place it on the tray.

Now that everything is set up, we open the toothpaste container and leave it open on the tray. We pick up our toothbrush and wipe bristles into toothpaste. It can be helpful to show how to hold the toothpaste container with one hand while getting toothpaste on the bristles of the brush.

We then place the toothbrush down on the tray and use both hands to close the toothpaste container. The child can also have a turn preparing their toothbrush with toothpaste.

The materials are ready, so it is time to demonstrate brushing teeth! This is best done slowly and with a wide-open mouth. We start on one side, perhaps the left, brushing our top teeth with clear, deliberate downward strokes. We then pause and brush underneath those top teeth. Pausing again, we then move to the back of our left top teeth with downward strokes. Staying on the same side, we brush our left bottom teeth with upward strokes, then the tops of those teeth, then the backs. We pause between each section and repeat on our right side.

At the end, we brush our tongue lightly. Then we place our toothbrush onto the tray. With almost a bit of exaggeration, we make sure the child sees that we need to spit the toothpaste into the sink. After ridding our mouth of the excess toothpaste, we then pick up the glass and take some water into our mouth. We swish the water around and around and then spit right into the center of the sink, repeating if necessary. It’s nice to also have a small cloth or hand towel to model drying our mouth after this process.

We rinse the toothbrush under the faucet for a few seconds and tap the toothbrush on the side of the sink to get excess water off the brush. Then we invite the child to have a turn with the toothbrushing, spitting, and rising.

At the end, we return our toothbrush to its holder. One at a time we take the used items, the toothpaste container and the cup, to the dirty dish cart to be washed. After the child takes their used items to the dirty dish cart, or at home perhaps another appropriate place, we invite them to brush their teeth whenever they would like to clean their teeth.

Depending upon the child’s engagement while presenting this activity, we may determine different points of interest by using a pause, slightly exaggerating the movement, or merely showing our own intense interest. Some possible points of engagement for toothbrushing can include getting toothpaste on the toothbrush, the downward or upward brushing strokes, swishing water to rinse our mouth, spitting into the sink, or tapping the toothbrush on the side of the sink.

In a school setting, the adult will model and allow the child to practice brushing teeth independently. At home, it’s also best to establish an understanding that at key times, for example in the morning and in the evening, the adult will be taking a turn to help ensure the child’s teeth are clean. For example, during the evening routine, the child gets a chance to clean their teeth, and then they know you, as a parent or caregiver, will then do a final toothbrushing for them. This can be done by putting your hand over the child’s and continuing the brushing process after the child is done, or by just asking the child to hand you their toothbrush when they are done so that you can have a turn brushing their teeth.

The important thing to remember is that we want to support young children as they build the manual dexterity necessary for this important self-care skill. Just like we wouldn’t do all the coloring for them when they want to use crayons, we don’t want to do all the toothbrushing for them when they are learning to use the toothbrush. We want to give the message that they are capable and can practice cleaning their teeth. At home, we also want to make sure they understand that because dental hygiene is so important, we will also have a turn making sure their teeth are clean.

We hope you have great success at home! Let us know how it goes. And if you need some inspiration, you are always welcome to schedule a tour to see how we support children’s development of self-care skills, as well as their sense of capability.

Our Montessori Bookshelf: All About Geography!

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 01:30:24 GMT

In Montessori we love to explore how our language shapes our thinking, so we often explore the etymology of words. The word geography comes from the Greek geo, which means earth, and graphein, which means to write. So, geography can be understood as a description of the earth and all that occurs physically upon it.

Although we name geography as a distinct subject, in Montessori geography is really woven throughout children’s learning experiences. These are some of our favorite books that support what children are experiencing in their geography explorations and that also encourage their natural curiosity about the world.

Land and Water

Water Land: Land and Water Forms Around the World

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/35795941

By Christy Hale

This picture book shows the visual relationship between land and water forms by using cut-out portions of the page. Turn the page and a lake becomes an island! The simple yet lovely illustrations of humans interacting with the water and the land are accompanied by one word on each page that states the vocabulary: lake, island, bay, cape, strait, isthmus, etc. This is a perfect book for young children beginning their journey in geography!

Political and Physical Geography

Maps

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17262382-maps

by Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinska

This is the perfect tome for children beginning to learn about continents and countries. The sturdy pages give the book a sense of weighty importance, and each page reveals treasures upon treasures. The book offers an overview of the world, then focuses in on each continent and key countries within the continents. Presented in map form, the pages also illustrate animal and plant life, as well as cultural traditions and interesting facts. Both an amazing reference guide and a key to further exploration, this book is rich in visual appeal as well as in content.

Maps of the World's Oceans: An Illustrated Children's Atlas to the Seas and all the Creatures and Plants that Live There

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43521921-maps-of-the-world-s-oceans

By Enrico Lavagno and Angelo Mojetta

This illustrated atlas combines an enticing visual overview of the world's oceans with easily digestible bits of information about what is found there. Easily a jumping-off point for a slew of research, this book is a must-have resource for any child interested in history, marine biology, or really just cool facts in general.

Cultural Explorations

This Is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from around the World

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/31423417

by Matt Lamothe

Based on seven real children around the world, this book depicts a day in each of their lives. The illustrations and short text of the children’s lives are shown side-by-side, so it’s easy to explore the similarities and differences in how they live: their families, what they wear, their school, what they eat, how they enjoy their evenings, where they sleep, and more. Designed to appeal to a range of ages the book provides large, simple text for each part of the day, as well as short descriptions for more confident readers. Younger children are also fascinated by the pictures of young people engaged in a variety of activities. Best of all, the book offers a delightful reminder of what unites us.

The Earth

How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/578870

By Faith McNulty, Illustrated by Marc Simont

Elementary children love this book! The simple illustrations are just enough to spark their imagination as the text takes them on a “what if” journey that starts with finding a soft place to start shoveling. The adventure continues with finding fossils, drilling, perhaps finding oil or a geyser, using a jet-propelled submarine, and eventually resurfacing on the other side of the earth. The best part is that the story perfectly dove-tails with the elementary geography lesson that introduces the layers of the earth. Despite the imaginative aspects of How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World, the book is firmly grounded (pun intended!) in fascinating scientific information presented in just the right way to appeal to elementary-aged children.

Life Story: The Story of Life on Our Earth from Its Beginning Up to Now

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/30939

By Virginia Lee Burton

Set as a play, complete with a program detailing the cast and characters, Life Story progresses through scenes from the earth’s beginnings, through the prehistoric eras, to the seasons of human life. This book perfectly illustrates the passage of time and appeals to the elementary-aged child imagining the emergence of the universe and their own place in the story.

Earthshake: Poems from the Ground Up

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1096972.Earthshake

By Lisa Westberg Peters, Illustrated by Cathie Felstead

These 22 poems offer whimsical yet scientific scenes all about planet earth: from wind to quartz to lava to water. Reading these poems reminds us that we can revel in the love of language while also learning about our world. As a bonus, the endnotes provide a bit more context and information about each of the 22 topics.

Other Books to Explore

If you and your children are super excited about these titles, here are some other geography books we recommend!

Land and Water: Landforms & Bodies of Water

By Eve Heidi Bine-Stock

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55072240-land-and-water

Wake Up, World!: A Day in the Life of Children Around the World

By Beatrice Hollyer

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/312628.Wake_Up_World_

Let’s Eat!: What Children Eat Around the World

By Beatrice Hollyer

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8940.Let_s_Eat_

The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice

By Wendy Pfeffer, Illustrated by Jesse Reisch

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/331130

Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea: Marie Tharp Maps the Ocean Floor

By Robert Burleigh, Illustrated by Raúl Colón

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25785790-solving-the-puzzle-under-the-sea

Ready for the Universe: Geography for the Elementary Age

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 01:30:23 GMT

When children enter a Montessori elementary classroom around age six, they have undergone a great transformation. Whereas they previously wanted and needed to explore their immediate environment on a sensorial level, now they want and need to explore by using their intellect and imagination.

The study of geography takes on a whole new meaning at this age when children are fascinated by the smallest particles and the largest stars. They want to know why the seasons differ in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. They are curious about what made the Grand Canyon. They want to know why ocean currents affect the weather.

This desire to know why propels children to discover relationships and functions, not just learn facts. They are also fascinated by the extreme and the outstanding. They are drawn to the very large and the very small. They ask Why? What for? How is this related?

The Universe

Elementary-age children have a consuming interest in everything! To cater to this all-embracing thirst for the reasons of everything, we begin with the universe. One of the earliest lessons we introduce is the story of the universe. From this first story, children are delighted by a myriad of lessons and activities which fall under the general heading of ‘geography.'

Beginning with the universe gives elementary children a big-picture context. In Montessori, rather than encountering bits of disconnected knowledge, children learn about the order and harmony of the universe, as well as the relationships that exist between all things.

“If the idea of the universe be presented to the child in the right way, it will do more for him than just arouse his interest, for it will create in him admiration and wonder, a feeling loftier than any interest and more satisfying. The child's mind then will become fixed and can work. The knowledge he then acquires is organized and systematic; his intelligence becomes whole and complete because of the vision of the whole that has been presented to him and his interest spreads to all, for all are linked and have their place in the universe on which his mind is centred.” — Dr. Maria Montessori, To Educate the Human Potential

Constructing Understanding

Dr. Montessori observed that children around the world tended to ask similar questions at this age. The geography presentations and lessons support these fundamental reoccurring questions.

Our goal is to help elementary children have an explosion into understanding. However, this kind of understanding does not come from adults explaining everything.

Instead, we give children experiences and just enough information so they can find out more and make associations. When children make their own connections, real and lasting understanding happens. Even better, the children respond with enthusiasm and excitement!

Geography Topics

Children in a Montessori classroom do not encounter subjects grouped under curricular headings. Subjects are integrated because children are building their minds. They are exploring their world, rather than the chapters of a textbook. Although there is a structure in the classroom environment, children have the opportunity to explore different many different aspects of geography including:

Space, Earth, and the Universe
Composition of the Earth
Nature of the Elements
Sun and Earth
Work of Air
Work of Water
Life on the Land
Interdependencies
Economic Geography

The lessons we present, and the resulting children’s explorations, lead into astronomy, physics, chemistry, meteorology, geology, and more. For example, as we look more closely at how the earth revolves around the sun, children learn about solstices and seasons, climatic zones, and flora and fauna found in particular regions.

Aids to Understanding

For each topic, we provide imaginative aids, often in the form of stories, colorful impressive charts, and a variety of experiments. Many of these instructive aids have been selected to provide impressions, not just facts. The aim of our geography presentations is to intrigue the children and spark their imagination. We want them to be inspired to find out more!

We concentrate on giving key information, discussing reasons, and illustrating details, all of which draw children’s attention to certain phenomena. Once interest is there, children want to learn as much as they can. It is as if we are giving elementary students keys to knowledge and understanding. Once they have the keys, they can open doors and continue their explorations.

Geography is a vibrant aspect of the Montessori elementary and generates spontaneous, active, self-renewing interest! A love of learning blossoms in the children, and many develop a lifelong fascination with elements of geography. We invite you to visit our school and see this love of learning firsthand!

Grasping the World: Geography for Young Children

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 01:30:35 GMT

Between mass media and family travel, young children are exposed to all sorts of language about their planet. They may hear phrases like “going around the world,” “as the world turns,” or “the other side of the world.” Young children absorb this information yet still need concrete experiences to help make sense of what “the world” even means!

Over 100 years ago, Dr. Maria Montessori observed how younger children were drawn to the globes that older children were using. Through careful observation, Dr. Montessori came to understand how young children crave a concrete understanding of concepts like the world, the earth, and the globe.

Concrete Materials

In Montessori, we offer concrete materials so children can experience accurate representations of these abstract concepts. We start by providing a small globe. The land surfaces are covered with fine sandpaper and the water surfaces are covered with smooth blue paint, so children can tactically explore the distribution of land and water surfaces over planet earth. With the globe, children get to literally grasp the shape of the planet and have a richer understanding of phrases like “going around the world.”

We also have a set of materials so children can learn about different kinds of land and water forms. Children can pour water into beautifully created models of an island, lake, peninsula, gulf, isthmus, strait, cape, bay, archipelago, or system of lakes. The water flows into the water area (painted blue) and moves around the land area (painted brown). As children learn the names of these land and water forms, they also explore folders with photographs of actual land and water forms from around the world.

Montessori classrooms also have a second globe to show how the land surfaces are divided into continents. Each continent is painted a different color (green for Africa, red for Europe, orange for North America, pink for South America, brown for Oceania, and white for Antarctica). The color coding of the continents stays consistent throughout all the materials, which helps with association and retention.

Once children have grasped this concept of the land and water distinctions on the globe, we show them a flat puzzle map divided by the Eastern and Western hemispheres with each continent (color-coded as above) as a separate puzzle piece. This continent puzzle map gives children the chance to see all of the continents at once as they look on a two-dimensional map.

We also offer maps of each continent to show the political partitions formed by countries. Each puzzle piece is a country, with the knob for picking up the piece located at the country’s capital. Children initially use these puzzle maps in a very sensorial way, taking the maps apart and putting them back together. As children engage with this experience, we begin introducing the names of the continents and then the countries. Young children absorb this vocabulary effortlessly and delight in learning the names of all the countries. As children get older, they also enjoy taking on additional challenges, sometimes even closing their eyes, feeling all the way around the puzzle piece, and then naming the country!

Cultivating Appreciation

Although this is all rather impressive, it’s important to remember that our purpose is not to turn children into walking encyclopedias. Even when children may come to rather astonishing intellectual skills, these abilities are a by-product. Our purpose is to offer young children activities to help them understand their place in the world, become aware of the oneness of humanity, and appreciate the incredible variation among people that results from physical geography and humans’ creative efforts and inventions.

To help in this effort, we share collections of pictures of human life organized by continent. These pictures offer impressions of different modern cultures, lifestyles, and traditions. The pictures reflect commonalities of human needs and the great variety of ways humans fulfill these needs. The photographs highlight regional food, farming, shelter, transportation, daily life, traditions, and the physical geography represented in landmarks, climate, flora, and fauna.

As children develop a relationship with the world around them, they may also explore more about the different places in the world, including climates, plants, and animals. Often children love to begin creating their own maps by carefully tracing the puzzle map pieces and coloring and labeling the continents and countries.

In Montessori education, children absorb a great deal of geography skill knowledge! But our focus is on giving children the opportunity to develop a constructive and creative relationship with the whole world, as well as a love for how our planet offers a diverse home to the whole of humanity. Schedule a tour to see this love of geography in action!

Standing Together...Our Role in Ending Systemic and Internal Racism

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 19:01:00 GMT

We join the nation in grieving the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, as well as the deaths of Breonna Taylor, a first responder in Louisville, Kentucky, shot in her own bed; Ahmaud Arbery, shot while jogging near Brunswick, Georgia; and far too many other black men and women, who have been the victim of racist action in our nation. The International Montessori Council (IMC) and the Montessori Foundation are committed to advancing world peace, equity, inclusion, and diversity. We recognize that these are not isolated incidents but emblematic of a longstanding, egregious pattern of systemic racism – and we stand against it. We must dedicate ourselves to the achievement of real justice and equality for all because injustice and inequality—against even one person—diminishes all of us.

Cozy Books for Chilly Days (a winter book list)

Mon, 23 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT

The warmth of the holiday season has passed, and the short days and long, cold evenings of winter are upon us.

What better time to cuddle up with your kids and read a good book?

This month we share some titles that highlight the beauty of the winter season. As always, we think borrowing books from the library or buying second hand are great options, but we provide links in case you want to read more about the books or would like to purchase one online.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

You’ve likely read this classic before, or at least heard of it. Either way, it’s a great time to remember the joy of young Peter as he reminds us of the magic and wonder that is a snowstorm for a child. From trying to save a snowball in his pocket, to dragging a stick along to make tracks, and even watching the older children as they have a snowball fight, we can all relate to the simple but lovely experience snowfall can be.

Frozen Noses by Jan Carr, illustrated by Dorothy Donohue

The illustrations in this book are the real star. Prints of collages created with layered colored paper are something different and special from what we see in most children’s picture books. The lyrical text is enchanting, and the story follows three friends (and a dog) as they enjoy playing outside in the winter and coming in to warm up afterward.

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost, illustrated by Susan Jeffers

Frost’s poem, which has been loved for generations, is gorgeously illustrated in this version. Children will enjoy spotting the animals in the wintery woods; Jeffers brings the words to life in a way that allows children to better visualize the narrator’s journey. There is something uniquely enchanting and timeless about walking through a dark, chilly, winter wood.

White Snow Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt, illustrated by Roger Duvoisin

White Snow Bright Snow won the Caldecott Medal in 1948. The extraordinary thing about this book is that is delights readers in following along with a town’s very ordinary routine. From the moments before winter, in which different people can tell a storm is coming, to the way a town looks buried in snow, and finally the way it melts away into spring, children will enjoy seeing the book’s characters and their experiences.

Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft, illustrated by Helen K. Davie

This sweet nonfiction book teaches children about the different adaptations animals have to survive colder weather. Some birds and butterflies migrate, some animals hibernate, some store food ahead of winter. Some animals do not prepare at all but find ways to survive in the semi-barren landscape. Diagrams and illustrations bring the information to life.

The Big Snow by Berta and Elmer Hader

The animals in this story are well attuned to signs that tell them the seasons are changing and a storm is coming. Another winner of the Caldecott Medal, the story introduces readers to many different animals in the woods, and shows how the deep snow after a storm affects their ability to find food. Two kind and generous humans make sure they have enough to make it through the winter.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, illustrated by John Schoenherr

Yet another winner of the Caldecott Medal (1988), Yolen has created a tale that embodies the magic of spending time outdoors at night in the winter. A child and their father go owling, trekking deep into the woods in complete silence in search of owls. While this is the child’s first time doing so, they have heard about these walks from their older brothers and know they must stay silent and march on through the frigid air. At a certain point, the father calls out to the owls, and the pair are rewarded with an amazing encounter.

The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder by Jon Nelson, photographs by Mark Cassino

This book explains the formation of snowflakes in a way that is simple enough for children to understand, but factual and informative. Photographs of magnified snowflakes allow children to see the unique geometric shapes they can take. Nelson explains the different forms snowflakes can take, and how temperature and cloud moisture content affect these formations.

When This World Was New by D. H. Figueredo, illustrated by Enrique O. Sanchez

One boy and his family leave behind their warm island home to live in New York. One of the many worrisome differences between his former home and his new one is the climate. A great story about the challenges immigrants face, the author uses the changing seasons to illustrate concepts in a way that young children can understand.

Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner, illustrated by Greg Hargreaves

Young Willy lives with his grandfather on a farm. When he overhears that his grandfather is sick and in danger of losing the farm, he decides to enter into the local dog sled race. He hopes to use the prize money to save the farm. Willy loves his dog Searchlight, but the two are inexperienced and face up against local racing legend Stone Fox. This book is best for children ages 8 and older; one of the characters dies, which might be too upsetting for younger readers.

5 Fun Ways to Bring the Outdoors Indoors

Mon, 23 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT

It’s no surprise that we tend to spend more time indoors during the winter than we do during the warmer months. While your kids may have a blast playing outside some of the time, they will inevitably get cold at some point and need to come inside. The good news is that doesn’t mean their experiences with the outdoors needs to stop!

Here we share five fun and simple ways to bring nature inside.

1. Snow play for the littlest ones
We are full advocates for the Scandinavian saying: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” Everyone has their limits, however, and you may not be keen on taking your infant out in sub-freezing temperatures.

The solution? Bring a little bit of the white stuff inside for them to explore. This idea is really as simple as it gets, but can provide your baby or toddler with an interesting and enriching experience. Grab a tray, a sturdy bowl, or even a heavy baking dish, and put just a few handfuls of snow inside. Set it on a floor surface that you don’t mind getting a little wet and invite your child to explore. A large bath towel underneath can make the whole experience a little more comfortable for them and make cleanup even easier for you.

(In the meantime, you can send older kids outside to try out some of these cool snow experiments .)

2. Plant a few seeds

It may not be prime gardening season, but the warmth inside should be enough for this fun activity. Keep in mind the point is just to grow something; don’t worry about producing edible vegetables or gorgeous blooms. Gather a few materials:

A container - preferably a small pot with adequate drainage, but anything similar will do
Some soil - you can pick up potting soil at your local garden center if the ground outside your house is frozen
Seeds! These can really be anything. Perhaps you have some leftover bean seeds from last year’s garden. Maybe you have some dried lentils in your pantry. You could even save a few seeds from that pepper you cut up for dinner.

Find a warm, sunny spot in your home and have your child help you plant, water, and observe the seed. You can read books together about plants, research the specific plant you’re growing, or even tie in some math with measurement and data collection.

Feeling inspired? This is a great time of year to begin planning your spring garden! Children will love helping to draw out plans and look through seed catalogs.

3. Create natural tablescapes

Everyone appreciates a beautiful centerpiece. Why spend money on flowers wrapped in plastic when you can find beauty in your own backyard? On a not-so-chilly day, take a walk with your child and collect beautiful pieces to arrange. Using a vase (or even a mason jar or glass milk bottle), proudly display what you find.

Keep an eye out for:

Interesting branches (birch and dogwood have unexpected color, but regular brown colored branches are just as pretty!)
Evergreen foliage - pine, holly, and other types of shrubs and bushes can give your home a beautiful green look
Dried berries and flowers
Pinecones

Once inside you can add candles, ribbon, or whatever else you have lying around. Ask your kids to come up with ideas, too!

4. Make something for the animals

Ice, snow, and frigid temperatures can make finding food difficult for wild animals. Have fun making treats for them while also cultivating a sense of generosity with your children.

Remember covering pinecones with peanut butter and birdseed when you were a child? Birds still love them. Try this fun and super simple activity with your own children! Find whatever string or yarn you have and hang them from nearby bushes and trees.

Another fun project: pop up a big batch of popcorn, and using a needle and thread, make a long string to hang. This activity is great for older children, and as a bonus they can snack while they create.

Looking for more ideas? Check out this site.

Wondering whether it’s a good idea to feed the birds? Here’s what the Audubon Society has to say about it.

5. Set up a bird watching station

All those bird treats you made together? Put them on double duty: set them up in a spot where your children can see the birds out the window and you can create hours of entertainment.

If you happen to have a window that looks out toward trees or bushes, it may just be the perfect spot to try and attract local birds. Set up some bird feeders or homemade bird treats and wait for them to come. Meanwhile, set the scene inside as well. A comfortable chair or pillow on the floor will encourage children to sit and watch. Visit your local library and borrow a few bird-specific field guides to help with identification. Other fun items to leave nearby: a pair of binoculars, a sketch pad and colored pencils, or a journal.

Enjoy!

What does your family do to appreciate nature during the winter?

Tips for Better School Day Mornings

Mon, 20 Aug 2018 14:49:00 GMT

New adventures await for everyone starting school this week! However, school day mornings can be a source of stress and anxiety for students and parents. Visit Knoxville Moms Blog to see our tips for creating and maintaining peaceful and successful school day mornings.

How to Get the Best Out of Your Montessori Classroom

Mon, 06 Nov 2017 14:23:00 GMT

One question parents often ask is, “When can we expect our children to know their letters and/or gain general academic skills.” Of course, it all depends on each child and where they are emotionally and intellectually, but it also depends on how much you are willing to let them grow and allow them to be prepared for the classroom.

The Characteristics of the Child in the Second Plane of Development

Mon, 06 Nov 2017 14:19:00 GMT

After the age of six, children enter what Dr. Maria Montessori called "the second plane of development." This stage is marked by many changes in the children, both physically and psychologically. What are the specific changes that these children undergo, and how does the Montessori Method change to accommodate these "new" children? The post The Characteristics of the Child in the Second Plane of Development appeared first on The Knoxville Montessori School.

Cultivating Stillness in Primary II

Tue, 26 Sep 2017 13:17:00 GMT

The method in the Children’s Houses prepares the children in the daily life of the classroom by exercises which are, in themselves, quite independent of religious education, but which seem to be a preparation for it. In fact, they aid in perfecting the child, in making him calm, obedient, attentive to his own movements, capable of silence and recollection. - Maria Montessori

Parent Responsibilities at KMS

Fri, 08 Sep 2017 13:46:00 GMT

One of the things we discussed at Parent Orientation was the importance of parents being engaged in and supportive of their children’s education. Teachers do a wonderful job, but they cannot educate children alone. They need the active help and support of parents so that children can do their best work in class and get the most out of their education.

Help Me Do It Myself!

Fri, 08 Sep 2017 13:41:00 GMT

How often do we find ourselves running late and rushing for the door, and then having to stop because our three-year-old is still trying to put on his shoes? It’s taking him forever and he doesn’t seem to realize how late WE are. At times like these, we need to remember that children are still practicing and learning, and the simple task of ATTEMPTING to put his shoes on himself (whether it’s correctly done or not) is helping him improve as an individual.

KMS Primary Classes Validated by the Montessori Alliance of Tennessee!

Tue, 11 Jul 2017 14:50:00 GMT

KMS's Primary (preschool and Kindergarten) classes have been validated by the Montessori Alliance of Tennessee (MAT) - a statewide network of Montessori schools, teachers and families supporting high-quality Montessori education. The post KMS Primary Classes Validated by the Montessori Alliance of Tennessee! appeared first on The Knoxville Montessori School.

Montessori for the Long-Term

Thu, 16 Feb 2017 17:08:00 GMT

At this point in the school year, re-enrollment month, many families take stock of how their children are progressing and decide whether to continue with a Montessori education here at KMS. Many times we find that the focus becomes, "Is my child learning ______?" (Fill in the blank with any specific skill.) What often gets forgotten or taken for granted is what your children are really learning.

A Healthy Sense of Self-Esteem

Mon, 28 Nov 2016 05:27:00 GMT

It seems that the term “bullying” is everywhere these days. The nightly news is full of studies, campaigns, and tragedies all related to bullying. School staff and legislators are all trying to solve the problem of bullying

The Art of Balance

Mon, 28 Nov 2016 05:26:00 GMT

Walking through the Primary classes you may notice some of the children doing yoga poses, carefully walking on a thick rope, or riding a balance bike in the outdoor classroom. Children are invited to these lessons to help improve their balance, coordination, and awareness.

A Montessori Home

Sun, 09 Oct 2016 22:47:00 GMT

As we are beginning the year, one of the things we hear most from the parents is amazement at the new found independence of their children at school, closely followed by, “Why don’t they do this at home?”

Parent Resources: How to Raise an Amazing Child

Sun, 09 Oct 2016 22:47:00 GMT

In How to Raise a Child the Montessori Way, President of the Montessori Foundation, Tim Seldin provides helpful advice and information for parents who want to incorporate the Montessori method in their home.

Teaching for Mastery

Sun, 09 Oct 2016 22:46:00 GMT

Maria Montessori recognized how important time for repetition to achieve mastery was for all of our students, regardless of age. By demonstrating the lessons, then freeing the children to practice, the Montessori teacher creates an environment where mastery becomes possible.