Doctor on How Screen Time Hurts Kids’ Cognitive Development
For full video: https://www.c-span.org/program/senate-committee/lawmakers-hold-hearing-on-the-impact-of-screen-time-on-kids/671683
Children in Public Montessori Preschools Showed Significantly Stronger Gains in Reading, Memory, Self-regulation, and Social Understanding
A recent national study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences followed 588 children across 24 public Montessori programs nationwide and found that those who attended Montessori showed stronger growth in reading, memory, self-regulation, and social understanding by the end of kindergarten. Unlike many preschool programs where early gains fade by kindergarten, Montessori students continued to progress, showing measurable advantages in areas that matter most for lifelong learning. By the end of kindergarten, children randomly selected to attend public Montessori preschools demonstrated: [...]
The Good Child
by Chip DeLorenzo “The obedience which is expected of the child both in the home and in the school – and obedience admitting neither of reason nor of justice – prepares man to be docile to blind forces. ” ~ Maria Montessori Annabelle seemed to be the ideal Montessori child. She was friendly, helpful, cooperative, quiet, and focused on her work, which she always completed with great care. She was well-liked by both her teachers and peers. In high school, Annabelle earned numerous awards for her [...]
Pamela Shanks’ New Book Available on Amazon!
Pam Shank's new book, The Montessori Approach to Classroom-Based Interventions: A Handbook for Educators, Administrators, Service Providers, and Families of Children Whose Development is Impacted by Delay or Disability has been published and is available on Amazon! Summary: In The Montessori Approach to Classroom-Based Interventions Pamela Shanks, M.S. Ed, draws on her extensive experience as a Montessori educator to offer a powerful, research-informed handbook for supporting children with learning differences, developmental delays and disabilities. This comprehensive resource provides the tools to create respectful, inclusive learning [...]
Do What You Say
Another great article by Maren Schmidt! “Throw rocks into the pool one more time and we’re leaving the party,” Jonathan’s parents told him. It was a surprise party for his grandparents’ anniversary. When Jonathan threw in the next handful of pebbles, nothing happened. Empty threats. It is an easy trap to fall into. We think if we mention the possible consequences of an action, our child will stop, or if not, at least others will see that we “tried” to make Jonathan stop. If Jonathan’s [...]
If I Had to Live My Life Over
Over the past few weeks, my sister and I have been clearing out our parents’ garage. We aimed to box up items that we'd examine more closely later. This includes treasures from both sets of grandparents and great-grandparents, along with other inherited memorabilia. It’s been a challenge not to peek at a wartime letter addressed to our grandmother or sift through old report cards and marvel at a collection of early 1900s postcards. In a box that seemed like a random office drawer dump—complete with [...]
Science Says: Eat with your Kids
Liz Struble, guide in the South community writes: Grace and Courtesy Lessons are always the first lessons we begin with when we return to school. Remembering how we move about the room, what utensils are appropriate for which foods, where we place our shoes, how we carry a chair, the list goes on and on. Our focus lately has been centered around lunch time. We have been practicing placing our napkins in our laps, using our hands ONLY for finger foods and keeping our knees [...]
My Early Intervention Program
Excerpt from Autism and Education: The Way I See It, What Parents and Teachers Need to Know by Dr. Temple Grandin I had a wonderful and effective early education program that started at age two and a half. By then, I had all the classic symptoms of autism, including no speech, no eye contact, tantrums, and constant repetitive behavior. This was in 1949, and doctors knew nothing about autism, but my mother would no accept that nothing could be done to help me. She was [...]
New Meta Study: Montessori Education Leads to Positive Student Outcomes
by Dr. Dean Blase Montessori educators have all experienced it: walking into a well-run, humming classroom where children are focused on learning, making and reinforcing new discoveries, and demonstrating works to younger peers. Where teachers are happily engaged in the best adult work imaginable, “observing the children, judging their ripeness, and figuring out when and how to stoke a child’s interest.” (Randolph et al 2023, 2.2). These images bring us home to Montessori classrooms. For those of us who may be “fish in water” when [...]
The Montessori Method in Dementia Care
Wondering about the different approaches to caring for people with dementia? Inspiration is everywhere - and there's some great evidence that shows that applying Montessori methods to dementia care can deliver some promising results. Published in Seniorly Resource Center, September 18, 2023 By Marlena del Hierro Reviewed by Nipun Chopra Bridging the worlds of gerontology and early education may seem an unlikely connection, but as a gerontologist with over a decade of experience, it's always exciting to see where practitioners are finding inspiration. Some of the most [...]