Montessori Language

2022-11-29T12:14:02-06:00November 29th, 2022|Categories: Early Childhood, Montessori|Tags: , , |

by Lisa Erber, Primary Guide in Upper Far West There are four schemes in preparing the language area of the Montessori primary. Dr. Montessori believed that you must prepare the hand to manipulate ever more refined, to guide the tool of writing to create symbols. When using tweezers to transfer materials, or removing the Knobbed Cylinders the Montessori Guide demonstrates the three-finger grasp. Fine motor control of the hand by repetition of the three-finger grasp develops strength in the pincer grip. Secondly, taking into consideration [...]

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It is Often Through Change That We Experience Great Growth: Helping Children Face Transitions

2021-05-07T14:30:17-05:00May 7th, 2021|Categories: Montessori, Raintree|Tags: , , , , , |

by Jennifer Baker Powers Spring is often referred to as a time of growth and rebirth. Just as the grass becomes green again and the buds come back out on the trees and flowers, humans experience change and renewal. Sometimes, that growth isn’t easy. There are many clichés and quotes we are all familiar with such as “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” or “stuck in a rut” and talk of “growing pains”. What all of these sentiments have in common is the idea [...]

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Celebrating 150 Years – A Birthday Message

2020-12-29T14:05:42-06:00September 1st, 2020|Categories: Montessori|Tags: |

By Lynne Lawrence, Executive Director of AMI What an incredible year it has been to mark the 150th birthday of Maria Montessori, yet what a perfect opportunity to reflect on her work and show us how relevant it continues to be today and into our future. While we had planned to celebrate so much in person, sharing our work, our vision and our achievements this year, we have still found ways to connect across the world and I am grateful to the AMI community for [...]

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One of the 20th Century’s Greatest Educators

2019-12-05T15:56:22-06:00November 5th, 2019|Categories: Montessori|Tags: , |

By Richard Gunderman, MD, PhD The story of one of the most remarkable students of human learning in the 20th century is not widely known.  This is a pity, partly because the story itself is so rich.  She became one of the first women in her nation to graduate from medical school, began her educational career working with disabled students, refused to bow to the will of a dictator who originally supported her (Benito Mussolini), and became one of the most influential educators of the 20th century.  [...]

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The Value of Not Knowing

2019-02-28T11:09:31-06:00February 28th, 2019|Categories: Montessori|Tags: , |

By Pilar Bewley Margaret, a veteran elementary Montessori teacher, overheard a conversation between Steven and Paula, two children who were conducting a science experiment. Steven lifted up a half-full test tube. “Hey, the solution isn’t turning blue the way it’s supposed to!” Paula scratched her head. “What do you think we did wrong?” Steven sighed and said, “I don’t know, let’s ask Ms. Margaret.” With a dismissive gesture of the hand, Paula replied, “Nah, don’t ask her. She doesn’t know anything! I saw a chemistry [...]

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7 Key Phrases Montessori Teachers Use and Why We Should Use Them, Too

2018-06-21T09:17:03-05:00June 20th, 2018|Categories: Parenting|Tags: , , , , , , |

By Christina Clemer Montessori can be hard to sum up in just a few words —it is a philosophy on education and child development that runs deep. It’s a way of seeing the world. I think one of the easiest ways to get an idea for what Montessori means is to listen to the language that Montessori teachers use. Montessori teachers use language that respects the child and provides consistent expectations. Words are chosen carefully to encourage children to be independent, intrinsically motivated critical thinkers. [...]

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Nation’s First Center Dedicated to Montessori Education Research

2018-06-20T14:53:58-05:00April 20th, 2018|Categories: Montessori|Tags: , , |

Photo by Laura Kingston Conference participants get a hands-on example of Montessori education in action at the 2017 National Council on Measurement in Education at KU. (Those are Kathy Klocke’s hands and Dayle’s bowl!) LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas has announced the foundation of the KU Center for Montessori Research, the nation’s first university-based center dedicated to research on Montessori education. The center will carry out studies specific to Montessori environments and examine the potential influence of Montessori principles on education and human development [...]

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Barbara Kingsolver On Montessori: “You Can Do Hard Things”

2018-06-21T09:10:08-05:00February 21st, 2018|Categories: Montessori|Tags: , , , |

Barbara Kingsolver (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, Flight Behavior, among many others) does a wide-ranging interview in Sun Magazine touching on writing, climate change, food, and more. The interviewer asks about perseverance: How do you nurture people to work hard enough to move all that dirt? How do you do that with your own children? And all of a sudden there’s this: “There’s something I have said so often to my children that now they chant it back to me: ‘You can do hard things.’ " “I [...]

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The Community

2016-11-29T10:29:03-06:00July 8th, 2016|Categories: Raintree|Tags: , |

An excerpt from Montessori Madness by Trevor Eissler Montessori education is infused with the idea of community. One experience has given me a singular perspective on the importance of community. It was a plane crash. My own. Shortly after college, I drove to Alaska looking for a job flying airplanes and some adventure. There was plenty of both there, and I found myself flying a small single-engine Cessna up and down the Bering Sea coast of western Alaska. My job was to fly a load [...]

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Montessori Congress 2017

2018-06-21T09:22:23-05:00June 2nd, 2016|Categories: Montessori|Tags: |

Pathway to Peace: Montessori Education for Social Change The next Montessori Congress will be in Prague, Czech Republic July 27-30. The Congress will demonstrate that Montessori is an educational approach guided by the natural laws of human development, which enables all human beings to become agents of positive social change, which in the long term can lead to a more harmonious and peaceful world. The Congress will inspire a universal effort. Through dialogue, solidarity and collaboration each participant will come away with practical tools to [...]

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