While Montessori classrooms are generally peaceful places to be, and Montessori teachers describe the intrinsic peacefulness of the child, the actual behavior of those same children is sometimes, well, less than peaceful. That we know children's intrinsic nature to be peaceful does not mean that children will always choose the most peaceful way around the obstacles to that nature. Indeed, it is because we believe children can be peaceful that we pay such close attention when

The stereotypes about teenagers abound: the eye rolling, the cliques, talking-back, faces in their phones. If you only believed what you saw in the media, you might think teenagers were universally unruly, antisocial, disrespectful and surly. Yeah, sometimes. But they're just as often, and often more often, kind and compassionate, engaged and idealistic, hopeful to change the world and certain that they can be the ones to do so. They have enough knowledge of the world to noti

Tis the season: Office Family Parties, Holiday Open-Houses, busy shopping centers, neighborhood get-togethers. Our children's social calendars are often as busy or busier than ours are this season. And since many of these events include communities that are not school-based and therefore not "prepared environments", it's a good time to prepare yourself and your child for these unfamiliar settings. Don't expect predictable behavior in unpredictable circumstances: Your child, a

It's the American Thanksgiving, and across the country, families are gathering together to acknowledge the things for which they are grateful, to share abundant meals and family traditions, honoring the harvest and hearth, what we reap and what we sow. Today, I am grateful for Montessori, and for the thousands of teachers and parents across the globe who are committed to asking more of ourselves in the name of the Child. Much is made about the educational promise of Montessor

As we approach the American Thanksgiving, it's a time to be aware of the things for which we are grateful. But how do we "teach" a virtue that we hope will come from within? As with all of the Montessori environment, we do so authentically and in a way that reflects what we know about children's development. For toddlers, modeling gratitude sets the foundation for children to express it themselves later. Teaching and parenting toddlers is all about modeling the care and atten

Most children are blessed with a number of different adults who care for them across their lives: parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, neighbors, friends’ parents, sitters, and others. And while all these different people may share a beneficent intent for the child, they likely show it in many different ways. The more people who care for a child, the more voices of caring the child must learn to translate. This may be particularly troubling for Montessori parents, who oft

“Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.” - Maria Montessori Because we care deeply about our children, we seek to protect them, to shelter them from harm or struggle, to preserve the carefree state we so often associate with childhood. But sometimes our efforts to protect our children do them more harm than good, shielding them not only from the struggle that may upset them, but also from the benefits that persevering through the struggle can provide

Tis the season for chaos in our classrooms. It may catch you by surprise: the classrooms have been steadily tooling along. The children are used to the norms and expectations of the classroom. You've seen a few moments of peace, some optimistic concentration. You're on the right track. And then... Halloween. And then... Thanksgiving. And then... Winter Holidays. And suddenly, it seems like every week is either preparing for, celebrating or recovering from a special cultural o

“Share with your friends!” “Remember to share!” "Give your friend some!" Children who share are seen as more generous, more kind, more social. Children who share are empathetic. Shouldn’t we insist on children sharing until they know how do to it themselves? Yes… it’s just a matter of how. When we chose to share, we demonstrate empathy. We prioritize equity over selfishness. We tend to others’ needs. We trust that our own will be met. When we chose to share, we enact those qu

“Why is it so quiet?” If you’re expecting your child’s classroom to be more like a circus than a sanctuary, you may be surprised by how quiet Montessori classrooms tend to be. What may be even more surprising is that the quiet isn’t a rule of the classroom. It comes naturally from the children at work, with little urging from the adults. How can this be? Aren’t children naturally loud and raucous? They can be, just like adults are in loud and raucous settings. But children wh