If you've been exposed to any media at all this week, you've probably seen advertisements for deals and discounts enticing you to get the mall this weekend (or sooner!) for "door busting deals," or go online RIGHT NOW to take advantage of short windows of bargain pricing. We are hyped into a sense of urgent action. Shop now. Shop now! Shop NOW! SHOP NOW! Whoa. Slow down. Before you rush out to the mall today, stop and take stock of the messages you may be sending to your chil

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

It's already November, when school routines feel a little more settled and we're starting to feel more at ease. Just as the air starts to turn to autumn and the classroom starts to feel a little less panicked every day, we're hit with the Autumn Rush, that wild time between Parent-Teacher conferences, Halloween and Thanksgiving, when all of a sudden, the routines that we've implemented so carefully and the predictability that we know our classrooms demand is flustered and fli

The festivities of summer - especially those big ones like Independence Day - can make it feel like the season is a three month long playdate. Foods are different. Children may be more active. There are noises and crowds and excitement that make each day a little less typical than the one that came before it. For adults, we can regulate how to pace ourselves during seasons like this. But for children, especially for very young children, the ability to choose to slow down or s

It's that time of year, when classrooms or entire school communities come together to celebrate the accomplishments of the year. You may be invited to visit your child's school for a shared performance or classroom tour, for a gallery walk of the children's artwork or a campus-wide celebration. You might be excited to see your child's class in action or to spend some time with other families. Remember, though, that these are days that, while exciting and festive, can be confu

Happy New Year! The earth has traveled around the sun one more time... what better day to think about the Montessori Sun Celebration. Montessori materials share certain characteristics: they are simple, concrete, self-correcting, elegant and didactic. In each, the child is able to master a specific, isolated concept, which may be applied in other lessons or expanded upon in advanced exploration with the same material. Children learn numerals by touching and tracing the shape

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

I think this will just be a continuing theme for a little bit: in this season when you are continually caring for everyone else, what are you doing to care for yourself? You're busier than ever. Your schedule is overwhelmed with special events, parties, family gatherings in your classroom. The children are sticky with holiday candy and out of sorts with visitors in their homes and at school. Parents seem tense and anxious and, oh yeah, you haven't finished preparing for your

Between commercials on TV and the radio, streaming ads on your computer screens and the number of people asking your child, "What do you want for the holidays this year?" it's easy to confuse the Season of Giving for the Season of Getting. If you live in the US, your child is likely overwhelmed with the mass commercialism of the season. Every store window beckons you inside. Music is playing to entice you to linger a little longer. Banners and signs holler for your attention

As we recover from 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