It's a sort of curious activity to watch: a young child, mesmerized, repeatedly transferring some small object from one container to another and back again. Maybe the containers are filled with pom poms or small rubber pellets. Maybe the tongs are large and wooden or maybe they're tiny tweezers. But the child is absorbed, intent on her work, just moving the items back and forth and back again. There's no magic in the material, nothing about it that changes the nature of child

As we move past the transitional first days of school and the rhythms of the school year begin to be established, we will begin sending out more details about exactly how Montessori environments work. Each week, you can expect to find a single Montessori material explained in greater detail in your emailbox. By offering you details about how the method works in practice, we hope you'll find your general questions about the Montessori philosophy answered as well. For examp

As we move past the transitional first days of school and the rhythms of the school year begin to be established, we will begin sending out more details about exactly how Montessori environments work. Each week, you can expect to find a single Montessori material explained in greater detail in your emailbox. By offering you details about how the method works in practice, we hope you'll find your general questions about the Montessori philosophy answered as well. For examp

Throw away the M&M’s! Or, at least hide them in the cabinet to enjoy. Helping your child to master the toilet doesn’t require candy, stickers and rewards. Children have a natural desire to care for their bodies. Toileting can be a tool for independence learned as easily and painlessly as any other in the Montessori environment. Remember how the Montessori classroom teaches new skills: the child demonstrates a developmental readiness. The teacher prepares all the tolls the chi

It's a sort of curious activity to watch: a young child, mesmerized, repeatedly transferring some small object from one container to another and back again. Maybe the containers are filled with pom poms or small rubber pellets. Maybe the tongs are large and wooden or maybe they're tiny tweezers. But the child is absorbed, intent on her work, just moving the items back and forth and back again. There's no magic in the material, nothing about it that changes the nature of child

In addition to the design of the materials in general and the ground rules of the classroom, there are special lessons offered in the Montessori classroom to support children’s peaceful interactions and contributions to their society. The “Grace and Courtesy” lessons are often considered a part of the Practical Life curriculum: skills so essential to every day living that they are foundational to other lessons in the classroom. Imagine all the ways in which you might behave t

As we move past the transitional first days of school and the rhythms of the school year begin to be established, we will begin sending out more details about exactly how Montessori environments work. Each week, you can expect to find a single Montessori material explained in greater detail in your emailbox. By offering you details about how the method works in practice, we hope you'll find your general questions about the Montessori philosophy answered as well. For examp

Throw away the M&M’s! Or, at least hide them in the cabinet to enjoy. Helping your child to master the toilet doesn’t require candy, stickers and rewards. Children have a natural desire to care for their bodies. Toileting can be a tool for independence learned as easily and painlessly as any other in the Montessori environment. Remember how the Montessori classroom teaches new skills: the child demonstrates a developmental readiness. The teacher prepares all the tolls the chi

It's a sort of curious activity to watch: a young child, mesmerized, repeatedly transferring some small object from one container to another and back again. Maybe the containers are filled with pom poms or small rubber pellets. Maybe the tongs are large and wooden or maybe they're tiny tweezers. But the child is absorbed, intent on her work, just moving the items back and forth and back again. There's no magic in the material, nothing about it that changes the nature of child

In most Montessori classrooms, you'll find a standing rack with a number of curious frames hanging on it. One frame includes panels of cloth to close together with a zipper. Another frame is closed by snaps. Another by large buttons. Another by small. Sometimes you'll find Velcro frames, or toggles, or laces, or ribbons to tie. Remember the purposes of Practical Life: to develop independence, concentration, coordination and order. The Dressing Frames are exemplary of each