Homeschool Help
9 Never Fail Name Games and Songs for Circle Time that are PERFECT for Your Montessori Homeschool
As a Kindergarten teacher, I spent years collecting circle time songs and name games that always broke the ice with new classes. Here are nine never-fail favorites.
Your Kitchen is a Classroom!
In this episode, we’re kicking off a mini-series focused on your Montessori prepared home. We’re going room by room starting this week with the kitchen..
How Talking Animals in Stories Benefit Us And Our Children
I would like to make the case that excluding our youngest children from our deepest, most meaningful traditions is at best a privileged point of view and at worst - fails to provide a rich part of the environment that stokes fire in every human soul andd leaves long-lasting emotional impressions that are needed later on in adult life.
I've Got 5 Minutes. Explain Montessori to Me.
As Montessori teachers and parents, we follow the teachings of Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952). She was a medical doctor, a teacher, a philosopher, and an anthropologist. Her progressive view of children...
I’m Sorry, But It’s Just Not Montessori
Let’s distinguish the genuine Montessori materials from the not-so-Montessori products and activities. Sometimes it’s hard to tell.
Break the "Good Job" Habit with These 21 Alternatives
Excess praise can be damaging to our children's intrinsic motivation (working just for the pure pleasure of it - not to please anyone else), but what should we do instead? Constant "good jobbing" is a habit, and habits can be hard to break. But it can be done!
These DIY Colored Beads Are Going to Knock Your Montessori Socks Off
If you don't know about Montessori colored beads yet, let me introduce you. These babies are integral to the Montessori math curriculum, beginning with simple counting exercises for 3-6 year olds and...
My Baby Doesn't Want to Be Alone! Ever! And That's Normal.
It can happen overnight. One day your baby is happily playing on the floor with a toy while you attempt to tidy up the living room and the next day he's pulling at your legs, terrified that you will leave his...
Why We Include Poetry in Every Theme (Even the Hard Ones)
There’s so much bad poetry written for kids...but it doesn’t have to be that way. We include real, beautiful poetry in every Theme—sometimes a classic, sometimes original. Because the good stuff matters!
Human Development is Messy. Montessori's Four Planes Helps.
Kittens are only kittens for a short time. Little nothings with sharp claws and silky fur. While growing up, I raised a lot of litters of kittens. Within just six months they have changed into long, sleek almost-adults...
7 Things You Didn't Know About Montessori Homeschooling
Montessori homeschooling is often misunderstood. From lesson planning and park days to making your own materials, here are 7 things you should know about Montessori homeschoolers.
What You Need to Know About Montessori Albums
When you find out that Montessori exists and how amazing it is for children, you want it, and you want it now! I completely understand. Even growing up Montessori with all of my mother's knowledge...
20 Montessori Water Activities For Your Practical Life Shelf
Let's get some Montessori water activities on your practical life shelf! This shelf can be either real or hypothetical...
Nontoxic Indoor Plants for Montessori Practical Life Work
Plants are a Montessori essential! Not only do they help you breathe more deeply and feel more peaceful, they provide opportunities for the child to learn about the Earth. And it all happens right in your very own home.
Before You Say "Good Job" Again, Read This
"See my picture? I made it for you. Do you like it?" When a child comes to you with excitement to show you some of his work, it can be difficult not to respond with praise. On the tip of the tongue is a...
1913: The Year of Maria Montessori's Fatal Mistake
When I look at this photo of Maria in 1913, I smile at her old fashioned lacily modest neckline, her coiffed hair, the folds of dark fabric which enveloped her frame. I wonder if she was overweight by early...
Montessori Education in the Internet Age
Walk into any quality Montessori school in the world, and you will see some of the most beautifully prepared learning environments imaginable. Wooden materials, carefully arranged shelfs, observant...
Stop Buying More “Montessori” Toys and Do This Instead
With all the Montessori love going on these days in the online world, it’s easy to get caught up in the hunt for the next “must-have” toy to add to your shelf. To those of you who have found yourself in a spiderweb of confusion about what is and is not Montessori and whether you need to invest in all those recommended toys, here is what to do instead.
The Crow and the Pitcher: Science + Literature Lesson
When you enter a Montessori classroom, you will likely first notice how pretty the shelves are with the "works" displayed in simple trays or baskets. If you stay and watch, you will notice that many...