In September 2015, the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services issued a joint policy statement on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs that states that “all young children with disabilities should have access to inclusive high-quality early childhood programs, where they are provided with individualized and … Montessori and the Circle of Inclusion Project
This idea, that life acts of itself and that in order to study it, to divine its secrets or to direct its activity, it is necessary to observe it and to understand it without intervening — this idea, I say, is very difficult for anyone to assimilate and to put into practice. —Maria MontessoriThe Advanced … Types of Observations in the Montessori Environment
I have a confession to make. When I first became a Montessori teacher, I didn’t know the first thing about observing children. I thought observations were only about marking down on record-keeping sheets which presentations were given, when the child had practiced the activity, and when they mastered it… and then I read a quote … Being an Attentive Observer in the Montessori Classroom: Our Primary Role
Since the teacher’s task was to free each child to learn, and since each child, responding to the inner laws of his own organism, had different needs and a different developmental timetable, the teacher could not function effectively without an awareness of the infinity of variations in child behavior. Under the Montessori rubric, the teacher … Following the Child through Observation in the Montessori Environment
The essential thing is to arouse such an interest that it engages the child’s whole personality. —Maria MontessoriThe Absorbent Mind, p. 206. We hear a lot about how Montessori focuses on educating the whole child. But what does that mean? How is whole child education different from that of mainstream contemporary education? Whole Child Education … Whole Child Education and the Montessori Environment
Illustrated as it must be by fascinating charts and diagrams, the creation of earth as we now know it unfolds before the child’s imagination… —Maria MontessoriTo Educate the Human Potential, p. 2. The Montessori timelines in the NAMC History manual are beautiful presentations that naturally continue the excitement and awe the children experience during … History Timelines in the Montessori Lower Elementary Classroom
They [misbehaviors] are merely his reactions to an environment that has become inadequate…But we do not notice that. And since it is understood that the child must do what adults tell him, even though his environment no longer suits his needs, if he does not comply we say that he is ‘naughty’ and correct him. … Challenging Behaviors in the Early Childhood Environment
As Montessorians, we welcome children to explore all the time. It is through their exploration and hands-on learning that they understand new ideas, solve problems, and come up with amazing innovations. This freedom that we allow in children, that we consistently encourage and support, should also be afforded the people we work with. When we … NAMC’s 20 Lessons from 20 Years: Encourage Freedom of Exploration
Education should no longer be mostly imparting knowledge but must take a new path seeking the release of human potential —Maria Montessori I started my Montessori school because I wanted to create an environment that was enriching, engaging, and encouraging for children. I wanted to build a school that implements the work and research of … The Joys of Owning and Running a Montessori School
The child’s development follows a path of successive stages of independence, and our knowledge of this must guide us in our behavior towards him. We have to help the child to act, will and think for himself. This is the art of serving the spirit, an art which can be practiced to perfection only when … Upper Elementary Field Trips: A Passage to Abstraction
