“The child has his own laws of development, and if we want to help him grow, it is a question of following these, and not of imposing ourselves upon him.” – Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind, p. 162 Around the age of two, the child begins to make great effort physically, mentally, and spiritually. He … The Absorbent Mind, Chapter 15: Development and Imitation
“If writing serves to correct, or rather, to direct and perfect the mechanism of speech in the child, reading assists in the development of ideas and language. In brief, writing helps a child physiologically and reading helps him socially.” — Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child, p. 230. In 1995, a study was done … Gender and Literacy – Encouraging Boys and Girls to Enjoy Reading
“Therefore, it is clear that we must not carry the child about, but let him walk, and if his hand wishes to work, we must provide him with things on which he can exercise an intelligent activity.” — Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind, p. 155 The Absorbent Mind, Chapter 14: Intelligence and the Hand Newborns … The Absorbent Mind, Chapter 14: Intelligence and the Hand
“To have a vision of the cosmic plan, in which every form of life depends on directed movements which have effects beyond their conscious aim, is to understand the child’s work and be able to guide it better.” – Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind, p. 147. “It is high time that movement came to be … The Absorbent Mind, Chapter 13: The Importance of Movement
A few weeks ago, my friend Katherine Brekke invited me to attend an Usborne book fair she was hosting at a local Montessori school. Usborne is a children’s book publisher that is known worldwide, and it is the leading independent children’s book publisher in the UK. At the book fair, I saw several Montessori lower-elementary … Gender Equality in Literature — Thoughts on Literacy Development
“…the child’s sensitiveness is greater than anything we can imagine.” – Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind, p. 131 There is an old English nursery rhyme that says, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” However, when I reflect back on times of pain or trauma in my life they … The Absorbent Mind, Chapter 12: The Effect of Obstacles on Development
“When the child is given freedom to move about in a world of objects, he is naturally inclined to perform the tasks necessary for his development entirely on his own.” — Maria Montessori, Education and Peace Montessori as a Heuristic Approach to Learning Heuristic: using experience to learn and improve: involving or serving as an … The Montessori Method: A Heuristic Approach to Learning
“What is clear is that when the child is born, he has neither hearing nor speech. So what exists? Nothing, yet all is ready to appear.” — Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind, p. 117. Chapter 11 of The Absorbent Mind is a continuation of Montessori’s discussion on language development during the first plane of development. … The Absorbent Mind, Chapter 11: How Language Calls to the Child
When I began my Montessori career, finding Montessori ideas and lessons on the Internet was challenging to say the least. My colleagues and I frequently bemoaned the lack of resources and photos. Today, there are blogs, such as NAMC’s Montessori blog, YouTube videos, and social media sites, like Pinterest, where Montessori educators and parents collectively … Adjusting Activities for Montessori – The Internet as a Resource for Educators
“All children pass through a period in which they can only pronounce syllables; then they pronounce whole words, and finally, they use to perfection all the rules of syntax and grammar.” — Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind, p. 111. Last summer, my teenage son and I were visiting my sister and her family. One morning, … The Absorbent Mind, Chapter 10: Some Thoughts on Language
