I know I’m not alone when I say that one of my least favorite tasks is writing progress reports. Montessori teachers take extra time to personalize each child’s progress report. If we are following the child, our progress reports must reflect the individual child’s progress. Many parents and teachers alike are unsure of how progress … How Progress Reports Work in the Montessori Classroom
Lately, I’ve been writing about how we, as Montessori teachers, can best communicate with parents. Many of us, though, have children of our own, and can find ourselves on the other side of the table as Mom or Dad. Those of us who are parents know that sinking, “pit-in-your-stomach” feeling when we get a … Parent-Teacher Conferences: The Role of the Montessori Parent
When preparing for a conference with a child’s parents, keep in mind that a well-prepared Montessori environment is as important to parents as it is to children. When parents arrive in your Montessori classroom, they expect to see a clean, well-organized environment. After all, this is where their child spends the better part of his/her … Parent-Teacher Conferences: The Role of the Montessori Teacher
I overheard an interesting comment the other day from a colleague: “The children would be fine if it weren’t for their parents.” Taken aback, I thought about the meaning behind those words and wondered, since I’m a parent, did that comment include me, too? Parents are essential to a child’s learning. Montessori parents truly care … Montessori Philosophy – Communicating with Parents
We all strive for it…that perfect, quintessential Montessori moment. Hours are spent preparing the environment. Lessons are practiced and perfected before being presented to our students. We read and re-read Dr. Montessori’s books in an effort to glean more insight into the method and philosophy that will transform our classroom into the perfect Montessori classroom. … Montessori Moments – An Inspirational Math Lesson
We’ve been in school for five weeks and today, the class seemed to fall apart. The noise level was off the charts and it didn’t seem to matter how many times we rang the bell and asked for quiet voices, the volume level didn’t fall. My assistant and I walked around our Montessori classroom, using our whisper voices, role modeling, … Montessori Classroom Management: Sometimes Students Will Be Hard to Handle
“Our goal is not so much the imparting of knowledge as the unveiling and developing of spiritual energy.” – The Child in the Family: The Clio Montessori Series, 1996: p. 63 As parent night approached, I found myself in a conundrum of sorts. I had overheard parents talking to my assistant about what was happening … The Goals of Montessori Education – Reaffirm Your Belief in the Method
Montessori teachers use the term three-period lesson so often it becomes second nature. We forget that there are others who may not understand what a three-period lesson is. This was ever so clear the other day in a staff meeting where we were discussing basic Montessori classroom techniques. I glanced over at a new assistant … The Three-Period Lesson: A Key Part of the Montessori Method Explained
The teacher, when she begins to work in our schools, must have a kind of faith that the child will reveal himself through work. She must free herself from all preconceived ideas concerning the levels at which the children may be. The many different types of children…must not worry her…The teacher must believe that this … The Montessori Teacher and Her Role: Learning More About The Method
Born with potential, babies arrive in this world as incomplete beings. They do, however possess an amazing ability to construct themselves, developing into fully formed and functioning individuals. Unlike adults, who have the ability to learn in an immobile state, Dr. Maria Montessori observed that babies and young children learn through purposeful movement, exploration, and … The Stages of Montessori Curriculum – Educating the Whole Child
