Ideas & Insights

"Kahoho kuhuma madzi is the Giriama/Kenyan name for toddler. It means 'a youngster who can be sent to fetch a cup of water.'" —David F. Lancy, Child Helpers: A Multidisciplinary Perspective As a struggling new mother, Michaellen Doucleff was frustrated that her two-year-old was slapping her. Doing research for a story on parenting in the Yucatan gave her tools that helped transform their lives. Inspired to learn more about parenting in indigenous cultures, Doucleff traveled to the Arctic a ...

"...the function of both directress and environment is to assist the child to reach perfection through his own efforts." —E.M. Standing, Maria Montessori, Her Life and Work It's a new year, so let's take a fresh look at the prepared environment and our school routines. Maria Montessori realized the importance of a teacher well-trained and able to observe the children as they grow and learn in the classroom. It's so easy to overlook some basics during the busy, demanding day-to-day challe ...

This exciting new book brings together Positive Discipline and Montessori education for the first time. The authors discuss how teachers can create and maintain respectful relationships in the classroom and how to address behavior challenges. (Irene Baker) What was the impetus for writing this book? (Jane Nelsen) Chip came to one of my workshops and started sending me stories about his application of Positive Discipline in the classroom. I said, "Chip, these are such great stories, we should wri ...

"During the pandemic I learned to let go a little and it worked. Imagine that!" —Parent of three young children How we are looking forward to getting back to normal! Now that things are beginning to open up, many of us are embracing a better normal. We have struggled to fulfill the new responsibilities created when school and work entered our home environment. When we were forced to stay home, we learned how to live a different pace of life. New Family Togetherness With the stay-at-home order ...

The holidays are almost here and many of us are wondering how we will find our way through the maze of our strange new world. Despite many losses, our children often remind us that we can find joy every day. With some creative thought and planning, we can feel the season's spirit and create some special memories filled with holiday joy. "Thankful by the Heartful" In the words of Winnie the Pooh, "Thanksgiving is a time when everybody gets rumbly in the tumbly and thankful by the heartful." Some ...

Science is everywhere. With this awareness, you can identify common scientific principles that occur in your normal everyday family life. That's reassuring for parents who have become teachers due to the pandemic. Your child begins to experiment and learn about science usually before he can walk. The youngest child discovers gravity at a young age when the spoon "falls" to the floor from the highchair or the stuffed animal "falls" from the crib. It's a true discovery that can be replicated and ...

Montessori Inclusion: Strategies and Stories of Support for Learners with Exceptionalities is a collaborative anthology featuring the voices of 20 distinguished contributors, offering a roadmap for accommodating children with special needs in mainstream classrooms. We interviewed three Montessorians who have been instrumental in advocating for children with exceptionalities: the editor of the book, Ann Epstein, a Montessori teacher educator for nearly 40 years, Elizabeth Slade, the founding coac ...

"The pressures and fast pace of today's society have taken away the times of quiet togetherness which we should have with our children... We all know how quickly they grow up and leave us, so let us not wait until it is too late."—Elizabeth G. Hainstock, Teaching Montessori in the HomeWhen the family navigates major transitions, the impacts are life-changing. Whether adjusting to a new child or an ill parent, or suddenly working and schooling from home, our family traditions can help us stay gro ...

"I try to get my students to memorize a little bit of poetry, and it's interesting because their reaction is they groan. But once they get a sonnet in their head, or even a little poem by Emily Dickinson, they line up outside my office ready to recite it for me."—Billy Collins (New York Times podcast, 5-13-20)Schools are closed and teachers are adjusting to new and challenging methods of educating their students. With concerns about family and the pandemic, where can we turn for comfort, courage ...

"Let the children be free; encourage them; let them run outside when it is raining; let them remove their shoes when they find a puddle of water; and when the grass of the meadows is wet with dew, let them run on it and trample it with their bare feet..." —Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child One spring day I took my primary class outdoors for a nature walk. The children enjoyed splashing in puddles with their bright yellow and red galoshes. We sang favorite springtime songs. We marveled ...