January, 2018

• 17 January

  Managing Daily Transitions

  The family home, like the Montessori classroom, is a social environment. Children learn to function in the world according to what they experience on a daily basis at home and school. As parents we often forget that the patterns we establish are the foundation for our children’s ability to adapt. …

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• 17 January

  Choosing Books to Read to Your Young Child

  

  When my children were young, a neighborhood mom told me, “The best advice I ever got from an experienced book seller was to choose books for my children that I liked, because I would be reading them over and over and over.” How do we choose books for our children? Often …

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• 17 January

  It’s OK to Stay Home & Just Play

  

  In this era of goal-oriented and scheduled activities, have we lost sight of our children’s need for free play? What happened to the carefree days of “just playing” until it was time for dinner or bed? As parents, do we know how to let go of providing our children with …

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• 17 January

  Off To School

  

  It’s still July, but it’s not too early to think about the beginning of the school year. Taking a hint from the stores filled with school supplies and back-to-school specials, we can set the stage for our children to start school with their feet on the ground, happily pointed in …

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• 17 January

  Praise and Punishment

  It’s a new year and many of us make resolutions. As parents, in spite of our best intentions, we sometimes get stuck in patterns that are no longer working or may not be the most beneficial for our children. What are some new ways to deal with the normal day-to-day …

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• 17 January

  Good Manners at Home

  

  Maria Montessori noticed that children between the ages of two and six years are particularly drawn to learning the Practical Life skills that help them develop control over their physical actions. You may have noticed that your young child wants to do things the “right” way, taking particular pleasure in …

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• 17 January

  Realistic and Relaxed Parenting

  

  Scarcely a day goes by without a reminder about how parents need to talk to their babies, feed them healthy foods, keep them safe, limit screen time, get them outside, etc. The demands are endless! Being a parent today can be stressful, but it can also be relaxing and enjoyable. …

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• 17 January

  For Parents Who Worry (Isn’t That All of Us?)

  

  By now your children are settled in their classrooms and are being cared for and educated by your extended “village.” Perhaps you’re still concerned about whether your child is adjusting well and learning enough. Like all parents, you want your children to be happy and learn the skills they need …

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• 16 January

  The Long Black Strip: A Lesson in Humility

  It just might have happened like this: One hot, dry afternoon in Madras, India in 1939, Maria Montessori was talking with a group of children in the shade of a great, old Banyan tree. A boy, about ten years old, proudly proclaims the wisdom of his Indian civilization, one of …

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• 16 January

  The Hand Chart: A Montessori History Lesson

  

  The Hand Chart, a key lesson in the Montessori Elementary history curriculum, gives children a first look at the Story of Humans in a condensed form. This lesson helps children appreciate how early humans used their hands to survive, to invent tools, and to make important discoveries. Most of all, …

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