ARTICLES
Supporting MontessoriÂ
Practitioners
I had a wonderful opportunity to talk with Tamara Balis of Greenspring Center for Lifelong Learning. I hope you enjoy this podcast on maintaining limits in the classroom.
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We must remember that the phenomenon of internal discipline is something which must be achieved, not something pre-existent. Our function is that of guides upon the road of discipline. (Montessori, 1924).
Over the last few decades there has been a significant shift in how adults respond to childre...
What is social life if not the solving of social problems, behaving properly and pursuing aims acceptable to all? (Montessori, 1988, p. 225)
One of the most challenging experiences for Montessori teachers is being interrupted by a student while giving a lesson or having a conversation with aanother...
“She must acquire a moral alertness which has not hitherto been demanded by any other system, and this is revealed in her tranquility, patience, charity, and humility. Not words, but virtues, are her main qualifications.”(Montessori, 2000, p.151)
We talk too much. Too often, we make a point, and t...
SEL or Grace and Courtesy Skills?
Recently, I have been receiving several questions about SEL (social-emotional learning) programs as they relate to Grace and Courtesy lessons in the Montessori classroom. My answer has been usually brief, “Grace and Courtesy lessons are SEL lessons.” That is not ...
The instructions of the teacher consist then merely in a hint, a touch-enough to give a start to the child. The rest develops of itself. ~ Maria Montessori, Dr. Montessori's Own Handbook
In the last article on addressing circle behavior, I discussed ways to addre
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By changing the center from the adult — and adult values — to the child, and his values, we should change the whole path of civilization. ~ Maria Montessori, Her Life and WorkÂ
During a recent workshop, a participant asked about a very common concern. How do I respond effectively to mi
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Now the adult himself is part of the child's environment. ~ Maria Montessori, The Secret of Childhood
Have you ever noticed how sensitive children are to inconsistency between their parents? It is not different in the classroom. The most difficult year that I h...
An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking; it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in which they live. -Maria Montessori, Education and Peace, 1949.
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Paula threw ...
General surveillance and individual teaching, given with precision, are two ways in which the teacher can help the child’s development. In this period, she must take care never to turn her back on the class while she is dealing with a single child. Her presence must be felt by all these spirits, wa...
If we are among the men of good will who yearn for peace, we must lay the foundation for peace ourselves, by working for the social world of the child. ~ Maria Montessori, International Montessori Congress, 1937
How many uncomfortable situations have you had that could have been avoided by simply s...
There is a part of a child’s soul that has always been unknown but which must be known. With a spirit of sacrifice and enthusiasm we must go in search, like those who travel to foreign lands and tear up mountains in their search for hidden gold. ~ Maria Montessori
Reflective Listening (From Positiv...
