An important component of Montessori educational philosophy is building a community that offers support and encouragement. Dr. Montessori believed children develop a sense of belonging and responsibility for themselves and others in the classroom as well as in the family. Learning to be part of a community supports the development of social skills that teach children how to become productive members of society. Dr. Maria Montessori said, “There is a great sense of community within the Montessori classroom, where children of differing ages work together in an atmosphere of collaboration rather than competitiveness.”

The following thoughts are part of a blog post taken from Apple Montessori Schools in Hoboken, New Jersey:

“A community is an integral part of society where a group of people come together with shared values and principles to learn, grow and thrive in an orderly manner.” The “classroom is the framework for helping children learn the importance of living respectfully and cooperatively with others to achieve common goals. The fundamentals of building a community include practical life lessons such as demonstrating courtesy and respect for others. Simple gestures and activities [that support this development] include greeting guests who enter the classroom, being responsible for the upkeep of the environment, cleaning workspaces, and putting away class materials or belongings. Other social and communications skills include seeking and accepting help when needed, asking permission, excusing oneself, speaking in a quiet tone, and collaborating with others to resolve conflicts.”

This week in the classroom:

Students continued their work with possessive apostrophes, making words plural, and finding the perimeter of objects in the classroom. Additional lessons were given on Women’s History Month, nutrition, and the different biomes in the United States.

1st grade students did more work with prepositions, place value, multiplication, and addition of fractions.

2nd grade students worked with singular personal pronouns, place value, subtraction, and multiplication of fractions by a whole number.

3rd grade students practiced using conjunctions, subtraction with decimals, division, and numeration of fractions on a number line.

Parent’s night was an excellent opportunity for students to show parents and family members their knowledge of the Montessori lessons they’ve received. We were happy to have all of you visit the classrooms to experience a little of what your child does every day!

Maria, Noah, Zamaan, and Zamaar gave a beautiful presentation on the celebration of Eid al-Fitr (with a little help from the mothers of Maria, Zamaar, and Noah). This festival commemorates the end of the holy month of Ramadan on the Muslim calendar. Thank you to these students and their families for the time they spent preparing and practicing to teach us about this holiday and to share the special meaning it holds for them.

Parents of Montessori students can support their child’s learning by following Montessori principles in the home environment. The Montessori School of Downtown located in Texas shared the following insights.

The Role of the Parent in Montessori Learning

In Montessori education, the role of the parent is to support and guide their child’s learning, rather than being the primary teacher. Here are some ways parents can support their child’s Montessori learning at home:

Observe and Follow Your Child’s Interests

As mentioned earlier, Montessori education is child-centered, and parents should follow their child’s interests and curiosity. Observe what activities your child is drawn to and provide them with the materials and resources to explore and learn more about those topics.

Be a Facilitator, Not a Teacher

In a Montessori classroom, the teacher acts as a facilitator, guiding and supporting the child’s learning rather than teaching them directly. Parents can adopt this approach at home by providing their children with the necessary materials and resources and allowing them to explore and learn independently.

Encourage Independence and Problem-Solving

As mentioned earlier, independence and self-directed learning are essential aspects of Montessori education. Parents can encourage this by allowing their child to make their own choices and decisions, and by providing them with opportunities to problem-solve and learn from their mistakes.

This week in the classroom:

1^st grade students worked on possessive apostrophes, making words plural using es, recognizing prepositions, multiplication facts, dynamic multiplication with the Stamp Game, adding fractions with like denominators, and finding the perimeter of objects in the classroom.

2^nd grade students worked on possessive apostrophes, making words ending in y plural, recognizing pronouns, dynamic subtraction using the Stamp Game, multiplication of fractions by a whole number and finding the perimeter of objects in the classroom.

3^rd grade students worked on possessive apostrophes, making words that end in y plural, recognizing conjunctions, adding and subtracting decimal numbers, division with the Stamp Game, sequential fractions on a number line, and finding the perimeter of objects in the classroom.

All students had a lesson on the parts of a circle in preparation for fun activities on Friday for Pi Day. In addition, Mr. Zech gave the students a challenge by sending them on a quest for neutral buoyancy!

Maria Montessori, known for scientifically studying the needs of children and matching education to their developmental stages, is also credited for envisioning the education of children as the path to world peace. She realized that the way we approach teaching can have a lasting impact on how children interact as humans throughout their lives.  Montessori lived through two wars, a global pandemic and colonialization, making it clear to her that “Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war.”  

Believing a key to the betterment of society was early childhood education, Montessori made peace education a focus of her students’ introduction to the world.  Respect is woven into every aspect of the classroom, beginning with the respect teachers show students and carrying over to the expectation that all beings and materials are due respect.   

The foundation of Montessori’s peace education is found in how children and adults handle conflict at school.  Having an environment focused on peace education does not mean there is an absence of conflict.  It means conflicts are seen as opportunities for developing compassion, relationships, and a deeper understanding of another’s point of view.  Children all have needs that have to be met, and in the classroom, those needs may be in conflict with the needs of another or the whole group.  Learning to see yourself as part of a larger community is sometimes difficult.  When there is a conflict between children, the parties are brought together, and each is offered a chance to speak his/her truth.  The teacher is there to assist students in communicating thoroughly and politely and to help them understand the perspectives of others.  If possible, suggestions for how to resolve the situation so both parties are satisfied are offered.  Eventually, students are able to independently see situations from another’s point of view.  This process, when supported by caring adults, creates the kind of citizens that affect change, see the richness of humanity, and crave peace. –Cara Friedline from Springmont School in Atlanta, GA

Thank you to Maria, Zamaar, Noah, Zamaan, and their families for sharing a beautiful presentation about Ramadan. The whole class enjoyed learning more about how this ninth month on the Islamic calendar is celebrated and the special reasons that Muslims fast during this time.

The development of social skills is crucial for children, as they enable them to learn to communicate, share, collaborate and resolve conflicts effectively. The Montessori Method offers a unique and effective way to foster these skills as it focuses on the development of the whole child, including social and emotional development.

Children in a Montessori classroom learn to work together in groups and collaborate on projects. Through daily interaction, children learn important skills such as empathy, cooperation, respect and conflict resolution. Children need to develop social skills in order to be able to interact with others effectively and establish healthy relationships. Below are some tips for fostering social skills in children.

1. Encourage cooperation – Fostering cooperation in children teaches them to work together effectively and to be responsible for their actions.

2. Promote effective communication – Children need to develop effective communication skills in order to express their needs and feelings clearly and concisely. In the Montessori Method, children learn to listen and respond to the ideas of others, which helps them to develop effective communication skills.

3. Encourage conflict resolution – Children need to learn to resolve conflicts effectively. In the Montessori Method, conflict resolution is encouraged by teaching negotiation skills and promoting dialogue. Children learn to resolve conflicts peacefully and to work together to find solutions.

4. Teach empathy skills – In the Montessori Method, children are taught to be empathetic through activities that allow them to see things from the perspective of others. Teaching empathy skills to children helps them to become more aware of others’ feelings and to be more compassionate.

5. Build self-confidence – In the Montessori Method, self-confidence is fostered by promoting independence and autonomy. Children learn to make decisions for themselves and to have confidence in their own abilities. Fostering children’s self-confidence helps them to become more independent and self-confident. (adapted from the Valencia Montessori School, Valencia, Spain)

This week in the classroom, students had lessons on the use of the apostrophe, matching suffixes to root words, reading a pie graph, and naming types of polygons. Cultural lessons included the Alabama connections to the Harlem Renaissance, the nervous system, and the biomes of North America. We all enjoyed having grandparents visit our classroom and campus on Grandparent’s Day this week. Thank you to all the grandparents who came to visit! Lower elementary students were also invited to visit the primary classrooms to see the beautiful transformations that turned their rooms into different biomes throughout the world. In addition, the book fair generated considerable excitement as students anticipated getting their favorite books.

Last week, lower elementary students went to the Birmingham Children’s Theater to see a production of Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Book. This stage play is based on the children’s book by the same title. It highlights the importance of creativity and imagination. In the story, fairy tale characters come to life when a boy falls asleep and finds himself inside a book of fairy tales.

In early childhood, Dr. Montessori believed exposing a child to fantasy was not beneficial to their development. In The Advanced Montessori Method (1918), she wrote, “The true basis of the imagination is reality, and its perception is related to exactness of observation. It is necessary to prepare children to perceive the things in their environment exactly, in order to secure for them the material required by the imagination. Intelligence, reasoning, and distinguishing one thing from another prepares a cement for imaginative constructions.” The Authentic Institute of Montessori quoted Silvana Montanaro, one of the most recognized Montessori infant teachers, as saying “There is nothing more extraordinary and interesting than our own daily life. Fantasy can come later – after reality has been experienced and absorbed.”

Once children enter the second plane of development, around age 6, the Montessori educational approach shifts. Children are more able to differentiate between reality and fantasy, so there is no longer a need to discourage fantasy books (although plenty of nonfictional books are provided in the classroom). Children at this age, through about age 12, are highly motivated to learn through the use of their imaginations (adapted from White Bear Montessori School, Minnesota). 

American Montessori Internationale, or AMI, explains, “It is neither necessary nor helpful to teach the child to pretend or imagine. Children construct their imagination through their own efforts and experience, as a uniquely human aspect of their mind. Joyful learning comes when children make discoveries and connections themselves. This principle underscores the Montessori approach to presenting lessons and materials, and it is also why we should not dictate how/when children are to use their imaginations. Instead, Montessori advises that we ‘prepare an environment which will allow the child to exercise his efforts and aid the development of his imaginative intelligence.’”

Montessori lessons lean heavily on imagination for older children.  Lessons about the universe, life on Earth, and humanity itself are delivered through storytelling.  The stories are true, but children are encouraged to mentally picture themselves in historically critical moments. “Elementary-aged children are seeking to find their own place in the universe, and their developed sense of imagination helps take them there” (White Bear Montessori School, Minnesota).

“Let us learn to recognize the child for the wonderous individual they are and will be. It is shown through work and freedom, a natural love for learning emerges within the child and it becomes a part of their being. Only benefiting himself and the community because learning and love are separate yet run parallel, both patient, enjoyable, and kind. In our [Montessori] communities, we encourage the children to follow their hearts, gravitate towards work that interests them…just then, a natural love of learning blossoms.” -Dr. Maria Montessori

As we celebrated Valentine’s Day this week, it seems a fitting time to reflect on Dr. Montessori’s words about love. She spoke and wrote about love in regards to a child’s love of learning and a teacher’s love of a child. Dr. Montessori pointed out that a teacher’s love for a child manifests in an understanding of that child’s needs. The Montessori Method places a focus on the child as an individual with needs that are unique to that child. Montessori guides meet students where they are through the use of observation to discern the needs and interests of each student.

Our school ambassadors helped us celebrate Kindness Week this past week. Students spent the week looking for “acts of kindness” they could acknowledge by writing them on sticky notes to be placed on a wall of kindness. Kindness is an attribute that is practiced in Montessori communities through the tenets of grace and courtesy. Students are encouraged to show grace and courtesy in all situations to all people. Thank you to Ms. Rachel for helping us focus on expressing kindness!

This week in the classroom:

1st grade students continued their practice with place value, multiplication facts, dynamic multiplication with the Stamp Game, adding fractions with a common denominator, and identifying verbs. They also used the Geometric Sticks to create right, acute, and obtuse-angled triangles.

2nd grade students worked with place values, missing addends, dynamic subtraction, multiplying fractions by a whole number and identifying adverbs. In addition, they were introduced to the types of adjacent angles.

3rd grade students added decimals, practiced dynamic subtraction, multiplied fractions by a whole number, were introduced to coordinate planes, and identified pronouns. They also had practice with identifying the types of adjacent angles.

All students continued their practice with identifying and understanding the meaning of suffixes, writing contractions, reading bar graphs, and writing compare/contrast paragraphs. In addition, they were introduced to Jackie Ormes, the first African American female cartoonist. They continued with lessons on the human body through an introduction to the digestive system and spent time identifying the flags of North American countries.

The week ended with Ms. Naomi treating students to a lesson on how to make chocolate covered strawberries and pretzels for Valentine’s Day.

There are numerous aspects of a Montessori education that set it apart from the traditional educational methods that are followed in most public and many private schools. For example, the didactic materials students use in completing tasks, the freedom of choice given to students in choosing their work, students’ frequent movement within the classroom, and the Montessori guide’s focus on following the child which allows Montessori teachers to uniquely meet each child’s needs. A stark difference in Montessori education as opposed to traditional methods of education is the role of the teacher in the classroom. One of Dr. Montessori’s most well-known quotes is “The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist'” (Montessori, 1967). “Where traditional education relies largely on the teacher to direct every action and pursuit of students and to convey information into the minds of students, Montessori education focuses on functional independence. Children gain independence, simply put, by practicing being independent. Further, children can also improve upon their ability to act independently when environmental circumstances require that they exercise their independence close to the limits of their current abilities—not so easy as to bore, and not so difficult as to frustrate.

Built into the Montessori Method is the understanding that children are naturally curious, and are driven to pursue and construct their own knowledge. The Montessori Guide does not simply dispense information, but instead creates conditions conducive for learning. There is no such thing as knowledge transfer, only knowledge construction. Formal education now must evolve from something that is done to the student, to something that comes from the student. By thoughtfully and meticulously creating an environment favorable for learning, the guide enables the child to develop as their individual nature allows.” (Austin Matte, Wellan Montessori School, 2022, https://www.wellan.org/single-post/not-a-teacher-but-a-guide-the-role-of-the-adult)

This past week in the classroom:

1st grade students were introduced to contractions, suffixes, classifying triangles by angle, and addition of fractions with a common denominator. They also continued their work with verbs, multiplication facts, and dynamic multiplication.

2nd grade students had a review on contractions and suffixes, were introduced to multiplication of fractions by a whole number, and learned about the relationship between two angles. In addition, they continued learning how to identify adverbs in sentences.

3rd grade students also reviewed contractions and suffixes, as well as continued their work with decimal numbers, multiplied fractions, and practiced more dynamic subtraction. They also used grammar symbols to identify pronouns in sentences.

All students practiced reading bar graphs, wrote comparison/contrast paragraphs, finished labeling the waterways of North America, had an introduction to the skeletal system, and learned about several notable people from the Harlem Renaissance.

“At the heart of Montessori education is the belief that children thrive in a supportive community where they feel valued, respected, and understood. Parent involvement is vital in nurturing this sense of community within the Montessori school environment. Through volunteer opportunities, parent-teacher conferences, and participation in school events, parents become integral members of the educational community, fostering connections with other families and educators.

Parent involvement in Montessori education goes beyond individual classrooms; it contributes to the development of a supportive and interconnected community. When parents actively engage with their child’s education, they form meaningful connections with other families, educators, and the broader Montessori community. These connections foster a sense of belonging and shared purpose, creating a supportive network where families collaborate, share resources, and celebrate each child’s growth and achievements. Moreover, a strong sense of community enhances the overall Montessori experience for children, providing them with a nurturing environment where they feel valued, respected, and supported in their learning journey” (Huntington Montessori School, 2024).

This week in the classroom:

1^st grade students identified words that rhyme, practiced using verbs by matching animal names to their sounds, used materials to practice multiplication facts, learned to use expanded notation when writing numerical values to the thousands place, and used materials to rename (reduce) fractions.

2^nd grade students identified rhyming word patterns, used grammar symbols to symbolize sentences with adverbs, practiced expanded notation to the thousands place, created equations using fact families, and performed subtraction with numbers to the thousands place.

3rd grade students used grammar symbols to symbolize sentences with pronouns, built decimal numbers using the decimal board and wrote the corresponding words, calculated dynamic subtraction equations, and subtracted fractions with mixed numbers.

All students wrote expository paragraphs that explained the process of how to perform a task, identified and wrote examples of the 4 types of sentences, matched prefixes to root words, located information by reading pictographs, and classified the different types of triangles. They also continued their studies on North America by learning about the bodies of water on the continent, continued learning about the systems of the human body as they were introduced to the muscular system, and discovered the notable accomplishments of influential icons for Black History Month.

The following excerpt is from a blog post by The Forest Bluff School in Illinois.

“As millions around the country celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we have an opportunity to consider his lasting impact in our lives: how we may honor his teachings throughout the year as well as in our daily practices; and the symbiosis that exists between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s and Dr. Maria Montessori’s teachings. The shared commitment to the inherent good in humanity and the vision of peace means that, beyond a day or month of recognizing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s impact, we strive to embrace that philosophy in practice throughout our lives. In the classroom, this can be seen through: valuing classmates’ contributions to the community; studying human history through a lens of gratitude for the diverse peoples and civilizations that have contributed to making the world what it is today; examining historical time periods and events with an understanding of context; exchanging ideas and striving for mutual understanding, in collective, respectful conversations; and through service to others.”

This week in the classroom was filled with new lessons as we began a new quarter. Students worked with prefixes and sequencing and learned to write expository paragraphs. Everyone continued to work with fractions in addition to receiving lessons on classifying triangles. Students enjoyed creating their own maps of North America and were introduced to the Systems of the Human Body. They explored calendars by taking an in-depth look at the days of the week and months of the year while discovering the number of days in each month and the origin of the names of months and days.

Students always love their cooking projects with Ms. Naomi!

As a new year begins, thoughts often turn to self-improvement goals. One way to reach a goal is through persistence and having a growth mindset. When children learn to persevere at a task, they are more likely to succeed in reaching their goals. Dr. Montessori’s method of education follows a natural self-correcting approach that teaches children to persist in their attempts at a task until they reach the desired outcome. Lifetime Montessori School in San Diego has the following suggestions for encouraging a growth mindset at home:

*Follow your child’s interests. –  It is easier for your child to stick with a task he or she finds interesting. The concentration your child gains and the pride he or she feels from completing work often encourages your child to undertake new goals and reach new heights.

*Have practical life activities available for your child. – Practical life activities are an essential part of Montessori education. They develop order, concentration, coordination, and independence. Many families offer these opportunities to their children already. They include squeezing an orange, mopping the floor, watering the garden, chopping fruits or vegetables, pouring a drink from a pitcher, and unloading the dishwasher.

*Don’t do for a child what a child can do for themselves. – In Montessori education, children are helped to become independent. In Maria Montessori’s words: “These words reveal the child’s inner needs: ‘Help me to do it alone.'” Many Montessori materials have a built-in control of error so a child will instantly see if a mistake is made. If uninterrupted, the child will typically work with material (learning persistence) until he or she reaches success. If your child doesn’t specifically ask for help, even if your child appears to have some difficulty with a task, it’s generally best to let your child figure it out alone.

The frigid weather this week kept us indoors for recess. Nevertheless, students enjoyed their free time using their creativity to draw, design, and construct! We hope everyone was able to get outside and play in the snow on our rare snow day this week!