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As Montessorians, we welcome children to explore all the time. It is through their exploration and hands-on learning that they understand new ideas, solve problems, and come up with amazing innovations. This freedom that we allow in children, that we consistently encourage and support, should also be afforded the people we work with. When we inspire exploration in the workplace, our colleagues and staff feel invested in their work. They take the initiative to offer their ideas, explore new enterprises, and represent the organization in a positive way. As part of NAMC’s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! — Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder

It is amazing to consider how much we can be grateful for when we think about the people around us and the experiences we share. If we try hard enough, we can even appreciate mistakes we’ve made, because they help us change and move forward. As a Montessorian, there are a number of things for which I am grateful. I am thankful for Dr. Montessori’s ground-breaking contributions to education. I also appreciate the staff at NAMC who make it their priority to support our schools, students, graduates, and homeschoolers. Most of all, I am grateful for the amazing and diverse Montessori community we have developed around the world. As part of NAMC’s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journe...

Community can take many forms. It can be your neighborhood, your professional association, your family and friends, or the Montessori environment. Contributing to your community makes it stronger. Each member of the community has a unique set of skills to offer, and as you work together on shared goals or ideas, you achieve a whole that is greater than anything an individual can achieve alone. As part of NAMC’s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! — Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder

Maria Montessori observed that when children were given freedom in an environment suited to their needs, they flourished and reached their full potential. She noted that after a period of intense concentration and the opportunity to work with materials that were fully engaging, children were refreshed and content; their inner discipline and sense of peace seemed to grow. Dr. Montessori described this unique process in a child’s development as “normalization,” and she referred to it as “ the most important single result of our whole work. ” ( The Absorbent Mind, p. 204 ) Normalization in Montessori Elementary: A Teacher's Perspective In my experience, every Montessori classroom reaches a period of normalization in a different time frame, unique to the individuals in the classroom. One factor that seems to affect the rate of reaching normalization is the environment’s ratio of returning students to new students. In my experience, when fewer than one-third of the children are new, you...

Sometimes when you are starting on a new venture, you need a little pep talk – some motivation to encourage you. One of the best ways of doing this is to consider how people you admire accomplished their goals. Dr. Montessori is a perfect example. Against all odds, she became the first woman in Italy to be certified as a medical doctor. When asked to care for the children in the slums of San Lorenzo, she used the position as an opportunity to develop her methodology. She was a visionary who was not deterred from her goals by any obstacles. And thanks to her dedication and drive, the Montessori method continues to grow around the world to this day. Let Dr. Montessori’s story spark your motivation as you blaze your own trail. As part of NAMC’s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenti...

Over the past 20 years, NAMC has grown as a world-class Montessori training and curriculum provider partly due to our ability to recognize and act on opportunities as they present themselves. This is an important skill for an organization like NAMC, but it is equally valuable for individuals like you. Consider, for example, your goals as a Montessori teacher. How do you want to grow professionally this year? Make a plan that clearly expresses what you want to achieve and consistently keep that goal in mind. You will be amazed how opportunities will come your way once you have defined what you want in life. As part of NAMC’s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! — Dale Gausman, ...

Keep trying. To understand the value of this lesson, all we have to do is look to the children in our Montessori classrooms. That’s exactly what they do every day. Through trial and error, they learn incrementally – always moving forward and building their knowledge. And the lessons they learn best are not the ones that they learned easily; they are the lessons they had to work at repeatedly in a hands-on, experiential way. As is often the case, the children are our teachers in this instance, showing us that through perseverance we can achieve success. As part of NAMC’s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! — Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder

Going on a job interview can be very stressful. In fact, changing to a different line of work ranks 18 out of 43 on the Holmes-Rahe Stress Inventory. (Holmes & Rahe) Whether you are a new Montessori teacher going on your first Montessori interview or a seasoned veteran looking for a new opportunity, knowing what to expect in an interview will help reduce your stress ahead of time. In general, employers want to know about you. They want to what your strengths are (they will understand that you have weaknesses, too) and how you will fit with their Montessori family. They also want to know that you are articulate and able to communicate with both students and adults. Montessori Interview Preparation Tips Here are a few questions that you can expect to be asked at your job interview. Consider these questions and practice your answers ahead of time. Being prepared will help reduce your stress and will make the interview process go far more smoothly. General Questions 1. What are your pe...

The idea of making a mistake sometimes prevents us from trying something new or making a change. Often, we can reduce our worries by thinking about potential outcomes. What’s the worst thing that could happen if you made a mistake? Maybe it’s not that bad after all. And if it is bad, maybe there are things you can put in place to change or lessen that outcome. Mistakes aren’t always a bad thing, as long as you are prepared for them and for changing your plans on the fly. Depending on how you look at it, your mistake may actually turn out to be a better outcome than you had planned. That was certainly the case with penicillin, Post-It Notes, and the Slinky, which were all developed by mistake. As Montessorians, we regularly see evidence of how valuable making mistakes can be to the learning process. We see it every time a young child works with a Montessori material: how he knows through the control of error that he has made a mistake, and how proud he is when he is able to correct the ...

When I began NAMC 20 years ago, I had no way of knowing for sure whether my idea would be successful. I knew from my own experience that NAMC filled a need in Montessori training, but there was still a lot of uncertainty. Fortunately, I decided to take the risk. Taking risks can be intimidating but it is also exhilarating. It is only by taking chances that we can make discoveries or create new things. Think of the great philosophers, inventors, explorers. Think of Dr. Montessori, attending medical school, developing methodology and materials, working with children in San Lorenzo, and so much more. Each step involved risk. And it was because of her willingness to take such risks that we have the benefits of her achievements today. As part of NAMC’s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are pr...

I think it’s fair to say that the older we get and the more we experience, the more we realize that there are a lot of things we don’t know — and that’s okay. Not knowing something is the catalyst for learning. It is the starting point for researching a topic, asking a question, attending a class, or even exploring new lands. And when we can’t find the answer ourselves, which happens sometimes, it is okay to admit that too. Enlisting the help of experts often means that a job is completed more efficiently and far better than if you had done it yourself. They may even teach you something along the way! As part of NAMC’s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! — Dale Gausman, NAMC ...

Have you ever worked on a project where people had differing opinions or offered different ideas of how to get things done? When everyone is given the freedom to respectfully voice their thoughts, it can be an amazingly creative process. Challenging yourself to listen to differing points of view can generate unexpected and surprisingly successful results. So encourage diverse ideas, value different beliefs, and be open to learning something new. As part of NAMC’s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! — Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder

In our fast-paced world, it is sometimes difficult to remember that waiting is okay. In fact, waiting is often beneficial in the long run. Whether you are opening a new school, learning a skill, or guiding a child to read, taking your time and having patience will lead to greater success. And waiting doesn’t have to be passive – it just means that you have the time you need to practice, take care of the details, and dedicate every effort to your goals. Use your time wisely and be ready for long-term success! As part of NAMC’s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! — Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder

Listening is one of the greatest skills anyone can develop. As Montessori teachers, we are well aware of this. We know how important it is to listen to children and how often they tell us far more what their words are saying. Listening is equally important outside of the classroom – parents, colleagues, directors, mentors, new teachers; everyone has something to offer and a new perspective to share. We just have to be open to hearing them. As part of NAMC’s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! — Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder

Over the past 20 years, I’ve learned that there is no escaping change. It’s an unavoidable part of life. Sometimes change can be worrying — scary even — but it doesn’t have to be. Experience has taught me that change can work to our advantage if we anticipate it instead of running from it. In fact, I’ve learned to not only be prepared for change but to welcome it. Even when change seems difficult, it can bring new opportunities and ideas if we are flexible and open to them. And when we take control and initiate change ourselves, the benefits can be remarkable. As part of NAMC’s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! — Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder

In our previous blog, we looked the ways neurological and hormonal differences affect the learning and behavior of boys and girls. Knowing that these biological differences are central to children’s development, we must strive to prepare the Montessori environment to both foster equal opportunities for all children and to recognize the fundamental biological differences between boys and girls. Teaching Boys in the Montessori Environment: Part Two Recognizing Boys’ Learning Differences in the Montessori Environment Boys Are More Physical In general, young boys are much more physical than young girls. While it may seem counterintuitive to some teachers, boys actually need movement to help them focus and pay attention. Current research suggests that when a boy is at rest, as much as 70% of his brain shuts down. In contrast, 90% of the female brain remains active. (Morhard, 2015) This means that girls can pay attention when sitting still in a classroom, but when boys sit still, their brain...

Staying true to your values. What does that mean? To me, it means first and foremost to know what your values are, what remains essential to you no matter what. But it also means to respect the values of others through empathy and kindness. In my experience, success is always enhanced when you can say that you have acted with intention and integrity in all things. As part of NAMC’s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! — Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder

Thousands of bright, energetic boys are spending the better part of each day unhappy and coming home to report to their parents that they feel ‘stupid’ or that they ‘don’t fit in’. Beth Hering, “Help boys get more out of elementary education” Girls do better than boys in school at all ages and subjects Maggie Fox, NBC News, 4/29/14 A link between fidgety boys and a sputtering economy David Leonhardt, The Upshot, New York Times, 4/29/14 In this day of standardized, one-size-fits-all education, these findings should amaze and astonish us. Yet, as you read, I know that many of you are nodding your heads in agreement. Boys are, for the majority, unhappy in school. They are falling behind, being expelled, and dropping out at staggering rates. Teaching Boys in the Montessori Environment: Part One Understanding Neuroscience and Hormonal Learning Differences A 2014 report from the Third Way, a US centrist think tank, states that: by kindergarten, girls are more attentive, better behaved, more ...

As part of NAMC’s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! — Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder

As part of NAMC’s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! — Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder