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“… the first thing his education demands is the provision of an environment in which he can develop the powers given him by nature. This does not mean just to amuse him and let him do what he likes. But it does mean that we have to adjust our minds to doing a work of collaboration with nature, to being obedient to one of her laws, the law which decrees that development comes from environmental experience. —Maria Montessori The Advanced Montessori Method, p. 89. Children in the second plane of development (ages 6–12) are in a period when they are fascinated by knowledge understanding, and moral understanding, or what Montessori referred to as “culture.” (Grazzini) Their independence matures from “I can do it myself,” which predominates the first plane, to “I can think for myself.” Being able to think for oneself is the very basis of developing one’s own personal moral code of conduct. As the elementary-age child learns to think for himself, he seeks to understand the natural world aro...

Cosmic education is the theoretical base upon which the many concepts and activities of the elementary classroom are built into a coherent body of knowledge and experience … [it] is an overall approach to education that involves helping students develop an awareness that everything in the universe is connected and interdependent and forms a harmonious whole, also that they themselves are part of and contribute to that whole. — NAMC Montessori Manual Five Great Lessons/Cosmic Education and Peace, p 85. Dr. Montessori believed that by teaching children to recognize the interdependence of all living things, she would help them develop consciousness of their place on earth. This is the basis for cosmic education, an overall approach to education that involves helping students develop an awareness that everything in the universe is connected and interdependent and forms a harmonious whole. Equally important is guiding students to understand that they themselves are part of and contribute to...

Cultural awareness means being aware of and appreciating the differences in people’s attitudes, beliefs, practices, customs, and social behavior. — NAMC, Five Great Lessons/Cosmic Education & Peace, p. 137. As Montessorians, we strongly believe in the importance of cosmic education, and we give students every opportunity to positively contribute to the world by being caring, considerate, and respectful of one another. We also understand the value of integrating cultural awareness and cultural appreciation into the classroom. Montessori Holiday Celebrations: A Wonderful Way to Explore and Celebrate Culture At our Montessori school, part of our cultural awareness involves celebrating the unique backgrounds of our varied student population by acknowledging and showing respect for our diverse cultures and religions. We have also chosen to move away from celebrating one or two particular holidays in our thematic work; instead, we celebrate the seasons. There are so many wonderful ac...

By its very nature, the Montessori environment is beautiful. The use of natural objects and light add peace, harmony, and balance. They also enhance the awareness of the natural world. The Montessori teacher helps extend this awareness far beyond the immediate environment to the entire universe. She presents the universe to the children as a whole concept, from the beginning of time to the present. And the children come to understand how the universe, and more specifically the earth, is ever changing. Today, with the increasing concentration of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases, it becomes a vital piece of Montessori’s cosmic vision that we take responsibility for our impact on the earth and attempt to reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible. Bringing awareness to the Montessori environment about carbon footprints There are many ways you can bring awareness of natural resources into your Montessori environment and community. Make use of natural light and turn off lights when ...

Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink. —Samuel Taylor Coleridge The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Three quarters of the earth is water. Considered a renewable resource, water usage is often easily abused, especially in communities where it flows freely out of the tap. In most developed areas, we are no longer personally responsible for gathering and carrying our water daily. All we could ever want is delivered into our homes, schools, and businesses. Tips for Water Conservation Montessori Families Can Work on Together But consider these facts: Only 0.003% of water on Earth is freshwater available for human consumption. (DoSomething.org) Every 20 seconds a family in Sub-Saharan Africa loses someone to water-related disease. (Water is Life) 750 million people around the world lack access to safe water; approximately one in nine people. (Water.org) Women and children spend 140 million hours a day collecting water (Water.org)...

The child is the spiritual builder of mankind, and obstacles to his free development are the stones in the wall by which the soul of man has become imprisoned. —Maria Montessori The Absorbent Mind, p. 221. When my son was a toddler, he was intrigued by the minutiae of his environment. Ants crawling along the pathway were fascinating to him. Their tiny parade seemed to race from one place to another. As his tiny foot lifted in an attempt to learn what would happen if they were crushed, I gently stopped him, saying, “Ants are living creatures. Let’s watch where they are going instead.” Following their linear progression, we quietly observed them carrying food back to their nest. The Absorbent Mind, Chapter 21: Children’s Possessiveness and Its Transformations This type of care and observation was repeated with all living things. Flowers were examined to count how many petals they had or observe the delicate shades of their color variations. Glistening spider webs were viewed as fragile g...