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Preventing conflicts is the work of politics: establishing peace is the work of education. —Maria Montessori Education and Peace, p. 24. Can you imagine if we all just came together and concentrated on that which we have in common, rather than on our differences? We would find peace. That’s the hope and message of the Sing Peace Around the World Campaign , held annually to coincide with the United Nation’s International Day of Peace (or World Peace Day) . Montessori Peace Education: Singing Peace Around the World on World Peace Day On September 21, schools around the world, Montessori and non-Montessori alike, will gather at their assigned times to sing Shelley Murley’s song, “Light a Candle for Peace.” The song moves around the world throughout the day, starting with children singing in New Zealand and ending 24 hours later with the Hawaiian Islands. When Murley began the project in 2009, approximately 80,000 children from over 35 countries participated. Last year, Sing Peace Around ...

Nothing awakens foresight in a small child, who lives as a rule for the passing moment and without care for the morrow, so much as this. When he knows that animals have need of him, that little plants will dry up if he does not water them, he binds together with a new thread of love today’s passing moments with those of the morrow. —Maria Montessori The Discovery of the Child, p. 71. After completing a study of the anatomies of the vertebrate groups as outlined in the NAMC Lower Elementary Zoology manual, my lower elementary students each choose a vertebrate animal for in-depth study. I provide sub-topics for them to research and they compile facts from various sources. The sub-topics they investigate are: classification physical characteristics food habitat predators and prey interesting facts Montessori Lower Elementary: Studying Zoology with Vertebrate Animals Before they begin researching their animals, I give the students presentations on how to make notes and how to record infor...

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...

Of all things love is the most potent. —Maria Montessori The Absorbent Mind, p. 269. Love… it’s a complicated emotion. We can love our child, our partner, or our pet. We can love pizza, the smell of rain, or cheering for our favorite football team. We can love a good book, a walk along the beach, or sleeping in on Saturday mornings. How then, do we teach a child to love? The Greeks thought love to be so multifaceted they actually had six terms for it: eros — passionate, romantic love philia — the love between friends, or between parent and child ludus — the affectionate, playful love often seen in children or those in a new relationship agape — love for humankind pragma — longstanding love, like that of long-married couples pilautia — love of self When we look at those six types of love, we see that agape comes closest to Montessori’s vision of cosmic education. Theologians have described agape in various ways. C.S. Lewis called it “the gift” and the highest form of Christian lov...

In a world that often focuses on competition and personal gain, children benefit greatly from opportunities that encourage them to think and act considerately toward others. Montessori teachers try to integrate such opportunities in all areas of the classroom, including physical education activities. To do this successfully in physical education, Montessori teachers shift the focus of sports and physical activities toward an approach that is non-competitive and collaborative. Encouraging Physical Education the Montessori Way: Ideas for Non-Competitive Activities When we teach sports such as volleyball, soccer, and basketball, we emphasize the goals of collaboration and working with a team instead of on scoring points and winning. In a volleyball game, we may encourage the students to continue a rally for as long as possible without letting the ball touch the ground. In soccer, we may suggest that the students work together as a team so that every player scores one goal each. Changing t...

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...

Photo courtesy of: Canadian Military History The child is capable of developing and giving us tangible proof of the possibility of a better humanity. He has shown us the true process of construction of the human being. ... The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind. —Maria Montessori Education and Peace, p. 35. Around the world, November 11 is recognized as a day to honor the men and women who have served and continue to serve during times of war, conflict, and peace. In Canada and many other countries, November 11 is called Remembrance Day. In the United States it is Veterans Day. As Montessori teachers, we show respect on this special day by bringing information to the students and drawing connections to our classrooms and to their lives. Activities Observing Remembrance Day and Veterans Day in the Montessori Classroom Each year, leading up to Remembrance Day, I like to have a circle with my students and ask them to brainstorm what our classroom would be like if we could not ...

Lately I have been hearing about parents worried about “summer brain drain.” Their worry seems compounded by the plethora of advertising on the web, marketing ploys aimed at keeping children constantly learning. I have also seen signs on telephone poles for all sorts of learning camps, and even the local library’s summer reading series is focusing on retention. From the media, it appears that as soon as students walk out of school on the last day, their brains instantly turn off and the flow of information stops and even regresses. Summer learning loss is a real phenomenon, more often effecting children who are from lower income families. On average, however, the regression is not significant and equals about a month of learning. (Raulerson, 2013) Without formal instruction, mathematics tends to suffer more than reading. (Raulerson, 2013) This makes sense as it is easier for most parents and students to pick up a book than specfically work on math skills. Incorporating Montessori Learn...

When I began my Montessori career, finding Montessori ideas and lessons on the Internet was challenging to say the least. My colleagues and I frequently bemoaned the lack of resources and photos. Today, there are blogs, such as NAMC’s Montessori blog, YouTube videos, and social media sites , like Pinterest , where Montessori educators and parents collectively post their ideas, lessons, and advice. This wealth of information can be helpful, but it is important to remember some basic Montessori principals as you search the Internet for Montessori work. Tips for Educators: Adjusting Activities Found on the Internet for Montessori 1. Is the work beautiful? I recently saw a cutlery sorting activity that used a plastic tray and plastic cutlery. While this is a wonderful practical life activity, I couldn't help thinking how much more appealing it would have been had it used a wooden tray and real cutlery. It may have cost a bit more, but using real materials inspires children not only to...