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A child’s play is not simply a reproduction of what he has experienced, but a creative reworking of the impressions he has acquired. — Lev Vygotsky, 2004. My six-year-old niece started kindergarten this year. She was thrilled! But then, within the first few days, something terrible happened. She was no longer the happy child who was enthusiastic about learning. She cried at the drop of a hat and refused to go back. When asked why, she told her parents, “It’s too much work. The day is too long. I’m too tired.” She also told them that she couldn't play anymore. Sadly, this is happening all over the world. Accountability by means of high stakes testing has mandated that playful learning be replaced by volumes of disconnected fact-based learning. Today, memorization has replaced true learning, with success being measured by test scores. Since when does sitting still and silent equal learning? Dr. Montessori tells us that how we learn makes a difference to what we learn. ... Does Natur...

He does it with his hands, by experience, first in play and then through work. The hands are the instruments of man's intelligence. —Maria Montessori The Absorbent Mind, p. 25. Today I am going to suggest something that may seem counter to Montessori philosophy. I am going to suggest that we need more play. But wait … didn't Dr. Montessori call play “work”? That’s right. She referred to play as the work of early childhood. The term work implies that the activity is worthy and important, while the term play is often thought of as frivolous and unproductive. As Mr. Fred Rogers reminds us, “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” (Miller, 2013) By referring to play as work, Dr. Montessori was stressing the importance of play in the lives of children. Work and Play in the Montessori Environment The separation of work and play is growing ever more present in convention...

It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put in giving. — Mother Teresa I met a fifth grade boy recently who was happy to share his feelings about the upcoming holidays. “I’ve given up on Christmas,” he said. “I’ve come to realize that, no matter what I ask for, what I really want I just won’t get. I asked for an Xbox last year and got a book. Whenever I ask for video games, my mom tells me to go outside and play. Why doesn’t she understand I just want to be like the other kids?” I have to admit, his cynicism tugged at my heart strings. I know his mother, and I know and respect the reasoning behind her parenting decisions and their family values. I know, too, that she feels guilty at times over values, wants, and needs. Gift Giving as a Montessori Parent In her article “Anger, guilt and spending on kids: 8 questions to ask before buying anything,” psychotherapist and parenting coach Debbie Pincus states that “Guilt and anger are both uncomfortable emotions; and as different as t...

Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a Store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more! — Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas When I was growing up, my mother and grandmother had a little impish elf among their holiday décor. He sat quietly on the shelf, watching the holiday festivities, without being an interactive part of our holiday. Today, the popular ‘elf on the shelf’ that appears at the holidays is used as a sort of secular advent countdown to Christmas. Often, children are told that the elf is there watching for their good behavior. While the elf is supposed to ensure that the children are behaving well, he is notorious for getting into mischief himself. Children wake up daily to see what kind of trouble the elf has gotten into overnight. Modeling Kindness During the Holiday Season The elf’s antics may seem harmless to adults, but what message are we sending the children? We ask children to be on their best behavior during a time that can be stressful...

The great task of education must be to secure and to preserve a normality which, of its own nature, gravitates toward the center of perfection. —Maria Montessori The Absorbent Mind, p. 239. In Chapter 23, Dr. Montessori explains that the fundamental difference between her method and conventional methods is based on the social cohesion found within the environment. This cohesion, she tells us, springs spontaneously when we allow the child to develop based on their needs. These needs are inherent in all children and are set forth by nature. “It is the society of little children who are guided by the magical powers of nature. We must value it and treasure it, because neither the character nor the social sentiment can be given by teachers. They are the products of life.” (p. 234) The Absorbent Mind, Chapter 23: Cohesion in the Social Unit Montessori found that social cohesion is an unconscious power whereby children work together for the greater good. They work without needing rewards and ...

Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others. — Cicero In the Montessori community, the lessons of Grace and Courtesy are integral at every level. From young infants to adolescents, children are taught to live together in community. Grace and courtesy goes beyond the common social niceties of “please” and “thank you” by demonstrating the value of courteous and empathetic behavior and communication as a vital life skill. Gratitude and Thanksgiving in the Montessori Environment Gratitude is one of the lessons of Grace and Courtesy. We teach children to say “thank you” as a rote habit. But to truly understand the value of being thankful builds character through “generosity, humility, wisdom, joy, integrity and trust.” (Arrien) To help children learn to value gratitude, we can incorporate it into our daily Montessori activities. With younger children, we can learn to talk about what we appreciate. We begin by modeling, using our words and tone of voice to...

…no one acting on the child from the outside can cause him to concentrate. Only he can organize his psychic life. — Maria Montessori The Absorbent Mind, p. 222. I have been involved with Montessori education for over 13 years. When I talk to prospective teachers or parents, I find that they always ask the same questions. They want to know about the materials, the idea of mixed age grouping, the ideal class size, the amount of adult involvement, and the concept of freedom. In chapter 22 of The Absorbent Mind , Dr. Montessori addresses all of these questions. The Absorbent Mind, Chapter 22: Social Development How were the Montessori materials chosen? Although the materials used in the environment were developed by Dr. Montessori, it was the children who chose which ones were important. “We started by equipping the child’s environment with a little of everything, and left the children to choose those things they preferred.” (p. 223) It seems that the children were partial to certain mater...