Category: Upper Elementary

“One test of the correctness of educational procedure is the happiness of the child.” -Dr. Montessori Happiness is tricky, right? We want it for our children, but we also know that happiness alone is not the goal. If we strove only for happy children we would free our children from any discomfort. But the grit … Continue reading “Happiness and Learning…”

In honor of Diwali, we take a look back at the Elementary classes’ celebration last year… An important tenet of Montessori philosophy is the recognition of all of humanity as a part of a global family. The “global citizen” aspect of Montessori values the wide and beautiful tapestry of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, and takes … Continue reading “Celebrating Diwali…”

Mornings are challenging for many of us. Having to wake sleepy children or being awakened by an early riser mixed with dressing, breakfasting and getting to school on time, can add up to a tough morning. There are many things that can be done to mitigate morning struggles; some are better choices than others. Tempting … Continue reading “Mornings, Screens and a Bit on Executive Functions…”

“We need the tonic of wildness… At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature.” -Henry David Thoreau While the … Continue reading “Upper Elementary Camp Out…”

If you haven’t already come up with your favorite way to answer those questions about what Montessori is and what makes Montessori unique, here’s a great way to answer: observation. Dr. Montessori did not impose a method which happened to work. Rather, her pedagogy arose from her continued observation of children. She noticed which materials … Continue reading “Observation…”