My Montessori Reading Resource

What is a Reading Continuum?

Knowing the stages of reading helps inform your instruction. These stages have been developed by Linnea Ehri and lay out the way a reader progresses through their literacy journey. It is essential to understand these as it helps assess if a reader is on or off track and how you can change your instruction to support them.

Pre-Alphabetic Phase: Recognizing words based on context like logos (visual cue reading).

Partial Alphabetic Phase: Using first letters to guess unfamiliar words or seeing patterns of letters that they’ve seen before to mean the same word (phonetic cue reading).

Full Alphabetic Phase: A reliable way of reading as the child looks at every sound/letter in a word and decodes based on their phonics knowledge.

Consolidated Alphabetic Phase: Readers use chunks of words to decode rather than individual phonemes. Phonograms, blends, digraphs, vowel teams are all recognized instantly.

Automatic Phase: Quick and effortless reading.

What is Phonemic Awareness?

We often hear about phonemic awareness. It is easy to get phonemes and phonetics mixed up BUT they are actually two very different things. Phonemic awareness is the ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds in the spoken word. For example, if I were to ask what the phonemes in “cat” are. The answer would be /k/ /a/ /t/. In bath? /b/ /a/ /th/. You truly have to HEAR the word and find the SOUNDS and try to ignore the spelling (if you know it) and forget about how many letters are in the word. It is the focus on individual sounds. Phonemic awareness skills relate directly to oral language. Phonemic awareness impacts the development of phonics skills.

Skills being developed by Phonemic Awareness:

Identification of phonemes

Blending of phonemes

Segmentation of phonemes

Deletion of phonemes

Addition of phonemes

Substitution of phonemes

Reversal of phonemes

Science-based strategies that support Phonemic Awareness:

• I Spy games (with no letters),

• “what is the first sound in (this word)? the last? the middle?”

• “Mat. Now change the /m/ to a /k/. What do we get?”

Materials that support Phonemic Awareness:

A student breaks apart phonemes in a spoken word using a mitten. They flip their hand over with each phoneme.

Sorting pictures by beginning sounds.

What is Phonological Awareness?

Now, phonological awareness covers a huge area of literacy skills. It zooms the focus out of individual sounds into the spoken parts of sentences and words. Finding the number of words in a sentence, breaking compound words into single words, working with syllables, finding rhyming words - those are all phonological awareness skills.

Science-based strategies that support Phonological Awareness:

• Spoken word syllable work,

• Putting two words together to make a new word (auditorily),

• Taking a compound word apart into two words (auditorily)

• Coming up with rhyming words,

• Working auditorily/orally with word families

Materials that support Phonological Awareness:

Syllable sorting.

Rhyming words.

What is Phonics?

Phonics is probably what we all think of when we think of teaching someone to read. It is teaching the relationship between letter sounds or groups of letters and the written letter symbol(s).

Science-based strategies that support Phonics:

Materials that support Phonics:

Pictured below (left to right, top to bottom)

Decodable readers, decodable sentences and objects, real and nonsense word wheels, beginning sound matching,

word families/rhyming words, sentence formation, encoding, beginning sound matching after mastery of letter name, keyword, letter sound,

sound matching to letter symbol, sentence writing.

What is Orthographic Mapping?
Orthographic Mapping explains how people learn to sight read words, remember how to spell words and learn new vocabulary from reading. It is how we become fluent readers - the ability to not sound out each word, but to read it in an instant. Phonemic proficient is essential for orthographic mapping. Orthographic Malling is dependent upon phonemic proficiency and phoneme/grapheme association proficiency. Without both, automaticity in reading isn't possible.

Science-based strategies that support Orthographic Mapping:

• Using the Movable Alphabet and writing word families. -at words and changing the beginning letter. Using two gems signifying the two parts of the word family. “Every time I see “at” it says /at/.

• Using the Orton Gillingham Sound Deck (letters only) in three piles and switching out one of the cards to make different word families

• Reading nonsense words.

Materials that support Orthographic Mapping:

Working with word families.

Reading nonsense words and working with word families with the OG Sound Deck.

Circle Time in (my) Montessori Classroom

Ooooh…Circle Time! First, I always sit in a circle - whether its a circular rug or a velcro circle on the carpet - so that is why I call it that! Call it “Line Time” - where you sit on a line, “Gathering”, “Group Time”… whatever - there are so many different ways classrooms run it. 

I have kind of two segments of the year and how I do circle or get children’s attention. In the beginning of the year I pretty much call circle as soon as all the children have arrived. They change their shoes, hang up coats and wash hands and they are free to look around the classroom an choose their work (many times in the beginning of the year I have things laid out for them). I always have a beautiful, interesting music box that I turn on. It HAS to have a wind up and an on/off button so that I can either let it run out or I can turn it off when everyone is settled. That is just a personal preference. 

I do this beginning of the morning circle to ground the children and to practice Grace & Courtesy group lessons - thats the main objective. I am the role model - I turn the music box on, the other teachers in the room help children transition if they need help, and I just wait. When the music box is on and you sit down, voices are off. Then we say “Peace Begins With Me” (if you watch some of my YouTube videos you’ll see it there - I’ve linked it!), sing our morning songs and then I’ll give whatever messages I need to give. In the beginning - G&C. As the days and weeks tick by I may start reading non-fiction books about topics we are studying, give Geography/Botany or Zoology lessons or talk about procedural things in the classroom. I try to keep it to 10 minutes, 15 if I have an unusually attentive group!

As the months go by I incorporate our Sound Deck practice, we learn a poem every month and some children like the opportunity to recite it and of course we sing songs, often with hand movements or puppets (like @bluebirdmontessori’s version of Jennie Jenkins). 

That’s it. If you scroll back in my highlights on instagram there are some finger plays and poems and movement songs that I incorporate but otherwise its just NOT rocket science. I don’t give Practical Life lessons unless its something like Food Prep and I know its going to be SO popular and I won’t have time to give that lesson 25 times in the morning. Reach the masses. 

I’ll also add that our Daily Visual Schedule really comes in handy. Children learn to reference the schedule upon arrival so they know if we are going to have circle first thing or not. 

I will often call another circle at the end of the morning and I’ll read a story book, just in order to gather everyone to transition either to home or to recess. Its the most organized way for me to get the class ready and out the door. 

If your circle is longer than 15 minutes I would urge you to reevaluate. This age group needs to be up and moving and working and chatting and doing. I know some classrooms don’t even incorporate circle - and sure, some days if everyone is focused, I might take it off the schedule! Most days, I do find my crew needs a little focus. Being able to adapt and change when considering the children, is the most important part when considering when to call the class together.

One of my favorite phrases is:

“We are practicing being a good audience. That means we open our eyes, open our ears and close our voice.”

Happy to answer questions in the comments!

Making Practical Life Purposeful

Montessori Practical Life. The things that come to mind can vary greatly from person to person. In the beginning of my Montessori journey, fancy trays with delicate porcelain bowls filled with dried beans might pop into my head. As I learned more about the philosophy and how it translates to home, I realized that tray work doesn’t necessarily play a big part in Montessori at Home learning. 

Students washing snack dishes to return to the shelf.

That realization led me to think more about how the Practical Life area in the classroom looks. Sure, I had shelves upon shelves of Control of Movement, Care of Self and Care of the Environment activities, but what is next? How do I transform that dry pouring from pitcher to pitcher activity into something PURPOSEFUL? How do I translate a little embroidery hoop where we sew one button onto a piece of fabric into something actually useful? How do we take that fancy little tray where we sift gems out of a bowl of sand applicable to real life?

I also saw all of these “natural” materials that made the work look so enticing (to my adult eyes). Dried rice, beans and corn. So natural, pretty and attractive. I also came to believe that food is to eat. Using food to practice pouring and scooping is wasteful, and isn’t conveying the lesson of appreciating what we are privileged to have. Thinking up alternative materials and saving food for eating is extremely important in the classroom. 

Ironing and folding cloths.

I admittedly thought that is what Montessori was all about before I started my training. Petite, pretty, isolated skills placed nicely on a tray, placed neatly on a shelf. Once I realized (and that comes quickly after the second week of school when that dry pouring activity is mixed with a wet transfer activity and everyone is bored of spooning jewels from one bowl to another!) that the Practical Life curriculum is SO much more than that, things changed for me. 

In the classroom, the first few months of the school year should most certainly be devoted to implementing Grace & Courtesy through walking slowly, tucking in chairs, carrying trays properly and returning them right to where they were found. Lessons should be given on how to use your whole hand to transfer materials, then how to use many different kinds of tools. Calm, quiet and controlled lessons should be given over and over again on how to support a water pitcher while pouring from one thing to another, repetition, repetition, repetition. But then what?

That transferring activity with a large spoon? That turns into community snack when a child scoops their own snack from a larger bowl into their own personal bowl. 

That back and forth pouring activity? That translates into pouring water into a drinking glass to quench thirst. 

That single button on a piece of cloth? That turns into a mending pile where children can replace missing shirt buttons. 

Walking on a line with a wooden egg in a spoon and seeing if you can not drop it? That turns into “carry an uncooked egg from home to school so that we can boil it, peel it and slice it for snack.” 

Purposeful. 

Sand sifting? That’s flour sifting. 

Scooping and leveling? That’s measuring with a measuring cup. 

Spooning? That’s using measuring spoons. 

That play dough tray? That is the very first step in learning to knead bread. 

Lighting a candle to help gather children and promote peace during circle? That is teaching children how to be careful around a hot oven for baking. 

Beginning of the year pouring shelf work.

While at school there aren’t necessarily things like loading the washer and dryer, the dishwasher (maybe there are these jobs in some places) - but there are SO many ways to break away from scooping, spooning and pouring work that is isolated to a tray on the shelf. Maria Montessori called her school a Children’s House - and that is what I always keep in mind when expanding on my Practical Life area as the year ticks by. 

A huge reason I try to have a Spring Tea every year is to implement all those isolated skills and use them to serve the greater community. You can read more about The Spring Tea here.

How do I make the classroom a place that mimics the home - how can the children be active members of our community?

What are ways you can make Practical Life more purposeful in the classroom?

Making the Best of School From Home

One day this will be over - that is what I’m saying each day to remind myself that this won’t be forever. It is difficult for everyone, for one reason or another, we’re all struggling - some of us with teaching via the computer, some of us trying to be parent/employee/teacher/everything to everyone.

An example of a school from home shelf.

This is in regards to having your child home and trying to manage, encourage and facilitate school from home. This is not, and I repeat, is not homeschool. And I’m not bringing up this phrase that I’ve heard every hour of every day from other educators to insult you - to imply you could never do what we do and therefore are not homeschooling. I’m saying it to let you off the hook! This isn’t homeschool! And it doesn’t need to be! It is not meant to be. This is school from home.

First, take what your teacher is telling you/giving you/sending you and just do that. I know many educators, like myself are adjusting their normal way of teaching (just a little or a lot) to align more with distance learning. I, for example, am choosing weekly themes. They are all subjects we’d be studying in school, but we wouldn’t be hyper focused on one are like we are right now. And that is fine, it not only keeps me organized, but I’m hoping it is helping to keep parents organized and students interested. I am sending paper packets home that is… yes, paperwork, but I hope that each and every thing is also a hands on activity as much as possible. Sure, you can give your child the print off and a pencil and scissors and call it a day, but you can also do something different, if you’re able.

For example, a paper activity that involves coloring, writing, cutting and stapling can be set in a basket or on a tray with all those things that are needed - it can then be left out for a child to find. Yes, this takes a bit of extra time and effort, and probably some work the night before the school week, but it could make things easier for the days ahead (or maybe not), its worth a try if you can swing it.

Teachers are sending home printable resources, daily rhythms/schedules/work plans, posting YouTube videos, having daily zoom meetings - utilize that. You don’t have to do everything but you can pick and choose, like a buffet, the things that work for you and your family.

This week I’m posting How To videos - not for parents, but for children. I hope that my students will see my face, see my familiar lessons and see the reminders of things that they need to “do a work” and will collect those things to set up their own things. This may be a bit idealistic, but I know it will happen in some households, and even if it happens in one, that is a win for us all.

Montessori at home is filled with really, really lovely ideas. Ideas like involving your child in meal time, laundry time, teaching them to fold and hang things out to dry, having them help load the dishwasher and dust the shelves - and if you are in a situation right now where you can facilitate that - then that is certainly amazing and continue to do that! But, if you’re not, then stay up a bit later on Sunday night after your kiddos have gone to bed, clear off a table, a shelf, a cabinet and print out those printables and make them slightly more enticing by adding a basket with the necessities for each activity. I suggest hanging the Work Plan close by and encouraging your child to do one thing a day. Add that activity, the zoom, a youtube - and you’ve got some time on your hands. No, it is not 4-6 hours of childcare like you would be getting if your child were at school, but its something.

I know a huge part of sending your young child to preschool is childcare - and if teachers could provide childcare from a distance, I know they would. Unfortunately, its just not possible right now, so we’re left to rely on some of the OTHER stuff your child gets when they’re at school: a bond with their teacher, social interactions (even through a screen), engagement with an academic topic and suggestions for how to make those connections in the real world (may it be your backyard), and most importantly - a continued love of learning. Let’s try with all of our might to keep that.

If one positive thing can come from this, its that teachers have never been more connected with parents. I know, I for one, have way more face time with parents now then I could ever swing while we’re physically at school. We joke that the greatest goal of a Montessorian is to demystify their teaching - well, we’ve certainly done that. Parents are seeing first hand how we teach reading, writing, math, how we dive deep into zoology and botany and how we tie everything back together (hopefully with a bow).

In conclusion, do what you can, leave what you can’t. Provide for your child what your teacher is sending/doing, If you can, take a few feet of your house and replicate some activities for your child similar to what they had at school. If you can’t, turn on the TV - it’ll be fine.

Here are some resources from me:

YouTube

Instagram

Facebook

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Ideas

What "Follow the Child" Really Means

Observing a child who loves large, gross motor movements - providing an opportunity to draw and erase on a chalk board is the perfect activity.

Montessorians have a lot of jargon that we throw around. It can sometimes be isolating - and elitist. I feel pretty strongly about using language that everyone can understand, speak about and relate to - especially when one of my main missions is to spread the word about how amazing a Montessori life can be. Last year, I even spoke with Jesse McCarthy of The Montessori Education podcast (listen to that here) about breaking down Montessori “lingo” and what all these highly used terms actually mean.

“Follow the child” is a phrase so many Montessori teachers use when describing how we go about working with and accessing the skills of a student. I can appreciate how this saying honors the child and kind of checks the adult at the door from driving their own agenda. But, I think it can be off putting to a lot of people. Many parents don’t want their teacher to “follow the child.” Their child needs encouragement - even a push, dare I say. Parents don’t always want us following their child and allowing their child to make their own decisions, their own choices, without guidance from their teachers. See what I did there? That is exactly the misinterpretation of what “follow the child” really means.

When Montessori educators say we follow the child with no explanation - it diminishes what the practice looks like.

• We follow the child when we take time to get to know them.

• We follow the child when each day, each week, each month, we sit and observe the child and see what their natural tendencies are (and are not).

• We follow the child when we take the information our observations supply us with and use it to inform our practice.

• We follow the child when we meet them where they are and support them through the following steps in their social, emotional and academic learning.

• We follow the child when we watch them, listen to them and guide them in the right direction - may that be somewhere they don’t normally take themselves or offer them the little nudge children sometimes need.

• We follow the child not to let them make all of their own choices, solve all of their own problems and dictate the structure of their day or the content of their education.

Having knowledge of young children and the Montessori philosophy - providing an area of the classroom dedicated to real work (dishwashing, table washing, cleaning, classroom jobs) makes a young child’s day at school purposeful.

Following doesn’t mean watching and doing nothing, it is meant to say that Montessori educators get actual, factual information through relationship building and observation and use it to guide the child’s natural path. This isn’t something a child can decide for themselves - which is why in many Montessori schools, teachers are called guides. I don’t love using that term either but with the right explanation and in the right context, it is truly a beautiful way to support a student’s education and describe the role of the teacher.

I’ve found that many people think of two extremes when asked to describe Montessori - one is that in Montessori school, children are allowed to do “anything” they want. The other is that the teachers dress all in black, stand on the perimeter of the classroom and children must do academic work all day long. Funny enough, neither of these situations sound like they are following any child (and don’t in any way accurately describe a Montessori classroom) - which is why we all need to do the work and understand what we really mean when we say this.

The use of relationship building, trust, support and knowledge of the young child is what I want people to know when I say, “follow the child.”

What other terms do Montessorians use that can be confusing to parents or other educators?

Time In’s, Fences and Freedoms and Why Time Outs Don’t Work

Often times, a child who isn’t following your guidelines or making appropriate choices, is a child who is screaming out for help. Children thrive on rituals, routines and boundaries. Boundaries help a child to feel safe - they let them know that the adult who is there to take care of them has figured out all the hard stuff - they make the big choices and give them direction, so that they don’t have the weight of those big choices on their own.

A child has a routine each morning when they arrive at school. These are non-negotiations.

Sometimes even the smallest things (in our adult minds) can be overwhelming to a child. This is why people are always hearing of giving a limited selection of choices - yes, you can pick out your outfit for today, but not from your entire wardrobe - from these three options. This is why in Montessori - we refer to our teaching style as “Freedom within Limits.” Sure - there are many choices and many different activities to do and things to learn about - but within a highly curated (the “prepared environment”) classroom. So, nothing is available that we don’t want a child to be doing. 

This is the same for any other situation. The adult again, “highly curates” the situation for a child - this is called scaffolding. We put into place the supports a child needs us to, so that the child can make a positive choice. 

The idea of fences and freedoms was taught to me by Lynne Griffin, who is one of the most influential people in my life. Fences are the boundaries we provide for a child - and the freedoms are the choices within those fences. If a child is still struggling even with the fences and freedoms we’ve put into place for them - that is a sign that it is still too much. That fence gets a little bit smaller and those freedoms become a little bit less. As a child grows and matures, we open everything up bit by bit. 

Older students have a work plan - this is something they must accomplish during the school day.

Montessori teachers often utilize the idea of “time ins.” A child who needs a little extra guidance may need a little extra connection. Outside of the hot moment, try to make a connection with a child, offer them a time in. Instead of sending them away from the situation - invite them into it. Show them how to play appropriately, maybe they are your partner for a little while and you can stand with them and observe about what a good choice may be. Maybe they need a little bit of help understanding what the expectation is. A rule a Montessori teacher lives by is never assume a child knows what to do. We are here to guide them. 

A child chooses an activity from a curated selection of choices.

Time Out’s don’t work. They aren’t effective. They are casting a child away to sit and sulk by themselves instead of inviting them in and demonstrating what a better choice for the situation may have been. Its taking a child who is yelling for fences and throwing them out of the yard to fend for themselves. If you have a child who laughs or plays or doesn’t care they are in time out - it is not a show, they actually don’t care because they don’t get it. Time outs offer no scaffolding, time in’s give a child what they need. 

I think we are all learning that approaching a situation with a little more love, a little more understanding and little more connection can make a world of difference. Let your child know you care for them by and while you are putting a boundary in place. Instead of “hey, sweetie don’t do that you silly goose” maybe saying “I can’t let you hit your friend” will deliver the kind of kind but firm message your child is shouting for. 

Time Worthy Reads: 

• “Why Montessori Teachers Don’t Use Time Outs” by Christina Clemer

https://www.mother.ly/child/the-montessori-way-to-get-your-child-to-behave

• “If Gentle Discipline Isn’t Working, This Might Be the Real Reason” by Janet Lansbury

https://www.janetlansbury.com/2012/10/if-gentle-discipline-isnt-working-this-might-be-the-reason/

• Negotiation Generation by Lynne Griffin, RN, Med

https://www.amazon.com/Negotiation-Generation-Parental-Authority-Punishment/dp/0425217019

What Will My Child Learn Their First Year?

This is such a popular question - parents want to know - what will my child learn their first year? While it is a question teachers get time and time again, it isn’t that easy to answer! Montessori supports a child as they are, as they grow, as they are developmentally ready - this sometimes, but doesn’t always, reflect an age. So, you see how answering this can be tricky! 

While exactly what a child learns their first year in Montessori Children’s House has such a huge range - I do have large, overarching goals for my first years. Here are a few and how we get there:

• Be excited to come to school each day. 

  • For the most part, we want your child to look forward to coming to their classrooms, to see their teachers and their friends. As always, there are days your child will be less than enthusiastic because of tiredness, illness or mood, but mostly - we are just trying to make a connection. 

    • How we get there: This is largely the job of classroom teachers - be available, but support independence. Set appropriate boundaries, but be flexible when is necessary. Enjoy the children. Prepare the environment - this is a reflection of you. 

    • What you can do at home: Try not to hype up school. Saying “it is going to be SO FUN!” can sometimes be a let down. Sure, most days it is! But some days, we need to feel sad, or we might feel like we have low energy. What we need to understand about children is that they don’t need everything to be fun - they need it to feel controlled, safe and nurturing - when they feel these things, fun can happen!

• Make a friend. 

  • During a child’s time in Children’s House - their social skills and social awareness is budding! We want to encourage healthy relationships during this time. 

    • How we get there: Sometimes our first year students aren’t quite ready to graduate from parallel play. That is okay - we are here to support their development! We do a lot of modeling. We facilitate partnered work. We give small group lessons and we have circle time to promote community. We give language to our little ones so that they can start adapting it as their own. 

    • What you can do at home: Typically my only “homework” for parents is play dates, play dates, play dates! It can promote a budding friendship - when children see a familiar face outside of class, they connect, and bring that friendship into the classroom. Sometimes meeting a friend at the playground just isn’t enough. Many times, at 3, 4 or 5 years old, what a child needs is a very organized, specific play date. “We are going to paint pottery with your friend, then eat a picnic lunch, then go home.” “We are going to plant flowers, eat lunch, then go home.” Sometimes little ones aren’t ready for free play with a friend - they can end up totally ignoring each other OR getting totally wild. 

• Complete and work cycle. 

  • What this means: Have interest in an activity, choose that activity, complete that activity and return it to the shelf when done. 

    • How we get there: We keep a close eye on our first year children so that we can catch them if they forget to tidy up, or if they cannot find something to do. We offer an abundance of lessons so that they feel comfortable choosing more and more work as each day goes by. We do a lot of modeling and a lot of role playing at circle time to reinforce these motions. 

    • What you can do at home: Practice multi-step directions with your child! You can start with something like “Can you bring me that spoon? (and have it be across the room.) When you feel like your child has mastered the single step verbal direction, add more to it. “Please throw this away and then bring me that bag.” “Please put this in the box, put this in the cup and bring me my water bottle.” Start slow and work your way up. This exercises their mind!

• Feel ownership of their classroom. 

  • Why is this important: This is the children’s house. Although teachers pour their hearts and souls into a classroom - we’ve made it for our whole community. It isn’t “my” classroom or “your” classroom, it is ours. We have tiny tables, short shelves, low hanging art and supplies accessible for a reason - this place is for you, for me and for anyone that enters our space. Please feel comfortable and own it!

    • How we get there: this comes natural in Montessori classrooms - everything a child needs to accomplish their day to day tasks is available to them. They feel comfortable quickly and realize this place is a child’s paradise!

    • What you can do at home: Give your child a space they can take charge of. Make their bedroom accessible to them - make beds low so they can get in and out on their own, store clothing in low bins or on low shelves. Curate shirts and pants so that they can choose their outfit themselves and no matter what they choose - it will work for the weather (because you’ve prepared what is appropriate). Leave a water dispenser on a low shelf with a cup that is your child’s. Let them be in charge of getting themselves a drink when their body feels thirsty. 

What about “academics”?

All of the above items set the stage for the academics that come with age and development. We are giving them organization, concentration, coordination and independence. With these skills, social awareness and emotional intelligence - academics come naturally. 

Tackling Boredom In The Classroom

Bored: feeling weary because one is unoccupied or lacks interest in one's current activity.

Three overarching jobs of a teacher, are surely, to keep students challenged, excited about coming to school and progressing in their learning. We assess (see February’s post) to see if children need a review and also to know when a child is ready for more. Teachers relentlessly record keep, observe and implement individualized learning plans - but sometimes, a child might say the oh so dreaded two words: “I’m bored.” It may be to mom and dad, their teacher or they might just appear bored.

While being in a Montessori classroom for the past decade, I’ve learned a few things about “boredom.” What appears as boredom can present in many different ways and is often actually not boredom at all, but a number of other things.

There is always wonderment in the simplest things.

Here are the three behaviors I see most often which can be construed as boredom:

• A child who refuses to do anything that is suggested by teacher or won’t/can’t find their own work.

• A child that “says they have done all the work in the classroom”.

• A child who is tired of the toys on the playground and is playing unsafely.

A child who refuses to do anything that is suggested by teacher or won’t/can’t find their own work

One might immediately interpret this as boredom, but I urge you to take a deeper look. In Montessori training, we are taught to first look at the environment (the classroom) and problem solve for that (if that doesn't work then we look at ourselves, THEN we look at the child). We as educators KNOW there are a multitude of things to do in the classroom, so there must be a roadblock for the child.

Does the child need more direct teaching lessons to broaden his scope? This is also a lesson on assessment.

• Take a morning to observe your children.

• Perhaps give the child a few new lessons each morning on different materials to expand his ideas.

Does the child need a guided planner or check list so that there is some outside force moving him through the day?

• Remember “freedom within limits”. That is at the core of Montessori classrooms, children have the freedom to choose any of the hundreds of things to do in a classroom, but maybe that is too many choices. How can we narrow it down for him, and still give him the opportunity to make a choice.

Are there too many options?

• Another way to work with a potentially overwhelmed-by-choice child is to take pictures of ten or so activities, place them in a basket and the child can choose one and then do that work. Thinking creatively about how to help a child make a choice can solve many roaming/indecision issues.

We all know about table scrubbing, but what about chair scrubbing, stool scrubbing? Floor scrubbing?!

A child that “says they have done all the work in the classroom”

We as teachers know this IS NOT true! Some Montessori teachers haven’t even done all the lessons in their teaching albums! The beauty of the Montessori curriculum is that yes, many of the same materials appear day after day and year after year, but there are sometimes dozens of ways to use the same tools. This is what keeps Montessori’s work timeless, ageless and almost never ending.

• Perhaps the child is ready for extensions for a material they’ve been working with.

• Maybe the child is ready for more collaborative work where they use the activity in a different way, with a friend.

• This child is stuck in a rut and needs to be taken out of it! Maybe if they are a child who is constantly attracted to the math area, some direct teaching across curriculum areas would help stimulate their curiosity again.

Sure, trucks are for driving - but they can also be a puzzle.

A child who is tired of the toys on the playground and is playing unsafely.

Children typically do not get bored of playing, so this one can be a huge challenge to teachers. Behavior is always a result of something much deeper and it is the adult’s job to problem solve for what is really at the core of the problem.

• Have they outgrown the play space? Is there an alternative playground geared more towards their physical and developmental level?

• Are there combinations of children who bring unwanted feelings to the “bored” child? Do they feel left out? Are they having a hard time forming friendships?

As you can see, what looks like boredom typically comes down to assessment. Assessment equals observation. Observation is at the core of Montessori teacher training. How can we learn anything about a person without sitting back and really watching that person? It gives us so many clues on how to problem solve the issue (in this case, boredom). There is always more to the challenge - children are tiny, complex humans with big feelings and a lot to say. Our jobs as the adults in their lives is to help them express their thoughts and needs and help them to move on their way. We are educating the WHOLE child and while tackling boredom might seem purely “academic” it is often times not that at all.

• Maybe a child is overwhelmed by choice.

• Maybe a child is feeling lonely and actually wants to learn how to do activities with others.

• Maybe they don’t know how to ask to work or play with others!

• Maybe a child needs more structure around choice making.

How does this translate to home?

1. Perhaps your decked out playroom has TOO many things, think about pairing down. Too many choices can often lead to no choice at all.

2. Maybe that lego set you purchased for your child is too overwhelming and he is “bored” of it. Never assume your child just knows how to do something - direct teaching needs to happen at home too.

3. It is raining, we can’t go outside, the car is in the shop, we can’t go do an activity. Cultivating a space for imaginative, alone play can be freeing to a parent and world changing for a child. Are there are few things that spark imagination that you can place in a quiet space? We call these “invitations to play.” The opportunities are endless.

Has boredom come up in your home or classroom? Have you gotten to the root of the problem? I’d love to hear if some cases are actually what would appear to us adults as true boredom or if it was more complicated than that.

Cultivating Motivation and Cooperation: Honesty, Respect, Facts and Positivity

Children are amazing. Each babble they say, each step they take, each physical or academic achievement they accomplish we want to throw them a celebration party! These little humans that we spend our days with are incredibly bright, charming and sweet - we want to give them the praise that they deserve, right? There was a huge movement in the 1980’s and 1990’s to boost self-confidence in children. You’ve all heard this before - each child got a trophy even if they barely played, everyone had sticker charts and all you heard when an adult interacted with a child was “good job.” As a result we have people who need constant praise from their spouse, their boss, their friends in order to keep going. Plus, we need to give constant praise to keep our children behaving well, don’t we? They need some sort of feedback! Giving praise is different from giving encouragement. Giving praise is different than setting boundaries. In Montessori, we want to cultivate a generation of self-sufficient, self-confident, intrinsically motivated individuals who are confident and secure enough to well.. not care what people think.

This child spilled the corn kernels and took it upon himself to clean it up. He didn’t come to anyone for help and didn’t show us that he had completed his goal. He felt proud for the rest of the day that he accomplished something very challenging!

The right kind of praise can result in better, clearer classroom management, a more peaceful and cooperative home life, and a child who works hard because it feels good, not because they are going to get a new set of legos (which, come on, they’ll get anyway.)

When you positively communicate, you not only can use these ideas to make a child feel good about their work, but can help to avoid day to day struggles.

Start noticing how many times a day you say “good job” to your child. What does it actually mean? I can tell you, it means nothing. Good job doing what? Did they even DO a good job? Perhaps not. I strongly believe that if you are going to suggest a person stop doing something then you need to offer an alternative (otherwise keep it to yourself!) - so here are some examples of what we can start saying to our children (and why):

• Utilize “YOU” statements, genuine praise is not about us, it is about the child.

• If a child brings a drawing to you to show you, instead of saying “Wow, good job!” you can say, “You are really working hard on your coloring.” or “You look happy with your work!” Again, the reason for this is we don’t want to encourage the idea that we have to like everything they do in order for it to be worthy.

• Some things don’t need a comment at all, feel free just to acknowledge a trivial accomplishment with a nod.

• A child asks “Do you like my dress?” This one can be tricky, you can reply with “Well, do YOU like it?” or you can note something about the dress while still making it about them and not you, “Sequins are so pretty!”

  • These circumstances are so difficult, because what is the harm in just saying, “Well, of course I do!”? They are yearning for your attention in some way, instead of giving them meaningless praise for just liking the outfit they’ve chosen for themselves today, perhaps spend some one on one time reading or drawing, or go on a walk together. A child wants time, not insignificant praise.

How can we celebrate our children and continue their natural urge to learn, succeed and be confident, constant learners?

There are four overarching goals when communicating, disciplining and connecting with our children:

1. Be honest

2. Be respectful

3. Be factual

4. Be positive

These four goals when setting boundaries and giving praise with our children are so important. Use positive language whenever possible and save those No’s for when its really important.

Example: Can I have more chips?” answer “Yes, when we buy more at the grocery store, lets write it on the list!” or “Yes, of course, after we take a bath.” or “Yes, after we have a nutritious dinner.” See how that takes the battle out of the conversation?

If you often find yourself having battles about similar things to this example and giving in by just saying “Okay fine!” after minutes of saying no - perhaps reflect on why you said no in the first place. Perhaps the answer could be yes to begin with.

A child holding up the control to admire her completed work. (I was in the right place at the right time!)

Tell me again what is wrong with praise?

• Praise results in the expectation for more praise (a praise junkie, if you will)

• Can be a magic wand for sure, but can quickly change to a weapon. Your “if you do this, then we can do that” reward language will inevitably change to “if you don’t do that, we are NOT doing this!” And that is not good for anyone. We are ALL the person who says “if you don’t start listening we’re not going to Disney World!” at one point or another, and guess what, we are still going to Disney World because the tickets have been bought and the hotel has been booked.

• Sticker charts, rewards - they’re just a bribe. When you bribe a child, it is a negotiation, which means at any point they can duck out - and they will.

• Saying “good job” doesn’t mean anything.

But, I don’t want to be that teacher/parent/sibling/friend that makes a person feel like I’ve never approved of them!

Give thanks, appreciation, say that you’re proud and that your child should feel proud. There are so many ways to express gratitude and pride, saying “good job” ain’t it.

*Thank you to Simone Davies and Marie Conti for hosting such wonderful, informative workshops at the AMS 2019 Conference. So much of the information in this post is a compilation of what they taught.

Reading Suggestions:

(Click on this - it’s a link!) Five Reasons To Stop Saying Good Job by Alfie Kohn

The Montessori Toddler by Simone Davies

This book is not only for parents of toddlers, it is filled with so much information that can be used to positively communicate with all people, regardless of age and how to set boundaries within limits for our little ones.

How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and How To Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish

Learning To Listen, Listening To Learn by Mary Renck Jalongo

Testing and Assessment in the Montessori Classroom

This rundown may be helpful to new Montessori teachers and parents.

One of the beautiful things about a Montessori education is that independent schools have the freedom to teach to the child, not to the test. We can see where each student is and direct their learning to their developmental level. A solid Montessori program should have goals or benchmarks (call them what you will) for a child at the end of each year. A child should hover above or below those standards. In Montessori, because of our mixed aged environments, use of the same materials through grade school and carefully trained teachers - if a child is behind or beyond (a moderate level) where we would expect them to be - we can easily support their learning. There is no “you cannot do that because you are only 3, or only 4, etc.”

When no test scores and no ranking percentages, levels or categories are sent home, parents can feel empowered by the idea that their child is learning, and being taught, exactly what they are ready for in that moment. But, some parents feel under informed and wonder what kind of education they are paying for. We, as educators, need to provide both the freedom to teach and learn as the child is ready AND give comprehensive, trackable data.

So, the question is - how do we test to make sure our students are meeting those benchmarks? DO WE? How do we assess their learning so that we are moving a child along at a steady pace - not pushing them too hard, but not letting them coast? The answer is: in many ways, each and every day. While researching this topic, a colleague of mine told me that he came to learn the root of the word assessment stems from “to sit beside.” So prevalent in Montessori, so lost in a lot of other environments.

We now know that assessment can be done in a child-friendly way and that it is extremely valuable and absolutely necessary for a child’s progress.

Formal assessments should have structure, provide guidance , standardization and comparison to others.

Informal assessments can modify, ask questions, give instruction and make changes.

There are screeners which help us locate a child on a continuum, look at specific activities and skills and are often given by teachers. Diagnostic Assessments can tell us why a child is struggling, what specifically they are struggling with, tell us how we can help and are most often given by a specialist. Program Evaluations are given to all children or small groups. Data is gathered from across the whole school. This helps the school evaluate the program’s success and identify strengths and weaknesses.

We, as educators should of course be observing, but data driven assessments are crucial to make sure we are giving our students what they need. There are wonderful tools called “temperature takers.”

TROLL is a great temperature taker. It is actually done without the child, bases on the teacher’s observations, but is a way to methodically analyze and track what is going on.

In Kindergarten, you can use a “retelling” as a temperature taker. A teacher can see if a child can stick to the story, uses words like first, next, then and shows understanding of cause and effect.

DIBELS is a very popular assessment tool right now. It is a screener, it can be a progress monitoring tool and is easy and quick to administer and is often given by teachers.

Here are five ways we can informally assess students in the classroom to make sure they are appropriately placed and moving at a level that is *appropriate for the individual. Based on some of these observations you may want to implement an assessment like DIBELS.

(1) Daily: Each day teachers are giving one on one or small group lessons to students. In Montessori, the first lesson is always modeled by the teacher, a child is then asked to perform the entire lesson or part of it. The teacher observes without interfering to see what the child has absorbed. If the child is struggling, the teacher knows she needs to re-present the lesson and try again (depending on what it is, this would happen either immediately or the following day). If the child can move through the motions, but doesn’t get the “correct” answer, the teacher has been there to observe just went wrong. The next day, the child will be asked to perform this task again. Observation is a huge part of how we assess children. We give them a lesson, we watch to see if they get it. If they do, we move on to the next thing, if they don’t, we repeat until they master it.

(2) Monthly: Some things can only be assessed over a greater amount of time. For example, it is sometimes difficult to see reading improvement on the daily level, but on a monthly level, it becomes much more transparent. Teachers keep records of what they are working on with a child (letter sounds, beginning blends, short or long vowels), which books they are reading and what they are asking children to write about. By looking at a book we read in the beginning of the month compared to what book we are reading at the end - it is easy to see the growth (or lack of) based on those records. Also, the books we read at school are not your typical books - they are highly geared toward direct teaching and skill building, which allows us to assess skills even more easily.

(3) By Semester: Reports typically go out twice a year. These reports show what over arching skills and lessons children have received, are currently working on or have completely mastered.

(4) By Year: Teachers have benchmarks based on general developmental and academic readiness for a particular age group. We of course do not wait until May to see if a child is where they are expected to be. On-going assessment that we are doing daily (see 1) and monthly (see 2) and by semester (see 3) informs us along our way. We use our yearly benchmarks as goals to aim for. As educators, we have all gone through extensive training on how to teach young children, we don’t guess what comes next, we have a path of learning in every curriculum area that we keep your child on.

(5) By Cycle: The end of each three year cycle is a huge transition for a student. Kindergarteners move to Elementary school, third graders move to Upper Elementary and sixth graders move on to Middle School. Educators do not take those transitions lightly. By now, you can see the pattern of assessment. Though there are no “formal” tests students are asked to do - they are constantly being tested. They pass or fail the test every time we ask them to perform the lesson that we taught them. Instead of writing an F on a child’s paper though, we simply teach it again. What a thought.

*appropriate looks different for every child. Some children do need to be ever so slightly pushed in order to keep moving. Some children retreat when pushed. When a Montessori teacher is educating the “whole child” we notice qualities like this and adjust our teaching.

How To Bring Your Child's Independence Home

In your child’s Montessori school, you probably hear how teachers’ “foster indpendendence” and your child is changing shoes, hanging up coats, unpacking their back pack and doing all these amazing things for themselves. They are setting their place at the lunch table, laying out their food, placing their napkins on their laps and eating their meals without being asked to!

The question is: Why aren’t they doing that at home?!

Parents, you really have to give yourself a break. Your job is hard. You can’t do everything. If your child is alive and some what happy at the end of each day, you’re doin’ it. BUT, if you feel like you’re looking for more concrete ways to “foster that independence” at home, I have a few things you can try. Now, when I say try, I mean: put into place, explain explicitly to your child what is happening, show them how to do it and then require that they do this thing day in and day out. It must become a routine. It requires diligence and follow through and consistency. It’s hard to establish things like this with young children, but it certainly can be done.

Here are 6 things your child is doing at school that can be translated to home:

A child folding her clothes.

Getting Dressed

If a child has a spill, a (mild) bathroom accident or gets dirty on the playground, it is their responsibility to change their clothes. They have an extra clothing bag on their hook, it is accessible to them and they know they have the power to utilize what is inside. A teacher might give them a plastic bag to put soiled clothes into, but other than that, a child takes care of business themselves. They can get themselves dressed at home as well. At school, just as if we were giving a math lesson, we explain and show things to a child. We never just throw them in the bathroom with a pile of clothes and let them to it! The first time it happens we carefully show them exactly what to do so they can apply that the next time. They can do this at home too!

Option A: I’m all about letting a child choose their own clothes, but, if you have a child who has trouble getting moving, making choices and managing their time (which is most!) - this isn’t the time to use fashion as self-expression. Just like your mother did for you when you were a child: lay out your child’s clothes the night before. There is no choice, just put this on, and go with it.

Option B: If you have a child who CAN make choices and feels strongly about the option to choose their clothing - think capsule wardrobe. Have a low closet bar with 5 pairs of pants, 5 shirts and 5 dresses (one for each day of the “work” week). Undies in an open basket on the floor of the closet and socks next to them. Dressers or drawers can be used for pajamas or other miscellaneous clothing. Perhaps setting a 15 minute timer when it is time to get dressed can help a child make quicker choices, let them know if they cannot get it done during that amount of time, the choice will be made for them (revert to Option A procedure).

Children’s “landing stations” in the background.

Leaving the House/Entering the House

At school, every morning, your child comes into the classroom, hangs up their coat, changes shoes and unloads their backpack. Every day. No exceptions. They don’t do anything else first, we intentionally put the hooks right next to the entrance so they organically flow into this space. It is not a choice, but it also doesn’t have to be. It is just what we do! We need to keep the floors clean, so we change shoes, we would be too hot if we kept our coats on, so we hang them up, and we never leave anything on the floor because someone will definitely step on it. You can recreate this at home.

Have a landing station near the door you most frequently leave and arrive through. Keep it clean, keep it simple. Two low hooks for your child’s coat and one for their back pack. A small tray or basket on the floor for their shoes. Speaking of shoes, perhaps two seasonal choices: sneakers or boots for the winter (not their entire footwear collection). This is when your child takes their lunchbox out and puts in the kitchen or if that is more than you can organize, that can be your job each day when you arrive home. We create landing stations for ourselves - our children need them too. I don’t mean that you should make mini Montessori classrooms all over your house, and I am a huge advocate of keeping your house YOUR house (not toys or child geared things in EVERY room). But, this is a vital part of keeping you and your child’s day organized and having two low hung hooks is not a huge ask.

Independence can’t just happen in the classroom.

Arriving at School

This section is simple. Since everything is neatly packed in the backpack from the landing station, when your child gets out of the car, they bring their back pack with them (which is placed perhaps on the floor near their feet). They carry it in on their back, you do not carry it for them and then pack it onto their back just before they enter the threshold of the classroom. The door way before does not mean “Mom and Dad do everything for you” and when they step through it “You do everything for yourself.” There must be consistency. Don’t let your child fool you into thinking they become a rag doll that needs help doing everything once they leave school! They’re smart like that.

A child gets himself set up for lunch.

Meal Time

Another simple one. Your young child does not need to help prepare dinner (unless that is something you want to facilitate) or even set the entire table. But, they could have one small responsibly: set forks out for everyone perhaps. As this becomes routine, add to their job. This simple act is about making family dinner a community time. Perhaps Mom shops, Dad cooks, child puts the forks out. We all play a role in our family and we are all important.

Children fold the classroom laundry.

Cleaning Up

Let’s all Marie Kondo our playrooms, living rooms, bedrooms. Your child will never clean up if their toy storage is three bottomless bins filled with tiny plastic pieces. We can’t clean that up either, organizing all those little pieces and putting them in their proper places? No way. Pair down. Maybe your child has ten very interesting toys. Maybe when they grow tired of these you pack them into the hallway closet and you take out ten different ones while they are at school or asleep or getting a bath. Perhaps there are 10 clear boxes without lids that each toy goes into. This is something that you have to be thoughtful about. More toys does not mean your child will play with them more or be more independent because there is so much to do! It is actually quite the opposite for the majority of children. Pair down. Offer books. Offer imaginative play props. The things your child can do with paper towel rolls is far beyond what your child can do with a lot of toys on the market. There are no right or wrong toys, but you can never go wrong with manipulatives and imaginative props. Less IS more.

Our classes visual schedule.

Bed Time

A visual schedule can work wonders for a lot of children. Having a visual cue of exactly what will happen can take the negotiation out of the day very easily for many. Take a few minutes to draw a picture and label with a word each step of the bedtime routine you enjoy the most for your life. Perhaps: bath, teeth, story, song could be one example. I like having these on separate cards so that for any reason, if one night there is no bath, you simply take it off the schedule and it is accepted. This is something we do at school each day and it cuts down on any confusion, sets the expectation and limits negotiation attempts.

I hope some of these ideas are helpful - please feel free to add to the ideas in the comments or let me know if you'll be trying something new!

Another Year of the Same? What the Three Year Cycle Actually Means

We’ve rounded the corner of the school year now, entering the second half - our students have grown inches over winter break, everyone seems so much older, almost ready for their next step. So many parents are wondering if they should sign up for their town’s public school lottery (they really have a way of scaring you into “getting in” at Kindergarten), or if they should continue on with Montessori and the school they (we hope!) and their child (we know!) love so much.

I’m not going to get into the monetary cost, or the “if I don’t transition them now they won’t have friends”, or the “my kid just wants to take the bus to school!” stuff, I’m just going to cover the things that I know to be true - why Montessori schools put so much emphasis on the three year cycle. Here is a collection of very important, very relevant wonderings of some of my children’s parents in the past decade I’ve been in the classroom. These apply directly to the classroom and are questions I can confidently answer about your child’s Montessori experience.

• How does it work? The activities in the classroom are the same year after year - the teacher is the same so I assume their curriculum is the same. Won’t my child be bored? They’ve been doing work with those colored beads since they were three, isn’t it time they moved on to something else? They’ve poured and scooped and sifted and stirred for the past two years, why do they want to do it for another year?

  • There are surely elements to the Montessori classroom that remain the same year after year, but there is a lot that does not. Teachers change, rotate, think of new ideas in all areas of the room, but especially Practical Life, Science, Geography and Art. Teachers are always coming up with exciting new ways to teach the same idea - so much of your child’s classroom is in the hands of your teacher and her personality. But, going back to the things that remain the same, here is a simple example of how a child benefits from the same thing for three years, The Bead Stair.

    • A Three Year Old using The Bead Stair: matching written numerals to corresponding quantity, putting a 2 bar with a 3 bar and counting the answer (the first step in learning about addition), making the actual stair - starting with the smallest bar and working down to the largest to make the triangle shape.

    • A Four Year Old using The Bead Stair: using The Bead Stair to learn the addends of 10, learn the idea of exchanging through games like The Snake Game, which is a way of organizing the beads, holding places and exchanging all numbers that add up to tens for a new golden ten bar, using the squaring chains - being able to count each tiny bead consecutively and labeling numbers with tickets so as to represent a “squared number.”

    • A Five Year Old using The Bead Stair: perhaps for multiplication - 7x4 would be a white bead bar, 4 times, count up the beads to find the answer. Kindergarteners use multiplication this way to learn what we would traditionally call “times tables.” A five year old will also have moved on the to cubing chains, much like the squaring chains, only they involve higher counting, represent a cubed number and a much larger investment of time and perseverance.

• I’m afraid my child’s behavior will regress, I’ve seen them around younger children and they start to act like younger children! My child rises up when they are with children of the same age and they act more mature. Why would I want my 5 year old Kindergartener in a class with three year olds?

  • Your child is different at school. I know it sounds crazy, but its actually true. We don’t see behavior regression, we see the exact opposite. We see children who want to be role models, be mature and efficient, to be helpers, who strive to get to the next level because they see “the big kids” in the hallway. I would say 9.5 times out of 10 this is true. If this is not the case with your child, your teacher should inform you of this challenge so that you can work together to find the best plan of action.

• I know my child knows many of these lessons and will become a role model in the classroom and will be giving lessons to younger children, but that is benefiting someone else’s child, not mine, right?

  • Parents love the idea of having a confident, capable, independent child, but sometimes we think our child is “there” and just doesn’t need another year to experience that. I would beg to differ. Your child has been watching those third year students for basically their entire academic career. Even if they are already a confident, happy kid, we want to allow them to see that dream through. Studies have shown that when two children are together and one is teaching the other - the child who is benefitting the most from that interaction is the teaching child, not the receiving child. Knowing that you have the power to direct, teach, influence and get your message across clearly to another human does wonders for a person of any age - we want to give that to your child.

• You’ve given my child such a good foundation these past two years, I feel like they are ready for public school, they know all they need to know and will be ahead of my town’s program.

  • This is one of those comments that as a teacher makes you feel really great, but also… we want your child to stay! We are so happy we are giving your child a great foundation, and that, will never change, but we’ve been building their foundation for life.. not for Kindergarten. School doesn’t start at Kindergarten. This is an arbitrary idea that someone along the way made up - school starts the day your child is born. We aren’t giving a foundation for Kindergarten, we are teaching them important things, at their pace, with our encouragement and we will never ask your child to wait or to catch up based on other children’s learning. If your child loves school - that is the greatest gift you can give them. Keeping your child at a place they love, where they feel loved, where they feel challenged and exciting is a gift of life long learning.

Some of our Kindergarten crew bonding in the afternoon.

I know there are many other reasons a family might wonder about where to send their child for Kindergarten, I can’t begin to talk my way through everything, but I felt like these four things come up time and time again, so I wanted to touch on them. Please feel free to comment below if you’re wondering about anything else!

Hand work and Young Children

While I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts, “Love To Sew”, on my way to school this morning, I began reflecting on my hand work journey. I remember sewing with my mom and my grandmother on an old drop down sewing machine when I was small. I remember begging my mom to sign me up for an after school sewing class (she did), I always ran to the “craft” class sign up sheet at sleep away camp and you bet I chose Home Ec for my middle school elective. I was/am a kid who always was making something, thinking of something to make or bugging my mom to help me make something. She always obliged. Just one reason why I love being a Montessori teacher is that I can encourage and cultivate that same natural childhood need in my own classroom.

A child sews a running stitch to make a blanket for her bunny.

Something that I know for sure, is that children love to make stuff. At school, we learn how to thread a needle, sew a button, embroider, knit, weave, felt. We transform one thing to another and there is incredible value in that.

Paper weaving is a great way to introduce the idea.

I’m really looking forward to attending this years AMS Conference in DC because Sunday morning there is a sewing workshop!!! I feel like I have a good grasp on my sewing curriculum but there is ALWAYS other new ideas to choose from. I haven’t looked at the rest of the schedule yet but I can’t wait for that final morning to come! (Who else is going?!)

How to start a sewing shelf in your classroom (or your home):

1. Give a lesson on needles. They are sharp, we never poke ourselves or others and we always take care to know where they are. Place a pin cushion, a large eyed needle and some threat in a basket. Start with the first step: needle threading.

2. Button sewing is a great first step, you’ll be surprised how fast children learn this when given a very straightforward lesson. Find some thick sewing thread to make threading a slightly smaller eyed needle easier. You may have to tie the not yourself for a few days, but always be very deliberate in how you do it: make a circle, pull the end through the circle.

3. “Embroidering” plastic gridded bookmarks are a great introduction to embroidering on fabric. You can find these plastic grids in the embroidery aisle at any craft store. I always teach children to cut the thread from their shoulder to their hand.

4. Draw dashed lines with sharpies on burlap. This is a great first fabric for embroidery because children can see through the fabric, making sticking the needle up from the back a little more accurate.

A Montessori Language Overview

There are so many different reading/writing/phonics programs out there these days, undoubtedly they all work. As an educational industry, we have pretty much figured out how to teach children how to read. Montessori education and especially the Montessori Language program use those essential keys (and always have) to teach a student the fundamentals of literacy. What do parents and teachers want to do for their children? Across the board, it seems to be - make it easier. How can LIFE be easier for my child? How can school be easier for my child? How can it all be easier for me!? The way Language is represented in the Montessori classroom makes.it.easier.

The Language Curriculum is of course, linear, but is also completely flexible. We start with the basics and move along, but often find ourselves reviewing and going back, skipping ahead and adding new things in. This is why we as Montessori educators are always saying, "Well, we follow the child." That doesn't mean we follow the child to the block shelf all day long each day of the year. We follow the child based on that child's specific developmental ability, attention span, interest and capability.

With a child starting from the very beginning - it could look a little like this:

sequencing, matching, story-telling

sound games, rhyming

letter recognition, sound blending

pencil grip, shape formation, letter formation

trick words, reading a sentence

phonetic spelling (word) phonetic spelling (sentence)

It goes on from there - these "simple" sounding things can take years, to be specific - the three year cycle in which most Montessori classrooms function. Sometimes it takes less, sometimes more. Something important that can sometimes be overlooked, though, is the importance of every material in the classroom. Pin punching snowflakes develops that concentration and pincer grip needed to read and write. Building the Cube of the Trinomial calls upon outside of the box thinking (reading comprehension, layers of a story), tracing Metal Insets and drawing develops the hand motions needed to write the letters of the alphabet, table scrubbing forces children to practice an activity from left to right and prepares the brain for reading.

Pretend Play in the Montessori Classroom

Pretend Play and use of the imagination is noted as such an important role in the Early Childhood world, but not so much in Montessori. In my classroom, instead of thinking witches, wizards and monsters - think Veterinarian, family, school. Pretend Play can be a bit controversial in the Montessori world - as the activities and foundation of the classroom are rooted in reality with concrete, purposeful work. I am completely on board with that, but, many children have imaginations that grow on their own - it is just within them. They can take those concrete, real, purposeful activities and transform them into something very imaginative - being a child who was like this myself, I want to nurture this if it can be nurtured.

In a Montessori classroom, we encourage and facilitate and sometimes even "set-up" activities that call to children's imaginations, but, the difference here is that they based in reality. During the 3-6 years children are still developing, they are still afraid of the dark, can be frightened of the villains in movies - and because of this, its often not helpful for us to feed their imaginations in these ways. Are they real? No, they're just pretend. But, at this age, children are not sure of that yet.

That is why in a Montessori School, everything is as it is - you can wash dishes, scrub tables, you can put on a baby sling to hold a baby doll, you can look at insects through magnifying glasses. Children don't have to guess about if these things are real, because they ARE real - they see it! And pretend play that is based in reality won't haunt your dreams at night.

Children all have imaginations and a lot will let their minds take them on adventures. It happens all on its own. Children will pretend to play family while washing our snack plates. We have baby dolls to care for and love - but they are there in order to stand in for a real baby, like in baby-wearing or baby-washing, we have a housekeeping section of the room which we refer to as Practical Life. At first glance, we could consider this whole area “Pretend Play.” Under closer examination though, the tasks are real, the pretend part comes from the child, and that is just the way we want it.

The Spring Tea: The Final Exam

I LOVE Spring Tea time. Not every class does a Spring Tea - but we all practice the same skills in order to execute one. I love doing the Tea because it acts as many things - a way to invite parents, grandparents or special friends into our classroom in an alternative situation rather than "watch me work", a way for children to show off their "I did it myself" skills, their capability for grace and courtesy and it truly boosts their sense of pride.

Throughout the year we practice Food Preparation skills - cutting, chopping, peeling, spreading so that when it is time to make all the food, the children are fully prepared.

We receive lessons on Grace and Courtesy so that children know how to carry chairs, tuck in chairs, say please and thank you, to help others before they help themselves, so that it is natural for the children to do so when it is time for the Tea.

We practice getting our own work ready, cleaning up our own things and preparing the classroom for the next day, so that when it is time to get ready for this big event - it isn't a huge chore.

I just about calling the Spring Tea the "Montessori Final Exam" because it is truly the culmination of a year's worth of work!

Ground Rules in the Montessori Classroom

September is an incredibly exciting time for teachers! Our hard work in August of thinking up new ideas, rearranging the classroom and sorting through new treasures we’ve collected over the summer has paid off. The children are curious about new activities, happy to see their friends and so ready to learn new things.

We really allow the children to reconnect with their classmates and their teachers during the first few days of school. We see them pouring and scooping beans over conversation and sitting in the library looking at books with friends. It is such an important part of feeling good about coming to school - feeling successful socially. For students entering for the first time, we set them up with partners, we work with them one on one and we encourage connections with older friends who can serve as role models for them.

This year, I actually wrote a book about Ground Rules. It is specialized to our classroom - The Magnolia Class. And establishes, highlights, and reminds children of the basic routines and rituals of our day. Establishing Ground Rules during the first few weeks of school is vital to the rest of the year. Children become quickly accustomed to the routine of tucking in their chairs (so no one trips), rolling up their work rugs (to free up space), getting their work ready for the next friend (so each child can learn rightfully), and working peacefully with others using conversation and sometimes The Peace Rose (in order to nourish those budding social skills).

All these things must happen in order to begin learning. A child cannot learn without knowing they have friends to play with outside, they cannot learn if they do not have a bond with their teacher, they cannot learn if the materials are not in order and they cannot learn if obstacles are in their way - all these things are the work of the teacher to instill and the job of a child to apply. It is amazing how quickly children pick up on these ground rules and therefore learning ends up beginning quite fast!

The Movable Alphabet and Tips for Supporting Your Child's Learning At Home

The Movable Alphabet. This material is truly beautiful, serves many purposes, exercises a lot of skills and can aid in reading and writing in so many ways. 

We first introduce The Movable Alphabet by just showing a child how lovely it is, how each letter has its own box, vowels are blue and consonants are pink (some models vary slightly between pink and blue and red and blue). The introductory lesson always includes tidying up each section and making sure all the letter cutouts are stacked nicely. 

Phonetic writing with a tabletop Movable Alphabet.

Typically some beginning sounds are s, m, t, p and a. This combination of sounds are great to introduce first because they can form many C-V-C (consonant - vowel - consonant) words which can be sounded out and read by young children. When a child has a firm grasp on these sounds, we can take out The Movable Alphabet (TMA) to introduce "sound families." One sound family is the “-at” family. A teacher may take out one “a” and one “t” to form “at”. We may then take out s and make the word sat. We can say the sounds of these letters, blend them together and try to hear the full word in our sounds. We can swap an s for p and get “pat.” We can swap p for m and read “mat.” and so on and so forth. A child sees that so many words can be formed with these few letters - and they can begin to read! 

A child reenacting a story book.

Something lovely about TMA is that it allows the child JUST to think about the sounds of a letter. We aren’t asking them to combine skills and worry about writing the letters with pencil and paper as well. With that said, we may ask a child to record their “writing” with TMA when they are ready for that next step. Isolating these skills is also why we may ask a child to answer a question we ask with TMA - they can think of what they want to say, try to find the sounds, write them with TMA - one thing they don’t have to do is remember how to hold their pencil, form their letters, worry about line placement - that can be saved for a different lesson! Sometimes we don’t realize how much we ask of a child - in the Montessori classroom, we try to break it down skill by skill until they’ve mastered each thing - then we can have them combine these skills. 

Using letter stones, stamps and paper visuals to reinforce letter formation.

Many Montessori children find they are able to “write” with TMA before they can read (or so they think!). Hearing sounds within a word, breaking them down and writing with TMA gives them the skills to read before they even realize they can! It’s kind of an amazing thing to see happen when you allow a child to learn in this way. 

Developing hand strength through non-letter writing exercises.

Parents always want to know:  “What can we do at home?” “How can we support our child’s learning at home?” 

Unless your child’s teacher suggests something, the answer is: whatever you are already currently doing! Parents don’t give themselves enough credit! Your child is learning from you and your life at home so much more than you may think. BUT, if your child is yearning for more Language activities at home - here are some suggestions:

To support hand strength:

• Finger painting with water on a chalkboard

• Using fat dry erase markers

• Drawing with fat sidewalk chalk or egg shaped chalk

• Using clothespins

• Scissor cutting

• Working with playdough or clay

To support sound recognition:

• Play games at dinner - “I spy with my little eye something that starts with the sound sss.” (answer: sssspaghetti!)

• In normal conversation: “Bobby is coming over to play! Oh Bobby starts with the sound b (say the sound but try not to say “buh” try to make a flat b sound) what else starts with that sound?”

• Play rhyming games

To support reading of the CVC word:

• Write down “secrets” on pieces of paper and ask your child to “read your mind.” Words such as mat, pat, sat, cat (after you know they know these sounds).

• Go to your local library and ask your librarian for phonetically controlled texts. These books will be sure to only include CVC and beginning trick words. Beware! Many times “Early Reader” books from the store aren’t truly appropriate for early readers.

To support reading of the sentence:

• Give your child a special Journal or Sketchbook (unlined) that they can write words or start to write sentences in. Encourage your child to hear the sounds in a word (elephant may look like elifunt). Phonetic writing is a crucial step in your child’s reading journey! As your child’s sound library grows, their spelling will improve.

To support the love and appreciation of the written word:

• trips to the library!

• story time

• read (at least) one book to your child each day

• have your child's "go to" activity be a small at-home library with a curated shelf of books instead of screen time. Rotate the books weekly to keep them interested!

The Bead Cabinet and How to Grow Your Child's Number Sense At Home

The Bead Cabinet is definitely one of the most beautiful visuals in the Montessori Classroom! The colors, how the hanging chains stop just before their shorter, laying down partner begins right at the edge of the shelf, the perfectly color coordinated ticket boxes, the squares, the cubes, the shimmer, the shine! Not only are we as adults entranced by this cabinet, but children are as well.

Don't be fooled, this is certainly part of the charm of a Montessori Classroom - and its done on purpose. We want to be a part of things that are beautiful, thought out, intentional and orderly. This perfectly describes our environments at school. So many parents enter our classrooms for the first time and talk bout how their child "doesn't like math." I've heard this SO many times, only to have that exact child come into school and devour math lessons.

Children don't decide they "don't like math" or "aren't good at math" - the way they are learning it, or attempting to learn it - tells them these negative ideas. I've never had a child tell me they don't understand a number skill I am teaching them. Sure, they may not master it on the first try, or the fifth, but they understand the lesson because they can touch it, see it and feel it. They don't have to trust me that 1 is smaller than 1000 because they SEE it. They see that tiny golden unit bead and then they see the big 1000 cube that houses that many unit beads. The math materials just.make.sense! Like I always say, I can go on and on about how wonderful the Montessori Math Curriculum is, but let's just focus on one component: The Bead Cabinet.

The Bead Cabinet allows a child to exercise linear counting, number recognition, skip counting, pencil and paper recording, squaring and cubing and of course - grace and courtesy and care of the environment.

Linear Counting:A child touches each bead while they count aloud in numerical order.

Number Recognition:A child must stop at the end of each segment to look for and identify the coordinating number ticket in order to label where they are in the chain. 

Skip Counting and Multiplication:After a child has counted all the way through a chain, they see the numbers printed on the tickets they have placed and notice that they are all "x" numbers apart (5, 10, 15, 20, etc.). When a child begins formal multiplication lessons, they will see that all the numbers they learned to skip count are their multiplication answers!

Pencil and Paper Recording:This is not always done, but if a child wishes or if a teacher feels they are ready for this next step - a child will record the numbers from their tickets. This practices number formation and reinforces the skip counted numbers. 

Squaring: Yes! A child sees that when a short chain is zig-zagged up, it creates a square: hence the square number.

Cubing:Same goes for cubed numbers, the child knows that a certain number of squares (depending on which number chain they are doing) add up to make a cube. This is all VISUAL, they don't just have to take our word for it. 

Grace & Courtesy and Care of the Environment:These are two fundamental areas in the Montessori Curriculum. The Bead Chains can be big activities that take space and time. Children must be aware of their classroom and where they can lay such a big work out. Sometimes carrying a long cubing chain is too much for one person and will ask a friend for help tidying up. 

We all want this future generation to be good at math - that is a given. But what does that mean? We all (mostly!) agree that we never used that Algebra from 7th grade in the real world (or have we??), but - its important to have good number SENSE. So how can we promote this at home for our children? Here are some easy tips and tricks to empower your child with number knowledge in their day to day lives:

Tips and Tricks for Fostering A Strong Number Sense At Home:

Count Everything!

Count socks, cereal, chairs at the dinner table. When they're old enough ask them to count how many seltzer cans you're putting into the fridge or how many toothbrushes you need to buy at the store. Don't make it a THING, just make it part of life. This is one of the first and easiest activities to do at home with your child from birth. Make numbers accessible and easy and part of your day.

Teach Them About Money and Spending

I understand the idea of protecting your child against consumerism and money worries, of course. But, life is life and sometimes we need to purchase things. Teaching your child the value of a dollar (literally - show them 100 pennies, 10 dimes, 4 quarters, etc.) at a young age sets the stage for a responsible financial future. Tell them how much a gallon of milk costs and before you run to the store, teach them how to count out the money. Keep it simple - for one thing, not the whole grocery budget! Children are people and people should know how much things cost and how people get to buy such things. And kids love money!!

Use Rich Language

In Montessori School, we use words like ellipse and rectangular prism - when you are at home, say things like "add a chair to the table" or "subtract a cookie from your plate", "we need to divide these cupcakes into two boxes" so that they understand the idea of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division before they even see a math equation.

I hope you can look at our famous Bead Cabinet in a new light now - not JUST one of beauty, but one of information, logic and enriching information!

Sleep and a Successful Child

Sleep. Not something that comes up super often when talking academics with your child’s teacher! But, sleep, especially during the ages your child is in Children’s House - effects more than you think. This post can go in so many directions: co-sleeping, sleep training, naps, bedtimes, wake ups, routines, routines, routines. Please remember that this is slightly skewed in the direction of a Montessori teacher who is with your child each day but NOT at home with them! But, I will say, before I became a teacher, I was a babysitter, a nanny, a night nurse, a sleep trainer (at night and naptime), so, not for nothin’, but I have a little bit of knowledge on this topic!

A child needs to have a routine. A child who pushes against routines is a child who needs firmer boundaries and smaller fences. This can be applied to SO many areas, but particularly sleep. A routine doesn’t need to start an hour before tuck in. You do NOT need to tie reading books in bed to a nighttime ritual. Reading to your child can and should be done at all times of day, not to be used as a tool for your child to stay up later. Whatever the routine you establish - make one that works for you and your family, whether it be an hour, or 10 minutes, consistency is key. My favorite routine is bath time, brush your teeth, sing a song and say goodnight. Short and sweet and no negotiating. 

 If your child wakes up before the sun comes up, we automatically think: I’ll put them to bed later! They’ll sleep later. If that has EVER worked for you, please email me. Studies actually show that this almost never is the case, and in fact, the opposite is true. If your child is waking up at 5 am, scoot their bedtime 30 minutes to an hour earlier. It allows their system to relax more, get into that deep sleep and fit in a full night of rest. 

In the Montessori classroom, we supply a child with everything they need to be autonomous and independent. This can carry over in a home environment. There are alarm clocks that glow green when it is an acceptable time to get out of bed. You can establish that the rule in your home is they cannot get out of bed/or leave their room until a parent comes for them, BUT, they can look at books or play with quiet toys if they wake up early. If rules and routines are made clear and are consistent, children most often abide by them. 

 Nap time is so important. Children should be napping until the age of 4/4.5 (approximately). They need that midday reset to keep going and regain their energy. Skipping naps most often ends in disaster! When your child shows signs of growing out of their nap you can still keep that quiet time by offering a special bin of books just for rest time (so these books remain special). You can try setting a timer for 30-45 minutes, or let your child know you will come get them from their room when rest time is over. Time for your child to be away from you and time away from your child is healthy. 

 Typically, children who are in their first year of Children’s House must take a nap (ideally in a specific nap room). They make their beds, listen to calming music and soothe themselves to sleep. When your child is in their second or third year of Children’s House, they may have a quiet “Rest and Read” time in the classroom. They look at books, and some still fall asleep! 

Sometimes, we want to be “fun”, we want to “break the rules” and stay up late, or let a child sleep in our bed, or read one more book, watch one more show, etc. etc. As adults, we are all so reflective on our sleep, we’re tired, we had to wake up too early, we had too much to do for the hours in a day - remember - those things apply to children too! Children are not endless bundles of energy that we have to “run until tired.” They are little adults, they need rest and relaxation to fuel their days, they need to know what it feels like to be at peace, be quiet, so that they can access that feeling and mentality when needed. Some children/people have different inner clocks than others, they may be a natural night owl or a natural morning riser, but, as Montessori parents, we can give them the tools and strategies they need to find peace within themselves. 

Take Aways: What Can I Do At Home?

*Make a visual schedule and implement a no-negotiation bedtime routine.

*Stick to that!

*Implement a quiet time (after lunch is usually a good time) where you and your child can be alone, separately.

*Use timers, child-friendly alarm clocks, a special book of bins (which you rotate), or books on cd to facilitate quiet time.

*Weighted blankets can work miracles.