Baking bread is a well-loved activity in the Montessori environment that provides children with an enjoyable hands-on experience along with some valuable learning opportunities. When children bake bread together, they practice math skills, such as measuring and estimating, and develop practical life skills such as mixing, kneading, and following a recipe. In addition, the teacher can use the activity as an opportunity to introduce topics related to cosmic education and cultural geography. Baking bread is a powerful tool that can help children learn about the world around them while also devel ..read more

This system in which a child is constantly moving objects with his hands and actively exercising his senses, also takes into account a child’s special aptitude for mathematics. When they leave the material, the children very easily reach the point where they wish to write out the operation. They thus carry out an abstract mental operation and acquire a kind of natural and spontaneous inclination for mental calculations. —Maria Montessori The Discovery of the Child, p. 279. In Montessori education, the practice of learning through hands-on experiences and concrete materials holds great signif ..read more

If you consider this absorbent mind in relation to language, you will understand how necessary it is to put a small child among people who speak well and correctly, and who talk a great deal. —Maria Montessori The 1946 London Lectures, p. 66. In the Montessori environment, communication is a fundamental component of establishing a nurturing and respectful relationship between adults and young children. By employing effective communication techniques, parents and teachers can create an enriching environment that promotes the development of language skills, independence, and mutual respect. In ..read more

Pink Tower The discussion between memorization and learning is an ongoing topic amongst elementary Montessori teachers. There is a striking difference between these two approaches to learning. While memorization may have its merits in certain contexts, true learning is best fostered through hands-on experiences and the utilization of Montessori materials. Hands-on Montessori materials facilitate a deeper understanding of concepts that move beyond mere memorization.Engaging the Senses One of the fundamental principles of the Montessori approach is to engage the senses in the learning p ..read more

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So there are two plans: one is to disseminate knowledge, to follow a syllabus. The other is to look to the life of man and serve it, and in serving it, help humanity. —Maria Montessori The 1946 London Lectures, p. 31. The Montessori philosophy has garnered significant attention for its emphasis on child-centered learning and the philosophy of “follow the child.” NAMC students learn about "following the child" in all four of our diploma programs when they study NAMC's Montessori Classroom Guide. Montessori schools provide a unique environment to implement this philosophy. But what about Monte ..read more

So there are two plans: one is to disseminate knowledge, to follow a syllabus. The other is to look to the life of man and serve it, and in serving it, help humanity. —Maria Montessori The 1946 London Lectures, p. 31. For Montessori teachers, the summer break is not only a time to relax but also a time to reflect on and plan for the upcoming school year. Planning in the Montessori environment is very different than in the conventional school environment. In the traditional setting, the teacher gives knowledge and students passively sit and absorb it, regardless of love, passion, or interest i ..read more

NAMC Tutors often receive questions from students about setting limits for children, like this one from a student in our Infant/Toddler Diploma Program . It’s not too early and they aren’t too young to understand limits Have you ever gone someplace new and weren’t exactly sure what the expectations were? Maybe you have gone to a country where you don’t speak the language and don’t understand what is going on around you. How did you communicate your needs or ask questions? A young toddler finds themself in very much the same situation. Unable to communicate clearly, they test limits through be ..read more

To the young child we give guides to the world and the possibility to explore it through his own free activity; to the older child we must give not the world, but the cosmos and a clear vision of how the cosmic energies act in the creation and maintenance of our globe. —Maria Montessori The Formation of Man, p. 6. Building Peace through Cosmic Education When we think of Montessori’s model for cosmic education, we tend to think only about the second plane of development. After all, this is really where the main discussion about the interdependence of all living things comes to the child’s co ..read more

At some given moment it happens that the child becomes deeply interested in a piece of work; we see it in the expression on his face, his intense concentration, the devotion to the exercise. —Maria Montessori The Discovery of the Child As the movement to Montessori homeschooling continues to grow, more and more parents are enrolling in NAMC’s Montessori training programs to learn how to educate their children at home. One of their common questions is how to entice their children to work with the Montessori materials after a presentation. One parent recently explained that his child would ask ..read more