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The Role of the Montessori Teacher?

By Montessori Educators, Montessori Learning, Montessori Philosophy No Comments
What, exactly, is the role of the Montessori teacher?  How is it so different from that of any other teacher? Sometimes it’s easiest to begin by explaining what a Montessori teacher isn’t. A Montessori teacher is less like the traditional idea of an instructor, and more like a gentle guide.  They don’t consider it their job to give a child information.  They rather lead children in the general direction and...
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Mutual Respect & Making Deposits

By Helpful Hints No Comments
Montessori classrooms depend upon a web of mutual respect. This culture of respect is established from the very beginning: from how the classroom is arranged and sized for the children, to how we greet each other at the start of the day, to how the adults refrain from interrupting children’s concentration. Dr. Maria Montessori emphasized that, as adults, we must have the utmost respect for children, because they are in...
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Montessori in Action – Guinea Pigs at FMS!

By Montessori in Action No Comments
We have some new friends at Forestville Montessori School - guinea pigs!   There’s a story behind the guinea pigs that all started before lockdowns, yes, two years ago, and it just shows the impact of the pandemic on our day to day operations. In many ways, the guinea pigs’ arrival, signals new beginnings and points the way forward for many more ‘Going Outs’ and projects led by the children’s...
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The Power and Potential of Sleep

By Helpful Hints No Comments
We work so hard to provide the best for our children. When they are young, we may try to find innovative toys, sign up for parent-infant programs, or research brain-boosting foods. As they get older, we might enroll them in enrichment programs, pursue assessments, or invest in tutors. But what if the best thing we could do was completely free, within our own household, and could provide a lifetime of...
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Follow the Child

By Montessori Philosophy No Comments
Follow the child. It’s a beautiful, perfect, profound, and frequently used Montessori mantra. Our entire educational approach is built upon those three words. They are backed by science, proven by generations of children, and consistently revered by families around the world. It seems so simple, but the truth is, everyday life can make them seem so challenging. Today we break it down into five real, manageable ways to “follow the...
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A Note of Gratitude on Montessori’s Birthday

By Montessori Philosophy No Comments
Dear Dr. Montessori,  Wednesday, August 31, 2022, marked 152 years since you were born.   The world is a very different place today than it was then. I wonder if you ever contemplated your own early days and how your world shaped you. You once said: “The greatness of the human personality begins at the hour of birth.” Would anyone have guessed that baby Maria would eventually become one of the...
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From Independence to Interdependence

By FMS Values, Montessori Philosophy, Parenting No Comments
In Montessori, we talk a lot about independence. However, one of the lesser known or understood aspects of Montessori is that independence isn’t the end goal.  As humans, we are each wonderful, unique individuals. But we don’t exist in isolation. We live amongst other wonderful, unique individuals! In order to effectively live in community with other people, though, we need to be able to function independently. Said another way, before...
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How to Encourage Joyful Readers

By Helpful Hints, Parenting No Comments
Proficient reading skills set our children up for success in so many ways. Cultivating a love of joyful reading provides them with a lifetime of inspiration, entertainment, and knowledge.  Do teachers teach kids to read? Of course. What parents do at home also plays an enormous role in a child’s perspective and success. Here are our tips to support learning and make reading a positive experience that your child will...
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Montessori Basics: Observation

By Montessori Basics No Comments
Montessori classrooms rely heavily on the art of observation. Sadly, during COVID, physical observation onsite was not possible but now we want to get back into this practice.   You may see it in action some time, or you may have an opportunity to try it yourself (which we welcome and encourage!).  If you ever walk past a classroom and see the children working intently, while the educator is quietly sitting...
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Materials Spotlight: The Puzzle Maps

By Montessori Learning No Comments
Today we celebrate and explain the Montessori puzzle maps. Beautifully and colourfully painted and carefully crafted out of wood, they can be found in both the Pre-Primary (3-6 Years) and Lower Primary (6-9 Years) classrooms. While they are used differently in the two environments, educators take a developmentally appropriate approach to utilising this beautiful geography material.  The Material  In a Montessori classroom, one will find a wooden rack that contains...
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