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Montessori Basics

Read our 2018 Annual Report

By Montessori Basics No Comments
Central to everything we do is our Montessori philosophy and our commitment to providing the highest quality of Montessori education through our Birth to age 12 programs. This is strengthened by our vision and our core values. To make this happen, we focus on aligning all that we do in our day to day practices to support our students in their growth and development, our staff in their passion for...
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Children playing in a pond

Engaged or Bored? How to Tell What Your Child is Feeling at School

By Emotional Wellbeing, Montessori Basics, Montessori Learning, Montessori Philosophy No Comments
How do you know what your child is feeling at school? A familiar scenario: your child comes home from school, and you, the interested parent, eagerly ask them how their day was and what they did.  While some children will happily relay the day’s events, most shrug and say, “Good” without offering any detail.  Don’t worry - this is totally normal.  After all, it’s not even really a question about...
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Mathematics through the levels

Montessori Basics: How Mathematics Progresses Through the Levels

By Montessori Basics, Montessori Educators No Comments
In Montessori, you know your four year old loves their classroom and their work.  You know their teachers are guiding them to learn early mathematical skills.  But what, exactly, does that look like?  And how does it change as they get older?  Montessori mathematics materials are nothing short of amazing.  While they look quite different than what we used growing up (pencil, paper and textbooks) there are intentional reasons for...
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Montessori and Peace Education

Montessori and Peace Education

By FMS Values, Montessori Basics, Montessori Philosophy No Comments
Our world is often a tumultuous and scary place. How can we help our children feel safe and cared for, while preparing them to lead the way as adults? How can we cultivate empathy, kindness, gratitude, and the sense of community that helps people work together? Montessori education has been addressing these issues for over a hundred years. Sometimes the lessons are direct; at other times they are subtle. The...
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Students of different ages working together on a task

The Benefits of Multi-Age Grouping

By Montessori Basics No Comments
One hallmark of a Montessori education is the use of multi-age classrooms.  While Montessori is not the only type of education that utilizes this approach, it’s not what most people are used to.  What are the benefits of structuring a classroom this way?  Read on to learn more... Learning at an Individual Pace Children in multi-age classrooms tend to have a little more flexibility when it comes to mastering skills...
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Children demonstrating working "Freedom within Limits"

Why Freedom Within Limits Works

By Montessori Basics One Comment
“To let the child do as he likes when he has not yet developed any powers of control is to betray the idea of freedom.” Dr Maria Montessori One of the more common misconceptions about Montessori education is that we let the children run free to do what they please all the time.  It is true that we let our students make choices for themselves, not just about their work...
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Anthony is demonstrating a learning technique to students.

Montessori is for all children

By Montessori Basics No Comments
How do you know when your child is bored at school? Denice Scala, Principal at Forestville Montessori School, provides 5 possible signs to look for in your child. Parenting can be perplexing. With young children, it is tough to separate behaviour from the root cause. Are you seeing any of these signs? Your child is alive at home, tiring you out with constant questions. Yet, her teacher is telling you...
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Two hands being held demonstrating "Everyone Belongs - Embracing Diversity from a Young Age"

Everyone Belongs – Embracing Diversity from a Young Age

By Montessori Basics No Comments
We all want our children to be peaceful and accepting of others.  It is never too early to start teaching them to embrace diversity.  Too often, we falsely imagine that young children do not notice what makes them different from each other.  They do notice, and instead of waiting for them to ask questions or gather information on their own, we can be proactive about diversity education.  We can teach...
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