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Montessori in Action

Social Benefits of Montessori: The Primary Years

By Montessori Basics, Montessori in Action, Montessori Learning No Comments
With NAPLAN receiving so much attention this week, we want to highlight the importance of skills learned during primary school, other than academics. Social and emotional learning are hot topics in today's education world and Montessori primary schools have this built into their curriculum. Before moving on to social and emotional learning, let’s recollect the academic benefits of Montessori education. An August 2023 meta-analysis of 32 studies highlights how students in…
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Toilet Learning: The Montessori Way

By Helpful Hints, Montessori Basics, Montessori in Action No Comments
The toilet learning process for young children takes time but doesn’t have to feel daunting. Here are some key aspects of toileting the Montessori way. As parents we quickly learn that children have control over three things: eating, sleeping, and toileting. Rather than engage in power struggles, however, we can help children develop the skills they need to manage and gain mastery over these essential aspects of life.   In Montessori learning…
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It takes a village to educate a child

By FMS Values, Montessori in Action, Montessori Philosophy No Comments
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and at FMS, we extend this to educating children too.  The work of educating children is the sum of much more than letters and numbers. A holistic, traditional Montessori education does not stop at the school gate. In fact, it starts at home and extends into our broader families, social groups, community and of course the school itself.  The holistic…
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Montessori Education: the future is now!

By FMS Values, Helpful Hints, Montessori in Action No Comments
Montessori education has been successfully serving children and families around the world for over a century, yet the fundamentals remain – and for good reason! Our methods are consistently backed by current research in education and human development, like this recent article published by The Conversation. While such research is a boon to the reputation of Montessori schools, we are further encouraged by a clear congruence of current Montessori methodologies…
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Strengthening the Family-School Connection

By FMS Values, Helpful Hints, Montessori in Action No Comments
The school and family connection is important for both parties involved. How do we strengthen it? What does it mean to have a connection between these two? This week’s blog is absolutely full of ideas, and we would love to hear yours too! Our children thrive when home and school environments work cooperatively, communicate well, and share similar educational values and expectations. At FMS, we have been active in sharing…
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Shifting from “Stuff” to the Spirit of the Season

By Montessori in Action, Montessori Learning, Montessori Philosophy No Comments
All too often the holiday season becomes about “stuff”–presents, decorations, more presents. How do we wean our children away from their focus on getting gifts and instead shift attention to the spirit of togetherness, generosity, peace, and goodwill? It can be helpful to hold a family meeting and talk about everyone’s feelings about the holidays. We can ask our children about what, besides the gifts, they really like about the holidays.…
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Art for Self-Expression

By Montessori in Action, Montessori Learning No Comments
Numerous theories and lots of research expound upon the importance of artistic expression. For young children and adolescents, art is an especially crucial form of personal expression. As such, children need to experience their own process rather than to produce a piece that someone else wants.  In Montessori, we also have sensitivity to different expressive needs throughout different stages of development.  Process vs. Product For young children, the process of making…
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A Supportive Summer

By Montessori in Action, Montessori Learning No Comments
The summer months can sometimes feel like a long stretch, especially when we are trying to figure out how to keep our children engaged, or at least entertained. However, if we think about the big picture of what children really need, it can be easier to think about activities that will satisfy those needs and support natural development. What do our children really need? When Dr. Maria Montessori first began working…
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Memory, Learning, and Montessori

By Montessori in Action, Montessori Learning No Comments
Memory is such a critical component of learning. We perhaps take this for granted without fully understanding how memory works and how to support our children in the process of creating and retrieving memories.  What is memory?  Memory is essential to being human. Our brains have evolved to remember what is most meaningful. That being said, we also tend to forget things! Interestingly enough, not remembering is often just a case…
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Materials Spotlight: The Bead Chain Cabinet

By Montessori in Action, Montessori Learning, The Prepared Environment No Comments
Visit any Montessori environments and you’ll immediately notice a stunning display of colorful glass beads hanging in an open cabinet. Children (and adults!) are drawn to the order and elegance of the bead chains. Beyond their initial aesthetic appeal, the bead chain material offers an amazing array of intellectual opportunities for young children to those in their primary years.Colour-coding   One of the brilliant aspects of the Montessori mathematics materials is…
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