Do you know what these strange cube things are? What are they used for? What exactly do they teach? If you've never been into a Montessori classroom it's possible you've never seen these before. If you have been into a Montessori (3-6yrs) classroom you may have seen them, your child may have even shown you how to use them? I was introduced to the Binomial and Trinomial Cubes at a Parent's Maths night at our Montessori School in Canberra, many years ago. If you can make it, these nights are really worth it, at least once in your parenting journey.... Read more →

Today I want to introduce you to Emma from Montessori Enterprises (www.montessorienterprises.com.uk). Montessori Enterprises stock a wide range of Montessori language materials. You can order individual items including objects, picture cards, word strips, phrase strips and sentence strips or complete sets. Including the Pink, Blue and Green Series. This makes it super easy for teachers, homeschoolers or even parents at home to find what they are looking for. Let's find out a little more from Emma! Can you tell us a little about yourself and your Montessori journey? Hello, I'm very pleased to meet you! My name is Emma and... Read more →

Image: Villa di Maria Montessori School Blog Today I am sharing some Montessori School blogs that I read and love. Many schools have blogs that are intentionally accessible only to parents from the school. The blogs listed here are school blogs that are useful and informative to all Montessori parents! I've also only listed those that post semi-regularly and are mostly current. In addition to parent education, these blogs also contain a lot of useful information and ideas for other schools and teachers. Sydney Montessori School Blog Bergamo Montessori Schools Blog Forest Bluff School Blog - Lots of really in-depth... Read more →

Today we are taking a peek inside the beautiful Montessori School Almeria! This school offers a British education following the Montessori Pedagogy. They have an Infant Community (18-36 months), Children's House (3-6 years) and a Primary Program (6-12 years). The Children's House is full of light and colour. Above is the language area with the Metal Insets and Chalkboard in the middle. There is a nice big bookshelf (with foward facing books) and lots of flowers placed around the room. Colourful Practical Life shelves! An outdoor area. You can get a better view of this area in the video at... Read more →

Image: Montessori Elementary Model Classroom. This week Otis (6 years) had a panic attack at school. He has recently transitioned from the Cycle One (3-6yrs) to the Cycle Two (6-9yrs) classroom and the change has been difficult for him. Sometimes the transition from one class to another is smooth and seamless, other times it can be a little bumpy. The physical layout of our school and their more formal processes have led to a less natural transition than I have previously experienced and would have liked. His panic attack is a reminder that children need support through this process, even... Read more →

Today I have three Montessori videos to share with you! Above is a new video from Dundas Valley Montessori School, all the children in this video are 1-2 years old. Such capable toddlers! This video is a Montessori Home Tour at Bella's Casa, a home for two children ages two and eight. There are lots of tips and ideas presented. I am not able to embed the third video but the link is here. I love this one because it shows that you don't need to have the Montessori materials, there might be materials near you that meet the needs... Read more →

I've been to school fundraising committee meetings where there have been lots of blank looks, where no one has been able to think of new fundraising ideas. It can be tough to think of fundraising ideas that are in line with the Montessori philosophy. I have been in Montessori schools where the fundraising ideas have been questionable, toy catalogues which contain very few (if any) toys that would be suited to a Montessori home, and I'm sure we've all been sold chocolates. Today I thought I would share some of the ideas I know about, those which may be more... Read more →

If I had a choice I would send my children to a Montessori Forest School. It feels like the best of both worlds! Although my children attend a Montessori school with teachers who endeavour to create a deep connection to nature, they don't have the daily outdoors exposure and contact with nature that I would like or that I feel is needed. Most Montessori schools have outdoor classrooms, in which the children can come and go as they like. Some 'outdoor classrooms' are fabulous and are awe-inspiring, however, others are lacking. Some Montessori schools have amazing natural outdoor play areas,... Read more →

Yesterday I had the privilege of visiting the Montessori Early Learning Activities (MELA) playgroup based at The Gap in Brisbane (Australia). The group facilitator Amanda is a British trained Montessori educator. I always love to meet Montessori parents and educators and it was such a delight to meet Amanda. She has a real honest and down to earth approach to Montessori which is needed in her work. Amanda runs the MELA playgroup and an eight-week Practical Montessori at Home Beginner Course for Mums and Bubs. She spends a lot of her time communicating with parents and has a lot of... Read more →

This is The Secret of Childhood Montessori School 3-6 classroom in Switzerland. This classroom opened in January 2017 and offers a curriculum in English and French. For further information visit their contact page. It looks so warm and inviting. Congratulations to the staff for getting this gorgeous classroom ready and best wishes for the new year! Above you can see language shelves with metal insets in the centre. Below is a comfortable reading area. I love the greenery and well-considered art placed at the child's level. This is Yahalom Montessorii in Jerusalem, Israel. This is the only Jewish Montessori School... Read more →

I receive so many questions and comments about Montessori daycare, I know it's a topic that is very important to many of you. When I first arrived in Brisbane the staff from Indooroopilly Montessori Children's House (IMCH) invited me over for a tour. I honestly had not seen a daycare centre like this before. It is gorgeous and the attention to detail is amazing - from a Montessori perspective and a childcare perspective. So recently I asked if I could take another tour and capture some images to share with you. I've taken lots of images from whole room pictures... Read more →

Image: Cardiff Montessori, UK. Where do children sit in the Montessori classroom? There are lots of tables and chairs but when you walk into the classroom you will find children working in all sorts of locations and positions. The children are free to move around and work (while respecting others, within boundaries) where they wish. Last week I wrote about ergonomics while seated however children learn in all sorts of positions. One of the big advantages of Montessori is Freedom of Movement. We don't just mean that for an infant who can get in or out of their floor bed.... Read more →

Have you wondered what happens in the Montessori Cycle Three (9-12yrs) classroom? This term Caspar started in the Cycle Three class and I've asked him a few questions about his experience. His new classroom has around 46 students, two teachers, and one class assistant. You recently transitioned from the Cycle Two (6-9yrs) class to the Cycle Three (9-12yrs) class. Can you tell us a little about the transition process, how did that work? The first part of the transition is an observation. We observe the students in the class and answer a few questions on a clipboard. A couple of... Read more →

I have four beautiful Montessori schools to show you. These classrooms are for various age groups and from around the world, however, they are all distinctively Montessori! These first three images are from Cardiff Montessori School, Wales, UK. Cardiff Montessori is set in this gorgeous building, it looks like a castle and is on a historic site. This classroom is so well equipped and ordered. This reading area looks so comfortable and right under these large windows! The next three images are from the The Earth School, Bangalore, India. These areas are so open and spacious and very ordered. Below... Read more →

Interested in taking a peek into two French Montessori classrooms? Here are two lovely examples. I don't speak French though, so please let me know if something has been lost in translation! Bande annonce Le maître est l'enfant - film sur la pédagogie Montessori - Trailer The master is the child - film about the Montessori method. You can find out more about this film here. This is a fund raising campaign to produce a documentary feature to explore the values, practice and Montessori's challenges through the life of a kindergarten class. You can read a little background on this... Read more →