For many parents, the question “Is my child ready for preschool?” surfaces quietly at first.

It might show up during a difficult morning routine. Or after another long nap struggle. Or when you notice your child suddenly insisting on doing everything themselves, yet still melting down moments later.

This question rarely comes from comparing children. It comes from something deeper. A sense that your child is changing, and a quiet wondering about whether the environment around them is still the right fit.

At Guidepost Montessori, we hear this question every day. And we want to say this clearly from the start:

Preschool readiness is not about knowing letters, numbers, or colors. It is not about sitting still. And it is not about being “ahead.”

Preschool readiness is about development. And development is not a checklist to pass or fail.

This guide is designed to help you understand what preschool readiness really looks like between ages 2 and 5, how to recognize the signs your child may be ready, and how to think about the type of environment that best supports them at each stage.

What Preschool Readiness Really Means

When parents search for “preschool readiness,” they are often hoping for clarity. But many articles reduce readiness to academic milestones or surface-level behaviors.

Developmentally, readiness is about something else entirely.

Preschool readiness reflects a child’s growing ability to:

• Separate with trust
• Participate in a shared environment
• Care for themselves with increasing independence
• Engage with others with support
• Concentrate for short periods of time
• Recover from big emotions with help

These capacities unfold gradually. They look different in every child. And they are shaped significantly by the environment adults create around them.

In Montessori education, readiness is not a gate. It is a signal. A signal that a child may benefit from a thoughtfully prepared environment that supports their next stage of growth.

Preschool Readiness at Age 2

Many parents wonder whether age 2 is too young for preschool. The better question is whether the environment matches a two-year-old’s developmental needs.

At this age, readiness is less about group participation and more about emerging independence.

Signs a 2-year-old may be ready for a preschool environment

• Shows interest in helping with simple tasks like wiping a spill or putting toys away
• Wants to feed themselves, even if it is messy
• Begins to follow simple routines with support
• Shows curiosity about other children, even if play is still parallel
• Can separate from a caregiver for short periods with reassurance
• Communicates needs through words, gestures, or consistent cues

A two-year-old does not need to be verbal, compliant, or socially confident to be ready. What matters is whether they are beginning to seek autonomy and engagement beyond the home.

A developmentally appropriate preschool environment at this age emphasizes:

• Predictable routines
• Calm transitions
• Freedom of movement
• Practical life activities
• Warm, consistent adults

Preschool Readiness at Age 3

Age 3 is often when parents notice a shift. Children may become more expressive, more opinionated, and more emotionally intense.

This is not regression. It is growth.

At this stage, readiness often shows up as a desire to belong and participate.

Signs a 3-year-old may be ready for preschool

• Begins to engage in short periods of focused activity
• Shows interest in doing things “by myself”
• Can follow multi-step routines with reminders
• Experiences big emotions but can recover with adult support
• Begins to engage socially, even if conflicts are common
• Shows pride in completing tasks independently

Many parents worry that emotional outbursts mean a child is not ready. In reality, preschool is often the environment where emotional regulation develops most naturally when adults are trained to support it.

For three-year-olds, the environment matters more than the age.

Preschool Readiness at Age 4

By age 4, children are often developmentally primed for deeper engagement, longer concentration, and more complex social interactions.

Readiness at this age is less about basic separation and more about sustained participation.

Signs a 4-year-old may be ready for preschool

• Can concentrate on an activity for 15–30 minutes
• Takes pride in doing meaningful work
• Begins to resolve simple conflicts with guidance
• Understands and follows classroom routines
• Shows curiosity about letters, numbers, and patterns naturally
• Seeks responsibility and leadership roles

At this stage, the biggest risk is placing a child in an environment that prioritizes performance over process.

Four-year-olds thrive when learning feels purposeful, hands-on, and self-directed rather than rushed or tested.

Preschool Readiness at Age 5

Five-year-olds often carry quiet confidence when they have had time to develop foundational independence.

Preschool readiness at this age is often about refinement rather than readiness itself.

Signs a 5-year-old is thriving in a preschool environment

• Sustains concentration for extended periods
• Takes initiative and responsibility
• Mentors younger peers
• Navigates social situations with increasing empathy
• Approaches learning with curiosity rather than pressure
• Demonstrates self-regulation with occasional support

In Montessori environments, five-year-olds often serve as classroom leaders. Their confidence grows not because they are pushed ahead, but because they have mastered the fundamentals at their own pace.

A Preschool Readiness Checklist for Parents

Rather than asking whether your child meets every item below, consider how often you find yourself answering “sometimes.”

That is where growth lives.

Developmental readiness reflections

• My child shows interest in doing things independently
• My child benefits from predictable routines
• My child is curious about their environment
• My child can focus on activities that interest them
• My child expresses emotions, even when big
• My child enjoys being part of something beyond the home

Readiness is not a moment. It is a pattern.

Is My Child Ready for Preschool? What Parents Are Really Asking

Many parents search for “preschool vs daycare” when what they are really asking is:

Will my child be cared for, and will they grow?

Daycare focuses primarily on supervision and care. Preschool focuses on development. Montessori environments integrate both by treating care as part of learning.

The distinction is not about hours or labels. It is about intention, training, and environment.

A preschool environment that honors development:

• Supports independence
• Encourages concentration
• Allows freedom within structure
• Trains adults to observe rather than control
• Respects each child’s individual timeline

Why Preschool Readiness Is Not About Academics

One of the most common misconceptions parents encounter is the idea that preschool readiness means academic readiness.

In reality, early academics emerge naturally when foundational capacities are in place.

Children learn best when they:

• Feel emotionally safe
• Trust the adults around them
• Have agency over their work
• Experience success through effort
• Move their bodies
• Use their hands

When these needs are met, letters and numbers follow organically.

What Kind of Preschool Environment Supports Readiness Best

A developmentally aligned preschool environment offers:

• Mixed-age classrooms that normalize growth
• A calm, orderly physical space
• Hands-on materials designed for self-correction
• Trained educators who observe before intervening
• Respect for each child’s pace

This is why Montessori environments are uniquely suited to support preschool readiness across ages 2–5.

At Guidepost Montessori, readiness is not measured by tests or timelines. It is supported through observation, intentional design, and trust in the child’s development.

A Final Reassurance for Parents

If you are asking whether your child is ready for preschool, it likely means you are paying attention.

That matters.

Readiness is not about pushing children forward. It is about recognizing when they are ready for a broader world, and choosing an environment that meets them with respect, patience, and care.

If you are exploring what that environment could look like, we invite you to learn more about how Montessori supports children at every stage of early development.

Additionally, if you live locally near one of our schools, we’d welcome you to book a tour and see a Guidepost classroom in action!

Whatever decision you make, trust that your attention, care, and intention are already laying a strong foundation for your child’s next chapter.

This post Is My Child Ready for Preschool? A Developmental Guide for Ages 2–5 first appeared on Guidepost Montessori and is written by Karolina Potterton

Independence Through the Years: A Montessori Guide for Parents

Independence is one of the core gifts of a Montessori education. Parents often choose Montessori because they want their children to grow into confident, capable human beings.

What many families discover is that independence does not appear all at once. It is cultivated year by year through small, intentional experiences that allow a child to explore, act, and make meaningful choices.

Montessori guides understand that independence is not a skill to be taught in a single lesson. It is a way of designing a child’s environment, a way of speaking to the child, and a way of supporting the child’s natural drive to do things for themselves.

Childhood independence begins in infancy and continues through adolescence. When the home and school environments mirror one another, children flourish.

This blog can help you understand what Montessori independence looks like at every stage, what to watch for, and how to support that journey at home.

Whether your child is in Nido, Toddler House, or Children’s House, you will see exactly how independence unfolds and how you can nurture it with small, realistic steps.

Independence in the Nido Years: Building the First Foundations

Montessori begins with a profound belief in the capabilities of even the youngest child.

Infants are not passive beings.

They are deeply curious learners who absorb information through movement, observation, and repetition. In a Montessori Nido community, the entire environment is designed to give babies the freedom to explore safely.

What independence looks like in a Montessori Nido classroom

Infants sleep on low floor beds so they can roll, crawl, or move off the mattress on their own. This small detail creates a major shift in autonomy because the baby is no longer dependent on an adult to lift them in or out of a crib. Their sleep environment invites movement and independence.

During waking hours, babies spend time on textured rugs or mats where they can stretch, reach, and look around. Low mirrors support body awareness. Simple mobiles help strengthen visual tracking. Carefully curated shelves hold soft rattles, small grasping toys, and simple objects that an infant can choose as soon as they are physically able.

A Montessori guide observes closely. When a baby begins to reach for something, the guide makes sure the object is within view and within reach. The baby learns to act on their own curiosity.

How parents can support Montessori independence at home with infants

• Provide a safe floor space for movement rather than relying heavily on containers.
• Offer a few low baskets with simple objects instead of overflowing toy bins.
• Use a floor bed or a low sleeping space when possible.
• Allow infants small moments of struggle, such as reaching for a toy, turning toward a sound, or shifting their body to get comfortable.

These early experiences teach your baby that they are capable of acting on the world. That belief becomes the root of independence in the later years.

Toddler: “I can do it myself” becomes real

Toddlerhood is a period of explosive independence. The child begins to understand that they are a separate person from their caregiver.

They start testing limits and trying new skills. Montessori environments embrace this developmental shift rather than resisting it.

Everything in Toddler is designed to let the child do real tasks by themselves.

What independence looks like in a Montessori Toddler classroom

Toddlers learn how to dress, undress, groom themselves, wash their hands, set up snack, prepare simple foods, and care for their classroom environment. They also begin toilet learning in a consistent, calm, and respectful way.

These tasks are not chores.

They are lessons that build motor coordination, concentration, and pride.

In Toddler, the child chooses when to eat their snack and what material to work with. They follow a predictable daily rhythm that helps them understand time, transitions, and the idea of “first we do this, then we do that.” These experiences help toddlers build a strong sense of agency.

Signs of healthy Montessori independence in toddlers

• Showing interest in pouring water, washing dishes, or wiping a spill.
• Reaching for their own coat, shoes, or backpack.
• Choosing a book and carrying it to a grown-up.
• Insisting on trying things before asking for help.

How parents can support Montessori independence at home with toddlers

• Keep belongings on low hooks or shelves so children can reach them.
• Allow extra time in the morning so your child can practice dressing.
• Invite your child to help with simple food prep such as slicing a banana or spreading something with a child-safe knife.
• Keep consistent routines so your toddler begins to understand the flow of the day.
• Treat spills and messes as learning moments instead of frustrations.

Toddlers often surprise parents with how much they want to contribute. When we respond with patience and trust, independence blooms quickly.

Children’s House: Intellectual independence rises

Children’s House, or what you might know as preschool and Kindergarten, is where academic and practical independence come together. The child’s world becomes larger. They are ready for deeper concentration, more challenging fine motor skills, and greater responsibility in caring for their classroom community.

Montessori guides teach literacy, arithmetic, science, geography, and art through hands-on materials that isolate one concept at a time. When a child learns to read or write, they gain new independence. They no longer rely on an adult to interpret the world for them. They can gather information, express ideas, and explore new interests.

What independence looks like in a Montessori Children’s House

Practical Life remains foundational. Lessons such as tying shoelaces, pouring water, washing a table, polishing wood, or caring for a plant give the child ownership of their environment. These tasks strengthen concentration and self-confidence.

Sensorial lessons teach the child to classify size, texture, shape, weight, and sound. This builds refined observation, an essential skill for scientific thinking.

Academic materials give children freedom to choose their work, repeat it, and return it to the shelf. A child may choose to trace sandpaper letters, build words with the moveable alphabet, or use bead materials to perform arithmetic operations.

By the final year of Children’s House, the child becomes a leader. They help younger classmates, show them how to roll a rug or carry a tray, and take pride in being an example for others.

How parents can support Montessori independence at home during the Children’s House years

• Keep school routines calm and predictable.
• Offer real responsibilities like feeding a pet, helping set the table, or watering plants.
• Encourage your child to solve small problems before stepping in.
• Create a space for art supplies so your child can draw or write independently.
• Support reading by offering books at the right level and reading together daily.

Children in this stage thrive when adults give them clear responsibilities and trust them to follow through.

Why independence matters across the entire Montessori journey

Montessori education is grounded in the belief that children are naturally driven to become capable, responsible, and confident people!

Independence is not about pushing children to grow up too quickly. It is about giving them meaningful opportunities to practice life skills with support, respect, and realistic challenge.

When parents partner with schools, children receive consistent messages: you are capable, your choices matter, and you can contribute to your environment. This combination builds deep inner confidence.

The long-term benefits of Montessori independence

Research and classroom observations show that children who develop independence in early childhood often demonstrate:

• Strong intrinsic motivation.
• Effective problem solving.
• Creative thinking.
• Healthy social and emotional regulation.
• Responsibility for personal belongings and work.
• Confidence in new or unfamiliar situations.
• A love of learning that lasts into adulthood.

Parents often notice that children raised in a Montessori environment show initiative at home, help siblings naturally, and approach challenges with curiosity rather than avoidance.

Montessori independence at home: realistic steps for every age

Parents sometimes feel pressure to replicate the classroom at home. That is not necessary. Montessori independence is not about creating a perfect environment. It is about offering intentional choices and trusting the child with real responsibilities.

Here are simple ideas that work for most families.

For infants

• Keep the environment simple and safe for movement.
• Offer one or two baskets of developmentally aligned materials.
• Allow the infant time for uninterrupted exploration.

For toddlers

• Present two clothing choices rather than a full closet.
• Let your toddler help with snack preparation, pouring, or wiping spills.
• Keep shoes, coats, and bags on hooks at their height.

For Children’s House

• Give daily responsibilities such as clearing dishes or organizing art supplies.
• Create a cozy reading corner with a few accessible books.
• Support self-care skills such as brushing hair, folding small laundry items, or packing their school bag.

Final thoughts: Independence is a lifelong gift

Montessori independence is not a trend or a teaching trick. It is a philosophy of childhood that believes deeply in the potential of each child.

From the first movements of infancy to the thoughtful planning of the elementary years, children thrive when they are trusted, guided, and given room to grow.

Independence is not only a school value. It is a life skill that shapes confidence, resilience, leadership, and joy. Montessori offers children the chance to build these qualities every day. When families join that journey, the results are remarkable.

We hope that this guide helped you understand what independence looks like at each stage, and how making small changes at home can help your child develop a strong sense of self, a solid foundation for learning, and a lifelong love of contributing to the world.

This post Independence the Montessori Way: What Parents Should Look For at Home and in the Classroom first appeared on Guidepost Montessori and is written by Karolina Potterton

Exploring how Montessori’s timeless approach to independence and curiosity still gives families an edge in a world of new education trends.

Education Has Changed. Parenting Has Too.

Most of today’s parents grew up in classrooms where authority was rarely questioned. Whatever the teacher said was “the law,” whether it was right or wrong. School was about compliance, not curiosity.

Fast forward to today: modern parents don’t accept answers at face value. We ask questions, research options, and want our children raised as critical thinkers, not rule-followers. And this is exactly why Montessori continues to resonate with families who want something deeper than the latest education trend.

Montessori Meets Parents Where We Are

At Guidepost Montessori, our school leaders offer unique insight as both educators and parents.

That’s why we turned to Caroline Cooper, our Senior Head of School in the DMV area and Head of School at Guidepost Montessori at Gambrills, for her perspective. She shared:

That sense of freedom and capability is what so many parents long to pass on to their children. Yet in today’s world, safety and structure matter more than ever. Montessori classrooms strike this balance perfectly: independence within security.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Montessori environments are tech-free, hands-on, and human-centered. Instead of screens, children work with real materials. Instead of rigid lessons, they explore at their own pace. And instead of constant correction, they are guided toward discovery, responsibility, and self-confidence.

Caroline explains:

“Montessori classrooms are designed with this balance at their core. They honor children’s independence while surrounding them with structure and predictability. Independence isn’t just encouraged—it’s woven into every part of the learning process. For parents, the appeal lies in knowing that our children are being trusted and respected while still supported in a safe, nurturing environment.”

Parents Today Want the “Why”

Modern parents are informed decision-makers. We don’t just follow tradition—we compare, research, and reflect before choosing. Montessori stands up to that scrutiny. With more than 100 years of practice and research, beautifully prepared classrooms, and highly trained guides, the method consistently delivers:

• Strong academics that rival and often exceed traditional schools
• Practical life skills that build resilience and responsibility
• Social confidence rooted in collaboration, not competition
• A lasting joy in learning that extends far beyond childhood

“For parents who value both data and lived experience,” Caroline notes, “Montessori consistently proves itself to be more than an educational method; it is a preparation for life.”

Montessori: The Choice of Innovators

When parents weigh school options today, it’s easy to get distracted by the newest alternative models. Yet some of the world’s most innovative thinkers quietly trace their success back to Montessori classrooms.

The so-called “Montessori Mafia” includes Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Wikipedia’s Jimmy Wales, video game pioneer Will Wright, Julia Child, and even Taylor Swift. Their paths look wildly different, but they share a foundation in self-directed, curiosity-driven learning.

What makes this matter for parents? Montessori schools were designed to do what the best workplaces now demand: encourage collaboration, problem-solving, and exploration over rigid compliance. Page and Brin didn’t set out to “launch Google.” They were exploring how to make library searches better and stumbled into a business model that reshaped the internet. Bezos built Amazon with the mindset of planting lots of small seeds, knowing that most wouldn’t grow but some would bloom into whole new markets.

These are not accidents. They reflect the Montessori principles of experimentation, iteration, and discovery. When children grow up in environments that reward curiosity instead of punishing mistakes, they carry that mindset into adulthood.

Montessori may not always grab headlines, but even in the age of rising alternatives, it remains the quiet foundation behind many of the boldest ideas in modern history.

(Pictured above: The Google Guys, Larry Page and Sergey Brin)

A Personal Journey Into Montessori

Caroline’s story reflects what many families experience:

“I had been working in traditional childcare as a Director for over a decade. I valued my career deeply, but as a parent, I wanted something different—something more—for my own young children. My youngest son was 9 months old and my oldest was 2.5 when I toured a Guidepost Montessori school. After that, there was no going back. The more I learned, the clearer it became that this was the path I wanted for my family.”

Years later, she sees the difference every day:

“They prepare their own snacks, dress themselves without reminders, and contribute to household responsibilities with pride. What might seem like small tasks are in fact the building blocks of independence, responsibility, and genuine self-confidence.”

Why Montessori Resonates Now

So why should more parents choose Montessori in a time when countless alternatives are emerging?

Because it gives children freedom within structure.
Because it teaches independence without sacrificing security.
Because it empowers children to think critically and act confidently in a world that needs those skills more than ever.

At Guidepost, we see this daily: children growing into capable, confident learners, and parents finding peace of mind knowing their child is thriving.

This post Amid Rising School Alternatives, Why Montessori Remains a Smart Choice for Parents first appeared on Guidepost Montessori and is written by Lu

A Deep Dive into the Children’s House (preschool-kindergarten) Math Curriculum and how it empowers advanced math skills in 3 to 6-year-olds.

Math is perhaps the most dreaded subject in conventional schools. Students everywhere bemoan that it’s boring, irrelevant, and utterly mystifying. In studying math, a student often finds that maybe he can memorize and obey the arbitrary algorithms and rules he’s taught—but he doesn’t understand why they work, when they should be applied, or how to apply them in new scenarios.

Math is a form of reasoning, according to Montessori, so every child has the potential to learn it at a high level. Beyond that, math is a way of reasoning about relationships in the world, so the subject should not feel disconnected and irrelevant. Indeed, it should feel rich with meaning for everyday life. Above all, she believed the child could learn math in a way that was deeply engaging and rewarding—it shouldn’t be boring and painful!

In a Guidepost Montessori environment, the child is first introduced to math in Children’s House (preschool and kindergarten). Throughout this program, the child joyfully builds a solid foundation of mathematical understanding, and, as a result, advances farther than commonly thought possible.

By the end of the capstone Kindergarten year, the child can perform all four operations with four-digit numbers as well as fractions—a feat which will not be accomplished by his peers in conventional programs until 3rd grade or beyond. But even more importantly, he isn’t just performing mysterious algorithms, he understands, from the ground up, why and how it all works.

Let’s take a journey through the Guidepost Children’s House math curriculum to discover the core materials and methods that make these achievements possible.

Step 1: Building an Analytical Mind by Training the Senses

Since math is a way of understanding patterns and relationships found in the world, sensorial exploration of the world is the foundation of the math curriculum at Guidepost. The child begins by actively experiencing those patterns and relationships, thereby refining her observational and analytical skills. At the same time, she cultivates an intuitive understanding that she can draw upon when learning math concepts more formally later.

The Pink Tower

The pink tower, for example, is an engaging puzzle scientifically designed to captivate the child and impart crucial math concepts. It consists of a set of pink, wooden blocks that increase in size by 1 cm along each dimension, so that the size of the first block is 1 cubic centimeter and the 10th is 1000 cubic centimeters.

The goal is to build a tower so that the biggest block is the foundation, and the smallest block sits at the very top. The child finds this activity interesting because of its challenge. It’s difficult for her to analyze and select the next smallest block at each step since the size difference is so minute. In the beginning, she sometimes builds the tower incorrectly because she hasn’t yet refined her ability to make the necessary precise observations. Eventually, however, she can build the tower from the ground up, moving progressively from the largest block to the smallest.

This is more than just your average block-building activity, however. Because every block is the same shade of pink, the same texture, and of the same construction, the difference in size is isolated for the child to focus on. In working with this material over time, the child automatically absorbs the foundation of certain math concepts. For example, she’s introduced to the algebraic series of numbers to the 3rd power, the decimal system, and the geometric ideas of volume and area.

Of course, she’s not at the stage to learn these ideas or work with them formally. But her early experiences provide her with a lens for viewing the world that will always remain with her—much as her native language and culture, absorbed at this same age, will always be a part of her. When she later studies these math concepts, at increasingly advanced stages in Children’s House, elementary, and secondary, she can relate what she’s learning to her intuitive understanding. This lifelong intuitive grasp of the world is the power of the pre-math sensorial curriculum, and what fuels the child’s accelerated learning.

Step 2: Learning the Numbers through Real Quantities

The transition to the formal study of math is as gradual and concrete as possible, giving the child the time he needs to fully internalize and build upon his observations and understanding. The first stage of this process, as in conventional programs, is to learn the numbers from 1-10.

The Number Rods

In a Guidepost classroom the child begins by relating these quantities to a skill he’s already had a ton of practice refining: measurement. The first material a child uses in this domain, therefore, is only a slight modification of an earlier sensorial material, the red rods. With the red rods, the child observed the differences in length, i.e. the measurements, in order to then precisely place each in order from shortest to longest.

The child’s first math material, the number rods, are identical to the red rods in their measurements, but instead of being solid red, they are divided into 10 cm sections that are alternating red and blue. The immediate goal is the same: to place them in order from shortest to longest. But now, the child places them in order by counting the individual sections. While he counts, he can see with full clarity that the 2nd rod is made up of two sections that are each the same length as the 1st rod, making it twice as big as the first, the 3rd rod has three sections that are the same length, making it three times as big, and so on.

With this material, the child learns, not only the quantities and their names, but their relationships to one another as well—all in a vivid and sensory-rich way. He experiences the facts, both visually and tactilely, so that his new learning always stays connected to the real world.

Once familiar with the number rods, the child will use sandpaper numbers to learn the print symbol that represent the numbers, following the same method used to teach the alphabet in the language curriculum. And, once the child is familiar with the printed numbers, he returns to the number rods to associate each quantity with its corresponding symbol, lining them all up in order, counting each section, and then labeling each with the appropriate card.

The Spindle Boxes

From there, the child works to see, in an increasingly explicit form, that each quantity is made up single units. He moves from the number rods to a material called the spindle box. This material consists of a set of spindles that the child must count, one-by-one, and sort into a compartment labeled with numbers 0-9. As he counts and reaches a new quantity, the child gathers the spindles and ties them all together with a bright green ribbon.

He can see, even more clearly than with the number rods, that each quantity represents a grouping of individual units. He’s delighted to discover that they are bundled together as one thing, but they contain and represent an exact number of units!

Cards and Counters

In the final stage of this domain, the child goes the rest of the way to see that each quantity is made of individual units. He uses a material called the cards and counters, where he counts out a set of red disks and labels each quantity with a matching card. With this material, the child can clearly and explicitly see all the individual units that make up each quantity and how those units grow across the sequence.

Step 3: Ingraining the Decimal System

After the child has a solid understanding of the numbers from 0 to 10 and what they represent, she has everything she needs to understand bigger numbers, even without yet knowing their proper names. After all, every number—from one to 5 billion—is made up of just those digits!

Just as the child learned her first quantities using materials that clearly demonstrated their relationships, she now uses materials that ingrain the relationships and significance of place value in order to understand the decimal system.

She starts with perhaps the most iconic Montessori math material: the Golden Beads.

The Golden Beads

This material consists of a set of beads that are constructed to show the relationship between 1, 10, 100, and 1000. The first, called the unit, is a single bead, the second, called the 10, is a string of 10 beads fastened together, the third, called the 100, is 10 of those strings constructed to form a square, and the final one, called the 1000, is 10 of those squares constructed to form a cube.

In using this material, the child can clearly see that there is a stark change of shape that occurs at each order of magnitude and, through counting from 1-10, can recognize that this change significantly occurs each time she reaches the number 10 in a category. While playing a series of Simon-Says style games with her guide—placing the unit bead in a specific spot, handing the 10 to the guide, feeling the 1000 with her hands etc.—the child learns each quantity and its name in a way that feels completely grounded.

The Color-Coded Cards

Mirroring the progression with the number rods, the child then learns the printed symbols for each group—the tens, hundreds, and thousands—and eventually associates the two together. She learns the numbers from each category by relating them to the counting she is already familiar with: the numbers from 1 to 10. Twenty is just two tens and 500 is five hundreds, after all. Already primed with these quantities using the number rods, the child can immediately apply this to each category.

To help her even further, each category is color-coded. The units are green, the tens are blue, the hundreds are red, and the thousands, a unit in the next family of numbers, is also green.

Once the child has a physical understanding of these numbers from using the golden beads, knows the symbols using the color-coded cards, and has associated the two together, she begins a series of engaging activities.

Going to the Bank: Beads + Cards

First, she learns to make really big numbers. The size of the number is exciting to the child. Just a little bit ago she was counting from 1 to 10, where the 10th number rod was taller than her, and now she’s creating numbers as big as 85, 850, and 8500! She feels incredibly proud that such big numbers are within her grasp.

To create these numbers, the guide asks the child to go to “the bank”, a table that includes a big assortment of unit beads, strings of tens, squares of hundreds, and cubes of thousands. The guide may tell her she needs to get 6 tens and 4 units, for example, and the child will take her tray to the bank to gather 6 strings of tens and 4 unit beads. When she returns, together they will count what she brought, find the color-coded cards that match (60 and 4), and combine them to create a whole new number: 64.

From there, the child continues to use “the bank” and cards to learn the foundation of operations. The guide will work with multiple children at once, for example, asking each to bring a really big number, counting all the beads together, creating the new number with cards, and then, putting them all together to make really big new number, which they learn is called addition.

Over time, they learn how to “exchange” 10 unit beads for a string of tens, or to exchange 10 strings for a 100 square when the quantities they’re adding require them to carry. Using similar methods, they learn that subtraction means taking away some quantity from a bigger number, that multiplication means adding two or more of the same number together, and that division means creating equal shares of some big number.

The Stamp Game

Eventually, the child progresses to being able to add, subtract, multiply, and divide on her own. For this, the guide introduces her to the stamp game. Using the same color-coding system as the cards, the child is presented with a series of tiles that have 1, 10, 100, or 1000 printed on them. She uses these tiles to create big numbers and perform all four operations on them—including with carrying and borrowing.

Not only is the child now working independently (after a lesson introducing the material and methods), but she has progressed to working far more abstractly. She is not yet to the stage of doing math problems solely on paper, but she has moved away from the physical beads and cubes, and is working entirely with the symbols themselves, including the standard symbols used to represent the operations such as the equal sign and the plus sign. This is a big step in her journey, and, because of all the sensorial preparation she’s had up to this point, she traverses it with ease!

Step 4: Fueling the Passion for Counting

At some point along the way, as the child is learning big numbers and how to perform the various operations with them, he becomes obsessed with counting. He doesn’t just want to learn the names of all the numbers as he comes across them in practice. He is restless and passionate and wants to know the whole system, from start to finish. He wants to be able to count from 1 to 100 and from 100 to 1000!

The 100 and 1000 Chains

To fuel the child’s fire for counting, he is first presented with a series of beads and corresponding labels. There is the hundred chain, for example, which contains 10 sets of 10 beads which are connected together at the ends forming one long chain. There is also the thousand chain which contains 100 sets of 10 beads connected together.

With intense delight and concentration, the child works to count each bead, labeling the first ten individually from 1 to 10, and then labeling the rest by tens, e.g. 20, 30, 40, and so on. And because, even this is not enough to satisfy him, he will not rest until he can count the whole chain backwards too!

Skip Counting with Short and Long Chains

Once the child is familiar with counting one-by-one, he is introduced to skip counting which enables him to count by twos, threes, fours… all the way to counting by nines! Not only is this an exciting new challenge for the child, but, with the help of new bead-chain materials, he gains a sensorial experience that prepares him for later memorization of the multiplication tables, and the concepts of squaring and cubing!

Step 5: The Adventure of Memorizing Math Tables

By the time the child reaches the capstone Kindergarten year, she’s excited to go beyond mere counting. She doesn’t want to add numbers together anymore simply by counting each number individually. She wants to know the crucial combinations and have them at-the-ready, always a moment away from being used. She’s ready to memorize her math tables!

The Snake Game

Like with the other math domains, she doesn’t start with the abstract tables themselves. She starts with materials that introduce and allow her to practice the basic concepts and moves progressively toward the more abstract skill. The most iconic activity at this stage is the snake game.

The snake game consists of a set of golden strings of beads, each with ten beads strung together, a set of colorful strings with 1 to 9 beads, each color-coded so all the strings with 2 beads are one color, all the ones with 3 beads are another, and so on, and a set of placeholder black and white strings with 1 to 10 beads each.

To play the game, the child first creates a fun zig-zag snake out of colorful beads on her work rug. Then, she is given the thrilling task of transforming that multi-color snake into a golden snake! To do this, she must replace the colorful beads, ten beads at a time, with the golden beads, until she has a completely golden snake.

So she begins counting the beads making up her snake, first counting 4 from a lavender string, for example, and then counting 6 from a following string made up of 9 beads. Since she’s counted 10, she now gets to create the first section of the golden snake! She removes the colorful beads, replacing them with one string of golden beads and a placeholder string of 3 beads to represent what was left over from the string of 9 beads she removed.

She continues counting, using placeholders, and replacing sections of the snake with golden beads until she has transformed the whole snake. Without it yet being explicit, she’s getting practice recognizing the addition combinations that come together to make 10!

Addition and Subtraction Strip Boards

From there, the child moves to a more explicit presentation of addition combination using the addition strip board. Mirroring the much larger number rods, this material consists of a set of wooden strips representing the numbers 1-9 that increase in length correspondingly.

With this material, the child works to make and memorize various combinations, from 1+1 all the way to 9+9. The strips allow the child to see and feel how the numbers combine together, as well as how different combinations relate to one another. She learns, for example, that there are many ways to make 10—from 5+5 to 6+4 to 7+3 and so on.

Both the snake game and the strip boards have corollary activities for subtraction, and help the child begin to memorize simple addition in a fun and sensory-rich way. Eventually, the child will move on to using real addition and subtraction charts, working her way to filling in a completely blank chart all by herself!

Unit Multiplication and Division Boards

In parallel with her work on addition and subtraction, the child begins memorizing her multiplication and division tables using the multiplication and division boards.

These boards allow the child to experience the multiplication chart in a sensory-rich form while also solidifying her understanding that multiplication is really just a special kind of addition. When she wants to know 3×3, for example, she will fill in three columns on her board with little red beads where each column contains 3 beads. Then 3×3 suddenly looks a lot like skip counting and the work with chains of beads from the year before! She can add by 3 and realizes with delight that 3×3 is 9!

Just like with addition and subtraction, the child works with these materials before progressing to the more abstract charts themselves. By the end, she knows her multiplication from 1×1 to 10×10 and can fill in a blank chart all by herself.

Step 6: The Mathematical Mind

In parallel and in progression with the child’s work with math tables, he begins to work towards completing the operations in an increasingly abstract form. He not only knows, from the ground up, what math means, he is starting to progress to where he no longer needs the materials as physical reminders and supports—he can do math abstractly now without losing touch with the facts and relationships in the world that make it all possible.

When you introduce mathematics through the real, physical sensorial relationships that math-on-paper represents, you can get pretty advanced with surprisingly young children. For instance, it is absolutely possible, and not at all uncommon, to introduce factions to 5-year-olds in the Montessori classroom (typically not introduced until 3rd grade in traditional schools).

Math is ultimately about the real world. And when you introduce it through the senses—through a gradually-deepening process of exploration—it is grasped intuitively and joyfully. It is only when math is introduced as following a senseless, meaningless series of arbitrary manipulations of squiggles on a piece of paper that a child learns it is something he’s supposed to dread and avoid.

In our program, children achieve advanced levels of abstract mathematical thought—building up to it, step by step, through a process of induction. They start with things they can touch and feel and see and understand, and everything always connects back to that early experience.

What makes the child’s achievement and his joy possible is the scientifically designed sequence of materials that bring the concepts to life, ground them in reality, and guide him step-by-step to an increasingly abstract understanding. In short, what makes it possible is an environment that is especially designed to support the development of the child’s mathematical mind.

This post The Guidepost Approach to Developing a Child’s Mathematical Mind first appeared on Guidepost Montessori and is written by Lu

Children in a Montessori environment make stunning achievements. Infants as young as 6-months-old learn to drink from an open cup made from real glass. Toddlers as young as 18-months-old learn to put on their own coats and shoes. Preschoolers as young as 2.5 to 3 years old build the foundation of phonics and often read their first book by 4. Elementary-age students plan and arrange their own field trips to deepen their study of history, science, and literature, while middle and high schoolers use their knowledge, interests, and abilities to start their own businesses.

And it doesn’t stop there. Out of proportion with Montessori’s small educational prevalence to date, a startling number of successful professionals were former Montessori students—from the founders and cofounders of Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, to Nobel prize winning authors like Gabriel Garcia Marquez, bestselling musicians like Taylor Swift, and NBA champions like Steph Curry—many of whom credit their success to their formative Montessori education.

Because of the uncommon achievements Montessori children and former-Montessori adults reach, it is often assumed that the goal of a Montessori education is to rush a child’s development in order to garner a competitive edge.

Though it’s true that children in Montessori environments often gain knowledge, skills, and independence far earlier than their peers in conventional environments, it is a misconception to view this as the goal.

In reality, the purpose of Montessori education is to observe and understand the universal developmental needs of children, to remove arbitrary obstacles to growth from their path, and to empower children to achieve their full potential. The fact that the children achieve such stunning results through the support of the Montessori approach is a testament to the grandeur and potential of all mankind—and a tragic sign of how children are conventionally held back.

Montessori’s Discovery of the “Normal” Child

When Maria Montessori first began working with children at the turn of the 20th century, she didn’t believe they had a secret capability that went undetected by adults. She, like nearly everyone, believed children were fickle, flitting from activity to activity with no ability to concentrate, that they required bribes to behave, delighted in disturbing silence, and loved to make messes.

And it was true! Montessori’s eyes did not deceive her, the observations of parents and teachers for millennia were not a mirage. Children, in the environments in which they were raised and educated, with the support they received, did exhibit these characteristics. However, as Montessori was soon to discover, these traits were not the natural, normal traits of childhood, but the distortions produced by inadequate environments and support.

When Montessori opened her first school in one of the worst slums in Rome, she had 50 malnourished, impoverished, and practically abandoned children all between the ages of 2 and 7 in a room, a “teacher” who was really the uneducated daughter of the building’s porter, a few rudimentary supplies, and the educational materials she had previously designed or adapted in her work with special needs children.

Yet, Montessori observed these children as a scientist would—as a keen observer intent to reach the truth behind natural phenomena. She was committed to looking beyond the common conclusions, shedding her preconceived notions, and really observing children afresh. In her observations, she was startled to discover children who exhibited abilities she never thought possible.

1. Her first discovery was a 3-year-old who focused on an activity with the cylinder blocks, repeating it dozens of times amid the chaos of the classroom, without once getting distracted. Where was that fickle child who couldn’t concentrate?
2. She observed toys accumulating dust on the shelf while learning materials were being worn from use.
3. She observed children ignoring candy and other bribes in favor of the sweeter rewards of developing one’s faculties.
4. She observed children able to choose materials to work on independently, who delighted in keeping the space tidy, and who could focus for work periods three hours long.
5. She observed the children spontaneously becoming self-disciplined, delighting in following orders that required them to use and grow their faculties.
6. And most surprising of all, she observed a child as young as 3 or 4, teach himself to read and write with minimal support and guidance. This, from a child living in the slums, at a time when the wealthiest and best educated people in the world did not believe it was possible to educate a child younger than 6, and whose usual educational methods were so miserable, the trend was to push literacy education back even further, to 8, 9, or 10 years old.

Montessori could not believe what she observed at first. Yet, time and again, with children from every culture, race, and socioeconomic bracket she encountered, the same result would occur. The children would achieve self-discipline, launch their independence to the next level, and pour themselves heart and soul into knowledge worth learning and work worth doing. She had discovered the true normal child—the child as he was meant to be, shorn of any unnatural defects or unhealthy coping strategies.

The secret to her discovery? A specially prepared environment that meets the developmental needs of a child, capitalizes on his developmental interests, and empowers his independence.

An Environment Prepared for a Child’s Success

Over time, Montessori iteratively designed the materials and setup of her classroom to meet the child’s needs. When she observed that a child had the ability to concentrate on learning materials and could learn something as abstract and complex as literacy, she set out to design materials that would give the child access, at his level, to the whole scope of human knowledge. She created materials, for example, to bring advanced math operations to the concrete level of preschoolers, the work of preparing food and washing dishes to toddlers, and the work of coordinating hands and bodies to infants.

In order to design these materials and the environment that would inspire and support the child, she carefully observed his developmental interests and needs. She observed the toddler who defiantly cried when he was prevented from doing things on his own—from dressing himself, eating independently, or opening a door by himself—and created support that would allow the child to practice these skills independently.

Toddlers in a Montessori environment, for example, are provided with dressing frames where they can practice using clasps, buttons, zippers, and buckles, and are taught a specific technique that allows them to put on their own coat independently.

At every stage of a child’s development, Montessori was dedicated to discovering what a child was naturally interested in and then designing a way to give the child access to that work. Her first classroom, called a Children’s House, was designed to be a space for the child to do the work of living and growing up. A space where furniture was sized to him, where he could reach all the materials and tools he needed to work, and where every material was intellectually delightful, challenging, and inspiring to him.

What’s more, as the child proved himself capable of acting freely in an environment that was designed to meet his physical and mental needs, he was given tremendous liberty. With lessons on how to use the materials and individualized support, the child was free to pursue the materials and the work he most desired at any given time, to focus for as long as he wanted, and to practice until he achieved mastery.

Though the child is prevented from misusing materials or distracting his classmates, he is never forced to do any of the work. The Montessori guide (teacher), rather, sees it as her mission to entice and inspire the child to find the work that will captivate his interest. For all the work across the whole curriculum, therefore, the guide endeavors to carefully observe the child, understand his interests, and then introduce the child to a corresponding material that she thinks will captivate him at just the right time.

When done well, the child does not need to be forced to work—he greedily seizes the opportunity and resents any distraction or hindrance.

Once the child finds work that ignites him, in short, he grows to love applying effort to achieve new knowledge and skills. He goes to his guide for new work like a person stranded in the desert finding an oasis. Every hard-earrned success or sparkling piece of new knowledge gained in a Montessori classroom is not given to the child, forced on him, or bribed and wheedled out of him—it is achieved by the child himself through his own initiative.

If there is any “rush” to the child’s development in a Montessori environment, it is the rush of the child himself, on fire with the love of life—to discover new knowledge, hone new abilities, and craft his character to achieve everything he sets out to achieve. As educators on a mission to empower and support the child’s development, should we quell his zeal and throttle his ambitions? Should we hold him back to match our preconceived notions of what a child of his age can achieve?

When the child has an environment designed to meet his needs, crafted to make success possible through his efforts, and filled to the brim with deeply engaging and rewarding work, is it really any surprise that the child achieves so much, and so much earlier than his peers? Is it any wonder that he does not remain idle, waiting for things to happen to him or for others to do things for him, but seizes every chance to grow, learn, and develop?

Is it any mystery that—from infants to business moguls—a person supported in this way believes he can achieve great things and takes the steps, applies the effort, and builds his knowledge so that he can?

This post Does Montessori Rush a Child’s Development? first appeared on Guidepost Montessori and is written by Lu

In many ways, the signature feature of a Montessori Children’s House (preschool-kindergarten) is its language curriculum.

From the moment a child enters at 2.5 to 3-years-old, she begins building the foundation of literacy with engaging games and hands-on study of phonics. Once she’s in her capstone Kindergarten year, all the preparation and work up to that point blossoms to create an “explosion of literacy”—she reads books with comprehension, composes her own sentences in carefully crafted cursive, and studies advanced grammar and vocabulary that her peers in conventional programs won’t see until 3rd grade.

To make this unprecedented progress possible, the child is provided with individualized support from her guide (teacher), tremendous liberty to learn at her own pace, and an intentionally designed sequence of engaging materials that guide her from one achievement to the next.

Let’s take a journey through the innovative Montessori language curriculum, year by year, to discover its core materials and methods.

Year 1: Building the Foundation

In the first year of Children’s House, there are many materials and activities that support a child to directly and indirectly build foundational literacy skills. Indeed, nearly everything in the classroom is designed to serve the goal of literacy. Most of the sensorial materials, for example, are designed so the child must grasp the pieces using the pincer grip he’ll need to write. And practical life materials are arranged logically so that steps are completed from left-to-right, helping to familiarize the child with the same spatial progression used when reading.

Out of all the materials and activities, however, three are the centerpiece in the first year: Sound Games, the Sandpaper Letters, and the Moveable Alphabet.

1. Sound Games

With an engaging series of sound games, the child learns to isolate and recognize the sounds found in words. Over time, the child attunes his ears until hearing and isolating each individual sound in a word is automatic.

To play the game initially, the guide will present a series of miniature, familiar objects to the child (e.g., a dog, cat, mop, mat, bag etc.). Then, like an I-Spy game, the guide will tell the child that she’s thinking of something that begins with a certain sound, “buh” for example. The child will look through the objects until he finds the bag, and the guide will prompt the child to tell her what sound the word begins with.

As the child progresses, the game is adapted to provide a new level of delight and challenge. The child, for example, will be asked to find objects based on ending and middle sounds in addition to beginning sounds, to scan the entire classroom to find objects containing a particular sound, or, when playing with a group, to find a particular classmate whose name starts or ends with the chosen sound.

Because a young child is fascinated with language in general, gaining the ability to isolate sounds in words is inherently motivating. And because rich spoken language is all around him, in the classroom and at home, he receives near constant practice and reinforcement of what he’s learning. The result? The child isolates and focuses on the very foundation of phonics—phonemic awareness—in a rapid, enjoyable way. He builds the foundation of literacy without rote drills, and without the added challenge of recognizing abstract symbols at the same time.

2. Sandpaper Letters

The Sandpaper Letters are a sensory-rich language material that helps the child connect the sounds he’s learned to their written representations. Mounted on boards, pink for consonants and blue for vowels, are cursive letters of the alphabet etched with sandpaper. This material capitalizes on the child’s desire to explore the world through touch, while simultaneously bringing the abstract symbols to a concrete, physical form the child can interact with.

Working with a few letters at a time, “m”, “t”, and “a” for example, the guide will present each to the child. She will demonstrate how to trace the letter using her index and middle finger and then say the sound the letter represents. Then the child, breathless with anticipation from waiting through this short lesson, traces the letter for himself and listens as the guide repeats the sound. The guide and child will practice with that set of letters until he can produce the sound each letter represents merely by looking at the symbol. Gradually, the child will work through the rest of the alphabet—sometimes learning them all in as little as two weeks!

Like the sound games, there are various activities and games the guide will play once there are a few letters the child is familiar with. He may try to find a classmate whose name starts with a particular letter, find objects in the classroom that begin with a letter, or think up his own words that start with a letter. Over time the child learns all the letters of the alphabet. Soon, he moves on to studying phonograms—sound-symbol combinations like “sh” “ee” and “th”—in the same way.

3. Moveable Alphabet

Writing with pencil and paper is a challenging fine-motor task. The child is often ready to compose words of his own creation, using what he’s learning through the sound games and sandpaper letters, before he has the hand strength and coordination necessary to write. The moveable alphabet allows the child to advance to the next stage of literacy while he’s still working to gain these fine-motor skills.

The moveable alphabet is a series of solid, wooden letters, red for consonants and blue for vowels. Once the child has learned all the vowels and a set of 5-7 consonants using the sandpaper letters, the guide introduces the child to this material. Initially, the guide asks the child to choose three of the sandpaper letters he’s familiar with, to trace them one at a time, and to find the letter in the moveable alphabet that matches. Once the child understands that these materials represent the same concept, he is invited to select moveable letters that he recognizes without first connecting them to a familiar sandpaper letter.

Over time, the child works to create words using the moveable alphabet and gradually progresses to “writing” phrases, whole sentences, and short stories. The hands-on material is enticing and the child delights in “building” sentences in much the same way as he enjoys building with blocks. The moveable alphabet allows the child to transform the abstract work of written communication, to a real, concrete, physical task that he can hold in his hand and viscerally understand.

Year 2: From Decoding to Reading

As the child starts the second year, she transitions from “writing” with the moveable alphabet to writing in sand, on a chalkboard, and on paper with and without guiding lines. Progressively, she builds the hand strength and coordination to write with ease for long periods of time. And finding joy in her newfound ability, she often goes in search of more opportunities to write—both at school and at home!

Similarly, the child transitions from recognizing symbols and their connection to corresponding sounds to actual reading. She begins to decode the symbols into their component sounds and recompose and synthesize them into a recognizable word. Over the course of the second year, the child moves from decoding single phonetic words, to studying non-phonetic “puzzle words”, to reading books for fun and studying advanced grammar.

1. Phonetic Reading

The child begins reading phonetically using Phonetic Object Boxes. Often with the same objects used to play sound games, these boxes contain miniature, familiar items with corresponding printed labels.

During the initial presentation, the guide mirrors the sound games by telling the child she is thinking of a particular object. However, instead of asking the child to find the object based on a component sound, she writes the name of the object on a strip of paper, folds it like a secret message, and asks the child to read the message, sounding out each letter, in order to determine the object she’s thinking of. As the child practices sounding out each letter, the guide supports her in blending the sounds together to form a complete word. Once the child recognizes the word, she searches to find the matching object. After a few rounds, the child is ready to practice independently using the printed labels.

In addition to matching objects with labels, the child plays games matching pictures to labels, reading phonetic booklets that include illustrations on the page opposite each word, and reading cards without pictures independently or in small groups.

Just as recognizing the sounds in words became automatic through practice with the sound games, the process of blending sounds together becomes automatic through practice with phonetic games. And just as the child has constant reinforcement through daily language exposure, she has frequent practice reading in her daily life. She realizes with joy that almost everything—from her juice box at lunch, to her shampoo bottle at bath time, to the road signs she sees on her daily walk—has words she can sound out and read.

2. Books to Remember

Once the child has had practice blending sounds to read words and has been introduced to some phonograms such as “th”, “ee”, and “ai”, she is introduced to a controlled-vocabulary series of books, called Books to Remember.

With these books, the child has the opportunity to read real picture books with engaging, dramatic stories, rather than boring or repetitive little readers. These books, in parallel with the other areas of the language curriculum, begin with the basic phonetic sounds and progress systematically through phonograms and non-phonetic puzzle words like “the” “my” and “of”.

The books are generally read in sequence, with preparation from the guide for unfamiliar puzzle words, challenging or new phonograms, and support with vocabulary. For each book, there is also a series of comprehension questions that the child works on independently, in a small group, or with her guide. Once the child has had practice, she is excited to take the books home to showcase her new reading skills with her parents. Each week, the child has the option of bringing home a book, keeping track of the times when she reads it to her parents, and trading it for another book the next week.

3. Function of Words

Because of the child’s sensitive period for language and her newfound ability to read, the child is easily fascinated with studying grammar. Like all other skills, however, the grammar curriculum in Children’s House diverges from standard lectures and worksheets, and is re-imagined to meet the child at her level.

Just as the child is prepared for reading by first becoming attuned to the sounds found in words, she is prepared for the formal study of grammar by first becoming attuned to the different kinds of words found in a sentence. This study is called “Function of Words” and includes materials, games, and activities for the different parts of speech—from the detective adjective game, to the logical adverb game, to games that involve reading and acting out different verbs.

The goal of these games is not to teach the word “noun”, “article”, or “adverb” although the children often learn anyway through recognizing the name of the games. Rather, the goal is for the child to have hands-on, practical experiences with the different roles that words can play in one’s communication.

Crucial to each of these games is a Symbol Box, a set of sensorial materials to help make the parts of speech fully real to the child. Verbs, for example, are symbolized by a big red circle, and adverbs, which modify and describe how an action is done, are represented by a smaller orange circle. As the child creates her own sentences or reads the sentences of others, she connects each word to a symbol corresponding to its role. She builds an intuitive grasp that nouns tell you what a sentence is about and that adjectives tell you what kind of thing you’re referring to.

Through the systematic study of the function of words, the child builds a solid sense of the grammatical order of words, how they all relate to one another, and how they can add vibrancy and color to her own writing.

Year 3: An “Explosion of Literacy”

In the capstone Kindergarten year, the child often experiences what Montessori dubbed, an “explosion of literacy.” The joyful and systematic preparation for the past two years suddenly comes to a head and the child leaps to a whole new level of ability—much like the younger child who goes from crawling to walking seemingly overnight.

In contrast with a conventional kindergarten program, designed to introduce children to school for the first time and start literacy study from scratch, the Children’s House language curriculum is designed to capitalize on the child’s leap in reading ability with the opportunity to read increasingly challenging texts and to do more advanced study of grammar and vocabulary.

1. Word Study

Now that the child is able to sound out many words and read stories with comprehension, one of biggest bottlenecks to the child’s progress is the size of his vocabulary. Throughout the past two years of Children’s House, he has been exposed to rich spoken language, precise language for materials and qualities in his lessons, and targeted vocabulary in the language curriculum. In the 3rd year, this focus on vocabulary is further enhanced with formal word studies.

For this work, the child usually completes matching activities, moving from more familiar to less familiar words while observing the spelling conventions. The child studies synonyms, for example, and goes beyond “beautiful” to “lovely”, beyond “clean” to “immaculate”, and beyond “old” to “ancient.” The child, still in a sensitive period for language, is fascinated to discover such delightfully long words, to be able to read and pronounce them independently, and to know what they mean.

Throughout this study, the child moves from studying the masculine and feminine versions of various words, to the actions of animals like “neigh” and “roar”, to homographs like “lead” and homophones like “see” and “sea”, and irregular singular and plural pairs like from “foot” to “feet.” This dedicated study of words alongside continued reading practice creates a virtuous circle. Reading provides increased exposure to the words being studied—and studying the words formally improves reading comprehension.

2. Reading Analysis

Building on the word function work the child started in his 2nd year, he is gradually introduced to reading analysis. With these activities, the child works to more formally begin the study of grammar. Using many of the same grammar symbols used perviously, the child diagrams the relationship of words in increasingly complex sentences, first with an engaging game involving the guide and eventually independently.

Starting with sentences that contain one subject and two verbs, the child gradually moves to analyzing sentences with multiple subjects, verbs, direct or indirect objects, adverbial phrases, and more. Through this systematic study, the child is also introduced to various writing conventions—from the use of capital letters and punctuation to indicate the beginning and ending of sentences to the use of commas to indicate a list and eliminate the necessity of repeated conjunctions.

Again, the goal is not to teach vocabulary like “preposition” or “conjunction” though this often occurs, but to support the child in creating a mental filing system that allows him to hold each piece of a complex sentence in mind while he reads.

Familiarity exploring complex sentences is crucial for reading comprehension. Without this practice, a child who encounters long sentences with multiple subjects, verbs, or parentheticals can easily get lost. Reading analysis empowers the child to go beyond sounding out the words and building an expansive vocabulary. He explores the relationships and structure of sentences themselves, and builds a predictive intuition for the common directions a sentence can go.

3. Interpretative Reading

As the child continues to advance through the Books to Remember series and study advanced grammar, the guide offers him an opportunity to bring all his skills together with interpretative reading activities. These activities are challenging and require the child to utilize all he’s been learning to this point—sounding out words, recognizing puzzle words, activating his vocabulary knowledge, and using his intuition about complex sentence structure.

For this activity, the guide works with a small group of children and hands a sentence on a slip of paper to one child to read silently. The sentences are dramatic and taken directly from literature, and thus provide the child with one more opportunity to explore the sentence structure and vocabulary he encounters in books. After the child reads the sentence, he acts it out in front of the other children while they guess what the original sentence said.

These sentences are far beyond what one would expect a kindergartener to be able to read. Moving from single actions and a simple structure to increasingly complex sentences, the child can eventually read and then perform compound sentences that require advanced literacy skills as well as memory retention. Acting the sentences out for another child or group to guess is both motivating and engaging, while practice reading these formulations aids with reading comprehension.

By the end of the 3-year Children’s House program, the child is more than prepared for elementary school. Indeed, she’s far ahead of her peers and ready to use her newfound ability to read in increasingly abstract and challenging ways. She’s ready to read for a purpose—to learn about the vast world of knowledge all around her.

And since she has been guided step-by-step with a curriculum designed for her abilities and interests, she sees challenges as exciting, effort as worthwhile, and reading as deeply rewarding.

In short, her journey though Children’s House has helped her become a strong reader who loves reading—one who’s ready, heart and soul, for the next challenge!

This post The Guidepost Approach to Developing Strong Readers (Who Love to Read!) first appeared on Guidepost Montessori and is written by Lu

A look at Guidepost’s partner teacher-training institute, Prepared Montessorian Institute, and how it provides guides best-in-class training

When you observe a 20-month-old toddler serve herself a snack, throw away scraps and stack her dirty plate when she finishes, and wash her hands before going back to work—all without a word of reminder from an adult—the Montessori classroom feels a bit like a fanciful dream.

When you watch the same child at 3-years-old select a literacy material like the sandpaper letters or moveable alphabet, focus intently, persist through challenges and distractions, and continue to work over a period of weeks, gradually teaching herself to read—the Montessori method seems nothing short of miraculous.

Yet both of these achievements, and countless others like them, were made possible by the efforts of a Montessori guide (teacher)—preparing the environment, observing and understanding the child’s needs, and offering timely support and guidance.

Becoming the kind of excellent guide who can create an environment that supports a child’s independence, and who can inspire a child to choose to apply effort, to learn deeply, and to gain mastery, requires a specialized set of knowledge and skills. Guidepost Montessori partners with a teacher-training institute, Prepared Montessorian Institute (PMI), to provide our guides with one-of-a-kind resources and the support system they need to thrive in the classroom.

What is PMI?

Prepared Montessorian Institute is a comprehensive Montessori learning center that helps current and prospective guides (teachers) become more knowledgeable about the Montessori method and how to implement it in the classroom.

Prepared Montessorian Institute is accredited by MACTE, the only accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Though the institute has only been in operation since 2019, they have grown to enroll more people in their certification programs than any other accredited Montessori-training program—many of whom are now guides at Guidepost campuses across the country! Over 1,000 Guidepost educators have joined PMI’s training programs. Roughly 1 out of every 5 Guidepost assistant guides and 2 out of every 3 Lead guides at Guidepost are in training or have already graduated from PMI.

PMI offers certification programs for every age group: whether an educator is interested in working with infants and toddlers or with adolescents in high school. Each certification program is rigorous and all-encompassing. Current and future Montessori educators learn the fundamentals of Montessori theory, how to present the full scope-and-sequence of Montessori materials for their chosen age range, how to apply positive classroom management techniques to create a benevolent classroom culture, and so much more.

The program is delivered in a hybrid style: some sessions are live on zoom, some are recorded resources for independent study, some are activities to be carried out in live Montessori classrooms with children, and some are at our Training Center locations with immersive experiences of intensive studies. These multiple mediums allow for people in our program to study at their own pace, in their own style, and in all circumstances.

Uniting Theory and Practice for a Best-in-Class Certification Program

Most teacher-training programs, whether Montessori or otherwise, spend years teaching theory before the educator ever steps foot in the classroom. Once in the classroom, however, the educator quickly discovers that things don’t operate according to a textbook’s theories. The classroom is dynamic, and many educators find themselves in their first few years of their career overwhelmed, blindsided by curveball situations, and alone. It’s no wonder that 44% of new teachers leave the profession within the first five years of their career.

Inspired by Montessori’s approach—observing students carefully, understanding their stage of development, and designing materials and hands-on experiences to scaffold their progress— PMI has designed an approach to adult-education that considers the unique challenges and circumstances of a new Montessori educator.

PMI offers the only Montessori teacher-training program designed to combine theory and practice from day one. Like a medical in-residency or engineering co-op, PMI and Guidepost partner to offer guides-in-training the opportunity to study the fundamentals of Montessori while immediately applying them in the classroom with the support of their colleagues and mentors.

Through this partnership, guides are able to learn what they need at the moment they need it to support the children in their classrooms. The program blends online, in-person, and practicum learning components to create a feedback loop between what guides learn in their training classes and how they actually manifest in the classrooms, where curveballs are common! PMI doesn’t just help people know what it takes to have a perfect Montessori classroom, but also how to respond when it isn’t perfect yet, and which steps to take to get it there.

Best of all, guides are not alone while gaining expertise as educators. Through Guidepost’s wide network of campuses offering opportunity for collaboration, regional team leaders with programmatic expertise who can provide in-classroom observations and support, and their PMI classes and mentorship, guides have a one-of-a-kind support network to lean on as they hone their craft.

The end result? Certified guides who know—through theory and practice—how to set up a Montessori classroom that meets the needs of every child and helps each unlock their full potential.

Are you ready to launch your teacher-training to the next level?

Are you ready to re-imagine education? Both for children and for educators-in-training? Do you believe a teacher-training program should do more to prepare educators for the situations they’ll encounter in the classroom, more to support them as they’re honing their skills, and more to help them launch an impactful career? Then, we encourage you to check out PMI and the Guidepost career openings near you!

Here’s a brochure that goes over the details of PMI’s Diploma programs for educators looking to become Montessori certified.

The best place to get even more information is to visit www.preparedmontessorian.com or reach out to the PMI team at hello@preparedmontessorian.com 

PMI Courses for Parents and the Montessori-Curious

Many Montessori educators found the approach because they first were Montessori-curious parents. PMI fully believes that the greatest educator of an individual child is their parent or primary caregiver. No one knows the child more and no one has as constant of an influence on the child.

PMI offers introductory and other short courses for parents who either want to learn more about the methodology, to enroll their children in a Montessori school, or to bring Montessori’s approach into their daily lives at home, as well as courses to help parents approach pivotal parenting moments like toilet learning with Montessori’s guiding philosophy.

One of the best places to start is the course called “How Montessori Education Works” a free course on the learning platform Udemy that you can find here: https://www.udemy.com/course/how-montessori-education-works/

PMI also offers courses that we love to share which are targeted to help with parenting situations like toilet learning, how to bring Montessori into the home, or how to speak so children hear you. These courses can be found here: https://preparedmontessorian.com/parent

This post How Prepared Montessorian Institute Prepares Guides for the Classroom from Day One first appeared on Guidepost Montessori and is written by Lu

Learn how practical life activities in Montessori provide scope and sequence for everyday routines and practices

One of the pleasures of watching a child grow is being shocked out of taking the mundane for granted. The most ordinary things that we seemingly know without thinking and can do without trying, are for the child wondrous, new discoveries and engaging, joyous challenges. This includes the everyday routines and practices of life: preparing food, dressing oneself, cleaning, habitual courtesies, and more—these are for the child new, maybe daunting, exciting tasks that are visibly part of the human world and that are empowering to master.

One of the hallmarks of the Montessori method is that it takes full advantage of the child’s motivation to learn these things at a very young age. The practical life curriculum in Montessori provides a scope and sequence for these everyday routines and practices. And exactly like the other, more academic areas in the Montessori classroom, the Montessori approach offers a pedagogy that elevates and empowers the child in her pursuit of these skills. Practical life in Montessori is purposeful activity, develops motor control and coordination, and develops independence, concentration, and a sense of responsibility. The exercises in practical life cover two main areas of development: care of self, and care of the environment.

What are practical life activities?

Practical life activities are applicable for all ages, even infants, and change depending on what the child can do at each stage of development. The activities can start with something as simple as pulling pants up or washing hands and can get as complicated as baking a dessert, or even developing a business plan in the elementary or middle school years.

Why are practical life activities necessary?

When taken seriously and presented as an approachable, impactful challenge, these activities hold inherent dignity. It’s not “just” getting dressed or “just” juicing an orange if one is doing it oneself. The child is learning to follow a complex motor sequence, independently, in order to fulfill his or her own desires and needs. These skills, when taught early in life, allow children to believe in themselves as well as develop the self-discipline needed for success throughout their lives.

Those who are unfamiliar with the Montessori method may question why a child is doing something like washing the dishes over learning something more academic like mathematical concepts. The practical life Montessori curriculum teaches the child things they need to (and are motivated to) learn anyway, and does it in a way that is of a piece with the more academic disciplines, developing the same key fundamental executive and emotional skills. Math, reading, and language all require one to have the ability to focus, to be able to follow logical and sequential steps, to make intelligent choices, to see a task through from start to finish, to persist when one makes a mistake, and to correct one’s mistakes—and all of these are present in the process of learning and practicing the practical life activities.

What types of practical life activities are there?

• Care of Self: These activities provide the means for children to become physically independent. Activities in this area may include learning to wash one’s hands or learning to put on one’s clothing. For an 18-month-old, it could be as simple as assisting in pulling down his own pants, but for an elementary student, it could be packing lunch or an overnight bag.
• Care of the Environment: Keeping a clean, orderly classroom is important in a Montessori environment. The practical life activities teach children how to take care of the space around them—from physically cleaning to, on a deeper level, appreciating one’s environment. These activities may include how to set the table, how to clean dishes, or how to water and care for plants. For example, in the Montessori table washing activity, the child would be shown how to go to the correct area of the room to gather cleaning supplies, take a pitcher to the sink and fill it with water, and then methodically scrub the table. Another example: toddlers love learning how to put out a flower arrangement in the classroom. Not only is it beautiful, but they get to make choices about what will make it the most beautiful, all while performing a very involved sequence of tasks with a naturally mandatory order (separating the flowers, filling vases with water, etc.)

There are multiple layers to these activities! They may seem straightforward and repetitive, but a lot is going on under the surface.

First, for children these activities are complicated, multi-step processes that pave the way for a problem-solving mindset and a fulfilling experience. But second, there are often subtle curricular integrations within these tasks. Washing a table has an immediate purpose because the child is learning to clean up after herself—but there’s also an indirect purpose because the child learns to wash, in a Montessori classroom, from left to right, and then top to bottom, thus habituating motor control and attention in the direction of English reading and writing.

In doing practical life activities, the child can develop a high level of concentration, develop a sense of order, take pride in completing a job, increase independence, develop respect for his or her community and surroundings, and improve fine motor skills—both in general and with an eye to the particular skills that a child will need for more cognitively demanding work such as reading, writing, and mathematics.

The practical life activities should be taken seriously as children are working diligently to perfect and master specific skills. This fundamental range of work has many layers of purpose that include joyously earning mastery over the “mundane,” as well as constructing and practicing core human faculties.

This post The Importance of Practical Life Activities Within the Montessori Method first appeared on Guidepost Montessori and is written by Lu

Learn about how you can introduce Montessori into your home from the day your baby is born

Montessori education is most commonly associated with Montessori schools, but it’s not limited to those four walls. Anyone – parents, caregivers, educators – can make a Montessori environment at home.

Those first few moments after becoming a parent bring a whirlwind of emotions. Joy when seeing their tiny fingers and toes. Excitement about the things you’ll do together as they grow. Love – just pure, unadulterated love for this new member of your family.

Even with months to prepare your home for this new arrival, you start to wonder if you’ve done everything you can to be ready. From baby-proofing electrical outlets to getting the perfect books to read, you’ve checked every box you can think of – yet your doubts persist.

“To stimulate life, leaving it free, however, to unfold itself – that is the first duty of the educator.”

Maria Montessori

While there’s no manual for raising a child, there is one for creating an environment where any child can use their inherent ability to learn through the world around them. For over 100 years, parents have used the Montessori philosophy of education developed by Dr. Maria Montessori to help their children physically, cognitively, emotionally, and socially explore their expanding world.

In this Ultimate Guide to Montessori at Home, we’re going to walk you through what you need to know about Montessori education, how to create a Prepared Environment at home, and give you practical ideas to adapt your home Montessori as your child grows.

The Prepared Environment at Home

The foundation of the Montessori experience is the Prepared Environment. Montessori classrooms are designed to be places where children can explore and learn under their own direction. You won’t find rows of desks facing a teacher for a structured lesson plan. Instead, children in Montessori classrooms can move freely as their interests evolve. 

Dr. Montessori believed that every child is capable of greatness when given the opportunity to learn, make mistakes, and grow. Having the right environment to do that is essential. If you’re concerned about the costs, don’t fret – creating the Montessori experience at home is affordable and adaptable to the space in your home.

It’s essential to remember that the Montessori experience isn’t limited to a room for learning. Your child doesn’t stop learning and exploring when they put a book back on the shelf or clean up their art supplies. The Montessori experience is a whole-home experience – from the kitchen to the bathroom, from the bedroom to the living room.

Form and function

For many of us, making the switch to working from home took more than just setting up a computer monitor and keyboard in the basement. Businesses invest in office furniture to create a space for you to do your best work. The same type of investment is needed in creating your home Montessori Prepared Environment. We’ll go into the specifics of what you need later in the guide – but there are three key things to keep in mind.

• Fewer Distractions – Simple, functional furniture is preferred for Montessori learning. There is no prescription for natural materials versus man-made materials — the furniture should be clean and (ideally) free of distractions such as cartoon illustrations.
• Real-World Tools – Montessori spaces create opportunities for children to manage themselves. Having child-sized cups and containers allows them to do simple things like get their own water. These opportunities build confidence and resilience that children will take on to each step of their growth.
• Child-sized – Montessori education works to create a normalized child – one that can function independently on everyday tasks around your home and in the classroom. It’s best to choose furniture that is sized to the stage of life of your child. This includes beds close to the floor so your child can explore on their own when they wake up in the morning, or tables and chairs for their size rather than high chairs and booster seats. 

Everyday objects and toys

Materials in the Montessori classroom range from everyday household items to scientifically designed learning materials that inspire children to conceptualize and create an understanding of the world around them.

The same philosophy of using simple and functional furniture applies to the materials in your home Montessori environment. Plastic play kitchens are replaced with appropriately sized actual kitchenware and utensils. With Montessori education, the goal is for children to learn through authentic experiences.

Using everyday household objects also teaches an important lesson: responsibility. Children learn to treat their things and possessions of their friends and family with care when those items are breakable or fragile.  

Order and cleanliness

Children learn in many ways, including by imitating the people around them. They yearn to contribute to the running of the household because they’re inspired by the love they have for their parents. Providing opportunities to help when they can is always encouraged. 

Organizing your home for Montessori means having an order to where everything goes and being set up so that your children can tidy up after themselves.

• Instead of bins or buckets of mismatched items, your home Montessori environment should be organized and straightforward. Toys and books should be grouped by subject. As you notice your child’s interests changing, you can introduce new groupings of toys and books.
• Cleaning cloths should be accessible so your child can clean up after they’re finished with a meal or snack. This gives children the space to develop a sense of care and stewardship over their environment.
• We like the slightly amended acronym K.I.S. – keep it simple. Messy desks might be the sign of a genius, but an organized, simple space helps children become calm, happy, and independent.

Parenting the Montessori Way

Creating a Prepared Environment takes you only part of the way towards bringing the Montessori Method into your home. The next step is to prepare yourself to parent the Montessori way.

“Discipline must come through freedom.”

Maria Montessori

Montessori philosophy is built upon the concept of a child developing within a Prepared Environment – a classroom that has been designed for the needs of each child, so that they can move around it with dignity, requiring as little help as possible to carry out daily tasks. As the parent, you’re there to guide your child as they investigate their surroundings and explore their interests. Parenting the Montessori way is simply being mindful of your child’s interests and present in your interactions with them. 

Dr. Montessori also argued that children develop as strong individuals when you help them build up their inner motivation rather than using rewards to motivate.

Three steps to being a great Montessori parent

1. Observe your child as they explore. The foundation of the Prepared Environment allows parents to take a step back and truly observe their child. Children as young as six months can begin to notice the differences between pictures that show different numbers of objects. As you observe your child, look for signs that they’re interested in an object or a subject and create a tray or basket of similarly-themed toys and books for them. For example, if you’re out on a walk with your child and they demonstrate an interest in birds, put together a few books about birds and bird toys for them to explore in your home.  
 
This is the primary difference between regular parenting and the Montessori way. As parents, we’re naturally inclined to want to teach our children about the things we think they should learn. Parenting the Montessori way gives the direction of education back to the child, empowering them to fill their absorbent minds with what they genuinely crave to know about. (What’s an “absorbent mind,” you ask? Visit the Guidepost Glossary of Montessori for a breakdown of all the Montessori terms you need to know).

Later on in this guide, we’ll discuss the importance of curating these materials and how to rotate them out as your child’s interests change. 

2. Mistakes Happen. Parenting the Montessori way means using the mistake as a lesson in self-discipline and responsibility. Mistakes and accidents are a natural part of the learning process. It’s through mistakes and errors that we test and push through our limits of understanding and comprehension. Children, especially through age six, have absorbent minds that take in everything around them. It’s these varieties of experiences – both successes and failures – that children use as a launchpad for a life of thought and action.

Our first response to an accident, such as a child dropping a plate is to move the child away and grab a broom and dustpan. Instead of removing the child from the room, invite them to participate in the clean-up. They could carefully pick up some of the larger pieces and put them in the trash, before moving onto more complex tasks like using the dustpan and brush. It’s an opportunity for the child to participate in their environment and build an understanding of natural consequences to actions. 

3. Avoid being a helicopter parent. As parents, we all want to protect our children. It’s our natural instinct. But like every road paved with good intentions, we can become too protective – turning into helicopter parents and micromanaging our children’s daily schedules down to the last minute. Following the Montessori Method can help parents avoid becoming helicopter parents as it removes the need to constantly entertain the child.

Putting young minds into rigorous schedules of activities can seem like the right thing to do. Dr. Montessori’s research showed that children develop best when given the freedom to explore their interests under their own direction. 

The goal of all Montessori parents is to help guide their children to become happy, healthy, independent individuals. This path to independence is built in the Prepared Environment at home through opportunities to develop their inner discipline by contributing at home. 

Studies have shown that ‘helicopter parenting’ can cause children to lose their sense of independence and confidence, potentially leading to feelings of sadness or inadequacy. Being a Montessori parent means creating a Prepared Environment where your child can make mistakes and learn safely. Providing a healthy snack station where your child can serve themselves provides them the experience of managing their own serving size and cleaning up any messes. Giving your child the space to govern their actions builds that sense of inner discipline that Dr. Montessori’s research identified as the keystone of a happy, engaged, and curious child.

Organizing your Home Learning Environment

When parents discuss using the Montessori Method at home, the discussion often turns to the associated costs. There’s a myth that bringing Montessori into your home is expensive. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be that way.

We’re going to share what you need to know to make Montessori at home affordable and straightforward. It’s important to note that Montessori at home is a whole home project. Each room should be organized so that every member of the household can be as independent as possible. The inner discipline of the child that Dr. Montessori described is developed through Practical Life activities, including personal hygiene, cleaning up after meals, and taking care of their belongings and the belongings of the family.  

Before exploring what Montessori at home looks like from room to room, here are three concepts that make Montessori at home successful for your child and you. 
 

1. Keeping things at eye level. Keep things organized so that your child can easily access the materials they need for their self-guided learning. Look for ways to add a child-safe shelf to your kitchen, bathroom, and other rooms so your child can get the materials they need when they need them.
2. Less is more. We’re always tempted to add more toys and books to our children’s spaces to teach and entertain them. But with Montessori at home, less truly is more. Instead of deep baskets of toys, use smaller baskets and trays to organize books and toys by themes. Using your Montessori parenting skills, observe your child and introduce new materials as their interests evolve.
3. Everyone picks up a broom. Keeping materials at eye level is for more than their learning materials. Put child-safe cleaning supplies such as clothes and hand brooms at eye level for your child. Doing this allows your child to take ownership of tasks, from getting their own healthy snacks to cleaning up a spill (it happens to all of us).

The Montessori Learning Space

Whether it’s an office, a cubicle, a hot desk, or a coffee shop, we all crave a dedicated space to do our work. Many children share that same need for a dedicated space for their learning and exploration. 

“The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences.”

Maria Montessori

With Montessori at home, creating a learning space can be done easily with many things you already have in your home. 

• If your home allows, create a dedicated space to separate learning from home that is just for them.
• Use simple, functional furniture for the Prepared Environment at home. The materials can be wood, plastic, or other composites, but it is important that they are free of distractions including illustrations, cartoon characters, or other branding.
• Use baskets and trays to organize materials on an easy-to-reach shelf to help keep their things organized. Children can focus more on the topics they’re exploring when their dedicated learning space is uncluttered.

While Montessori spaces are uncluttered, that does not mean bare walls are preferred. Displaying artwork that ties in with your child’s current interests can help inspire their learning. The artwork does not have to be expensive either, you can use pages from magazines or purchase prints from local artists to create a warm, motivating space for your child’s dedicated space.

The Montessori Bedroom 

As with your bedroom, your child’s bedroom is a sanctuary from the day-to-day activities with which they engage. Many of the same Prepared Environment concepts can be applied when designing the Montessori at-home bedroom.

Even though many of us dreamed of a race car or four-post princess bed as children, a simple floor bed works best for a Montessori child’s bedroom. (Read more about our recommendations here). Whether your child is rolling around, crawling around, or getting comfortable on two feet, a floor bed empowers them to start their days independently.

Being able to get out of bed easily, your child can then pick out their clothes and dress themselves. This builds their inner discipline and helps them develop their sense of independence. We all know children can have some interesting fashion choices and don’t always dress for the weather. Give them options in their dresser or closets that are right for the day ahead to help avoid tantrums.

In addition to dressing themselves, your child can also pick toys and books from their shelves to explore. For toddlers, use a play mat to help create a space where they can play safely after they wake. 

Becoming independent means taking ownership of their space and belongings. Involve your child in folding and putting away clothes, show them how to make their bed, and as with all the spaces in your home, show your children that everything has a place – and cleaning up is part of learning and play.

The Montessori Kitchen

The kitchen is where family happens. It’s the hub where everything is shared – from meals to the events of the day. Setting up your kitchen for your Montessori child involves making it a space where they can observe, engage, and contribute. 

“Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.”

Maria Montessori

Instead of play or toy-themed items, have your child use real plates and tableware. Using the same items as everyone in the family teaches them the value of the items and encourages them to take care while using, cleaning, and putting away plates, tableware, cups, and glasses.

The kitchen is a room where having furniture and seating for the child’s height sometimes isn’t possible. Use age-appropriate stools to bring them to counter and sink height. Being at the right height allows toddlers to observe dishes being cleaned and water being poured so they can do those activities themselves when they’re able.

Booster seats and high chairs don’t allow children to move freely. A child-sized chair and table lets them enjoy their meal in the same way older children and adults do at their table. The freedom to move then gives them the chance to clear their plate and tableware. 

Use the kitchen as a place for your child to explore Practical Life activities. Have a hand broom and cleaning clothes accessible for them to clean up after themselves. For snacking, provide easy access to healthy snacks and child-sized pitchers and cups so that your child can serve themselves when needed. 

The Montessori Bathroom 

Every room in your home is an opportunity for your child to learn to take care of the space and themselves. Nowhere is this more true than in the bathroom. Learning to take care of their hygiene is critical to developing a strong, independent child. 

Like your kitchen, the bathroom is a space in your home that can be adapted for your Montessori child as they grow. The bathroom is also the space where you can lead by example by brushing your teeth and washing your hands to demonstrate proper hygiene. 

Use an age-appropriate step stool so your child can easily reach the vanity on their own. There are also adapters for taps and faucets that allow your child to turn on and reach the water without potentially tipping themselves over.

The bathroom is a place for many things, but minimize the number of toys in the bathroom to reduce clutter and help your child focus on the task at hand. 

Have face clothes and cleaning clothes available so your child can tidy themselves and the bathroom.

Montessori at Home for Babies

You can bring Montessori into your home with children as young as a few months old. The first step is to create a safe environment in your home for your child. Each home is different, but these tips will help you get started. 

Put chemicals, cleaners, and other potentially toxic items on high shelves or in locked cabinets.

Check your light fixtures, electronics, and appliances for loose cords that a baby could pull down and harm themselves. Use baby-proof electric receptacle covers.

“Education must begin at birth.”

Maria Montessori

Moving from cribs to floor beds

Many Montessori guides encourage parents to move children as young as two months from a Moses basket or bassinette to a floor bed. One of the first lessons of independence for your child is being able to wake and explore their space independently. 

Teething and solid foods

Montessori education – from the child’s house to your home – is based on a child-led approach. That same child-led approach is used for teething and when introducing solid foods to your baby.

For teething, give your baby two or three teething toy options in a basket that they’re able to reach. Giving them choices and access allows them to soothe themselves when needed. 

When it comes to introducing solid foods, the same child-led approach can be employed. While having a meal, offer solids to your baby as your family eats together. Allow your baby to choose how much solid food they want to try and finish their meal with milk or formula as you normally would.

Remember to use real plates, tableware, and cups with your baby, so they see that they experience meal times the same way as everyone else. 

Montessori at Home for Toddlers

As your baby becomes a toddler, your Montessori at-home Prepared Environment grows with them. For example, picture books get put away and replaced with early readers.

Here are a few Montessori at Home for Toddlers ideas to try:

• Use trays of seasonal-themed toys and books to encourage your child to explore their environment as it changes.
• It’s vital to observe your child and rotate out the trays and baskets of toys as they discover new interests.
• Involve your toddler in meal planning to help them explore their tastes. This is another way that the child-led approach can be used to avoid picky or fussy eaters. 

Potty Learning 

Instead of toilet training in the traditional sense, Montessori parents use potty learning to build confidence in their children. Your Montessori bathroom already has the core items – a stool to reach the vanity and possibly a faucet extender. For potty learning, introduce a small potty or child toilet seat that your toddler can use independently.

You can start potty learning while your child is a baby by talking about bodily functions in real terms, such as, “Do you have to go to the bathroom?” and “Your diaper is wet.” Giving them the words to express themselves before they are verbal sets a solid foundation for potty learning later on.

Montessori Children Have Tantrums Too 

We all brace ourselves when we see the telltale signs of an impending tantrum. Arms crossed, a growing frown, feet getting ready to stomp the ground. 

Here are a few ways you can help your child manage their tantrums:

• Instead of ignoring or appeasing the child when a tantrum is thrown, parents are encouraged to use the Montessori way of parenting by observing the child and actively listening to your child as they express their feelings. Active listening can help you find opportunities to help your child resolve their feelings.
• Our first intuitions can range from giving the child a treat or threatening some form of punishment. Dr. Montessori taught that instead of trying to control their actions, control their choices. If your child is having a tantrum because they want an unhealthy snack, give them choices of two or three healthy options. Doing so gives them the responsibility and independence a child craves – all while keeping sugary snacks at bay.
• With young children, expressing their feelings through words can be difficult. Use a tantrum as an opportunity for them to show their feelings in creative ways. Ask them to draw or paint what they’re feeling or what they need (once they’ve calmed down). Expression through art can help you connect with your child in ways you never expected.

Creating your Prepared Environment at home doesn’t involve expensive purchases. Many of the materials you’ll need can be found at consignment stores or repurposed from materials you have at home today. For furniture, Ikea and other retailers have inexpensive options for child-sized desks, chairs, and tables that are made of natural materials.

“The goal of childhood education should be to activate the child’s own natural desire to learn.”

Maria Montessori

We know that at first glance, bringing the Montessori philosophy into your home can seem daunting and expensive. We hope you now see that Montessori at home is quite the opposite. Montessori uses less structure, fewer materials, and a reduced amount of adult direction in order to help the child build more willpower, greater responsibility, and resilience.

This post The Ultimate Guide to Montessori at Home first appeared on Guidepost Montessori and is written by Lu

The Montessori curriculum is thoughtfully built around teaching children the many elements of reading and writing one by one, in an accessible and enjoyable way

Reading and writing are sometimes taken for granted by adults who have mastered the skills—but looking at them from a child’s perspective, they are skills of Herculean difficulty. Literacy is a complicated, integrative process that involves the association of symbols with sounds, sounds with words, and words with ideas. It means learning to fluidly encode ideas into symbols and decode symbols into ideas. And, on top of everything, it involves acquiring complex physical production skills, such as the fine motor skills involved in writing with a pen or pencil.

The Montessori approach uses a distinct set of practices that nurture a positive, natural learning experience to teach reading and writing. The Montessori curriculum is thoughtfully built around teaching children the many elements of reading and writing one by one, in a way accessible to and enjoyable by a child. Here are a few of the steps in the sequence used in a Montessori environment to ensure that children master literacy with joy.

Children in a Montessori environment learn to write first, before they learn to read. This approach is organic, as children are able to put the letters for the sounds they know together into a word before they are ready to interpret and string together the sounds of a word on a page. Children begin learning the letter sounds using sandpaper letters, which incorporate the sense of touch to further reinforce learning. While the child learns the letter sound, they trace the letter with their fingers on a textured sandpaper inscription of the letter, learning the strokes used eventually to write that letter on paper.

Once a child has mastered the sounds associated with each letter, she’ll be shown the moveable alphabet, which will allow her to easily put letters together, sounding them out to spell simple, then progressively more complex, words. Children love to move, and learn by doing. They learn best by physically interacting with the world, so why not take advantage of their natural tendencies to do so? The moveable alphabet allows children to begin “writing”—even before they develop the fine-motor skills to control a pencil.

Writing is a hands-on process, and the Montessori approach fully leverages the fact that children are naturally hands-on learners. In the Montessori classroom, children develop hand strength early on during activities that encourage use of the “pincer grip”, such as the cylinder blocks. The hand position used to pick up the blocks is the same as the one used in holding a pencil!

Once foundational hand strength is developed, we begin direct work with pens and pencils by introducing children to our beautiful collection of colored pencils and the metal insets. Instead of plodding through tedious handwriting worksheets, they are intrigued by the colored pencils and start using them to trace shapes, draw parallel lines or make patterns. Children love to color and create artwork, practicing a skill that they will later use to write letters and words. Through doing this, the child learns to use and control pencils while expressing herself in a creative way. When the child combines this skill with the previously mentioned ones, she joyfully discovers that she is now able to write letters on paper.

At Guidepost, your child will learn to write in cursive first. While cursive letters seem intimidating to most adults, they actually prove to be easier to learn than print letters: while writing in cursive, you don’t have to continuously lift the pencil off the page. This makes the act of writing fluid and continuous, without the extra stops and starts associated with print letters. In addition, letters that are easy to confuse in print are distinct in cursive, so children are less likely to reverse these letters.

Once a child has learned how to use the letter sounds to construct words, she progresses towards joining words together into sentences of her own construction, and from there, there is an explosion of writing ability and enthusiasm. After mastering the skills associated with producing written letters and words, reading naturally comes as the next step. She discovers that she is now able to see printed words on a piece of paper and decode their meaning. Children will suddenly show a new, heightened interest in the written word. By learning to read, a whole new world is opened to them. Just watch them start to read the side of a milk carton or the label on their shampoo bottle, and you will see the excitement that can come from learning this essential skill!

When teaching early reading skills, we use a beginner series of books titled “The Books to Remember.” If a child does not understand a book, they quickly become bored as they lose track of what is happening in the story. The Books to Remember only use vocabulary suited for beginning readers, and still tell compelling stories and have engaging illustrations that keep the child’s interest. We want the child to experience reading and writing as interesting, fun activities, not as a mechanically learned chore. These beginner books, similarly to the colored pencils and metal insets, are tools designed to captivate the child and help motivate him to develop these early reading and writing skills.

Teaching children to read and write at Guidepost is an incredibly rewarding experience. Our guides follow your child through these and other steps, guiding them through a process carefully designed to encourage enthusiastic producers and consumers of the written word. We take pride in growing these fundamental roots of each child’s education—the foundation that will support their learning for the rest of their lives.

This post Teaching Reading and Writing with Montessori first appeared on Guidepost Montessori and is written by Lu