Kelly Johnson introduces a series of lessons that incorporate literacy, observation, botany, history, place studies, writing, and art, with a long-term eco-literacy goal of connectedness and a conservation ethic. Johnson's initial idea to use Beatrix Potter as a model in the Lower Elementary classroom came after extensively researching…

This article examines recent educational research on the effectiveness of homework in improving achievement. The definition we have chosen to use for homework is any assignment intended to be completed during nonschool hours.

Montessori's first premise is that movement and cognition are closely entwined, and movement can enhance thinking and learning (Lillard, 2005). Children must move, and practice moving, to develop strength, balance, and the stability needed to fully participate in the rigors of daily life. It is imperative for young children's motor…

The author states that raising her twins the Montessori way has made her life easy. Imagine two 1-year-olds eating entire meals on their own, setting their own tables by 20 months, and becoming potty-trained before 2. These are not statistics found in just one household. Children raised the Montessori way can take care of themselves and their…

In this article the authors describe how Montessori teachers create environments that assist and support toddlers. For all Montessori children, especially toddlers, giving them opportunities to perceive and experience the world through their own unaided efforts is the central premise of their prepared environments. The caretakers prepare the…

The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, "The children are now working as if I did not exist" (Montessori, 1967, p. 283). Montessori Toddler teachers spend a great amount of time preparing and perfecting their environments to allow and to encourage learning to happen. The teachers are constantly adjusting and…

The world of infants and toddlers is a world of unflagging curiosity and discovery. They are compelled to go, with boundless energy, after the skills that they need for the future. When they are allowed to accumulate as rich and as multifaceted a bundle of formative experiences as possible, teachers expand the material that they have to construct…

Long before empirical neurological research validated her insight, Montessori understood that healthy, full-term babies come equipped with a physiological passion for learning. Brain studies have confirmed that most of the brain's development and inner wiring occurs during the first 2 years of life. A newborn's neurons have sparse, weak…

This article describes the experiences of frequently-traveling parents Balick and Jepson, and their 2-year daughter Coco. As owners of two businesses (an event-planning business and a Montessori aterials company) the travel between 7 days and 3 months at a time--for trade shows, conferences, school visits, and working events. How does one manage…

In this article author Prairie Boulmier writes that Paul Tough, author of "How Children Succeed," has emerged as a visible and respected voice on education reform and research in the U.S. Boulmier describes "How Children Succeed" and its focus on an increasing knowledge base that supports so-called "noncognitive"…

The theme of the AMS 2014 Annual Conference is "Unity in Diversity," a concept that also describes the work of conference keynote speaker Andrew Solomon. Solomon is a writer and lecturer on psychology and politics; winner of the National Book Award; and an activist for LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender] rights, mental health,…

Imagine going back in time and being the guiding spirit in Montessori's first "Casa dei Bambini" but with all the knowledge and skills developed as a Montessori teacher today. That is precisely the privilege this author has had as, over the past 2 years, she has worked to establish an Early Childhood Montessori program in Usa River,…

The American Montessori Society's (AMS) 2014 Living Legacy recipient, John Chattin-McNichols, delivered the keynote address at the Annual Conference in Dallas, TX, on March 27, 2014, In his speech, he described three overall highlights of AMS: (1) AMS is now a world-leading organization; (2) It must become a learning organization; and (3)…

In this article, the author states that it is a delight to walk into a Montessori classroom to the hum of children engaged in a variety of activities, especially when there is an accompanying feeling of joy and happiness. In desiring the peaceful calm of the classroom, educators may inadvertently hinder the joy, enthusiasm, and imagination that…

In this article, the author states that, for over 45 years, she has explored the issues of leadership and change, and, along the way, she has examined how diversity fits in with these ideas. She states that she found all three of these concepts embodied in the person of John McDermott, a leader in the American Montessori movement in the United…