Many people are unduly intimidated by the thought of teaching probability. At its most basic level, probability revolves around being able to predict whether a future event is certain, possible, or impossible. These basic concepts grow and develop into a more mathematical understanding of likelihood as children learn to quantify that…

As children develop an understanding of their place in the universe, their mental model of the solar system should really go beyond a list of planet names and attributes to become a dynamic concept of bodies in motion and interaction. Montessori educators can help build a Sensorial impression of the cosmos by physically modeling the nature of…

This annotated bibliography is the fourth in a series published in Montessori Life, with the first reviewing articles published during the 10-year time span of 1996-2006 (Bagby, 2007), the second covering 2007-2009 (Bagby & Jones, 2010), and the third 2010-2013 (Bagby, Wells, Edmondson & Thompson, 2014). As with the previous reviews, the…

This annotated bibliography is the fourth in a series published in Montessori Life, with the first reviewing articles published during the 10-year time span of 1996-2006 (Bagby, 2007), the second covering 2007-2009 (Bagby & Jones, 2010), and the third 2010-2013 (Bagby, Wells, Edmondson & Thompson, 2014). As with the previous reviews, the…

To many people, the ultimate goals of a Montessori education do not fall in the measurable domains of subject matter or mastery of specific techniques. Instead, the outcomes of Montessori education that really matter are, to some extent, intangible. Many Montessorians believe that children work to fulfill inner directives, and it is during such…

This article describes the life of a full-time nurse supporting the Montessori environment at Wilmington Montessori School (WMS) in Delaware. WMS currently has about 200 students, ranging in age from 12 months to 12 years, during the regular school day, plus a before- and aftercare program for their own students as well as students from the local…

The concept of a ready-made block of knowledge does not exist in the Montessori classroom. Instead, the teacher's knowledge and the learning abilities of the child interact. The teacher brings what she or he knows about the world, and the child brings his or her desire to learn more about the world. In this article, a Montessori teacher uses her…

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…

Martha Haakmat writes in this article that in some ways she understands why parents might have a harder time understanding why Montessori is education at its best, especially as their children progress past preschool. Haakmat goes on to say that the learning path at Montessori schools is more proactive. Montessori schools ask that parents partner…

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,…

During the 2012-2013 school year, Metropolitan Montessori School, on Manhattan's Upper West Side, a school for 3-to-12-year-olds, adopted a reading workshop approach. This decision resulted from several recognized needs. One need was to provide teachers with a strong, clear framework for literacy instruction, particularly at the emergent reading…

Educational philosophy in elementary and secondary schools has often centered on creating a "product," full of content knowledge and basic skills (Bagby, 2002). However, no longer is academic achievement in the classroom considered the sole gauge of lifelong success. Meltzer (2010) suggested that the development of executive functioning skills…

Getting to know one's child's teachers will help parents know where they are coming from and why they are teaching. It might also give parents insight into the relationship they have with their child or children. This article illustrates what the author means through a story. The author suggests that parents need talk to their child's teachers.…

Marc Prensky coined the term "digital native" in 2001 to describe those who have grown up with a constant interaction of technology, including television, video games, and the Internet (Prensky, 2001). For these people, many of them now in their twenties, life has always included the presence of screens--televisions, cell phones, iPods, video…