In a span of about three days in the spring of 2023, the author's Instagram feed became inundated with mentions of artificial intelligence (AI), including Chat GPT, text-to-image models, and much more. She would turn on the radio and hear about the controversy surrounding AI, or look at her cousin's social media posts about the injustices of her…

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…

Dr. Margaret "Peggy" Loeffler (1921-2016) was a true Montessori pioneer, someone who had a lasting impact on the American Montessori Society (AMS), on Montessori schools, and on teacher education programs. In this article, John Chattin-McNichols shares some of his memories of her, and, in doing so, also reflects on some of his memories…

One of the few constants in the author's life since beginning work at a Montessori school, in 1968, is that people are still asking why more children, especially children from low-income families, do not have access to high-quality Montessori programs. The problem of creating free or low-cost opportunities has been a struggle since the first…

In 2014, the American Montessori Society (AMS) School Accreditation Commission, with the support of the AMS Board of Directors, reaffirmed the importance of 3-year multiage classrooms, making that 3-year range the standard for accreditation for Montessori Early Childhood, Lower Elementary, and Upper Elementary programs (American Montessori…

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…

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,…

Current research suggests that nature experience and the cultivation of environmental literacy among students contributes to creative thinking, improved academic performance, and positive relationships with the natural world (Children and Nature Network, retrieved June 2013). Author Kelley Johnson saw this in her own childhood, which was blessed…

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.…

Montessori's theories, developed more than 100 years ago, certainly resonate with current psychological research on improving education. Autonomy, interest, competence, and relatedness form the foundation for three contemporary efforts to organize the vast literature on motivation into a parsimonious theory. These four elements also comprise…