In our first article, we outlined some of the reasons for reading failure at the Early Childhood level and beyond, discussed common challenges students face, and explored essential components for quality reading instruction. We'll revisit the students you met in the first article to provide a window into how the Science of Reading can be…

Montessorians, with their long history of careful attention to children's developmental possibilities, can and should develop materials and pedagogical methods that can help children not merely use but master the technologies of the future. This does not mean putting a computer in the hands of every 3-year-old; quite the contrary. Rather, it means…

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…

Technology offers a new set of challenges for Montessori educators, as there are concerns of how freedom within limits can best be applied to technology use and how boundaries can be set for safety while not extinguishing children's natural curiosity. For students to have a comprehensive and meaningful understanding of technology and its benefits…

Wildflower Schools, a network of decentralized "shopfront" Montessori schools, began in 2014, when Sep Kamvar, a MIT Media Lab professor, was unable to find a preschool for his son that fit his needs, and ended up partnering with two veteran Montessori educators, Mary Rockett and Katelyn Shore, to start a school. Wildflower's work is…

Montessori communities are known for beautiful mealtimes. Even at the Infant & Toddler level, mealtime is a key moment for children to exercise independence and healthy social interactions. Meals and snacks with the youngest Montessori students are an essential component of the work cycle and daily routine. The Practical Life curriculum allows…

Like many Montessori educators, the author was immediately drawn to the materials Maria Montessori designed for children in the conscious absorbent mind. They are simple, beautiful, and attractive to children. To many, including some parents, these materials are the essence of Montessori. However, Maria Montessori herself thought of her Method as…

When Daisy Han first encountered a Montessori classroom, she actually felt free. Free to move, free to create, free to explore, free to try, free to fail, free to be. This freedom is essential to becoming an innovator. Innovators possess an irreverence almost as big as their self-efficacy, both of which have been nurtured in an environment where…

Reading is one of the most well-studied aspects of human learning. Since the 1950s, with more interest, research tools, and funding available, the body of reading research has exploded: Every year, hundreds of new scientific papers are published. However, there has been a detrimental lag in ensuring this science is understood by the people who…

The American Montessori Society (AMS) celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2020. From its beginnings under the leadership of inspirational founder Dr. Nancy McCormick Rambusch through to the present day, AMS has built a rich history. The AMS Records are open and accessible to all, and provide a unique opportunity to understand the full impact and…

Have you ever wondered what Montessori looks like at the high school level? The author interviewed 17-year-old Violet Butler, a senior at Clark Montessori High School, in Cincinnati, OH, to get a sense of a typical day in her life. Her answers were inspiring, and the way she navigates the demands of school and life offered the author a sense of…

In this article, the author describes her personal Montessori experience. As welcome and in love with her primary Montessori school as she was and still is, there has always been the question of identity. The author says that each of us belongs to intersecting identities that affect how we conceptualize our place in the world. The spiritual…

This article describes the history of Ukraine's Montessori Movement and how the Russian invasion has put it in jeopardy. After Ukraine gained its independence in 1991, the Princeton Montessori School and Princeton Center for Teacher Education partnered with Ukrainian educators to set up the model Kyiv Montessori School--the first Montessori school…

How do educators begin the journey of decolonizing--replacing solely Western interpretations of history with BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) perspectives, and restoring BIPOC culture and traditional ways--when the entire educational system was built to support, affirm, and uphold white supremacy (Indigenous Corporate Training, Inc.,…

Multiage, child-size, and accessible, the Montessori classroom provides a prepared environment that maximizes self-regulated activity. Designed to be intuitive and conducive to children's development at multiple developmental planes, the classroom nurtures each child's growing independence. Ideally, the principles underlying the Montessori…