waypointmontessori

Moving From Control to Connection: A Montessori Approach to Challenging Moments

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:01:51 GMT

So often, when we get really upset with our children, our first instinct is to solve the problem. We want to tell them what needs to happen. We take control. Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, we even become a bit dictatorial.

In those times of frustration, our rational thinking tends to take a back seat to our emotions. We forget what might be happening in our children's internal lives. We rush ahead to "fix" the behavior instead of taking the time to guide the human being.

At Waypoint Montessori, we view the child as a person worthy of immense respect. When our children are struggling, they don't need us to power over them; they need us to show compassion, patience, and empathy.

Changing Our Perspective: "Kids Do Well if They Can"

Dr. Ross Greene, a clinical psychologist and author of Raising Human Beings , offers a perspective that aligns beautifully with the Montessori philosophy. He asks adults to recast how we think about challenging behavior.

When children struggle, Dr. Greene explains, it is often because they lack the skills to handle the situation differently. He emphasizes two vital themes:

"Kids do well if they can."
"Doing well is always preferable to not doing well."

If we wholeheartedly embrace the fact that our children want to succeed, we can move away from viewing them as "attention-seeking" or "manipulative." Instead, we see a child who is simply hitting a developmental or situational hurdle they aren't yet equipped to clear.

How Can We Help?

All children, at some point, demonstrate challenging behaviors. It is a natural part of growing up in Colleyville or anywhere else! Here is how we can support them:

1. Identify the Difficulty, Not Just the Behavior

The first step is to look past the "tantrum" or the "refusal" and ask what the underlying difficulty is. Listing specific difficulties—like "transitioning from breakfast to the car"—helps us shift our thinking away from the frustration of the behavior itself.

2. The Empathy Step

This is the heart of the process. At a calm time (not in the middle of the conflict), initiate what Dr. Greene calls the Empathy Step. This is an information-gathering process.

Make an Observation: "I've noticed it's been difficult for you to finish breakfast before we need to leave for school."
The Invitation: Ask, “What’s up?” or “What’s going on?”

3. Listen Without Reacting

This is where we must act as "guides." We listen without jumping in with advice or solutions. We ask questions and reflect back what we hear. During this time, it is essential that the child feels heard—really heard. This process of listening can be incredibly healing and is often the "missing piece" in resolving recurring conflicts.

Finding a Collaborative Solution

Once the child has shared their perspective, we summarize their concern and share our own. For example: "I understand that you feel rushed and don't like leaving your drawings. My concern is that I feel stressed and worried about being late to work when we rush out the door." Then, we invite the child to work with us: "I wonder if there is a way we can make sure you feel finished with your drawing and I can get us to school on time? Do you have any ideas?"

Being Heard is Validating

Sometimes, the most significant shift happens before you even reach a solution. For a child, the act of being heard and validated by the most important adults in their life is enough to lower their defenses and build the "skills" of emotional regulation. In those moments of upset, let’s try to slow down. Remember that the child in front of you wants to do well. Our job is to listen and empathize, supporting them as they learn the skills to become a whole, capable human being.

We invite you to schedule a tour of our Colleyville campus to see how our Guides use collaborative language and respect to support children through every stage of development.

Does Montessori Actually Work? Here's What the Science Says

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 16:16:33 GMT

Does Montessori work? Explore the research behind movement, choice, interest, and intrinsic motivation in Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius.

Montessori education has been in existence for over a century, but does it actually work?

Dr. Angeline Stoll Lillard spent years researching this question, and her book, Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius , is a must-read.

In her book, Dr. Lillard identifies eight principles at the heart of Montessori education. What’s key is that these Montessori principles align with what developmental science tells us about how humans actually learn. The remarkable thing is that Dr. Maria Montessori arrived at most of these insights through careful observation of children, decades before the research existed to corroborate how children learn.

In this two-part blog post, we’ll examine these eight principles and the connected research.

PRINCIPLE ONE: Movement and Learning Are Deeply Entwined

In most traditional classrooms, children are still expected to sit still, as if stillness is a prerequisite for learning. In Montessori, we understand how movement and thinking are intertwined. And research backs this up. Studies have found that physical activity improves cognition, judgment, memory, and social reasoning. Moving the body isn't a break from learning. Rather, the movement is often the learning (and this is even more so for younger children!).

Montessori materials are designed to be touched, carried, sorted, and manipulated. Children working with the knobbed cylinder blocks are actively perceiving, making judgments, and reasoning through their hands. The same is true when children sort fabric squares by texture, shake and compare sound cylinders, or lay out bead bars to represent quantities. Every material helps children integrate their minds and bodies.

Practical life activities take this even further. When children learn to pour, button, fold, or prepare food, they are engaging in organized sequences of purposeful action that develop concentration and executive function skills.

What the Research Shows

A Milwaukee study found that high school students who had previously attended Montessori programs significantly outperformed peers on math and science assessments, subjects that rely heavily on the kind of reasoning that, in Montessori, is first built through hands-on materials.

PRINCIPLE TWO: Choice Improves Both Learning and Well-Being

The freedom to choose is at the heart of Montessori education, but this isn’t just about enjoyment. Having choice measurably affects how well children learn and how they feel about themselves. In a striking series of studies, children aged seven to nine were given anagram puzzles to solve. Those who chose their own category of puzzle solved twice as many as children whose category had been chosen for them, even though the actual puzzles were identical. Those who had a choice also spent far more time voluntarily working on puzzles during free time.

The key finding is that the perception of control (even in small things) activates a fundamentally different relationship to the work. Children who feel in control tend to engage more deeply, persist longer, and take more ownership of their learning.

In a Montessori classroom, children choose their own work throughout the day. Importantly, Dr. Lillard notes that this freedom is always paired with responsibility, and that too many choices can be as demotivating as none. The Montessori environment offers meaningful, bounded choice. Rather than an overwhelming array, each classroom has a selection of purposeful materials designed to match children’s developmental readiness.

Choice and concentration are closely connected, too. When children choose work that genuinely engages them, they're far more likely to reach a deep state of focus, or what psychologists call a “flow state.”

PRINCIPLE THREE: Children Learn Best When They're Genuinely Interested

This sounds obvious, of course! It makes sense that we learn better when we are interested. However, think about this in terms of how classrooms are typically structured. If interest is one of the most powerful drivers of learning, then organizing a school day around a single curriculum delivered to the whole class at once works against almost every child in the room.

Dr. Montessori understood children's interests as biological signals pointing toward what their developing minds most need to engage with at that moment in their lives. These windows of opportunity, or "sensitive periods,” are particular stretches of development during which children are uniquely primed to absorb certain kinds of learning. During these windows, learning that matches the child's inner readiness can be extraordinarily effortless and lasting.

The role of interest is why Montessori materials are designed to be beautiful, engaging, and self-correcting. The sensorial materials, for example, aren't only teaching discrimination of size or color. They are designed to help children become more interested in noticing the world around them. The adult’s role is to observe carefully and offer new lessons at the moment a child's interest is most alive.

PRINCIPLE FOUR: Rewards Undermine the Motivation They're Meant to Build

Offering children external rewards (e.g., stickers, prizes, praise for being smart) for activities they already enjoy reliably reduces their intrinsic motivation to do those things later.

What the Research Shows

Researchers identified preschoolers who loved drawing with markers. They then told one group they would receive a "Good Player Award" for drawing (a fancy certificate with a gold star). Weeks later, the children who had expected the reward used the markers far less than they had before, and half as much as children who had never been offered a reward at all. Expecting a reward had turned something they loved into something they did for a prize. And when the prize was gone, so was much of the pleasure.

Rewards like sticker charts, gold stars, and even grades and honor rolls, shift children’s relationship to learning from "I do this because it interests me" to "I do this to get the reward." When the reward is taken away, children’s inner drive has often already weakened.

In Montessori classrooms, feedback comes through the work itself, which includes many self-correcting materials, so children discover their own errors without external judgment. The goal is to keep children's relationship to learning intrinsic, personal, and durable.

This doesn't mean feedback is absent, though! What matters is the kind of feedback. Research by psychologist Carol Dweck found that praising children for effort (e.g., "you worked really hard on that”) produces dramatically better outcomes than praising ability (e.g., “you’re so smart”). Children praised for effort choose harder challenges, persist longer after failure, and actually improve their performance over time. Children praised for their intelligence begin avoiding challenges, fearing that failure will expose them as not as smart as they were told they were.

In our following blog post, we’ll look at the next four Montessori principles outlined in Dr. Angeline Stoll Lillard’s book, Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius :

● Children Learn Powerfully from Each Other

● Meaningful Context Makes Learning Richer and More Lasting

● How Adults Interact with Children Shapes Everything

● Order in the Environment Supports Order in the Mind

In the meantime, schedule a tour here in Colleyville to see the principles in action! And let us know if you would like to borrow a copy of Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius by Dr. Angeline Stoll Lillard. It is one of the most research-based books on Montessori education, and we recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the deeper logic of Montessori!

Meet the Team: Getting to Know Teresa Aquino

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:00:34 GMT

At Waypoint Montessori, we often speak about the "legacy" of our school—the way our roots in the Colleyville community nourish the growth of our students year after year. Today, we are thrilled to celebrate a leader who is a vital part of that legacy. Please join us in a warm (re)welcome to Teresa Aquino as our Head of School.

While many of our newer families are just getting to know Ms. Aquino’s visionary leadership, many of our alumni families remember her as a cornerstone of our classroom community.

A Journey Rooted in Waypoint

Teresa is no stranger to the hallways of Waypoint Montessori. In fact, she served as a Classroom Guide here for over 15 years. During that time, she guided hundreds of children and partnered with countless parents to foster an environment of growth, respect, and deep Montessori practice.

Her return to Waypoint as Head of School represents a full-circle moment for our community. She brings with her not only a deep love for our specific campus and culture but also an incredibly distinguished career in Montessori leadership.

Expert Leadership & Global Perspective

Teresa’s professional background is as extensive as it is impressive. Her work has consistently focused on elevating Montessori standards and supporting the adults who guide our children:

Distinguished Credentials: Teresa holds multiple AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) certifications, including 0-3, 3-6, and Montessori Coaching. She also holds a B.A. in Psychology from De La Salle University in Manila.
A Proven Track Record: Before stepping into her current role, she served as an Education Director where she successfully transformed eight locations into thriving Montessori schools—three of which attained prestigious AMI recognition status.
Advocating for Excellence: Teresa currently serves on the Board of the Montessori Institute of North Texas (MINT), a permanent training center dedicated to meeting the growing need for AMI-credentialed teachers in the DFW Metroplex.

Leading with Heart and Purpose

What makes Teresa the perfect fit for Waypoint is her ability to blend high-level administrative expertise with the heart of a Guide. Whether she is aligning pedagogy with organizational goals or simply walking the halls to observe the "magic" in our Toddler, Primary, and Elementary programs, her focus remains exactly where it should be: on the child.

In her role as Head of School, Teresa is dedicated to ensuring that Waypoint remains a beacon of authentic Montessori education in North Texas—a place where independence is nurtured, and every child is seen and respected.

Say Hello!

The next time you are on campus, please take a moment to say hello to Ms. Aquino. Whether you are meeting her for the first time or reconnecting after many years, you will quickly see why we are so fortunate to have her leading our school into its next bright chapter.

From Independence to Interdependence: The Waypoint Journey

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:01:15 GMT

As we guide our children through their years at Waypoint Montessori, we are doing more than teaching academics; we are supporting a profound journey toward independence. In Montessori circles, we talk about independence constantly. But here is the beautiful secret: independence isn’t actually the end goal.

Our Children’s Journey

Dr. Maria Montessori observed four distinct planes of development, each representing a stage in the human journey toward maturity and, ultimately, interdependence. At Waypoint, our environments evolve to meet these shifting needs.

A core element of our school is the prepared environment . Whether in a Toddler, Primary, or Elementary classroom, these are spaces designed to give children the freedom to move, make choices, and act with purpose. We believe children become who they are through movement and choice. Independence, then, isn't just about "doing it alone"—it’s about the child's ability to "become themselves" so they can eventually offer their unique gifts to the community.

The First Plane (Birth to Age 6): The Formation of the Individual

Programs: Toddler and Primary

From the moment a child enters our Toddler program, they begin the work of self-construction. This stage is focused on gaining functional independence. By the time a child completes their third year in the Primary classroom, they can walk, talk, and care for their physical needs. They are no longer dependent on adults for every basic task.

Dr. Montessori referred to this period as the “social embryo.” In our classrooms, we see this when a child:

Takes initiative to sweep up a spill without being asked.
Carefully pours water into a vase to arrange flowers for a friend’s table.
Patiently helps a younger peer zip up a jacket before going outside.

Caring for oneself and for others at this young age lays the foundational soil for a life of contribution.

The Second Plane (Ages 6–12): Intellectual and Moral Independence

Program: Elementary

In our Elementary program, the focus shifts from the physical to the intellectual. The "Help me do it myself" of the younger child becomes "Help me think for myself."

Socially, this is a period of intense peer interaction. Our Elementary students work collaboratively on "Great Lessons" and research projects. They are in a "practice society," sorting out questions of fairness, justice, and ethics.

We see the seeds of interdependence here when:

A student notices a peer struggling with a complex math problem and offers a quiet tip.
A group mediates a conflict on the playground using logic and empathy to ensure everyone feels heard.
Students organize "Going Out" expeditions, relying on one another to navigate the logistics of a trip beyond the campus gates.

The Third Plane (Ages 12–18): Social and Economic Independence

As students move into adolescence, they seek to understand their role in the greater world. They require "real work" that has an economic and social impact. While the journey through the first two planes at Waypoint prepares them with the academic and social stamina needed for this stage, it is here that all previous experiences of independence converge. They begin to see that their skills are most valuable when used in the service of others.

Why This Matters for Waypoint Families

Ultimately, a Waypoint education supports three interconnected outcomes: maturity, independence, and interdependence.

Maturity is the holistic development of a person capable of making a meaningful contribution to the world. Independence is the engine that gets them there. But the destination is interdependence —the collaborative, connected state of human life where we realize we need one another.

So, when your toddler insists on putting on their shoes (even when you're in a hurry), or when your Elementary student wants to debate the rules of a game for an hour, take a deep breath. Remember that these are not just challenging moments; they are signs that your child is on the right path.

Independence is the means; a life of meaningful work and mutual respect is the goal.

We invite you to visit our campus in Colleyville, Texas, to see this journey in action. From the quiet focus of the Toddler room to the bustling collaboration of the Elementary building, independence is building a stronger community every day.

Unifying Words and Their Meanings: The Quiet Genius of Montessori Vocabulary Lessons

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 17:09:03 GMT

Explore the Montessori three-period lesson and how its quiet simplicity unites words and meaning during a child’s sensitive period for language.

Have you ever watched a Montessori teacher give a lesson and thought, "That seemed...very short!”? If so, you may have witnessed a three-period lesson. What looks almost effortlessly simple is actually one of the most carefully designed teaching techniques.

The three-period lesson is the primary way we introduce new vocabulary to young children. We use it constantly for phonetic sounds, geometric shapes, textures, quantities, names of parts of a flower, names of continents, and so much more. Virtually every time children learn a precise new word for something they're experiencing with their senses, we are using a version of this lesson.

Why Vocabulary Needs Its Own Method

Young children are in what Dr. Montessori called a sensitive period for language. This is a window of time when children’s minds are especially primed to absorb new words and refine their understanding of them. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that absorbing a word isn't the same as truly knowing it. Children might hear the word "rough" many times without ever firmly connecting that sound to what their fingers actually feel on a piece of sandpaper.

The three-period lesson closes the understanding gap. It's built on an insight Dr. Maria Montessori borrowed from educator Édouard Séguin. Learning a word happens in stages: first association, then recognition, then recall. Moving through those stages deliberately, with no extra words or distractions to clutter the lesson, gives children's minds the clearest possible path to making a lasting connection.

“Both object and name should strike the child's understanding at the same time — but only the name itself, and not some other word, should be pronounced.”

— Dr. Maria Montessori, The Discovery of the Child

The Simplicity of the Three Stages

Here's how the three-period lesson unfolds. We’ll use a classic example of teaching the words "rough" and "smooth" with our sensorial textured boards.

1. ASSOCIATION — "This is..."

The adult presents the object and names it clearly, with no extra words. The child repeats the word while experiencing the sensation. "This is rough." The child runs their fingers across the surface and repeats: "Rough."

2. RECOGNITION — "Show me..."

After a brief pause, the adult asks the child to identify the object by name. The child simply points or touches, and thus no verbal answer is needed. "Which is smooth? Which is rough?" The child points to each in turn.

3. RECALL — "What is this?"

The adult points to an object, and the child produces the name themselves, demonstrating that the word is now truly theirs. "What is this?" The child touches the surface and answers: "Rough."

The whole lesson might take only two or three minutes, and this brevity is part of what makes it work. A child's attention is fully focused on precise vocabulary acquisition.

What Happens When a Child Gets It Wrong

One of the most quietly radical aspects of the three-period lesson is what happens when a child gets it wrong. If a child points to the wrong texture in the second stage, the adult doesn't correct. We don’t say, "no, try again.” Instead, we just end the activity gently, with the understanding that we will try the lesson again another day.

Dr. Montessori was clear about this approach. A correction at that moment doesn't help a child learn the word. In fact, a correction only reinforces the feeling of having failed. So we simply close the lesson. The child carries no impression of having gotten something wrong, and when we revisit the lesson, the child comes to it fresh.

As Dr. Montessori wrote, an error in the second period is simply a sign that the child "was not at that instant ready for the psychic association.” Nothing is wrong with the child. The teaching hasn’t failed. It just wasn’t the right moment.

After the Lesson: When Words Come Alive

One of the loveliest things to observe after a successful three-period lesson is what children do next. A child who has just learned the words "rough" and "smooth" will often wander the classroom touching things: the edge of a wooden shelf, a piece of fabric, the surface of a stone, and quietly naming the texture to themselves. The words become tools for understanding the world, and they want to use them everywhere.

This spontaneous generalization is exactly what the lesson is designed to spark. The goal is never for children to recite vocabulary on command. Rather, we want to give them language that deepens and sharpens their experience of everything around them.

Trying It at Home

You don't need Montessori materials to use this approach. Any time you want to help a young child connect a precise word to something they're experiencing (the names of spices by smell, the names of fabrics by touch, the names of tools in the garden), the same three-step structure applies. Name it clearly. Ask them to show you. Ask them to tell you. Keep it brief, keep it joyful, and if they get stuck, simply set it aside and try again tomorrow.

The lesson works because it respects how young minds learn. New connections need space, simplicity, and the freedom to form without pressure.

To see this vocabulary tool in action, schedule a visit here with us in Colleyville.

Speaking the Language: 22 Montessori Terms for Waypoint Families

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 10:00:20 GMT

At Waypoint Montessori, walking into one of our environments can sometimes feel like entering a different world. The classrooms are purposefully designed, the rhythm of the day is distinct, and the language we use—from the Toddler to the Elementary levels—is often unique to the Montessori method.

As a team, we want our families to feel fully immersed in our school culture. To help bridge the gap between school and home, we’ve put together a glossary of 22 essential Montessori terms. Some you may have heard during a parent-guide conference, and others might be brand new to you!

Albums: These are the "textbooks" of a Montessori guide, but with a personal touch. During their training, our guides create a series of binders filled with detailed lessons and illustrations. Even our most experienced guides refer back to these invaluable resources to ensure every lesson is presented with precision.

Casa dei Bambini: Italian for "Children’s House." This was the name of Dr. Maria Montessori’s first school in Rome (1907). At Waypoint, we often use "Primary" to describe our program for children aged 3–6 years.

Concrete vs. Abstract: This describes the journey of a child’s understanding. Younger children learn concretely by physically touching and moving materials (like our golden beads for math). As their internal understanding deepens, they move toward abstract thinking, where they can solve problems in their heads or on paper without the need for physical tools.

Control of Error: Our materials are designed to be "autodidactic," meaning they teach the child. A "control of error" is a built-in mechanism—like a puzzle piece that only fits one way—that allows a child to realize they’ve made a mistake and correct it themselves, building confidence and independence.

Cosmic Education: The heart of our Elementary curriculum. It teaches children aged 6–12 the interconnectedness of all things—history, biology, and the stars. It provides a framework for students to discover their own place in the universe and their responsibility to the earth.

Cultural Subjects: In a Montessori environment, this term encompasses the fascinating worlds of science, history, and geography.

Erdkinder: German for "children of the land." Dr. Montessori used this term for the adolescent program, envisioning that students this age need meaningful, physical work—often on a working farm—to understand their role in society.

False Fatigue: Around 10:30 AM in a morning work cycle, you might notice the room get a little louder and children seem restless. This is "false fatigue." If we step back and allow it, the children almost always settle back down into even deeper, more complex work.

Grace and Courtesy: These are formal lessons in social grace. We teach children how to blow their nose, how to interrupt politely, and how to welcome a guest. It is the foundation of the kind, respectful community we strive for at Waypoint.

Guide: You’ll notice we don’t usually say "teacher." We use the term "Guide" because it more accurately describes the adult’s role: observing the child and leading them toward the materials they need, rather than standing at the front of a room lecturing.

Indirect vs. Direct Preparation: Sometimes a child is working on a skill without even knowing it! For example, when a child in our Primary program uses a metal inset to trace, they are indirectly preparing their hand muscles and pincer grip for the direct act of writing later on.

Isolation: To help a child master a concept, we isolate a single skill. If a child is learning the sounds of letters, we don't worry about their handwriting yet. We focus on one challenge at a time so the child isn't overwhelmed.

Nido: Italian for "nest." This is the beautiful, peaceful name for an infant environment, designed to be a gentle transition from home.

Normalization: This is the "magic" moment in a Montessori classroom. After a period of adjustment, a child becomes "normalized"—meaning they have found their focus, work joyfully, and interact peacefully with their peers.

Parallel Play: Common in children under age six, this is when children work or play near each other but are focused on their own individual tasks. It is a natural step before the highly social "collaborative play" of the Elementary years.

Planes of Development: Dr. Montessori identified four distinct stages of growth (0-6, 6-12, 12-18, and 18-24). Each "plane" has different psychological and physical needs, and our programs at Waypoint are structured specifically to meet them.

Practical Life: These are "real life" activities like sweeping, food preparation, or buttoning a coat. At Waypoint, we value these just as highly as math or language because they build concentration, coordination, and independence.

Prepared Environment: This is what we call our classrooms. Our guides spend hours intentionally arranging the furniture and materials so that the room itself acts as a teacher, allowing the child to work with minimal adult intervention.

Sensitive Period: A window of time in a child's development when they are intensely interested in and capable of learning a specific skill (like language or order). When a child is in a sensitive period, learning that skill feels like "play."

Sensorial: Especially in the first plane (0-6), children learn through their senses. Our sensorial materials help them categorize and refine what they see, smell, touch, hear, and taste.

Work: In our halls, you’ll hear us ask, "What work are you choosing today?" To a child, "work" and "play" are the same thing. We call it work to show respect for the effort and deep concentration the child is putting into their own development.

Work Cycle: This is a long, uninterrupted block of time (usually 2–3 hours) where students can dive deep into their chosen tasks. This allows for the kind of "flow" and focus that is often broken in traditional schedules with frequent bells and transitions.

Do you have a favorite Montessori term that we missed? Or is there a phrase you’ve heard around the campus that you'd like us to explain? Let us know—we love talking about the "why" behind the Waypoint experience!

From Sounds to Script: How Montessori Children Learn to Write

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 19:34:49 GMT

Explore how Montessori children learn to write through sound work, movable alphabet exploration, and a joyful, developmentally prepared process.

In Montessori classrooms, the process of writing begins long before children begin to hold a pencil. We start with rich oral language experiences, exploration of sounds, joyful movement, and a growing awareness that the symbols of written language carry meaning.

By the time children begin the recording process, that is, writing words on a surface, they have already done enormous preparation. They know the sandpaper letters so well that they can trace them blindfolded or “write” them in the air. They have composed countless words using the Moveable Alphabet, experimenting with sounds and meaning long before their hands are ready for conventional writing.

And then… one day… they are ready to put chalk to board.

This is the beginning of a beautiful and empowering journey.

The Materials That Support the Journey

To help children make the transition from forming words with the movable alphabet letters to recording them on a surface, we offer a thoughtfully prepared environment that can include:

● Small chalkboards (blank, lined, or squared)

● Large wall-mounted chalkboards

● Containers of sharpened chalk and half-erasers

● A writing supply station with paper in various narrow sizes

● Pencils and underlays as needed

● Accessible writing surfaces around the room

These materials invite practice without pressure, exploration without permanence, and repetition without fatigue, all of which are essential at this stage of development.

Step One: Writing Words with Chalk

When a child has composed a list of words with the Moveable Alphabet, the guide gently introduces the chalkboard: “Let me show you something you can do with the words on your rug.”

The child brings one word to the table, and the guide may make a point to notice how the letters connect and flow. With a piece of chalk in hand, the child can attempt to write the word on the chalkboard. For many children, this moment is astonishing, as they suddenly realize, “I can write!”

Over the next several days, the child chooses words, writes them, erases them, and writes again. During this time, the child naturally refines:

● the direction of writing,

● the connection between letters, and

● the placement of letters along an invisible horizontal line.

This is joyful, purposeful work. And the chalkboard provides endless opportunities for clean slates!

Step Two: Introducing the Baseline

Once the child is comfortably writing words, we introduce the idea of a baseline, which is the line on which most letters sit.

We use a simple ruler to draw a single line across the chalkboard and explain: “I’m using this line to show where the letters sit.”

The child thus begins to understand that writing follows a structure, including the realization that letters aren’t merely floating symbols but exist in space in predictable ways.

Step Three: Baseline and Waistline

As the child’s control increases, we add a second line: the waistline. This is the space where most lowercase letters rise up to, and introducing it helps children refine the size and placement of their script.

Using pastel chalk, we shade the space between the baseline and waistline, giving a soft visual guide. Over the next several days, the space becomes a little narrower. And then narrower still.

Eventually, the child works confidently on a nine-lined chalkboard, and from there, we transition to paper. Many children around five-and-a-half naturally begin to prefer writing directly on paper rather than returning to the Moveable Alphabet. They have internalized the shapes of letters, the structure of words, and the flow of writing.

It is important to remember: the natural size of children’s script varies. Some begin writing very small, others larger. We follow the child rather than a rigid sequence.

The ultimate goal is simple and elegant: to write confidently on a single line.

What This Work Supports

A child who moves through this sequence with joy and readiness:

● develops beautiful, legible handwriting,

● gains confidence in written expression, and

● understands that writing is a tool for communication.

This is monumental work for a young child. It marks the moment when their mind and hand unite to express their own thoughts. Most importantly, writing unfolds naturally when the groundwork has been laid with care.

Schedule a tour of our school in Colleyville, Texas to see how we honor this journey with care and intention.

The Benefits of Multi-Age Grouping

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 03:16:22 GMT

One hallmark of a Montessori education is the use of multi-age classrooms.

Infants and toddlers may be together or separate, with a toddler classroom serving children 18 months to three years. Primary classrooms are for children ages 3-6, with preschool and kindergarten-aged children together. The elementary years serve children ages 6-12; some schools separate into lower (6-9) and upper (9-12) elementary, while many split elementary into two groups. Even Montessori middle- and high-school students learn in multi-age classrooms.

While Montessori is not the only type of education that utilizes this approach, it’s not what most people are used to. What are the benefits of structuring a classroom this way? Read on to learn more...

Learning at an Individual Pace

Children in multi-age classrooms tend to have a little more flexibility when it comes to mastering skills within a specific timeframe. We know that learning is not linear, and that learners have periods of significant growth, plateaus, and even the occasional regression. In multi-age classrooms, children are typically able to work at their own pace without the added pressure of keeping up with the whole group, or even being held back by the whole group.

When children in a classroom range in ages, everyone has someone they can work with, regardless of their skill level. Children don’t feel left behind if they struggle with a concept, and they also don’t feel bored by repetition of something they have already mastered. Teachers who teach in multi-age classrooms typically have deep knowledge for a range of developmental abilities, leaving them well-equipped to differentiate instruction for each individual child.

Building Stronger Relationships

Traditionally children move from one class to the next each year. This means not only a new set of academic expectations, different routines, and different classroom structures, but a different teacher.

In multi-age classrooms teachers have a longer period of time to get to know a student and their family, and vice versa. When teachers really get to know a student, they are able to tailor instruction in regards to both content and delivery. They know how to hook a specific child onto a topic or into a lesson. They know what kind of environment a child needs to feel successful.

Parents have an opportunity to get to know teachers better this way, too. If your child has the same teacher for two or three years, the lines of communication are strengthened. Parents get to know the teacher’s style and expectations. The home to school connection becomes more seamless, and the biggest beneficiary is the child.

Mentors and Leaders

When a child spends multiple years in the same class they are afforded two very special opportunities.

Children who are new to the class are fortunate enough to be surrounded by helpful peer mentors. Children often learn best from one another, and they seek to do so naturally. First and second year students watch as the older children enjoy advanced, challenging work, and this inspires them. They look to the older children for guidance, and the older children are happy to provide it.

After a year or two in the same room, students have a chance to practice leadership skills. In Montessori classrooms, the older children are often seen giving lessons, helping to clean up spills, or reaching out a comforting hand to their younger friends.

The best part is kids make the transition from observer to leader in their own time. It doesn’t happen for all children at the same time, but when it does it’s pretty magical to observe.

Mirroring Real-Life

There is no other area in life in which people are split into groups with others who are exactly their chronological age. Whether in the family, the workforce or elsewhere, people ultimately need to coexist with people older and younger than themselves. Doing so makes for a more enriching environment, replete with a variety of ideas and skills.

Why not start the experience with young children in school?

Moving On

While staying in the same class for multiple school years has many benefits, a child will eventually transition into a new class. While this can feel bittersweet (for everyone involved!) children are typically ready when it is time.

The Montessori approach is always considering what is most supportive of children depending on their development. When formulating how to divide children into groupings, Maria Montessori relied on her ideas about the Planes of Development. There are very distinctive growth milestones children tend to reach at about age 3, another set around age 6, and yet another at age 12. The groupings in our schools are intentional, and they give kids a chance to feel comfortable in their community, while also preparing them to soar forward when the time is right.

The Role of the Montessori Teacher

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 03:26:31 GMT

What, exactly, is the role of the Montessori teacher? How is it so different from that of any other teacher?

Sometimes it’s easiest to begin by explaining what a Montessori teacher isn’t.

A Montessori teacher is less like the traditional idea of an instructor, and more like a gentle guide. They don’t consider it their job to give a child information. They rather lead children in the general direction and give them the tools they need to find the information themselves.

Maria Montessori once said, “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 Teachers Cultivate Independence

In a Montessori classroom, rather than seeing a teacher at the front of the classroom giving the same lesson to every child, the teacher will be working quietly with individual children or small groups. While that is happening the rest of the children are free to spend their time doing the work that calls to them. A Montessori teacher works hard to create structures that allow children to be independent and to trust themselves as learners.

One large part of what a Montessori teacher does is to intentionally prepare a classroom environment that is developmentally appropriate, is inviting to children, and supports them on their journey to work independently. This environment is constantly changing in tiny ways as the teacher notices new and evolving needs of the students.

Montessori Teachers are Trained to Think Like Scientists

Parents should know that Montessori teachers are highly trained. Most have recognized Montessori credentials in addition to their college degrees. Montessori certification programs are intensive and demanding; one might compare them as being the equivalent of another college degree. These training programs don’t just teach Montessori educators how to use the specialized materials; there is extensive coursework about Montessori philosophy, child development, and integrating the arts.

When it comes to assessments, Montessori teachers don’t rely on standardized tests; they rely on the power of observation. They have notebooks brimming with evidence of what their students have mastered, need more support with, and are curious about. They are constantly recording what they notice children working on, how that work is being executed, and ideas they might have in anticipation of a child’s next steps. Montessori teachers literally sit beside a child and determine exactly what they know about a wide range of content areas.

Montessori Teachers Think Long-Term

Because of Montessori’s three-year cycles, teachers have the unique ability to consider their big picture when working with students. There is a natural tendency to allow the children to genuinely learn at their own pace. Getting to know a child and their family well over the course of a few years really supports this approach.

Montessori Teachers are Often Called ‘Guides’

...and for good reason. While children in Montessori classrooms have an abundance of choice in their educational pursuits, Montessori is based on the idea of ‘freedom within limits’. It’s the Montessori teacher’s job to carefully craft those limits. Children rely on having a certain amount of structure in place. This gives them comfort and a safe place in which they can take risks and try new things. Montessori teachers set some boundaries and then carefully help students navigate within them.

What if your second grader loves to read but tends to avoid math? Their Montessori teacher will find ways to ensure the math still gets done. Sometimes this involves a gentle discussion with a child about time management skills, priorities, or setting goals. Sometimes the teacher will find a way to integrate the child’s interests into the less desirable work. Sometimes all it takes is a minor change in the environment. Montessori teachers gives children freedom, but they assist children in finding their way to success in this environment.

Montessori teachers value independence, self-reliance, and intrinsic motivation.

They also value cooperation, kindness, and strength in community.

Still curious? Call us to set up an appointment today to observe in a classroom. See what Montessori is really all about.

Montessori Basics: The Planes of Development

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 03:08:59 GMT

Maria Montessori based her entire educational philosophy on the idea that children developed through a series of four planes. Each of these planes is easy to recognize and has clear, defining characteristics. If we study and understand these stages, we can approach our interactions with children with a new perspective.

Learning about the planes of development isn’t just for Montessori educators. Understanding your child’s development can help at home, too.

The First Plane: birth-6 years

During this stage children absorb everything like sponges. They are, indeed, excellent examples if what Montessori called ‘The Absorbent Mind.’ This is a time in which we are able to utilize what Montessori called sensitive periods of learning. While each child is different, there are typical patterns that emerge in regards to brain development and general readiness to learn particular skills.

During the first three years of this plane, all learning is done outside of the child’s conscious mind. They learn by exploring their senses and interacting with their environment. During the second half of the plane, from about 3-6 years, children enter the conscious stage of learning. They learn by using their hands, and specialized materials in the Montessori classroom were developed with this consideration.

During this time, children have a wonderful sense of order. They are methodical and can appreciate the many steps involved in practical life lessons in their classrooms. The organization of the works on their classroom shelves is intentional, which appeals again to this sense of order.

The first plane is a time in which children proclaim, “I can do it myself”; it is a time of physical independence.

The Second Plane: 6-12 years

During the elementary years children begin to look outside themselves. They suddenly develop a strong desire to form peer groups. Previously, during the first plane, a child would be content to focus on their own work while sitting near others. In the second plane, a child is compelled to actually work with their friends. It is during this time that children are ready to learn about collaboration.

During the second plane there is a sudden and marked period of physical growth. This may be a contributing factor to the observation that many children of this age seem to lack an awareness of their body, often bumping into things and knocking things over. Children begin to lose their teeth around this time as well. Their sense of order and neatness tend to fade a bit during this plane.

Throughout the second plane, children’s imaginations are ignited. Since Montessori education is based in reality, we find ways to deliver real information to children through storytelling and other similar methods. For example, when teaching children about the beginnings of our universe, Montessori schools use what is called a Great Lesson. The first Great Lesson is a dramatic story, told to children with the use of props, experiments, and dramatics (think: a black balloon filled with glitter is popped to illustrate the Big Bang, with bits of paper in a dish of water used while talking about particles gathering together). This lesson is fascinating for children in the way it is presented, but gives them basic information about the solar system, states of matter, and other important concepts.

Children in the second plane have a voracious appetite for information, and are often drawn strongly to what we in Montessori call the cultural subjects: science, history, and geography. While we support their rapid language and mathematical growth during this time, we are also responsible for providing them with a variety of rich cultural lessons and experiences.

It is important to note that children develop a sense of moral justice at this time. They are very concerned with what is fair, and creating the rules to a new game is often as important (if not more so) than playing the actual game itself.

This is the period of time in which children are striving for intellectual independence.

The Third Plane: 12-18

The third plane of development encompasses the adolescent years. During the second plane, children become aware of social connections, but in the third plane they are critical. During this time children rely heavily on their relationships with their peers. They feel a strong desire to remain independent from adults, although they are not quite ready to do this entirely. It is our job to find ways that allow them to experiment with independence while also providing a safe structure in which they may do so.

Children in the third plane tend to require more sleep, and they sleep later than when they were younger. They long for authentic learning experiences, and Dr. Montessori imagined just that. Her ideas of Erdkinder (children of the earth) led her to contemplate a school setting that would support children’s development during this time. She imagined a farm school, in which children would work to keep the farm operational, but also contribute to planning and decision making while doing so.

During the third plane children are refining their moral compass while developing a stronger sense of responsibility.

The Fourth Plane: 18-24

The final plane is a time in which young adults are striving for financial independence. They are often living away from home for the first time, and use this time to figure out where they fit into their society. Many make choices to further their education and/or explore career paths.

It is during the fourth plane that people begin to develop a truer sense of who they are as individuals.

Each plane of development should be mindfully nurtured. If a child is able to experience one developmental phase in a rich and carefully prepared environment, they are ready to fully take on the next phase when it is time.