Technical Guidance

Follow the child, they will show you what they need to do, what they need to develop in themselves and what area they need to be challenged in. The aim of the children who persevere in their work with an object is certainly not to �learn�; they are drawn to it by the needs of their inner life, which must be recognized and developed by its means. �Maria Montessori In Montessori, we believe that the child is drawn to certain activities and that he instinctively knows what he needs. A child may try an activity and struggle with it initially. But he may return to it a little later with more success and then repeat it many times before mastering it. All of which may happen naturally without the interference of a teacher. Following The Child � Observing and Guiding Learning Montessori�s phrase �follow the child� does not mean you let the child do whatever she wants. Rather, it is an acknowledgment that the child has her own pattern. The key to understanding this idea is observation. As Monte...

— NAMC Staff

When my Montessori elementary class returns from winter break, we usually begin the new year by discussing the tradition of making resolutions. Together, we talk about what a New Year�s resolution is, what it means to set goals, and whether the students set goals with their families. As a group, we set resolutions for our classroom, determining the goals we should all work on. Students are also invited to set individual goals. Classroom Goals Respect the peacefulness of our classroom by working quietly Respect the orderliness and cleanliness of the classroom Include everyone during recess Encourage each other to try our best and use excellence Individual Goals Try to print more neatly Remember to organize the page properly and form letters correctly Use excellence in my work Practice patience and kindness with my friends Some years, we have focused our resolutions on developing leadership within the class and the school as a whole. We begin by brainstorming what it means to be a good l...

Listening is one of the greatest skills anyone can develop. As Montessori teachers, we are well aware of this. We know how important it is to listen to children and how often they tell us far more what their words are saying. Listening is equally important outside of the classroom � parents, colleagues, directors, mentors, new teachers; everyone has something to offer and a new perspective to share. We just have to be open to hearing them. As part of NAMC�s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! � Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder

Cultural awareness means being aware of and appreciating the differences in people�s attitudes, beliefs, practices, customs, and social behavior. � NAMC, Five Great Lessons/Cosmic Education & Peace, p. 137. As Montessorians, we strongly believe in the importance of cosmic education, and we give students every opportunity to positively contribute to the world by being caring, considerate, and respectful of one another. We also understand the value of integrating cultural awareness and cultural appreciation into the classroom. Montessori Holiday Celebrations: A Wonderful Way to Explore and Celebrate Culture At our Montessori school, part of our cultural awareness involves celebrating the unique backgrounds of our varied student population by acknowledging and showing respect for our diverse cultures and religions. We have also chosen to move away from celebrating one or two particular holidays in our thematic work; instead, we celebrate the seasons. There are so many wonderful ac...

Over the past 20 years, I�ve learned that there is no escaping change. It�s an unavoidable part of life. Sometimes change can be worrying � scary even � but it doesn�t have to be. Experience has taught me that change can work to our advantage if we anticipate it instead of running from it. In fact, I�ve learned to not only be prepared for change but to welcome it. Even when change seems difficult, it can bring new opportunities and ideas if we are flexible and open to them. And when we take control and initiate change ourselves, the benefits can be remarkable. As part of NAMC�s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! � Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder

In our previous blog, we looked the ways neurological and hormonal differences affect the learning and behavior of boys and girls. Knowing that these biological differences are central to children�s development, we must strive to prepare the Montessori environment to both foster equal opportunities for all children and to recognize the fundamental biological differences between boys and girls. Teaching Boys in the Montessori Environment: Part Two Recognizing Boys� Learning Differences in the Montessori Environment Boys Are More Physical In general, young boys are much more physical than young girls. While it may seem counterintuitive to some teachers, boys actually need movement to help them focus and pay attention. Current research suggests that when a boy is at rest, as much as 70% of his brain shuts down. In contrast, 90% of the female brain remains active. (Morhard, 2015) This means that girls can pay attention when sitting still in a classroom, but when boys sit still, their brain...

Staying true to your values. What does that mean? To me, it means first and foremost to know what your values are, what remains essential to you no matter what. But it also means to respect the values of others through empathy and kindness. In my experience, success is always enhanced when you can say that you have acted with intention and integrity in all things. As part of NAMC�s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! � Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder

Thousands of bright, energetic boys are spending the better part of each day unhappy and coming home to report to their parents that they feel �stupid� or that they �don�t fit in�. Beth Hering, �Help boys get more out of elementary education� Girls do better than boys in school at all ages and subjects Maggie Fox, NBC News, 4/29/14 A link between fidgety boys and a sputtering economy David Leonhardt, The Upshot, New York Times, 4/29/14 In this day of standardized, one-size-fits-all education, these findings should amaze and astonish us. Yet, as you read, I know that many of you are nodding your heads in agreement. Boys are, for the majority, unhappy in school. They are falling behind, being expelled, and dropping out at staggering rates. Teaching Boys in the Montessori Environment: Part One Understanding Neuroscience and Hormonal Learning Differences A 2014 report from the Third Way, a US centrist think tank, states that: by kindergarten, girls are more attentive, better behaved, more ...

As part of NAMC�s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! � Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 New International Version (NIV) Love, Montessori says, is not something that is learned. It is part of our heritage as human beings. We watch animals nurture and care for their young until they are old enough to survive on their own. Then, that relationship is gone; parent and young are like strangers, competing for survival. Studying Montessori � The Absorbent Mind, Chapter 28: Love and Its Source � The Child Not so with humans. �Love does not disappear when the children are grown up, and not only that, but it extends beyond the confines of the family.� (p. 294). Love, Montessori says, is permanent. And at the center of this deep and abiding love, ...

As part of NAMC�s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! � Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder

The child's development follows a path of successive stages of independence, and our knowledge of this must guide us in our behavior towards him. �Maria Montessori The Absorbent Mind, p. 281. One of the big buzz terms in American education today is �Response to Intervention� (RTI). RTI is a multi-tier approach �to the early identification and support of students with learning and behavior needs.� (RTI Action Network) Beginning at the classroom instructional level, struggling learners are identified and screened for learning and behavioral challenges. Learning objectives are stated and modifications to both instruction and the environment are put into place. Students are closely monitored to asses the individual response to these interventions. The essential components of implementing RTI are: High-quality, scientifically based instruction Ongoing student assessment Tiered, differentiated instruction Parent involvement Montessori and Response to Intervention (RTI): We�re already doi...

 Permit me to repeat � some words which have helped us to keep in mind all the thing of which I have been speaking. It is not a prayer, but rather a reminder, and for our teachers, an invocation, a kind of syllabus, our only syllabus: Help us, O God, to enter into the secret of childhood, so that we may know, love, and serve the child in accordance with the laws of Thy justice and following Thy holy will. �Maria Montessori The Absorbent Mind, p. 286. What is the role of the Montessori teacher? We use the term guide, but what does that really mean? To Maria Montessori, being a guide involved a spiritual quest, one on which the adult observes and prepares for the child who is not yet ready. We watch and wait for that one material that so captures the attention that the child�s entire focus and concentration is devoted only to it. The teacher must spend her time preparing for this moment. The Absorbent Mind, Chapter 27: The Teacher's Preparation � Studying Montessori The Three Stages ...

As part of NAMC�s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. We are happy to share the next tip in our series that we are presenting over the next few weeks. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! � Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder

Throughout the year, Montessori teachers introduce themes that can guide the learning and exploration of the students. When possible, they work to integrate the theme across the curriculum. One of my favourite themes in the Montessori elementary classroom focuses on peacemakers and influential leaders. I introduce the theme to the students through books. We begin by reading inspirational books and stories together as a class and in small groups. We read the stories of Terry Fox, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Anne Frank, Maria Montessori, Craig Kielburger, and others. Because lower elementary students are in a developmental stage of understanding and relating to justice, these stories are very meaningful to them. They ignite a spark of curiosity in the students that center on justice and compassion. They feel empathy for these amazing people, many of whom had to deal with harsh circumstances and injustice. The students are even inspired to make changes in their own lives based on thes...

When I founded NAMC 20 years ago, I simply had one idea that I thought could work. Two decades later, NAMC has grown to include Montessorians around the world and I have had the benefit of numerous life lessons. As part of NAMC�s anniversary celebration, I have been asked to share 20 lessons that stand out in my experience of providing Montessori teacher training programs worldwide over the past 20 years. This is the first of our series. I hope you find some of these ideas helpful in your own Montessori journey! � Dale Gausman, NAMC Program Director / Founder

Free choice is one of the highest of all mental processes. �Maria Montessori The Absorbent Mind, p. 271. As a NAMC tutor, I regularly get emails from new Montessori teachers who are struggling, even though they entered the classroom with every good intention. They believe in allowing students free choice in their work, and they have worked diligently in preparing the environment to support student learning. They have modified their �inside� voice, and they move slowly and purposefully in the classroom. They are full of wonder and a sense of frustration then, when despite all their efforts, their Montessori environment is not peaceful. The children, having no sense of purpose, wander aimlessly. In short, the ordered environment is full of disorder. Discipline and the Teacher � Studying the Works of Montessori: The Absorbent Mind, Chapter 26 This scenario is nothing new. In fact, Dr. Montessori herself encountered it with her teachers over 100 years ago. Like all good theory, what is lac...

Photo courtesy of: Canadian Military History The child is capable of developing and giving us tangible proof of the possibility of a better humanity. He has shown us the true process of construction of the human being. ... The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind. �Maria Montessori Education and Peace, p. 35. Around the world, November 11 is recognized as a day to honor the men and women who have served and continue to serve during times of war, conflict, and peace. In Canada and many other countries, November 11 is called Remembrance Day. In the United States it is Veterans Day. As Montessori teachers, we show respect on this special day by bringing information to the students and drawing connections to our classrooms and to their lives. Activities Observing Remembrance Day and Veterans Day in the Montessori Classroom Each year, leading up to Remembrance Day, I like to have a circle with my students and ask them to brainstorm what our classroom would be like if we could not ...

Conscious will is a power which develops with use and activity. �Maria Montessori The Absorbent Mind, p. 254. When my son was young, I always knew by his behavior when he was getting sick. Normally a sweet and gentle boy, he would turn into a mean-spirited, hard-to-please child that was unrecognizable. Bedtime was a welcome reprieve for all, only to be followed the next morning by a fever and malady of some sort. Extreme �naughty� behavior soon came to be followed by the adults in his life giving each other a knowing look and saying, �He must be getting sick.� He was not acting out willfully; it occurred because of a disturbance of his physical person. Montessori says that �the will does not lead to disorder and violence. These are signs of emotional disturbance and suffering.� (p. 253) When the environment and conditions are right, the will leads the child to activities to help him develop. The Three Levels of Discipline � Studying the Works of Montessori: The Absorbent Mind, Chapter ...

North American Montessori Center is excited to be entering our 20th year of providing Montessori teacher training via distance education. This amazing milestone is indeed cause for celebration! Everything that we have accomplished has been the direct result of the willingness of individuals to share their experience, expertise, and genuine support to further the reach and success of the Montessori method of education. This is a great opportunity to provide a retrospective of how NAMC has grown and what we are looking forward to in the future. This is the first of a series of articles that are designed to include you in the NAMC celebration. At the heart of our existence is the philosophy of inclusion � our purpose has always been to bring the Montessori method of education to everyone who chooses to embrace it. Our sincere gratitude and thanks goes out to all the families, teachers, schools, and countless professionals from across the globe for their insight and service to help us in t...

One of the most important roles the Montessori teacher has is to observe. We observe how students spend their time and note what they are drawn to. We ensure that each child is learning at their own pace, in their own way. We carefully observe their particular interests and level of comprehension, and we assess their level of readiness for new presentations. It is through careful observation that the Montessori teacher is able to prepare the classroom environment with materials that relate to the children�s interests and determine which presentations they are ready to receive. The Importance of Observing the Child and Learning as a Montessori Teacher Each teacher has his or her own style and time for observing in the classroom. When I was a new teacher in a Montessori Casa class, I had high hopes for observation times. I copied extensive checklists for each child and had a large binder in the classroom to note which presentations I had given the child, her level of understanding, wheth...

Every year, school administrators and teachers sit down and plan professional development opportunities to benefit teachers and students alike. But when you consider your professional development, do you also consider the stage you or other teachers are at? Is the information and format best suited to your needs? In short, are we delivering professional development in ways that reflect our Montessori teaching practices. It has long been the standard to deliver straightforward information in a workshop format. This type of presentation is reminiscent of conventional education whereby the speaker lectures or tells the audience the information. The majority of audience participation is passive listening. Rather than a test, the assessment in professional development is how well the information is transferred and implemented in classroom practice. Professional Development for Montessori Teachers: Following the Learner Teachers, for the most part, are active learners who take an interest in...

Whoever touches the life of the child touches the most sensitive point of a whole which has roots in the most distant past and climbs toward the infinite future. �Maria Montessori     There are many things that need to be done to prepare for the new school year. Because I am a Montessori school owner as well as a teacher, I have responsibilities for the building, the classroom, the staff, and the families to ensure they are ready for a successful school year. Preparing for the New Year in a Montessori School: A School Owner's Perspective Each year the building needs inspections to ensure it is up to code for health and safety and fire regulations. Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers must be inspected and serviced. Our school puts aside some money annually to maintain the building and keep it looking well cared for. The repairs and upgrades we do each year vary from replacing windows or flooring to painting. The outdoor space also needs to be maintained. We invite our f...